Help, Waitlisted and Re-applying!

[LetMeIn2004]

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Okay, so I have been waitlisted at UTMB and my chances don't look good. 😡 Here are my stats: Overall GPA: 3.79, BCPM: 3.70, MCAT: 28O. Should I retake MCAT in August or should I concentrate on strengthening my clinical experience (one of my weaknesses)? Also, should reapply now or wait a full year? Thanks for the help.

 

[rmp]

Okay, so I have been waitlisted at UTMB and my chances don't look good. 😡 Here are my stats: Overall GPA: 3.79, BCPM: 3.70, MCAT: 28O. Should I retake MCAT in August or should I concentrate on strengthening my clinical experience (one of my weaknesses)? Also, should reapply now or wait a full year? Thanks for the help.

Need more info: how many schools did you apply to, how many interviews, how did they go?

How limited is your clinical experience? That maybe your achilles heel (sp). Adcoms may feel that you aren't familiar with the role of the physician. I'm only highlighting your clinical experience because your stats look decent enough to get into a Texas school (as long as you have decent lor's and ec's).

Would love to offer advice but without more info to go on its kind of hard. Wish you the best.

rmp

 

[runnermoore]

I can offer two positive anecdotes for you...

1. It's still only June. I got into my second school where I ultimately went in July! Your grades are good, and i don't know the experience bit.

2. I applied twice. I went to an Ivy League school, got a good overall GPA but ****ty science grades(2.95). The first itme I applied I didn't get any interviews. Then I re-took my MCTA and got a 32. I get 4 interviews and 2 acceptances and am now a very happy 4th year student.

Good luck!

 

[LetMeIn2004]

Need more info: how many schools did you apply to, how many interviews, how did they go?

How limited is your clinical experience? That maybe your achilles heel (sp). Adcoms may feel that you aren't familiar with the role of the physician. I'm only highlighting your clinical experience because your stats look decent enough to get into a Texas school (as long as you have decent lor's and ec's).

Would love to offer advice but without more info to go on its kind of hard. Wish you the best.

rmp

rmp: I applied to all the Texas school and maybe 3 out of state. I only recieved 2 interviews(UTMB and UT-Houston), both went fairly well. Also, I ended up sending in my application late in the cycle(trying to perfect my PS), so I'm sure that hurt me. My LOR's are good and I did spend 2 years researching during undergrad. However, I only spent 2 months shadowing an MD at a clinic. If you need more info, let me know. Thanks!

 

[sunflower79]

Had you applied to more schools out of state (can't comment on competitiveness in texas) you'd probably have more acceptances/waitlists. If I were you I'd get more clinical experience before reapplying. Your lack of it says to me that your motivation is not grounded in something real. You could conceivably start on that now while you reapply this year and talk about it in interviews, although you wouldn't have that to write about in your PS. Advantages of waiting a year: more clinical experience off the bat, stuff to write about in your new PS, possibly a better score if you retake the mcat. I waited a year to reapply and did everything possible to improve my app. I think it served me well. If you just graduated I strongly recommend waiting a year -- you're still young and it can only help you personally and professionally.

good luck 🙂
~sunflower

 

[irlandesa]

I don't think shadowing a doc in a clinic is completely insufficient experience (my clinical experience was about the equivalent) for a pre-med, but it can't hurt to do more. It's difficult as an undergrad or even grad student to get "real" clinical experience since most hospitals and private docs will not allow you to interview patients due to confidentiality reasons/med school policy or to perform procedures (unless you are trained appropriately). Being a candy striper, hospice volunteer (which I did), etc. are all very nice, but chatting up patients is not all there is to medicine. If I had to do it over again, I would have tried to spend some time with clinicians in more of the different fields to get a broader perspective. becoming trained in phlebotomy or as an EMT/medic can be helpful and get you more access to the hospital environment; finding a mentor in clinical research is a potential idea. Taking a year off, retaking the MCAT, applying to more schools can only help your app. and certainly can't hurt!

 

[xanthines]

You GPA's are super and your MCAT is OK. I wouldn't jump off a building just yet! 😉

If your letters o' rec are good and your interviews went well, I'd say you still have a pretty good chance.

rmp is right. It's hard to tell if you need more clinical experience without some details. However, my gut says probably not. irlandesa is also right. How much "real" experience can you really get as a pre-med? As long as you've been exposed to a medical setting and know that you don't hate the environment, you're probably OK.

If you're confident you can do better on the MCAT, then go ahead take it. If you get in, you can always get a refund (although maybe only partial). At least you can be ready if you don't get in.

Practice interviewing with some friends or your boss or colleagues. I know it's weird, but it can really help. Especially if they are honest with you.

I'm tired of typing.

-X

Okay, so I have been waitlisted at UTMB and my chances don't look good. 😡 Here are my stats: Overall GPA: 3.79, BCPM: 3.70, MCAT: 28O. Should I retake MCAT in August or should I concentrate on strengthening my clinical experience (one of my weaknesses)? Also, should reapply now or wait a full year? Thanks for the help.

 

[NICEWHITEKID]

I feel ya kid. I got a 3.77, and scored a 32 on my mcat. I went to a top 50 school. I was a university scholar and I researched for almost 2 years. I volunteered with people with disabilities and I spent 2 weeks as a camp counselor with diabetic children. I was involved in greek life and on campus. However I did not get in anywhere yet. I am on 2 waitlists at top 25 schools but I got in nowhere else. I am white, obviously, an I knowo that had an impact. I am in the same boat as you, and Im not really sure what to do. Good luck...Any advice for me?

 

[Fermata]

I feel ya kid. I got a 3.77, and scored a 32 on my mcat. I went to a top 50 school. I was a university scholar and I researched for almost 2 years. I volunteered with people with disabilities and I spent 2 weeks as a camp counselor with diabetic children. I was involved in greek life and on campus. However I did not get in anywhere yet. I am on 2 waitlists at top 25 schools but I got in nowhere else. I am white, obviously, an I knowo that had an impact. I am in the same boat as you, and Im not really sure what to do. Good luck...Any advice for me?

Yea. Stop complaining because you're white.

 

[sunflower79]

I feel ya kid. I got a 3.77, and scored a 32 on my mcat. I went to a top 50 school. I was a university scholar and I researched for almost 2 years. I volunteered with people with disabilities and I spent 2 weeks as a camp counselor with diabetic children. I was involved in greek life and on campus. However I did not get in anywhere yet. I am on 2 waitlists at top 25 schools but I got in nowhere else. I am white, obviously, an I knowo that had an impact. I am in the same boat as you, and Im not really sure what to do. Good luck...Any advice for me?

hmm. Something's amiss. Did you apply late? take the august mcat? bomb your interviews (where were they anyhow?)? apply only to top tier schools? not have enough clinical experience?

anyhow, I think taking a year off between app cycles never hurts (see post above) -- but then again I'm biased.

best,
~sunflower