OWW... My Pride

[Jonkst]

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Yeah, so 5 minutes after I get the Pritzker hold email, I get the same thing from MSU... No secondary for me.

Anyone understand why I wouldn't get a secondary from MSU if my GPA is above their average, I have good extracurriculars, and my MCAT is 10 points above their average???

 

[Eraserhead]

Is that Michigan State? Probably because you aren't a resident, or are you?

 

[Jonkst]

Yeah, Michigan State... and I am a resident... Have been for 11 years now...

 

[Eraserhead]

I don't know, I'm a bit confused about the logic of some ad comms so far... I mean people with a 3.9 and 37 were rejected from Stanford and me with a 3.6/ 30 got a secondary so who knows. Maybe it was based on your experiences and essay then? I don't see what else an AMCAS app can do to reject you from such a school.

 

[calebho501]

Originally posted by DoctorKevin
I don't know, I'm a bit confused about the logic of some ad comms so far... I mean people with a 3.9 and 37 were rejected from Stanford and me with a 3.6/ 30 got a secondary so who knows. Maybe it was based on your experiences and essay then? I don't see what else an AMCAS app can do to reject you from such a school.

This is really weird. I saw a post that has a link to Stanford's screening criteria, and those were things like MCAT score, GPA, disadvantage status, etc., but there was really no mention of EC and research.

 

[HollyJ]

Sorry about that, Jonkst -- that stinks. I wouldn't spend too much time trying to figure it out, though. When it comes right down to it, every med school is a crap shoot.

It sounds like you are a great candidate. Don't get too discouraged.

 

[....]

did I read that right, your MCAT is TEN points above their average? You got a 40+?

 

[hoping2004]

jonkst - they probably think you're too qualified for their school (seriously 40+ MCAT???)...maybe that's why they don't want to pursue your app further. you seem great! i'm sure you'll get in somewhere 🙂

 

[Jonkst]

I don't have a 40+ MCAT, does that even happen??

Their average is 27.6....

I always heard this was a crapshoot, but it still seems weird to interview at Michigan (a top ten school) and not get a secondary at MSU (Not ranked)

 

[Gleevec]

I think Michigan State's average MCAT is around 25-26?

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by Jonkst
I don't have a 40+ MCAT, does that even happen??

Their average is 27.6....

I always heard this was a crapshoot, but it still seems weird to interview at Michigan (a top ten school) and not get a secondary at MSU (Not ranked)

37, 40...same difference. Those are top 10 school numbers. So of course you will be interviewed by top 10 schools and not lower tier schools like MSU. MSU will not even waste their time on you because they know in all likeliness you will not go there.

Many adcom members already know which type of schools an applicant will end up in by skimming through their files. It works both ways too. Adcoms will interview people they think they can get to matriculate at their school.

 

[Wednesday]

It's because you are too far above their average. They don't think you would ever go there.

 

[DAL]

I can understand the admission committee's point in that Jonkst is far above their average and unlikely to attend. But geez, it's his/her state school and he/she spent the money to apply there. That shows a sincere interest in the school in my opinion. I just think if you show enough interest to spend your money and apply, they should reciprocate and consider you a serious applicant regardless of your scores.

 

[spinestudent]

UCLAMAN, I couldn't disagree more that schools like MSU will typically reject 3.7/38 type applicants. Remember, he is a resident. I understand your argument for people with those numbers applying to out of state or private schools like Drexel, Tufts, Finch, etc.

However, lots of people with those numbers do end up matriculating at their state school for various reasons. I'm in a state with a mid-ranked state school. Last year we had 19 people with gpa's above 3.7 and mcat's above 35 matriculate. Of course a state school isn't going to be able to fill their class with these kind of students, but they do understand that they will get some simply because they want to stay in state for whatever reasons. Our state school has never rejected an in state resident with truly amazing stats pre-interview simply because they have great stats.

Now MSU might be in a slightly different situation than states with only one state school. If I was in michigan and wanted to go public, it seems like ann-arbor would be the more likely choice for someone with truly great numbers. I will admit that....

 

[exmike]

Now this is definitely odd. I got a MSU secondary out of state, and I have a very low 3's GPA. 35 mcat

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by spinestudent

Now MSU might be in a slightly different situation than states with only one state school. If I was in michigan and wanted to go public, it seems like ann-arbor would be the more likely choice for someone with truly great numbers. I will admit that....

Exactly.

 

[Jonkst]

Well, I like the idea that you guys propose that they have decided I won't go there anyway, so they don't want to waste their time (it makes me feel good anyway). The thing is, it still seems odd as a state school, like you've mentioned... It's certainly plausible that I would go to my state school for financial reasons (actually it's probably even true), and I am by no means guaranteed admission to Michigan, so I would expect them to at least entertain my application. Besides, it seems to me that rejecting "over-qualified" applicants is far too mechanical, even for a medical school, as there could be any number of reasons why I would want to go to MSU... I.e. if I really like the E.Lansing area (which I do), if I have a significant other attending there (which I don't), or perhaps I've even been a spartan fan my whole life, and want to go there for that reason (which is not the case).

To be honest though, it is not a first choice for me, and if I got into Michigan, I'd probably go there, although I do think I would enjoy State too.

 

[Paws]

Hey Jonkst, why don't you call them up and ask them why they rejected you so soon? If nothing else, it could make you feel better and it would let them know that in fact you were applying to them because you LIKED them.

This is such a weird and crazy process ...

 

[Sprockette]

Hey...here's another perspective from a MI resident....

the same thing happened to me two years ago. my GPA and MCATs were considerably above their average, etc. And they first put me on hold for a secondary, back in August. Then they waited until March to give me a secondary. Finally, the rejected me.

I think that MSU has a big focus on primary care. I suspect that part of the reason I was ultimately rejected was because my application made it pretty clear that I don't want to do primary care.

when i went through this, people gave me all kinds of reasons why they didn't take me, everything from my numbers being too high to having "too much" research experience (I only had like a year).

So basically, it seems to be kind of a crapshoot. Who knows what they are looking for...just look forward to umich and your other interviews and do well with those!

 

[kgal16]

Originally posted by Sprockette
Hey...here's another perspective from a MI resident....

the same thing happened to me two years ago. my GPA and MCATs were considerably above their average, etc. And they first put me on hold for a secondary, back in August. Then they waited until March to give me a secondary. Finally, the rejected me.

I think that MSU has a big focus on primary care. I suspect that part of the reason I was ultimately rejected was because my application made it pretty clear that I don't want to do primary care.

when i went through this, people gave me all kinds of reasons why they didn't take me, everything from my numbers being too high to having "too much" research experience (I only had like a year).

So basically, it seems to be kind of a crapshoot. Who knows what they are looking for...just look forward to umich and your other interviews and do well with those!

TOO MUCH RESEARCH???
man this people are so picky!!!
how can u have done too much unless maybe they dont like the fact that people who are focused on research cannot do other interesting activities to make them more well-rounded

and i would hardly consider one year to be too much

seriously
i get annoyed when i hear things like this
makes me more exasperated with ad coms and the process

 

[Sprockette]

oooh! No no no! when i said "people" said i had too much research, I meant other friends of mine who were going through the process, not the adcom! Sorry, I should have explained that better.

It was merely hypothesizing, and I'm sure it's not true.

 

[DrWuStar]

jonkst,

i know that this type of thing happens a lot in CA. a friend of mine got straight rejected from UC Irvine and UC Davis and put on "hold" at UCSD, but interviews at both UCSF and UCLA. she was told the same thing - UC Irvine knew she wouldn't be matriculating there, so they didn't bother.

so i think you are right to take it as a compliment of sorts. if it was just your "safety school" (if there is such a thing) then don't worry about it - they don't believe you will need them. if you have a true interest in their school though, beyond "well, it seems like i could get in there..." i would suggest writing them a letter and asking for an appeal. many schools will reconsider if you ask them too. but i don't think you need them anyway!

good luck.

 

[GoodMonkey]

i agree w/sprockette ... msu really focuses on the primary care aspect of medicine, and especially rural med primary care or underserved primary care. my app wasn't altogether clear on my focus (i have an extensive research background but had also worked for 2+ years in a primary care/urban underserved clinic in the e.lansing area) but one of my interviewers really got into where i saw myself practicing, what kind of med, yadda yadda and i didn't say Prim.care.

i don't think that when you get there you're tunnelled into primary care, but i do know that msu has a pretty good reputation as far as primary care goes (for both their MD and DO programs) and they have a lot of potential students seek that out and apply there specifically because of it. so in a different sort of way, beyond grades/mcat, they can be (and likely are) a little selective in that aspect.

i have scores/grades above their average (and i even did grad work at msu), i got a secondary, but had that weird called-back-for-a-third-interview thing happen after i interviewed there and was ultimately rejected somewhere around february. i prefer ann arbor anyway. 😉

and keep in mind that a good component of this whole process is just chance. 😀 i'm sure you'll do fine in the app process. good luck at your umich interview! 🙂