MD No Interviews Yet... How Worried Should I be?

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doktorplz

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Hey everyone,

I'm pretty frustrated because I thought I was a fairly competitive applicant (albeit I have relatively weak ECs) but have 4 rejections and 0 interviews. I retain a 4.0 from a prestigious university with a 516 (LM 75). Traditional, ORM. I submitted all my apps early and on-time (all 22). Every single secondary got submitted within 1 week except one took 9 days. I will say I didn't apply to many "low-stat" schools (bc the low-stat one's I did apply to are relatively low-yield). I did get a job as a medical scribe in the ED recently and updated the schools not too long ago, but idk if updates really matter(?).

So basically what I am asking... Should I be worried that it's the end? I know people say "cycle runs through February." But, in all honesty, how many medical schools send interviews past November. And, if I submitted so early, what should change that I even get an interview in November. I just feel kind of defeated ngl, and I've never really stressed about school too hard outside class grades and stuff.

I know I'm kind of ranting, but when my friends and fam keep asking how's the cycle going, and then I check SDN and see a bunch of people with 3+ interviews, I feel like crap.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks everyone and good luck to y'all too!

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Hey everyone,

I'm pretty frustrated because I thought I was a fairly competitive applicant (albeit I have relatively weak ECs) but have 4 rejections and 0 interviews. I retain a 4.0 from a prestigious university with a 516 (LM 75). Traditional, ORM. I submitted all my apps early and on-time (all 22). Every single secondary got submitted within 1 week except one took 9 days. I will say I didn't apply to many "low-stat" schools (bc the low-stat one's I did apply to are relatively low-yield). I did get a job as a medical scribe in the ED recently and updated the schools not too long ago, but idk if updates really matter(?).

So basically what I am asking... Should I be worried that it's the end? I know people say "cycle runs through February." But, in all honesty, how many medical schools send interviews past November. And, if I submitted so early, what should change that I even get an interview in November. I just feel kind of defeated ngl, and I've never really stressed about school too hard outside class grades and stuff.

I know I'm kind of ranting, but when my friends and fam keep asking how's the cycle going, and then I check SDN and see a bunch of people with 3+ interviews, I feel like crap.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks everyone and good luck to y'all too!
Well when I applied (M2 now), by now I had 2 interviews and 4 more trickled down till February . So it’s still early . What is your school list and what are your ECs?
 
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I know I'm kind of ranting, but when my friends and fam keep asking how's the cycle going, and then I check SDN and see a bunch of people with 3+ interviews, I feel like crap.
If it makes you feel better, remember that all you need is a single interview to get accepted and it doesn't matter when that comes. Honestly, I would suggest staying away from places like SDN and reddit because there is a strong selective bias and everyone else's progress has no bearing on your own.

Like others have said, it's still early. But you may not get in this cycle and it's natural to be worried of that outcome. Even if that does happen, recognize that it is not the end of the world, learn from it, and get up swinging.
 
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Hey everyone,

I'm pretty frustrated because I thought I was a fairly competitive applicant (albeit I have relatively weak ECs) but have 4 rejections and 0 interviews. I retain a 4.0 from a prestigious university with a 516 (LM 75). Traditional, ORM. I submitted all my apps early and on-time (all 22). Every single secondary got submitted within 1 week except one took 9 days. I will say I didn't apply to many "low-stat" schools (bc the low-stat one's I did apply to are relatively low-yield). I did get a job as a medical scribe in the ED recently and updated the schools not too long ago, but idk if updates really matter(?).

So basically what I am asking... Should I be worried that it's the end? I know people say "cycle runs through February." But, in all honesty, how many medical schools send interviews past November. And, if I submitted so early, what should change that I even get an interview in November. I just feel kind of defeated ngl, and I've never really stressed about school too hard outside class grades and stuff.

I know I'm kind of ranting, but when my friends and fam keep asking how's the cycle going, and then I check SDN and see a bunch of people with 3+ interviews, I feel like crap.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks everyone and good luck to y'all too!
Since you attend a "prestigious university," you probably have a decent premed advising office. What do they say? I'm just a premed like you, but I am keenly aware of the fact that only 1/3 of matriculants are traditional nowadays. I am operating under the assumption that they need some pretty excellent ECs to be able to successfully compete with the non-trads, so I honestly wouldn't have bothered applying with "relatively weak ECs." I would therefore love to know whether you discussed this with the premed experts at your school, and whether they led you to believe that a 4.0/516 would make this irrelevant.

Needless to say, you still have plenty of time this cycle. You are buying into the fallacy incessantly spread on SDN that an early submission will lead to an early review. Adcoms have repeatedly told us that applications are stratified upon receipt and are not reviewed chronologically. It is entirely possible that you haven't been reviewed yet, as opposed to having already been passed over.

Obviously, your GPA couldn't be any better, and your UG is prestigious, but, as I'm sure you know, your MCAT is far from extraordinary for T20 schools. If nothing else, you are providing a data point for those who think UG prestige is a big factor in med school decisions. While I'm sure it's better than the alternative, there is no reason to believe that it compensates for weak ECs.

Please don't feel like crap, because there is nothing wrong with you or your application. If it doesn't happen for you this cycle, it will simply be because you received bad advice, because the odds were always against a traditional candidate with weak ECs, 4.0 and prestigious UG notwithstanding. The great news for you is that this can be easily addressed through a gap year or two. You already have the two most important elements that are the most difficult to improve -- GPA and MCAT!! Good luck.
 
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Friend from last cycle had zero interviews till March. Is attending a T20! Keep the faith. Plus - being worried does not help.
 
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Patience is what I will preach. Covid cycle is weird, and delayed by 2 weeks. The time to worry is thanksgiving under normal times, and plus two weeks would be December! Remember schools interview through February and March! It’s only October:)
 
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Hey everyone,

I'm pretty frustrated because I thought I was a fairly competitive applicant (albeit I have relatively weak ECs) but have 4 rejections and 0 interviews. I retain a 4.0 from a prestigious university with a 516 (LM 75). Traditional, ORM. I submitted all my apps early and on-time (all 22). Every single secondary got submitted within 1 week except one took 9 days. I will say I didn't apply to many "low-stat" schools (bc the low-stat one's I did apply to are relatively low-yield). I did get a job as a medical scribe in the ED recently and updated the schools not too long ago, but idk if updates really matter(?).

So basically what I am asking... Should I be worried that it's the end? I know people say "cycle runs through February." But, in all honesty, how many medical schools send interviews past November. And, if I submitted so early, what should change that I even get an interview in November. I just feel kind of defeated ngl, and I've never really stressed about school too hard outside class grades and stuff.

I know I'm kind of ranting, but when my friends and fam keep asking how's the cycle going, and then I check SDN and see a bunch of people with 3+ interviews, I feel like crap.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks everyone and good luck to y'all too!
You might get an II tomorrow, or in March.
 
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Moving to WAMC.

As others have said, it is still relatively early. If you don't get interviews this year, it seems like you're already addressing your deficiencies for next year.
 
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You shouldnt be worried at all. As I tell all applicants, the majority of people will be rejected and from the moment you submit AMCAS, must assume that as well. Therefore you have been continuing to add to your record to prepare for a reapplication. You must take this attitude or the waiting will run from high hopes to low despair and eat you up
I keep hearing this, and now that I have some actual experience, I have to question its wisdom.

Unfortunately for me, COVID interfered with my spring and summer EC plans, as well as the timing of my MCAT and then the subsequent timing of my ability to focus on secondaries since I did not yet have the MCAT behind me. Putting all this together, I really, honestly and actually did not believe that I would be able to submit a competitive application. As a result, I did not apply this cycle.

Why the hell on earth would anyone submit an application EXPECTING to be in the unsuccessful 60%, and then expecting to be a reapplicant, where the odds of success are even lower? Of course the numbers don't lie, but what is the motivation to do it EXPECTING to fail "from the moment you submit AMCAS"? I'm not asking this to be a dick -- I'm honestly wondering why you would advise anyone to EXPECT failure, rather than to not apply until they are in a position to EXPECT success? After all, it's not impossible to succeed, since around 40% do so every cycle!

Honestly, I don't how I would find the motivation to get out of bed every day if I EXPECTED to fail at whatever happened to be on my to-do list that day. I understand advising applicants not to spend every waking moment obsessing on the outcome of their cycle, but I honestly don't understand how to be motivated given the negativity inherent in the advice.
 
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I keep hearing this, and now that I have some actual experience, I have to question its wisdom.

Unfortunately for me, COVID interfered with my spring and summer EC plans, as well as the timing of my MCAT and then the subsequent timing of my ability to focus on secondaries since I did not yet have the MCAT behind me. Putting all this together, I really, honestly and actually did not believe that I would be able to submit a competitive application. As a result, I did not apply this cycle.

Why the hell on earth would anyone submit an application EXPECTING to be in the unsuccessful 60%, and then expecting to be a reapplicant, where the odds of success are even lower? Of course the numbers don't lie, but what is the motivation to do it EXPECTING to fail "from the moment you submit AMCAS"? I'm not asking this to be a dick -- I'm honestly wondering why you would advise anyone to EXPECT failure, rather than to not apply until they are in a position to EXPECT success? After all, it's not impossible to succeed, since around 40% do so every cycle!

Honestly, I don't how I would find the motivation to get out of bed every day if I EXPECTED to fail at whatever happened to be on my to-do list that day. I understand advising applicants not to spend every waking moment obsessing on the outcome of their cycle, but I honestly don't understand how to be motivated given the negativity inherent in the advice.
It’s used to motivate people to continue working on their application after submitting it, just in case.
 
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It’s used to motivate people to continue working on their application after submitting it, just in case.
Okay ... but, theoretically, we are doing what we do because we love research, doing clinical work, volunteering, etc. because it's what we love to do, not to check boxes on an application, so what more motivation do we need than that? :cool: I don't know about anyone else, but telling me I should expect to fail would only motivate me not to bother, as it did this current cycle. Not very motivating at all TBH.
 
I keep hearing this, and now that I have some actual experience, I have to question its wisdom.

Unfortunately for me, COVID interfered with my spring and summer EC plans, as well as the timing of my MCAT and then the subsequent timing of my ability to focus on secondaries since I did not yet have the MCAT behind me. Putting all this together, I really, honestly and actually did not believe that I would be able to submit a competitive application. As a result, I did not apply this cycle.

Why the hell on earth would anyone submit an application EXPECTING to be in the unsuccessful 60%, and then expecting to be a reapplicant, where the odds of success are even lower? Of course the numbers don't lie, but what is the motivation to do it EXPECTING to fail "from the moment you submit AMCAS"? I'm not asking this to be a dick -- I'm honestly wondering why you would advise anyone to EXPECT failure, rather than to not apply until they are in a position to EXPECT success? After all, it's not impossible to succeed, since around 40% do so every cycle!

Honestly, I don't how I would find the motivation to get out of bed every day if I EXPECTED to fail at whatever happened to be on my to-do list that day. I understand advising applicants not to spend every waking moment obsessing on the outcome of their cycle, but I honestly don't understand how to be motivated given the negativity inherent in the advice.
its just a different approach. For example, i always plan for the worst case, and when i say it, my friends think that i am being negative. But this is not at all the way i feel - i feel like if i plan for the WORST CASE scenario, and i know what to do then, everything else i can DEFINITELY handle. You know what i mean? and there are people, who dont like that, because it depresses them.

I remember, all through application cycle i was planning to apply for masters (i was in my senior year during application cycle, and while my first interview was in october, with 5 more to follow, i didnt get my first acceptance till end of february. ended up with 4 acceptances and 1 WL, but all that wasnt till later. so i expected to fail the whole time, and planned for the failure just in case).
 
its just a different approach. For example, i always plan for the worst case, and when i say it, my friends think that i am being negative. But this is not at all the way i feel - i feel like if i plan for the WORST CASE scenario, and i know what to do then, everything else i can DEFINITELY handle. You know what i mean? and there are people, who dont like that, because it depresses them.

I remember, all through application cycle i was planning to apply for masters (i was in my senior year during application cycle, and while my first interview was in october, with 5 more to follow, i didnt get my first acceptance till end of february. ended up with 4 acceptances and 1 WL, but all that wasnt till later. so i expected to fail the whole time, and planned for the failure just in case).
Okay. Maybe it's just semantics. To me, being prepared for the worst is very different from expecting to fail. And don't get me wrong. When I do apply, I won't be like some of the more arrogant among us, wondering "where are my IIs and As?" On the other hand, if I really do expect to fail, I will hold back and not apply until I can reasonably expect to succeed (as I did this year). I have no interest in putting myself through the process while expecting to fail. I also have little to no interest in being a reapplicant if it can be avoided.
 
I think that the "assume you've been rejected" message means "don't rest on your laurels". You need to keep working at improving rather than getting a senior (or gap year) slump If another cycle is needed, you need to show that you have continued to engage in serving your community, continued to be intellectually curious, and continued to excell academically (if you are still enrolled in school). Rather than not getting out of bed in the morning because you assume you've been rejected, that should be what gets you going to continue to buff your CV.
 
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theoretically, we are doing what we do because we love research, doing clinical work, volunteering, etc. because it's what we love to do, not to check boxes on an application
Yes, you would be right if that hypothesis held true in practice.
 
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