Just failed 2nd application cycle. Try again or go to sgu?

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indeed

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Please see UPDATE below (post 27).


Just looking for some advice from all you insightful people out there...

Here's the story: I've got a 3.7/32M and just failed with my second M.D. admission attempt. I interviewed at 4 schools last year (got #31 waitlist at one school and some 'holds' at others).
After not getting in last year I spent approx 50 hrs shadowing and have been working on a clinical research project. This year I interviewed at 5 schools and again got on some post-interview holds, but it looks like I've failed at U.S. M.D. admission again. I was however accepted to St. George's.
My question is, do i go to SGU or try again for U.S. M.D/D.O?

A little more back ground info: I met with the dean of admissions at my state school and she basically said everything in my application (essays, LORs, EC's, gpa/mcat) was 'great'. The interview is what did not get me in. The interviewers thought i was a nice and good person but I "appeared nervous and at times did not articulate my answers well enough."

I'm really temped to go to SGU because I'm more than ready to get started on my 8+ years of training. Plus, I'm not sure if the deficiencies in my application can even be remedied (e.g. I can't just not be nervous for an interview).

If i apply again, I would definitely apply for D.O. as well as earlier/broader M.D. I'm just not sure i want to go thru all that again and possibly come up empty handed... Thoughts?
 
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Eh, I'd apply MD/DO personally. I'm reluctant to tell someone with your stats to go to Carib.
 
You are getting plenty of interviews, but it sounds like you need to work on your interviewing skills. Have you done mock interviews or given oral presentations? I would apply again. In the meantime, sign up for a public speaking class and 3 or 4 mock interviews.
 
Practice interviewing, apply early and broadly MD/DO.
 
Tienes great stats...what are the schools you applied to?
 
JJMrK said:
You are getting plenty of interviews, but it sounds like you need to work on your interviewing skills. Have you done mock interviews or given oral presentations? I would apply again. In the meantime, sign up for a public speaking class and 3 or 4 mock interviews.
Click to expand...
this. And as someone else said go DO next time. Fixing interviewing skills is relatively easy when you consider that most people have to fix GPA or mcat which is much harder. Id most certainly continue volunteering and assuming your mcat doesnt expire, Id reapply next year and really work on interview skills. The public speaking classes sound like an excellent idea to me since they may help you get over that nervousness. Your stats are too good for carib when you havnt even tried DO.
 
Apply MD/DO again. You've got the stats - you just need to nail the interview. Definitely practice up beforehand.

Did you apply broadly? It sounds like you did, seeing as you had 4 and 5 interviews.
 
I second what has already been said. Don't do SGU with your stats, you'll probably look back and regret it. The problem you are having is of the easier sort to solve. Just practice and you'll get multiple acceptances next cycle (assuming your state school's admin didn't lie!).
 
d1ony5u5 said:
i second what has already been said. Don't do sgu with your stats, you'll probably look back and regret it. The problem you are having is of the easier sort to solve. Just practice and you'll get multiple acceptances next cycle (assuming your state school's admin didn't lie!).
Click to expand...

sgu?
 
Cleavername said:
sgu?
Click to expand...

St. George's University

I would agree with everything here already. Its a very personal decision. I was accepted to SGU as well and had to make a decision whether to stay around another year or take off. I asked for a Jan entrance to SGU and applied again. Texas is earlier than the rest of the nation though, so I knew by Jan.

I think you have a great chance of getting in if you just apply very broadly and really work on your interviewing skills.

PM me if you have any questions about SGU or my decision to stay here another year. Happy to help.
 
With a 3.7/32, you shouldn't even need to apply DO or to the Carribean.

You could be doing many things wrong. With 4 and 5 interviews, you should have gotten one acceptance by now. Don't lose hope, but I think your numbers are too good for DO or SGU
 
Have a beer.

Then go do some mock interviews.

You have GREAT stats -- don't throw 'em away on SGU!
 
This year there were about 30,000 applicants for 25,000 residency slots. As US allopathic and osteopathic class sizes and number of schools increase, there will be less available residency slots for foreign and Caribbean grads. Work on your interview skills and keep volunteering a researching.
 
You should reapply broadly MD and this time also apply to as many DO schools as possible. If you can snag a DO acceptance early, withdraw from the rest of the DO schools and see what happens MD wise.
 
So I had already typed up a message but it got eaten by my funky computer.

In a nutshell, I am virtually in the same situation as you. GPA: 3.48, BCPM: 3.68, MCAT: 35R. Graduated from top 50 UG. 1st cycle: one interview and rejected. This cycle: 5 interviews with 2 rejections, 1 waitlist, 1 post-interview hold, and still waiting to hear from one school. I know my mistakes were applying late each time (at least I can say that this time I was late bc of a late lor. not that it really makes me feel that much better). When did you apply? Applying early can really make a huge difference.

I also had a bad interview this cycle which yielded one rejection but I did feel that I improved over time. Did you feel like you were improving as you interviewed? I agree with the above that mock interviews and more practice public speaking would help. But there is nothing like the real thing. I do public speaking all the time but I still get nervous with these interviews. I think the trick is to manage the nervousness. Get some advice about what you may be doing in interviews to bring about the idea that you are not confident or well spoken. Look at both body language and what you are actually saying. You may still get nervous but at least you won't look or sound nervous.

Regardless of what the feedback, I would also look through the entire app and make sure that you improve as much as you can. Rewrite your PS and essays and make them great! People get accepted after mediocre interviews. The question is whether your qualifications can override any reservations the school may have regarding your interview. If you improve your interviewing enough, I am sure you will get in if you reapply. Don't settle for just a Caribbean school. I am assuming that with your GPA, MCAT and other ECs that you worked hard enough to make it worth it to try again for MD or DO. This is the rest of your life. Not just the next 8 years.

GOOD LUCK!
 
👍
indeed said:
Just looking for some advice from all you insightful people out there...

Here's the story: I've got a 3.7/32M and just failed with my second M.D. admission attempt. I interviewed at 4 schools last year (got #31 waitlist at one school and some 'holds' at others).
After not getting in last year I spent approx 50 hrs shadowing and have been working on a clinical research project. This year I interviewed at 5 schools and again got on some post-interview holds, but it looks like I've failed at U.S. M.D. admission again. I was however accepted to St. George's.
My question is, do i go to SGU or try again for U.S. M.D/D.O?

A little more back ground info: I met with the dean of admissions at my state school and she basically said everything in my application (essays, LORs, EC's, gpa/mcat) was 'great'. The interview is what did not get me in. The interviewers thought i was a nice and good person but I "appeared nervous and at times did not articulate my answers well enough."

I'm really temped to go to SGU because I'm more than ready to get started on my 8+ years of training. Plus, I'm not sure if the deficiencies in my application can even be remedied (e.g. I can't just not be nervous for an interview).

If i apply again, I would definitely apply for D.O. as well as earlier/broader M.D. I'm just not sure i want to go thru all that again and possibly come up empty handed... Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yea, interviewing skill is not something you want to give up on MD schools for. I know a guy who's looking into DO/carib because he's taken the mcat three times and the verbal hovering around 6 or 7 despite studying his butt off. Things like that, where it's really unlikely you can improve, should redirect your path. Don't get discouraged! I don't know if you know of any MDs you can do mock interview with. If you don't, start doing light research at a university hospital and ask MDs sitting on admissions committee to help you. I mock-interviewed with an MD that I was really scared of, and doing well on that gave me the confidence on the real thing. You can do this!! 😉
 
Agree with others here - you have the easiest problem to fix.

I would seriously consider hiring an image consultant, doing public speaking classes like others have suggested, and getting some honest feedback on how you come across to others.

I'm a non-trad applicant coming from the business world of Southern California, working in the luxury industry. Out here in the land of fakeness people put a lot of effort into controlling their body language, dress, and everything else that generates a "first impression." You CAN modify the way you come across - everyone on the west side of L.A. does it and most of them are not nearly as bright as your academic stats say you are! Don't give up. You can do this.

Other question:

-Do you have any anxiety problems that you know of, or was it just that the interviewers felt you to appear anxious? If YOU feel anxious, have you considered beta blockers?
 
SGU. Dont waste time.

Go To SGU, own STEP 1. And Get the residency of your choice.
People fail to see that at the end of the day, if you have a 300 Step1 (!exagerration!). You will go anywhere in the country.
 
SGU does not defer acceptances (originally accepted for aug 2009). But what they did was reconsider my application for August 2010. I was accepted to SGU for aug 2010 but I also got into a US med school during my re-application. Thus I withdrew my SGU application.

The point is this...if I were you I would apply US MD another time.

BTW my dad went to SGU and he makes a mil a year in his practice. so don't let haters bad mouth on SGU. But he is a brilliant businessman too haha
 
If your list of schools is similar to: Hopkins, Harvard, Wash U, Yale, Cornell, Stanford, any of the UCs, etc. that'd be why you haven't gotten in. If your list is more similar to: your state schools, Drexel, NYMC, Albany, RFU, etc., then you're not very good at interviewing.

Like others have suggested, do some mock interviews. Another thing, how have you been preparing for your interviews? I would suggest you don't script your answers to anticipated questions, but make a mental outline of how you might answer questions and go over them frequently.
 
Checkout Post-Bacc programs. Some are designed to increase your overall application, others are more designed to shuttle you directly into a related med school.

Either way, they help you get in.
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles man! Your GPA and MCAT are better than mine but I haven't taken the MCAT yet but I've always done avg on standardized tests so I'm expecting a 28 or 29 when I take it! My gpa is only 3.45 so based on those two numbers alone, I know I would have to do a SMP and do stellar in that in order to go to med school! I would try a 1 year SMP, and most people who have, get at least 2-3 acceptances. It costs a bunch of extra money buts its actually the best way for a med school to know if you can do med school course work or not!

You never stated anything about your EC or shadowing experience but I would assume those are stellar along with your GPA and MCAT but if those two areas r lacking that could be bringing you down!

Best of Luck!!
 
mmmcdowe said:
You should reapply broadly MD and this time also apply to as many DO schools as possible. If you can snag a DO acceptance early, withdraw from the rest of the DO schools and see what happens MD wise.
Click to expand...

UPDATE:

Thought it would be fun to provide an ending to this story...

Shortly after creating this thread I decided to "defer" my acceptance to SGU (they technically re-considered my application, but I didn't have to do a thing).

I prepared 3rd AMCAS application (in early April) then took off to Europe for a couple months and had an awesome time. (just had to hit the submit button for AMCAS while over there)

Came back during the summer and did secondaries; filed AACOM application (applied 20 to roughly 20 MD schools and a handful of DO).

Had some interviews in the early fall. Locked up an early DO acceptance.

Finally got into one of my top choice MD schools (three attempts later!) in early February!


It's difficult to describe to people outside of the pre-med world how much time, work, and money goes into preparing one, let alone three, applications to medical school. But I hope this story might inspire someone out there who is currently on some mysterious waiting list and is wondering whether they can emotionally handle another application cycle. If you try hard enough, it can be done!

Thank you to all those peeps on sdn who offered their thoughtful opinions. This is a fantastic resource.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions about my application process.
 
thank you for bumping this post. I am currently going through my 2nd failed cycle, and this post has been very encouraging to me.
 
hey that's awesome!! congrats... sounds like your hard work paid off.
 
Great example of something who didn't give up on their dream.Congrats man/mam!!!!
 
I commend you for your heart and direction. I wanted to kill myself after two application cycles and don't know if I could emotionally handle a third one. I hope you get in off the waitlist somewhere so you don't have to experience this again. It's hard to explain to someone what it's like to go through a failed application cycle; but I would say it's sort of like getting dumped by a girl you want to marry over and over and over until you just stop caring about women. Good luck :luck:
 
Congrats indeed! I love these happy ending stories 🙂 And I definitely know how you feel, I'm a reapplicant too and this time did both MD and DO, got several DO acceptances and was pulled off the WL of one my top choice MD schools 2 days after May 15th! It's possible if you believe in yourself and take some good advice. Congrats again.
 
indeed said:
UPDATE:

Thought it would be fun to provide an ending to this story...

Shortly after creating this thread I decided to "defer" my acceptance to SGU (they technically re-considered my application, but I didn't have to do a thing).

I prepared 3rd AMCAS application (in early April) then took off to Europe for a couple months and had an awesome time. (just had to hit the submit button for AMCAS while over there)

Came back during the summer and did secondaries; filed AACOM application (applied 20 to roughly 20 MD schools and a handful of DO).

Had some interviews in the early fall. Locked up an early DO acceptance.

Finally got into one of my top choice MD schools (three attempts later!) in early February!


It's difficult to describe to people outside of the pre-med world how much time, work, and money goes into preparing one, let alone three, applications to medical school. But I hope this story might inspire someone out there who is currently on some mysterious waiting list and is wondering whether they can emotionally handle another application cycle. If you try hard enough, it can be done!

Thank you to all those peeps on sdn who offered their thoughtful opinions. This is a fantastic resource.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions about my application process.
Click to expand...

👍
 
indeed said:
UPDATE:

Thought it would be fun to provide an ending to this story...

Shortly after creating this thread I decided to "defer" my acceptance to SGU (they technically re-considered my application, but I didn't have to do a thing).

I prepared 3rd AMCAS application (in early April) then took off to Europe for a couple months and had an awesome time. (just had to hit the submit button for AMCAS while over there)

Came back during the summer and did secondaries; filed AACOM application (applied 20 to roughly 20 MD schools and a handful of DO).

Had some interviews in the early fall. Locked up an early DO acceptance.

Finally got into one of my top choice MD schools (three attempts later!) in early February!


It's difficult to describe to people outside of the pre-med world how much time, work, and money goes into preparing one, let alone three, applications to medical school. But I hope this story might inspire someone out there who is currently on some mysterious waiting list and is wondering whether they can emotionally handle another application cycle. If you try hard enough, it can be done!

Thank you to all those peeps on sdn who offered their thoughtful opinions. This is a fantastic resource.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions about my application process.
Click to expand...

Congrats! I didn't realize you were OP, or else I would have congratulated you earlier!
 
RedSHIFT said:
SGU does not defer acceptances (originally accepted for aug 2009). But what they did was reconsider my application for August 2010. I was accepted to SGU for aug 2010 but I also got into a US med school during my re-application. Thus I withdrew my SGU application.

The point is this...if I were you I would apply US MD another time.

BTW my dad went to SGU and he makes a mil a year in his practice. so don't let haters bad mouth on SGU. But he is a brilliant businessman too haha
Click to expand...
WTF?! What is his specialty?
 
indeed said:
UPDATE:

Thought it would be fun to provide an ending to this story...

Shortly after creating this thread I decided to "defer" my acceptance to SGU (they technically re-considered my application, but I didn't have to do a thing).

I prepared 3rd AMCAS application (in early April) then took off to Europe for a couple months and had an awesome time. (just had to hit the submit button for AMCAS while over there)

Came back during the summer and did secondaries; filed AACOM application (applied 20 to roughly 20 MD schools and a handful of DO).

Had some interviews in the early fall. Locked up an early DO acceptance.

Finally got into one of my top choice MD schools (three attempts later!) in early February!


It's difficult to describe to people outside of the pre-med world how much time, work, and money goes into preparing one, let alone three, applications to medical school. But I hope this story might inspire someone out there who is currently on some mysterious waiting list and is wondering whether they can emotionally handle another application cycle. If you try hard enough, it can be done!

Thank you to all those peeps on sdn who offered their thoughtful opinions. This is a fantastic resource.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions about my application process.
Click to expand...

hey yo i dont even know you and i love you.
 
Congrats man. I was another third time applicant, going to my top choice DO school.
 
This actually made me smile. Mind saying which med school?
 
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glad it worked out in the end. i was almost in the same boat but stuck it out and got into medical school!!!

Congrats!
 
A college buddy of mine went through 3 application cycles and then was accepted to USC. He now is in his second year of residency in California in a very competitive and well paid specialty. These stories are not uncommon.
 
You rock! I'm a re-applicant too, and I am going to my tippy-top number one choice medical school this fall. Congrats on the acceptance, and keep your head-up to all the candidates that were "passed-over" on their first couple of tries!!! 👍
 
damn 3 tries for someone who had a 3.7/32? That makes me nervous
 
This thread makes me feel so damn lucky. One cycle is more than enough, IMO.
 
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