Hiring application consultant

[alexrgross]

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Can anyone reccommend a professional and knowledgeable application consultant? I need an assessment of my 1st AMCAS application.

I do not have the time to spend on SDN gathering and sorting the advice - and I have a limited budget...maybe around 500-1000 USD...

 

[aSagacious]

You can often arrange an appointment with a rep from a nearby med school (for free). I would recommend at least trying this route before dropping a grand on a private company.

 

[alexrgross]

You can often arrange an appointment with a rep from a nearby med school (for free). I would recommend at least trying this route before dropping a grand on a private company.

That is already being done and I have needs, like editing and deciding what to drop from the 1st app and replace, that med schools do not do.

 

[elblackwell]

That is already being done and I have needs, like editing and deciding what to drop from the 1st app and replace, that med schools do not do.

The Admissions Council does something like that. I used them to review my LORs, but they do more than that. There is another service called mdessay.com or something similar that I used to help with my personal statement. I felt like they were very helpful, but I didn't use them for my entire app.

 

[cmwhite11]

Does your school have a career center or pre-med office that would look it over for free?

 

[flodhi1]

Does your school have a career center or pre-med office that would look it over for free?

+1 your undergrad prehealth advising committee should be helping you on this. I feel like dropping 1 grand to a private company is just not wise.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Give me $250 and I'll do it, I am pretty knowledgable. See, I am even saving you money, I am a nice guy too.

 

[chronicidal]

I'll do it. Price negotiable. See credentials in mdapps

🙄

 

[alexrgross]

I'll do it. Price negotiable. See credentials in mdapps

🙄

I need someone on medical admissions committees or with experience there, having reviewed numerous apps...you do have a very detailed Mdapps though.

After checking out the servicesavailable, I have decided to pay someone to review my application and help me plan my next year...then have my entire updated AMCAS reviewed, next year, by a universities pre-med counselors (provided I gain admission to programs of my choosing) that is free.

Thank you all, and goodnight....its stressful to think about reapplying and this thread has been good information while I am thinking of that.

 

[tkim]

Looking at your MDapps was all that was needed. You applied top-heavy, not broadly enough, with a non-competitive GPA. Correct these things.

 

[mauberley]

Looking at your MDapps was all that was needed. You applied top-heavy, not broadly enough, with a non-competitive GPA. Correct these things.

How much are you charging for this assessment?

 

[nuance]

I need someone on medical admissions committees or with experience there, having reviewed numerous apps...you do have a very detailed Mdapps though.

After checking out the servicesavailable, I have decided to pay someone to review my application and help me plan my next year...then have my entire updated AMCAS reviewed, next year, by a universities pre-med counselors (provided I gain admission to programs of my choosing) that is free.

Thank you all, and goodnight....its stressful to think about reapplying and this thread has been good information while I am thinking of that.

I have come across http://www.mededits.com/ a bunch of times while googling things like "how to write a letter of intent" etc. Although I have absolutely zero experience with them or any other admission consultants, they seem to be exactly what you're looking for. Good luck next year!

 

[tkim]

How much are you charging for this assessment?

It's not worth charging for.

 

[music2doc]

Looking at your MDapps was all that was needed. You applied top-heavy, not broadly enough, with a non-competitive GPA. Correct these things.

Agreed.

No need to hire a private firm to tell you the obvious. You're from CA with a low GPA and good MCAT. Your chances at an MD program are predicted to be about 39%. Considering you are from CA, I'd probably drop that a good 10% down to a 29% chance.

Then, as tkim mentioned, your school choices were a bit top-heavy. Had you asked in the WAMC forum, you would likely have received suggestions to apply both DO and MD because your GPA is simply too low to be competitive at most any MD program (it sucks, but that's just how it is). Despite a solid MCAT score, your GPA is going to hold you back. The other option you might consider is an SMP if you really want to go the MD route.

As much as a private firm might sound tempting, I don't think there is likely to be much they can do when it is your GPA that is holding you back. Your GPA does the talking long before anything else (besides MCAT score) is even glanced at. I don't think changing your ECs listed or sprucing up your PS is likely to do much good. It's the numbers, man, sorry.

 

[alexrgross]

Agreed.

No need to hire a private firm to tell you the obvious. You're from CA with a low GPA and good MCAT. Your chances at an MD program are predicted to be about 39%. Considering you are from CA, I'd probably drop that a good 10% down to a 29% chance.

Then, as tkim mentioned, your school choices were a bit top-heavy. Had you asked in the WAMC forum, you would likely have received suggestions to apply both DO and MD because your GPA is simply too low to be competitive at most any MD program (it sucks, but that's just how it is). Despite a solid MCAT score, your GPA is going to hold you back. The other option you might consider is an SMP if you really want to go the MD route.

As much as a private firm might sound tempting, I don't think there is likely to be much they can do when it is your GPA that is holding you back. Your GPA does the talking long before anything else (besides MCAT score) is even glanced at. I don't think changing your ECs listed or sprucing up your PS is likely to do much good. It's the numbers, man, sorry.

read Oakland University Post-Rejection advising on my MDapps

 

[mvenus929]

Looking at your MDapps was all that was needed. You applied top-heavy, not broadly enough, with a non-competitive GPA. Correct these things.

Not only that, but as a California resident, applying to some of those places was just suicide. University of Colorado, for instance, accepts out of state students, but they have pretty high standards (with some awesome experience, you might have gotten in IS, but you didn't have a chance OOS). UNC makes you jump through a ton of hoops if you're OOS, and it's usually not worth it.

 

[music2doc]

read Oakland University Post-Rejection advising on my MDapps

Post-rejection advising advice from Oakland Admissions office - "Your strong post-bacc GPA shows promise, we like those upper divison science classes. Your low cGPA raised questions. You had slightly less shadowing hours and teamwork/leadership experience than we like to see. This added up to the more competitive applicants being selected for an interview, and not you. More post-bacc and shadowing would help you a lot, and a Masters would be as good as a post-bacc to show academic promise and answer questions about low undergrad cGPA. We liked your research."

That seems to say more or less the same thing I did:

• A PB or MS can be helpful (it sounds like you've done some of this, which I did not know prior, but the fact that your sGPA and cGPA are still on the low side, which says you started even lower than I'd assumed, so you will require even more work to climb out)
• Shadowing and leadership can be remedied fairly easily (this was not in your MD Apps that I saw, so I did not address it)
• Your research is solid, so it's unlikely you need to find another way to express this

In other words, the GPA is the big red flag. The other stuff (shadowing, teamwork, leadership) is relatively minor. I would guess that if you're non-trad, you would have some solid experiences in leadership/teamwork from your employment, so maybe present those more effectively. The shadowing can be remediated within about a week if you shadow a couple of docs. Maybe get some volunteer experience in a free clinic to further strengthen this area. It seems to me that the GPA is where they were stuck, not the shadowing/ECs. I suspect that was more of a "BTW, this would help you as well" statement. The fact that you received only a single interview invite appears to indicate most schools likely never even looked thoroughly at your application. I would suspect that for most of them, you were cut from consideration (or at least placed in a "low priority for consideration" pile) very early due to the GPA. I know it's not exactly what you want to hear, but it seems likely that that's what occurred.

Not only that, but as a California resident, applying to some of those places was just suicide. University of Colorado, for instance, accepts out of state students, but they have pretty high standards (with some awesome experience, you might have gotten in IS, but you didn't have a chance OOS). UNC makes you jump through a ton of hoops if you're OOS, and it's usually not worth it.

Agreed. For CO, the average matriculant has a 3.8/32Q and this is including the 70% of IS students in the class -- for an OOS student there, you're probably looking at the average being a 3.8/33 with incredible ECs. They pride themselves on having in their class founders of multinational charities and Olympic gold medalists, which I am assuming you are not either of those.

 

[Ilovewater]

maybe around 500-1000 USD...

Paying 1000 dollars to have someone look at your app sounds like a rip-off. If you post in WAMC, people will provide you with great advices for free. Catalystik (sp?) is extremely helpful in WAMC.

Does anyone know how experienced are these consultants? I'm just curious.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I need an application consultant too! I have a 2.4 and a 30, I applied to harvard yale and princeton. Anyone got some good advice on consultants?

 

[theseeker4]

I need an application consultant too! I have a 2.4 and a 30, I applied to harvard yale and princeton. Anyone got some good advice on consultants?

Yeah, tweak your essays a bit and I am sure you will get in next cycle!

Seriously OP, if you really want to drop a grand to have someone either 1) tell you what you already know ( your GPA is holding you back) or 2) blow sunshine up your *** (which won't get you in to Stanford, by the way) feel free, it is your money. That money would probably be better used to apply to more schools, actually in your range, instead, as that will improve your chances for next cycle much more than any consulting service could.

 

[alexrgross]

My work/activites section has become over 15 and I need someone with who has actual experience on an admissions committee, that is for selecting and editing.
So I need that now, to get my priorities clarified for 2014 entering class.
And it is fine to have a personal statement edit from someone who is familiar with my activites section as well.

Nothing like this is free...and spending money on that is good.
I love you guys, but the whole SDN feedback process is not an efficient option for my lifestyle.

I can never hear enough feedback on my apps, and I think that paying for some qualified help is well justified. And as for MCAT and GPA and "what activites" improveme the primary app"? Those are given. this is about saving time for volunteer activites, work, and school - not saving money.

 

[tkim]

My work/activites section has become over 15 and I need someone with who has actual experience on an admissions committee, that is for selecting and editing.
So I need that now, to get my priorities clarified for 2014 entering class.
And it is fine to have a personal statement edit from someone who is familiar with my activites section as well.

Nothing like this is free...and spending money on that is good.
I love you guys, but the whole SDN feedback process is not an efficient option for my lifestyle.

I can never hear enough feedback on my apps, and I think that paying for some qualified help is well justified. And as for MCAT and GPA and "what activites" improveme the primary app"? Those are given. this is about saving time for volunteer activites, work, and school - not saving money.

You are not getting it. It's not the EC's, it's your GPA and where you applied. If you did nothing this year, and reapplied at the absolute beginning of next year's cycle at every low to mid-tier school, chances are you will get some bites.

That's okay. Some people need to spend hard cash to hear the same advice given freely to make it worth something to them. Or apply several times before it all sinks in.

Good luck.

 

[kautionwirez]

you have a pretty low GPA. I think my GPA is what killed me from getting more interviews as well as my terrible essay writing skills/grammar/syntax.

 

[sliceofbread136]

My work/activites section has become over 15 and I need someone with who has actual experience on an admissions committee, that is for selecting and editing.
So I need that now, to get my priorities clarified for 2014 entering class.
And it is fine to have a personal statement edit from someone who is familiar with my activites section as well.

Nothing like this is free...and spending money on that is good.
I love you guys, but the whole SDN feedback process is not an efficient option for my lifestyle.

I can never hear enough feedback on my apps, and I think that paying for some qualified help is well justified. And as for MCAT and GPA and "what activites" improveme the primary app"? Those are given. this is about saving time for volunteer activites, work, and school - not saving money.

Best thing you can do is postbacc classes, retake mcat, and apply more broadly next year.

 

[aSagacious]

Best thing you can do is postbacc classes, retake mcat, and apply more broadly next year.

Retake a balanced 32?

 

[mmmcdowe]

TThrow in some DO schools next time too.

 

[EBTrailRunner]

Best thing you can do is postbacc classes, retake mcat, and apply more broadly next year.

I agree with 1 and 3 - raise that GPA and think through your school list for next cycle. However, you don't need to retake your MCAT. You scored a balanced 32R. Focus your energy on your academics.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Retake a balanced 32?

Easiest way to improve his app is with a higher MCAT and GPA, and he wants to improve. So with his extra year why not study a whole crap load and get a 35+? Seems better than doing his 20th EC.

 

[kautionwirez]

If OP is confident of raising the MCAT by 3+ or more points, that will up his chances and have the MCAT weigh a little more on his application. But that's also a gamble.

 

[bassvp]

I'm assuming that re-taking the MCAT would not be an efficient option for his lifestyle.

 

[Ilovewater]

Oakland University told you what you needed to do...raise your GPA. They basically liked everything else about your app. A consultant isn't going to magically make your GPA higher or have the adcoms overlook that weakness. You can fill out 15 activities and write great essays, but if what they care about is your GPA, that's what you need to fix. Either take more post-bacc classes or do a masters.

 

[LizzyM]

Need to whittle down your 15+ experiences? Here's my advice:

Eliminate all "honors". Most of that stuff (Dean's list, DAR scholarship, etc) is fluff.

Cut out descriptions of club activities and meetings attended (unless you made a presentation at the meeting which should be tagged "poster, presentation" or something like that.

Combine all fun stuff into one and tag it "hobbies" even if it includes artistic endeavors (playing the harmonica) and athletics. (However, if you are on the varsity, give it it's own slot.)

Have at least one listing that accounts for the largest expenditure of time in the summer after freshman year and each subsequent year. Include every full time job you've held.

If you still have 15+, post a list of the tags and I'll go at it again with a scalpel.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Need to whittle down your 15+ experiences? Here's my advice:

Eliminate all "honors". Most of that stuff (Dean's list, DAR scholarship, etc) is fluff.

Cut out descriptions of club activities and meetings attended (unless you made a presentation at the meeting which should be tagged "poster, presentation" or something like that.

Combine all fun stuff into one and tag it "hobbies" even if it includes artistic endeavors (playing the harmonica) and athletics. (However, if you are on the varsity, give it it's own slot.)

Have at least one listing that accounts for the largest expenditure of time in the summer after freshman year and each subsequent year. Include every full time job you've held.

If you still have 15+, post a list of the tags and I'll go at it again with a scalpel.

What an honor!

 

[alexrgross]

I'm assuming that re-taking the MCAT would not be an efficient option for his lifestyle.

like

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

You're just being hardheaded at this point. People have already told you what you need to fix. You don't need to pay someone to read your PS. Notice that the feedback Oakland gave you included nothing about your PS and everything about what everyone here has already said.

I think you're just delusional about your chances at certain places. You don't need UC Davis to tell you why they rejected you...I'll tell you for free. Your cGPA couldn't even touch the average. Also, the fact that you were pre-screened for interviews almost everywhere gives you a big hint. Most schools probably never even LOOKED at your PS because they tossed you in the reject pile right away. You don't have a particularly awesome MCAT to balance out the low GPA but I wouldn't retake it because you have a good score right now. If you had a 37 and your GPA you might have gotten some looks and then question at interviews about why your GPA was so low

 

[kpcrew]

Retake a balanced 32?

well he's trying to balance out a low gpa. a decent mcat score isn't a guarantee for interviews. you have to take inflation into account 🙂

 

[tkim]

For further laughs, here's a PM I got from the OP in response to my post:

alexrgross


It's not just me bud, everyone on here's said the same thing. I'm also not the first person to mention that you were probably tossed in the reject pile because of your GPA. Activities wise, nobody is too busy to take a couple hours to look through SDN and learn how to write their activities properly. LizzyM even offered to help pick and choose them with you.

Have fun pissing away your money though, less money for med school apps I guess.

I wouldn't post his PM in public. You could get TOS'd.

 

[IlDestriero]

I'll help you for $2000. I'd do it for free, but I need new tires on the Benz.

 

[robertch8]

"Your strong post-bacc GPA shows promise, we like those upper divison science classes. Your low cGPA raised questions. You had slightly less shadowing hours and teamwork/leadership experience than we like to see. This added up to the more competitive applicants being selected for an interview, and not you. More post-bacc and shadowing would help you a lot, and a Masters would be as good as a post-bacc to show academic promise and answer questions about low undergrad cGPA. We liked your research."

We don't know how the OP really wrote his PS and activities section but I think what Oakland is saying is very very accurate. I have a slightly better GPA and pretty much the same MCAT and I got in to Oakland this year and what I can tell you is that I have taken courses like Biochemistry with med students, Anatomy and Physiology and I did do some significant shadowing in the process this year. I also spent over 3000 hours in a health care setting doing direct service. So sure, spend your 1K trying to clean up your PS and activities but you really have some classwork (maybe take some first year med school classes like Biochemistry, Anatomy, and Physiology) and shadowing and medical volunteering to fix on more than anything else. I'd really try spending the next few months trying to fix that because a great PS and activities won't address those issues that OUWB pointed out right there.

 

[tkim]

I wouldn't post his PM in public. You could get TOS'd.

Too late.