no interviews yet, suggestions?

[hope2Bdoc]

How poorly, if at all, is calling the admissions office viewed?
If I should call, what sort of approach would be recommended? (ie should I let them know I would be available for any cancellations/on short notice or is that too forward/pushy?)
Any other thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks!

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[udsoccer7]

First off, I would probably threaten whomever answered the phone. Just really scare the crap out of them. Then I would go on to tell them how dumb they are for not having offered you an interivew. Then proceed to hang up the phone as they try to respond.

In all seriousness, definitely call admissions and let them know that you are available for a last minute interview if anyone does cancel. There have been numerous people on the SDN boards who got into the schools they want because they made that phone call. It won't come across as pushy. It will come across as really wanting to attend that medical school. Good luck.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

There are a lot of things to factor as to why you didn't get an interview, but since you aren't asking for why that may be...

Just calling the admissions office isn't looked upon poorly, it might be a good idea to call and just ask to make sure you're complete, or if there is any info as to where your application stands. Reaffirming your desire to attend the school also would probably not be viewed as too pushy.

 

[hope2Bdoc]

There are a lot of things to factor as to why you didn't get an interview, but since you aren't asking for why that may be...

Yea, I think I'm fairly aware of that and obviously can't change many of those factors at this point.
For those thinking on those lines, I have all the usuals:
shadowing, volunteering, clinical exp, lowish gpa(sci over 3.0 overall over 3.25) and MCAT over 30

 

[TexasTriathlete]

When did you apply? Most people with those numbers are at least getting interviews. I think I remember one dude on here who didn't.

 

[hope2Bdoc]

When did you apply? Most people with those numbers are at least getting interviews. I think I remember one dude on here who didn't.

Wasn't complete until late. Like I said, not really looking for answers why I didn't get one yet. Looking to see what, if anything, I can do now to get one.

 

[slim78]

Wasn't complete until late. Like I said, not really looking for answers why I didn't get one yet. Looking to see what, if anything, I can do now to get one.

Did you apply to AZCOM? I'm pretty sure this year's class isn't very full there yet.

 

[bluemonkey]

I agree with the above posters that you should contact schools and let them know that you are still interested an available at any point in time. I know you don't think it's relevant, but how late did you apply? Are you complete at all of the schools that you have applied to? Most classes are most certainly getting nearly full by now. It may be time to start getting your materials together to apply as early as possible for the next application cycle. Good luck! I hope you get some good news soon!!!

 

[hope2Bdoc]

I agree with the above posters that you should contact schools and let them know that you are still interested an available at any point in time. I know you don't think it's relevant, but how late did you apply? Are you complete at all of the schools that you have applied to? Most classes are most certainly getting nearly full by now. It may be time to start getting your materials together to apply as early as possible for the next application cycle. Good luck! I hope you get some good news soon!!!

It isn't that I don't feel it is relevant, I just haven't invented a time machine that will take me back and allow me to apply sooner than Jan. (In fact, I hope quite the opposite, and that this is the only reason I haven't gotten an interview yet) And yes, I am complete at all schools currently.
So, is it avisable to talk to anyone in particular at a given school, or would just anyone in the admissions office be beneficial to talk with?
Thanks for the encouragement. Good news would be nice.

 

[RockfordWF]

How poorly, if at all, is calling the admissions office viewed?
If I should call, what sort of approach would be recommended? (ie should I let them know I would be available for any cancellations/on short notice or is that too forward/pushy?)
Any other thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks!

Are you serious? Many schools prefer that you call to show interest. I probably called my school once a week.

Tell then you are their top choice and hope to hear from them soon. Call to check on your "application status" and make sure they don't "need anything else" from you.

Update them on anything new that may enhance your application.

 

[MaximusD]

1. If you call, ask for the direct of admissions... Don't ask for the title... go on the school's website and look up their name. Use the name when you call. Proceed to ask all the questions you have and voice interest when you are on the phone with the director or asst director of admissions.

2. Compose and send a letter of intent to matriculate OR a letter of interest. Highlight some of the things you've done with your time since you've applied and reaffirm that you are very interested in the school. Be careful when using the words "I intend to attend if accepted", because these CAN be legally binding and at the very least misleading if you do not intent to matriculate.

3. Begin looking at SMP/Post-bacc/Masters programs. PCOM offers an excellent biomed program in which the students learn from the same professors. During the first year, the curriculum is, in certain instances, identical to the medical school material. In fact, I have studied for exams off of their notes before. At the end of the first year, every biomed student is interviewed for the DO program. Those who don't get in to PCOM's DO program often have acceptances elsewhere. Those who don't go on to complete their Masters degree which includes research and more coursework. I have not come across anyone who has completed 2 years in the program who didn't get accepted to medical school at PCOM or elsewhere. Your GPA is clearly the weakpoint in your application... I should know... your stats are virtually identical to mine.

Definitely try the LOI and/or give the direct of admissions a call.

 

[hope2Bdoc]

1. If you call, ask for the direct of admissions... Don't ask for the title... go on the school's website and look up their name. Use the name when you call. Proceed to ask all the questions you have and voice interest when you are on the phone with the director or asst director of admissions.

2. Compose and send a letter of intent to matriculate OR a letter of interest. Highlight some of the things you've done with your time since you've applied and reaffirm that you are very interested in the school. Be careful when using the words "I intend to attend if accepted", because these CAN be legally binding and at the very least misleading if you do not intent to matriculate.

3. Begin looking at SMP/Post-bacc/Masters programs. PCOM offers an excellent biomed program in which the students learn from the same professors. During the first year, the curriculum is, in certain instances, identical to the medical school material. In fact, I have studied for exams off of their notes before. At the end of the first year, every biomed student is interviewed for the DO program. Those who don't get in to PCOM's DO program often have acceptances elsewhere. Those who don't go on to complete their Masters degree which includes research and more coursework. I have not come across anyone who has completed 2 years in the program who didn't get accepted to medical school at PCOM or elsewhere. Your GPA is clearly the weakpoint in your application... I should know... your stats are virtually identical to mine.

Definitely try the LOI and/or give the direct of admissions a call.

Thanks for the tips.

As for a post-bac, I must wonder if it wouldn't be more beneficial to retake classes I earned "C's" in previously (esp since those came in classes that some adcoms seem to look at carefully, such as organic). Doing so would move my calculated grades to around 3.4 overall and 3.3 sci. And as I already have success in med level courses, it is hard for me to see that more of the same would be of greater benefit (also, relocating for such a program would be nearly impossible at best).
Thanks to everyone, all thoughts are appreciated!

 

[Kateb4]

Thanks for the tips.

As for a post-bac, I must wonder if it wouldn't be more beneficial to retake classes I earned "C's" in previously (esp since those came in classes that some adcoms seem to look at carefully, such as organic). Doing so would move my calculated grades to around 3.4 overall and 3.3 sci. And as I already have success in med level courses, it is hard for me to see that more of the same would be of greater benefit (also, relocating for such a program would be nearly impossible at best).
Thanks to everyone, all thoughts are appreciated!

Re-taking would improve your GPA, but people are getting in with GPAs lower than yours (including me). If you don't get in this cycle, I would definately call the admissions counsellors at the schools that you are most interested in and ask them what you should do to improve your application for next year.

I'll tell you, my back-up plan was to do a masters at the medical school that I wanted to attend. Several schools have Masters in Biomedical Sciences or something to that nature that you can do. Particularly at CCOM, I was told that their program was very similar to the first year of med school, so if you succeeded there, it would look highly favorable on your next application.

But, I digress... back to your original question. I would in fact call, and send a letter of interest or intent. My app was complete late as well, and I heard very quickly from a few places. Some schools are much slower than others, but without knowing where you applied I can't say which you may expect to hear from yet. Anyways, call and check the status of your application weekly if you want, they won't be put off by it.

 

[hope2Bdoc]

Re-taking would improve your GPA, but people are getting in with GPAs lower than yours (including me). If you don't get in this cycle, I would definately call the admissions counsellors at the schools that you are most interested in and ask them what you should do to improve your application for next year.

I'll tell you, my back-up plan was to do a masters at the medical school that I wanted to attend. Several schools have Masters in Biomedical Sciences or something to that nature that you can do. Particularly at CCOM, I was told that their program was very similar to the first year of med school, so if you succeeded there, it would look highly favorable on your next application.

But, I digress... back to your original question. I would in fact call, and send a letter of interest or intent. My app was complete late as well, and I heard very quickly from a few places. Some schools are much slower than others, but without knowing where you applied I can't say which you may expect to hear from yet. Anyways, call and check the status of your application weekly if you want, they won't be put off by it.

Like I said, I've got ample med level coursework succesfully passed. So if proving I can "do it" is all I'm buying, I don't see the benefit. Now if there were a guaranteed placement upon xyz perfomance, that would be different. However, I'm not aware of such a thing (I imagine it would be more widely talked about).
So, back to the issue at hand:
Given the timeframe here, I'm thinking; Calls this week, letters next week, and calls again first week of april.
Sound like all that I can do at this point(and not overboard)?
btw, address letters to Admissions Committee or whom it may concern, or what?

 

[Kateb4]

Like I said, I've got ample med level coursework succesfully passed. So if proving I can "do it" is all I'm buying, I don't see the benefit. Now if there were a guaranteed placement upon xyz perfomance, that would be different. However, I'm not aware of such a thing (I imagine it would be more widely talked about).
So, back to the issue at hand:
Given the timeframe here, I'm thinking; Calls this week, letters next week, and calls again first week of april.
Sound like all that I can do at this point(and not overboard)?
btw, address letters to Admissions Committee or whom it may concern, or what?

It's not proving that you can "do it". Taking a masters program at a med school that you want to go to and succeding in their program makes you highly favorable for admission (they cannot say that it's guaranteed, but this is pretty much what I have been told). You don't even have to finish it, you can just do one years worth while reapplying.

As for letters, find out specific names of people, don't do generics here. Find the name of a director of admissions or something to that nature. You look on here at the various school threads for names. Or, you can just ask, people on here are more than willing to give names of the people that signed their interview or admission letters.

 

[hope2Bdoc]

It's not proving that you can "do it". Taking a masters program at a med school that you want to go to and succeding in their program makes you highly favorable for admission (they cannot say that it's guaranteed, but this is pretty much what I have been told). You don't even have to finish it, you can just do one years worth while reapplying.

As for letters, find out specific names of people, don't do generics here. Find the name of a director of admissions or something to that nature. You look on here at the various school threads for names. Or, you can just ask, people on here are more than willing to give names of the people that signed their interview or admission letters.

Perhaps I view things differently since my school of choice does not offer such a program(nor my 2nd or 3rd school of choice). Thus why go somewhere else to do what I've already done. ie I've done this at school A ,but school B offers an SMP(as far as I can tell only one school I applied to has one), but I don't really want to go to medical school there, I want to go to school C. Is school C really going to view my work school B as being any different than the work I've done at school A? I'm disinclined to think so.

So director of admissions? Is the job of this person substantially different than admissions coordinator? I'm just curious, since the coordinator at the school I'm most familiar with(no "director" at this school) doesn't really have any say as to who gets interviews, unless she misplaces your file or something. I would presume this decision would fall on a committee and not just one individual? Just trying to nail down the "perfect" formula... if there is such a thing

 

[hope2Bdoc]

Bump for thoughts from the weekend crowd.

 

[Archer]

I called pretty often to remind them that I was available to switch into an earlier interview slot (I got moved up a month earlier) and wrote letters reiterating my interest - especially as I only completed applications to only 4 schools. Got into 2 and rejected by the other 2.

 

[hope2Bdoc]

Just thought I would update, for all those on pins and needles.
Following phone calls and LOI's I have been offered one interview and been told I would not be offered one by another; 3 schools still outstanding, but I think only 2 of those are even possible at this point.