No interviews yet - getting worried! HELP?!

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bnguyen3

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Hey guys,

I put my primaries in during July and finished up all my secondaries by mid-Sept. I haven't gotten any interviews yet, and have been rejected by 5 schools (2 pre-secondary, 3 pre-interview). I'm starting to get worried..

I'm: UCLA graduate, neuroscience 3.5c, 3.45s
37p mcat - 14ps, 12bs, 11v
2 years research xp
1 year hospital shadowing
4 year Fraternity member (maybe a bad choice?)
Summer jobs - MCAT teacher, lab technician
Pretty good letters of rec? Dr, PI, 2 science profs.

Schools applied:
Albany Medical College
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine (REJECTED - no interview)
Columbia University College of P & S
Dartmouth Medical School
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Emory University School of Medicine
George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Jefferson Medical Coll. of Thomas Jefferson Univ.
Keck Sch. of Med.University of Southern California
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medici
Mayo Medical School (REJECTED - no secondary)
New York Medical College
New York University
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Scien
Rush Medical College
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine
The Ohio State Univ. Coll. of Med
The University of Miami School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
University of California San Diego
University of California San Francisco (REJECTED - no secondary)
University of California, Davis School of Medicine (REJECTED - no interview)
University of California, Irvine- College/Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School
University of Rochester SOM (REJECTED - no interview)
Washington University School of Medicine
Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Thanks for any responses. I would appreciate some insight into my situation as I don't really have anyone with which to compare my app process.

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I'm really really sort to hear about your situation. I'm from UCI with 3.8 and 37N MCAT. I've finished secondaries around similar time and gotten 8 interview offers so far. I also applied to similar schools to you. Ohio, Rosalind Franklin, and NYMC offered me interviews. All the UC's with the exception of UCSD (hold) and UCI (no response) have rejected me.

The 4 year fraternity thing seems like being too paranoid. You seem like an excellent candidate.

My only recommendations

1. Have someone read over your personal statement and secondaries. Maybe you're coming off the wrong way.
2. Look over what you listed in your EC's. It's important to sell yourself even if that includes a little embellishing. I can't tell you how many times I had to explain myself when I put down "work is mostly clerical in nature" for volunteering at a non-profit medical clinic. I honestly think that's one of meaningful places I volunteer and even listed in my personal statement that I do a lot there including packing food for needy families and helped with canned food drives. Maybe I should have listed it under community service instead of clinical experience but honestly I don't think most clinical experiences are much better than the brief patient exposure (from looking at patient charts and learning the community building necessary to run a non-profit clinic) I get there (the only thing I could do more was take vitals) and I just wanted to be very truthful.
3. Look again at the EC's involving clinical experience for the reasons I stated. You can have as many hours as you want but you want something concrete to show the adcom committee including special events you did or responsibilites you were given.
 
I would imagine you'll hear about some interviews soon as you've got pretty good numbers.

Three things I see:
1) Your GPA is below average, but your MCAT score should compensate (congrats on that, BTW).
2) Are you sure your LoR are good? What about your personal statement? Did you have lots of people proofread it?
3) I don't see any clinical experience other than shadowing on your application, and I also don't see any volunteering. Most applicants combine the two into some type of clinical volunteering gig.
 
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I def understand the frustrations of not recieving interviews, At this point, wait it out a bit more, maybe you will get 5 invites in a week soon. Good Luck!!!!!
 
I'd suggest calling schools where you were rejected, ask to make a phone appointment with a dean for feedback on your application, and ask what you could do to improve. This is a good way to get feedback on your LORs and PS in a general way, and to ellicit comments about major lackings among your EC.

To me, superficially, it seems to be that you have no active clinical experience where you engaged sick people face-to-face. Shadowing, which is a passive observership, doesn't cover that need. I'd get something going now, in case you end up reapplying. The new activity would be good to include in update letters next semester to try to sway adcomms positively, in addition.
 
Our MCAT scores and submission dates are almost identical. I haven't received an interview from any of the UCs. I think they just have a lot of applications to go through.
 
I'm sorry bnguyen3, but did you have a non-scientific LoR? It appears to me that you haven't put it down.

That could be a problem. Otherwise, I don't feel like you have any serious weakness in your application.
 
Your stats are excellent. But from what you listed there is nothing that sets you apart from other premeds. Same major, same stats, same ECs. Try to focus on or develop an interest that will be unique to you and set you apart, also emphasize some leadership experience and community service if you haven't already. Write about these things in an application follow-up email to every admissions office that hasn't rejected you, along with an update regarding research, additional coursework, and telling briefly why you are interested in their school. This will get your application a second look at some schools. I sent out follow-up emails over the last two weeks and got immediate interviews at two schools. Good luck!
 
The potential problems I see with your application is that you have no volunteer experience and generally shadowing doesn't qualify as clinical experience by itself (at least it is pretty weak). Your MCAT is fantastic, but your cGPA is average and your sGPA is below average. With those potential problems I never would have created such a top heavy list. I counted ~10 schools that were in your range and the rest are reaches. I hope you get some interviews and it works out, but I would apply more broadly if you end up having to re-apply.
 
ROTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT IN THE DEPTHS OF HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL


okay i just finished my exams today. hehehehe
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. Post-application follow-up emails are a great idea, as is asking the rejection schools for a little critique.

Since applying, I've started volunteering at a free health clinic and in a clinical setting at UCSF. I plan on including these in my follow up emails, so hopefully that will increase my chances.

Another question, in the event that I think I came off wrong in my PS's, is it okay to try to correct that in my follow-up emails? I don't mean outright saying that, but maybe something about how this time off has given me perspective, etc.

Thanks again!
 
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Whatever your PS came across like, it's already been evaluated/scored and a new, revised mini statement of a perspective change is unlikely to help now, unless (as a remote possibility) it is a sentence that brings you more in line with the institution's mission statement but doesn't contradict what you said before (which would look suspiciously suckup-y).
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. Post-application follow-up emails are a great idea, as is asking the rejection schools for a little critique.

Since applying, I've started volunteering at a free health clinic and in a clinical setting at UCSF. I plan on including these in my follow up emails, so hopefully that will increase my chances.

Another question, in the event that I think I came off wrong in my PS's, is it okay to try to correct that in my follow-up emails? I don't mean outright saying that, but maybe something about how this time off has given me perspective, etc.

Thanks again!
you cant update the PS. Really the only thing that you listed that I see that could hurt you is the severe lack of ECs. If thats all you listed id highly recommend getting one more clinical volunteering thing where you can get real patient interaction (which it seems you did at SF) and at least 1-2 more non-clinical activities. From what you listed, you have 0 community service. That can kill you as can the lack of actual clinical experience (you need more then shadowing). If you did a few more volunteering both clinical and nonclinical gigs you should be golden.

Personally Id start doing these things now that way you can get significant experience to put down for next years app cycle if you have to reapply. You would see a significant increase in your success if you had better ECs. While your mcat is sick, the fact that you have given no time investment into community service or clinical is not something that looks good on your part.
 
Update!

I got an interview invitation to St Louis SOM! Hopefully my luck changes in this new year(decade).

I've been sending out updates to a bunch of schools. UCSD construed my update as an appeal, and told me they weren't gonna move me off hold status. If that's how its gonna be, I'll show them a real appeal this week.

I still haven't called any admission offices to see what was wrong with my application though, I'll do that on Monday.

Keep that hope up everyone!
 
Update!

I got an interview invitation to St Louis SOM! Hopefully my luck changes in this new year(decade).

I've been sending out updates to a bunch of schools. UCSD construed my update as an appeal, and told me they weren't gonna move me off hold status. If that's how its gonna be, I'll show them a real appeal this week.

I still haven't called any admission offices to see what was wrong with my application though, I'll do that on Monday.

Keep that hope up everyone!

Nice! That's obviously a tough school to get a interview at as well..

I only have two interviews thus far so here's to :luck: for us both!
 
Hmm, all signs point to these problems

1) Poorly written personal statements/secondaries
2) LOR aren't as good as you thought

There should be no reason why you haven't at least gotten some interviews. You applied early enough and everything. Your slightly below average gpa shouldn't hurt you especially compensated by that amazing MCAT score. Therefore, I think the above two could be problems.

Although it still could be early. But the fact that you applied around July would make me think you should have more interviews by now....
 
Good luck your stats are good, but you probably should have did more URM volunteering.
 
Hey guys, sorry but I'm going to take a grimmer view of things.

I've got similar stats - 3.4/3.32s / 38R MCAT and I'm not doing too well either. Given I'm a re-app with much improved ECs, I'm still hanging on by only 2 interviews, one of which turned into a post-interview hold, and the other one a bottom third WL, despite reasonably strong interviews (I didn't put my foot in my mouth or anything like that). I'm thinking it's the GPA / academic record. Did you have Cs, and what were they in? I have some Cs in important pre-req classes and despite some good As (in harder, upper div classes) I think I'm paying the price now. Nothing can make up for a high GPA, unfortunately, except for some kind of a post-bac or SMP or something. I was in your situation last year, but had 1 interview which turned into a WL. Even if you get an interview now, my guess is, you'll be coming in at a disadvantage compared to the other applicants, who often have 7 or 8 interviews. I wish they would count our MCAT scores for more, but it doesn't seem like they do.
 
Do you guys know what the chances are of moving from WL to acceptance? I have 10 interviews (had 4 so far) 2 of which are WL! It really bugs me that I don't know what puts me on WL. They keep telling you that once you got an interview it's not about your academics anymore. They just look at your personality. My interviews went great and my faculty interviewer at UC Davis told me that he really wants to see me back in the Fall...and I got wait-listed... I don't get it. I don't have a very strong MCAT 31P, GPA 3.87. The only thing I can think of is that I attended a CSU for premed...and I'm pregnant...could those be the reasons?
I am heading to the east coast on thursday for 6 other interviews...and still waiting on UCI and Loma Linda results...
 
Unfortunately Harvard and UofM are basically done sending out interview invites.

Your application is very similar to mine but you need to boost up your ECs and completely rewrite your PS (most likely). Let me know if you have any specific questions.
 
Do you guys know what the chances are of moving from WL to acceptance? I have 10 interviews (had 4 so far) 2 of which are WL! It really bugs me that I don't know what puts me on WL. They keep telling you that once you got an interview it's not about your academics anymore. They just look at your personality. My interviews went great and my faculty interviewer at UC Davis told me that he really wants to see me back in the Fall...and I got wait-listed... I don't get it. I don't have a very strong MCAT 31P, GPA 3.87. The only thing I can think of is that I attended a CSU for premed...and I'm pregnant...could those be the reasons?
I am heading to the east coast on thursday for 6 other interviews...and still waiting on UCI and Loma Linda results...

Four interviews and 2 waitlists is not uncommon. Now if you had said 10 interviews and no acceptances, I would think something was up. This process is insanely competitive. It's hard to determine why you're put on WL without actually being on the adcom. That said, you have a crazy # of interviews left. I'm sure that as long as all your ducks are in a row that at least one (and very likely more than one) will result in an acceptance for you.
 
Do you guys know what the chances are of moving from WL to acceptance? I have 10 interviews (had 4 so far) 2 of which are WL! It really bugs me that I don't know what puts me on WL. They keep telling you that once you got an interview it's not about your academics anymore. They just look at your personality. My interviews went great and my faculty interviewer at UC Davis told me that he really wants to see me back in the Fall...and I got wait-listed... I don't get it. I don't have a very strong MCAT 31P, GPA 3.87. The only thing I can think of is that I attended a CSU for premed...and I'm pregnant...could those be the reasons?
I am heading to the east coast on thursday for 6 other interviews...and still waiting on UCI and Loma Linda results...

10 interviews...something's gotta be right. Now I'm stuck here with 2 interviews and 2 WLs...lame.
 
Yeah I wasn't really holding my breath about a Harvard invite haha. As for UofM I got a rejection in the mail from them a little while ago.

I did get another interview tho! Albert Einstein College of Medicine yeaaah!!

I really wish I could get a hold of some adcoms to get some serious feedback on my application. Does anyone know of schools that do that? I called Georgetown and they said all info on review is confidential, and Cornell just plain didn't have time for me. I called UCDavis and left a message with someone, but no response.

While I do believe my personal statement needs a rewrite if I end up applying again, I didn't think it was THAT BAD. My cousin who was on UCLA med admissions said it was pretty good. I'm still blaming my lack of invites on lack of volunteer clinical experience.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but I'm glad to see that you have gotten some interviews since your original post! For what it's worth, these are the only possible weaknesses I can see in your application:

1) Lack of community service
2) Lack of leadership positions
3) Lower than average GPA (but your MCAT should make up for that)

And these are the only other possibilities I can think of:

4) Message in personal statement/secondary essays
5) Bad LOR's
 
If you end up reapplying, APPLY EARLY - as in submit primary within first week, and never let a secondary sit for longer than a week. Applying early helps SOOO much that it can't be taken for granted. People with far worse stats/ECs than you have received multiple acceptances because they applied EARLY.

Good luck with the upcoming interviews! :luck:
 
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