Losing hope...Reapply or retake MCAT?

[md_student2b]

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Fellow SDNers, I'm in need of some help!

Here's my tale, I applied this year for the first time with VR-11, PS-9, WS-R, BS-12 and a UC GPA of 3.75 (though not Berkeley or LA). I volunteered through my undergrad, did research my last two years, worked throughout school and have an interesting life story as well as being a URM (probably explains how I got such love with lackluster numbers). My app went in late (early Oct) because I waited for the results of the Aug MCAT and subsequently, I interviewed late (March and April). As it is now, I'm on waitlist at UCI, UCSD and UCLA. My dilemma is the possibility that I'm not getting off waitlist and should I reapply now or plan on taking the MCAT again. I've done the MCAT 3 times, so I'd have to find an advisor willing to okay another go at it, and if I indicate that I've taken it again, my app will just sit until the scores come in and I might go through this entire experience again. So what should I do? I'm leaning towards get it in early (like now) and hopefully have a better chance at getting a coveted slot earlier in the game. But would improving my scores (if that's even possible at this point) be better that applying early?

 

[imtiaz]

welcome to SDN!

with 3 waitlists, i would suggest that you wait a bit but also gear up to reapply if in fact your predictions are correct. there is not much i or anyone else can say aside from this. i wish you the best of luck this year, with 3 waitlists you are in a good position. good luck! 😀

 

[Doctora Foxy]

Your mcat score is good; the only problem w/ your applications was the time you applied. Just send it in now and hope for the best that you'll get in off a waitlist. Make sure you don't only apply to CA schools or top tier schools--a wide range will make it easier to gain an acceptance. 🙂

Good luck!

 

[BlackPuma]

don't take the mcat!!! ur score is good! don't let urself become a late applicant again this year...the timing was very crucial....

I would say to be on the safe side go ahead and apply.....

if u get in, through the process....then u can always lose couple of thousands of dollars....

on the other hand, if u don't get in, ur in the process LATE AGAIN...and the same **** might happen again...

now which is worse? losing couple of thousand dollars or not getting in the second time around?

 

[Anath]

Like they said, definately do NOT retake the MCAT. You did very well! And your GPA isn't anything to chuckle at either. Like they said, I really do believe that your problem is that you've been wait-listed at the california schools, which are notorious in the difficulty in gaining entrance.

I don't really even believe you need to pretty up your application any more than it is, so to speak. I just think you need to re-evaluate the schools you chose. I'm not sure which schools you applied to, so I can't comment specifically. But although it may be far, there are several schools on the east coast that are notorious for being a "haven" for Californians. 🙂 (I'm assuming you're from Cali). Go through the threads and look for a topic dealing with this -- I swear I saw a topic dealing with schools (mostly private) that are sympathetic to Californians. I know one school is George Washington in DC and another was University of Wisconsin I believe it was. Also, Boston U is incredibly diverse and loves it's diversity - I loved it there (I'm also an URM). If you don't mind going to Ohio and Nebraska, I recieved materials from them and they appeared really interested in trying to attract minority applicants. AND! A not so commonly known fact is that the two NJ schools (UMDNJ and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson) have *VERY* low out of state admittance into their medical schools if you go by MSAR. But what they do not really advertise is that often times, the ones who *are* admitted from out of state are the URM. NJ is VERY conscientious about trying to obtain more minority students. When applying, I had wanted to apply to the NJ schools, but had initially left them out of the schools I applied to. By chance, I went to go see our pre-med committee advisor and he said he thought I should apply to the NJ schools for just such a reason as I told you. 🙂 Also, University of Cincinnati in Ohio will even pay for your airfare and overnight stay and will pamper you in order to talk you into loving their school. 🙂 This is what I was told by a friend of mine who interviewed there I believe it was last December (he also applied late). Needless to say, he will be attending that school as far as I know.

With your stat along with your URM status, your chances are incredibly high of gaining entrance, as long as you are wise in your selection of schools.

The problem if you reapply however, is that you don't want to spend all that money on reapplying to schools. You want to apply very early (apply sometime in July). But then, you don't want to rush into things and apply too early because you want to hear back from the schools you've been wait-listed at and a person can be on teh waitlist very well into August, at which point, I think it's sort of "late" in applying to schools.

Which brings me back to the issue of choosing your schools -- don't apply to a ton of schools again in July -- be selective in who you send your applications to. If come August and you still haven't gotten into the schools you've been wait-listed in , then I suggest you add more schools to the initial (small!) list of schools you (re)apply to in July.

And I really cannot overstate the significance of the personal statement. I truly feel that the personal statement was sort of my saving grace when I was applying to medical schools. Be sure to make the statement *personal*. It's surprising how impersonal many personal statements can be. For the practice vision, don't feel so confined to a strict "essay". A friend and I both took the more creative route and made stories of sort that addressed the topic and also added some interesting flavor to an otherwise bland application. 🙂 But dont' go overboard on the creativity. It was a new topic, so there's no real "standard" on how it should be answered just yet but it worked for us.

Long, but I hope that helped. 🙂 Good luck!

 

[md_student2b]

Thanks for the advice,

I'm going to hold out till after Independence Day to hit the submit button, I think that's more than enough time to hear back from my waitlist schools.

I think my mistake (among many others this past application year) was applying to too few schools (only Cali schools and a few others). The main reason I did it was economic, I got a fee waiver and didn't have a lot of money lying around (I quit my job of two years to return to school full-time as a post-bac.).

This time around I am going to jump in with both feet, bite the bullet and apply to (and pay for) 30 schools.

Anath, thanks for the insight, I'll definitely do my homework with regards to out of state schools.

 

[Spiderman [RNA Ladder 2003]]

Your stats seem to be really good. Try to contact schools and see what's going on. I think that you still have chances since you did not get a rejection from the schools.

 

[Mr.D]

The main reason I did it was economic, I got a fee waiver and didn't have a lot of money lying around (I quit my job of two years to return to school full-time as a post-bac.).

Did you earn a 3.75 on your post-bac, or is this your combined ave GPA (undergrad and post-bac)? Your MCAT score is solid so don't retake. Just contact the schools and see what kind of feedback they tell you about your application and wait until July to reapply if you don't get accepted off the waitlist. Writing a letter of interest to the schools would also be helpful.

 

[md_student2b]

Did you earn a 3.75 on your post-bac, or is this your combined ave GPA (undergrad and post-bac)?

My overall GPA not including Post-Bac is a 3.75. I got a 3.3 at CC and then a 4.0 at UC. My non-sci GPA was 3.9 overall and sci was 3.7 (got a C in Calc and B's in physics at CC). My post-bac GPA is a 4.0, but I kind of discount it since those classes were at a Cal State.

I have written a letter of intent to UCLA, sent letters of continued interest at UCI and UCSD and kept all three updated with recent transcripts and letters of rec. I volunteered at a free clinic and served as a volunteer coordinator at my school over the past year, so I sent letters of rec from those experiences as well.

So far, I've kept in touch with my interviewers and admissions staff, yet there seems to be nothing more that I can do but wait. No one is saying anything about my chances, and from recent posts on other threads, it appears that people getting pulled off the waitlist interviewed way before I and waited a lot longer. I'm thinking no matter how qualified I think I might be, I was just to damn late this year 🙁 .

 

[Mr.D]

My overall GPA not including Post-Bac is a 3.75. I got a 3.3 at CC and then a 4.0 at UC. My non-sci GPA was 3.9 overall and sci was 3.7 (got a C in Calc and B's in physics at CC). My post-bac GPA is a 4.0, but I kind of discount it since those classes were at a Cal State.

I'm baffled...your numbers are really good (GPA and MCAT) and your ECs look fine, so I guess the only other factor was the time when you applied. Don't lose hope though, I think that with your qualifications you're gonna get pulled off one of the waitlists, but unfortunately you're going to have to wait a bit. It's good that you've written letters of intent and interest to the schools. So far you've covered all your bases which is all you can do right now. Definitely wait about another month before you reapply. Take care. 🙂

 

[MSTP boy]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by md_student2b:
•Fellow SDNers, I'm in need of some help!

Here's my tale, I applied this year for the first time with VR-11, PS-9, WS-R, BS-12 and a UC GPA of 3.75 (though not Berkeley or LA). I volunteered through my undergrad, did research my last two years, worked throughout school and have an interesting life story as well as being a URM (probably explains how I got such love with lackluster numbers). My app went in late (early Oct) because I waited for the results of the Aug MCAT and subsequently, I interviewed late (March and April). As it is now, I'm on waitlist at UCI, UCSD and UCLA. My dilemma is the possibility that I'm not getting off waitlist and should I reapply now or plan on taking the MCAT again. I've done the MCAT 3 times, so I'd have to find an advisor willing to okay another go at it, and if I indicate that I've taken it again, my app will just sit until the scores come in and I might go through this entire experience again. So what should I do? I'm leaning towards get it in early (like now) and hopefully have a better chance at getting a coveted slot earlier in the game. But would improving my scores (if that's even possible at this point) be better that applying early?•••••Hi! don't give up hope, I think your stats are excellent! Given the information provided, I think you have a really good chance. Go for it!

 

[Nuclearrabbit]

i agree, your numbers are perfectly fine. you simply need to apply earlier and to more schools.
good luck!

 

[relatively prime]

I agree too... DO NOT retake... your stats are solid. You just need to apply earier and to more schools.

good luck 🙂