Reapplication Decisions

[JoshuaGuit]

Hi all,

I really need advice on what to do in my situation. Prefacing with bio info about me- I'm 21, graduating a private university with 40k in loans and an engineering degree, and I have a long term girlfriend that I live with.

I applied last summer with a completed AMCAS in the second week of August after getting a 28 on the MCAT and having a 3.50 GPA (3.65 sGPA). I had great letters of recommendation and a really good personal statement. My application was just very late, and my secondaries were even later. I studied for the MCAT in the summer while working 70 hrs in a laboratory and taking an organic chemistry course, without taking a physiology course prior to the test.

I only received two interviews, and was placed on two waitlists. I should be hearing back from at least one of these two about my rank within this week.

Since applying, I have gained a third author on a manuscript and first authored another one. I have pulled my overall GPA up close to a 3.60 by getting a 3.70 this semester. I will be getting one additional letter of recommendation from a dean at a close by medical school. I also got a provisional patent for a capstone project this semester that I spent the majority of my time on.

I really want to reapply this cycle if I do not get off of these two waitlists, however now it is basically crunch time to study for the mcat. The earliest date I can take it would be July 25th, and I would get the results back in late August.

Do I reapply with my current MCAT, reapply with my current MCAT and retake the MCAT in July, or not reapply at all? Will applying in the beginning of June with my current MCAT give me any better of a chance than if I reapply later with a new MCAT?

I do feel much more confident in the MCAT material, but I'm not sure how the later application will serve me.

Thank you

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[Goro]

If you're committed to MD programs, and you don't get off the wait list, I suggest waiting the extra year, taking the MCAT when you're fully ready, and then applying at soon as possible. The extra year of work will allow you to save some money.

The problem is that as of last year, you applied late, and were a borderline candidate to begin with (so kudos to you for being able to land any interview).

Thus, if you're patient, you'll be much better than borderline in a year.

You're fine for any DO program right now, which takes the edge off of your problems.

Hi all,

I really need advice on what to do in my situation. Prefacing with bio info about me- I'm 21, graduating a private university with 40k in loans and an engineering degree, and I have a long term girlfriend that I live with.

I applied last summer with a completed AMCAS in the second week of August after getting a 28 on the MCAT and having a 3.50 GPA (3.65 sGPA). I had great letters of recommendation and a really good personal statement. My application was just very late, and my secondaries were even later. I studied for the MCAT in the summer while working 70 hrs in a laboratory and taking an organic chemistry course, without taking a physiology course prior to the test.

I only received two interviews, and was placed on two waitlists. I should be hearing back from at least one of these two about my rank within this week.

Since applying, I have gained a third author on a manuscript and first authored another one. I have pulled my overall GPA up close to a 3.60 by getting a 3.70 this semester. I will be getting one additional letter of recommendation from a dean at a close by medical school. I also got a provisional patent for a capstone project this semester that I spent the majority of my time on.

I really want to reapply this cycle if I do not get off of these two waitlists, however now it is basically crunch time to study for the mcat. The earliest date I can take it would be July 25th, and I would get the results back in late August.

Do I reapply with my current MCAT, reapply with my current MCAT and retake the MCAT in July, or not reapply at all? Will applying in the beginning of June with my current MCAT give me any better of a chance than if I reapply later with a new MCAT?

I do feel much more confident in the MCAT material, but I'm not sure how the later application will serve me.

Thank you

 

[bollywoodlover]

It's a tough call, but I agree with Goro. It's probably best to wait a year. You don't want to end up applying with the same mistake you made before. Chances are that's the reason you had trouble getting in the first place and will prob result in similar results again. It would suck to be a third time reapplicant. It only gets harder to get in each time you apply. I guess if you are confident you can improve your MCAT by at least 3 PTs, I guess go for it.

 

[JoshuaGuit]

If you're committed to MD programs, and you don't get off the wait list, I suggest waiting the extra year, taking the MCAT when you're fully ready, and then applying at soon as possible. The extra year of work will allow you to save some money.

The problem is that as of last year, you applied late, and were a borderline candidate to begin with (so kudos to you for being able to land any interview).

Thus, if you're patient, you'll be much better than borderline in a year.

You're fine for any DO program right now, which takes the edge off of your problems.

The thing is that if I do not apply this cycle, it will be two years that I am out of school. I can't support myself and my girlfriend on a PCA salary, and I can't get a full job related to my major's engineering as I would be lying about my intentions if I did. It would also be difficult to become fully ready with a full time job. Such is life.

Do you see any point in me applying as early as I can in June with the same MCAT score?

 

[geoffreyy]

If you apply with the same mcat score, there will be a point, if you apply to DO schools as well.

Im pretty sure you can get accepted easy. MD schools on the other hand might put you in the waitlist again. This time around though, you will have those valuable activities pubs etc., not to mention you will be applying earlier so I'm hoping for the best for ya. Although, i assure you this cycle will be a lot more successful for you if you apply to DO schools.

PS: may i ask what journals you got publications in.

asking because my interviewer at penn state really liked stand-out journals as he calls it. one of my published papers, as a 2nd author, was under JBC, j of bio chem. so he was impressed. still got waitlisted there due to my 29mcat.

 

[JoshuaGuit]

If you apply with the same mcat score, there will be a point, if you apply to DO schools as well.

Im pretty sure you can get accepted easy. MD schools on the other hand might put you in the waitlist again. This time around though, you will have those valuable activities pubs etc., not to mention you will be applying earlier so I'm hoping for the best for ya. Although, i assure you this cycle will be a lot more successful for you if you apply to DO schools.

PS: may i ask what journals you got publications in.

asking because my interviewer at penn state really liked stand-out journals as he calls it. one of my published papers, as a 2nd author, was under JBC, j of bio chem. so he was impressed. still got waitlisted there due to my 29mcat.

Published in Nanoscale. It's not the highest impact factor, but I think it's still pretty decent.

I think that's what I'm going to do, unless there is any strong opinion that it would be worth while taking the mcat and applying this cycle. There's absolutely no way that I can be fiscally responsible and be out of school for two years without a job.

 

[volcomx]

You can't get a job? With publications and what seems to be a solid research background? And a good GPA?

There are tremendous ammount of jobs out there that would be a good fit for you AND help you on your career to medicine. NIH Postbac and all the other bio research programs for recent college grads, hospital/private practice secretary/assistant, research assistant/lab tech. So many possibilities, and all will pay you a living salary.

Come on dude, not being able to find a job is a poor excuse for having to apply to med school now. Med schools don't want applicants that are applying because they can't find a job. Med schools want successful applicants that choose to apply.

And why would you have to support your girlfriend financially?

 

[JoshuaGuit]

You can't get a job? With publications and what seems to be a solid research background? And a good GPA?

You should tell companies that. My major can basically be covered by electrical engineers for the most part. Any "real" job I've applied to has not appreciated the wanting to go to medical school aspect of who I am.

There are tremendous ammount of jobs out there that would be a good fit for you AND help you on your career to medicine. NIH Postbac and all the other bio research programs for recent college grads, hospital/private practice secretary/assistant, research assistant/lab tech. So many possibilities, and all will pay you a living salary.

The hospitals around here pay $10-12 an hour for PCA or ASA wages. That would be $600 a week, minus the 18% for taxes which leaves me with $490 a week, or about $1960 per month. My portion of rent would be $800 a month, and my portion of food/gas is $500. My loan repayments are at least $400 a month. That leaves me with a bit over $250 each month, not taking into account any kind of emergency/repair/whatever. Not extraordinarily feasible.

I'm not complaining that I might have to do this, it's just that if it is not necessary then I would love to avoid it.

Come on dude, not being able to find a job is a poor excuse for having to apply to med school now. Med schools don't want applicants that are applying because they can't find a job. Med schools want successful applicants that choose to apply.

And why would you have to support your girlfriend financially?

I think I understand what you meant by this part, but on the other hand it could be perceived as relatively offensive. I'm not applying to medical school to avoid repaying my loans, I'm applying because becoming a physician is what I want to do in life. It doesn't matter to me if it is DO or MD, both paths will lead to my ultimate goal and I will be able to help people (however cliche that may appear) as I was helped when I was younger.

My girlfriend currently doesn't know what she wants to do. We are both graduating from the same university with the same major, but she is still trying to find her passion. I don't have to explicitly support her financially, but I do have to involve her in the equations for how much money I need to be making in the interim.

 

[reviliver]

Aww.. too bad you didn't retake your MCAT sooner, man. I'm going to have to go with the "go DO or wait a year" crowd on this one. You haven't substantially changed your application in any way since you previously applied except that you will apply earlier this year; but that is cancelled out-ish in my mind since you will be reapplicant at some places.

Also, some LYFE TIPS since you appear to be saying that you can't survive on $10-12/hr : Find a cheaper place to live, unless you live in NYC then disregard. I live in Chicago which is an expensive rental market, and still $1600 is a lot for a 1-2 br. We pay 600/each/month and our place is nicer than a lot of our friends. $500/month PER PERSON is very high for food and gas only; groceries once/week at $60 and gas 1 tank per week at $40 is more reasonable, making it $400 for TWO of you. Even if your gf has her own car and also uses 1 tank/week, that is still only $560, no where near the $1000 you quoted. Learn to cook. Your girlfriend also has to get a job WHILE she figures out what she wants to do, unless she has income from the 'rents. You can't expect to live independently without a job. You can get loan deferments if you are making less than 150% of the poverty level, or adjust your payments on an income-based basis. I currently make $300/week doing research in a GI pathology lab, live with my bf whose income is the same, and we do just fine. PM me for more budgeting advice if you want.

I say all this with the kindest of intentions as someone who has worked for 4 years since college in various enriching-but-low-paying jobs before starting med school this Fall. Basically, welcome to adulthood! You will do just fine and you shouldn't let fear of living out on your own keep you from putting together the best application you can. Good luck