Reapplication after late application this year

[mikeyboy]

Hi everyone, I'm currently in the application cycle for the 2008 class, but I got my applications in pretty late (secondaries were complete late October or mid-November). Due to some circumstances out of my control, I didn't get the AMCAS in until August, and then a letter was delayed which slowed down many of the applications which required that letter.

As a result, I've gotten 5 interviews (so far... "On Hold" for UC Davis, but I'm losing hope on that). One is upcoming at Einstein, and I'm sure that's just for a waitlist spot. I'm currently waitlisted at Wash U and Tulane, and waiting for responses from UCI and UCSD. I feel that, given my stats (37R, 3.83GPA, Bioengineering at Berkeley) along with my decent ECs (some volunteering at a hospital, work at a pediatric office, ongoing research, club leadership), I would have gotten more interviews and possibly some acceptances already. I got secondaries from 21/22 schools (including UCSF, Stanford, and Harvard, U of Washington told me not to waste my time), but three schools rejected me almost immediately saying the class was full, and Wake Forest said something about being in an interview pool and not being able to interview all of them. Of the interviews I did have, Wash U seems to interview everyone who meets their numbers cut-off, and UCI, UCSD, and Einstein all interview much later than most schools.

So, my question is, would it be wise to reapply this year? I really don't want to take a year off; I feel like medicine is the life for me, and I'd like to get started on it ASAP. I would submit the AMCAS early June and obviously everything else would be ready to be sent out. I realize that I still have a good chance to be accepted off the waitlist but I just want to cover my bases. I haven't strengthened my application all that much since last year, though I am working on a paper that we hope will be publishable but it is in its early stages. I'd probably work for the year, either in research or clinical. I?d love to go to a state school (UCSF was my first choice, by far). Would they look down on my application because I am reapplying without much change? It?d be only 10 months since I last applied, and most of that time I was still in school and just continuing the extracurriculars that I was already doing. Also, I took the MCATs in August before my junior year (2002). I wouldn?t need to retake them, would I?

Thanks for the help; I am still holding out hope for this year but I am getting worried.

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[indigoblue]

i think you should reapply if you don't get in. maybe consider rewriting your essays.

 

[mikeyboy]

Yeah I definitely would rework my essays...I think my PS is pretty good, but my secondaries were somewhat rushed because I was worried about getting them in late.

 

[premed]

I agree with Mr. Reddly...you should be getting into one of those schools. If by some odd chance you don't, I would still reapply because your MCATs will be void for the next cycle. I also took the MCATs in August 2002 and learned that the last time we can use them is the application starting June 2004 (for the entering class of Fall 2005). Unless you want to take that test again, I would reapply even though you havn't done much since your old application. Also, I would have a physician carefully look over your application and give you a mock interview for the next time around. With those stats, you should be getting in regardless of your late app. Good luck.

 

[mikeyboy]

I know I still have a good chance. I guess if I don't hear any good news by June, I'll submit my AMCAS again just in case. I really don't want to take the MCATs again.

 

[mikeyboy]

Originally posted by Mr Reddly
Hey, if it makes you feel any better, the AAMC app is mostly complete for you! You won't have to enter in all that junk (That's if you don't get in... which I doubt) again!!!

Haha...I guess that's good. I think I'll submit the primary early June if I don't hear back, just in case. I don't want to take the MCATs again. I know I still have a good chance, but I would rather be safe than think I'll get in and end up in July with no acceptances yet and be behind again...

Thanks for the input

 

[premed]

Originally posted by mikeyboy
Haha...I guess that's good. I think I'll submit the primary early June if I don't hear back, just in case. I don't want to take the MCATs again. I know I still have a good chance, but I would rather be safe than think I'll get in and end up in July with no acceptances yet and be behind again...

Thanks for the input

You will begin to receive acceptances on May 16th.

 

[mentoz]

Originally posted by mikeyboy
I got my applications in pretty late (secondaries were complete late October or mid-November

i feel you .. i applied late too and considered having to reapply (this, however, was before i even got results back ..) .. i turned in my AMCAS on 9/11 and all secondaries on their respective deadlines .. i turned in my UCSF secondary January 12th! by the grace of God or something i got into that school ... Stanford also invited me to interview on 3/30 for the date 4/30, so i'm telling you, there's still hope ... some of these schools are just incredibly slow .... i have a feeling that you won't have to worry about reapplying this year .. good luck!

 

[mikeyboy]

Originally posted by mentoz
i feel you .. i applied late too and considered having to reapply (this, however, was before i even got results back ..) .. i turned in my AMCAS on 9/11 and all secondaries on their respective deadlines .. i turned in my UCSF secondary January 12th! by the grace of God or something i got into that school ... Stanford also invited me to interview on 3/30 for the date 4/30, so i'm telling you, there's still hope ... some of these schools are just incredibly slow .... i have a feeling that you won't have to worry about reapplying this year .. good luck!

Man, you are so lucky to be in at UCSF. I thought I had a chance to get in there since I have a letter of recommendation from a part-time faculty member who said "I don't see why they wouldn't want you." Then, rejection letter w/o an interview. It was far and away my first choice but I guess I'm not what they're looking for.

Anyway, just got my waitlist letter from UCSD and looked up my waitlist status at UCI. I guess I'll just have to wait until May to see where I might be able to go...this is gonna be nerveracking! (Well, even more so than the last six months!)

 

[Mr Reddly]

Originally posted by mikeyboy
Then, rejection letter w/o an interview.

haha. I havn't been given a rejection from them.. No secondary either though

I guess I'll just have to wait until May to see where I might be able to go...this is gonna be nerveracking! (Well, even more so than the last six months!)

...or June. Hey Mikey,did you interview at both UCI and UCD already? I is confused.

 

[mikeyboy]

Originally posted by Mr Reddly
haha. I havn't been given a rejection from them.. No secondary either though

...or June. Hey Mikey,did you interview at both UCI and UCD already? I is confused.

I interviewed at UCI and UCSD, not Davis. They said I was on hold for an interview and they would let me know within 2 weeks. So I've got 4 waitlists so far, with one more scheduled interview at Einstein (which I know is already at best a waitlist) and an outside possibility of one at Davis.

What a roller coaster. I was feeling good after getting all those secondaries, then got two quick rejections...came back from winter break and saw 2 more rejections but also 2 interviews. Then came rejections from my top two choices (UCSF/Stanford), the blow softened by the UCI/UCSD interview invites (at least I might be able to stay in California). Now it's been about two rejections a week, though I'd already given up hope for most of those.

 

[mikeyboy]

Alright, I'm back...officially got waitlisted at WashU, UCI, UCSD, Tulane, and waiting post-interview for AECOM. Anyway, thinking about reapplying because my MCAT runs out this cycle. I'm not really sure what to change, and the schools that I interviewed at won't let me know what I should improve until everything's done. Should I try a school where I didn't get an interview? I would just take a year off and reapply next year but I don't want to take the MCAT again. Also, I am guessing that post-bac work won't help since my GPA is pretty high, any ideas on what else I should do? I'm looking into applying for a medical assistant job but it's hard to find somewhere that will train me, even though I have front-office experience.

Finally, in my PS, should I mention that I applied once already? Will it show persistence, or will it show more that I've failed once?

 

[skypilot]

Send letters of interest or get interested faculty to call on your behalf.

Meanwhile submit AMCAS to one school to get the ball rolling, you can always add more schools in late July when you know you aren't getting off the waitlists. Good luck, with those stats you probably have no worries.

 

[mikeyboy]

Yup, I already sent at least one letter of interest to each school and will send another with my grades from this term in the next couple days. I'll probably submit AMCAS to most schools that I really want to go to mid-June, then add more in July.

 

[mikeyboy]

Soo...just talked to some lady at WashU who told me she was at a loss as to why I couldn't get in anywhere. She pointed to the discrepancy between my Verbal and Science scores, but that 37 was still good and it wasn't a concern for them, as well as the relatively few ECs other than research but also said "but we know you can't do everything while you're in school." I guess the main thing was timing, and I'll be submitting my AMCAS to one school ASAP and get my transcripts in, and send it to the rest late June if I don't get any word. Thanks for the help.

 

[premed]

Not trying to be mean...but how are your interview/social skills?

 

[mikeyboy]

Well obviously I think they're fine. I know I'm not a great "salesman" so I could use work in convincing people, but the woman said my interview went "well". I know it's something I can work on. Most of the interviews I had were almost all conversational, about things I've done, but I've been able to go off on a tangent (medically related, such as health care issues or using informational technology in hospitals) and had some good conversations with doctors.

Hmmm, maybe I sound long-winded in interviews like I do online...

I know it's just one person, but it was a school I interviewed at so at least she could review the interview notes as well. She said she was "at a loss" to see why I haven't been accepted anywhere, since I didn't just apply to top-tier schools or anything.

 

[premed]

Don't worry...you're just too good for these schools. I hope everything works out for you. Good luck!

 

[Luck]

You need to apply early next cycle and too a wide range of schools. I would even throw a few DO schools in there just for back up so you don't have to go through the process again. If you get rejected again, it's definitely because your skills at interviewing are horrible.

 

[mikeyboy]

Whew, just got a call and I'm in at UCSD! Just a couple days before I was going to spend my money sending in the AMCAS again. Thanks everyone who helped, but thankfully I won't be needing your advice!