No interviews yet....anyone in the same boat?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
I'm in the exact same position. My parents ask me everyday if I've gotten an interview yet. I understand their curiosity, but it starts to f*** with your head after a while. I'm actually in the process of writing update emails to the schools just to give them a heads up on what I've been doing lately. Hopefully it'll spark something. I think an update email is a good way to remind them you're still there...just make sure you have enough things to update them with!

Is there anything that we could be doing to swing things our way? My parents have been nagging me to do call/send emails since I "should have gotten in by now." But I don't really know what to say if I do that. Something like, "Hey guys, soooo I was wondering if you had an extra interview you could throw my way."
If it helps you any, you can read through some of this thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=41935

Some of the stuff is pretty funny

I've already been rejected from my hometown school so fortunately my parents have cooled off a little bit
 
I'm in the exact same position. My parents ask me everyday if I've gotten an interview yet. I understand their curiosity, but it starts to f*** with your head after a while. I'm actually in the process of writing update emails to the schools just to give them a heads up on what I've been doing lately. Hopefully it'll spark something. I think an update email is a good way to remind them you're still there...just make sure you have enough things to update them with!

Is there anything that we could be doing to swing things our way? My parents have been nagging me to do call/send emails since I "should have gotten in by now." But I don't really know what to say if I do that. Something like, "Hey guys, soooo I was wondering if you had an extra interview you could throw my way."

You're not alone, I also am at home for the time-being and get the fifth degree almost everyday.

Some of it is parents just being loving parents, but it can get a little too much. I want to become a doctor because it's what I want to do, and since my parents want me to succeed, I obviously want to do the best I can do for them as well (also since they are picking up the majority of the bill on these applications!). They know how hard I've worked up to this point and what I've achieved, so they think it should be a lot easier than it really is.

My mom's a foreign medical grad but her path to residency in the U.S. was a lot easier than the process right now.
 
Well i'm sure some DO schools would accept you guys with open arms!

I feel bad though, interviews are a lot of fun IMO. You meet a lot of pretty cool people and get to travel!
 
You're not alone, I also am at home for the time-being and get the fifth degree almost everyday.

Some of it is parents just being loving parents, but it can get a little too much. I want to become a doctor because it's what I want to do, and since my parents want me to succeed, I obviously want to do the best I can do for them as well (also since they are picking up the majority of the bill on these applications!). They know how hard I've worked up to this point and what I've achieved, so they think it should be a lot easier than it really is.

My mom's a foreign medical grad but her path to residency in the U.S. was a lot easier than the process right now.

Yeah I know they're trying to be supportive and I appreciate that. And I want to do the best I can as well and make them proud because they are paying for my apps as well (which I'm incredibly grateful for). My older siblings have gone to med school already but they weren't typical applicants. I'm the first traditional applicant so they're not used to this whole waiting game.

I was also rejected from my alma mater which is also the closest medical school to mom and dad (40 minutes). They were most excited about that school because it was their only chance to have me stay close to home. When I got the rejection from it they were pretty bummed.

I'm hoping I can soon tell them some news that isn't related to rejections 😛
 
I hate weekends now because there's no chance of getting an II for two days 🙁


You're thinking about it wrong. Weekends are the best. All weekend, Adcoms sit on their thrones high atop Judgment Mountain potentially reading YOUR application. As they look through your stellar activities, which make up for other weaknesses, it strikes them: "Wow this applicant is awesome, I'm an idiot for not having noticed it before!" Then BAM! Monday morning you get a call from the dean of admissions begging you to come to an interview. At this point an interview is basically a formality. They are so close to just offering you an acceptance outright because they feel bad for stringing you out this long. As you accept the interview offer, the Adcom nearly weeps because they are so thankful you forgive them for not inviting you in the first group and will attend their school. (Little do they know, it's your only option at this point...)

Stay Strong!
 
You're thinking about it wrong. Weekends are the best. All weekend, Adcoms sit on their thrones high atop Judgment Mountain potentially reading YOUR application. As they look through your stellar activities, which make up for other weaknesses, it strikes them: "Wow this applicant is awesome, I'm an idiot for not having noticed it before!" Then BAM! Monday morning you get a call from the dean of admissions begging you to come to an interview. At this point an interview is basically a formality. They are so close to just offering you an acceptance outright because they feel bad for stringing you out this long. As you accept the interview offer, the Adcom nearly weeps because they are so thankful you forgive them for not inviting you in the first group and will attend their school. (Little do they know, it's your only option at this point...)

Stay Strong!

LoL!!! Are you a Montague or a Capulet? I was thoroughly regaled. :corny:
 
You're thinking about it wrong. Weekends are the best. All weekend, Adcoms sit on their thrones high atop Judgment Mountain potentially reading YOUR application. As they look through your stellar activities, which make up for other weaknesses, it strikes them: "Wow this applicant is awesome, I'm an idiot for not having noticed it before!" Then BAM! Monday morning you get a call from the dean of admissions begging you to come to an interview. At this point an interview is basically a formality. They are so close to just offering you an acceptance outright because they feel bad for stringing you out this long. As you accept the interview offer, the Adcom nearly weeps because they are so thankful you forgive them for not inviting you in the first group and will attend their school. (Little do they know, it's your only option at this point...)

Stay Strong!

I really hope you're right haha.
I just got to kick off my weekend with a rejection from University of Michigan. I'm hoping lalalaaaaaa's quote is true! 😛
 
At this point, I would rather be on the waitlist train than on this (sinking?) boat!
 
You're thinking about it wrong. Weekends are the best. All weekend, Adcoms sit on their thrones high atop Judgment Mountain potentially reading YOUR application. As they look through your stellar activities, which make up for other weaknesses, it strikes them: "Wow this applicant is awesome, I'm an idiot for not having noticed it before!" Then BAM! Monday morning you get a call from the dean of admissions begging you to come to an interview. At this point an interview is basically a formality. They are so close to just offering you an acceptance outright because they feel bad for stringing you out this long. As you accept the interview offer, the Adcom nearly weeps because they are so thankful you forgive them for not inviting you in the first group and will attend their school. (Little do they know, it's your only option at this point...)

Stay Strong!

Though I appreciate your attempt to cheer us up, I have the overwhelming urge to punch you in the face. :whistle:

I can't stand really positive people right now. This is my second freaking cycle and when I am not a cookie cutter candidate, that's hard to accept. Especially because I'm still interviewless in December.
 
I really hope you're right haha.
I just got to kick off my weekend with a rejection from University of Michigan. I'm hoping lalalaaaaaa's quote is true! 😛

+1 pre-interview from Meharry yesterday via email. I was honestly surprised, considering my stats are above their average and how I identify with their mission statement. I thought I had pretty strong chance for an interview. :-(
 
I have 3.7 GPA, 3.6 sGPA, 33 MCAT, with all the typical ECs - and I have nothing but rejections. No interview invite whatsoever and I was completed everywhere by mid-late August.

Out of the 22 schools I applied to, NONE was my reach school.

How could this happen?
 
I have 3.7 GPA, 3.6 sGPA, 33 MCAT, with all the typical ECs - and I have nothing but rejections. No interview invite whatsoever and I was completed everywhere by mid-late August.

Out of the 22 schools I applied to, NONE was my reach school.

How could this happen?

Wow, first off, I'm sorry to hear that. What did you write about in your PS?
 
stolen from "waitlist kitteh" thread:

waitlistkitteh.jpg
 
@ Joe Stalin:

You said 35 MCAT in the other thread, 33 here...

Ummm...troll much?
 
haha old Joe's MCAT is probably in the 20s. And in regards to Joe's praise of Stalin... as a Russian immigrant myself, at least Hitler had the decency to not kill his own people.
 
haha old Joe's MCAT is probably in the 20s. And in regards to Joe's praise of Stalin... as a Russian immigrant myself, at least Hitler had the decency to not kill his own people.

Um... I take it by "own people" you're referring to a smaller category that excludes all those German jews, gypsies, etc?

/thread derail
 
Um... I take it by "own people" you're referring to a smaller category that excludes all those German jews, gypsies, etc?

/thread derail

Of course, I'm not discounting that and not trying to say one is any more evil than the other.
 
+1 What an incredibly ignorant comment.

Christ, you guys are so uptight. I've heard many Russians say at least some version of this. I guess it comes out wrong when said on the interwebs. It doesn't me we forgot about the thousands of Germans that Hitler murdered.
 
Christ, you guys are so uptight. I've heard many Russians say at least some version of this. I guess it comes out wrong when said on the interwebs. It doesn't me we forgot about the thousands of Germans that Hitler murdered.

Yes, seriously. (and that's the half-Russian side of me speaking)
 
Not a history major but I'm purdy sure both hitler and Stalin were purdy "bad"
 
Not a history major but I'm purdy sure both hitler and Stalin were purdy "bad"

Oh definitely, I agree 100%.

I agreed with saveyourpens on the fact that people are being pretty uptight 😡
 
The discrepancy of my MCAT is based on the averages of my 2 MCAT scores. 35 was my first take, and 31 was my second take. I often say 33 because its the averages and some schools consider all your scores (Jefferson, Temple, UMiami).

Regarding Stalin - he is very popular in Russia now-a-days. I didn't choose his name because I'm a communist fanatic, but just whatever name that came to my head when I registered.


BACK ON TOPIC:

For those of y'all that still have not garnered interviews this cycle - can you please post your stats?
 
haha old Joe's MCAT is probably in the 20s. And in regards to Joe's praise of Stalin... as a Russian immigrant myself, at least Hitler had the decency to not kill his own people.

Well. Lot of jews were Germans!😱
 
The discrepancy of my MCAT is based on the averages of my 2 MCAT scores. 35 was my first take, and 31 was my second take. I often say 33 because its the averages and some schools consider all your scores (Jefferson, Temple, UMiami).
OK back up a minute... you retook a 35??? 😱 What the heck were you smoking?
 
I retook a 35 because I had been scoring high 30s on my AAMC 10 and 11 in the days prior to the real thing. During the actual exam I actually also didn't even finish a verbal passage - leading me to taking it again reaching for high 30s.

I sometimes say I have 35 MCAT because that is my highest mark, but it isn't really fair as I got a 31 on my most recent take.
 
I retook a 35 because I had been scoring high 30s on my AAMC 10 and 11 in the days prior to the real thing. During the actual exam I actually also didn't even finish a verbal passage - leading me to taking it again reaching for high 30s.

I sometimes say I have 35 MCAT because that is my highest mark, but it isn't really fair as I got a 31 on my most recent take.

What was the verbal score in your 35? My friend got 36 with a 9 in verbal and going to USC. Unless you got like an 8 in that 35 retaking was pretty bold. The difference in chances between 35 and 37 is not big if at all.
 
Me - Presecondary rejection from USC Davis

Friend - go to same uni, mid 20s MCAT, lower GPA, worse ECs, but URM - interview at USC the day after completing his secondary, which he completed probably a week ago (is this bs, sdn?)

Mid 20 MCAT and still got an interview? I think your friend might be bluffing.
 
I have 3.7 GPA, 3.6 sGPA, 33 MCAT, with all the typical ECs - and I have nothing but rejections. No interview invite whatsoever and I was completed everywhere by mid-late August.

Out of the 22 schools I applied to, NONE was my reach school.

How could this happen?

I think the significant drop from 35 to 31 in your MCAT score was unfortunately a red flag for many schools.
 
I think the significant drop from 35 to 31 in your MCAT score was unfortunately a red flag for many schools.

Here we go with SDN hype again, a 31 is a good score yeah the drop looked a little bad but it's not a red flag it's not like he went from mid 30s to 20s. Calm down folks
 
Here we go with SDN hype again, a 31 is a good score yeah the drop looked a little bad but it's not a red flag it's not like he went from mid 30s to 20s. Calm down folks

No doubt that a 31 is a great score. The weirder thing here is a total lapse in judgement when it came to retaking the 35. But I do agree with you that this isn't a red flag. Another thing to remember is that the way an adcom views multiple MCATs is school specific. Some will look at an average, others will only look at the most recent.
 
Ugh, I can't take much more of this. I feel like I'm never going to get the chance to be a doctor. After all, this year's pool is the largest yet- and I'm sure that trend will continue. There are better candidates than me competing for the same SMP slots... and if I don't get into an SMP, it's unreasonable to think that I would have another chance.
 
Ugh, I can't take much more of this. I feel like I'm never going to get the chance to be a doctor. After all, this year's pool is the largest yet- and I'm sure that trend will continue. There are better candidates than me competing for the same SMP slots... and if I don't get into an SMP, it's unreasonable to think that I would have another chance.

What are your stats? I'm thinking of going into SMP too as I have a low sGPA (3.6).
 
*eyetwitch* 3.6 is NOT low. And not low enough for an SMP, if you ask me. I have a 3.35/3.25/30R.

Funny, when I read his post, I imagined your eye twitching...😛 (before you posted)
 
I agree the pool is getting bigger and bigger. We should give DO a shot next cycle.
 
I agree the pool is getting bigger and bigger. We should give DO a shot next cycle.

Except now next year's DO will be the most competitive ever. -__- Ditto for SMPs. Amazing how there's supposedly a looming shortage of physicians, but a record number will be rejected this cycle.
 
Except now next year's DO will be the most competitive ever. -__- Ditto for SMPs. Amazing how there's supposedly a looming shortage of physicians, but a record number will be rejected this cycle.

I really feel for you, but the problem is related to the economy. It is a good thing that they are not blindly bumping up the number of medical school acceptances without making sure that there will be residency spots for all those emerging med students. Imagine if you doubled the number of medical school slots without doubling the residency slots...it would be sort of awful to get out of medical school with a ton of debt and then realize that you can't get into residency. There hasn't been much funding to increase the number of residency positions.

As for your current situation, I can see why you are flustered, but you are in a great position. Applying to medical school at 16???? I would love to be as far along at your age; you are at least 6 years ahead of most of us. I know I couldn't knock out a 30 on the MCAT at age 16...your brain is still in a developmental stage...I mean this in a good way. If you can knock out a 30 at age 16, you can probably get a 45 at age 22. I realize you don't want to wait, and I respect that, so here is some advice for getting in sooner rather than later.

If you don't get an interview, you should call medical schools and find out what was wrong with your application. Even if your numbers are weak, you can easily amend that situation by owning the MCAT. You might say this task is not possible, but the MCAT can be figured out just like any other standardized test. If you honestly sit back and study like a mad man (or Dr. Horrible) you could very well raise your score 3-5 points (pending on your current score) and bump your stats past the screening point. An SMP would help, but unless your GPA is really low, I think you can get by without it. You can also add research or some form of service project to your application. My point is that the situation may seem terrible now, but if you want to become a doctor, you will do it eventually. I'm sure DO schools would be glad to have you as well, and their application process starts after the MD process, so you could technically still shell out a few DO apps (I think.... I am less familiar with this process). You can also make a sick personal statement. I wrote mine 14 times, and I honestly think it is one of the few things I did really well on. The final draft was quite good, and I am typically not a good writer.

Just my two cents...I really hope it helps, and feel free to PM me if you want me to help you develop a point by point strategy for acceptance. Also, to anyone who hasn't sent update letters...do it! Some schools bump your app to the top of the pile after an update letter. Show perseverance and be stubborn! This season isn't over yet :luck:
 
Last edited:
I really feel for you, but the problem is related to the economy. It is a good thing that they are not blindly bumping up the number of medical school acceptances without making sure that there will be residency spots for all those emerging med students. Imagine if you doubled the number of medical school slots without doubling the residency slots...it would be sort of awful to get out of medical school with a ton of debt and then realize that you can't get into residency. There hasn't been much funding to increase the number of residency positions.

As for your current situation, I can see why you are flustered, but you are in a great position. Applying to medical school at 16???? I would love to be as far along at your age; you are at least 6 years ahead of most of us. I know I couldn't knock out a 30 on the MCAT at age 16...your brain is still in a developmental stage...I mean this in a good way. If you can knock out a 30 at age 16, you can probably get a 45 at age 22. I realize you don't want to wait, and I respect that, so here is some advice for getting in sooner rather than later.

If you don't get an interview, you should call medical schools and find out what was wrong with your application. Even if your numbers are weak, you can easily amend that situation by owning the MCAT. You might say this task is not possible, but the MCAT can be figured out just like any other standardized test. If you honestly sit back and study like a mad man (or Dr. Horrible) you could very well raise your score 3-5 points (pending on your current score) and bump your stats past the screening point. An SMP would help, but unless your GPA is really low, I think you can get by without it. You can also add research or some form of service project to your application. My point is that the situation may seem terrible now, but if you want to become a doctor, you will do it eventually. I'm sure DO schools would be glad to have you as well, and their application process starts after the MD process, so you could technically still shell out a few DO apps (I think.... I am less familiar with this process). You can also make a sick personal statement. I wrote mine 14 times, and I honestly think it is one of the few things I did really well on. The final draft was quite good, and I am typically not a good writer.

Just my two cents...I really hope it helps, and feel free to PM me if you want me to help you develop a point by point strategy for acceptance. Also, to anyone who hasn't sent update letters...do it! Some schools bump your app to the top of the pile after an update letter. Show perseverance and be stubborn! This season isn't over yet :luck:

Okay, so I pmed you more of my details... and you edited. Sigh... Oh well. PM still pertains.
 
I recently went to my pre-health adviser about my lack of interviews - and she told me apparently "many others" with similar stats are in my situation. She also stated last year, out of 55 pre-med applying from my institution, 35 gained acceptance, and 50 received at least one interview. So 5/55 students last year, in a less competitive cycle, received no interview.
 
Christ, you guys are so uptight. I've heard many Russians say at least some version of this. I guess it comes out wrong when said on the interwebs. It doesn't me we forgot about the thousands of Germans that Hitler murdered.

Yup, I probably could have assumed a higher degree of jest in your comment.
Re-thinking my previous post.
 
Top