Potential Third Time Reapplicant

[CDWelsh]

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Hi there friends,

As chances to get into schools this cycle are drawing slim, I am facing the possibility that I may have to re-apply (as I have a waitlist on one school that I'm skeptical about).
Currently I have a 32 MCAT (11, 11, 10) and a GPA of 3.84. After my enormously unsuccessful first round of applications, I knew my weak spot was an obvious lack of clinical experience, so I spent the year focusing on ways to boost that aspect of my application. I did approximately 200 (or a little over) hours of hospital volunteering (patient escort). After applying again, I had one interview and one (pending) waitlist from it--even after receiving secondary applications from all of the schools I applied to, save one.
My overall community/clinical experience looks like:
~200 hours hospital volunteering
~40 hours physician shadowing
~30 hours tutoring biology
~4 sessions of community outreach motivational/academic speaking
~5 summers' worth of volunteering as a CIT at a day camp.
Additionally, I got a job to help fill out resume, as I didn't have much in the way of practical job experience. If I don't make my way in on the pending waitlist, I plan on enrolling at a local college to take some post-grad classes as well as continue volunteering--if that's a good idea.
Really, I'm looking for advice. Should I apply again? What can I do to help bolster my resume? I'm really at a loss.

Thanks everyone.

 

[HAVOK121121]

Hi there friends,

As chances to get into schools this cycle are drawing slim, I am facing the possibility that I may have to re-apply (as I have a waitlist on one school that I'm skeptical about).
Currently I have a 32 MCAT (11, 11, 10) and a GPA of 3.84. After my enormously unsuccessful first round of applications, I knew my weak spot was an obvious lack of clinical experience, so I spent the year focusing on ways to boost that aspect of my application. I did approximately 200 (or a little over) hours of hospital volunteering (patient escort). After applying again, I had one interview and one (pending) waitlist from it--even after receiving secondary applications from all of the schools I applied to, save one.
My overall community/clinical experience looks like:
~200 hours hospital volunteering
~40 hours physician shadowing
~30 hours tutoring biology
~4 sessions of community outreach motivational/academic speaking
~5 summers' worth of volunteering as a CIT at a day camp.
Additionally, I got a job to help fill out resume, as I didn't have much in the way of practical job experience. If I don't make my way in on the pending waitlist, I plan on enrolling at a local college to take some post-grad classes as well as continue volunteering--if that's a good idea.
Really, I'm looking for advice. Should I apply again? What can I do to help bolster my resume? I'm really at a loss.

Thanks everyone.

What schools have you applied to in each cycle?

 

[CDWelsh]

What schools have you applied to in each cycle?

In the first cycle I only applied to local schools, with the exception of a couple big name out of state ones (I live in Michigan).
The second cycle I applied to about 20 schools across the country, including the six in my home state.

 

[Mad Jack]

Given that it's your third cycle and your ECs are fairly spotty (most are little spurts here and there with no long-term commitment, or at least that's the way it looks on the surface) and that your MCAT is basically average for an MD applicant (most of which have stronger ECs), I'd do a combination of things:

-Apply broader on the MD side, particularly to lower-tier, out-of-state schools. You've given the locals a shot and they're not biting- reapply, but apply to an additional 15 new (haven't applied to before), lower-tier options out of state, in addition to 5-10 mid-tiers.
-Add in 10 DO schools. PCOM and MSUCOM really shouldn't count in this regard, as they heavily bias toward ECs- feel free to apply, but don't lump them in with your ten.
-Have some people give your personal statement a look.

You're probably looking at 40 schools on the MD side to have a decent chance, possibly more because you're a reapplicant with not so stellar ECs. On the DO side, 10-15 schools would be fine if you mix in some of the lower-stat schools (LECOM and the like).

 

[Deranged Medic]

Hi there friends,

As chances to get into schools this cycle are drawing slim, I am facing the possibility that I may have to re-apply (as I have a waitlist on one school that I'm skeptical about).
Currently I have a 32 MCAT (11, 11, 10) and a GPA of 3.84. After my enormously unsuccessful first round of applications, I knew my weak spot was an obvious lack of clinical experience, so I spent the year focusing on ways to boost that aspect of my application. I did approximately 200 (or a little over) hours of hospital volunteering (patient escort). After applying again, I had one interview and one (pending) waitlist from it--even after receiving secondary applications from all of the schools I applied to, save one.
My overall community/clinical experience looks like:
~200 hours hospital volunteering
~40 hours physician shadowing
~30 hours tutoring biology
~4 sessions of community outreach motivational/academic speaking
~5 summers' worth of volunteering as a CIT at a day camp.
Additionally, I got a job to help fill out resume, as I didn't have much in the way of practical job experience. If I don't make my way in on the pending waitlist, I plan on enrolling at a local college to take some post-grad classes as well as continue volunteering--if that's a good idea.
Really, I'm looking for advice. Should I apply again? What can I do to help bolster my resume? I'm really at a loss.

Thanks everyone.

Just wanted to tell you don't give up hope! I know a guy who applied 4 years in a row before he was accepted. He has been very successful in medical school, and he is one of the most respected students in his class. MJ gave excellent advice above, but I would also suggest checking out the private schools for your OOS school list. Embrace the suck; good things do happen to those who show grit and determination.

 

[CDWelsh]

Given that it's your third cycle and your ECs are fairly spotty (most are little spurts here and there with no long-term commitment, or at least that's the way it looks on the surface) and that your MCAT is basically average for an MD applicant (most of which have stronger ECs), I'd do a combination of things:

-Apply broader on the MD side, particularly to lower-tier, out-of-state schools. You've given the locals a shot and they're not biting- reapply, but apply to an additional 15 new (haven't applied to before), lower-tier options out of state, in addition to 5-10 mid-tiers.
-Add in 10 DO schools. PCOM and MSUCOM really shouldn't count in this regard, as they heavily bias toward ECs- feel free to apply, but don't lump them in with your ten.
-Have some people give your personal statement a look.

You're probably looking at 40 schools on the MD side to have a decent chance, possibly more because you're a reapplicant with not so stellar ECs. On the DO side, 10-15 schools would be fine if you mix in some of the lower-stat schools (LECOM and the like).

Thank you very much for the feedback--so you would suggest I reapply for the 2016 cycle?

 

[Mad Jack]

Thank you very much for the feedback--so you would suggest I reapply for the 2016 cycle?

Yeah. Your app isn't killing you, you just need to be more broad.

 

[CDWelsh]

Yeah. Your app isn't killing you, you just need to be more broad.

You da man.
Add this one on the list of things I wish my pre-medical advisor would have explained.

 

[road2md]

You have solid numbers and that's very promising. Unfortunately, your ECs are well below average.

If all you did is those 200 hours (~3.8 hrs/wk, and simply patient escorting, which isn't unique and not as meaningful as it could be), then your results aren't that surprising. I recommend continuing this but maybe cutting it down to 2 hrs/wk and do something else in addition to this. More shadowing and volunteering in the ER, trauma centers, hospice.

Keep in mind many schools automatically send out secondaries without screening, so you should be applying to a minimum of 40 schools.

Do you have any research experience?

 

[CDWelsh]

You have solid numbers and that's very promising. Unfortunately, your ECs are well below average.

If all you did is those 200 hours (~3.8 hrs/wk, and simply patient escorting, which isn't unique and not as meaningful as it could be), then your results aren't that surprising. I recommend continuing this but maybe cutting it down to 2 hrs/wk and do something else in addition to this. More shadowing and volunteering in the ER, trauma centers, hospice.

Keep in mind many schools automatically send out secondaries without screening, so you should be applying to a minimum of 40 schools.

Do you have any research experience?

I also neglected 50 hours of Hospice care that should have been in there. That's my bad. But as far as research experience goes, I have one semester of it. It's barely even worth mentioning.

 

[Goro]

I think you've done all that you can do, other than doing some more service volunteering.

I suggest that a well thought out list will help you the most. Target schools whose median stats are closest to your own.

Hi there friends,

As chances to get into schools this cycle are drawing slim, I am facing the possibility that I may have to re-apply (as I have a waitlist on one school that I'm skeptical about).
Currently I have a 32 MCAT (11, 11, 10) and a GPA of 3.84. After my enormously unsuccessful first round of applications, I knew my weak spot was an obvious lack of clinical experience, so I spent the year focusing on ways to boost that aspect of my application. I did approximately 200 (or a little over) hours of hospital volunteering (patient escort). After applying again, I had one interview and one (pending) waitlist from it--even after receiving secondary applications from all of the schools I applied to, save one.
My overall community/clinical experience looks like:
~200 hours hospital volunteering
~40 hours physician shadowing
~30 hours tutoring biology
~4 sessions of community outreach motivational/academic speaking
~5 summers' worth of volunteering as a CIT at a day camp.
Additionally, I got a job to help fill out resume, as I didn't have much in the way of practical job experience. If I don't make my way in on the pending waitlist, I plan on enrolling at a local college to take some post-grad classes as well as continue volunteering--if that's a good idea.
Really, I'm looking for advice. Should I apply again? What can I do to help bolster my resume? I'm really at a loss.

Thanks everyone.