Reapplication advice

[wavingcat]

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[ablanco]

That's a lot of schools with a wide range in missions/accepted stats/OOS preferences for the schools as well. I'm curious as to the turnaround/quality of the secondary responses unless you were able to prewrite. Non-clinical hours seems personally low to me. I am also wondering what your shadowing w/o clinical contact consisted of. Grades are nice, mcat is decent but could be better I suppose, I would also apply to DO schools and make sure you get it in as early as possible this time. You have a solid shot imo. I'm just a guy though so take this with a grain of salt.

 

[gyngyn]

First, some questions:
When you say PREview total score 4, could you convert that to a percentage? I don't pay a lot of attention to those, but some places do.
How many times did you take the MCAT?
Did you carefully follow each school's specific letter requirements (type and number)? Inevitably, folks that are in a rush to fill out that many applications will overlook this and other instructions.
Did you have at least 30 hours of in person primary care shadowing?

 

[Faha]

What is the nature of your non clinical volunteering hours by activity ? At least 40 of the schools you applied to were unrealistic for various reasons. Some are state public schools that admit very few non residents with a MCAT of 508 and no connection to the state. Others are private schools that are far reaches with a MCAT of 508.

 

[wavingcat]

First, some questions:
When you say PREview total score 4, could you convert that to a percentage? I don't pay a lot of attention to those, but some places do.
How many times did you take the MCAT?
Did you carefully follow each school's specific letter requirements (type and number)? Inevitably, folks that are in a rush to fill out that many applications will overlook this and other instructions.
Did you have at least 30 hours of in person primary care shadowing?

PREview percentile rank: 38 (if that is what you mean?)
I took the mcat 2 times first time I got a 502 second time 508
I remember that most schools had a minimum of 3 letters with a maximum of 5-6. Some of the schools with the 3 minimum allowed me to choose which on the secondary app portal.
Yes for sure had 30 hours. The shadowing experience I put on my app was a specialty physician not PCP, I also did PCP shadowing but i talked about that briefly in the clinical section.

 

[wavingcat]

What is the nature of your non clinical volunteering hours by activity ? At least 40 of the schools you applied to were unrealistic for various reasons. Some are state public schools that admit very few non residents with a MCAT of 508 and no connection to the state. Others are private schools that are far reaches with a MCAT of 508.

hi again faha! u helped me before but thanks again for taking time to respond, for my nonclinical activity i had worked in a food bank, but did a couple other things that i didn't put on my app (because of bad advice that i didnt double check). For the schools i used the msar and chose the ones that had about >~30% matriculation rate for oos applicants. And I assumed that my gpa might slightly bump up my slightly lower than average mcat.

 

[gyngyn]

PREview percentile rank: 38 (if that is what you mean?)
I took the mcat 2 times first time I got a 502 second time 508
I remember that most schools had a minimum of 3 letters with a maximum of 5-6. Some of the schools with the 3 minimum allowed me to choose which on the secondary app portal.
Yes for sure had 30 hours. The shadowing experience I put on my app was a specialty physician not PCP, I also did PCP shadowing but i talked about that briefly in the clinical section.

There are schools that have both a minimum and a maximum number of LoE's. It is preferable to send exactly what they request in both number and type (if specified).
For those schools that care about PREview, the 38th percentile could be a deal-breaker (same for casper).
There is no way to predict how any individual screener is going to interpret multiple MCAT scores, but your target schools should be closer to the average of those two. There are very few MD schools with a median close to 505. Those that do, have a strong preference for mission match (HBCU's, Puerto Rico). Even Loma Linda has a median MCAT of 511 and your activities suggest that you are not what they are looking for.

Your stats are not what the powerhouse research schools are looking for and the service oriented schools will find service to be a weakness in your ap. Specialty shadowing is ok but longitudinal care is what the schools that match your stats care about.

In summary, your application is in a"doughnut hole" that doesn't fit most MD schools and the late application was the icing on the doughnut. CA residency could be the sprinkles!

 

[Faha]

Try and accumulate 150+ hours at the food bank before you submit your application. Apply broadly to MD and DO schools and I suggest these:
California University
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
UC Riverside (only if you are from that region)
NOVA MD
TCU
Creighton
Belmont
Alice Walton (when it opens)
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Hackensack
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
For DO schools I suggest these:
WESTERN
TUCOM-CA
TUNCOM
AZCOM
UIWSOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
CUSOM
WVSOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
ACOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July

 

[wavingcat]

There are schools that have both a minimum and a maximum number of LoE's. It is preferable to send exactly that they request in both number and type (if specified).
For those schools that care about PREview, the 38th percentile could be a deal-breaker.
There is no way to predict how any individual screener is going to interpret multiple MCAT scores, but your target schools should be closer to the average of those two. There are very few MD schools with a median close to 505. Those that do, have a strong preference for mission match (HBCU's, Puerto Rico). Even Loma Linda has a median MCAT of 511 and your activities suggest that you are not what they are looking for.

Your stats are not what the powerhouse research schools are looking for and the service oriented schools will find service to be a weakness in your ap. Specialty shadowing is ok but longitudinal care is what the schools that match your stats care about.

In summary, your application is in a"doughnut hole" that doesn't fit most MD schools and the late application was the icing on the doughnut. CA residency could be the sprinkles!

I am kind of confused on the LoE's, many schools had 3 minimum and 6 maximum. I sent 5 I don't really understand what you mean by sending exactly the number that they request? So I had to send either 3 letters or 6 letters? not in between?

I had no idea that schools average mcat scores, i thought if there was an upwards trend and I did better it was seen favorably.

I am not sure where to go from here lol. I have been continuing many service related activities but it still seems super difficult to improve my app from what you're saying. Even if i retake the mcat if the schools average the scores it will still be lower than my new high score (assuming i get a higher score). Can you recommend how i can improve, besides turning it in early?

 

[wavingcat]

Try and accumulate 150+ hours at the food bank before you submit your application. Apply broadly to MD and DO schools and I suggest these:
California University
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
UC Riverside (only if you are from that region)
NOVA MD
TCU
Creighton
Belmont
Alice Walton (when it opens)
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Hackensack
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
For DO schools I suggest these:
WESTERN
TUCOM-CA
TUNCOM
AZCOM
UIWSOM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
DMU-COM
CUSOM
WVSOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
ACOM
PCOM (all schools)
LECOM (all schools)
Apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July

thanks faha much appreciated!

 

[gyngyn]

I am kind of confused on the LoE's, many schools had 3 minimum and 6 maximum. I sent 5 I don't really understand what you mean by sending exactly the number that they request? So I had to send either 3 letters or 6 letters? not in between?

I had no idea that schools average mcat scores, i thought if there was an upwards trend and I did better it was seen favorably.

I am not sure where to go from here lol. I have been continuing many service related activities but it still seems super difficult to improve my app from what you're saying. Even if i retake the mcat if the schools average the scores it will still be lower than my new high score (assuming i get a higher score). Can you recommend how i can improve, besides turning it in early?

Some schools have a maximum number less than 5. Specific instructions on letter number and type vary dramatically. Sending exactly what they request is a good idea.

For years, the AAMC has told us that averaging MCAT scores is best practice (based on two studies they conducted). Schools (and individuals) will do whatever they think best but old habits die hard.

The strength of your application is your gpa. Thus, you can use your current application for many DO schools. See @Faha's list above.

 

[wavingcat]

Some schools have a maximum number less than 5. Specific instructions on letter number and type vary dramatically. Sending exactly what they request is a good idea.

For years, the AAMC has told us that averaging MCAT scores is best practice (based on two studies they conducted). Schools (and individuals) will do whatever they think best but old habits die hard.

The strength of your application is your gpa. Thus, you can use your current application for many DO schools. See @Faha's list above.

Okay thanks. Will apply do as well, but to cover all my bases is there something i can do to be in the run for md schools as well (and in general just to get in somewhere)? What can i do to fill the doughnut hole?

 

[gyngyn]

Okay thanks. Will apply do as well, but to cover all my bases is there something i can do to be in the run for md schools as well (and in general just to get in somewhere)? What can i do to fill the doughnut hole?

Some of the reason for your outcome this year has to do with circumstances currently beyond your control (state of residence and both MCAT scores and "SJT's"). The only thing you can reasonably do by July, is to pre-write secondaries at the OOS private MD schools with the lowest MCAT scores (that are not strongly mission-based). Carefully read the instructions in MSAR for each of them, and apply early.

If you apply to your favorite DO schools, I am confident that you can get interviews.

 

[wavingcat]

Some of the reason for your outcome this year has to do with circumstances currently beyond your control (state of residence and both MCAT scores). The only thing you can reasonably do by July, is to pre-write secondaries at the OOS private MD schools with the lowest MCAT scores (that are not strongly mission-based). Carefully read the instructions in MSAR for each of them, and apply early.

If you apply to your favorite DO schools, I am confident that you can get interviews.

merci gyngyn

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Read the 2023 HPSA/SDN SJT Experience Survey for some insights on how SJT results were likely used in application review (early in the process). More information in the full report.

Casper and PREview Insights: 2023 SJT Experience Survey - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[Mr.Smile12]

How were you able to complete all those secondaries? That's over 50...

I can't make more recommendations without more details on your activities.

 

[wavingcat]

How were you able to complete all those secondaries? That's over 50...

I can't make more recommendations without more details on your activities.

yes i had like 64 schools, is that uncommon? can i dm you? but i will include a lot more details, its cause I wanted to keep it kind of anonymous on this thread

 

[Mr.Smile12]

yes i had like 64 schools, is that uncommon? can i dm you? but i will include a lot more details, its cause I wanted to keep it kind of anonymous on this thread

You can send me a short conversation with details. But yes, 64 is way too many. 18 is the overall school to applicant ratio.

I agree getting your application materials in earlier would help, but so many R's suggest a lack of fit or subpar writing. You also need improvement in interview skills.