My Plan B…what do you think?

[bluepeach9]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ZPakEffect]

If you move to Texas, you'll have to live and work there for a year before being considered a resident. You might end up having to skip two more cycles after this one if you wait until the end of this cycle before moving.

 

[bluepeach9]

.

 

[bluepeach9]

If you move to Texas, you'll have to live and work there for a year before being considered a resident. You might end up having to skip two more cycles after this one if you wait until the end of this cycle before moving.

I wouldn't wait until the end of this cycle. I'd be moving there this October during my gap year, so I'll be a resident by next cycle in case I need to re-apply.

 

[Ad2b]

Also, @gyngyn @Goro @LizzyM @Ismet @Catalystik @WedgeDawg

I feel my app is average, but competitive otherwise… I have briefly highlighted some stuff here. Do you feel it is competitive enough to garner an MD acceptance somewhere despite being complete late August-early Sept. if I can get an MCAT 510+?

~3.8 cGPA, ~3.7 sGPA at a state school ranked in the 100s (strong upward trend)
Great LORs (I know for a fact they are good and could be even strong)

1000+ hours of research (two grants, one fellowship with the govt., one national presentation, many posters, awards) In addition, I was selected as a core committee member of my undergraduate research department (leadership role, where I advised prospective student researchers, and planned the entire end-of-the-year research ceremony, etc.)

Service with the disabled, hospice, Alzheimer patients and more clinical volunteering at a family med clinic (volunteer medical assistant)
Habitat for Humanity service (with leadership roles)

Lots of TA'ing (awards received for this, plus poster presentation)
Lots of shadowing (plus some really cool experiences - like an international med camp and mobile clinic in rural area)

There's some other things, but that's the gist of my app. Please let me know what you think. Thanks again!

should be in what's my chances (to me) also, this is why people hate premeds. You're fine. Stop being neurotic.

 

[bluepeach9]

.

 

[Ad2b]

@bluepeach9 - that's cause you're a premed with the anxiety riddled redonkulousness of being a premed. Stop it!

I would, however, encourage you to apply to one (and only one) REACH school. Like Yale or Harvard so AMCAS can verify your app up to the MCAT score. If you don't like your score, no other school will know. Therefore, at those other schools you won't be a reapp.

Beyond that: stop thinking you've not done enough. It's like humble bragging and no one likes that. You're fine Trust me, if I thought you were screwed, I'd politely tell you to think about other options at this point. I'm pretty straight forward.

 

[Goro]

I think one should apply with the best possible app, even if it means skipping an app cycle.

I can't recommend applying on the crapshoot that you'll do well enough on MCAT to be competitive.

Really hoping I don't have to use Plan B…but if I do, does this sound okay? First off, here's my plan A.

Plan A:

I'm taking my MCAT July 22 (I know, it's late). I will submit my AMCAS by Aug 25th…I'm not sure if I can get it in sooner than that tbh. I don't want to risk a low-quality app and a low MCAT score trying to polish everything before then. I think I'll need the two days to polish it up Hopefully, it gets verified late August, and I can be complete by labor day at ALL schools (I will pre-write secondaries while waiting for my score). If my score is at least 508 (although I am hoping for 510+), I will go ahead and apply I think.

If my score comes out bad, I will not apply anywhere and take another year off (don't want to do this - worst case scenario ) If my score is good, but I don't get in anywhere because of my late application or some other reason, then…here comes Plan B

Plan B:

Move to Texas! I'm currently a VA resident. I was originally going to apply TMDSAS and AMCAS this cycle because I have a lot of family in TX. But since I'm late, my plan changed. Now, I'm planning to apply only AMCAS. I don't want to risk also applying TMDSAS this late and then be a re-app at all TMDSAS and AMCAS schools. If I don't get in via AMCAS this cycle, then I will move to TX and be a fresh applicant for all TMDSAS schools as a TX resident. I assume I will most probably get in then at least right?

So what do you all think? Does this plan sound feasible? Any flaws, consequences, suggestions?

 

[StrongIslandDoc]

@bluepeach9 - that's cause you're a premed with the anxiety riddled redonkulousness of being a premed. Stop it!

I would, however, encourage you to apply to one (and only one) REACH school. Like Yale or Harvard so AMCAS can verify your app up to the MCAT score. If you don't like your score, no other school will know. Therefore, at those other schools you won't be a reapp.

Beyond that: stop thinking you've not done enough. It's like humble bragging and no one likes that. You're fine Trust me, if I thought you were screwed, I'd politely tell you to think about other options at this point. I'm pretty straight forward.

To be fair, medical school is where overachievers go to feel bad about themselves.

 

[bluepeach9]

I think one should apply with the best possible app, even if it means skipping an app cycle.

I can't recommend applying on the crapshoot that you'll do well enough on MCAT to be competitive.

Hmm...this is kind of disheartening because I think I can do well on my test. Don't a lot of people send in AMCAS and update with the score? Why would my approach be any different? Also, I thought most adcoms on here said being complete by labor day is not early, not late but on time. So, I assume my chances are still good if I'm complete before labor day?

Sorry, I just don't get why I keep seeing conflicting advice from sdn. I won't continue with apps if my score is bad obv but I also don't understand why I need to skip the entire app cycle right now on the chance that my score will be bad. If it turned out great and I'm complete before labor day, I'm good right?

Or do you feel my overall app and ECs are not competitive enough to get accepted MD and that's why you're saying don't apply?

 

[bluepeach9]

this plan is slightly insane. to get into medical school you need to get good MCAT score and have a polished primary and secondary. You also can really select a medical school list until you have an MCAT score. all these tasks are not conflicting in time and resources in the summer cascade.
1) you need to be focused on MCAT almost solely without using energy in preparing AMCAS or secondaries
2) submitting AMCAS Aug 25 would mean a 2-4 week verification and transmission time. many medical schools wont send you secondary until after they have received you application, started a file, and send you a link. I would speculate that you wont get a large portion of secondaries until october.
3) an average applicant with below average submission time and average MCAT will have below average chances for II that late in rolling cycle.

so your plan to apply this cycle under the highly optomistic and woefully misuderstood timelime borders on insanity

Oh no, I'm so sorry! I mis-wrote on my initial post. I'm def not going to submit Aug 25th! I meant submitting AMCAS July 24-25 and then pre -writing secondaries while waiting for my score. My transcripts and letters are already in. I will add one school to amcas so that it can get verified and then when my score comes out Aug 23 I'll add the rest. I assume I can get most secondaries by labor day esp for schools that don't screen? I will of course submit them on the day I receive them because I will have pretty written them.

Also, my AMCAS is not in the initial stages. I've worked on it and I just need to polish it. I thought it would be better to do this in the two days AFTER my mcat than before. But I don't think it's shabby by any means.

So based on this plan, won't I be complete by labor day and be okay esp with a good score?

 

[bluepeach9]

you wont get most by labor day but complete by mid sept is ok. I have con to the conclusion thay any MCAT after May makes for a less efficient, organized, focused, and successful admissions cycle

Really? Why is that? I thought most schools that send automatic secondaries either do it immediately after they receive your amcas as verified or within the five days afterwards...

 

[wysdoc]

If you move to Texas, you'll have to live and work there for a year before being considered a resident. You might end up having to skip two more cycles after this one if you wait until the end of this cycle before moving.

This is true. Live and work for a year to gain TX resident status. I know someone who did this successfully, worked a year in medical-related job, and studied like a madman for his MCAT, and has just finished year one in a Texas med school.