Likely reapplicant in need of advice

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kat987

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So here's my story. I applied this cycle, received 4 interviews resulting in one deferred, one waitlist, one rejection, and one decision pending. It's coming down to the wire and at this late in the cycle, I'm not too hopeful I will get in somewhere and have come to accept I would have to reapply after much dread and reluctance. I don't think I'm ready to reapply this upcoming cycle and will wait until 2015. I graduated last year and there's nothing I can really change about my stats - 3.7 cgpa with a slightly lower sgpa (~3.65), 33 MCAT balanced. My problem is that I had an upward trend from sophomore year onwards and it toppled during the last semester of senior year (made a B- in one of my classes). I submitted my app late July and was completed at all schools mid-Sept to early Oct. I only applied to schools along the Northeast and my list consisted largely of mid to low tiers. I know I possibly made the mistake of not broadening my school list and an earlier app could have helped. I'm a NY resident. I'm mostly torn about what else I can do to improve. I know my extracurriculars were weak/ cookie cutter from the start and below is a breakdown of what I applied with:

Tutoring elementary students, working with the disadvantaged for a year ~ 350 hrs
Basic lab research for two years - a semester in one lab, switched to a new lab mid-semester and spent one summer and 1.5 academic yrs there, no publication ~800 hrs
Hospital volunteering - summer in the ED ~ 200 hrs and throughout one school yr ~ 75 hrs
Shadowing ~50 hrs over the summer, two doctors
Library assistant ~ 300 hrs one academic yr

During the gap year, I've been trying to get more clinical /research experience. Most of the activities I began last fall.
Tutoring elementary students in math ~ 5 hr/week
Part-time employment in a doctor's office ~ 15 hrs/wk, patient interaction / shadowing
Hospital volunteer ~ companion to patients ~6 hrs/wk
Research ~ 20 hrs/wk, currently working with a grad stud and will start on an independent project

I know I have no non-clincial volunteer position and I'm in the midst of looking for one of interest to me. I have yet to call the admissions office to get feedback and will definitely do that. I'm really hoping to get advice on what I can do to strengthen my app and ensure that I've covered all bases for a reapplication. I don't think my letters were as strong as they could be. The only real control I feel I have right now is my ECs. I understand there's a certain stigma in being a reapp and I am not sure how I can demonstrate that I've significantly improved my app by the time I reapply. Should I retake the MCAT or just work on strengthening my extracurricular activities? Am I missing anything? I appreciate any help and advice! Thank you for reading!

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I think your stats are alright if you're targeting mid and less competitive schools. 4 II's is proof of that.

I think your EC's are not weak. There is significant involvement in some of those activities, but I think your ECs are imbalanced in that the clinical experience is light as is the shadowing. As for retaking the MCAT, I think a 33 should stand for two years, but the MCAT of accepted applicants anecdotally seem to be rising everywhere with some exceptions. It's a loaded decision, so GL with that.

So basically, I would work those wait lists exhaustively in the mean time..
 
With a 3.7 GPA and a 33 MCAT chances are you just had a very confusing story. I have worked with countless applicants like you. When someone gets 4 interviews with stats like yours, and does not receive a firm offer, then the problem is not so much your stats as it is your story. I have said this before and I will say it again, your Personal Statement is your anchor. If your personal statement suggests one thing, and then you go into the interview and talk about 5 or 10 other things, you will come off as unfocused and not genuinely interested in medicine. Just from what you have written here, I am almost certain that this is what happened to you. My suggestion is to go ahead and obtain that clinical experience you lack, but make sure that it is in line with what you state via your Personal Statement. -Admissions to medicine
 
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Numbers are great, but tghe downward trend at the end might have hurt you.

I graduated last year and there's nothing I can really change about my stats - 3.7 cgpa with a slightly lower sgpa (~3.65), 33 MCAT balanced. My problem is that I had an upward trend from sophomore year onwards and it toppled during the last semester of senior year (made a B- in one of my classes). I submitted my app late July and was completed at all schools mid-Sept to early Oct.


I only applied to schools along the Northeast and my list consisted largely of mid to low tiers. I know I possibly made the mistake of not broadening my school list and an earlier app could have helped.

Interviewing skills!
I'm a NY resident. I'm mostly torn about what else I can do to improve.

Your ECs are quite good. I like the tutoring bit, myself. Check your local houses of worshipf or non-clinical volunteering opportunities.

I know my extracurriculars were weak/ cookie cutter from the start
I know I have no non-clincial volunteer position and I'm in the midst of looking for one of interest to me.



Einstein is one school that won't talk to you, FYI.
I have yet to call the admissions office to get feedback and will definitely do that.

Do NOT retake the MCAT! I think it was your timing and the late dip in GPA that did you in. Just broaden your list this time, and aim a bit lower. Include some DO schools...NYCOM, PCOM and TUCOM-NY are in your backyard.

I'm really hoping to get advice on what I can do to strengthen my app and ensure that I've covered all bases for a reapplication. I don't think my letters were as strong as they could be. The only real control I feel I have right now is my ECs. I understand there's a certain stigma in being a reapp and I am not sure how I can demonstrate that I've significantly improved my app by the time I reapply. Should I retake the MCAT or just work on strengthening my extracurricular activities?
 
My problem is that I had an upward trend from sophomore year onwards and it toppled during the last semester of senior year (made a B- in one of my classes).
I suppose a B- is a toppling, but it's not catastrophic. My guess with your profile is that nothing really stands out. Looks like you checked all the boxes, but nothing was exactly memorable.

Besides that, I spot two areas of weakness while in college: clinical experience: volunteering and shadowing (but 50 hours of shadowing is about average). OR, maybe I'm not reading this right. You wrote that Most of the activities I began last fall. So maybe you've already corrected some of your weaknesses, but since they weren't on your application, so they were missed.
 
With a 3.7 GPA and a 33 MCAT chances are you just had a very confusing story. I have worked with countless applicants like you. When someone gets 4 interviews with stats like yours, and does not receive a firm offer, then the problem is not so much your stats as it is your story. I have said this before and I will say it again, your Personal Statement is your anchor. If your personal statement suggests one thing, and then you go into the interview and talk about 5 or 10 other things, you will come off as unfocused and not genuinely interested in medicine. Just from what you have written here, I am almost certain that this is what happened to you. My suggestion is to go ahead and obtain that clinical experience you lack, but make sure that it is in line with what you state via your Personal Statement. -Admissions to medicine

Do you mean my lack of success has more to do with the way I presented myself during the interview? That there might have been a disconnect between my personal statement and what I said during the interview?

I suppose a B- is a toppling, but it's not catastrophic. My guess with your profile is that nothing really stands out. Looks like you checked all the boxes, but nothing was exactly memorable.

Besides that, I spot two areas of weakness while in college: clinical experience: volunteering and shadowing (but 50 hours of shadowing is about average). OR, maybe I'm not reading this right. You wrote that Most of the activities I began last fall. So maybe you've already corrected some of your weaknesses, but since they weren't on your application, so they were missed.

The second set is activities I have been engaging in during the gap year. They are not in my app, only the first set is. I would say about 10% of my current position in the medical office consists of shadowing as I am able to observe while the doctor is with patients. Any advice on what more I can do to strengthen my clinical experience? Should I add in more shadowing?

Do NOT retake the MCAT! I think it was your timing and the late dip in GPA that did you in. Just broaden your list this time, and aim a bit lower. Include some DO schools...NYCOM, PCOM and TUCOM-NY are in your backyard.

I know the B- might be a possible red flag, especially since it was during my last semester, and I don't know how I can redeem the large drop in grade. Do you think if I work on other areas of my application and have them strengthened, they can offset that negative factor?
 
Not between PS and interview, just the interview itself. You might have bombed your interviews.

Do you mean my lack of success has more to do with the way I presented myself during the interview? That there might have been a disconnect between my personal statement and what I said during the interview?
 
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