- Joined
- Jun 3, 2014
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 28
Last edited:
How many DO schools are you applying to and your stats?
- Thread starter petyr_baelish
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,760
- Reaction score
- 1,481
That's interesting, because I could not get any interviews for MD schools. I had no glaring red flags in my application and my PS according to many was fine. Being Asian definitely does not help me though.
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2014
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 28
.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,760
- Reaction score
- 1,481
I'm white/middle class so no URM for me. I had some killer EC's (publications) and a very strong personal statement. I think that is what helped me get interviews. But I had a D in physics 2 for these cycles and I think that just killed me - I had mono when I took the final for the class causing my final grade to drop 22 points... I don't know why you didn't get any interviewsthis whole app process is just ridiculous and kills everyone's hopes and dreams
Yeah true. I honestly thought I had a shot at some interviews, but not even one interview. I agree the whole app process is ridiculous and lots of qualified candidates get turned down. I know some people who got into MD schools because they knew ADCOMS of that school.
Although not getting any interviews did humble me quite a bit. I hope my luck turns around for DO.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 125
3.5 cGPA / 3.3 sGPA / 30 (9, 11, 10).
Right now, 24 MD and 15 DO. Trying to narrow it down to ~35 total.
Right now, 24 MD and 15 DO. Trying to narrow it down to ~35 total.
Lol sure, it's a long list and I added some "dream schools" just in case. GPA calculation is based off of my own calculator, I haven't been verified so it might be higher or lower. My list is:
CCOM
NSU (I'm a FL resident)
MUCOM
ATSU
PCOM - GA
PNWU
UNECOM
NYIT
DMU
WVCOM
Pikeville
VCOM (all)
ACOM
KCUMB
CUSOM
LMU
Rocky Vista
Touro Nevada
William Carey
LECOM (both campuses)
Burrell
LUCOM
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2014
- Messages
- 911
- Reaction score
- 484
I wouldn't count your dream schools out. I have seen people get rejected by their safety schools while getting in to the one that they really wanted to. The application cycle can be pretty unpredictable at times.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
I will post my experience for anyone, since I applied last cycle:
> age 24 white male, 3.6 s/cgpa. 28 MCAT (9,9,10).
> 300 hours work experience as a medical assistant
> roughly 100 hours of shadowing (DO) in ortho, peds, and EM. (Got a DO letter of rec)
> Average volunteering, maybe a couple hundred hours in non-medical stuff
> A couple interesting work experiences like working at a summer camp, some contract lab tech jobs, etc.
> Roughly 4000 hours of research at the time of my app, including work for the USDA and the medical college of wisconsin. No pubs. Several national poster presentations. A couple presentations at journal clubs here at MCW.
Uhh I think that is about it haha?
Applied to 10 schools (only applied DO):
DMU, PCOM, MUCOM, ACOM, KCU, NOVA, Rowan, UNECOM, VCOM-VA, and CUSOM.
> Primary was in June 7th.
> Secondaries from all schools were received between June 23rd-ish to July 21st-ish (except Rowan whose system was all F'ed up last cycle). Returned all secondaries and letters of rec between July 23rd and 30th (I was waiting so long for my committee letter).
Started hearing about interviews in the 2nd week of August. Lined up KCU and MUCOM for the middle of September (2 days apart lol). Got accepted to KCU 5 days after interview, got accepted to MUCOM a week or so after that. Received 3 more interview invites by the end of October - DMU, ACOM, and CUSOM. Ended up taking my acceptance to KCU, put down my deposit in the beginning of October, canceled my other 3 interviews, and pulled my application from all other schools. Cycle complete, sit back and relax for 9 months with my feet on my desk.
So yup, thats about how it went for me, nothing too special.
One piece of advice I will give is to keep your eyes open about each school. For instance I was hesitant about KCU (and half-@ssed my secondary because of it lol) but ended up loving it after my interview. MUCOM was one of my number one schools until I interviewed and realized I hated it. Go in with an open mind, dont listen to SDN too much about that stuff. You will feel it in your gut whether or not a school is right for you. No one can tell you what school is best for you. The best school is the cheapest one that you can see yourself working hard at for 4 years.
Also retrospectively I regret not applying to more reach schools. I should have shelled out the extra 300 or whatever it would have costed to apply to MCW and my state school, UW. Not necessarily because of any DO vs MD thing, but solely because my state school would have been pretty cheap and a lot of MD schools have more money for scholarships and such. Cast a wide net with both upper limit schools and lower limit schools. This whole process is an absolute crap shoot, you never know what school you will wrangle up. Play to your geographical strengths. A little extra money spent now may open up doors that save you thousands of dollars later. The idea of "safety schools" its a total lie, its all about mission and geography - schools know what they are looking for.
Be nice to everyone on the trail with you: interviewers, interviewees, janitors, professors, current students. I met some weird (some would call them gunners) on the trail. You are shooting yourself in the foot by not just being a normal friendly person. Be mature, dont make an @ss out of yourself, just have fun with it. You are interviewing the school just as much as they are interviewing you.
Feel free to ask questions here if you have any. I have some time over the next couple weeks.
> age 24 white male, 3.6 s/cgpa. 28 MCAT (9,9,10).
> 300 hours work experience as a medical assistant
> roughly 100 hours of shadowing (DO) in ortho, peds, and EM. (Got a DO letter of rec)
> Average volunteering, maybe a couple hundred hours in non-medical stuff
> A couple interesting work experiences like working at a summer camp, some contract lab tech jobs, etc.
> Roughly 4000 hours of research at the time of my app, including work for the USDA and the medical college of wisconsin. No pubs. Several national poster presentations. A couple presentations at journal clubs here at MCW.
Uhh I think that is about it haha?
Applied to 10 schools (only applied DO):
DMU, PCOM, MUCOM, ACOM, KCU, NOVA, Rowan, UNECOM, VCOM-VA, and CUSOM.
> Primary was in June 7th.
> Secondaries from all schools were received between June 23rd-ish to July 21st-ish (except Rowan whose system was all F'ed up last cycle). Returned all secondaries and letters of rec between July 23rd and 30th (I was waiting so long for my committee letter).
Started hearing about interviews in the 2nd week of August. Lined up KCU and MUCOM for the middle of September (2 days apart lol). Got accepted to KCU 5 days after interview, got accepted to MUCOM a week or so after that. Received 3 more interview invites by the end of October - DMU, ACOM, and CUSOM. Ended up taking my acceptance to KCU, put down my deposit in the beginning of October, canceled my other 3 interviews, and pulled my application from all other schools. Cycle complete, sit back and relax for 9 months with my feet on my desk.
So yup, thats about how it went for me, nothing too special.
One piece of advice I will give is to keep your eyes open about each school. For instance I was hesitant about KCU (and half-@ssed my secondary because of it lol) but ended up loving it after my interview. MUCOM was one of my number one schools until I interviewed and realized I hated it. Go in with an open mind, dont listen to SDN too much about that stuff. You will feel it in your gut whether or not a school is right for you. No one can tell you what school is best for you. The best school is the cheapest one that you can see yourself working hard at for 4 years.
Also retrospectively I regret not applying to more reach schools. I should have shelled out the extra 300 or whatever it would have costed to apply to MCW and my state school, UW. Not necessarily because of any DO vs MD thing, but solely because my state school would have been pretty cheap and a lot of MD schools have more money for scholarships and such. Cast a wide net with both upper limit schools and lower limit schools. This whole process is an absolute crap shoot, you never know what school you will wrangle up. Play to your geographical strengths. A little extra money spent now may open up doors that save you thousands of dollars later. The idea of "safety schools" its a total lie, its all about mission and geography - schools know what they are looking for.
Be nice to everyone on the trail with you: interviewers, interviewees, janitors, professors, current students. I met some weird (some would call them gunners) on the trail. You are shooting yourself in the foot by not just being a normal friendly person. Be mature, dont make an @ss out of yourself, just have fun with it. You are interviewing the school just as much as they are interviewing you.
Feel free to ask questions here if you have any. I have some time over the next couple weeks.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
No way on earth do you need that many schools - see my post above.
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2014
- Messages
- 325
- Reaction score
- 197
Very nice post @Awesome Sauceome and I still admire how successful you were last cycle. I will also summarize my cycle from last year to add to this thread.
-26 year old male
-19, 26(10P 6V 10B) MCAT, AACOMAS c3.4, s3.2, TMDSAS c3.69, s3.5
-3000+ hours of clinical experience working as a CNA in hospitals
-200+ hours shadowing doctors in Urology, Gen Surg, Ortho, Family Med (1 hour interview with a DO + LOR)
-Low end of volunteering <100 hours
-Lived in China teaching English for 1 year, work as a CNA in a psych prison 1 year
-320 hours research during Summer REU with no publications
-Primary submitted in mid June, secondaries received between July 1st and mid August (some schools are later than others)
-Applications completed by end of August
DO Schools applied to
MUCOM (did not complete), LUCOM (did not complete), KYCOM, KCOM, LECOM-E, LECOM-B, NSU, VCOM-CC, VCOM-VC, VCOM-Auburn, ACOM, LMU-DCOM, WCU-COM, DMU, RVU, TUNCOM, WesternU, TCOM, SOMA, AZCOM, WVSOM
MD Schools applied to (state schools)
UTSW, UTH, UTSA, TTU-L, TTU-El Paso, UTMB
Interviews
Early on interviews with ACOM in September, TCOM and TUNCOM in early October (same weekend), WCU-COM in December, KYCOM in February.
Wait list
ACOM, TUNCOM, TCOM
Acceptances
WCU-COM, KYCOM, TCOM
I believe my early submission helped me land some early interviews however my 6V on my MCAT forced my application cycle to last longer than if I had a more balanced score hence all of the early wait lists. Getting accepted off the wait list at TCOM finalized my cycle and I have been relaxing since then. My cycle was one heck of an emotional roller coaster ride.
-26 year old male
-19, 26(10P 6V 10B) MCAT, AACOMAS c3.4, s3.2, TMDSAS c3.69, s3.5
-3000+ hours of clinical experience working as a CNA in hospitals
-200+ hours shadowing doctors in Urology, Gen Surg, Ortho, Family Med (1 hour interview with a DO + LOR)
-Low end of volunteering <100 hours
-Lived in China teaching English for 1 year, work as a CNA in a psych prison 1 year
-320 hours research during Summer REU with no publications
-Primary submitted in mid June, secondaries received between July 1st and mid August (some schools are later than others)
-Applications completed by end of August
DO Schools applied to
MUCOM (did not complete), LUCOM (did not complete), KYCOM, KCOM, LECOM-E, LECOM-B, NSU, VCOM-CC, VCOM-VC, VCOM-Auburn, ACOM, LMU-DCOM, WCU-COM, DMU, RVU, TUNCOM, WesternU, TCOM, SOMA, AZCOM, WVSOM
MD Schools applied to (state schools)
UTSW, UTH, UTSA, TTU-L, TTU-El Paso, UTMB
Interviews
Early on interviews with ACOM in September, TCOM and TUNCOM in early October (same weekend), WCU-COM in December, KYCOM in February.
Wait list
ACOM, TUNCOM, TCOM
Acceptances
WCU-COM, KYCOM, TCOM
I believe my early submission helped me land some early interviews however my 6V on my MCAT forced my application cycle to last longer than if I had a more balanced score hence all of the early wait lists. Getting accepted off the wait list at TCOM finalized my cycle and I have been relaxing since then. My cycle was one heck of an emotional roller coaster ride.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
Heyo grats on TCOM, thats a stellar program from what I hear. Thats absolutely fantastic that you got off the waitlist.
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 1,318
- Reaction score
- 2,780
cGPA 3.25 sGPA 3.76 no MCAT (taking it on August 6th)
9 schools on my list so far are the only ones of interest, probably won't add more unless my MCAT comes back terrible and I have to throw out a wider net.
9 schools on my list so far are the only ones of interest, probably won't add more unless my MCAT comes back terrible and I have to throw out a wider net.
err...id of expected more interviews? Or is that just me who's surprised?
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,760
- Reaction score
- 1,481
Having a 6 in any one section in MCAT is a rejection at already many DO schools. They want at least a 7 per section.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2015
- Messages
- 187
- Reaction score
- 74
Besides kcumb and pcom, where else does this apply? And with pcom, they "suggest" an 8 or higher to be competitive. I don't think lower means an automatic rejection.
Last year experience:
24 white male
3.6/30 (science GPA was lower in the 3.4ish range)
lots of DO experience/DO letter/Research
Multiple abstracts/poster presentations at national conferences (though some of these were after I submitted and I only updated a couple schools that I really cared about)
Applied at the end of July and sent secondaries in from October-December (I know I was late)
Applied to 8 schools: Touro CA, CCOM, AZCOM, PCOM, MSU-COM (had some ties, but not super strong), Ohio (did not complete), Rowan, Western Pomona.
Interview invitations at Touro CA, AZCOM, and PCOM (From end of January through end of March). Accepted at all three. Attending PCOM.
Applied to instate MD's but no luck, which is not surprising given my stats.
My best advice is about the interview. If/when you receive an interview prepare as much as possible with the mindset that you are not going to walk off campus without an acceptance. Many DO schools accept a huge percentage of those that they interview (though they might interview a smaller percentage of applicants compared to MD schools). Everybody with an interview invitation has the ability to earn an acceptance on that day. Research all you can about the schools so you always have something in your back pocket to impress those you meet on your interview day. Also, it is important to be yourself. All of the preparation you do will go out the window if you do not appear genuine. Good luck to you all!
24 white male
3.6/30 (science GPA was lower in the 3.4ish range)
lots of DO experience/DO letter/Research
Multiple abstracts/poster presentations at national conferences (though some of these were after I submitted and I only updated a couple schools that I really cared about)
Applied at the end of July and sent secondaries in from October-December (I know I was late)
Applied to 8 schools: Touro CA, CCOM, AZCOM, PCOM, MSU-COM (had some ties, but not super strong), Ohio (did not complete), Rowan, Western Pomona.
Interview invitations at Touro CA, AZCOM, and PCOM (From end of January through end of March). Accepted at all three. Attending PCOM.
Applied to instate MD's but no luck, which is not surprising given my stats.
My best advice is about the interview. If/when you receive an interview prepare as much as possible with the mindset that you are not going to walk off campus without an acceptance. Many DO schools accept a huge percentage of those that they interview (though they might interview a smaller percentage of applicants compared to MD schools). Everybody with an interview invitation has the ability to earn an acceptance on that day. Research all you can about the schools so you always have something in your back pocket to impress those you meet on your interview day. Also, it is important to be yourself. All of the preparation you do will go out the window if you do not appear genuine. Good luck to you all!
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2014
- Messages
- 385
- Reaction score
- 164
It's like a 24 on old scale.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 125
Just read your post - thanks! Questions for you and @JeBrAs (and anyone else who wants to contribute):
What do you think of 21 MD and 6-10 DO? I'm pretty set on the 21 MD, since my GPAs are on the low side for those schools, so I wanted to apply more broadly. In terms of the DO programs, is 6 enough or should I aim more towards 10?
I am a PA resident and I should note my sGPA for AACOMAS will be above a 3.3 due to the different way its calculated, probably more like a 3.5-3.6. I can elaborate a bit on my ec's if that makes a difference.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
You could get by with 8 well picked DO schools - so that would basically halve the amount you were originally applying to.
If I could go back, I could have gotten away with 8 schools and still felt comfortable, and thats with worst stats than you.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,760
- Reaction score
- 1,481
Well isn't an automatic rejection but it is a red flag for them. There are plenty of applicants with each section at least 8. Average mcat score for DO is already 27.43...Rowan already has an average MCAT of 28. If you want to apply EDP for Rowan, you need to have an MCAT score of at least a 28. No exceptions.
Unless you have stellar EC's and/or URM then it will certainly hurt. Keep in mind these people who got in already have higher than average mcat scores and lots of EC's and took gap years.
A 6 in a section means you were only 23.5th percentile in that section. Even though a high MCAT can make up for a bad GPA and vice versa, MCAT is a better predictor than GPA, since MCAT is standardized and GPA can vary by difficulty of major and which school you go to. MCAT carries more weight than GPA.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 125
Thanks for the advice! What do you think of this list?
Definite:
PCOM
Rowan
UNECOM
CCOM Midwestern
Nova
NYITCOM
Maybe:
Edward Via - Carolinas
Edward Via - Virginia (have to check on prereqs for these 2)
KCUMB
DMUCOM
Pacific Northwest
AT Still - Kirksville
AZCOM Midwestern
Campbell University COM
Any suggestions to add/cross-off?
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
What is your state of residence on your application?
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2012
- Messages
- 287
- Reaction score
- 125
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2014
- Messages
- 385
- Reaction score
- 164
3.5 cGPA, 3.68sGPA. 14/5/12 MCAT, 5 on VR. 27 schools, CA. Non-white over-represented minority (you know).
- Joined
- May 10, 2013
- Messages
- 9,049
- Reaction score
- 8,528
It's a case by case scenario with KCU, they seem to be more forgiving with the VR if your other two sections are soli (i.e. I had a 12 in BS which I think saved my <8 VR). PCOM is a bit more strict when it comes to seeing anything below 8 because they have so many well qualified applicants.
To add:
3.7 cGPA and sGPA, 25-27 MCAT (<8 in VR, 12 in BS).
I applied to around 30 schools (all DO), submitted around 12 secondaries and received 4 interviews. Like @Awesome Sauceome , after interviewing at KCU i didn't attend my other ii's which was mainly due to 1) feeling very plugged in to the community at KCU 2) high interest in their curriculum and future prospects 3) collaborative efforts with their two neighboring MD schools (KU-Med and UMKC).
I received ii's at CUSOM, VCOM-Auburn, and PNWU.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2015
- Messages
- 187
- Reaction score
- 74
I agree it will hurt, but if you're really passionate about going to a certain school, I don't see why you wouldn't take the time and effort to apply while doing your best to highlight the other aspects of your application. Unless a school is guaranteed to auto screen, why not take a chance?
Obvisually a 6 may be an uphill battle at a number of places, and those of us that choose not to retake will have to be content with an acceptance that's not at our first choice.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2015
- Messages
- 187
- Reaction score
- 74
Did you recieve any feedback at the other schools regarding your <8 VR? Also did I read somewhere on here that English isn't your first language?
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2014
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 4
Regarding the MCAT score, I have a decent verbal and bs score (12, 10), but i have a low ps score (7), how does this play out for me?
To contribute as well, i have a 3.5 cgpa, 3.4 sgpa, 29 MCAT, NY resident
I'm currently applying to 6 so far:
TouroNY
NYIT
Rowan
PCOM
LECOM
WVSOM
If anyone has any suggestions, feel free! Thanks!
To contribute as well, i have a 3.5 cgpa, 3.4 sgpa, 29 MCAT, NY resident
I'm currently applying to 6 so far:
TouroNY
NYIT
Rowan
PCOM
LECOM
WVSOM
If anyone has any suggestions, feel free! Thanks!
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2013
- Messages
- 717
- Reaction score
- 794
Adding on to the other very helpful posters from last cycle:
3.8 c/sGPA, 27 MCAT (7 PS, 10 VR, 10 BS)
Applied first day of the cycle, with secondaries all complete by late July-early August
>100 hours volunteering (at least 100 each of healthcare and nonhealthcare related)
>100 hours shadowing MD and DO (+ DO letter)
>1000 hours paid healthcare work experience, clinical and nonclinical
Minor leadership experience, one full-time summer of research without pubs
Applied broadly to 20 schools: ACOM, CUSOM, KCOM, SOMA, AZCOM, CCOM, DMU, KCUMB, LECOM, LMU-DCOM, Marian, MSUCOM, Nova, NYIT, OU-HCOM, RVU, Touro CA, Touro NV, William Carey, WesternU-COMP
Received 13 II: ACOM, CUSOM, KCOM, SOMA, CCOM, DMU, KCUMB, LECOM, Marian, Touro NV, Touro CA, William Carey, WesternU-COMP
Attended 5 Interviews: CUSOM (August), WesternU-COMP (August), DMU (September), KCUMB (September), CCOM (September), turned down all other interview invites
Accepted at all 5, plus MSUCOM (no interview) by mid-October.
Early app, well crafted PS and secondaries, strong letters of rec helped my case.
3.8 c/sGPA, 27 MCAT (7 PS, 10 VR, 10 BS)
Applied first day of the cycle, with secondaries all complete by late July-early August
>100 hours volunteering (at least 100 each of healthcare and nonhealthcare related)
>100 hours shadowing MD and DO (+ DO letter)
>1000 hours paid healthcare work experience, clinical and nonclinical
Minor leadership experience, one full-time summer of research without pubs
Applied broadly to 20 schools: ACOM, CUSOM, KCOM, SOMA, AZCOM, CCOM, DMU, KCUMB, LECOM, LMU-DCOM, Marian, MSUCOM, Nova, NYIT, OU-HCOM, RVU, Touro CA, Touro NV, William Carey, WesternU-COMP
Received 13 II: ACOM, CUSOM, KCOM, SOMA, CCOM, DMU, KCUMB, LECOM, Marian, Touro NV, Touro CA, William Carey, WesternU-COMP
Attended 5 Interviews: CUSOM (August), WesternU-COMP (August), DMU (September), KCUMB (September), CCOM (September), turned down all other interview invites
Accepted at all 5, plus MSUCOM (no interview) by mid-October.
Early app, well crafted PS and secondaries, strong letters of rec helped my case.
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2013
- Messages
- 717
- Reaction score
- 794
Think you should expand your list to at least 10-12 schools to be on the safe side, but the 7 won't kill your app (see my previous post!). List looks good, maybe branch into some of the midwestern located schools like KCUMB, DMU, etc.
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2014
- Messages
- 325
- Reaction score
- 197
I agree with @Awesome Sauceome with you could prolly get away with ~8 well picked out DO schools just depends on how much you are willing to spend. You could have a B list in the event that you don't receive as many interviews to send out a little later.
I would add KCUMB, DMU and KCOM on there as well.
I think you will get into at least one of those schools, but just to play it safe maybe add one or two more. I feel like AZCOM accepts almost every applicant with a 30+ MCAT (and very few below). I am sure not everyone gets in but they seem to get to students quickly so maybe give them a shot.
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2013
- Messages
- 301
- Reaction score
- 110
Did you calculate your AACOMAS gpa or do you see it on your submitted app somewhere? I thought we couldn't see that until we were verified.
- Joined
- May 10, 2013
- Messages
- 9,049
- Reaction score
- 8,528
Nope! I got a good handful of rejections and I'm sure a part of that is due to the >8VR but I never asked.
I'm not ESL, born and raised in CA! So I had no excuse!
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 2,760
- Reaction score
- 1,481
Even my school's health committee (Rutgers, NJ state university) would refuse to write you a committee letter for DO schools if any of your subtest score is less than a 7 and GPA has to be at least 3.4 for cGPA and sGPA. Your total MCAT had to be >26.
With the new MCAT, your score had to be at least 125 for each section (50% percentile for each) and total score needed to be at least 500-501 (54% percentile cumulative.) These new requirements make it way more difficult to get the committee letter than earlier. Needless to say it has gotten A LOT more competitive. GPA still needed to be at least 3.4 for both sGPA and cGPA.
Some DO schools require the committee letter, or else explain why if you didn't get one. It would just be another red flag to add to your application if you didn't get that committee letter.
With the new MCAT, your score had to be at least 125 for each section (50% percentile for each) and total score needed to be at least 500-501 (54% percentile cumulative.) These new requirements make it way more difficult to get the committee letter than earlier. Needless to say it has gotten A LOT more competitive. GPA still needed to be at least 3.4 for both sGPA and cGPA.
Some DO schools require the committee letter, or else explain why if you didn't get one. It would just be another red flag to add to your application if you didn't get that committee letter.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2014
- Messages
- 1,730
- Reaction score
- 1,665
These stats don't mean jack ****. They paint an alright picture but not an honest one of the applicant pool.
THA CHAMPPPP IS HERE!!!!
THA CHAMPPPP IS HERE!!!!
- Joined
- May 25, 2015
- Messages
- 130
- Reaction score
- 118
I saw it on my app once my transcripts were verified. Manage programs -> Program Status -> and then click the blue icon to the right of the school's name to load a PDF containing your application. Scroll down and you'll find your GPA. There were some problems about loading the PDF but it should be fixed now.
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2013
- Messages
- 1,743
- Reaction score
- 1,189
but that's just 1 class
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2013
- Messages
- 1,743
- Reaction score
- 1,189
do you regret not going to the other interviews? what if you liked those better than KCU? I guess the DO deposits are what really get people down
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2014
- Messages
- 325
- Reaction score
- 197
And deposits will really bog you down if you keep getting acceptances from schools that you have prioritized higher on your list. Example, accepted to school #10 (alright first acceptance! pay the deposit), a bit later accepted to school #5 (alright a better school! pay the deposit), at the end of the cycle get accepted off a wait list to your #1 (alright top choice school! pay the deposit).
- Joined
- May 6, 2015
- Messages
- 64
- Reaction score
- 16
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2014
- Messages
- 325
- Reaction score
- 197
Both application systems have different standards for calculating your GPA from your transcripts. With TMDSAS they only accept whole letter grades and I went to an undergrad that does half letter grades. All of my half letter grades got rounded up to the nearest whole letter grade hence the huge different in GPAs.
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2015
- Messages
- 268
- Reaction score
- 282
3.55 cGPA/sGPA 25 MCAT , 22 schools. Good luck everyone!
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
Well so, at the time I was extremely strapped for money, hence I did not even apply to the two state MD schools. At the time of applying I was 1 year out of undergrad, living with my wife and 1000 miles away from home. Cash was very tight so every decision I made on this process was extremely thought out...
So with regards to ACOM and CUSOM. Once I had the KCU acceptance in hand, I would have been hard pressed to visit another new school. It just is what it is, there is something comforting about going to a school that is like 100 years old. As for my DMU interview; so DMU and KCU are both extremely respectable programs. There are some aspects I like about DMU more than KCU, and vice versa. However, when it came down to it, I already had an awesome acceptance in hand, Kansas city would be better than Des Moines for my wife (work wise), so I just stuck with that.
The two schools that I was holding out for was PCOM and UNECOM. I originally had intentions of going to a med school on the east coast (family is there). But PCOM's admission process is such a crap shoot and UNECOM is such an expensive school (and again not super great for my wife's work), so as @Goro says, "bird in the hand." I sat on the decision for a couple weeks before I put my deposit down, but once that 2k was down, there was absolutely nothing that was going to redirect my decision. And in order to not tempt myself any further, I pulled my application from all of the schools. I have absolutely no regret pulling my application, KCU was the right decision. As I mentioned in my earlier post, my only regret was not trying for my two MD schools in state, just for kicks.
So how you make decisions on this stuff is a mixture of money and feel. I really really liked KCU, it felt right there. They are an awesome school with solid boards and match stats. They are in a city that is good for me and my wife. Not many schools on my list can claim all of those things, even if technically speaking I might like a school better after an interview.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2013
- Messages
- 3,115
- Reaction score
- 2,822
Also keep in mind people that if you are accepted before November 15th (or something like that) at most schools, but not all, you will have until the middle of December to slap a deposit down.
So if you get accepted in September then you will have several months to keep interviewing and decide on where you want to go. If you get accepted at the end of November, you will likely only have a couple weeks to decide. If you get accepted in like April or May you likely only have a couple DAYS to decide. So keep that stuff in mind when you are scheduling interviews and planning this stuff out.
The one school off the top of my head that I remember hearing on here that does not honor the November 15th thing is I think LECOM?
So if you get accepted in September then you will have several months to keep interviewing and decide on where you want to go. If you get accepted at the end of November, you will likely only have a couple weeks to decide. If you get accepted in like April or May you likely only have a couple DAYS to decide. So keep that stuff in mind when you are scheduling interviews and planning this stuff out.
The one school off the top of my head that I remember hearing on here that does not honor the November 15th thing is I think LECOM?
Similar threads
- Locked
