Possible re-applicant, advice needed.

[LostinLift]

Edited,


If you're worried about being a re applicant or will be a re applicant, seriously apply day 1 and have secondaries and LOR ready to go. It is probably the most important part of the process.

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[Goro]

Your post-bac and the outstanding MCAT (although, what's this + business? Is that what you're expecting?...if so, we're dealing with a big hypothetical here) should be enough for some success. I suspect that you aimed too high with the highly competitive Ca schools. Your best bet will be with all the low tier and new MD schools, and any DO program, including mine. SMP is definitely not necessary. I suspect your secondaries got out too late, too.

Hey ya'll,

So I am applying this cycle and submitted my secondaries between 9-25 and 10-21, as well as 3 schools added and finished by 10-31. Rejected from UCSF and Vandy pre-secondary, Boston post-secondary. I'm waiting to hear back from 30 other schools right now. Resident of a state with a decent shot at state school - I did research there with a letter of rec from medical school professor. Received secondaries from UCI and UCSD OOS.

3.19 c GPA ~same science. 3.0 undergrad. 3.8+ post-bacc 47 units. 35+ MCAT. I worked full time in undergrad (30-60) hours for family reasons, varsity sport, lots of volunteering, decent research including at a med school no pubs, 1+yr clinical work experience, good leadership ec's with near-death experience save, 5 recs in my committee letter (1 decent, 3 great, 1 walking on water). PS describes my story, journey, and reasons for medicine in a pretty compelling way IMO.

I work 2 jobs right now, one clinical and non-clinical, both involve a lot of direct patient/person interaction and I volunteer at a new place. Other than that I'm not doing much right now, trying to stop neurotically checking SDN school-specific forums and enjoy life while I wait.

I am worried that I will have to re-apply. I am thinking of taking Spring classes if I haven't heard anything by January. Other than that I need to work to support myself so I couldn't get involved in anything that requires a significant time commitment where I'm at so I would have to move back home. I think my application is very solid except for my overall GPA, so would taking additional classes, applying right away next year and sending an updated GPA once my grades are in be a feasible plan? I don't see what else I could do at this point and I don't want to do an SMP as I don't believe it's necessary in my case.

 

[QofQuimica]

Today is November 8. You were therefore complete at some schools all of one week ago. Give them some time (at least 1-2 months) to process your app, particularly since you're a nontrad applicant. As Goro said, your app sounds reasonably competitive, and I think you will receive some invites. If you do want to add some additional schools, consider focusing on the South and Midwest, as there are many excellent schools in those regions that get far fewer apps than the coastal schools do simply because of their location.

Best of luck.

 

[LostinLift]

Thank you both. Goro "+" just indicates that my score is above that number but without being too explicit about my exact stats. You were right Quimica, I actually just received my first and second interview invitations! Even if I only get two I am more than grateful. Midwest has my home state but I will plan for some more Southern schools if I have to next year

 

[QofQuimica]

Thank you both. Goro "+" just indicates that my score is above that number but without being too explicit about my exact stats. You were right Quimica, I actually just received my first and second interview invitations! Even if I only get two I am more than grateful. Midwest has my home state but I will plan for some more Southern schools if I have to next year

Congrats! Again, I think you'll get some more. But if you haven't heard back from a school after being complete there for two months and it's somewhere you really want to interview, you might try reaching out to them. Best of luck.

 

[LostinLift]

Just wanted to update saying I got my first acceptance to my top choice school! I have several other interviews but I will be withdrawing from them! I am elated, thrilled, and grateful!

 

[QofQuimica]

Awesome. One of the times I'm actually happy to be able to say, "toldja so!"