How can I improve my app? Talking to a dean of admissions didn't help.:|

[Chanieish]

Hello SDN and thanks for taking the time to read this long-ish post.

This cycle has had me extremely depressed and frustrated. I want to become a physician more than anything that the thought of it makes my head spin. Sorry for the drama, just in a low place right now.

I am a CA resident and a graduate of UC Berkeley. I finished with honors, a two-year research thesis and a 3.75 cGPA/sGPA. My junior and senior GPA's were 3.94 and 3.93 respectively. My mCAT score was 35P P12/V10/B13

Activities I put in my primary for this cycle:
1. 2 years research with thesis
2. Participation in a science convention and presentation of poster
3. Honors
4. Member of a Chinese club for 2 semesters followed by a officer position
5. Organized volunteer missions for my club
6. 2 months clinical experience in the Philippines ~200 hours
7. Founded a charity that supports orthopedic surgeries and neurosurgeries as well as emergency cases at the largest public hospital in the Philippines
8. Golf

My essay was about my "fight" to become a doctor, to break barriers etc. Nothing arrogant in my essay. Was read my colleagues, professors and an expensive online service.

Submitted primary in August, secondaries to schools in October/November

I'm from the Philippines, but am a CA resident after my 4 years of college at Cal.

Rejected from 17 schools. 1 interview at UCLA. My first interview ever was an MMI XD I was super nervous and I rate my performance a 7.5/10

4 recommendation letters from 2 professors I knew really well, a super sweet music instructor and the physician I shadowed.

--------------------------------------------------------

Things I did/will do to improve my chances next cycle...(But OMG UCLA please give me a chance)

1. APPLY EARLIER! I will have my shiz ready to go by June 1 like all the other crazy premeds
2. Additional clinical experience in the Philippines:
a.) Shadowing a neurosurgeon everyday. 10 hours a day for 6 months. I have been to everything he has attended. Literally I am his tail.
b.) ER volunteer work at the public hospital
3. New amazing recommendation letter from the physician I have been shadowing
4. ?????????


Any other suggestions? :]

Thanks again! This post is so long, I'll write my story about my conversation with the dean in a new post.

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[Chanieish]

So I talked to the dean of a UC where I got rejected. He went over my app with me. I was worried that I my lack of US clinical experience got me, but he said that it doesn't really matter where I get my experience.

He said my grades were good, MCB-Neuro at Cal was impressive, MCAT was good.

That was it. Seriously. He said that it was probably the luck of the draw and if someone showed him my app and said that I was to be interviewed he would have no qualms with that.

One good thing is that reapplicants are not at a disadvantage vs 1st timers.

 

[xgalaxy00]

I would say that you seem to have a great application and you are on the right track. With that being said, apply early and apply BROADLY!

That means apply to a good number of safety schools outside of CA.

I would put my money on you being accepted this upcoming cycle. Just stay busy in the mean time.

 

[SLC]

Try and do something really unique and fun with the time you've got till you reapply.

Give the adcom's something unmistakable to remember your application by. The worst thing you can do (in my opinion) is to have a generic application.

 

[Chanieish]

Can someone give me examples of safties for my range? I applied to Temple, Drexel and Tufts as well, but got rejected. :|

What activities would be counted as "unique". Does my clinical experience in Asia count?

Thanks!

 

[SLC]

What activities would be counted as "unique". Does my clinical experience in Asia count?

Thanks!

I would think so, yeah!

I did 2 months in Asia too, it's all my interviewers wanted to talk about. Basically I feel like if you've got somethig cool, that nobody you know has, it will get you noticed. The thing is, ADCOM's are swamped with thousands of applications to sort through, you just need to do what you can to make Your's easy to remember, and interesting to read.

I would also suggest looking into what the average EC's of the students at the schools you want to get into are like. Once you know what most accepted students have done, plan to exceed that.

 

[Dice456]

Can you tell us why talking to the dean didn't help?

 

[Chanieish]

2nd post Dice456

Basically I wasn't able to find out what to improve in my app.

 

[angldee24]

Your application appears to be very good. That being said, you should take into account the schools that you are applying to. They are extremely competitive schools, which does not mean that your application is not as competitive. The problem arise when your application looks like the other thousand applicants that they see. So where else can you stand out is the question. Most schools now are looking at a more wholistic approach when accepting applicants. Volunteer with an underrepresented populations in the states...prisons, VA hospital, free clinics, etc. More importantly, you should have someone that you are extremely nervous with give you a mocked interview. Someones, the way we communicate can either make or break an application. Schools want to know that there is much more than just books...can you communicate effectively, do you have social skills that can be utilized in the medical field. I have been working with people in the courts, prisons, mental health hospitals and etc. I can assure you that they know when they are not liked, and the can feel easily offended by things that we ourselves would not consider offensive. Schools want to know that you can work with all populations. Volunteering in the Philippines is great, but you should consider volunteer work around your area or even at your school's hospital. Sometimes it can be something as simple as that. As for the dean, he could have told you more. I would take his advice (or lack their of) with a grain of salt.

 

[gl0baltrader]

Hello SDN and thanks for taking the time to read this long-ish post.

This cycle has had me extremely depressed and frustrated. I want to become a physician more than anything that the thought of it makes my head spin. Sorry for the drama, just in a low place right now.

I am a CA resident and a graduate of UC Berkeley. I finished with honors, a two-year research thesis and a 3.75 cGPA/sGPA. My junior and senior GPA's were 3.94 and 3.93 respectively. My mCAT score was 35P P12/V10/B13

Activities I put in my primary for this cycle:
1. 2 years research with thesis
2. Participation in a science convention and presentation of poster
3. Honors
4. Member of a Chinese club for 2 semesters followed by a officer position
5. Organized volunteer missions for my club
6. 2 months clinical experience in the Philippines ~200 hours
7. Founded a charity that supports orthopedic surgeries and neurosurgeries as well as emergency cases at the largest public hospital in the Philippines
8. Golf

My essay was about my "fight" to become a doctor, to break barriers etc. Nothing arrogant in my essay. Was read my colleagues, professors and an expensive online service.

Submitted primary in August, secondaries to schools in October/November

I'm from the Philippines, but am a CA resident after my 4 years of college at Cal.

Rejected from 17 schools. 1 interview at UCLA. My first interview ever was an MMI XD I was super nervous and I rate my performance a 7.5/10

4 recommendation letters from 2 professors I knew really well, a super sweet music instructor and the physician I shadowed.

--------------------------------------------------------

Things I did/will do to improve my chances next cycle...(But OMG UCLA please give me a chance)

1. APPLY EARLIER! I will have my shiz ready to go by June 1 like all the other crazy premeds
2. Additional clinical experience in the Philippines:
a.) Shadowing a neurosurgeon everyday. 10 hours a day for 6 months. I have been to everything he has attended. Literally I am his tail.
b.) ER volunteer work at the public hospital
3. New amazing recommendation letter from the physician I have been shadowing
4. ?????????


Any other suggestions? :]

Thanks again! This post is so long, I'll write my story about my conversation with the dean in a new post.

Hi,

I think you have an excellent academic record and it's rather odd that you did not receive more interview. This might hint some issues with your application. Your personal statement might not adequately address your reason(s) to pursue medicine or that it is generic enough that the ADCOM might easily miss your story.

Another issue could also be how you describe your activities on the AMCAS. Everyone has research and volunteerism, but did you address what you learned from those experiences and what you can bring to the medical school.

I personally don't think that your lack of clinical hours will make or break you. I have less than 100 hours and luckily have received multiple acceptances (and my stats are not as good as yours). Some people i know have less than me and have been accepted to a top 10 medical school.

Also, have you done community service that is not medically related? It is odd that the activities you listed only focuses on research and medically related activities, besides golf. For example, i list an international humanitarian work that is not medically relevant and tutoring high risk students.... etc... Your activities does not have to be medically related..

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Chanieish]

Thanks for your input angldee and gl0baltrader!

I did some volunteer work as part of my club in college. We organized and held events such as home rebuilding, beach cleaning, raising awareness for AIDs, encouraging people to vote and stuff like that. Right now I am also doing volunteer work with a foundation. Sort of like clinical missions every weekend aside from shadowing and research.

Congrats on your acceptances gl0baltrader! :]