Re-apply for a third time? Help!

[floridagirl3]

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So I have already applied twice (including this cycle, still no interviews)
I've applied to all of the schools in Florida and a few out-of-state
My total GPA is a 3.76, bcpm is a 3.63, chem major, went to a university for all four years
25 on the MCAT first go around (had bronchitis and a fever, meh), retook two months later and got a 30 (11 verbal, 10 bio, 9 physical)
I have extensive volunteering and shadowing experience, have an EMT license and 6 months of work in the ED, was a TA for four consecutive semesters (head TA for the last), and also a lab instructor for another course
I have some research experience from college (one summer), and am currently working full time in a research lab
Do I apply a third time? Apply to DO school? What should I do?
I applied quite late the first time due to having to retake the MCAT, this time I applied as early as possible
Interview season is just about wrapping up and I still haven't heard anything
Please help!

 

[DrMidlife]

Did you get secondaries? Did you submit them quickly? Have you received rejections?

Given what you describe, you should have gotten II's at some FL schools.

Unfortunately you have to find out what went wrong this cycle, when you seem to have done everything correctly. That can be VERY difficult. And you should not re-apply until you find out, and fix it.

Whether you want to give up on med school or not is separate from figuring out what may or may not have gone wrong. If you're willing to quit, then quit. If you're not, then don't.

You might have:
- a bad LOR
- a bad essay
- unclear state of residence
- an AMCAS in a bogus state of submission

Regardless, before you apply a 3rd time, you need to produce at least one new asset and rewrite everything. In your shoes I'd try to get a few more MCAT points, because 30 is below average, and a good score on the new MCAT would be confidence-inspiring. Make sure to get not-very-friendly older people to review your essays and mock interview you. Friends and family do you no good here.

Best of luck to you.

 

[floridagirl3]

I got secondaries from every school and submitted them very quickly, I've only been rejected by one school so far (already wrapped up interview season).
Getting LORs was a little challenging because I went to a huge university and even my upper level classes had 100+ students. Professors were willing to write letters for me, but I know they didn't know me very well. I'm not sure what I'll do about LORs when I reapply.
I don't want to quit but it's been difficult for me to do anything to improve my application this year other than work full time (have had some medical issues and about to have major surgery in a week). There's no way I would be able to prepare to retake the MCAT anytime soon...
Thank you for the advice, it is much appreciated! 🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

Assuming you're a FL resident with no major red flags like felony convictions on your record, you should have been in the running to get interviews from most or all of our state schools with those stats and ECs. I suspect there is something else going on, either a LOR or an essay that is concerning to app reviewers. I suggest that you contact a few of the schools that have rejected you for counseling on how to improve your app. As DrM said, you cannot fix the problem until you find out what the problem is.

 

[masteroc]

I have very similar stats to you (slightly higher MCAT), applied early and got my secondaries in quickly. No interviews at all this round and only 3-4 solid rejections. At this point the rest are most likely silent. I feel you dude.

P.S. Also Florida schools and Florida resident

 

[cabinbuilder]

I would not retake the MCAT.
I agree with DrMidlife that it's probably and LOR or your essay is lacking/boring/rehash of your resume/etc. Your essay is the window to your soul. They should be reading it and 1) want to meet you 2) want more of the story. It doesn't even have to be about medicine. It should not be, "I want to be a doctor to help people." Ugh.

Applying to medical school can be a crap shoot. Sometimes you didn't do anything wrong and you still don't get in just because every application is about the same. It took me 3 tries to get in and I didn't change anything between try 2 & 3 except write a better essay.

Definitely apply to DO school. Your numbers a good for them.

 

[Goro]

100% agree.

Assuming you're a FL resident with no major red flags like felony convictions on your record, you should have been in the running to get interviews from most or all of our state schools with those stats and ECs. I suspect there is something else going on, either a LOR or an essay that is concerning to app reviewers. I suggest that you contact a few of the schools that have rejected you for counseling on how to improve your app. As DrM said, you cannot fix the problem until you find out what the problem is.

 

[Faha]

You should definitely apply to DO schools. Apply to the 2 in Florida and at least another 12 OOS DO schools. It would be worth one more try for the Florida MD schools.

 

[efex101]

you must have a red flag somewhere, bad LOR, bad essay CALL schools ALL of them and find out. Your MCAT score is solid do NOT retake it.