Looking for some planning advise

[bhf74]

Hello,
I am a senior at UMD, will double major in physiology/neurobiology and phycology in 2022. I have cGPA of 3.81 and sGPA of 3.79. I gave my first MCAT and got 504 in April, did a re-take in August and got 508 in Sept. I have about 300 hours of research experience. I have clinical experience with an internal medicine doctor and a neurology doctor. I have been volunteering in an underprivileged area school for the past two years. I am a member of UMD acapella group as well as working as a resident advisor for the past 18 months.

After my first MCAT (504), I applied to the following schools.

MD Schools

1. GW (on-hold)
2. Louisiana State New Orleans (no response)
3. University of Arizona (waitlist)
4. Rush (no response)
5. WVSOM (waitlist)
6. Marshall (no response)
7. Morehouse (no response)
8. Howard (no response)
9. Meharry (no response)

DO Schools

1. Touro (no response)
2. Rowan (no response)
3. PCOM (no response)
4. Rocky Vista (II received, to be scheduled)
5. LECOM (II at Setton Hill in Oct)
6. ATSU- rejected
7. Debusk (no response)
8. WV Osteopathic (II in October)
9. Nova Southeastern (no response)
10. Midwestern (no response)
11. VCOM (no response)

After I increased my MCAT to 508, I applied to the following schools. I am working on secondaries now.
MD Schools

1. UMD
2. Creighton
3. Drexel
4. Uniformed Services University
5. Penn State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Medical College of Wisconsin
8. Tulane
9. Albany
10. University of Toledo

I am a first-time applicant to the MD/DO program, so I am looking to get input from this community about:

1) Should I proactively reach out to all the MD/DO school and update them about my new MACT score?
2) Do I have any chance to get an interview with MD school?
3) What is the best way to get some interview help?
4) Any other advice?

Thanks

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[candbgirl]

You really need to give us more information.
1). What is your state residence?I think Maryland but I’m not sure.
2). Are you URM and if so what group do you represent?
3). Was your clinical experience shadowing? Or was it face to face interactive experience with sick, injured and dying? Shadowing and clinical experience are very different. One is active and one is passive. You need 250+ hours of clinical experiences and 50 hours of shadowing.
4)How many nonclinical hours do you have. You need 250+. Maybe switch your activities up to include volunteering at a homeless shelter, helping out at a soup kitchen or food bank, volunteering at a camp for disadvantaged kids or disabled kids, visit Vetscatba Veterans Center etc.

Some of the schools on your list expect hundreds(if not thousands of hours) of clinical and service hours. And they get them from their applicants. You haven’t shared any information that helps us help you in this area. Rush is one of those schools. The Jesuit schools are too. As are several others.

You also have several OOS public schools. Did you use the MSAR to develop your list? Many OOS schools focus on their own residents.

Some schools average multiple MCAT scores. AMCAS rec that schools do this. Not all schools do but reviewers of applications can see all of your scores. So there is that too.

You should get the remaining applications in ASAP. First acceptances go out around 10/15 for many schools and you are still doing secondaries.

II can be received between now and April so it’s a very long cycle. And the DO cycle is even longer so just try to relax.

If you end up having to reapply in another cycle, ADCOMS will expect to see significant improvement in your application. So keep up with your ECs.

And always have a Plan B.

Good luck.

 

[bhf74]

You really need to give us more information.
1). What is your state residence?I think Maryland but I’m not sure.
2). Are you URM and if so what group do you represent?
3). Was your clinical experience shadowing? Or was it face to face interactive experience with sick, injured and dying? Shadowing and clinical experience are very different. One is active and one is passive. You need 250+ hours of clinical experiences and 50 hours of shadowing.
4)How many nonclinical hours do you have. You need 250+. Maybe switch your activities up to include volunteering at a homeless shelter, helping out at a soup kitchen or food bank, volunteering at a camp for disadvantaged kids or disabled kids, visit Vetscatba Veterans Center etc.

Some of the schools on your list expect hundreds(if not thousands of hours) of clinical and service hours. And they get them from their applicants. You haven’t shared any information that helps us help you in this area. Rush is one of those schools. The Jesuit schools are too. As are several others.

You also have several OOS public schools. Did you use the MSAR to develop your list? Many OOS schools focus on their own residents.

Some schools average multiple MCAT scores. AMCAS rec that schools do this. Not all schools do but reviewers of applications can see all of your scores. So there is that too.

You should get the remaining applications in ASAP. First acceptances go out around 10/15 for many schools and you are still doing secondaries.

II can be received between now and April so it’s a very long cycle. And the DO cycle is even longer so just try to relax.

If you end up having to reapply in another cycle, ADCOMS will expect to see significant improvement in your application. So keep up with your ECs.

And always have a Plan B.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot for your kind message. I am a Maryland resident and not URM. I have 300 hours of research, one published paper, 200 hours of active clinical and 50 hours of shadowing experience. I have been volunteering with the Maryland Mentor Corp and has about 275 hours of volunteering experience as a tutor to underserved elementary school kids.

Yes, I used MSAR as well as GPA and MCAT averages to develop my list.

I am targeting to complete my UMD secondary by 08-October and others by 15-October.

I am looking to get your advice about the order in which I need to complete the secondary applications for the schools other than UMD.

This is the first time I am applying to MD and DO programs and your kind words are helping me stay relaxed.

Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.

Looking forward to your inputs .

 

[bhf74]

Thanks a lot for your kind message. I am a Maryland resident and not URM. I have 300 hours of research, one published paper, 200 hours of active clinical and 50 hours of shadowing experience. I have been volunteering with the Maryland Mentor Corp and has about 275 hours of volunteering experience as a tutor to underserved elementary school kids.

Yes, I used MSAR as well as GPA and MCAT averages to develop my list.

I am targeting to complete my UMD secondary by 08-October and others by 15-October.

I am looking to get your advice about the order in which I need to complete the secondary applications for the schools other than UMD.

This is the first time I am applying to MD and DO programs and your kind words are helping me stay relaxed.

Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.

Looking forward to your inputs .

@candbgirl tagging you.

 

[bhf74]

@candbgirl tagging you.

@candbgirl one more data point that I forgot to tell you is that I scored in top quartile in CASPER

 

[candbgirl]

The last 3 MD schools on your List (Morehouse, Howard and Meherry) focus their student populations on students that are URM and who have a history of serving their communities and plan to stay In their communities to practice medicine. The largest portion of their students are AA.
I really know nothing about the Casper. That’s new in the admissions process I think. So I can’t speak to that at all.
As to “ranking” how you should complete your applications, obviously UMD since it’s your state school. After that where are you most interested in going. For instance, (I’m from the Midwest so I wanted to stay in the Midwest. Why did you pick Creighton over Loyola?Creighton is far from Maryland. ) So read up on the schools and see what interests you. Do you want a big city , rural etc.?
Did you tell the first batch of schools you applied to that you were retaking the MCAT?
Keep writing those secondaries.

 

[bhf74]

The last 3 MD schools on your List (Morehouse, Howard and Meherry) focus their student populations on students that are URM and who have a history of serving their communities and plan to stay In their communities to practice medicine. The largest portion of their students are AA.
I really know nothing about the Casper. That’s new in the admissions process I think. So I can’t speak to that at all.
As to “ranking” how you should complete your applications, obviously UMD since it’s your state school. After that where are you most interested in going. For instance, (I’m from the Midwest so I wanted to stay in the Midwest. Why did you pick Creighton over Loyola?Creighton is far from Maryland. ) So read up on the schools and see what interests you. Do you want a big city , rural etc.?
Did you tell the first batch of schools you applied to that you were retaking the MCAT?
Keep writing those secondaries.

@candbgirl thank you. What is the way to tell MD school that I have a new MCAT score? Also, thanks for your insightful question about Creighton over Loyola. My grandparents and other extended family are in Phoenix and Creighton has campus in Phoenix, so I chose that school. If I were to add Loyola, am I late? Also, for the MD schools in my list, do I have a chance?

 

[Faha]

Which DO schools are you applying to ?

 

[candbgirl]

Which DO schools are you applying to ?

I think he applied to the 11 he listed above.

 

[candbgirl]

I understand about Creighton. That’s a good reason. Not sure when Loyola’s deadline is.
I would think your new test scores automatically released when they became available. But I’m not sure. @KnightDoc are scores automatically released or should OP notify each school of new scores?
Applying to med school is a crap shoot at best. Each cycle only about 40% of all MD applicants are accepted to any school and of that 40% about half are accepted at only one school. I read someplace that the acceptance rate dropped to around 35% last cycle because so many people applied. I don’t know if it’s true but like I said before, it’s a crapshoot so who knows. All you can do is provide the best possible application and hope for the best. Also keep up with your activities in case you have to reapply. Keep busy so you aren’t worrying because that won’t help you.

 

[KnightDoc]

I understand about Creighton. That’s a good reason. Not sure when Loyola’s deadline is.
I would think your new test scores automatically released when they became available. But I’m not sure. @KnightDoc are scores automatically released or should OP notify each school of new scores?
Applying to med school is a crap shoot at best. Each cycle only about 40% of all MD applicants are accepted to any school and of that 40% about half are accepted at only one school. I read someplace that the acceptance rate dropped to around 35% last cycle because so many people applied. I don’t know if it’s true but like I said before, it’s a crapshoot so who knows. All you can do is provide the best possible application and hope for the best. Also keep up with your activities in case you have to reapply. Keep busy so you aren’t worrying because that won’t help you.

Yes, scores are automatically released, since it's one unified AMCAS portal for primaries. I do not know whether or not AMCAS also sends an alert to the school notifying it that a new score has been released. If OP listed the future test date in AMCAS, that should be all the notification most schools would need to go look for it (or, more likely, hold off on any review at all until the score is in).

If OP is nervous, it can't hurt to send an e-mail to the admissions office. I wouldn't bother updating the secondary portal, since that's as likely to be overlooked as the automatic update in the MCAT section of the primary.

By the way, the 35% number is pretty accurate. The number of applicants popped to around 61,000 last year from 53,000 the year before, and is projected to grow to around 65,000 this cycle. The number of seats held constant at around 22,000. After that, it's just math. 22/53 = 42%. 22/61 = 36%. 22/65 = 34%.

 

[bhf74]

Which DO schools are you applying to ?

@Faha here is the list of DO schools and current status. I have gotten three II so far
DO Schools

1. Touro (no response)
2. Rowan (no response)
3. PCOM (no response)
4. Rocky Vista (II received, in Oct)
5. LECOM (II at Setton Hill in Oct)
6. ATSU- rejected
7. Debusk (no response)
8. WV Osteopathic (II in October)
9. Nova Southeastern (no response)
10. Midwestern (no response)
11. VCOM (no response)

Do you recommenda any additions based on the scores and information?

 

[bhf74]

Yes, scores are automatically released, since it's one unified AMCAS portal for primaries. I do not know whether or not AMCAS also sends an alert to the school notifying it that a new score has been released. If OP listed the future test date in AMCAS, that should be all the notification most schools would need to go look for it (or, more likely, hold off on any review at all until the score is in).

If OP is nervous, it can't hurt to send an e-mail to the admissions office. I wouldn't bother updating the secondary portal, since that's as likely to be overlooked as the automatic update in the MCAT section of the primary.

By the way, the 35% number is pretty accurate. The number of applicants popped to around 61,000 last year from 53,000 the year before, and is projected to grow to around 65,000 this cycle. The number of seats held constant at around 22,000. After that, it's just math. 22/53 = 42%. 22/61 = 36%. 22/65 = 34%.

@candbgirl and @KnightDoc I am incredibly thankful for your kind words and time. Thank you. For now, I am planning to focus on completing secondaries. Once my secondaries are done, I will work on sending emails to the admissions office.

 

[KnightDoc]

@candbgirl and @KnightDoc I am incredibly thankful for your kind words and time. Thank you. For now, I am planning to focus on completing secondaries. Once my secondaries are done, I will work on sending emails to the admissions office.

Good move, since nothing will be reviewed without a secondary anyway. Did you complete the part of the primary where they ask the dates of any future MCATs? If so, you should be fine without the need for e-mails, at least for the MD schools.

 

[Faha]

@Faha here is the list of DO schools and current status. I have gotten three II so far
DO Schools

1. Touro (no response)
2. Rowan (no response)
3. PCOM (no response)
4. Rocky Vista (II received, in Oct)
5. LECOM (II at Setton Hill in Oct)
6. ATSU- rejected
7. Debusk (no response)
8. WV Osteopathic (II in October)
9. Nova Southeastern (no response)
10. Midwestern (no response)
11. VCOM (no response)

Do you recommenda any additions based on the scores and information?

You could add these schools to your application:
CUSOM
MU-COM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
TUNCOM

 

[bhf74]

You could add these schools to your application:
CUSOM
MU-COM
KCU-COM
DMU-COM
TUNCOM

Thanks a lot @Faha really appreciate your guidance.

 

[bhf74]

Good move, since nothing will be reviewed without a secondary anyway. Did you complete the part of the primary where they ask the dates of any future MCATs? If so, you should be fine without the need for e-mails, at least for the MD schools.

@KnightDoc thank you. Yes, I have indicated my future MCAT date. Do I need to do anything for the DO schools? I saw that @Goro is in DO ADCOM, so tagging him/her here for advise.

 

[KnightDoc]

@KnightDoc thank you. Yes, I have indicated my future MCAT date. Do I need to do anything for the DO schools? I saw that @Goro is in DO ADCOM, so tagging him/her here for advise.

You definitely have to have AAMC release the new scores to AACOMAS. Unless things have changed, @Goro does not get involved in the weeds of application processing, so he might not know.

As far as getting new scores from AACOMAS to your DO schools, does AACOMAS have something similar to AMCAS where you note future test dates? If so, I'd assume it works the same as MD. If not, you should probably send them e-mails.

It definitely won't hurt to send everyone e-mails just to be safe, but, again, it's probably unnecessary if you already told the school on your primary that a new score would be coming at a specific date in the future.

 

[Goro]

@Faha here is the list of DO schools and current status. I have gotten three II so far
DO Schools

1. Touro (no response)
2. Rowan (no response)
3. PCOM (no response)
4. Rocky Vista (II received, in Oct)
5. LECOM (II at Setton Hill in Oct)
6. ATSU- rejected
7. Debusk (no response)
8. WV Osteopathic (II in October)
9. Nova Southeastern (no response)
10. Midwestern (no response)
11. VCOM (no response)

Do you recommenda any additions based on the scores and information?

Update all schools with your new MCAT score. ADD CUSOM, ACOM, WCU, UIW, MUCOM,, VCOM-SC, VCOM-AL, KYCOM

I can't recommend Debusk, Nova or Rock Vista.
Rowan is likely a donation.

The following MD were donations:

1. Louisiana State New Orleans (no response)
2. University of Arizona (waitlist)
3. Rush (no response)
4. Marshall (no response)
5. Morehouse (no response)
6. Howard (no response)
7. Meharry (no response)

It is now too late in the cycle for these except U MD. The ones in bolded would be donations anyway.

1. UMD
2. Creighton
3. Drexel
4. Uniformed Services University
5. Penn State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Medical College of Wisconsin
8. Tulane
9. Albany
10. University of Toledo

 

[bhf74]

Update all schools with your new MCAT score. ADD CUSOM, ACOM, WCU, UIW, MUCOM,, VCOM-SC, VCOM-AL, KYCOM

I can't recommend Debusk, Nova or Rock Vista.
Rowan is likely a donation.

The following MD were donations:

1. Louisiana State New Orleans (no response)
2. University of Arizona (waitlist)
3. Rush (no response)
4. Marshall (no response)
5. Morehouse (no response)
6. Howard (no response)
7. Meharry (no response)

It is now too late in the cycle for these except U MD. The ones in bolded would be donations anyway.

1. UMD
2. Creighton
3. Drexel
4. Uniformed Services University
5. Penn State
6. Virginia Tech
7. Medical College of Wisconsin
8. Tulane
9. Albany
10. University of Toledo

@Goro thank you. I am sorry for asking this novice question but can you tell me what a school donation is? Does it mean the money I paid for the application is a donation to them? If so, why?

 

[KnightDoc]

@Goro thank you. I am sorry for asking this novice question but can you tell me what a school donation is? Does it mean the money I paid for the application is a donation to them? If so, why?

Because, based on publicly available information like stats, geographical preferences, mission, IS/OOS II rates, etc. you don't have a realistic shot, so the application fee is nothing more than a non-tax deductible donation to the school.

 

[Goro]

can you tell me what a school donation is? Does it mean the money I paid for the application is a donation to them? If so, why?

A donation is the app fee one pays to schools where one is not competitive.

Example: someone with a 500 MCAT score applying to Stanford.

They don't need the money. Take your DO out for dinner instead.

 

[bhf74]

Because, based on publicly available information like stats, geographical preferences, mission, IS/OOS II rates, etc. you don't have a realistic shot, so the application fee is nothing more than a non-tax deductible donation to the school.

@KnightDoc thank you. It sucks but now it is water under the bridge!

 

[bhf74]

A donation is the app fee one pays to schools where one is not competitive.

Example: someone with a 500 MCAT score applying to Stanford.

They don't need the money. Take your DO out for dinner instead.

@Goro thank you.

 

[bhf74]

@Goro thank you.

@Goro I know you are busy, so you don’t need to respond to this, but if you do, it will satisfy my curiosity. Why do you say that you cannot recommend certain DO schools? Is it because they are bad or die to any professional conflict of interest?

 

[KnightDoc]

@KnightDoc thank you. It sucks but now it is water under the bridge!

Don't feel bad. I was just interpreting for @Goro.

FWIW, none of us, even the Great @Goro is infallible, so it's not like you don't literally have a shot. It's just that, based on his vast experience, it's a low percentage shot so the advice is to not bother taking it. But if it's already done, there is nothing to do now but sit back and see what happens.

Believe me -- while the adcoms are a tremendous resource for us, there are plenty of examples of people being successful where the experts told them they wouldn't be. Plenty! Predicting outcomes really is more art than science for most of us at most schools. People routinely find success at a single T5 or T10 school when all the others had no interest, and half of all matriculants across the board only have a single acceptance, so there honestly are no predictable patterns here for most of us.

 

[bhf74]

Don't feel bad. I was just interpreting for @Goro.

FWIW, none of us, even the Great @Goro is infallible, so it's not like you don't literally have a shot. It's just that, based on his vast experience, it's a low percentage shot so the advice is to not bother taking it. But if it's already done, there is nothing to do now but sit back and see what happens.

Believe me -- while the adcoms are a tremendous resource for us, there are plenty of examples of people being successful where the experts told them they wouldn't be. Plenty! Predicting outcomes really is more art than science for most of us at most schools. People routinely find success at a single T5 or T10 school when all the others had no interest, and half of all matriculants across the board only have a single acceptance, so there honestly are no predictable patterns here for most of us.

@KnightDoc thank you for your kind and encouraging words. I agree with you. Now, it is time to look forward. I have three IIs (LECOM, RVCOM, WVSOM) in the next two weeks. I am going to get UMD secondary done and focus on the interviews. Really appreciate your help and encouragement. Thank you.