- Joined
- Oct 9, 2010
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- 191
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So my senior year began a month ago. The entire summer I was sitting in a dark basement all alone dutifully studying for the MCAT, filling out applications/secondarys, ignoring friends, etc. Pretty boring/miserable summer. After scoring WORSE on the MCAT than I did the first time, it really made things worse. This was the beginning of August. I didnt even have the heart to check SDN or to be honest, really be all that social with friends and family about the process.
End of August I get back to school and within a week I have three interviews. For the first time in three months I feel uplifted and virtually on top of the world. Whats the safe number of interviews? I read that 3 is the magic number. Im getting in for sure, is what I told myself ignorantly.
I interview at my top choice school at the beginning of September and really feel like I knocked it out of the park. Two weeks later, I am on a plane to the west coast to interview at School #2, whom I never expected to get an interview from. This past week, I fly out to School #3.
Over the entire month of September I am feeling great feeling like there is no way I am not getting into medical school next year. I feel like my future is certain. I even start debating with friends about whether Id like sunny California or if I could really focus going to school on the east coast. At any rate, I felt great for the first time in a long time because of all the stress of the initial stages of the application process coupled with the MCAT this past summer.
So I fly back home two days after interviewing at School #3. The first thing I do is check my e-mail when I get home. Rejection from School #3. That was quick something about my GPA not being high enough. Okay, I say to myself, then why the **** did they invite me out to interview in the first place? I shrug it off slightly, saying to myself that it wasnt my top choice anyway, though Im still pretty upset.
Anyway later that same day (this past Wednesday), I got out to my mailbox and find that Ive been put on a waitlist for School #1, my top choice. I sit there in my kitchen reading the letter about 8 times and finally get so pissed that I throw one my textbooks across the room and shatter a mirror. I know its immature and I shouldnt have done it (and I usually never get this mad) but the entire feelings of stress .
Stress of applications, stress of the MCAT, stress of getting my LORs in order, stress of answering parents questions about what the hell I plan on doing after graduation, stress of not having been out with friends lately or dating (I am usually always dating at least I was for every other semester of college). In other words, I felt like I got knocked down a few floors and only just then realized it.
So now I finally feel drained and anger morphs into a slight depression. Then depression morphs into acceptance. So I guess it all comes down to School #2? School #2, the place where, when I first decided I wanted to be a doctor and started this insane journey down the yellow brick road of pre-med classes, research, shadowing, extracurriculars etc. was never where I dreamed I would end up? In fact, it was just a filler school in my application. I applied broadly so only did a cursory research of the school.
Now dont get me wrong, I had a good interview experience and definitely could see myself going to School #2 but its a little unsettling when you realize how much your long-term plans can really change. And thats assuming I even get in Cause I have to say, if I get rejected or waitlisted (and waitlisted is actually almost worse in the sense that you know its only going to prolong your wait and with everything else going on in life who needs the distraction?)
So I call the admissions office at School #2 and they tell me that very day that I wont be hearing anything for at least another month. And I begin to realize that this whole process is much like a bad roller coaster ride. A very long and drawn out roller coaster ride or if you want, sort of along the lines of a never-ending dream that constantly changes from pleasant to nightmare. Anyone else feel that same?
End of August I get back to school and within a week I have three interviews. For the first time in three months I feel uplifted and virtually on top of the world. Whats the safe number of interviews? I read that 3 is the magic number. Im getting in for sure, is what I told myself ignorantly.
I interview at my top choice school at the beginning of September and really feel like I knocked it out of the park. Two weeks later, I am on a plane to the west coast to interview at School #2, whom I never expected to get an interview from. This past week, I fly out to School #3.
Over the entire month of September I am feeling great feeling like there is no way I am not getting into medical school next year. I feel like my future is certain. I even start debating with friends about whether Id like sunny California or if I could really focus going to school on the east coast. At any rate, I felt great for the first time in a long time because of all the stress of the initial stages of the application process coupled with the MCAT this past summer.
So I fly back home two days after interviewing at School #3. The first thing I do is check my e-mail when I get home. Rejection from School #3. That was quick something about my GPA not being high enough. Okay, I say to myself, then why the **** did they invite me out to interview in the first place? I shrug it off slightly, saying to myself that it wasnt my top choice anyway, though Im still pretty upset.
Anyway later that same day (this past Wednesday), I got out to my mailbox and find that Ive been put on a waitlist for School #1, my top choice. I sit there in my kitchen reading the letter about 8 times and finally get so pissed that I throw one my textbooks across the room and shatter a mirror. I know its immature and I shouldnt have done it (and I usually never get this mad) but the entire feelings of stress .
Stress of applications, stress of the MCAT, stress of getting my LORs in order, stress of answering parents questions about what the hell I plan on doing after graduation, stress of not having been out with friends lately or dating (I am usually always dating at least I was for every other semester of college). In other words, I felt like I got knocked down a few floors and only just then realized it.
So now I finally feel drained and anger morphs into a slight depression. Then depression morphs into acceptance. So I guess it all comes down to School #2? School #2, the place where, when I first decided I wanted to be a doctor and started this insane journey down the yellow brick road of pre-med classes, research, shadowing, extracurriculars etc. was never where I dreamed I would end up? In fact, it was just a filler school in my application. I applied broadly so only did a cursory research of the school.
Now dont get me wrong, I had a good interview experience and definitely could see myself going to School #2 but its a little unsettling when you realize how much your long-term plans can really change. And thats assuming I even get in Cause I have to say, if I get rejected or waitlisted (and waitlisted is actually almost worse in the sense that you know its only going to prolong your wait and with everything else going on in life who needs the distraction?)
So I call the admissions office at School #2 and they tell me that very day that I wont be hearing anything for at least another month. And I begin to realize that this whole process is much like a bad roller coaster ride. A very long and drawn out roller coaster ride or if you want, sort of along the lines of a never-ending dream that constantly changes from pleasant to nightmare. Anyone else feel that same?
