Help! Really Desperate...

[hadoken44]

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Guys,
I am in a very bad situation right now. I applied to 24 schools in June and only received two interviews (one of which I messed up), 4-5 holds, and 4-5 rejections. I have no other interviews lined up.

nontraditional student: graduated in May 2012
cgpa=BCPM=3.69
31Q MCAT (taken in May 2011)

weak-average ECs=clinical volunteering, shadowing, research, all short-term...

In hindsight, I don't think I should have applied this cycle. I messed up too much.

I wrote a non-compelling, mediocre personal statement and my LORs (besides the committee letter) were all from 2010-2011 and some I know are probably lukewarm/mild/weak.

I messed up really really bad....and I don't know what to do now...

I'm currently volunteering full-time with Americorps but am trying to look for a full-time healthcare job e.g. scribe or medical assistant, with no luck. I also need to retake my MCAT as it is close to expiring.

I wish I knew more about this process going into this as I believe I made a lot of fatal mistakes...

any help/advice is very appreciated....thanks

 

[hadoken44]

bump.

 

[Goro]

Well, for starters, write a better essay next time.
Get some better LORs
Practicce your interview skills.
Did you aim too high in your school list? If so, try the mid-tier schools and all of the DO ones.
How do you know that your LORs are mediocre? You'd shouldn't have access to them. If you do, that's a big negative for AdComs. removes the objectivity of the LOR writers.
Any red flags in your backgorund. Institutional actions? Felonies? Multiple misdemeanors? Bad LORs?

Guys,
I am in a very bad situation right now. I applied to 24 schools in June and only received two interviews (one of which I messed up), 4-5 holds, and 4-5 rejections. I have no other interviews lined up.

nontraditional student: graduated in May 2012
cgpa=BCPM=3.69
31Q MCAT (taken in May 2011)

weak-average ECs=clinical volunteering, shadowing, research, all short-term...

In hindsight, I don't think I should have applied this cycle. I messed up too much.

I wrote a non-compelling, mediocre personal statement and my LORs (besides the committee letter) were all from 2010-2011 and some I know are probably lukewarm/mild/weak.

I messed up really really bad....and I don't know what to do now...

I'm currently volunteering full-time with Americorps but am trying to look for a full-time healthcare job e.g. scribe or medical assistant, with no luck. I also need to retake my MCAT as it is close to expiring.

I wish I knew more about this process going into this as I believe I made a lot of fatal mistakes...

any help/advice is very appreciated....thanks

 

[Anathema]

Do you mind give us some of your safety or mid tier schools? Could you expand on your ECs dates a little more too? What makes you non-traditional?

 

[flodhi1]

Guys,
I am in a very bad situation right now. I applied to 24 schools in June and only received two interviews (one of which I messed up), 4-5 holds, and 4-5 rejections. I have no other interviews lined up.

nontraditional student: graduated in May 2012
cgpa=BCPM=3.69
31Q MCAT (taken in May 2011)

weak-average ECs=clinical volunteering, shadowing, research, all short-term...

In hindsight, I don't think I should have applied this cycle. I messed up too much.

I wrote a non-compelling, mediocre personal statement and my LORs (besides the committee letter) were all from 2010-2011 and some I know are probably lukewarm/mild/weak.

I messed up really really bad....and I don't know what to do now...

I'm currently volunteering full-time with Americorps but am trying to look for a full-time healthcare job e.g. scribe or medical assistant, with no luck. I also need to retake my MCAT as it is close to expiring.

I wish I knew more about this process going into this as I believe I made a lot of fatal mistakes...

any help/advice is very appreciated....thanks

Your stats are great but unfortunately as we all know medical school is competitive so even with your stats you're probably around average for a matriculants.
With that being said it was very important for you to write a strong personal statement which showed commitment and motivation. LORs also play a crucial role and some schools show great emphasis on them.

I don't think you should worry right this second it's too early to panic. You had 2 interviews and that's still an opportunity for you to get accepted. I'm attending a school where I thought I completely bombed the interview so with personal experience I would say don't think too much into it. I also received multiple interviews around February and one even in March so you can expect to get a few after winter break.

 

[hadoken44]

no red flags. nontraditional as I applied after graduation. I should have applied DO as well. I applied to my state schools, and then schools like penn state, drexel, jefferson, and vcu, and I have got all pre-interview holds from these places.

2 interviews were one of my state schools and nymc.

 

[Anathema]

There is no need to apply to do for you. Aren't MCAT scores good for three years? Without more EC information its tough to say because your numbers look very good.

 

[hadoken44]

shadowed extensively 150-200 hours in various specialties
volunteered in a hospital for a year
volunteered in clinic for a semester
volunteered helping elderly for a summer
research about 4 semesters in 2 different labs

currently: Americorps tutoring children in an underprivileged area

 

[Anathema]

shadowed extensively 150-200 hours in various specialties
volunteered in a hospital for a year
volunteered in clinic for a semester
volunteered helping elderly for a summer
research about 4 semesters in 2 different labs

currently: Americorps tutoring children in an underprivileged area

Your shadowing is way above normal, a year at hospital and a clinic is pretty good unless you didn't describe it well and research is fine. Maybe you didn't have enough non clinical ecs that were long term enough?

 

[occams_razor]

shadowed extensively 150-200 hours in various specialties
volunteered in a hospital for a year
volunteered in clinic for a semester
volunteered helping elderly for a summer
research about 4 semesters in 2 different labs

currently: Americorps tutoring children in an underprivileged area

looks like you have good ECs to me. your stats look good. if you have weak LORs I think that could be the culprit

 

[Anathema]

How bad could the LoRs have been how much how a difference would they have made?

I'm not really sure what to say about this. Did you get your personal statement proofread by anyone?

 

[Dires]

There is still some time to get a couple more II. If by early february you are still only sitting on 2 then I would start worrying about this cycle.

Sounds like you are doing a good job of preparing for re-applicant status. Be sure to get a LoR from someone in Americorps.

 

[deleted480308]

It's easy to tell you not to apply do, but as 24 md schools haven't said yes yet....apply do a well. If an allopathic picks you up you can always turn the do down later. If you don't have an acceptance, don't cut out an entire path to being a doctor yet.

 

[Goro]

Well, something is not right there. I'm still wondering about a bad LOR being the killer, or perhaps, did you have a very unbalanced MCAT?

Your numbers and ECs are great. Suggest if you have no luck this cycle try NYMC, Rosy Franklin, and Creighton to the list. It's still early, so there still is hope.

no red flags. nontraditional as I applied after graduation. I should have applied DO as well. I applied to my state schools, and then schools like penn state, drexel, jefferson, and vcu, and I have got all pre-interview holds from these places.

2 interviews were one of my state schools and nymc.

 

[hadoken44]

isn't it kind of late to apply DO? I haven't shadowed a DO physician anyway. I wrote all the schools an update letter about Americorps and sent it on 11/25/12. Hopefully won't still have 2 Il by Feb...worse cycle ever.

What's the probabiity of an app which was put on hold or review later, earlier on the cycle, to be re-reviewed later in the cycle?

MCAT was balanced with highest score in verbal

 

[occams_razor]

LORs can make a difference, particularly a bad one. honestly it's just the only thing I can think of.

The OP's BCPM is above average for matriculants (average BCPM for matriculants is 3.61), cGPA is just about average for matriculants (average cGPA for matriculants is 3.67), average MCAT for matriculants is 31 which is exactly what the OP got... given the fact that they applied early in June to 24 schools, it's just odd there has been no acceptance yet and only 2 II's

 

[Anathema]

Grade trends? Enough upper level classes? Exact break down of MCAT score? Start and end times of volunteering?

How do you know the LoRs are bad? Did you have a feeling about it beforehand?

 

[hadoken44]

finished with an upward grade trend; took advanced courses throughout junior and senior years, including math/engineering/neuroscience classes outside of my major

all ECs were relatively short-term (<1 year)
MCAT=10 PS/11 V/10 BS

In hindsight, some of the LORs (1-2) may have been lukewarm, but I wouldn't think necessarily bad...

 

[occams_razor]

you said you applied to your state schools, what state are you in?

your stats are good enough to get you in, your ECs are good enough too. maybe just give it some more time? And you might want to send update letters to the schools you interviewed at

 

[hadoken44]

NJ. Interviewed at one state school, rejected pre-interview by another state school, and have not heard back since June from the last state school.

sent updates on 11/26/12 discussing Americorps and what I have been doing/what I have learned and how it applies to medicine (the Americorps work is tutoring/mentoring i.e. not-medically-related). Also briefly discussed in 1-2 sentences (and now I'm thinking i shouldn't have) some family issues I had during college which prevented me from being more involved on/off campus early on (I did all my shadowing and volunteering in my senior year).

I will send updates to the schools I interviewed at if I become waitlisted (do not want to waste the opportunity to update post-decision being made).

so stressed out...

 

[mcloaf]

Seems like it's gotta be a LoR. Your stats are fine, your ECs aren't jaw-dropping but are solid (Americorps will look awesome I'd imagine). Maybe a lukewarm LoR was enough to simply put you at the bottom of the pile as they progress through the cycle--as things get later I'd think they pull your app back out and be interested in you, but of course no one can say for sure.

 

[Anathema]

Could you possibly describe the nature of your LoRs? Did you get one from someone you barely knew or wasn't enthusiastic about writing you a letter?

The more info you give, the more perplexed I am.

 

[hadoken44]

yeah: I stupidly used a letter from someone after only working with them for a semester. God, what a stupid mistake!! I was young and didn't know what I was doing. I should not have included that letter...

 

[Yoseph101]

yeah: I stupidly used a letter from someone after only working with them for a semester. God, what a stupid mistake!! I was young and didn't know what I was doing. I should not have included that letter...

Dude, you need to relax. There's nothing you can do at this point that will get you accepted this cycle. Prepare for the next one accordingly and rock it.

 

[hadoken44]

Great...So I'm pretty much f&ck#d?!.....wonderful.

 

[hadoken44]

so I'm getting ready to reapply next cycle...do you guys think I should retake my 2011 MCAT if it is a balanced 31 (10/11/10)? I am worried about its expiration for some schools...

 

[Goro]

I don't think it's necessary to re-take. Hone in on schools for which it's still good. Apply widely and definitely inclide DO schools. Get some new LORs while you're at it.

so I'm getting ready to reapply next cycle...do you guys think I should retake my 2011 MCAT if it is a balanced 31 (10/11/10)? I am worried about its expiration for some schools...

 

[Anathema]

How about the other LoRs. Did you meet them in person or could you tell their reaction about writing you a LoR?

Did other people read your PS or just you and relatives?

 

[hadoken44]

other LORs should have been fine...

not too many other people read my PS...just me and my relatives.

ugh, I hate myself now...

 

[hadoken44]

bump