Preparing for a 3rd cycle - 3.74/522

[greenbear12]

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[mmchick]

A couple problems - your clinical hours and ECs were pretty average during both cycles which hurts applicants like you who have average/slightly above average stats. You have to stand out from the pack of applicants where majority of applicants have your similar stats (even though your second MCAT is by far stellar, this still doesn't make you stand out when ECs are average). Additionally, your list is way too top-heavy. It would've been fine to add a handful of them, but your list does not reflect your overall candidacy with the GPA (and downward trend last semester).

Regarding your clinical hours through scribing now, that's fantastic that you have that and should boost you in a 3rd cycle. It didn't matter at all in the 2nd cycle and you wasted writing space by trying to include anything about it - adcoms don't bat a single eyelash at prospective hours - they don't count and are assumed to potentially never happen as people drop prospective experiences all the time for a variety of reasons. So you essentially applied the 2nd round with no increase in EC experiences (which was a weakness) and a dramatically improved MCAT (which certainly could've helped, but a lot of schools average MCAT scores, so not always considered the 'easy fix' button to press, also considering your first MCAT wasn't necessarily a huge problem).

For a third cycle, I would suggest diversifying your school list, with the core percentage (60-70%) being made up of more middle-tier schools. I think with the MCAT, you have a shot at T20s, so it is fine to include some of those as well, but your list should not remain this top heavy. Also practice your interview skills as those potentially could've been an issue with neither of the 2 IIs becoming As. Lastly, you should continue to apply broadly as you did the 2nd cycle (~30 schools). Forget DO, your GPA/MCAT are too high.

I think your PS sounds fine with the right structure, I would simply beef up what you have with your updated experiences from scribing/food pantry and call it a day. Continue to apply very early (before July) and use secondaries (where applicable) to write a thoughtful, provoking narrative on the resilience you've gained from being a third-time reapplicant and life lessons you've garnered from these experiences. Stay away from excuses or highlighting negative aspects of your application and make the "reapplication discussion" about how this has been an important shaping experience + underlined the passion that you have for medicine. I think you have a decent cycle ahead of you if you make these adjustments.

You could ask @Faha @Goro for school suggestions.

 

[djiboutiman]

First off let me say this: I still think you are really a great applicant and should apply a third time if you feel ready. Just know that this is such a competitive process and even great applicants like yourself still have to reapply even a third time. It seems you've got the clinical hours, enough research hours, and even a decent amount of non-clinical volunteering. I know it may seem like it will never happen, but if you keep fighting for acceptance you can make it happen. As they say, nothing worth having comes easy.

I agree with everything the above poster mentioned, except that you should apply to DO schools. Nothing is guaranteed in medical school admissions, but after two MD only cycles, you need to apply to DO. You might not be a standout in MD admissions, but you'll be a top applicant for DO admissions. I myself had similar stats to yours (>95% MCAT, average gpa) and still haven't received an MD acceptance (sitting on 2 waitlists). Since this was my second cycle I applied to a few DOs and luckily will be starting medical school this fall at one of them, if not accepted off an MD waitlist. Even if you get into MDs next year, the DO acceptance can serve as a nice safe haven, so you won't have to do another cycle.

 

[greenbear12]

Thank you so much for the responses. @Goro @Faha @LizzyM Do you suggest I apply DO? Would it be bad to do 3 consecutive cycles?

 

[Faha]

You do not need to do a post bacc. You do need to include DO schools in the upcoming cycle. I suggest these MD schools with your stats:
Boston University
Tufts
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Pittsburgh
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
USF Morsani
Florida Atlantic
Central Florida
Miami
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Wayne State
U Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Case Western
Cincinnati
Ohio State
Iowa
Indiana
Washington University
UCI
UCD
California University
California Northstate
Kaiser
Also apply to DO schools and I suggest these:
Western
TUCOM-CA
AZCOM
DMU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
MU-COM
NYITCOM
PCOM
LECOM

 

[LizzyM]

Frankly, with your GPA, you'd be a non-starter at the T20 schools so I have no insights to add to the already good feedback you've received. If you have shadowed a DO and are open to going to DO school, make an application and make a case for why you think it is a good fit.

 

[Goro]

Thank you so much for the responses. @Goro @Faha @LizzyM Do you suggest I apply DO? Would it be bad to do 3 consecutive cycles?

You've already lost two years of clinician salary. You need DO schools on your list now.

I agree with Faha's list , except delete FAU and CNU