How to prepare for possible reapplication with already good stats/ECs

[Dr. Brightside]

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[lovehate]

OMG 4.0/526 and no acceptances. This process is so unpredictable.
There must be other weaknesses in your application that you are not aware of. Getting this many interviews means that your PS and essays are fine. You are not boring, your application is pretty well-rounded.
Did you do any mock interviews? How long did you practice for your interviews?

 

[Disciple of Sattar]

It's almost impossible to be a judge of your own interviews, and I suspect an adcom will come here and suggest interviewing as your most likely problem.

Hopefully you'll get off a waitlist and not have to worry about it for a while though.

 

[lovehate]

Well I didn't do mock interviews but spent hours preparing for each and my interviews honestly seemed fine. I'll definitely work on that, though. Regardless, I'm worried about not getting as many interviews next cycle because my application won't show growth or improvement with new experiences in the past year.

I mean we are still in March so don't lose hope.
But you have to prepare for the worst. And by preparing I meaning finding why you didn't get accepted, not by worrying about not getting interviews next cycle. You can show growth and get interviews, but if you have interviewing issues you will get waitlisted again.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Interviews. I didn't bomb any interviews and had mostly good answers - I'm not one of those weird/rude science robot types you meet - but I am fairly quiet.

It's your interviewing skills, esp the bold.

Just speculating that while your answers may have answered the questions, your delivery might have been off-putting. If it does not work out, for next cycle, I suggest you do mock interviews with your undergraduate institution, or have a friend or family member give you interviews and videotape them. Or perhaps consider paying for an interviewing consultant service.

 

[candbgirl]

Wow! What a nightmare for you. I honestly don’t think it’s anything in your application. You got 7 interviews out of 16 applications. That’s great. But you have only received wait lists and rejections so far from your interviews. Why do you keep insisting it’s not your interviewing skills? Hopefully you’ll receive an acceptance soon and can move on in life. But if you don’t you really need to get some honest and unbiased assessments of your interviewing skills. Maybe it’s something like little things in your body movement or body language. You really should look into it. These aren’t the only interviews you’ll have in life. You have to interview for residency, fellowship, jobs and you have to successfully interact with patients every single day. Good luck.

 

[Microbug]

Can you share your school list? I would expect more interview invites than 7 unless you have a poorly constructed listing school.

 

[Catalystik]

I applied to 16 schools early in the cycle and had 7 interviews. MI resident. Currently on 3 waitlists (low/mid tiers), 2 post-II rejections (top tiers), and waiting on two more decisions from interviews last month (one top tier and one state school), both of which are schools that waitlist a lot of people. If I do get accepted somewhere, it probably won't be until at least May so I will need to have reapplication plans either way.

I'm currently in a gap year scribing full time with some volunteering, both of which I started shortly before submitting AMCAS last year. If I reapply, I would have nothing new to add besides more hours so I'm not sure if I need to add new experiences now. I am likely quitting scribing either way in June and am travelling overseas June-July so I don't go crazy.

Currently have:

• 4.0/526
• 1 year full time scribing in multiple specialties. Also shadowed 2 other MDs for a bit.
• 1.5 years volunteering in hospital. 1.5 years volunteering in free clinic. 1.5 years volunteering in after-school program.
• Helped lead freshman mentoring events on campus and site-led several nonclinical volunteer events.
• 1.5 years research with senior thesis, no pubs
• 2.5 years tutoring.
• Musical hobby

Areas of weakness:

• LORs probably fine but not amazing. Had a committee letter too. No non-science prof letter but no schools said I needed it. Added an MD letter in January.
• Interviews. I didn't bomb any interviews and had mostly good answers - I'm not one of those weird/rude science robot types you meet - but I am fairly quiet.
  
• Essays were pretty good but not great.
• Should have applied to more mid-tier schools.
• Could use more leadership and maybe research for top schools
• Overall I'm pretty boring

Do I need to find a way to get new jobs, etc. in line right now just in case? Most of what I need to work on comes in at the secondary/LOR and interview stage, so would it be okay if my primary has the same experiences as my first application just with a lot more hours and a new PS? I really really don't want to reapply so any advice for waitlists would be great too.

Thank you!!

I think there's a decent chance you'll get off a waitlist or two. ButI, too, expect the issue is your interview skills. Also consider a possible red flag raised in LORs (like if they all said you are quiet and don't contribute), an unremembered Institutional Action or legal issues that didn't pass a background check. Plan to rewrite all essays and activity descriptions. And revamp your school list.

If you're going to add more activities, like leadership, do it now and not a few weeks before resubmitting. Include a Hobbies entry, if you didn't already (Music is usually listed as an Artistic Endeavor if you performed publicly).

 

[Goro]

I applied to 16 schools early in the cycle and had 7 interviews. MI resident. Currently on 3 waitlists (low/mid tiers), 2 post-II rejections (top tiers), and waiting on two more decisions from interviews last month (one top tier and one state school), both of which are schools that waitlist a lot of people. If I do get accepted somewhere, it probably won't be until at least May so I will need to have reapplication plans either way.

I'm currently in a gap year scribing full time with some volunteering, both of which I started shortly before submitting AMCAS last year. If I reapply, I would have nothing new to add besides more hours so I'm not sure if I need to add new experiences now. I am likely quitting scribing either way in June and am travelling overseas June-July so I don't go crazy.

Currently have:

• 4.0/526
• 1 year full time scribing in multiple specialties. Also shadowed 2 other MDs for a bit.
• 1.5 years volunteering in hospital. 1.5 years volunteering in free clinic. 1.5 years volunteering in after-school program.
• Helped lead freshman mentoring events on campus and site-led several nonclinical volunteer events.
• 1.5 years research with senior thesis, no pubs
• 2.5 years tutoring.
• Musical hobby

Areas of weakness:

• LORs probably fine but not amazing. Had a committee letter too. No non-science prof letter but no schools said I needed it. Added an MD letter in January.
• Interviews. I didn't bomb any interviews and had mostly good answers - I'm not one of those weird/rude science robot types you meet - but I am fairly quiet.
  
• Essays were pretty good but not great.
• Should have applied to more mid-tier schools.
• Could use more leadership and maybe research for top schools
• Overall I'm pretty boring

Do I need to find a way to get new jobs, etc. in line right now just in case? Most of what I need to work on comes in at the secondary/LOR and interview stage, so would it be okay if my primary has the same experiences as my first application just with a lot more hours and a new PS? I really really don't want to reapply so any advice for waitlists would be great too.

Thank you!!

Most people are poor judges of their interviews. Work on your interview skills.

 

[mybluedog]

Maybe they didn’t see enough passion in you through the interviews as you said that you’re fairly quiet. Sometimes I felt like I had to smile more just to be “normal”. This is something I got from my mock interviewers, they said I had good answers, but needed to smile more. Like you said, you didn’t do mock interviews, perhaps asking your career counselor, go on YouTube, records yourself and stand in the adcoms shoes might be helpful. Always contact the schools for a feedback session if they allow it. If you are to reapply, find a good gap yr job and focus on the things they mentioned and the weaknesses that you mentioned.

Good work on the academics and what you’ve done so far, good luck as this cycle is def not over!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mybluedog]

As a 4.0/526 with multiple interviews and self described as "boring" you may have come off as someone with stats and no spark, passion, or needed interpersonal skill set.
While you application got you multiple interviews, that may have been more GPA/MCAT than excitement. As you said your essays were good but not great nor your letters.
Even if schools said you didnt need a non-science letter, not having one, just adds to the idea that your are all science and not much outside of it. Yes, even though you think you are not a weird robot type, from reading your post, that is exactly how you come off as. And coming off like that without research as well. If I were advising you, I would suggest

1) rip apart your entire written application from EC thru PS thru secondaries. you want to make your motivation, commitment, and passion come thru in every damn word. These need to be coherent, concise and compelling. They need to be hot and make the eyes dance. As I said your stats got you to interviews, it wasnt your application. Soi trash it, assume that everything needs to be rethought out and redesigned, You are starting from less than zero as you need a whole knew direction

2) you need intensive interview coaching/practice. I am sure you come off as a smart but uninspired type. (sorry if I am blunt)

3) And as most schools advise, the biggest mistake reapplicants make is reapplying too soon (see list/links below). Also attached is reapplicant guide form dean of admissions at Ohio school

Your reapplicant path is more difficult than most as it is academic that needs to be fixed, its really you and your ability to sell yourself

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Many medical schools offer specific pages of advice for reapplicants, something I find few students look into. This would be true whether or not you are a specific reapplicant to that school. Below are links to a few and please note most say the most common mistake among reapplicants is applying again too soon

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Reapplicants - Miller School of Medicine Admissions
Roughly 20% of the students who apply to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in any given year are reapplicants. Data that we have collected indicate they have a lower acceptance rate than do first time applicants

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Heath
http://www.med.wisc.edu/education/md/admissions/reapplying/31716
(emphasis in the original)
There should be significant improvements in your application before reapplying. This might mean not reapplying the very next year. The most common error made by reapplicants is that they submit their next application too soon.

The Ohio State University College of Medicine
The Ohio State University College of Medicine - Tips & Advice
To maximize the chances of giving off this perception, you must allow enough time before reapplying. This will undoubtedly be the hardest part of the process, but be patient; if you rush it, you may join the ranks of those who are applying for a third time.

University of Minnesota Medical School
Re-Applicant
Though you can submit a second application immediately after your first application, you may want to consider waiting a year if you feel you need more experiences that help you demonstrate the essential and desired qualities of an ideal medical student.

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Reapplicants — admit
Our Ideal Candidate — admit

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
http://medicine.vtc.vt.edu/admissions/re-applicants/

LSU Health Shreveport
Re-Applicants

University of Missouri
http://medicine.missouri.edu/admissions/nontraditional.html

East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine
whatif

Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC)
https://www.unthsc.edu/texas-colleg...ants-home/common-mistakes-made-by-applicants/

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
http://www.com.msu.edu/Admissions/Guidelines_For_Success/Reapplication.htm

This should be stickied if not already 🙂