MD Re-applicant; Help with List! 3.98 sGPA, 3.91 cGPA, 37 MCAT

[timeflies]

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Re-applicant here! I'm a CA resident, attended a UC for undergrad + grad school and research is by far my strong suit.

I have an M.S. in Biology, which I was working on during the app cycle when I was last applying

I applied two years ago (2013-2014 cycle). Received 4 interviews (all CA schools), 3 wait-lists, and of course zero acceptances.

Looking back, I realize that I probably applied too ambitiously and am hoping to create a broader, more realistic list of schools this time around. Hoping y'all can help!

sGPA: 3.98
cGPA: 3.91
MCAT: 37 (13/9/15)

graduate GPA: 3.95

Work/Activities:

Research: Immunology Lab @ Stanford, 1 summer (300 hrs)
Immunology Lab, 3 years including the Master's Thesis (2,000+ hrs)
Genetics Lab, 1 yr (currently working here, 900+ hrs)
Summer Research Scholar (stipend, 400 hrs)
Undergrad Research Conferences, 2012 & 2013
LJ Immunology Conference - Poster
Biology Research Showcase - Poster

Publications: Abstract @ Professional Rheumatology Conference
1 nature pub (low authorship)
2 pending hopefully (top 3 authorship, I presume)

Extracurriculars: Pre-medical Fraternity, VP Finance, 2 yrs (500 hrs, lots of interspersed community service)
Baseball (county league, 3 yrs) Soccer (county league, 1 yr), Volleyball (intra-murals, 2 yrs)

Service: Volunteering abroad, Tanzania, 4 weeks (non-clinical)
Volunteering abroad, Ecuador, 1 week (non-clinical)
ICU Volunteer (clinical, 100 hrs)

Shadowing: Clinical shadowing/clinical research, Ophthalmology (100 hrs)

Leadership: Teaching Assistant, 4 different biology courses

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[timeflies]

For reference, here was my full list two years ago:

BU
Columbia
UCLA
Duke
Dartmouth
Georgetown
Harvard
JHU
USC
Mayo
Mt. Sinai
Northwestern
UPenn
Stanford
Tufts
UCSD
UCSF
UCSD
UCI
UCR
UChicago
UWashington
WashU
Cornell
Yale

It's grotesquely top-heavy, and looking back, I definitely I should've applied to more mid-tier schools. Hopefully someone can help me identify some good ones!

 

[Lawpy]

Could you clarify what you did differently now from what you did back in 2013-2014 application cycle? I know you completed your MS, but anything else?

 

[timeflies]

Could you clarify what you did differently now from what you did back in 2013-2014 application cycle? I know you completed your MS, but anything else?

I've bolded everything new since the last application cycle.

Research: Immunology Lab @ Stanford, 1 summer (300 hrs)
Immunology Lab, 3 years including the Master's Thesis (2,000+ hrs)
Genetics Lab, 1 yr (currently working here, 900+ hrs)
Summer Research Scholar (stipend, 400 hrs)
Undergrad Research Conferences, 2012 & 2013
LJ Immunology Conference - Poster
Biology Research Showcase - Poster

Publications: Abstract @ Professional Rheumatology Conference
1 nature pub (low authorship)
2 pending hopefully (top 3 authorship, I presume)

Extracurriculars: Pre-medical Fraternity, VP Finance, 2 yrs (500 hrs, lots of interspersed community service)
Baseball (county league, 3 yrs) Soccer (county league, 1 yr), Volleyball (intra-murals, 2 yrs)

Service: Volunteering abroad, Tanzania, 4 weeks (non-clinical)
Volunteering abroad, Ecuador, 1 week (non-clinical)
ICU Volunteer (clinical, 100 hrs)

Shadowing: Clinical shadowing/clinical research, Ophthalmology (100 hrs)

Leadership: Teaching Assistant, 4 different biology courses

Essentially, I've been heavily involved in research since the last cycle.

I've also shadowed and worked extensively in an ophthalmology clinic, which I think was one of my weakest areas (clinical) of experience last time around.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Now my mathematical aptitude isn't what it used to be, but it doesn't look like your subscores (14/9/15) add up to 37. Which score is a point too high? If it's your verbal, which is actually an 8, that may help explain why you didn't get much love from the schools you applied to (most of them have a 10th percentile verbal score of 10, a couple of them 9).

 

[timeflies]

Now my mathematical aptitude isn't what it used to be, but it doesn't look like your subscores (14/9/15) add up to 37. Which score is a point too high? If it's your verbal, which is actually an 8, that may help explain why you didn't get much love from the schools you applied to (most of them have a 10th percentile verbal score of 10, a couple of them 9).

Oops, you're absolutely right!

Although I actually mistyped my PS score. It should read (13/9/15). I've edited the original post

 

[gyngyn]

4 interviews with a 37 and no acceptances gives me pause to ask about your interview prep.
Do you come across as cheerful, collaborative and well-read?

 

[timeflies]

4 interviews with a 37 and no acceptances gives me pause to ask about your interview prep.
Do you come across as cheerful, collaborative and well-read?

Poor interview prep may have been a very real possibility as to why I ended up mostly waitlisted.

I had 2 MMIs and 2 traditional interviews. I certainly like to believe that I come off as well-spoken and cheerful in the interviews.

Is there any specific prep or advice that you would recommend to have more success this time around?

 

[shopsteward]

I'd say that you need as much more US clinical experience as you can get, specifically primary care experience. Try hospice/nursing home volunteering. As well as demonstrating your knowledge of and commitment to the US health system (experience abroad: meh) it will give you good stuff to talk about at interviews.

 

[gyngyn]

Poor interview prep may have been a very real possibility as to why I ended up mostly waitlisted.

I had 2 MMIs and 2 traditional interviews. I certainly like to believe that I come off as well-spoken and cheerful in the interviews.

Is there any specific prep or advice that you would recommend to have more success this time around?

Does your undergrad have a career planning office?
If so, they often do interview prep/mock interviews.
There is plenty out there on how to approach (game?) the MMI.

 

[timeflies]

Does your undergrad have a career planning office?
If so, they often do interview prep/mock interviews.
There is plenty out there on how to approach (game?) the MMI.

I will certainly look into mock interview preparation this time around.

Do you have any recommendations with regard to re-applying to a majority of the same schools for this upcoming 2016 cycle?
I feel as though I am a stronger applicant, having had two years since the last cycle to improve my application. However, I am worried that I will have trouble getting interviews at schools to which I had already applied.

 

[gyngyn]

I will certainly look into mock interview preparation this time around.

Do you have any recommendations with regard to re-applying to a majority of the same schools for this upcoming 2016 cycle?
I feel as though I am a stronger applicant, having had two years since the last cycle to improve my application. However, I am worried that I will have trouble getting interviews at schools to which I had already applied.

If this is only your second cycle and you improve your communication skills, there is no reason not to re-apply. Some "top" schools don't re-interview, though.

 

[timeflies]

If this is only your second cycle and you improve your communication skills, there is no reason not to re-apply. Some "top" schools don't re-interview, though.

Thank you for so much for all the help! I greatly appreciate it.

My primary application was not verified until August 26 during the first cycle. I certainly plan to submit much, much earlier this year as well.

 

[Simpson]

Re-applicant here! I'm a CA resident, attended a UC for undergrad + grad school and research is by far my strong suit.

I have an M.S. in Biology, which I was working on during the app cycle when I was last applying

I applied two years ago (2013-2014 cycle). Received 4 interviews (all CA schools), 3 wait-lists, and of course zero acceptances.

Looking back, I realize that I probably applied too ambitiously and am hoping to create a broader, more realistic list of schools this time around. Hoping y'all can help!

sGPA: 3.98
cGPA: 3.91
MCAT: 37 (13/9/15)

graduate GPA: 3.95

Work/Activities:

Research: Immunology Lab @ Stanford, 1 summer (300 hrs)
Immunology Lab, 3 years including the Master's Thesis (2,000+ hrs)
Genetics Lab, 1 yr (currently working here, 900+ hrs)
Summer Research Scholar (stipend, 400 hrs)
Undergrad Research Conferences, 2012 & 2013
LJ Immunology Conference - Poster
Biology Research Showcase - Poster

Publications: Abstract @ Professional Rheumatology Conference
1 nature pub (low authorship)
2 pending hopefully (top 3 authorship, I presume)

Extracurriculars: Pre-medical Fraternity, VP Finance, 2 yrs (500 hrs, lots of interspersed community service)
Baseball (county league, 3 yrs) Soccer (county league, 1 yr), Volleyball (intra-murals, 2 yrs)

Service: Volunteering abroad, Tanzania, 4 weeks (non-clinical)
Volunteering abroad, Ecuador, 1 week (non-clinical)
ICU Volunteer (clinical, 100 hrs)

Shadowing: Clinical shadowing/clinical research, Ophthalmology (100 hrs)

Leadership: Teaching Assistant, 4 different biology courses

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

With stats like these, I don't understand why you are waiting another year. You should have applied to a mid-tier medical college. A MD is an MD. I thought residency was determined by your USMLE scores, not the name of your medical college.

 

[Faha]

Here are some MD schools where you would be competitive with your stats.
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Commonwealth (PA)
GW
Vermont
Wake Forest
Tulane
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
St. Louis
Creighton
Any new private MD schools that open for 2016

 

[FFH]

You might want to take a look at my MDApp. We have similar states and I'm also a reapplicant. Your interview skills might be different because you might be more matured. I tend to think that's the case for me.

 

[timeflies]

Hopping on the board the end-of-cycle update!
Hoping this will help any potential re-applicants out there, since I know how tough it is to bounce back after an unsuccessful cycle.

Ended up applying to mostly the same schools. In fact, I didn't receive II from any of the 5 new schools I added (NYU, Emory, Pitt, Einstein, Rochester). Details are in my MDApps.

Applied: 24
Interview Invites: 6 (UC Davis, Mt. Sinai, Cornell, UCSD, Northwestern, Dartmouth-withdrew)
Waitlists: 3 (UC Davis, Mt. Sinai, Cornell)
Acceptances: 2 (UCSD, Northwestern)