Help! Deciding whether to apply next cycle!

[cooper86]

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I am most likely going to be a reapplicant next cycle, and I was curious as to whether it is acceptable to mention financial hardship in a medical school essay. Unfortunately my GPA (3.56 cum and 3.38 bcpm) and MCAT scores (8/10/9 and 10/8/9) are less than stellar, but they do sit inside the range of a few schools. I have extensive clinical experience as an acute care nurse, and I am not looking to attend any top-tier schools... just a school that has a focus on primary care medicine and isn't too selective. I applied pretty late in the cycle because I was awaiting an MCAT result that wasn't available until October, and by that time money was INCREDIBLY tight and paying to send secondaries to a bunch of schools that late in the game seemed imprudent and a waste. Especially since my MCAT score was not an improvement on the first try. I have a significant amount of student loan debt (over $150K), so taking on any more debt for additional courses and MCAT prep and administration isn't quite an option to improve my application. Student loan payments are through the roof, and I can't justify to my husband taking on more debt for courses that aren't guaranteed to help my chances of admission. I know some of you are going to say that if I can't afford more classes how am I going to afford medical school, right? Not only can I not afford to pay for more courses out of pocket but I can't get any more financial aid because I've exceeded the number of credits in my post-bacc program and to get more financial aid I would have to begin a new program. Taking on more educational debt for medical school is a different story since there is a finite end goal.

Since a big part of my failure this cycle is timing, I'm wondering if it is acceptable to apply next cycle and mention finances when justifying why I have not taken additional courses or retaken the MCAT. I am working full-time as a nurse, and I am volunteering as much as possible. When asked the question "what did you do to improve your application" I am wanting to address the timing and the increased dedication to clinical community service (American Red Cross Disaster Health Services and the Institute for Family Medicine). I cannot afford to take time off work because my husband and I are barely scraping by, and the number of courses I would have to take in order to make a dent in my GPA is much greater than we can afford financially.

I did not apply to DO schools this cycle and I only ended up applying to a small number of schools (~7) because the second MCAT result came in October. I have had 2 interviews at my state schools in Illinois, and I just got the prospective reapplicant letter today for one and I'm deferred for the other. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[s5260205]

Unless there is an essay that specifically asks about any difficulties (health, family, financial, etc.) that could have affected your academics, I would not mention your financial hardship. I am of the opinion that medical school essays, especially personal statement, are where you should highlight your positives, not negatives. With the limited characters you have to sell yourself to the admissions for that precious interview invite, it's not advisable to mention any negative aspects about your application, unless they are crucial to why you chose to study medicine.

The fact that you've received 2 interviews from your state schools means that you are competitive but somehow did not land an acceptance. Have you asked the respective admissions the reason for their decisions?

Lastly, I would suggest applying to a broader selection of schools (7 is a bit too little), as well as DO schools. With your current stats and interests in primary care, you are likely to receive multiple acceptances from DO schools. Should MD applications not pan out next cycle, you always have the option of attending a DO school.