Pull up a chair and grab a beer.
In the app process:
Do not aim for the wrong school out of ignorance (If you're not black, and have no history of service to the African-American community, it's unwise to apply to Howard. If you don't live on AL or NM, don't apply to those schools. They're highly state specific.
Writing a bad essay. If you can't spell and grammar check something as important as your essay, how can I entrust you with patient's lives. And for crissakes, take out school X's name when you're applying to school Y!
Being a cookie cutter for your ECs. Look, ECs are required, but not sufficient for getting into med school. We know many of you look at them as checking off boxwork. Hence, med schools get a gazillion apps with people who do 100 hrs of hospital volunteer work, 100 hrs of soup kitchen work, and 50 hrs of shadowing, plus two days of raising money for X charity. With 5000 applicants for 100-200 seats, do something that makes yourself stand out.
OK, I just found a post I made on a similar subject, so sorry for any redundancy
Do not apply until you have the best possible app
Do NOT take the MCAT until you're fully ready.
Make sure your LOR writers know you well enough to write a good LOR
ECs: While not required by med schools, they really are so make sure to have enough patient contact experience (volunteer or otherwise), have some research experience, and non non-clinical volunteer experience. Demonstrate your altruism and humanity.
Medical missions are not really useful unless you're actually digging water wells or delivering babies. We already know many of you go to Cozumel for spring break and call it "medical mission"
Don't bother with LOIs. They're worthless (unless the school specifically states that they welcome them).
KNOW what you're getting into.
1 or 2 Cs will not kill your medical career. Ditto W's.
It's OK to take coursework at CCs, especially if you're a non-trad, or doing grade repair, or are a transfer student from a CC with an AA/AS degree, going to a 4 year UG school.
The more eyeballs looking over your app, the better.
Worry about getting into medical school before worrying about your residencies/specialties.
Always remember it's a marathon, not a sprint. You're in this for the long haul.
Have or develop good coping skills
Have good time mgt skills. We expect you to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Invest in MSAR Online (it is your friend) and apply strategically. If you have an MCAT of 31 and GPA of 3.5, you're not getting into Harvard or UCSF. Rosy F or NYMC, most probably, and that's fine!
If you're a poor standardized test taker, get that fixed.
Don't have cookie cutter ECs. Do something that will make you stand out.
We're not impressed by double majors, or any minor. Take courses that interest you, and do well in them. THAT impresses us.
It's OK to be human. There are med schools that indeed reward reinvention. Rising trends ARE a good thing. People like underdogs and come from behind stories.
LEARN from your mistakes.
Do NOT bull your way through a semester if life throws you a bean-ball. Take the Ws, not the F/D/C.
Ditto for the MCAT. If you're sick that day, or your beloved dog dies, do NOT take the test. Or, void the test.
Do NOT take the MCAT cold!
We consider poor choice making as a factor in who we accept. Prepare as needed. Take as many practice tests as needed.
If you're applying to MD schools, do NOT think that a high MCAT will overcome a poor GPA (or vice versa).
Do NOT go into Medicine if it's your parents' choice, and not yours.
Apply early. That's June or July for MD. June through Dec for DO.
Do NOT expect that one more LOR will somehow move you off of a wait list.
Do NOT re-take the MCAT if your score is >30, even if imbalanced, unless one score is <7-8. Retaking with a good MCAT score is an exercise in hubris. And spare us the "I got a 36 and I know I can do better" attitude; that's not healthy.
Do NOT be discouraged by rejection. Get feedback, improve on your deficits, and apply stronger the next cycle.
Do NOT apply to a school you have no intention of attending. Do your homework and think hard about living in X city for four years.
In that same vein, make sure you have a support group in the area. Homesickness is real.
At interviews, do NOT babble. Be concise. Display grace under pressure. Do
NOT address the interviewer by their first name if they are Faculty. Know what's in your packet.
Pay attention. I reject people who start to answer a question and then ask "What was the question?" It IS OK to take a moment to compose yourself and ponder.
Do NOT lie.
Do NOT embellish.
Look over the Feedback forum for the types of questions asked at particular schools.
Make eye contact, even if this is not normal for your culture.
Ask questions of the interviewer(s). Surely there must be something about the school/area/student body that you need info on!
What do you guys think are some of the biggest mistakes when it comes to your AMCAS application and II? I know I can google this and get a bunch, but just wondering what your thoughts/experiences are with this.
