Moving forward?

[jordij94]

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[Goro]

What was your school list?

When were you complete?

Your ECs are impeccable, but if you have LGBT interests relative to medicine, then you need to walk the walk and not merely talk the talk, and have service to LGBT populations. It's possible that someone thought you were being dishonest by playing the LGBT card.

Or you have a bad school, or a bad LOR.

 

[jarednogeek]

I would guess bad school list/late application. I would take the higher paying job and volunteer with LGBT populations in a clinical setting in your free time. (Few hours a week)

 

[jordij94]

@Goro given my ECs how would you recommend improving my app for reapp? And should I apply next cycle if the problem is school list/essays/LOR? I’m having trouble deciding how to move forward and spend my gap year (money v experience) to make my app stronger since I’m not severely lacking in any one area of ECs

 

[Goro]

@Goro given my ECs how would you recommend improving my app for reapp? And should I apply next cycle if the problem is school list/essays/LOR? I’m having trouble deciding how to move forward and spend my gap year (money v experience) to make my app stronger since I’m not severely lacking in any one area of ECs

Work for an agency that is in service of LGBT populations.
Ask for feedback from schools after the cycle is over.
Also engage is service to others less fortunate than yourself.
Have multiple eyeballs vet your essays....and rewrite them

Consider these schools:
Duke (maybe)
BU (maybe)
UCF (maybe)
Ohio State (maybe)
Hofstra
U Toledo
U VM
Pitt
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
Wayne State
MCW
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Tufts
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Georgetown
Emory
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Netter
Oakland-B
Western MI
Seton Hall
All UCs except UCR
Nova MD
CUSM
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me.

 

[jordij94]

Thank you @Goro! So in that case, after receiving feedback from schools this cycle should I reapply next cycle if it’s just essays/LOR?

 

[Goro]

Thank you @Goro! So in that case, after receiving feedback from schools this cycle should I reapply next cycle if it’s just essays/LOR?

Yes, but keep in mind you will never ever be told that you have a bad letter of recommendation.
Also keep in mind the advice from many medical schools is to not immediately reapply.
The key thing is to improve your app although, I have trouble seeing how you can improve because you have a very good app as is with the exception of lacking service to LGBT populations

 

[Walter Raleigh]

LGBT service is good. Also, an MCAT retake might help OP if they can get a 518+. Easier said than done, but it'd help.

 

[jordij94]

@Walter Raleigh I was considering retaking the MCAT (considering I only studied 1 mo while working 30 hours/wk) but I didn't think a 513 would bar me from receiving any interviews this cycle. Plus a lot of people on here strongly advised against a retake

 

[chemdoctor]

Rewrite essays, try to get new LORs, and service to LGBT community. This really HAS been a weird cycle

 

[jordij94]

Agreed @chemdoctor. So that sounds like reapplying for the 2019-2020 cycle then? The only new LORs I can get are from LGBT volunteering and part-time tutoring.

 

[chemdoctor]

Agreed @chemdoctor. So that sounds like reapplying for the 2019-2020 cycle then? The only new LORs I can get are from LGBT volunteering and part-time tutoring.

Yeah I suppose so. Maybe try and think about your LORs that you used this cycle. Did you really know the professors? Also rewrite all essays and personal statements. You’re a great applicant. I’m sure you’ll get in somewhere

 

[Walter Raleigh]

@Walter Raleigh I was considering retaking the MCAT (considering I only studied 1 mo while working 30 hours/wk) but I didn't think a 513 would bar me from receiving any interviews this cycle. Plus a lot of people on here strongly advised against a retake

If you're scoring 518+ on back-to-back AAMC practice tests, taken under conditions approximating Test Day, then you have an excellent chance at a meaningful (4+ point) score increase. I'd say you need a 518 or better to make a retake worthwhile. Good luck.