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it took me 3 tries to finally get an acceptance.
you can overcome just about anything if you stick with it..
you can overcome just about anything if you stick with it..
Hang in there.
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I tip my hat to you guys! 
Quite a few people trying for their third times here...I know that batman1983 is another one who got in on his third try.
As for me, I'm on my second. I'm glad I won't have to go on a third because this process is really time-consuming and stressful.
As for me, I'm on my second. I'm glad I won't have to go on a third
because this process is really time-consuming and stressful.
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4th for me! Getting accepted was pretty much the happiest day of my life. Hang in there!
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4th try?
Holy crap.
I thought I had it bad being a reapplicant x one when I tried to get in. I take my hat off to you guys.
Holy crap.
I thought I had it bad being a reapplicant x one when I tried to get in. I take my hat off to you guys.
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yah not really a path i would recommend to anyone On the flip side, I really matured over the whole process. I always had the brain power to get in, but I may have not always had the right attitude. When i start school, I am going to be a man on a mission! (though not a 'gunner')
On the flip side, I really matured over the whole process. I always had the brain power to get in, but I may have not always had the right attitude. When i start school, I am going to be a man on a mission! (though not a 'gunner')
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yah not really a path i would recommend to anyone
As a re-app myself, I can appreciate that sentiment. I am very happy for my time off and the position I will be in as a M1 this fall as opposed to some time in the past.
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I can see the medical school from my house!
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good to hear that people are getting in being reapplicants ! i am a current reapplicant but i am kind of thinking i might have to do another round (sigh). i've heard some negative things about being a third time applicant that totally freaked me out but it's good to hear some positive things ! congrats guys !
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Hey Nellia, hang in there fellow uic-thread buddy! I hope you haven't given up hope on uic yet. I'm still rooting for you. Have hope!
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Hey Nellia, hang in there fellow uic-thread buddy! I hope you haven't given up hope on uic yet. I'm still rooting for you. Have hope!
haha THANK YOU ! seriously. so nice of you ! congratulations on your interview !! i hopefully will be joining you as a uic intervieweee, however, i'm preparing for the worst, though, just in case..
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This is my second time applying and although I was worried by some early rejections/waitlists this time, I just received my first acceptance. I am ready to go, and more determined than ever to succeed. Good luck to all.
And one more encouraging anecdote: My uncle was a three time applicant, but when he finally got in he worked his butt off and finished first in his class (out of 200+). He is now a very successful orthopedic surgeon in CA. So not only can it be done, but being a re-applicant can end with great results if you keep at it.
And one more encouraging anecdote: My uncle was a three time applicant, but when he finally got in he worked his butt off and finished first in his class (out of 200+). He is now a very successful orthopedic surgeon in CA. So not only can it be done, but being a re-applicant can end with great results if you keep at it.
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I was just looking at my mdapps and realized that I will interview at at least 8 of the 11 schools I applied to this year. This is a drastic change from the 1/12 the first year and 4/12+ the second year.
The best piece of advice that I got was to be confident and sell yourself in your essays, description of activities, and in interviews. I don't think that my GPA or MCAT score improvement is what did it for me, I think that the way I changed the wording of my own activities portrayed them as more important and meaningful.
Instead of just saying "I worked in an SICU for 12 months," I would say things like "Was responsible for monitoring patient glucose, input/output volumes, assisting nurses with basic patient care duties, and being prepared for emergency life saving actions (CPR) in a surgical/trauma intensive care unit."
I also rewrote my PS to remove almost all "negative" comments about anything, except when I very briefly addressed the weaknesses of my application (my grades).
So if you are in the position where you have to reapply again, make sure you're putting your best foot forward. Let them think that you've got all of the experience, confidence, and maturity not only to be successful, but to be a highly desirable applicant.
oh yeah, and make sure your LORs are strong. I used a LOR I knew was weak and shot myself in the foot.
The best piece of advice that I got was to be confident and sell yourself in your essays, description of activities, and in interviews. I don't think that my GPA or MCAT score improvement is what did it for me, I think that the way I changed the wording of my own activities portrayed them as more important and meaningful.
Instead of just saying "I worked in an SICU for 12 months," I would say things like "Was responsible for monitoring patient glucose, input/output volumes, assisting nurses with basic patient care duties, and being prepared for emergency life saving actions (CPR) in a surgical/trauma intensive care unit."
I also rewrote my PS to remove almost all "negative" comments about anything, except when I very briefly addressed the weaknesses of my application (my grades).
So if you are in the position where you have to reapply again, make sure you're putting your best foot forward. Let them think that you've got all of the experience, confidence, and maturity not only to be successful, but to be a highly desirable applicant.
oh yeah, and make sure your LORs are strong. I used a LOR I knew was weak and shot myself in the foot.
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3rd times the charm for me as well
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3rd cycle for me as well.
Just accepted a week ago.
I'm really really happy I don't have to retake the MCAT. (Saying bye to my 35 would've further crushed my soul.)
Just accepted a week ago.
I'm really really happy I don't have to retake the MCAT. (Saying bye to my 35 would've further crushed my soul.)
to the reapplicants, I'm just curious, why didn't you look into other alternatives like Caribbean schools or schools abroad ie Australian schools?
also did you encounter some family resistance from parents etc, about reapplying to american schools vs applying to Caribbean schools where you may have had a better chance of acceptance?
also did you encounter some family resistance from parents etc, about reapplying to american schools vs applying to Caribbean schools where you may have had a better chance of acceptance?
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I knew with my stats & ec's I could get into an allopathic school without having to jump through all the hoops that either of those other paths pose. Had I not gotten in this year, though, I would've strongly considered going overseas. I wouldn't have touched the Caribbean, though.
^ i'm curious to why you'd consider overseas vs Caribbean; with the Caribbean you'd at least have a chance at clinical placements in the states which may give you a leg up when you're applying for US residency positions. With overseas, you'd have to redo the tests etc no?
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I def could have been accepted to a carib school, but the residency placement and attrition rates from these schools are down right scary. Soooo glad I never considered going to a carib.
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< residency placement and attrition rates from these schools are down right scary.>
Agreed. Let the buyer beware. If going abroad, I'd consider the top 2 or 3 Caribbean schools, along with Ireland, Australia, etc. As far as "family resistance" to going abroad...I think this is one of those cases where it might be best to listen to your mommy...
Agreed. Let the buyer beware. If going abroad, I'd consider the top 2 or 3 Caribbean schools, along with Ireland, Australia, etc. As far as "family resistance" to going abroad...I think this is one of those cases where it might be best to listen to your mommy...
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I would not apply five times. If she can't get in after 2-3 tries, I'd be looking at other medical jobs and/or looking at going to some other country to get an MD. If the problem is that she isn't willing to move to any other city than the one she is in, or applied to far too few schools, then she needs to think about whether she is really committed to medicine vs. not. If the problem is being able to do well on standardized tests, I'd just pick some other health related career because the tests are going to keep coming and get harder and harder as you go up the ladder. She needs to think about the 5 years of life that are going by as you fixate on medicine to the exclusion of other things. There are plenty of other health care careers that are great and where you can help people, and make a comparable salary to what many physicians make - RN working in a hospital makes close to primary care doc's salary, CRNA makes more in many cases. Podiatric doctor, optometrist, clinical pharmacologist - all do well and can take care of patients.
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Same reason I never applied DO, in addition to being too "proud." I wanted to be an MD from an American school, so.. I stuck with it.
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Has she received any indications that she is a competitive applicant? Over my re-app cycles, I had been put very high (like as high as you can get without getting in
) on waitlists. Never was lucky enough to get off, but I knew that I was a competitive applicant. I would have probably made it last year, but I had trouble re-scheduling my MCAT so I applied really late in the game. (so lets call in 3.5 times!) Have her talk to some admissions people and ask for a frank assessment of her weaknesses. If after 5 rounds she has not received any offers or been placed high on waitlists, it might be time to reassess. Hope things work out for you. To previous poster, this was the first year i applied to DO programs and got numerous acceptances. Most of these schools are places where you can get a great education. However, if your dream is to go specifically to an American allopathic program by all means go for it
.I was accepted to a Caribbean MD school but I opted not to go only to reapply for a third time to American MD schools. Thankfully, I got accepted this year. My original goal was to gain acceptance to an American MD school, especially after being successful in a competitive post-bac program. In the end I am happy. I stuck with my original goal and it paid off.
