Might have made a bad choice, how to proceed?

[Neuronova]

Edit: TL;DR, everything worked out fine, everyone needs to chill. See recent post.

(New to SDN, this might not be the right place to post this, if so lemme know)

So, I graduated this past May, and did not apply until much later than I had hope (secondaries were completed yesterday). Because of this, I decided to only apply to "schools I can't say no to," knowing full well my chances were slim, as I figured I would have much better chances submitting day 1 next season with a stronger application from gap year activities. Did I mess up? What's the best thing I can do to increase my chances for next season, assuming I don't get in (applied to 8 schools, all top 20, mostly top 10, so yeah..)?

Double major molecular bio and psych, chem minor.

White.

MCAT 38, cGPA 3.81, sGPA 3.76 - I had one bad class, a 5 hour B-, that killed it. Didn't explain it at all on my apps but was due to circumstance, not difficulty. I had a 99% on all exams, but missed a great deal of classes as my girlfriend was very ill and taking the semester off and I was taking care of her. Without that class, they're both around 3.9

Research: 1 summer ~20 hours per week, now hired by same lab (neurosurgery) full-time (~40hr/week) for my gap year. No publications yet, but I'm working on it and will hopefully have one 1st author and one 2nd/3rd author.

Shadowing:
~200hrs, neurosurgery (scrubbed in for ~6hr surgeries a couple times a week, it was really fun)

Employment:
Worked in the molecular biology department prepping for laboratory classes for junior and senior years, 15hr/week.
Tutored Chemistry my last semester, 2hr/week
A few other part-time gigs during the summers, one in which I had a management role

Volunteering:
Member of a service fraternity, volunteered ~75hr plus another ~100 of other commitments

LoR:
One ridiculously good letter from my current PI (he showed me a copy privately as a 'keep up the good work' sort of thing; its as good as you can get)
Three probably mediocre letters from professors who didn't know me well, but I did really well in their (rather difficult) classes.

Personal statement was very good, but the rest of my essays more average in my opinion.

Where do I go from here? What's my next move?

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[WedgeDawg]

What kind of school did you graduate from and which 8 schools did you apply to.

 

[Neuronova]

Nothing special, large state university, top 40. And a ridiculous 8 schools for which I have little chance. 6 are from top 10, 1 from top 15, one from top 20. (I know guys, that's not smart, I get it).
Also, two of them are in state.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Can you list the exact schools?

 

[Neuronova]

Duke, Harvard, Hopkins, Stanford, UChicago, Northwestern, Columbia, UPenn

 

[WedgeDawg]

So there's a chance you'll get a couple interviews, as your stats are right around par (maybe a little better), but there's nothing on your app that really "wow!"s me. I wouldn't add any more schools. If you get really lucky, you'll get an interview or two and an acceptance to an amazing school. However, if you don't, you don't want to become a reapplicant at any more schools than you have to.

Also, in-state matters absolutely 0 for any of these schools.

Good luck, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't work out this cycle.

 

[Neuronova]

Thanks for the advice.
I honestly think the most stand-out part of my entire app is my personal statement (lost a Lot of family to cancer throughout my life, grew up in single parent home because of it, wrote a really touching essay about it all. Had a doctor on an adcom read it and said it was fantastic). The question is whether or not personal statement matters at all to these school (I've read posts from Neuronix claiming that he thinks some schools dont even read them, if I recall correctly)

 

[WedgeDawg]

Thanks for the advice.
I honestly think the most stand-out part of my entire app is my personal statement (lost a Lot of family to cancer throughout my life, grew up in single parent home because of it, wrote a really touching essay about it all. Had a doctor on an adcom read it and said it was fantastic). The question is whether or not personal statement matters at all to these school (I've read posts from Neuronix claiming that he thinks some schools dont even read them, if I recall correctly)

I attend one of the schools on your list and they talked to me about my essays in their interview, so it matters, but I would wager it likely won't make up for a late application. No one can really predict your chances; all we can do is recommend courses of action.

 

[Neuronova]

Assuming I'm to reapply, anyone have advice as to how to best strengthen my app? Other than submitting earlier

 

[WedgeDawg]

Assuming I'm to reapply, anyone have advice as to how to best strengthen my app? Other than submitting earlier

More volunteering. More research if you're shooting for top tiers.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Even though your app is insanely late I would still add your state programs. Your stats are such that you might still generate interest even this late in the game.

 

[y123]

No clinical experience at all?

 

[y123]

You applied to really selective schools. I applied early this cycle to all the schools you applied to with higher GPA and mcat, and I didn't get a single interview from them.

 

[Neuronova]

Wow, that's pretty surprising honestly. Was there any negative aspect of your app? Or just bad luck?

 

[LuluLovesMe]

Wow, that's pretty surprising honestly. Was there any negative aspect of your app? Or just bad luck?

It's probably because for every interview slot these schools have, there are likely 2-3 people with your stats.

 

[Neuronova]

It's probably because for every interview slot these schools have, there are likely 2-3 people with your stats.

Still, with higher stats than mine (so above 3.8/38) to get zero IIs from eight schools applying early. Statistically, that's some pretty bad luck if there's nothing wrong with his app (say you're one of four with those stats per II slot, 3/4 chance you don't get it, (3/4)^8 chance you get none, or roughly 10%). Obviously this is massively oversimplified and means nothing. But you get the point.

 

[y123]

Wow, that's pretty surprising honestly. Was there any negative aspect of your app? Or just bad luck?

I am not from a prestigious school. Other than that, there's no red flag.
I did get interviews from schools of the same caliber though, just not from the eight schools.

 

[7331poas]

cGPA 3.81, sGPA 3.76 - I had one bad class, a 5 hour B-, that killed it. Didn't explain it at all on my apps but was due to circumstance, not difficulty. I had a 99% on all exams, but missed a great deal of classes as my girlfriend was very ill and taking the semester off and I was taking care of her. Without that class, they're both around 3.9

Okay, this is totally off topic but I have to point this out. You are expecting me to believe that 1 B is going to drop your GPA .15 points. How many hours did it take to complete your degree?...

 

[Neuronova]

Okay, this is totally off topic but I have to point this out. You are expecting me to believe that 1 B is going to drop your GPA .15 points. How many hours did it take to complete your degree?...

Just calculated it, would've been : 3.85 sGPA, 3.88 cGPA. There was one other B from the same semester for the same reasons with a 3 hour class too, I guess when I initially calculated I was thinking of both of them.

 

[Neuronova]

Got my first II! MSTP @ Northwestern

 

[Doug Underhill]

Congrats on the II. However, your application strategy goes against SDN advice. In general, if you want to get into an elite MSTP, it really helps to apply early, and with evidence of research productivity (publications, ideally 1st author).

 

[Medschoolornah]

in on troll thread

 

[Neuronova]

Just got another II - MSTP @ Columbia University!

 

[Neuronova]

Third II - MSTP @ University of Chicago!
I've come to the conclusion that this site is full of pre-meds that really just need to calm down and stop feeding each other stressful advice.

 

[Neuronova]

Reviving an old dead thread to say that I will be attending one of those three MSTP programs this Fall (and was waitlisted at the other two). Applied to 8 top MSTP's in late October, got 1 acceptance and 2 waitlists. To everyone freaking out about applying late, or feeding the "you're screwed" echo chamber of advice on the website, I have a simple message: if you're good at what you do, people will notice, and you'll be fine.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Hey congratulations and I'm glad it worked out for you!

I would also just like to point out that just because this strategy worked (and I'm very glad it did!) doesn't mean it's the optimal course of action for us to recommend to other users. You're right that it's not all doom and gloom for people who don't exactly follow the somewhat formulaic advice given here, but the more we tout our "best practices" advice, the fewer people who have to face the prospect of potentially being one of those doom and gloom cases (of which you can find many if you look back through the WAMC forum in recent years).

Again, congratulations on your acceptance and I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!

 

[Neuronova]

Obviously it's better to apply early and to many school to maximize your chances, but I just wanted to make it clear to all the people that thought the right move was to give up that there's always hope, and a quality application can always catch someone's eye.

Speaking of which, I'm reading back and see this post from you @WedgeDawg --

I attend one of the schools on your list and they talked to me about my essays in their interview, so it matters, but I would wager it likely won't make up for a late application. No one can really predict your chances; all we can do is recommend courses of action.

Funny, because looking back, I think it was my personal statement that really saved me. Especially at your school in fact; the MD interviewer came in and said first thing, "I read your personal statement, and I'll tell you right now, it's already a yes from me." He was among three interviewers at Columbia who said I made them cry (one of them actually came into my interview crying). Unfortunately ended up on the waitlist there, despite being my top choice. Can't blame them though, my competition were all incredible. Ran into some of them later on the interview trail that were also waitlisted and I couldn't believe it given their backgrounds.

 

[7331poas]

Obviously it's better to apply early and to many school to maximize your chances, but I just wanted to make it clear to all the people that thought the right move was to give up that there's always hope, and a quality application can always catch someone's eye.

You are an MD PhD applicant so I am fairly concerned for our future because you aren't following statistics. Even if you do have a good application, if you apply excessively late, you are competing for a fraction of the seats you would have been otherwise.

Frankly, your application isnt "amazing" or anything aside from a great MCAT score. This might be one of the more miraculous application results I have seen on this site.

 

[AlphaBeta<3]

Obviously it's better to apply early and to many school to maximize your chances, but I just wanted to make it clear to all the people that thought the right move was to give up that there's always hope, and a quality application can always catch someone's eye.

Speaking of which, I'm reading back and see this post from you @WedgeDawg --



Funny, because looking back, I think it was my personal statement that really saved me. Especially at your school in fact; the MD interviewer came in and said first thing, "I read your personal statement, and I'll tell you right now, it's already a yes from me." He was among three interviewers at Columbia who said I made them cry (one of them actually came into my interview crying). Unfortunately ended up on the waitlist there, despite being my top choice. Can't blame them though, my competition were all incredible. Ran into some of them later on the interview trail that were also waitlisted and I couldn't believe it given their backgrounds.

you should help me with my PS lol

 

[WedgeDawg]

Obviously it's better to apply early and to many school to maximize your chances, but I just wanted to make it clear to all the people that thought the right move was to give up that there's always hope, and a quality application can always catch someone's eye.

Speaking of which, I'm reading back and see this post from you @WedgeDawg --



Funny, because looking back, I think it was my personal statement that really saved me. Especially at your school in fact; the MD interviewer came in and said first thing, "I read your personal statement, and I'll tell you right now, it's already a yes from me." He was among three interviewers at Columbia who said I made them cry (one of them actually came into my interview crying). Unfortunately ended up on the waitlist there, despite being my top choice. Can't blame them though, my competition were all incredible. Ran into some of them later on the interview trail that were also waitlisted and I couldn't believe it given their backgrounds.

I guess Columbia does really care about essays then! Good to know! Did you decide to remain on any waitlists or are you cutting the cord and going with your acceptance?