MD No interviews yet, panicking mid-cycle, mediocre GPA etc...

[RunningMochi]

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Someone posted one of these earlier, so I'll try my hand at it, I'm going crazy inside so I'd like to figure out what my chances are...
I sent Secondaries in late August - late September. 3.65 Undergrad GPA, 3.62 science GPA
200 Hrs Clinical Experience
2600 Hrs Research Experience (No papers unfortunately 🙁, I've been listed in acknowledgements of 3 however, presented at an undergraduate research conference held at my school)
450 Hrs in School Organizations (all somehow related to health)
240 Hrs Non-Clinical Volunteering (worked with refugees)
50 Hrs Clinical Volunteering (As an EMT, I've done many more hours since I sent in my primary, but at the time this was what I completed)
I have also been working as an EMT since I sent in my primary/secondaries, so I have many hours in that too (not reflected in primary of course, but I usually put it somewhere in the secondary).
12 Hrs of Shadowing (I know I should really have worked on this...)

I'm crossing my fingers for hearing something (ANYTHING) in Jan/Feb, but will I even hear back?

Schools I applied to:
Boston University - Rejected
UCLA (Geffen) - Waiting for Secondary (I honestly lost hope in this one)
John Hopkins
USC - Rejected
NYU - Rejected
Penn State
Rush - Applied really really late
Stanford
UCLA (Drew) - Rejected
UCSD
UCSF
UC Davis
UCI
UC Riverside
Pritzker - Rejected
University of Minnesota
WashU - Rejected

I know some of these are super reach schools I didn't do my research thoroughly before sending my primary in. Btw, I'm CA-resident. Any help appreciated!

 

[bricktwelve]

MCAT?

 

[RunningMochi]

Lol, forgot about my MCAT. I took it twice, old score 29. My second one was all over the place, 511 - 126/126/130/129. Thanks guys!

 

[bricktwelve]

Sorry, but with that MCAT/GPA combo I think you applied waaaaaay too top-heavy. An optimal list would have been primarily low-to-mid tier schools with maybe a couple of reaches, while your list is the opposite of that. It's not totally outside of the realm of possibility that you'll grab an acceptance this cycle, but I would definitely be preparing for a second cycle just in case.

 

[Faha]

Most of the schools you applied to are reaches with your stats and some are completely unrealistic (eg: Stanford, Washington U, John Hopkins). The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have a ~60% chance for a MD acceptance with your stats (higher if you are URM). If not accepted this cycle consider applying to these schools in June and submit all your secondaries by July.
Quinnipiac
Vermont
Albany
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Georgetown
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
California Northstate
any new private schools that open for 2018 (Roseman, Seton Hall, etc.)
It would be a good idea to apply to at least 10 DO schools and you are competitive for all DO schools. Some schools require a DO LOR. Add more shadowing hours including DO.

 

[RunningMochi]

Most of the schools you applied to are reaches with your stats and some are completely unrealistic (eg: Stanford, Washington U, John Hopkins). The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have a ~60% chance for a MD acceptance with your stats (higher if you are URM). If not accepted this cycle consider applying to these schools in June and submit all your secondaries by July.
Quinnipiac
Vermont
Albany
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Georgetown
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
California Northstate
any new private schools that open for 2018 (Roseman, Seton Hall, etc.)
It would be a good idea to apply to at least 10 DO schools and you are competitive for all DO schools. Some schools require a DO LOR. Add more shadowing hours including DO.

Thank you so much for that list! If I have to re-apply, I'll definitely look into those schools. I'm still hoping my luck will hold out and I'll get in somewhere this cycle (One can dream...)

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Your new MCAT is borderline mediocre, and what's worse is that it's a second one, it's unbalanced, and it's complemented with a poor GPA. And you applied top heavy and applied late. Your EC's seem very good though.

 

[medbunny56]

did you recieve secondaries from the other UCs?

 

[sammiesings]

Your new MCAT is borderline mediocre, and what's worse is that it's a second one, it's unbalanced, and it's complemented with a poor GPA. And you applied top heavy and applied late. Your EC's seem very good though.

A 3.6 is not poor. It may be average, but it's not poor. Especially if OP attends a grade deflating school. IE a UC. Also, 511 does not border on mediocre, its more on the average side.

That being said having average stats and applying top heavy was a bad idea as op seems to have realised in this thread.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

A 3.6 is not poor. It may be average, but it's not poor. Especially if OP attends a grade deflating school. IE a UC. Also, 511 does not border on mediocre, its more on the average side.

That being said having average stats and applying top heavy was a bad idea as op seems to have realised in this thread.

Chill. I was comparing OP's MCAT and GPA to OP's school list.

 

[sammiesings]

Chill. I was comparing OP's MCAT and GPA to OP's school list.

Lol, wait, why are you telling me to chill? Go reread your post. You definitely should have specified you meant in relation to the school list. (Instead of "and you applied top heavy" which indicates in addition to a "low gpa and mediocre mcat") Otherwise, your statements were just wrong and harsh. But it's all right. Chill.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Lol, wait, why are you telling me to chill? Go reread your post. You definitely should have specified you meant in relation to the school list. (Instead of "and you applied top heavy" which indicates in addition to a "low gpa and mediocre mcat") Otherwise, your statements were just wrong and harsh. But it's all right. Chill.

Lame lol. My statements were not wrong nor harsh in this context. Stop being uptight. So seriously, chill.

 

[sammiesings]

Lame lol. My statements were not wrong nor harsh in this context. Stop being uptight. So seriously, chill.

Well, actually they were. And now, you're being a child with this really mature "chill" ****.

Now back on topic, OP your stats aren't as much of an issue as your narrow school selection combined with the unfortunate CA residency. Feel your pain as a fellow CA resident 🙂. Good luck! I hope it works out for you this cycle and if not, apply more broadly next year!

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Well, actually they were. And now, you're being a child with this really mature "chill" ****.

Now back on topic, OP your stats aren't as much of an issue as your narrow school selection combined with the unfortunate CA residency. Feel your pain as a fellow CA resident 🙂. Good luck! I hope it works out for you this cycle and if not, apply more broadly next year!

Chill 🙂

P.S. No they weren't

 

[RunningMochi]

did you recieve secondaries from the other UCs?

Yup, received secondaries from all UCs except UCLA lol

 

[RunningMochi]

I actually did come from a UC! I majored and double-minored (all biosciences) so I may or may not have taken some classes that deflated my GPA a bit lol (that and ochem... ugh ). Thanks for the support guys!

A 3.6 is not poor. It may be average, but it's not poor. Especially if OP attends a grade deflating school. IE a UC. Also, 511 does not border on mediocre, its more on the average side.

That being said having average stats and applying top heavy was a bad idea as op seems to have realised in this thread.

 

[Goro]

Add DO schools to the list, and subtract CNu.

Thank you so much for that list! If I have to re-apply, I'll definitely look into those schools. I'm still hoping my luck will hold out and I'll get in somewhere this cycle (One can dream...)

 

[summergirl]

This is not a reach list. It is a completely unrealistic list. Next year, aim for low tier MD schools and DO schools. Even then, MD schools will be a huge gamble.

 

[sammiesings]

This is not a reach list. It is a completely unrealistic list. Next year, aim for low tier MD schools and DO schools. Even then, MD schools will be a huge gamble.

Why do you say that? OP has a decent MCAT score and a 3.6+ from a UC. OP can gain an MD acceptance (and not just a LOW tier) for sure if she/he applies broadly enough. Trust me, if I could do it, OP can definitely do it.

This is the problem with SDN, "what are my chances" threads. Smh...

 

[Ampharos]

The MCAT score is unbalanced which may be problematic. 126 = to a 9 on the old scale right?

 

[redsox93]

The MCAT score is unbalanced which may be problematic. 126 = to a 9 on the old scale right?

right between 9 and 10

 

[RunningMochi]

Thank you 😳 reading this thread is like a being on a rollercoaster lol

 

[RunningMochi]

Why do you say that? OP has a decent MCAT score and a 3.6+ from a UC. OP can gain an MD acceptance (and not just a LOW tier) for sure if she/he applies broadly enough. Trust me, if I could do it, OP can definitely do it.

This is the problem with SDN, "what are my chances" threads. Smh...

Thank you 😳 reading this thread is like a being on a rollercoaster lol

 

[RunningMochi]

The MCAT score is unbalanced which may be problematic. 126 = to a 9 on the old scale right?

Realistically the chem/physics 126 I'm not sure I can improve in since my first mcat I scored around the same (improving only by a teensy bit). The CARS was unexpected for me, I thought I would have done way better :/

 

[summergirl]

Why do you say that? OP has a decent MCAT score and a 3.6+ from a UC. OP can gain an MD acceptance (and not just a LOW tier) for sure if she/he applies broadly enough. Trust me, if I could do it, OP can definitely do it.

This is the problem with SDN, "what are my chances" threads. Smh...

Why is it if you can do it the OP can definitely do it? There are lots of things someone can do that other people can't. Someone with 3.6/511 from California is on very shaky grounds for MD. Didn't you see the billions of posts that has been popping up recently of applicants with much better stats freaking out about not getting in??

The OP has mediocre GPA (probably below average for Cali matriculants) and an average MCAT (actually probably also below average for Cali). I didn't say people can't get into a middle/top tier school with those stats, but it would be idiotic to think that they are likely to get into a mid/high tier school. Again, just because one person (ie you) did it doesn't mean everyone else can successfully do it. It is irresponsible to tell someone to create a school list that's more competitive than what they have to offer.

OP will already be a reapplicant next year. If he/she still won't aim for safeties, what happens when he/she get rejected again? You have no idea how psychologically traumatizing it would be. "Aiming for the stars" sounds very romantic but this is real life and failures happen all the time. Even though this is the internet but we still need to be responsible for the advices we give to people. So, this is my advice from a third time applicant who refused to apply to DO in the previous two cycles: don't ever think you are above any medical school. Apply to the schools that have historically taken students with your stats. Anything else is bonus.