- Joined
- Oct 2, 2016
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This is my 3rd application cycle, 1st DO cycle. I was always a borderline MD applicant at best, and got zero II's my last app cycle. I meant to apply DO last cycle but never was able to get a DO letter in time and had no real exposure or 'story' to support a DO app.
I have a lot of deficiencies on my application:
3 MCATs (30, ~501, ~510). First score expired since I took it in 2013, second score.. not sure what the hell happened, I scored ~10 points below my practice test averages. Retook a few months later and bumped up 10ish points.
1st MCAT is from 2013 so DO schools know I'm not a new applicant.
Mediocre GPA (between 3.4-3.5 both c/sGPA)
I really thought my above-average MCAT score (for DO, at least) would stand out, even with 3 attempts. I thought my GPA would also be adequate. I have very solid EC's with work experience, many years of consistent volunteering, and well-rounded shadowing, though I am light in research and true leadership experience.
Applied to 10 DO schools, 5 IIs, 3 Rs, 2 silence. So far I've had 3 interviews with 3 WL's, 1 interview I'm awaiting the results of, 1 coming up. I thought with 5 II's I was all but guaranteed to get into one if I interviewed well, and here I am sitting on a 3rd WL in a row. Clearly I am doing something wrong, but I'm not sure if it's my interview or just a doomed application that is holding me back.
The thing that is frustrating me is that my interview game is the strongest part of my application. I believe I am well-spoken and generally confident/not nervous other than typical interview jitters. On my last interview, my interviewer quite literally told me I had "blown them away" and had answered their prompts better than any other candidate that month. I was walking on cloud 9 after that, only to get waitlisted two weeks later.
I'm just frustrated, confused, and dejected at this point. I have thought most of my interviews went well (Western immediately jumped on me for applying MD so I wasn't surprised at the WL there). Other than that, I guess I'm not sure how else to approach this last interview. I try and be enthusiastic on the interview, knowledgeable about the school, etc. I was very particular in my school selection and only applied places that I generally wanted to attend. And yet, I have not once been asked "why this school", "why a doctor", or any of those standard questions. I feel like no schools have really taken much of an opportunity to get to know me, so it's frustrating when I spend $500 to attend an interview, they tell us they already like us and that's why we're there, and then I get waitlisted after a solid interview. What else can/should I do?
I have a lot of deficiencies on my application:
3 MCATs (30, ~501, ~510). First score expired since I took it in 2013, second score.. not sure what the hell happened, I scored ~10 points below my practice test averages. Retook a few months later and bumped up 10ish points.
1st MCAT is from 2013 so DO schools know I'm not a new applicant.
Mediocre GPA (between 3.4-3.5 both c/sGPA)
I really thought my above-average MCAT score (for DO, at least) would stand out, even with 3 attempts. I thought my GPA would also be adequate. I have very solid EC's with work experience, many years of consistent volunteering, and well-rounded shadowing, though I am light in research and true leadership experience.
Applied to 10 DO schools, 5 IIs, 3 Rs, 2 silence. So far I've had 3 interviews with 3 WL's, 1 interview I'm awaiting the results of, 1 coming up. I thought with 5 II's I was all but guaranteed to get into one if I interviewed well, and here I am sitting on a 3rd WL in a row. Clearly I am doing something wrong, but I'm not sure if it's my interview or just a doomed application that is holding me back.
The thing that is frustrating me is that my interview game is the strongest part of my application. I believe I am well-spoken and generally confident/not nervous other than typical interview jitters. On my last interview, my interviewer quite literally told me I had "blown them away" and had answered their prompts better than any other candidate that month. I was walking on cloud 9 after that, only to get waitlisted two weeks later.
I'm just frustrated, confused, and dejected at this point. I have thought most of my interviews went well (Western immediately jumped on me for applying MD so I wasn't surprised at the WL there). Other than that, I guess I'm not sure how else to approach this last interview. I try and be enthusiastic on the interview, knowledgeable about the school, etc. I was very particular in my school selection and only applied places that I generally wanted to attend. And yet, I have not once been asked "why this school", "why a doctor", or any of those standard questions. I feel like no schools have really taken much of an opportunity to get to know me, so it's frustrating when I spend $500 to attend an interview, they tell us they already like us and that's why we're there, and then I get waitlisted after a solid interview. What else can/should I do?
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