Reapplicant Gap Year Advice

[Karifever]

Hello everyone,

This is my first time posting (I am a long time lurker here). I am a CA resident and Neuroscience major planning on reapplying during the 2020-2021 cycle (taking a gap year). I first applied during the 2018-2019 cycle and interviewed at Geisinger Commonwealth and U Colorado Denver.

My Stats:
-3.83 cGPA, 3.78 sGPA
-507 MCAT (126 Chem/Phys, 127 CARS, 127 Bio/Bch, 127 Psych/Soc)

My Activities: (I am beginning Activities 12-15 now to replace less significant activities in my initial app)
1. Biochemistry research assistant: 1544 hours
2. Fellowship (for the biochemistry lab; presented a poster): 500 hours
3. Educational publications
4. Hospital volunteer: 127 hours
5-7. Internal Med, Emergency Med, and Dermatology shadowing: 17 hours total
8. Paid work as a mentor/tutor for underprivileged students: 295 hours
9. Paid work as a mentor/TA in a summer program for hs students transitioning into college: 78 hours
10. Club community outreach activities: 50 hours
11. Martial arts club (with a performance): 245 hours
12. Elderly center volunteer
13. Teaching English as a second language volunteer
14. Emergency Room volunteer
15. Neuroscience research assistant

Previous School List:
Geisinger, U Colorado, Creighton, Frank Netter, Indiana U, Loma Linda, Loyola, Med College of Georgia at Augusta U, Michigan State, Feinberg, Oakland U William Beaumont, Ohio State, Oregon H&S, U Vermont, St Louis U SOM, Toledo, Tufts, Tulane, UC Davis, UCLA, UCR, U Iowa Carver, UMass, U Minnesota, Chapel Hill, U Utah

My Plan: (+ my assumptions)
-Get much better LOR's.
-Retake the MCAT in January (Study part-time Sep to mid-Dec, full-time mid-Dec to mid-Jan: ~400 hours).
-Improve Personal Statement (my previous one read like a list of experiences).
-Continue volunteering in the hospital and in hospice (my clinical hours are too low).
-Try and get more shadowing (my shadowing is minimal).
-Do Activities 12-15 throughout the year (my volunteering is too low).
-Improve interview skills (I thought I did very well but I definitely have room for improvement).
-Choose better schools to apply to (I think most of the schools I applied to were big stretches).

Schools I'm particularly interested in: (but I will go wherever I'm accepted)
Loma Linda, UCR, Kaiser SOM, California Northstate, UC Davis, U Colorado, Geisinger

Questions:
1. Is there anything sticking out that I am overlooking in my plan?
2. What schools do you think I should look into the next time I apply?
3. Are there any schools I should avoid applying to due to heavy regional biases or standards higher than what I can deliver?

Thank you in advance for your help!

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[teenyfish]

I think your plan looks good! You're right, your clinical hours and MCAT are on the lower side, I think with a year's improvement and a re-take you will be good to go. What was the outcome of those two interviews?

 

[Faha]

Your main weakness in your previous application is that you applied to many state public schools that accept very few non residents with your stats. I suggest these schools with your stats:
UC Davis
UC Irvine
California University
Kaiser
California Northstate
Loma Linda
Vermont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rush
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
TCU-UNTHSC (new school)
Also apply to at least 6 DO school and you are competitive for all DO schools.

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

Solid plan. Do you really need to retake the MCAT? Getting two interviews means your app is solid overall. More likely it was school list. Did you get any feedback from the programs you interviewed at about why you didn't get in?

Focus on clinical volunteering for sure. Def more shadowing. If you think your letters are weak, it's great to focus on that. Rewrite your whole app next cycle.

 

[Karifever]

I think your plan looks good! You're right, your clinical hours and MCAT are on the lower side, I think with a year's improvement and a re-take you will be good to go. What was the outcome of those two interviews?

Both interviews resulted in an R. Thanks for commenting <3

 

[Karifever]

Your main weakness in your previous application is that you applied to many state public schools that accept very few non residents with your stats. I suggest these schools with your stats:
UC Davis
UC Irvine
California University
Kaiser
California Northstate
Loma Linda
Vermont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
Georgetown
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rush
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
TCU-UNTHSC (new school)
Also apply to at least 6 DO school and you are competitive for all DO schools.

Thank you very much for this beautiful list of schools! I greatly appreciate your recommendation and will use it when I plan out my school list

 

[Karifever]

Solid plan. Do you really need to retake the MCAT? Getting two interviews means your app is solid overall. More likely it was school list. Did you get any feedback from the programs you interviewed at about why you didn't get in?

Focus on clinical volunteering for sure. Def more shadowing. If you think your letters are weak, it's great to focus on that. Rewrite your whole app next cycle.

I would certainly prefer not having to retake the MCAT, but I do think it would greatly increase my chances at most medical schools and I know I could do a lot better. I did email the two schools I got interviewed at for feedback but they told me they don't provide applicant advice.
One thing I worry about with broadening my shadowing, even though I know it is lacking, is having to kick out some of my 15 activities from my primary. If anything, I would take out the Chinese Martial Arts Club and merge the fellowship and my research.
I really appreciate your advice and will follow it! Thank you!

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

I would certainly prefer not having to retake the MCAT, but I do think it would greatly increase my chances at most medical schools and I know I could do a lot better. I did email the two schools I got interviewed at for feedback but they told me they don't provide applicant advice.
One thing I worry about with broadening my shadowing, even though I know it is lacking, is having to kick out some of my 15 activities from my primary. If anything, I would take out the Chinese Martial Arts Club and merge the fellowship and my research.
I really appreciate your advice and will follow it! Thank you!

You could combine multiple shadowing experiences as one experience. I think that's what I did.

You also should shadow a DO to qualify for some DO programs (I think it's a requirement at some). Would just help your app too if you choose to apply DO.

 

[Karifever]

You could combine multiple shadowing experiences as one experience. I think that's what I did.

You also should shadow a DO to qualify for some DO programs (I think it's a requirement at some). Would just help your app too if you choose to apply DO.

I'm glad the emergency physician I shadowed was a DO. If you combine multiple shadowing experiences as one then would you have to choose a single physician's contact info or perhaps include them all in the description?

 

[lalalaaaaaa]

I'm glad the emergency physician I shadowed was a DO. If you combine multiple shadowing experiences as one then would you have to choose a single physician's contact info or perhaps include them all in the description?

It seems like you should be able to put multiple in one section as "shadowing" and just have one of their contact info (there's almost zero chance they contact those people).

 

[Karifever]

It seems like you should be able to put multiple in one section as "shadowing" and just have one of their contact info (there's almost zero chance they contact those people).

Alright, that will free a lot more room for my other activities. Thanks!

 

[Pre-med path]

Hello everyone,

This is my first time posting (I am a long time lurker here). I am a CA resident and Neuroscience major planning on reapplying during the 2020-2021 cycle (taking a gap year). I first applied during the 2018-2019 cycle and interviewed at Geisinger Commonwealth and U Colorado Denver.

My Stats:
-3.83 cGPA, 3.78 sGPA
-507 MCAT (126 Chem/Phys, 127 CARS, 127 Bio/Bch, 127 Psych/Soc)

My Activities: (I am beginning Activities 12-15 now to replace less significant activities in my initial app)
1. Biochemistry research assistant: 1544 hours
2. Fellowship (for the biochemistry lab; presented a poster): 500 hours
3. Educational publications (12 chapters for a healthcare book)
4. Hospital & Hospice volunteer: 127 hours
5-7. Internal Med, Emergency Med, and Dermatology shadowing: 17 hours total
8. Paid work as a mentor/tutor for underprivileged students: 295 hours
9. Paid work as a mentor/TA in a summer program for hs students transitioning into college: 78 hours
10. Chemistry club community outreach activities: 50 hours
11. Chinese martial arts club (with a performance): 245 hours
12. Elderly center volunteer
13. Teaching English as a second language volunteer
14. Emergency Room volunteer
15. Neuroscience research assistant

Previous School List:
Geisinger, U Colorado, Creighton, Frank Netter, Indiana U, Loma Linda, Loyola, Med College of Georgia at Augusta U, Michigan State, Feinberg, Oakland U William Beaumont, Ohio State, Oregon H&S, U Vermont, St Louis U SOM, Toledo, Tufts, Tulane, UC Davis, UCLA, UCR, U Iowa Carver, UMass, U Minnesota, Chapel Hill, U Utah

My Plan: (+ my assumptions)
-Get much better LOR's.
-Retake the MCAT in January (Study part-time Sep to mid-Dec, full-time mid-Dec to mid-Jan: ~400 hours).
-Improve Personal Statement (my previous one read like a list of experiences).
-Continue volunteering in the hospital and in hospice (my clinical hours are too low).
-Try and get more shadowing (my shadowing is minimal).
-Do Activities 12-15 throughout the year (my volunteering is too low).
-Improve interview skills (I thought I did very well but I definitely have room for improvement).
-Choose better schools to apply to (I think most of the schools I applied to were big stretches).

Schools I'm particularly interested in: (but I will go wherever I'm accepted)
Loma Linda, UCR, Kaiser SOM, California Northstate, UC Davis, U Colorado, Geisinger

Questions:
1. Is there anything sticking out that I am overlooking in my plan?
2. What schools do you think I should look into the next time I apply?
3. Are there any schools I should avoid applying to due to heavy regional biases or standards higher than what I can deliver?

Thank you in advance for your help!

I love your plan along with the tips mentioned above! If you'd like free help with your personal statement don't hesitate to message me!

 

[Ad2b]

Question:

You were interviewed by 2 schools and both rejected you vs. wait listing. Have you gone through the interviews in your mind to figure out what could have been done better and differently next time? I don't particularly need to know but I think self-reflection on rejection is always good...

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

May I ask why you're not reapplying next cycle? You can continue all of your activities and restudy for MCAT by application time. This will beef your volunteer hours and academic stats. Start studying now and take MCAT in mid-June to get your results by the time secondaries are coming in. Your app honestly looks good to me. Plus, you can send schools great updates with hours and the activities you're doing. I wouldn't necessarily recommend applying 2020-2021 unless you're dead-set on it. Your ECs seem much better than mine and I got in this cycle after reapplying from last cycle (went from 0 IIs to 5...). Make a better school list [get MSAR, look at PRIVATE Out-of-State medical schools around your stats] and execute your plan and I don't see why you need to put it off another year. Just my opinion.

 

[Karifever]

I love your plan along with the tips mentioned above! If you'd like free help with your personal statement don't hesitate to message me!

Thank you for your offer!

 

[Karifever]

Question:

You were interviewed by 2 schools and both rejected you vs. wait listing. Have you gone through the interviews in your mind to figure out what could have been done better and differently next time? I don't particularly need to know but I think self-reflection on rejection is always good...

The Geisinger interview felt like it went well the whole way through, but I think I could still have improved my delivery and think deeper about why I would want to attend their school. The Colorado interview went amazingly until the last two questions where I misunderstood what the interviewer was asking and fumbled. I also didn't take full advantage of the "Would you like to bring anything up to the Adcom?" question. For my future interviews I'm going to prepare more for sure.

 

[Ad2b]

The Geisinger interview felt like it went well the whole way through, but I think I could still have improved my delivery and think deeper about why I would want to attend their school. The Colorado interview went amazingly until the last two questions where I misunderstood what the interviewer was asking and fumbled. I also didn't take full advantage of the "Would you like to bring anything up to the Adcom?" question. For my future interviews I'm going to prepare more for sure.

Your response alone indicates you probably did fine As someone who interviews others (and gets interviewed), I always replay things in my head to make sure I do better the next time - whatever that "next time" might be.

You got this

 

[Karifever]

May I ask why you're not reapplying next cycle? You can continue all of your activities and restudy for MCAT by application time. This will beef your volunteer hours and academic stats. Start studying now and take MCAT in mid-June to get your results by the time secondaries are coming in. Your app honestly looks good to me. Plus, you can send schools great updates with hours and the activities you're doing. I wouldn't necessarily recommend applying 2020-2021 unless you're dead-set on it. Your ECs seem much better than mine and I got in this cycle after reapplying from last cycle (went from 0 IIs to 5...). Make a better school list [get MSAR, look at PRIVATE Out-of-State medical schools around your stats] and execute your plan and I don't see why you need to put it off another year. Just my opinion.

I originally planned on just applying this upcoming cycle in the meantime, but there are a few reasons leading me to prefer waiting a year to accomplish the endeavors I've laid out:
1. I don't want to have to ask my letter writers to write letters 2-3 times if the next cycle doesn't work out.
2. I don't feel like my application has changed enough from the last cycle.
3. I would rather have more of a choice in where I attend (which will come from a much stronger application).
4. My best friend and wife are both applying 2020-2021 and it would be nice to apply at the same time.
5. I would rather have more time to study for the MCAT, just in case.

These reasons are mainly subjective and preference-based, but I think you are objectively right on your analysis.

 

[Karifever]

Your response alone indicates you probably did fine As someone who interviews others (and gets interviewed), I always replay things in my head to make sure I do better the next time - whatever that "next time" might be.

You got this

I really appreciate your comments, the interviews are definitely something I will prepare a lot for. Thank you as well for the positivity!

 

[Hi_I'mPaul]

I originally planned on just applying this upcoming cycle in the meantime, but there are a few reasons leading me to prefer waiting a year to accomplish the endeavors I've laid out:
1. I don't want to have to ask my letter writers to write letters 2-3 times if the next cycle doesn't work out.
2. I don't feel like my application has changed enough from the last cycle.
3. I would rather have more of a choice in where I attend (which will come from a much stronger application).
4. My best friend and wife are both applying 2020-2021 and it would be nice to apply at the same time.
5. I would rather have more time to study for the MCAT, just in case.

These reasons are mainly subjective and preference-based, but I think you are objectively right on your analysis.

Of course the decision is yours, just presenting my objective opinion for you to think about:

1) If you didn't know, use Interfolio for your LORs so they save from cycle to cycle. You won't have to ask them to write more than just the one letter.
2) New MCAT + new volunteering (#12-15 in your list) up until application time and throughout the application is change. But do you need that much to be new? You received interviews. Schools like you on paper.
3) Valid. With time comes more experience, more experience means med schools will look at you.
4) Understandable
5) 3.5 months is more than enough time if dedicated.

Good luck!

 

[Karifever]

Of course the decision is yours, just presenting my objective opinion for you to think about:

1) If you didn't know, use Interfolio for your LORs so they save from cycle to cycle. You won't have to ask them to write more than just the one letter.
2) New MCAT + new volunteering (#12-15 in your list) up until application time and throughout the application is change. But do you need that much to be new? You received interviews. Schools like you on paper.
3) Valid. With time comes more experience, more experience means med schools will look at you.
4) Understandable
5) 3.5 months is more than enough time if dedicated.

Good luck!

I actually didn't know about that! Guess I'll be signing up for Interfolio Dossier, that is very helpful. I would love to get the MCAT out of the way this June but my Spring quarter is too time-consuming to allow for any serious studying. I appreciate you bringing up these things. I'm getting a better idea of where I'm at and how to approach it. Congratulations on getting accepted by the way (I forgot to mention this in my first reply)!