Probably will have to reapply. Not sure where I went wrong

[premedlovesbread]

Hi all! Got the news today that I am waitlisted at the only other school that gave me an interview invite. I know I have to prepare to reapply, but I'm just not sure what I'm missing. I posted a WAMC on these forums a while back, but to summarize, I've got a 3.97 gpa, 512 MCAT, 1000+ hours of pretty solid clinical employment as an MA, and 100+ hours of hospice volunteering. I know it's stupid, but I'm feeling so defeated about the whole process that it's hard to picture a path forward (especially I was already sinking into a relapse of depression before I got the news). Any advice on how to move forward on application next steps when you're feeling super down, or how to explain your situation to the people who were rooting for you (looking forward to a pretty uncomfortable and sad Christmas at this point)?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[candbgirl]

Where did you apply?
When were you complete?
Where did you interview? Interview outcomes?(Outright R, WL, etc.?)
I know it’s very hard but only around 40% of all applicants each cycle are accepted anywhere and of that 40% about half are accepted to only one school. You can take comfort that your application was at least good enough to get interviews. Maybe your list wasn’t good. Maybe your essays didn’t convey your focus on a specific mission fit.
It could be anything. Don’t get down on yourself. Get your mental health to a good spot. Reach out to your therapist. And remind yourself that over 60% of all applicants aren’t accepted anywhere each year and that includes stellar applicants too.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I mentioned nonclinical volunteering as a possible vulnerability. How are you addressing this? You need to make up the hours before you apply again should that come to be.

Mission fit?

 

[premedlovesbread]

I mentioned nonclinical volunteering as a possible vulnerability. How are you addressing this? You need to make up the hours before you apply again should that come to be.

Mission fit?

Yeah, I probably didn't do enough to address that, and it's something I'll work on if/when I reapply. I probably will take a more critical look at my application as a whole once I've decided what the game plan is and I get to a place where it's easier to function. Appreciate the input!

 

[Hollow Knight]

like Mr.Smile said, nonclinical volunteering is a must. And did you shadow?

Also, did you apply to your in-state schools and to DO?

 

[premedlovesbread]

like Mr.Smile said, nonclinical volunteering is a must. And did you shadow?

Also, did you apply to your in-state schools and to DO?

Yes to shadowing, and I applied to all my in-state schools (both the schools where I got waitlisted were my in-state). Didn't apply DO, but I probably should have. And I'll for sure look into more non-clinical volunteering once I can pull myself together a little more.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Make sure your app is written well. And you practice interviewing. Not sure why you didn't get in somewhere if you checked the boxes and your stats are good. Maybe you're in a super competitive state?

And always apply DO. You'll still be a doctor. Not sure why people don't (I'm not trying to offend you, I'm just surprised at how common it is that I read people on here who didn't apply DO)

 

[lacrossegirl420]

Do you have any research?

 

[premedlovesbread]

Do you have any research?

I have 300-ish hours in a biochem lab, but we didn't publish while I was working there. I felt like I could still talk substantially about what I learned, though, and the PI was one of my letter writers.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yeah, I probably didn't do enough to address that, and it's something I'll work on if/when I reapply. I probably will take a more critical look at my application as a whole once I've decided what the game plan is and I get to a place where it's easier to function. Appreciate the input!

Right after Christmas is the best time to reassess if you intend to submit a strong application next May. You can't just complete 150 hours of community service in a week.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Make sure your app is written well. And you practice interviewing. Not sure why you didn't get in somewhere if you checked the boxes and your stats are good. Maybe you're in a super competitive state?

And always apply DO. You'll still be a doctor. Not sure why people don't (I'm not trying to offend you, I'm just surprised at how common it is that I read people on here who didn't apply DO)

Not applying DO and stressing over acceptances and II's is very common. There is a corollary to this when someone has a DO acceptance but doesn't want to pay deposits because they are waitlisted at an MD school. I never understood why anyone would apply to a school that they don't want to attend if accepted. @candbgirl summarized the probabilities quite nicely above and every pre med should be aware of their chances before applying.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Hi all! Got the news today that I am waitlisted at the only other school that gave me an interview invite. I know I have to prepare to reapply, but I'm just not sure what I'm missing. I posted a WAMC on these forums a while back, but to summarize, I've got a 3.97 gpa, 512 MCAT, 1000+ hours of pretty solid clinical employment as an MA, and 100+ hours of hospice volunteering. I know it's stupid, but I'm feeling so defeated about the whole process that it's hard to picture a path forward (especially I was already sinking into a relapse of depression before I got the news). Any advice on how to move forward on application next steps when you're feeling super down, or how to explain your situation to the people who were rooting for you (looking forward to a pretty uncomfortable and sad Christmas at this point)?

Where do you live? Which state is your state of residence? Where do you file state income tax returns?

Whenever I see threads like this, I wonder about the OP's state of residence. The probability of getting accepted to medical school depends significantly on the applicant's state of residence. If you are from California, Rhode Island or New Hampshire or any other place in the northeast, you will have a more difficult path than someone from North Dakota or Mississippi. Don't believe me? See this table:

https://www.aamc.org/media/6076/download?attachment

The average MCAT score among matriculants from North Dakota is 506 and the average among matriculants from the South is 510.1. The average among matriculants from the Northeast is 513.5 and the average California matriculant scored 513.6.

I have no doubt that someone will object to this post on the grounds that the ratio of applicants to matriculants doesn't vary much among the states. The reason it doesn't vary that much is that applicants from places like California or the Northeast, who have stats that are significantly below their state's matriculant averages, make an economic decision to apply DO, go to Ireland or just throw in the towel. Don't believe me? See this table:

https://www.aamc.org/media/6071/download?attachment

The average applicant's MCAT from the Northeast is 507.8 and the average applicant MCAT from the South is 504.3. The average applicant MCAT from New Hampshire is 510.5 while the average from North Dakota is 501.

Since you stated that you applied to all of your state schools, I would wager that with your stats you are from California. If you don't get in this cycle, I would reapply to all of your state schools, apply to the DO schools with the lowest tuition (See LECOM and Ohio U), get a subscription to MSAR and apply to the private MD schools with matriculant stats below yours.

Good Luck.

 

[premedlovesbread]

Where do you live? Which state is your state of residence? Where do you file state income tax returns?

Whenever I see threads like this, I wonder about the OP's state of residence. The probability of getting accepted to medical school depends significantly on the applicant's state of residence. If you are from California, Rhode Island or New Hampshire or any other place in the northeast, you will have a more difficult path than someone from North Dakota or Mississippi. Don't believe me? See this table:

https://www.aamc.org/media/6076/download?attachment

The average MCAT score among matriculants from North Dakota is 506 and the average among matriculants from the South is 510.1. The average among matriculants from the Northeast is 513.5 and the average California matriculant scored 513.6.

I have no doubt that someone will object to this post on the grounds that the ratio of applicants to matriculants doesn't vary much among the states. The reason it doesn't vary that much is that applicants from places like California or the Northeast, who have stats that are significantly below their state's matriculant averages, make an economic decision to apply DO, go to Ireland or just throw in the towel. Don't believe me? See this table:

https://www.aamc.org/media/6071/download?attachment

The average applicant's MCAT from the Northeast is 507.8 and the average applicant MCAT from the South is 504.3. The average applicant MCAT from New Hampshire is 510.5 while the average from North Dakota is 501.

Since you stated that you applied to all of your state schools, I would wager that with your stats you are from California. If you don't get in this cycle, I would reapply to all of your state schools, apply to the DO schools with the lowest tuition (See LECOM and Ohio U), get a subscription to MSAR and apply to the private MD schools with matriculant stats below yours.

Good Luck.

I'm a New York resident, actually (the other very high cost-of-living state with really competitive med schools). And that's helpful to know--I was kind of worried that MCAT might be part of the issue. I was just frustrated to get two whole interviews with my state schools that I felt went well and then get waitlisted. It's making it so hard to come up with a new plan when I don't know definitively what was wrong with my application or if I can fix it.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

I'm a New York resident, actually (the other very high cost-of-living state with really competitive med schools). And that's helpful to know--I was kind of worried that MCAT might be part of the issue. I was just frustrated to get two whole interviews with my state schools that I felt went well and then get waitlisted. It's making it so hard to come up with a new plan when I don't know definitively what was wrong with my application or if I can fix it.

Yep, New York is not a great place to call home if you want to go to medical school. The New York state owned med schools have classes that are 75% home grown, but the number of state owned seats is small relative to the state's population. You can see that your MCAT score is higher than the national average among matriculants but it's below the ridiculously high New York average. Since you are from New York, make sure you apply to Lake Erie COM if you are willing to go the DO route. LECOM is dirt cheap.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hi all! Got the news today that I am waitlisted at the only other school that gave me an interview invite. I know I have to prepare to reapply, but I'm just not sure what I'm missing. I posted a WAMC on these forums a while back, but to summarize, I've got a 3.97 gpa, 512 MCAT, 1000+ hours of pretty solid clinical employment as an MA, and 100+ hours of hospice volunteering. I know it's stupid, but I'm feeling so defeated about the whole process that it's hard to picture a path forward (especially I was already sinking into a relapse of depression before I got the news). Any advice on how to move forward on application next steps when you're feeling super down, or how to explain your situation to the people who were rooting for you (looking forward to a pretty uncomfortable and sad Christmas at this point)?

Being on the waitlist is frustrating. My sympathies. The lack of non-clinical volunteering is a weakness that you can fix before you reapply, if you decide to do so. But as @candbgirl pointed out, most med school applicants every year are rejected. Suggestions for next year if the WL doesn't turn into an A:

1) Do some non-clinical volunteering and start ASAP. It may also help your mood.
2) Apply DO and also apply to some MD programs OOS that are OOS-friendly and where you are more competitive.
3) Have this year's app reviewed to make sure you made the most of your experiences and presented yourself articulately. The two II's would indicate that you did, but still if you made mistakes, you don' want to make them again.
4) Have mock interviews. Again, if you made mistakes, you don't want to make them again.

I hope the above advice isn't needed because you get accepted.

​

​