Question about applying

[Bevo]

After talking it over with my parents and my pre med advisor and some friends I have decided to apply to some medical programs in Israel and in latin america. But I was also looking at applying at maybe 1 DO school, just to see if I get lucky.

I was originally told to apply for entrance for 2004, since I would be more competitive then and which I still plan on doing. But I dont want to apply to all osteopathic schools in case I do get denied I dont want to be considered a reapplicant to all teh schools. I guess I am wondering if its possible to just apply 1 of the DO schools?

On a side note, if I do get into an international medical school, would I be apply to apply to a us medical program as an incoming student (transfering is very hard I understand)?


Thanks in advance!

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[San_Juan_Sun]

Yes, you absolutely may apply to only one DO school.

 

[Bevo]

hrmm, i feel like an idiot after writing that.

I guess I was wondering about the whole AACOM thing where they have a central repository of some info for each candidate?

 

[NKMU]

Imbedo said he/she didn't want to "be considered a reapplicant." How do schools view those students who apply a second (or even third) time? I guess I assumed if the applicant somehow strengthened his or her application and reapplied, that would be seen as dedication.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bevo]

from my understanding is that your first application should be your strongest. because after that if you reapply you have to show significant changes/improvements.

Ive heard the success rate is lower if you're a reapplicant.

 

[jhug]

imbebo, have you taken the mcat yet?? what are your experiences like?? If you are a way off yet i wouldn't worry too much, if you have already taken the mcat and are ready to graduate-- that may change how you look at things. I would definately apply to at least a few schools, i think that if you apply to a school and get rejected, talk with them as to why they didn't take you and really improve on those areas you would look really good. But i would never start the process unless you are 100%-- in other words, don't apply thinking/expecting you'll get rejected.

 

[Bevo]

I took the MCAT this august. Im a post bacc student and just taking courses to boost my gpa a bit more and get more experience with biology courses. Ive already spent time talking to a DO, Ive spent time volunteering and working with doctors. Experience wise I think Im somewhat set, the question marks have been my gpa and mcat. my gpa has steadily improved, and still improving. I find out about the MCAT this October.

I was originally planning on applying to all schools this summer after taking the april mcat but my advisor talked me out of it. He didnt think I had shown any fire yet. So I agreed to postpone my application another year, ie for fall 2004. But it left me with nothing to do for next year. So after talking with my parents and then to my pre med advisor, both liked the idea of me applying to some International schools, ie Sackler and Guadlajara. And my father and I thought it couldn't hurt to try applying to 1 DO school.

The only thing Im wondering about at this point is whether if I spend a year at an overseas school if I could apply as an incoming year I student to a DO or MD school. Of course this wouldn't matter if I got into the one DO school I applied too.

 

[jhug]

with all due respect to the wonderful advisors out there-- some really stink!!! My pre-med advisor actually told me not to apply and then went on to say that if only i were a woman or an URM i would be in anywhere! i was super upset!!! I decided to put my all into the application and it landed me 5 acceptances- i pulled my app at a few other schools. Improvement is good, experience will help a lot as far as DO schools go as well.
The transfer from an international school thing would concern me a bit though. I'm sure it can be done, but if your final desire is to end up in a med school in the states--personally-- i would eliminate the middle step of going international.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

My pre med advisor is famous for telling people they won't make it. he told me that in an intial interview, I came back a month later and he said I'd do fine. I think they do it to scare people into doing better, IMO. BTW, did you get my PM to you jhug?

 

[Bevo]

the school where I got my BA at the pre med advisor then was a horrible lady. She was also my undergrad dead and after my rough start at teh school told me I never should have been accepted to the school in the first place. great advisor huh?

She also told 2 of my personal friends her opnions of them. One friend had a good application, strong all around application and what not. But at his pre med commitee interview she told him that while he has the application to get in, she didn't think he would be a good doctor and would be writing in her letter of recommendation that he shouldn't be let in anywhere because in her honest opnion he wouldn't become a good doctor.

My other friend had a slightly lower gpa than she would have liked and said she would write on his LOR that she didn't think he could cut it in medical school with his grades. He had a 3.3 gpa and triple major in biology, pyschology and neuroscience and graduated a semester early.

Both are going to be year III students now.
So I know not all pre med advisors are worth a damn. But the guy I talk to now I feel knows his stuff. He used to be the dead of admissions at a medical school and has never persuaded me not to try, just trying to get me best prepared for it.