hopeless

[hopeless]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am getting really depressed now. I always knew I wasn't a stellar candidate, but things just seem really bad now. I applied in August with an MCAT of 34O and a gpa of 3.4 from a prestigious (top 10) school pursuing their strongest major. I have tons of research, volunteer experiences. Great upward trend if that matters. My application was checked by a dozen different professors and I was quite proud of it myself. I applied to 30 schools just in case and sent out their secondaries as soon as possible. I only got one interview from my state school and I was waitlisted there. I got rejected postsecondary to a handful. Is it too early to start to panic and try to make alternate plans for next year? Was anyone ever in my position and ended up making a med school late? I am not an August MCAT-er and even they are hearing back by now even though I was complete months in advance. 🙁

 

[fotolilith]

I am getting really depressed now. I always knew I wasn't a stellar candidate, but things just seem really bad now. I applied in August with an MCAT of 34O and a gpa of 3.4 from a prestigious (top 10) school pursuing their strongest major. I have tons of research, volunteer experiences. Great upward trend if that matters. My application was checked by a dozen different professors and I was quite proud of it myself. I applied to 30 schools just in case and sent out their secondaries as soon as possible. I only got one interview from my state school and I was waitlisted there. I got rejected postsecondary to a handful. Is it too early to start to panic and try to make alternate plans for next year? Was anyone ever in my position and ended up making a med school late? I am not an August MCAT-er and even they are hearing back by now even though I was complete months in advance. 🙁

Yes, it's too early to fret, especially if you're not from some state (like Texas) that interviews early.

 

[Scrubz67]

I am getting really depressed now. I always knew I wasn't a stellar candidate, but things just seem really bad now. I applied in August with an MCAT of 34O and a gpa of 3.4 from a prestigious (top 10) school pursuing their strongest major. I have tons of research, volunteer experiences. Great upward trend if that matters. My application was checked by a dozen different professors and I was quite proud of it myself. I applied to 30 schools just in case and sent out their secondaries as soon as possible. I only got one interview from my state school and I was waitlisted there. I got rejected postsecondary to a handful. Is it too early to start to panic and try to make alternate plans for next year? Was anyone ever in my position and ended up making a med school late? I am not an August MCAT-er and even they are hearing back by now even though I was complete months in advance. 🙁

hey I'm pretty much in the same boat, but I do have a state school acceptance. Don't worry, have faith that good things come to those who deserve it sooner or later. I know we all hope sooner but sometimes the later the reward, the better we can savor it. Chin-up! You may not always have control over the situation, but you can control your attitude towards the situation. Make your own victories and rejuvenate yourself! I'm wishing you much success and happiness!!! 👍 👍 👍

 

[kylahs]

hey I'm pretty much in the same boat, but I do have a state school acceptance. Don't worry, have faith that good things come to those who deserve it sooner or later. I know we all hope sooner but sometimes the later the reward, the better we can savor it. Chin-up! You may not always have control over the situation, but you can control your attitude towards the situation. Make your own victories and rejuvenate yourself! I'm wishing you much success and happiness!!! 👍 👍 👍

good words

 

[stinkycheese]

Listen up. You are a pretty good applicant. You applied to lots of schools. August MCAT'ers have an inherent disadvantage in getting early interviews, but that doesn't mean you won't get them. I know what it feels like to be hopeless. If I was Marty McFly and could travel in time back to 48 hours ago, I was eating the same Hopeless Noodle Soup you are eating right now. Trust me, my application was a long shot. But you know what? There's a school out there that wants me. There are nine schools that wanted to meet me. It just took time and patience. Your time will come. You have a good application. I know it seems easy for me to give this pep talk since I have an acceptance, but feeling down about yourself won't change the outcome of this process. Pick your head up, kick ass on the next interviews you get, and keep believing in yourself.

Just do it.

 

[leiface]

I think it's important to stay realistic and be proactive. Call schools and ask to make sure you are complete and then send them your grades (if they are good) from this semester. Let schools know you are interested. On the other hand, recognize that you might have to look for alternative options such as research or post bacc or whatever. I think you do have a good application, and there is still a lot of time, just try not to let rejections or lack of interviews have any impact on how you view yourself. Best of luck!

 

[TexPre-Med]

I think it's important to stay realistic and be proactive. Call schools and ask to make sure you are complete and then send them your grades (if they are good) from this semester. Let schools know you are interested. On the other hand, recognize that you might have to look for alternative options such as research or post bacc or whatever. I think you do have a good application, and there is still a lot of time, just try not to let rejections or lack of interviews have any impact on how you view yourself. Best of luck!

He already said he has tons of research and with an MCAT that high, a post-bacc is near useless. Keep contacting the schools to see what you can do, and if worse comes to worse, apply to more schools next year. I wouldn't worry yet though. I just hope you didn't just apply to the Top 30 colleges in the U.S. Even people at the "worst" medical schools get residencies in their field of interest.

 

[Reimat]

Listen up. You are a pretty good applicant. You applied to lots of schools. August MCAT'ers have an inherent disadvantage in getting early interviews, but that doesn't mean you won't get them.

That's key- you're behind because of August MCAT- but a score of 34 means you are certainly competitive, just not enough so to push your app to the top of the pile. I'm betting you'll be fairing better in a month or so. 🙂

 

[nervouspremed]

I haven't even heard from my state school, and I am pretty much like you with lower MCAT. Like what the previous person said, you should call each school and asked if you are completed at that school. Good luck, the interview invites will come soon.

 

[MWillie]

That's key- you're behind because of August MCAT- but a score of 34 means you are certainly competitive, just not enough so to push your app to the top of the pile. I'm betting you'll be fairing better in a month or so. 🙂

Didn't he specifically state that he is not an August MCATer and the fact that August MCATers are getting interviews is worrying him?

With 30 applications out there and a 3.4 in a hard major at a good school and 34 on the MCAT, you should have definitely heard more. Did you apply to all top schools or a wide range? Did someone write you a mediocre letter of rec?

 

[stinkycheese]

Didn't he specifically state that he is not an August MCATer and the fact that August MCATers are getting interviews is worrying him?

With 30 applications out there and a 3.4 in a hard major at a good school and 34 on the MCAT, you should have definitely heard more. Did you apply to all top schools or a wide range? Did someone write you a mediocre letter of rec?

Good thing there isn't a lot of reading in med school, since we all seem incapable of reading carefully. Oops.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Didn't he specifically state that he is not an August MCATer and the fact that August MCATers are getting interviews is worrying him?

Right. He's an April-MCATer who applied in August.

To the OP: you have great stats, I'm surprised that you haven't heard more from schools! I think you should definitely call them up to make sure that you're complete and everything. Is your personal statement solid?

 

[HamOnWholeWheat]

That's key- you're behind because of August MCAT- but a score of 34 means you are certainly competitive, just not enough so to push your app to the top of the pile. I'm betting you'll be fairing better in a month or so. 🙂

The OP wasn't an August MCAT'er.

I think the OP is a victim of the dreaded 3.5 GPA cutoff. I think if an actual adcom looked at your app, you'd have interviews coming out of your ears, but I'm thinking your app was absorbed by some admissions computer with an attitude.

HamOn

 

[Pemulis]

I think a couple of people here have misread the OP's post: he said he did NOT take the August MCAT. I think his point was that he took the April test, his app was in plenty early, and even people who finished later than he did are hearing back already. That's why (s)he's discouraged.

To the OP: all I can say is that your app sounds pretty good, but this is a crapshoot and there are no guarantees. BUT--if you really want to be a Doctor, you will be. Period. It might mean that you will have to apply again in a year (although I think there's still time for this cycle, too). But eventually it's gonna happen, and when it does, you'll appreciate it all the more. I really believe that everything in life happens for a reason. When you're really wrapped up in a moment and want something badly, and things aren't going your way, it's hard to see what that reason might be. But trust me, you'll look back on this one day and realize that it taught you something.

If you don't get in this cycle, contact the schools that neg'd you, find out what the weaknesses in your app are, and fill them. You certainly wouldn't be the first person in your situation.

Good luck and stay positive, and remember that there is a hell of a lot more to life than med school.

 

[Pemulis]

Oops...in the time I took to write that, like four other people pointed out the MCAT date thing. The internet sure leads to some strange conversation. 😀

 

[sdnstud]

Hey..most schools are still selecting in the first round. Just because you're not a first rounder, it doesn't mean you won't get into a medical school. Just remember, it's only december. I know plenty of people who interviewed in spring and got into great schools.

 

[leiface]

He already said he has tons of research and with an MCAT that high, a post-bacc is near useless. Keep contacting the schools to see what you can do, and if worse comes to worse, apply to more schools next year. I wouldn't worry yet though. I just hope you didn't just apply to the Top 30 colleges in the U.S. Even people at the "worst" medical schools get residencies in their field of interest.

I wasn't suggesting that he/she should specifically consider those options (note the "whatever"), merely saying that he/she should look for something to do as a backup plan, sheesh.

 

[stinkycheese]

just a note that i have an under 3.5 with the same 34 mcat as the OP, but have gotten a different response for interviews, so calling the schools to ensure completeness seems like the logical thing to do at this point. you are a good candidate. they will come.

 

[faradayampere]

I have only 1 interview so far (and it's not my state school ... my state schools are my dream schools), not heard anything from majority of the schools (about 9 or so) ....

I think you don't need to worry right now .... if you don't hear from them at the end of Dec, then it's the time to worry I think (but there's always exception). I just pick Dec because it's right in the middle of the app season, so I guess the school would have contacted the top 50% of the applicants? That's just my guess.... I might be wrong though.

 

[hopeless]

I think you guys are awesome... seriously. I cannot believe that you guys responded that quickly and with such positive feedback. I have always been a passive reader and I just wanted to thank you all.

Thanks.

 

[vtucci]

I would not worry. It is still early.

Where are you still waiting to hear from? I know that a lot of the NYC schools are backlogged. No one from my program has even been interviewed at any NYC school (other than Downstate and Einstein) and the program is in NYC. I also received a message from Yale that it is taking about a month to update their status page (God- I would love to get in here) so it seems that they may be behind as well. I also heard that Stanford is backlogged but I do not know if that is true.

I would not panic until March. If it doesn't work out, I would contact the people you interviewed with (for those schools that you do) as well as adcoms to see what if any deficiencies your application has. Given your GPA and MCAT, it may be your personal statement and recommendations.

Good luck and keep the faith.

 

[cammy1313]

Definately still early. I think if you don't start to hear more by March (as someone already pointed out) then you might want to panic a little. Just check out my profile link below and see that there is still hope.

Hang in there!!!

 

[shanageena]

The OP wasn't an August MCAT'er.

I think the OP is a victim of the dreaded 3.5 GPA cutoff. I think if an actual adcom looked at your app, you'd have interviews coming out of your ears, but I'm thinking your app was absorbed by some admissions computer with an attitude.


Question: Is the 3.5 GPA cutoff your total GPA or science GPA?

 

[jiggaman]

the 3.5 gpa cutoff is nonsense. i have a lower gpa than that both science and non science along with a lower mcat score. im also not a urm. and i have already had 5 interviews. i really have no idea what's goin on with your application. def call schools to find out what the deal is. its a crapshoot with applying..who knows what the adcoms are thinkin..but good luck dont worry things will work out.