Got rejected from 18 med school. How should I improve my application? Feeling very lost.

[hopeful4medschool]

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Hi everyone,
This is my first time making a post on SDN. Just like the title mentions, I got rejected from 18 out of the 19 medical schools that I applied to. I am currently on the waitlist for my state medical school. I attended undergrad there, but I have little to no hope for my acceptance now. I am really stuck on what to do next and would appreciate any guidance or advice on how to improve my application. I am planning on applying to med school again in the 2026-2027 cycle. Here is my current stats and hours for my ECs. I applied all MD:

MCAT: 508 (I am restudying to take it again)
GPA: Science--> 3.6, Total--> 3.78
Clinical Hours: ~1700 ish hours (had 950 when I applied)
Volunteering: 450-470 ish hours (had 395 when I applied)
Research: 400 hours
Shadowing: 45 hours


I am just feeling overwhelmed and stressed. I put a lot of effort into my application and I am just tired now. I don't know where I went wrong and how to improve. I will take any input. Thank you!!!

 

[CBass2288]

if nothing else changes, the simplest change needed is:
1. apply to more schools
2. apply DO

you should have done both of those things in your first cycle. in my opinion, that was a big mistake and likely cost you an A assuming your writing wasn't horrible.

you are nowhere near competitive enough with your current application, as a reapplicant, to apply to under 20 schools, all of which are MD.

-all of your EC hours look totally acceptable. but without knowing specifics, hard to see if anything is wrong there.
-your GPA isn't stellar but it's not bad.
-MCAT is definitely lower than you'd want it to be for MD schools. doesn't rule you out but doesn't give you a great chance either.
-unfortunately, neither the GPA or MCAT make up for each other.
-no idea how your writing was/is, or how cohesive your app was as a whole.

you definitely need to have someone look over your entire application to check over most of this stuff.
if you want to significantly improve the strength of your application, you should retake the MCAT and improve by 4+ points. especially if you're taking a year off before applying again, there's no reason you shouldn't be doing that. regardless, as a reapp, add DOs and apply to double the schools since you applied to so few the first time.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence?

 

[hopeful4medschool]

Where is your state of residence?

I am from NC

 

[hopeful4medschool]

if nothing else changes, the simplest change needed is:
1. apply to more schools
2. apply DO

you should have done both of those things in your first cycle. in my opinion, that was a big mistake and likely cost you an A assuming your writing wasn't horrible.

you are nowhere near competitive enough with your current application, as a reapplicant, to apply to under 20 schools, all of which are MD.

-all of your EC hours look totally acceptable. but without knowing specifics, hard to see if anything is wrong there.
-your GPA isn't stellar but it's not bad.
-MCAT is definitely lower than you'd want it to be for MD schools. doesn't rule you out but doesn't give you a great chance either.
-unfortunately, neither the GPA or MCAT make up for each other.
-no idea how your writing was/is, or how cohesive your app was as a whole.

you definitely need to have someone look over your entire application to check over most of this stuff.
if you want to significantly improve the strength of your application, you should retake the MCAT and improve by 4+ points. especially if you're taking a year off before applying again, there's no reason you shouldn't be doing that. regardless, as a reapp, add DOs and apply to double the schools since you applied to so few the first time.

Thank you so much for the advice. I am considering to do all the things mentioned for the next cycle.

 

[garlic_hunter]

A few things come to mind:

1) Applying to medical school is a numbers game. The process is getting more competitive and ruthless, and applicants are applying to increasingly more programs. I generally recommend between 30-35 if you are applying to MD programs, but its fine to apply to fewer if you are meticulous in only applying to realistic programs where you are a strong mission fit.

2) Difficult to assess how to move forward without your school list from last year.

3) Your extracurricular involvement looks great, but be mindful of the fact that writing and application narrative are important components to success.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

We don't have your application. Can you provide more details in a WAMC format? If you are still on a waitlist, you could still be called up at the last minute, and you should take this next year off to improve your clinical and non-clinical (especially service orientation) experiences to better demonstrate mission fit. Your breakdown of hours is very important, but we don't rely on a computer formula for a decision to offer an acceptance.

If you are from NC, you should have applied to Campbell and VCOM. Chances are you could have gotten accepted.

 

[Goro]

What was your school list?
When did you apply?
Did you have multiple eyeballs that your writings?

 

[hopeful4medschool]

Welcome to the forums.

We don't have your application. Can you provide more details in a WAMC format? If you are still on a waitlist, you could still be called up at the last minute, and you should take this next year off to improve your clinical and non-clinical (especially service orientation) experiences to better demonstrate mission fit. Your breakdown of hours is very important, but we don't rely on a computer formula for a decision to offer an acceptance.

If you are from NC, you should have applied to Campbell and VCOM. Chances are you could have gotten accepted.

GPA: Science--> 3.6, Total--> 3.78
508 (129/125/126/128)
State of residence: North Carolina
Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer): CNA (900+), hospital volunteer
Research experience and productivity: nothing too fancy, just research at my university. 1 year total. No publications (400 ish)
Shadowing experience and specialties represented: (pediatrics, neurology, neonatal with the hours split mostly evenly)
Non-clinical volunteering: involved in a nonprofit organization helping kids (most recent so had about 30 hours), had a program helping people who are homeless after a disaster get stable housing (130 ish), long term volunteering program that I have been doing since high school (200 ish, its a low commitment program)
Other extracurricular activities: i had some club hours (50), mentoring (50)

Reflecting on this I def think I needed to get more volunteering hours. Maybe get more research too.

 

[hopeful4medschool]

What was your school list?
When did you apply?
Did you have multiple eyeballs that your writings?

My school list: EVMS, VCU, UNC, ECU, Duke, Columbia, Tulane, Pittsburg, Wake Forest, WVU, Emory, George Washington, Pennsylvania State University, Oakland, UVA, Quinnipiac, Vermont, Kimmel, Temple

Primary was processed by mid July and finished all my secondary by the end of August (except temple I submitted that one in second week of september).

I had two trusted people (that are not close to me) look at my primary and had couple friends edit it. My secondaries I mostly had two different friends edit it. I edited most of them alone.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Non-clinical volunteering: involved in a nonprofit organization helping kids (most recent so had about 30 hours), had a program helping people who are homeless after a disaster get stable housing (130 ish), long term volunteering program that I have been doing since high school (200 ish, its a low commitment program)

How recently were you involved in these organizations? I don't get a solid impression of your service orientation.

What did your prehealth advisors say about your application (last cycle and the reaction)?

 

[hopeful4medschool]

How recently were you involved in these organizations? I don't get a solid impression of your service orientation.

What did your prehealth advisors say about your application (last cycle and the reaction)?

All those activities are all ongoing. One I started in 2021, one I started 6 months before I applied.
I have not talked to my prehealth advisor yet. I am trying to get an appointment so I can discuss the situation.

 

[garlic_hunter]

My school list: EVMS, VCU, UNC, ECU, Duke, Columbia, Tulane, Pittsburg, Wake Forest, WVU, Emory, George Washington, Pennsylvania State University, Oakland, UVA, Quinnipiac, Vermont, Kimmel, Temple

Primary was processed by mid July and finished all my secondary by the end of August (except temple I submitted that one in second week of september).


I had two trusted people (that are not close to me) look at my primary and had couple friends edit it. My secondaries I mostly had two different friends edit it. I edited most of them alone.

Columbia, Pittsburgh, Emory, UVA, and Duke are donations with a 508. In reality you applied to 14 medical schools, and that is assuming you were a mission fit at your remaining programs.

EVMS, VCU, UNC, ECU, Oakland Beaumont, Vermont, Sidney Kimmel, Penn State, and Quinnipiac are great schools to apply to given your profile. However,

Tulane and Sidney Kimmel strongly favor early applicants, meaning if you submitted closer to the end of August you were likely not considered as a competitive applicant.

George Washington, Tulane, and Temple are service focused schools. How is your service background?


A more realistic school list:

• University of Vermont
• University of Massachussets
• Quinnipiac
• Hackensack Meridian
• Ohio State
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Iowa
• Oakland Beaumont
• University of Miami
• Dartmouth
• Wake Forest
• Sidney Kimmel
• Indiana University
• University of Arizona - Pheonix
• Augusta University
• Wayne State
• VCU
• EVMS
• Geisinger
• Drexel
• Western Michigan
• ECU
• UNC
• NYMC

If you have a solid service profile add:

• SLU
• Rush
• Rosalind Franklin
• Creighton
• Temple
• Tulane

Consider adding DO programs:

• MSUCOM
• KCUCOM
• PCOM
• NYITCOM
• UNECOM

 

[hopeful4medschool]

How recently were you involved in these organizations? I don't get a solid impression of your service orientation.

What did your prehealth advisors say about your application (last cycle and the reaction)?

Also reflecting on your comment, I do agree that I might not be service oriented and should focus on that during my gap year. I am currently looking for volunteering in my area. Any recommendations? What do you think about my research hours? Should those hours be enough or should I look for research assistant position too

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Also reflecting on your comment, I do agree that I might not be service oriented and should focus on that during my gap year. I am currently looking for volunteering in my area. Any recommendations? What do you think about my research hours? Should those hours be enough or should I look for research assistant position too

You'd have to tell us where "your area" is. Your undergraduate school likely had an office of community engagement where they connect students with local non-profit organizations. I encourage "service orientation" activities such as food distribution, shelter volunteer (human not animal), job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. In-person is preferred. No teaching/tutoring/mentoring as most premeds have this and it won't help you stand out (now, if you have none, I might reconsider this).

I do think having at least a year of consistent work with marginalized populations in the aforementioned activities will help give you a bit more credibility that you understand community impact and leadership.

 

[hopeful4medschool]

You'd have to tell us where "your area" is. Your undergraduate school likely had an office of community engagement where they connect students with local non-profit organizations. I encourage "service orientation" activities such as food distribution, shelter volunteer (human not animal), job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. In-person is preferred. No teaching/tutoring/mentoring as most premeds have this and it won't help you stand out (now, if you have none, I might reconsider this).

I do think having at least a year of consistent work with marginalized populations in the aforementioned activities will help give you a bit more credibility that you understand community impact and leadership.

Thank you so much!

 

[Goro]

Columbia, Pittsburgh, Emory, UVA, and Duke are donations with a 508. In reality you applied to 14 medical schools, and that is assuming you were a mission fit at your remaining programs.

EVMS, VCU, UNC, ECU, Oakland Beaumont, Vermont, Sidney Kimmel, Penn State, and Quinnipiac are great schools to apply to given your profile. However,

Tulane and Sidney Kimmel strongly favor early applicants, meaning if you submitted closer to the end of August you were likely not considered as a competitive applicant.

George Washington, Tulane, and Temple are service focused schools. How is your service background?


A more realistic school list:

• University of Vermont
• University of Massachussets
• Quinnipiac
• Hackensack Meridian
• Ohio State
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Iowa
• Oakland Beaumont
• University of Miami
• Dartmouth
• Wake Forest
• Sidney Kimmel
• Indiana University
• University of Arizona - Pheonix
• Augusta University
• Wayne State
• VCU
• EVMS
• Geisinger
• Drexel
• Western Michigan
• ECU
• UNC
• NYMC

If you have a solid service profile add:

• SLU
• Rush
• Rosalind Franklin
• Creighton
• Temple
• Tulane

Consider adding DO programs:

• MSUCOM
• KCUCOM
• PCOM
• NYITCOM
• UNECOM

With a 508, OP is at least three to four basis points below the national average for accepted MD applicants.

OP would be DOA at all of the out-of-state public schools on your list with the exception of U VM.

OP needs
VCOM
KYCOM
WVCOM
CUSOM
MUCOM
ALL LECOMS
TOURO.NY
ACOM
WCU
KCOM

 

[Faha]

My school list: EVMS, VCU, UNC, ECU, Duke, Columbia, Tulane, Pittsburg, Wake Forest, WVU, Emory, George Washington, Pennsylvania State University, Oakland, UVA, Quinnipiac, Vermont, Kimmel, Temple

Primary was processed by mid July and finished all my secondary by the end of August (except temple I submitted that one in second week of september).

I had two trusted people (that are not close to me) look at my primary and had couple friends edit it. My secondaries I mostly had two different friends edit it. I edited most of them alone.

Duke, Columbia, Pittsburgh, UVA and Emory were unrealistic with your MCAT of 508, I suggest these MD schools when you reapply:
UNC
East Carolina
Methodist (when it opens)
NOVA MD
Belmont
Alice Walton
Roseman
TCU
Creighton
Ponce (St. Louis)
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Goro gave you a good DO list.

 

[garlic_hunter]

With a 508, OP is at least three to four basis points below the national average for accepted MD applicants.

OP would be DOA at all of the out-of-state public schools on your list with the exception of U VM.

OP needs
VCOM
KYCOM
WVCOM
CUSOM
MUCOM
ALL LECOMS
TOURO.NY
ACOM
WCU
KCOM

Don't agree that applying to MD schools with median MCAT scores of 510-514 is a donation. It might be a reach, but well worth the investment in my estimation. Better to shoot your shot and fail than never try.

 

[Goro]

Don't agree that applying to MD schools with median MCAT scores of 510-514 is a donation. It might be a reach, but well worth the investment in my estimation. Better to shoot your shot and fail than never try.

State schools favor the home team,. So therefore one has to be above average to get accepted there. They want people to stick around and practice medicine there.

Applying to medical school is not like basketball where you just take a shot and either have a 50/50 chance of sinking a basket. One has to apply with a strategic list, where it's not just based upon the MCAT score or even the percentiles of a of the score compared to the accepted students but also how many out of state versus in-state are accepted.

Therefore, you try we have the best chances of acceptance. The schools do not need the money. Take your significant other out for dinner instead.

 

[eigen]

I strongly recommend my applicants with median-ish MCAT scores invest in an MSAR subscription and pay close attention to percentiles.

The 10th and 25th percentiles help you see how willing a school is to take a lower-scoring applicant that has an otherwise strong application. You can also sort by in- vs out-of state applicants.

One thing I haven't seen brought up here is narrative. You mention having friends read your application, so this part may be fine, but I think a lot of applicants underestimate how much a cohesive narrative (personal statement, work and activities, letters) that really sells the school on why you want to be a physician and what kind of physician you want to be is really, really important.

As you're going over your application and thinking about structure, I really recommend the Anatomy of an Applicant resource from AMCAS (Premed Competencies Resources) and thinking about what competencies you displayed in your application, where you showed them, and what might have been less obvious.

 

[garlic_hunter]

State schools favor the home team,. So therefore one has to be above average to get accepted there. They want people to stick around and practice medicine there.

Applying to medical school is not like basketball where you just take a shot and either have a 50/50 chance of sinking a basket. One has to apply with a strategic list, where it's not just based upon the MCAT score or even the percentiles of a of the score compared to the accepted students but also how many out of state versus in-state are accepted.

Therefore, you try we have the best chances of acceptance. The schools do not need the money. Take your significant other out for dinner instead.

None of the state schools mentioned have particularly strong in-state bias. Certainly with a 508 you are at a disadvantage, but I know people with less than competitive stats who received interviews and acceptances at these programs. It's an uphill battle, but nonetheless a worthwhile endeavor in my opinion.

 

[chilly_md]

None of the state schools mentioned have particularly strong in-state bias. Certainly with a 508 you are at a disadvantage, but I know people with less than competitive stats who received interviews and acceptances at these programs. It's an uphill battle, but nonetheless a worthwhile endeavor in my opinion.

UMass, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Iowa, Miami, Indiana, University of Arizona - Phoenix, Augusta University, Geisinger are all unrealistic choices. They favor high stats for the OOS students they do take, have a strong regional preference (IU, Geisinger), or in MCG's case, are actually pretty much entirely in-state.

Western Michigan and NYMC are private, but also go after high MCAT scorers. NYMC has become quite competitive recently.

 

[PickaGodnPray]

Not to beat a dead horse in this thread, but a lot of the schools others have listed still give you minimal chance of success with your current profile. You were not competitive for your school list this cycle and most of the suggestions given were not any better. I don't know if you submitted for this cycle, but I would recommend taking another year to get fully ready to reapply. That way, you can have an early application with more hours (not projected), and possibly a better MCAT. Pushing through now is not ideal, imo.
One thing I would add is to reach out to the schools that rejected you, even waitlisted at this point in the cycle, and ask for feedback. Some schools provide it, others don't, but it will at least give you an idea if they do.

 

[CBass2288]

Thank you so much for the advice. I am considering to do all the things mentioned for the next cycle.

You are welcome.

I mainly agree with Goro and PickaGodnPray. Take a few MD schools suggested by others (unless you have unlimited money) that make the most sense with the app you decide to submit. Do your research for your stats percentiles, mission fit, regional/state bias, etc. And without a doubt add DO schools, or you have a good chance of looking at a 3rd cycle. Ideally, you improve your stats, bolster up your ECs because they're realistically just meh and aren't making you stand out beyond checking boxes, and apply next cycle. Don't mean to be harsh but I feel this is the best advice.

 

[Stuaccount]

If you are planning to reapply next cycle and not this cycle, you can probably afford to take a small break so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Then line up what you need and want to do in order of priority. If you are studying to retake the MCAT, and are planning to retake in the next couple of months, then put off looking for volunteering opportunities or other aspects of your application until you have taken the exam.

Also put off on making a school list until you get your retake score back. If you are open to DO, you may not need to retake your MCAT and can spend the rest of the summer refining the rest of the application and maybe still apply to DO this cycle.

 

[Wamuu]

I feel like you'd be better served just seeking employment in a patient-facing job while you reapply to a more realistic list of schools as suggested above, including the DO schools.

 

[deleted1220759]

Apply in 2025-2026 and add DO schools.

Your writing probably did you in. Get a trusted advisor to read your stuff carefully

 

[PickaGodnPray]

Apply in 2025-2026 and add DO schools.

Your writing probably did you in. Get a trusted advisor to read your stuff carefully

OPs school list was top heavy with not a single school's median MCAT being at or even below their score. Secondaries were not early either which was needed for those stats and schools. Was more than just writing at that point, obviously.
If OP wants DO sure, go ahead and apply this cycle. If not, they are taking the right steps by retaking their MCAT and setting up everything to be early for 2026-2027. Advising them to rush their app now when we are already into July is setting them up for failure if they are not ready. They have everything they need to be successful, just need a stronger MCAT and/or better school list.