Help with reapplying

[DoctrSpace]

Hi Everyone,

So I applied this upcoming cycle to 23 schools. So far I have had one II and 3R's. Silence from the rest. Since it is already mid-january I imagine I will most likely not be getting more II and that I will probably need to reapply. I have not yet heard back from my one II yet. I was hoping to get some help as I can't see what holes are in my app.

Here is my App:

Missouri Resident, Undergrad in Illinois. ORM, Male. Was Marked complete third week of June. Finished ALL but 3 secondaries at the third week of July.

3.7x cGPA. 3.7x sGPA.
511 MCAT (C/P:130, CARS:125, B/B:129, P/S:127)

1,200ish Clinical Hours as an EMT/MA completed at time of applying. Now up to around 2,100.
800ish Hours of Research across two projects completed. No Pubs.
400ish Hours of non-clinical volunteering at time of applying. Now at 500.
150 Hours as a hospital volunteer.
Many Clubs and Activities. (Was on the executive board and served as a VP for one of them). Also listed two of my hobbies on my app.

4 LOR (2 science, one non-science, one from PI). All people I know very well and trust. Interacted with them very well during my time with them.

My PS was rewritten probably about 10 or 12 times. I had two friends that are current medical students look at it, one physician look at it, and two close friends. They all gave me feedback and helped me polish it. At the end the two current medical students said essentially "Your PS is pretty good, better than mine but not the best thing I have ever read". They then reread again a few weeks ago and had the same sentiment saying "Good PS. Not sure what is holding you back, its a perfectly good PS but I would say its maybe slightly above average, won't close any doors for you for sure but it's not going to be something that'll get you into Harvard, good enough for most medical schools." Reading back on my PS I think I'd agree, its not amazing by any means but I think its good enough, I'd have to agree with what my friend said and say that its a mildly above average PS based on PS I read from other friends that are applying or have applied. This is the only area where I think I can improve.

Had one friend help me with secondaries. Crafted secondaries based on school and made them pretty personal. Reading back on them I think they are pretty good.

School List:

SECONDARIES Completed:
Rochester
VCU
SLU
Missouri-Columbia
Drexel
NYMC
UIC
ROSALIND FRANKLIN
Vermont
MCW
Wake Forest
Oakland
Rush
Creighton
EVMS
Iowa
Temple
Wayne State
Tulane
George Washington

Didn't Complete:
Loyola
Quinnipiac
Albany

The question is, if I do end up having to reapply which is likely, what can I realistically improve? I know that applying with the same app is frowned upon and is a negative. But I do not know what I can add besides changing up my writing and school list. I am still continuing to work at my clinical job and actually just got promoted to "Chief MA" and will be up for another one where I get to start scribing in a few months. I would like to continue this job until I get in. I just do not know how I can improve my app or what activities to add to make my app look better/different. I'm just worried about having to apply again with the same app.

Also, no I did not apply DO. Of course, I want MD but I will apply DO this upcoming cycle. My interviewer also said he "really enjoyed reading my personal statement and my letters were good". So now I'm thinking what if it isn't my writing?

So... what can I do to improve? How can I improve my writing? What about my activities/hours? Help!

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[chilly_md]

Hopefully your one II returns good news. Was it from Missouri? Did you consider applying to UMKC? Most of your list were good choices, though UMKC would have been worth having, especially over Iowa or Rochester.

What was your non-clinical volunteering in?

 

[DoctrSpace]

Hopefully your one II returns good news. Was it from Missouri? Did you consider applying to UMKC? Most of your list were good choices, though UMKC would have been worth having, especially over Iowa or Rochester.

What was your non-clinical volunteering in?

It's split pretty evenly between a homeless shelter and a nursery for abused children

 

[chilly_md]

It's split pretty evenly between a homeless shelter and a nursery for abused children

You should be good there then. Do you have 50+ hours of shadowing?

For most meaningful, it seems to me that you would have marked down your clinical experience and one of these non-clinical volunteering opportunities in order to highlight them more. Have the activity section read again and consider having someone from the PS Reader thread look over your PS later this spring. In the meantime, this thread does a great job explaining major pitfalls that applicants make in their writing:

To Premeds: General Advice on Personal Statements

Okay, so I’m exhausted as heck but had a chance to go through about 10 personal statements recently, and I can say that here are some common issues that we see in essays (as I’ve talked to peers, other admissions members, and the like): 1) Numero Uno: On SDN: If a reader says they are UNABLE...

forums.studentdoctor.net

I suggest these schools if you need to reapply (make sure to get a physician LOR for DO schools):


VCU
EVMS
SLU
Missouri-Columbia
UMKC
Drexel
NYMC
Albany
Hackensack
Rosalind Franklin
Vermont
MCW
Wake Forest
Oakland
Creighton
Temple
Jefferson
Wayne State
Tulane
Loyola
Quinnipiac
Nova MD
TCU
Penn State
Tufts
Georgetown

DO:
KCOM
KCU
DMU
Marian
Oklahoma State (should have an OOS tuition waiver for Missouri residents)
PCOM

 

[DoctrSpace]

You are exactly right.

My one most meaningful was the clinical experience the other was the non clinical and one was a hobby that I am very passionate about.

and yes I have about 70 hours of shadowing at time of applying.