Help identifying flaws in app: 516 MCAT, 3.7 GPA, no interviews

[Chippopotamus]

Hello,

I am applying this current cycle and have had no interview invites, so I was hoping to gain some advice on where to proceed from here. [deleted for anonymity]

Was my late completion date the main killer of my app? I thought so, but also received rejections from schools I was complete at in August, so I'm not sure. My questions are:
1. Does it seem like late completion was the issue? If so, would it be ok if I reapplied this cycle with basically the same app (plus some more volunteering + Master's degree) but earlier? Or do I still need to show a large improvement in my app?
2. Does anybody have advice on what to improve other than completing earlier?

Thanks so much for the help!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Did you fill out a WAMC? Other than timing, I think having no invitations points to your application and essays. Too tough to say without a more detailed description of activities.

 

[Faha]

Which schools did you apply to ?

 

[Goro]

Hello,

I am applying this current cycle and have had no interview invites, so I was hoping to gain some advice on where to proceed from here. I know that stats aren't everything, but I had a 516 MCAT and 3.7+ GPA (from an engineering undergrad known to deflate grades) so I was hoping for at least one interview. To summarize my app, I applied to ~30 schools that have high OOS acceptance rates (at the time of application, I did not have any state residency, but am CA ORM now). I believe I applied broadly and not top-heavy. I think one huge flaw in my app was that I was complete at many schools very late (October - leaking into November), but I was complete at ~10 schools by August and have received rejections from those schools as well. I have a couple hundred hours of clinical volunteering, another couple hundred of non-clinical volunteering, 1000+ hours of research (one conference poster), and various other ECs like TAing and school clubs. (Sorry if that sounds like a checklist haha, I thought it'd be concise to just list my activities). I had my PS read by my premed counselor and classmates, and I had a school committee letter so I doubt they would have encouraged me to apply if I had a terrible LoR (or would they have? ... I'm not sure).

Was my late completion date the main killer of my app? I thought so, but also received rejections from schools I was complete at in August, so I'm not sure. My questions are:
1. Does it seem like late completion was the issue? If so, would it be ok if I reapplied this cycle with basically the same app (plus some more volunteering + Master's degree) but earlier? Or do I still need to show a large improvement in my app?
2. Does anybody have advice on what to improve other than completing earlier?

Thanks so much for the help!

Might have been a weak LOR, not a lethal. Still bad.

Bad essays

Late apps are always bad.

Rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them

What was your school list?

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Use this for more eyes on your essays:

Forum Members - *~*~*~*~*~*Official Personal Statement Guide and Reader List 2022-2023*~*~*~*~*~*

It's that time of year again! This thread is for applicants who are writing, revising, and polishing their personal statement for the 2022-2023 application cycle! Like in prior years, this thread will be self-regulated. When volunteering as a reader (or contacting a reader for assistance)...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Chippopotamus]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, I will definitely rewrite my essays and try to get them proofread by many people next application cycle. @Mr.Smile12, I did not fill out a WAMC, but my activities in more detail are:


@Faha @Goro Here was my school list, any recommendations are welcome!


Thanks again for the help!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks. I'll also ask how much you did networking/connecting with students at the schools you applied to before/during the last cycle?

 

[Goro]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, I will definitely rewrite my essays and try to get them proofread by many people next application cycle. @Mr.Smile12, I did not fill out a WAMC, but my activities in more detail are:
- 1200 hours of research from school lab, 1 conference poster
- 150 hours of TAing
- Clinical: 100 hours of a school club that works with patients, 100 hours of hospital volunteering with patients
- Nonclinical: 20 hours of soup kitchen volunteering, 200 hours of mental health counselor
- 500 hours of engineering work experience (summer job)
- engineering honor society and social chair of sorority (not many hours for both, a dozen-ish)
Are there any aspects I should improve on? I am planning to get shadowing, but it was hard to get any opportunities because of the pandemic.

@Faha @Goro Here was my school list, any recommendations are welcome!
-all NY state schools: (I did my undergrad here, so I thought I'd have a chance)
-NYMC, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Upstate, SUNY Downstate, Albany, Stony Brook, Rochester, Einstein, Hofstra, Mt Sinai
-Michigan
-University of Virginia (reach stats-wise but I saw they had a high OOS acceptance rate)
-Ohio State
-Cincinnati
-Illinois
-Maryland
-Tufts
-Wake Forest
-Emory
-Colorado
-Dartmouth
-Rush (I probably didn't have enough volunteering)
-Wisconsin
-Brown
-Case Western
-Pitt
-University of Houston (I have family connections to the school/city)
-UT Houston

Thanks again for the help!

GPA might be on the low side for a number of those schools. Did you use MSAR for your school list?

UTx -h was a donation.

 

[wysdoc]

The one thing that stands out to me is "complete in late October to November".
This time, the month of June would be a lovely time to submit-

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools when you reapply:
Carle Illinois
TCU-UNT
NOVA MD
USF Morsani
Miami
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Pittsburgh
Seton Hall
New York Medical College
Albany
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Cincinnati
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Kaiser
California University
USC Keck
The UCs
Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July

 

[Chippopotamus]

Thanks. I'll also ask how much you did networking/connecting with students at the schools you applied to before/during the last cycle?

Unfortunately close to none... actually, I remember receiving advice from you 2 years ago before I started the application process to network more 😅 so I think I should have tried to contact more medical students. I don't know many med students, so I guess I got most of my info from forums like SDN for this cycle.

 

[Chippopotamus]

GPA might be on the low side for a number of those schools. Did you use MSAR for your school list?

UTx -h was a donation.

Yes, I used MSAR, I was hoping my MCAT could balance my GPA out if it was above a school's median. But I will definitely target more schools with lower median GPAs next cycle, and also probably apply DO.

Thanks to everyone that responded to my question about my app, it was all very helpful!

 

[Goro]

Yes, I used MSAR, I was hoping my MCAT could balance my GPA out if it was above a school's median. But I will definitely target more schools with lower median GPAs next cycle, and also probably apply DO.

The bolded, sadly, is yet another pre-med delusion. Single metrics do not make an app.