MD No IIs/Planning for Reapplying

[che-virginia]

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Hi all,

I am currently in limbo this application cycle with 9/21 rejections and silence/no IIs from the rest of the schools. I know a few of the schools are no longer offering IIs per historical trends. Reflecting on my school list, I probably did too many reach schools and too many low-yield (high volume) schools. I am going on 3 years post graduation of my undergraduate degree and I trying to decide what positions I should do next to bolster my application. I don't know if at this point I should reconsider post-baccs (previously ruled out because thought my grades were acceptable for MD programs). My MCAT will be out of window for many schools next year and I was thinking to take off several (3-5) years in a less clinical, more research focused role before reapplying. I spoke with my current PI (an MD who is 80% research at a large academic medical center) and she stated that I shouldn't wait so long to reapply as I wouldn't look as commited to entering healthcare.

Summary:
Major: Chemical/Biochemical Engineering
cGPA: 3.6 and sGPA: 3.7
MCAT: 516 (94%)
Clinical Experience includes several years post grad with clinical exposure in volunteer and paid positions (~3000 hrs)
Non-clinical volunteering experience includes a variety of non-clinical community service activities (~800 hours)
Research Experience - Clinical (~3000 hours currently)
Extracurricular Activities includes ChE activities and a lot of community service.
LizzyM: 71.5 (averaging cGPA and sGPA)
WARS: 77 (I roughly used this to make a school list)

Red Flags: underage alcohol possession that I completed a probationary program for.

Any thoughts?

 

[wanderingorion]

I had a similar set-up when I applied. You'll probably have more luck if you edit your school list.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to what are my chances.

Most likely the issue lies with your school list and/or whether you applied on time.

 

[puahate]

What was your school list?

 

[che-virginia]

Columbia*
Yale*
Northwestern*
Michigan
Cornell *
Sinai*
UVA *
Einstein
Dartmouth
Colorado
Keck
Rochester
Maryland
VCU
SUNY Downstate
Vermont
Rush
BU
Brown
*were schools I was out of the cGPA 10%ile but I had a specific aspect of their program I was interested in

Thoughts on what to do next in terms of positions, timeline?

 

[deleted480308]

Columbia*
Yale*
Northwestern*
Michigan
Cornell *
Sinai*
UVA *
Einstein
Dartmouth
Colorado
Keck
Rochester
Maryland
VCU
SUNY Downstate
Vermont
Rush
BU
Brown
*were schools I was out of the cGPA 10%ile but I had a specific aspect of their program I was interested in

Thoughts on what to do next in terms of positions, timeline?

Was this your third year? What was the thought process with having such a small/high end list?

Reapply this upcoming cycle to a much bigger /lower end list of schools that will still take that mcat, add DO schools. You could potentially never be a doctor or give away a million dollars with your stated plan. Get this over with and get an acceptance SOMEWHERE in the next cycle. Have your letters ready and submit day 1

 

[puahate]

School list was certainly high reaching and small. It's a shame because you probably could have gotten into medical school. You might have to retake the MCAT now 🙁.

I would apply to 30 schools min. Cut down on the reach schools add more mid and low tier schools, include some DOs.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ? Here is a more realistic list for your next application cycle:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Hofstra
Albany
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Carle Illinois
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
California University
Kaiser
Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July

 

[che-virginia]

I am going into my third gap year but this my first year applying. I had originally planned for 25 schools for reasons of cost and sanity. I submitted my primary in June and was verified late July. I tried to complete most of my secondaries within 2 weeks of receipt (some within a few days others took longer). Honestly, I became a bit overwhelmed with volume when they came in as I tried not to just copy and paste for each (especially have to adjust responses for char/word lengths). A few of the schools that likely would have been more appropriate weren't completed as a result (Carle, Minnesota...). My state of residence is Virginia and I wanted to be in a large urban area for reasons of support systems, LGBTQ community/safety. I am thinking a might need a few more years to reapply in order to save up enough money for another application cycle and study/retake the MCAT.

 

[deleted480308]

You did about all of it wrong tactically but I think you know now what to do better next time. Good luck

 

[Gilakend]

If I was in your position I would try and see if you can make a reasonable school list with schools where your MCAT won't be expired next cycle. I understand the traditional advice to is take a cycle off before reapplying, but I think your app is overall good and it was a school list issue that was the cause of your misfortune. Having to retake the MCAT with your benchmark (if you don't want a lower score) at the 94th percentile is not an appetizing task.

Also essays could be a possible issue so I would go over those in detail with multiple people just to be certain.

 

[Goro]

Hi all,

I am currently in limbo this application cycle with 9/21 rejections and silence/no IIs from the rest of the schools. I know a few of the schools are no longer offering IIs per historical trends. Reflecting on my school list, I probably did too many reach schools and too many low-yield (high volume) schools. I am going on 3 years post graduation of my undergraduate degree and I trying to decide what positions I should do next to bolster my application. I don't know if at this point I should reconsider post-baccs (previously ruled out because thought my grades were acceptable for MD programs). My MCAT will be out of window for many schools next year and I was thinking to take off several (3-5) years in a less clinical, more research focused role before reapplying. I spoke with my current PI (an MD who is 80% research at a large academic medical center) and she stated that I shouldn't wait so long to reapply as I wouldn't look as commited to entering healthcare.

Summary:
Major: Chemical/Biochemical Engineering
cGPA: 3.6 and sGPA: 3.7
MCAT: 516 (94%)
Clinical Experience includes several years post grad with clinical exposure in volunteer and paid positions (~3000 hrs)
Non-clinical volunteering experience includes a variety of non-clinical community service activities (~800 hours)
Research Experience - Clinical (~3000 hours currently)
Extracurricular Activities includes ChE activities and a lot of community service.
LizzyM: 71.5 (averaging cGPA and sGPA)
WARS: 77 (I roughly used this to make a school list)

Red Flags: underage alcohol possession that I completed a probationary program for.

Any thoughts?

When did you apply?

Suggest rewriting all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them

Your cGPA is at the 10th %ile for Top Schools and you seem to have been aiming too high.

You may also have a really bad LOR

State of residence???

 

[chlorocruorin]

School list was pretty bad but If I had to guess where you went wrong probably:

weak Personal Statement
weak LORs
not enough community service in the underserved, not just feeding homeless (which is still okay)

 

[jarednogeek]

Your MCAT score should be good a few years depending on when you took it. Don’t waste your time on reaches and apply to 20-30 schools appropriate to your stats. Apps may cost 2-3000$ but another missed year of physician salary is 200-400k$.

Saving up for apps so long that it requires you to retake the MCAT will cost you much more in the long term.