If you had to reapply, what did you do on your year off???

[TAJgoesMD]

So January has rolled around and I am starting to get nervous that nothing is going to work out this cycle. I applied to 10 schools: University of Kansas (In-State), CU, Creighton, SLU, Rush, Missouri, UofIowa-Carver, Minnesota-Twin Cities, BU, and Rochester. I was complete at all of these schools at the end of September. I have a 4.0cGPA, 31R MCAT, a lot of clinical experience, and some research (and more recently more shadowing hours).

I have had three interviews (all the first two weeks of November), at Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa. So far, I am on hold at Missouri and Iowa and KU actually rejected me (devastating considering this was my instate school and was one of the lower-tiered schools that I applied to). Rochester and Minnesota also rejected me post-secondary app.

So, there are still 5 schools left that I haven't heard anything from (BU, Rush, Creighton, SLU, and CU). I am starting to get anxious that maybe they are just waiting to reject me at the end of their interview periods, and all I have to fall back on are the holds at MU and Iowa.

My question is--- if you have had to reapply a second year around, what did you do on your year off? I already know that I'm not taking more class... I feel like with my GPA I have already proved that I am capable of succeeding at academics, and I would just be wasting my time. I really want to participate in some sort of in-depth volunteer experience... maybe abroad if my bank account allows that, along with a lot more job shadowing. Does anyone have any good suggestions or ideas of things to get involved with??? Thanks for ANY help, I am really starting to get bummed out that I have worked this hard and nothing is seeming to go right.

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[ThatQuestionGuy]

Call up admissions offices and see what was wrong. Consider retaking your MCAT

 

[Depakote]

So January has rolled around and I am starting to get nervous that nothing is going to work out this cycle. I applied to 10 schools: University of Kansas (In-State), CU, Creighton, SLU, Rush, Missouri, UofIowa-Carver, Minnesota-Twin Cities, BU, and Rochester. I was complete at all of these schools at the end of September. I have a 4.0cGPA, 31R MCAT, a lot of clinical experience, and some research (and more recently more shadowing hours).

I have had three interviews (all the first two weeks of November), at Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa. So far, I am on hold at Missouri and Iowa and KU actually rejected me (devastating considering this was my instate school and was one of the lower-tiered schools that I applied to). Rochester and Minnesota also rejected me post-secondary app.

So, there are still 5 schools left that I haven't heard anything from (BU, Rush, Creighton, SLU, and CU). I am starting to get anxious that maybe they are just waiting to reject me at the end of their interview periods, and all I have to fall back on are the holds at MU and Iowa.

My question is--- if you have had to reapply a second year around, what did you do on your year off? I already know that I'm not taking more class... I feel like with my GPA I have already proved that I am capable of succeeding at academics, and I would just be wasting my time. I really want to participate in some sort of in-depth volunteer experience... maybe abroad if my bank account allows that, along with a lot more job shadowing. Does anyone have any good suggestions or ideas of things to get involved with??? Thanks for ANY help, I am really starting to get bummed out that I have worked this hard and nothing is seeming to go right.

For my second (and third) application cycles I got a job in clinical research. It was full time and really helped to fund the application expenses, plus it gave me some research experience to write/talk about.

 

[mvenus929]

I got certified and got a job as a phlebotomist. What kind of clinical experience do you have?

 

[TAJgoesMD]

I got certified and got a job as a phlebotomist. What kind of clinical experience do you have?

I am a CNA and worked in a hospital for about a year and a half until I had to have spinal surgery and couldn't be lifting patients for a while. I also have been doing research in clinical psychology for over a year, as well as did some genetics research.

I called KU and had a phone conference with the admissions office about what went wrong. Basically they told me that they liked me but I didn't have enough job shadowing experience to give me a good ''feel'' for the field. To be honest, I really didn't get started with much job-shadowing until this past fall (HUGE mistake) due to participating in research and not being able to do much for a while after my surgery (still a bad excuse). She told me that it wouldn't do me any good to take more class or to retake my MCAT (the first time I took it I got a 28R, so for me, the 31R was good, and I'm not sure I could improve that any more), and that the best thing I could do if I had to reapply would be to do some in-depth volunteering/shadowing... basically to "grow" as a person. I have been looking into the Unite for Sight and opportunities through the Global Volunteer Network. Anyone have any experiences with these or anything similar?

 

[KSrez]

I work as a phlebotomist, have a research job, am planning on going on a medical mission trip before med school starts, shadow in the ER and volunteer in the free clinic. I decided to cover all the bases this year to get a good shot at getting in. Whatever you decide to do, keep busy to make the year go by fast (mine has) and also enjoy your year off - it could be a blessing. Sounds like you're on the right track tho. I can recommend a few international programs that are good if you decide you want to do that.

 

[causalinference]

I got a job as a research technologist. I would suggest working or volunteering if you take a year off.

 

[z31]

This is just my gut feeling, but don't 'dilute' your app by taking on something completely different. Your first priority should be to fix your weaknesses (shadowing?), but after that deepen your existing strengths. For example, if research is a highlight of your app, combine shadowing and research (easily done at an academic center).

The other thing is, see if your essays can be improved. People tend to have all the same boxes ticked (research, shadowing, academic smarts, volunteering), but the people who stand out are the ones who can synthesize and relate the same-old activities better than the rest. In other words, you've done all the right things, but maybe you can go farther with how you show it.

I feel your pain since I have a close friend going through the same uncomfortable situation as you - great qualifications, but the system is tough, obscure, and tricky and he may just have to try again next year. Good luck to you!!