MD Re-applicant to Harvard

[neurotictenner]

Hi guys,

I'm re-applying to Harvard. I've got a LizzyM of 74.1 (3.91, 516). I've also got solid ECs, strong clinical exposure and shadowing both in and out of the U.S., 2.5 yrs research (but no publications). So far, have two IIs at smaller, in-state schools.

Since my rejection last cycle, I got straight As in my final college semester, got academic awards, graduated with highest Latin honors (top 5% of the class), did more research, did a research conference at my college, gained more clinical exposure in the US and abroad, and got a new clinical research and scribe position for the upcoming application year. I argued all of the above in the supplement, highlighting what I have done to strengthen my app, and honors I earned since my rejection. I didn't resit the MCAT due to it already being pretty close (just slightly lower) to the median for Harvard's matriculating class as is, and due to the risks associated with resitting, and my GPA was already solid as is.

I have yet to see any cases of a successful re-applicant to HMS. I was complete in mid-July. Am I wasting my time, or do you think that there is a fair shout of them taking a second punt on me?

This isn't a brag by any stretch. At best, I am a slightly-below average applicant to Harvard in my opinion. I am just genuinely concerned, and really want to go here....a second, honest opinion into my chances would really be appreciated. Also, if any of you know a successful reapplicant to Harvard, could you let me know?

Thanks

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[candbgirl]

Did HMS interview you last cycle? Did any schools interview you? What were the results?


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[neurotictenner]

Did HMS interview you last cycle? Did any schools interview you? What were the results?


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HMS didn't interview me last cycle. I only applied to 3 schools last cycle as a hail-mary late applicant. I DID get an II at the other top 15 school I applied to last cycle- got turned down in the end.

 

[Goro]

Hi guys,

I'm re-applying to Harvard. I've got a LizzyM of 74.1 (3.91, 516). I've also got solid ECs, strong clinical exposure and shadowing both in and out of the U.S., 2.5 yrs research (but no publications). So far, have two IIs at smaller, in-state schools.

Since my rejection last cycle, I got straight As in my final college semester, got academic awards, graduated with highest Latin honors (top 5% of the class), did more research, did a research conference at my college, gained more clinical exposure in the US and abroad, and got a new clinical research and scribe position for the upcoming application year. I argued all of the above in the supplement, highlighting what I have done to strengthen my app, and honors I earned since my rejection. I didn't resit the MCAT due to it already being pretty close (just slightly lower) to the median for Harvard's matriculating class as is, and due to the risks associated with resitting, and my GPA was already solid as is.

I have yet to see any cases of a successful re-applicant to HMS. I was complete in mid-July. Am I wasting my time, or do you think that there is a fair shout of them taking a second punt on me?

This isn't a brag by any stretch. At best, I am a slightly-below average applicant to Harvard in my opinion. I am just genuinely concerned, and really want to go here....a second, honest opinion into my chances would really be appreciated. Also, if any of you know a successful reapplicant to Harvard, could you let me know?

l

Do service to others volunteering? Your app so far screams research.

I suggest the following:

Case
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
JHU
U VA
U MI
U AZ
U VM
U Cincy
Ohio State
U IA
UCSF
UCLA,
Miami
Tulane
Albert Einstein
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
Mayo
Rochester
Dartmouth
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Your state schoo

 

[candbgirl]

HMS didn't interview me last cycle. I only applied to 3 schools last cycle as a hail-mary late applicant. I DID get an II at the other top 15 school I applied to last cycle- got turned down in the end.

Did you reapply this year? Did you apply to more than three schools? Applying to Med school is a crap shoot at best. Applying to Harvard - I have no idea how they do things.


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[efle]

If you did not get an interview last cycle, it is unlikely that new good grades and grade-related honors are going to get you love this time around. Your academic ability was already on display the first time. I'd try to keep expectations very low.

That said, a 3.9/34 is inside the IQR for many other excellent schools. What is your list overall for this cycle?

 

[Dremt]

HMS didn't interview me last cycle. I only applied to 3 schools last cycle as a hail-mary late applicant. I DID get an II at the other top 15 school I applied to last cycle- got turned down in the end.

If you were applying to Harvard late as well then you were already at a disadvantage. It seems many schools have turned to the rolling admissions side of things so the earlier the better especially for a super competitive school. This time around since you're much earlier it would seem you have a better chance than you did last time... But still realize there are probably a few thousand top 10-worthy candidates applying and there are simply only 100-200 spots available at Harvard

 

[neurotictenner]

If you were applying to Harvard late as well then you were already at a disadvantage. It seems many schools have turned to the rolling admissions side of things so the earlier the better especially for a super competitive school. This time around since you're much earlier it would seem you have a better chance than you did last time... But still realize there are probably a few thousand top 10-worthy candidates applying and there are simply only 100-200 spots available at Harvard

But isn't Harvard *NOT* rolling admissions? Or do you mean rolling in terms of handing out interview invites?

 

[md-2020]

Your app so far screams research.
...
Case
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
JHU
U VA
U MI
U AZ
U VM
U Cincy
Ohio State
U IA
UCSF
UCLA,
Miami
Tulane
Albert Einstein
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
Mayo
Rochester
Dartmouth
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Your state schoo

The OP is probably not URM, has no publications, and an MCAT at near the 10-25%ile for many of the Top 10s. OP is a reapplicant, and has not indicated that he/she has a significant undergraduate pedigree. Why are you suggesting places like HMS/Stanford/JHU/Yale? Or for that matter, UVa (as an OOS), Arizona (OOS), IA (OOS), UCSF (OOS, no research pubs), UCLA (OOS, not URM, no pubs)? Duke, Pitt, Emory, Michigan I could see as being realistic.

What do you see here that's worthy of such a high list?

 

[neurotictenner]

The OP is probably not URM, has no publications, and an MCAT at near the 10-25%ile for many of the Top 10s. OP is a reapplicant, and has not indicated that he/she has a significant undergraduate pedigree. Why are you suggesting places like HMS/Stanford/JHU/Yale? Or for that matter, UVa (as an OOS), Arizona (OOS), IA (OOS), UCSF (OOS, no research pubs), UCLA (OOS, not URM, no pubs)? Duke, Pitt, Emory, Michigan I could see as being realistic.

What do you see here that's worthy of such a high list?

What do you mean exactly by "significant undergraduate pedigree"?

 

[md-2020]

What do you mean exactly by "significant undergraduate pedigree"?

You went to Harvard -> more likely to get love from HMS and similar tippy top programs. For reference somewhere around 50% of my school's class every year went to HYPSM.

 

[Cigar]

What do you mean exactly by "significant undergraduate pedigree"?

Going to a top college


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[neurotictenner]

You went to Harvard -> more likely to get love from HMS and similar tippy top programs.

Oh, okay. Well, I mean, I was able to get a II as a late applicant (complete October) to a top 15 last cycle (put 2 hail mary apps to two top 15s last cycle, one of which was HMS). My GPA, courseload, service, and clinical exposure are strong and got that for me, I reckon. So fingers crossed, for another top 15 (if not HMS) this time around, I suppose.

 

[md-2020]

Oh, okay. Well, I mean, I was able to get a II as a late applicant (complete October) to a top 15 last cycle (put 2 hail mary apps to two top 15s last cycle, one of which was HMS). So fingers crossed, I suppose.

Not trying to be a jerk.

I think you're competitive for lots of places in the 10-30 range. Plus Duke and MI in the top 10. But the really top places if I were you (me being a generally conservative person) I wouldn't bother applying to.

Plus @Goro is usually a pretty cautious list maker as well, so I'm just curious if there's something I missed in reading your stats/ECs. He also suggested a lot of state schools that struck me as kinda random.

 

[neurotictenner]

Not trying to be a jerk.

I think you're competitive for lots of places in the 10-30 range. Plus Duke and MI in the top 10. But the really top places if I were you (me being a generally conservative person) I wouldn't bother applying to.

No worries, and thanks. Any rational feedback I can get is always appreciated. Cheers.

 

[Goro]

The OP is probably not URM, has no publications, and an MCAT at near the 10-25%ile for many of the Top 10s. OP is a reapplicant, and has not indicated that he/she has a significant undergraduate pedigree. Why are you suggesting places like HMS/Stanford/JHU/Yale? Or for that matter, UVa (as an OOS), Arizona (OOS), IA (OOS), UCSF (OOS, no research pubs), UCLA (OOS, not URM, no pubs)? Duke, Pitt, Emory, Michigan I could see as being realistic.

What do you see here that's worthy of such a high list?

Here's my reasoning:

A) A 516 is in striking distance for Harvard/Stanford class schools, as it's only 2 points below Harvard's and Yale's median. It is NOT at the 10-25th %ile.
B) The MCAT is only a single metric
C) One doesn't need pubs, but it sure helps.
D) I agree that since OP doesn't have the Ivy blood lines, that is a disadvantage, but not a lethal one.
E) Agree that a 516 is at the 25th %ile for JHU, but that's OK by my rubric.

 

[md-2020]

Here's my reasoning:

A) A 516 is in striking distance for Harvard/Stanford class schools, as it's only 2 points below Harvard's and Yale's median. It is NOT at the 10-25th %ile.
B) The MCAT is only a single metric
C) One doesn't need pubs, but it sure helps.
D) I agree that since OP doesn't have the Ivy blood lines, that is a disadvantage, but not a lethal one.
E) Agree that a 516 is at the 25th %ile for JHU, but that's OK by my rubric.

516 might be around the 25%ile at Stanford as well, IIRC (515-516ish I think). I see where you're coming from though. Still such a long shot that I might rather focus effort on places like Duke (which I would also personally also matriculate to over a few "better" places).

 

[Nav2020]

Hi guys,

I'm re-applying to Harvard. I've got a LizzyM of 74.1 (3.91, 516). I've also got solid ECs, strong clinical exposure and shadowing both in and out of the U.S., 2.5 yrs research (but no publications). So far, have two IIs at smaller, in-state schools.

Since my rejection last cycle, I got straight As in my final college semester, got academic awards, graduated with highest Latin honors (top 5% of the class), did more research, did a research conference at my college, gained more clinical exposure in the US and abroad, and got a new clinical research and scribe position for the upcoming application year. I argued all of the above in the supplement, highlighting what I have done to strengthen my app, and honors I earned since my rejection. I didn't resit the MCAT due to it already being pretty close (just slightly lower) to the median for Harvard's matriculating class as is, and due to the risks associated with resitting, and my GPA was already solid as is.

I have yet to see any cases of a successful re-applicant to HMS. I was complete in mid-July. Am I wasting my time, or do you think that there is a fair shout of them taking a second punt on me?

This isn't a brag by any stretch. At best, I am a slightly-below average applicant to Harvard in my opinion. I am just genuinely concerned, and really want to go here....a second, honest opinion into my chances would really be appreciated. Also, if any of you know a successful reapplicant to Harvard, could you let me know?

Thanks

Did you get HMS II?

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[neurotictenner]

Did you get HMS II?

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Nah, not in the end. Oh well.

 

[Trollest]

Nah, not in the end. Oh well.

Where did you get accepted?

 

[CardioAlways3524]

Don't give up! You never know what could happen.

 

[neurotictenner]

Don't give up! You never know what could happen.

Pretty sure that Harvard’s II cycle is over though