Please help me understand what I did wrong

[DZ2106]

Hey guys, hope everyone is doing well.

I am in the unfortunate situation of having 1 ii despite applying to 31 schools. If someone can critique my app and tell me what to improve on that would be amazing

Gpa: 3.9 sgpa, 3.86 cgpa, double major/rising trend

521 MCAT

1800 research hours, 2 pubs

400 hours as VP and founding member of a club

100 hours for an outreach I helped create focusing on creating tables throughout my city to educate the population about proper cardiovascular health and monitoring

300 shadowing/clinical volunteering at a nursing home

1000 bjj/Muay Thai

2100 for tutoring

1200 teaching as an adjunct at my alma mater

400 hours as a salesman

400 hours as treasurer of my frat and event coordinator of its parent org.

80 hours as pre-med educator for high school students at my college

UPDATE LETTER: 400 hours as an ophthalmic technician

3rd pub

Please help me improve my app in case I need to apply for next year. Thank you so much and your time is highly appreciated

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[Mr.Smile12]

When did you submit your application? Where did you submit your application/secondaries? Where is your state residency?

How much networking did you do with the schools on the top of your list prior to applying?

 

[DZ2106]

The higher tier schools I applied to early, the lower tier schools I applied to in mid august to mid September

I did zero networking whatsoever. I didn’t know that was something I was supposed to do.

Off the top of my head: Einstein, downstate, upstate, Hofstra, stony brook, Columbia, Cornell, Sinai, Rochester, NYU (I live in NYC)

Emory, FIU, USF, UMiami

UCSD, UCSF, Irvine, USC, Stanford, UCLA

Vandy, Northwestern, UChicago, Brown, Dartmouth, UMich, UVA, BU, CU

 

[Homunculus150]

In a similar situation to you where I only have one II from 37 schools despite great stats and ECs.

My issue after reevaluating my app was bad essays and applying too top-heavy.

No idea about your essays but the schools you listed off seem to lean towards the higher end of the rankings.

 

[candbgirl]

What state do you live in? Did you use the MSAR to develop your list? You seem to have lots of OOS public schools? Are they OOS friendly? You have tons of teaching/tutoring. That’s not bad but maybe reviewers are wondering why isn’t this person going to be a teacher? While you have lots of activities they all seem to be very much in your comfort zone. Maybe try to find some nonclinical volunteering opportunities off campus, out of your comfort zone. Find activities that will stretch your interaction with the unserved/underserved in your community-those less fortunate than yourself. Compared to other areas on your application, your clinical experiences are rather sparse. How much shadowing did you do? Any with a primary care doc? What exactly did you do at the Nursing Home?
How was your interview? When will you hear from the school?

 

[Faha]

Are you a New York resident or a California resident ?

 

[DZ2106]

In a similar situation to you where I only have one II from 37 schools despite great stats and ECs.

My issue after reevaluating my app was bad essays and applying too top-heavy.

No idea about your essays but the schools you listed off seem to lean towards the higher end of the rankings.

Yea, but I figured since my gpa and MCAT are above the median for at least half of my schools, then they would be considered targets. I thought that if I went with schools with an MCAT more than 5 point lower than mine they’d drop me for yield protection

 

[DZ2106]

What state do you live in? Did you use the MSAR to develop your list? You seem to have lots of OOS public schools? Are they OOS friendly? You have tons of teaching/tutoring. That’s not bad but maybe reviewers are wondering why isn’t this person going to be a teacher? While you have lots of activities they all seem to be very much in your comfort zone. Maybe try to find some nonclinical volunteering opportunities off campus, out of your comfort zone. Find activities that will stretch your interaction with the unserved/underserved in your community-those less fortunate than yourself. Compared to other areas on your application, your clinical experiences are rather sparse. How much shadowing did you do? Any with a primary care doc? What exactly did you do at the Nursing Home?
How was your interview? When will you hear from the school?

NYC native, and yes I used the MSAR. At least half of the schools I picked have an mCAT and gpa median below my grades/mCAT (514-518 range)

I have 300 hours in the nursing home only basically being as hands-on as possible. The nurse was a general surgeon doing wound care rounds so I would be responsible for flipping the patient and giving the doc supplies, removing bandages, etc. after rounds we’d occasionally have PBL-style “lectures” for an hour or so. I also updated schools with about 400 hours of work as an ophthalmic technician. I also shadowed some physiatrists at the youth boxing leagues in underserved communities.

The interview went well! But I’ve been told not to put much stake in what they interviewers tell me. The decision comes out on 2/21

Ive always wanted to volunteer for some kind of mental health based programs. Especially MAPS/ketamine clinics/psychological intervention trials

 

[ekaplun]

When did you submit your application? Where did you submit your application/secondaries? Where is your state residency?

How much networking did you do with the schools on the top of your list prior to applying?

I'm not OP, I just have a question if you're willing to answer. How would someone go about networking to help admissions? I come from a family of immigrants so I don't really have any "connections" here. TIA!

 

[candbgirl]

NYC native, and yes I used the MSAR. At least half of the schools I picked have an mCAT and gpa median below my grades/mCAT (514-518 range)

I have 300 hours in the nursing home only basically being as hands-on as possible. The nurse was a general surgeon doing wound care rounds so I would be responsible for flipping the patient and giving the doc supplies, removing bandages, etc. after rounds we’d occasionally have PBL-style “lectures” for an hour or so. I also updated schools with about 400 hours of work as an ophthalmic technician. I also shadowed some physiatrists at the youth boxing leagues in underserved communities.

The interview went well! But I’ve been told not to put much stake in what they interviewers tell me. The decision comes out on 2/21

Ive always wanted to volunteer for some kind of mental health based programs. Especially MAPS/ketamine clinics/psychological intervention trials

It’s good to use the MSAR in the way you did but it sounds like you didn’t use it to find OOS public schools that are friendly(open to interviewing and accepting)OOS applicants. This is important as most OOS public(state)schools favor their own residents. I’m really surprised you didn’t get more II from NY schools.
Your work at the Hospice sounds very hands on. Thanks for responding.

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

I'm not OP, I just have a question if you're willing to answer. How would someone go about networking to help admissions? I come from a family of immigrants so I don't really have any "connections" here. TIA!

IMO, lack of networking with schools is not the issue with OP's situation. Plenty of people get accepted without doing any "networking."

 

[bobow98]

Wow it's been a long time since I clicked into this part of the forum.
With stats like these (I assume 521 is really really good) something is wrong with a letter or possibly your essays/secondary essays. Do a little digging.
Apply to all NY state schools next time around if you didn't this time.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm not OP, I just have a question if you're willing to answer. How would someone go about networking to help admissions? I come from a family of immigrants so I don't really have any "connections" here. TIA!

Have you gone to recruitment events at the schools? Talked to AMSA members or SNMA events? There's a lot of advice from their premed committees and they would be able to give you some insight about their schools. I'd also make sure to ask what other people are resources especially first generation students. No it won't give you a huge leg up in applying but it makes you more informed and better prepared when you decide where to go.

That said, for me evidence of networking and mentoring are big advantages to assure me the applicant has support or can find support if accepted. That's a positive quality for me.

 

[ekaplun]

Have you gone to recruitment events at the schools? Talked to AMSA members or SNMA events? There's a lot of advice from their premed committees and they would be able to give you some insight about their schools. I'd also make sure to ask what other people are resources especially first generation students. No it won't give you a huge leg up in applying but it makes you more informed and better prepared when you decide where to go.

That said, for me evidence of networking and mentoring are big advantages to assure me the applicant has support or can find support if accepted. That's a positive quality for me.

Thanks so much!