Guys, Help

[VFElf]

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Hi guys,

After I saw many people got into med school on this board, I started to wonder why I could not get in. I had 3.70 gpa (3.92 on science requirement) and 29 mcat ( VR6, PS12, BS11, M). I tried twice but all I got are rejection letters. I am thinking to take MCAT again this August, hope to boost my VR score. What else do you guys think I should improve to get in?
I am wondering if I am the kind of person med schools are looking for.

 

[MUN2005]

Did you interview? If so, your interview skills could be weak. Also, your EC's, LOR's and personal experiences are usually all taken into account too. Therefore (other than your verbal score) there maybe some other things that may have been inferior to other applicants according to the AdCom people. I'm not sure about American school but I know that at most schools in Canada, you can speak to somebody on admissions to find out where you can improve. Good Luck.

 

[driven]

Why don't you call every school you got a rejection letter from and ask them why you were rejected. This can help you improve and work on those areas...!

 

[Doc AdamK in 2006]

I know a lot of schools make their cut off at a 7 on the Verbal section. So if you improve 1 or 2 point you will definetly get in. But work on your interview skills because you will probably get a few.

Have a great day

AK

 

[Hero]

VFElf, I am in the similiar boat as you are... I am going to retake the MCAT in August to try to boost my VS as well. The only advice I can give, which is what I am going to do, is to apply to a lot of the 'easy schools to get in.' There was a thread that listed schools that are relatively easy to get in.

I noticed that you are from Cali. I too am from cali and I think w/ low VS scores like ours, finding love at a UC will be very difficult. Our best bet is schools from other states.

Also there was another recent thread that talked about which section of the MCAT specific med schools cared most about. That information should help you decide which schools to apply.

 

[patient]

MAn, I am in the same boat.

I just bought all kinds of Mcat books to start all over in August.
I was very discouraged but determined to continue.,
Just hang in there

 

[VFElf]

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I am definitely going to take mcat again this august. Man, I have already spent a lot of money on AMCAS. This time I need to find out where my weak areas are and give them correct shot. I don't mind to go to other States to study medicine. California schools are just too competitive. I've got no interview so far this year. I am still waiting for two schools who haven't informed me.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

I have not applied yet, but wanted to throw in my 2 cents anyway.....

what kind of activities are you involved in? do you have the basics? volunteer/clinical/research? Do you have anything unique on your resume that schools can look at and say "we've GOT TO have him/her!" I am realizing over and over again (from talking to others) that if you ahve something that is unique to you that med schools will look at and say that this person will be a boon to us...then they look upon you favorably. This doesn't mean that you should pack up and move to a third world country to make yourself unique.

I suppose you already know this, but I had to say it. Good luck and keep that chin up. You're almost there!!

Tweetie

 

[brontehardyeliot]

I've heard that practicing with the verbal section of the GRE is really helpful in preparing for the verbal section of the MCAT. You might want to try using old GREs for extra practice material. 🙂

 

[UrSexyLatinDr]

Hi, what do you mean something unique? Can you emphasize some examples of uniqueness? Or people who have gotten in because of it?

 

[VFElf]

Hi Tweetie_bird,

Your "UNIQUE" word really shocks me. I am sure I do have plenty of volunteer, clinical experience and research with publication, plus the activities (speech, sports, clubs, music, etc) I had in undergraduate and work experience. Probably I haven't find something UNIQUE to me to describe in the personal essay. That's a good advice !

 

[Michelys]

Hey VElf...sorry about how everything is going! I personally think your GPA is great and I would have killed squirrels with my bare hands to get that bio/phys score you had! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

But seriously, I agree with the posts concerning working on your VERBAL score...I was actually the flip side with a very good verbal score and mediocre phys/bio scores. I practiced with the Princeton Review Verbal Accelerator course and timed myself and trained my brain to analyze the passages, answer the questions, and actually do well. Maybe some practice items, like a book of them, would be useful!

I also agree with the whole 'unique' thing. I know I probably kill everyone with the whole make your personal statement and application PERSONAL thing but it's true! Just look in your MSAR and see how many people want the same spot as you in medical school and imagine being on the adcomm and sifting through a whole bunch of qualified yet lifeless and spiritless applications. As a premed, you're obviously the cream of the crop, but so is everyone else for the most part! That's what I kept in my head during my application and essay :wink: .

Maybe talk about EC's and research that you really enjoyed and helped you as a premed looking forward to a career in medicine. I would highly suggest perhaps sharpening your interview skills as well...I'm a firm believer for the interview making you or breaking you thing. I basically interrogated and harrassed all my friends (much to their dismay <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> ) and everyone else I knew and then asked them if they would then allow me to be in a medical school. It helped out alot!

Well, good luck to you! Don't give up and dig in there! What doesn't kill us makes us stronger!

 

[oldman]

when i wrote my essays, i aimed for tearjerker. sob stories good! i used a similar topic that got me into my ugrad schools. i had an adcom member tell me she cried when she read my essay.

idea here is do something that stands out and pump it up. your app is your chance to show off.

 

[moo]

VFElf,

I think it's your MCAT VR that's holding you back.

You should talk to Legi. He has 3 interviews but only a 6 in VR.

Also, did you only apply to UC's and top 15 schools? If that's the case, you need to lower the bar and apply to some lower-tier med schools.

 

[Zeffer]

Definitely the VR score. Like another poster mentioned earlier most schools have a cut off of 7. Retaking the MCAT is a good idea. VR was my weakest but I used the AAMC VR practice booklet and my score improved.

 

[gbey]

"Premeds are not necessarily the cream of the crop". Very well said.

 

[Drako]

I am not going to comment on what is holding you back from getting interviews and acceptance. I think you know that already.

For improving verbal score, you need to read a lot; read anything you can read. Most importantly, read critical material. Material that makes you head spins after just one read. When you read thing and think to yourself, "What the hell did I just read?" that material is going to improve your critical reading skill. The MCAT verbal passages are not hard. They are only hard because of the time constrain, so if you train yourself with very difficult reading material, you ace the verbal section. Books that I have read that drive me brain crazy are these: "Art and Its Significance" "Conflict and Consensus in Modern American History." These are just examples for you to look at. There are ton of books out there that are like the ones mentioned above. You will have to read them over and over and over, but once you done that, you can read like the wind and remember what you read.

I took Princeton review, went to the verbal classes every session, but I went because I fear I might miss something important. In the end, I found my own method of dealing with the verbal section. Lucky for me, I have always read a lot since I was very little. That has been my advantage. If you don't have this background/prep, you just have to work harder. I would like to see you try because you obviously have the science down cold! Dig in and take the VR score to two digits figure! Cheers!

 

[VFElf]

Thanks for your comments. Obviously, I need to improve my VR score. My goal now is to get double digit on that section.
Do you think it is a good idea to apply this year, or just wait until the score comes out and apply next year ?