Reapplication - What can help me?

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styphon

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So I am waitlisted at one school for 2006 and probably will not get in because of my very low position on the list..
My question is: What is wrong with my application? The schools I applied to won't discuss anything until august and I don't really want to hold onto my primary application until that point.. Also, What can I do to improve it? Did I do enough to improve it, or am I just wasting more money and more time by reapplying this year?
My stats: MCAT:10B10P11V, BCPM GPA 3.55, AO 3.73, Overall 3.61. Problem is my grades slope down (Junior and senior years were my worst).. I have worked in research for almost 3 years, but I have no publications. I have over 1,500 hrs as an EMT-Basic, volunteered at a hospital, shadowed a doctor, and have done community service.
My weaknesses: Seriously, I suck at interviews, I am very nervous, shy, and soft-spoken. During interviews my main focus is on maintaining eye contact and stop my hands from going all over the place and maintaining a normal voice level. I also waited until October to send in my primary application last year, so all my interviews where in the middle of may..
What I have done this year: I have additional 100+ Hours as an EMT-Basic, have joined an AIDS community service, and have another year of research(Again, no publications)..
Any advice?

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styphon said:
So I am waitlisted at one school for 2006 and probably will not get in because of my very low position on the list..
My question is: What is wrong with my application? The schools I applied to won't discuss anything until august and I don't really want to hold onto my primary application until that point.. Also, What can I do to improve it? Did I do enough to improve it, or am I just wasting more money and more time by reapplying this year?
My stats: MCAT:10B10P11V, BCPM GPA 3.55, AO 3.73, Overall 3.61. Problem is my grades slope down (Junior and senior years were my worst).. I have worked in research for almost 3 years, but I have no publications. I have over 1,500 hrs as an EMT-Basic, volunteered at a hospital, shadowed a doctor, and have done community service.
My weaknesses: Seriously, I suck at interviews, I am very nervous, shy, and soft-spoken. During interviews my main focus is on maintaining eye contact and stop my hands from going all over the place and maintaining a normal voice level. I also waited until October to send in my primary application last year, so all my interviews where in the middle of may..
What I have done this year: I have additional 100+ Hours as an EMT-Basic, have joined an AIDS community service, and have another year of research(Again, no publications)..
Any advice?

The only think I could you wrong with your approach in the last year was the lateness of your application. Get it in ASAP and work on those interview skills. Get EVERYONE to interview you and make them serious. You will fine yourself somewhere this year if you fix your interviewing skills.
 
styphon said:
My weaknesses: Seriously, I suck at interviews, I am very nervous, shy, and soft-spoken. During interviews my main focus is on maintaining eye contact and stop my hands from going all over the place and maintaining a normal voice level. I also waited until October to send in my primary application last year, so all my interviews where in the middle of may..

I think you've already figured it out. Now you just have to figure out how to work on it. Sending in your application early is the easier of the two. But interview skills can be learned. I always feel like an interview is to see how well you can perform under pressure. Can you pretend to be totally confident and comfortable when placed in this situation? You need to practice walking confidently, practice answering questions. It's hard for me to practice with family and friends, but if you can arrange meetings with people you don't know or are not comfortable with (i.e. your parent's friends, etc) You can get them a list of questions and arrange a meeting time and place. The more you work on it the better you'll become! :luck:
 
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USArmyDoc said:
The only think I could you wrong with your approach in the last year was the lateness of your application. Get it in ASAP and work on those interview skills. Get EVERYONE to interview you and make them serious. You will fine yourself somewhere this year if you fix your interviewing skills.

My problem is the people I got to practice interviewing with are people I am comfortable with (gf, family, close friends) so that I didn't resort to my introvert self with them(ex: no problem with eye contact/wandering hands)
 
styphon said:
My problem is the people I got to practice interviewing with are people I am comfortable with (gf, family, close friends) so that I didn't resort to my introvert self with them(ex: no problem with eye contact/wandering hands)

If your school has career services/pre-med advisers maybe these people could do a mock i interview with you?
 
styphon said:
My problem is the people I got to practice interviewing with are people I am comfortable with (gf, family, close friends) so that I didn't resort to my introvert self with them(ex: no problem with eye contact/wandering hands)

How about your premed advisor? Can they do a mock interview or 2 with you? Why don't you apply for a few jobs, and practice interviewing that way, too. One reason older applicants do well once they get the interview is that they've had a lot of practice interviewing for jobs and the like.
 
How many places did you apply to and where are you from? You should make a conscious effort in the next few months to work on your mannerisms when you speak. I've come across some pretty soft spoken people in med school, so unless you're realllly bad, I don't think that's the only thing holding you back. You should have already sent in your primary application and be working on secondaries if you're serious about making a run for it this cycle. So do it ASAP, and try to be complete at schools by mid August at the latest...I'm sure you'll be fine if you chill out before each interview and don't worry so much about the outcome (I know it's easier said than done). Good luck.
 
styphon said:
So I am waitlisted at one school for 2006 and probably will not get in because of my very low position on the list..
My question is: What is wrong with my application? The schools I applied to won't discuss anything until august and I don't really want to hold onto my primary application until that point.. Also, What can I do to improve it? Did I do enough to improve it, or am I just wasting more money and more time by reapplying this year?
My stats: MCAT:10B10P11V, BCPM GPA 3.55, AO 3.73, Overall 3.61. Problem is my grades slope down (Junior and senior years were my worst).. I have worked in research for almost 3 years, but I have no publications. I have over 1,500 hrs as an EMT-Basic, volunteered at a hospital, shadowed a doctor, and have done community service.
My weaknesses: Seriously, I suck at interviews, I am very nervous, shy, and soft-spoken. During interviews my main focus is on maintaining eye contact and stop my hands from going all over the place and maintaining a normal voice level. I also waited until October to send in my primary application last year, so all my interviews where in the middle of may..
What I have done this year: I have additional 100+ Hours as an EMT-Basic, have joined an AIDS community service, and have another year of research(Again, no publications)..
Any advice?
Some schools hold 'rejected applicant meetings,' where you can talk to the dean of admissions and see exactly why they rejected you. Even if these schools don't offer these meetings, ask to see the dean. Many places won't discuss their admissions policies, but try enough of them and a few will give some insight. That's important because you may have other weaknesses you don't know about (maybe your essays weren't up to snuff) and your interview scores were good, despite what your impression of them were. Get your information from the source.
 
Applying early makes a HUGE difference. If you haven't already, resubmit your app for the 2006-2007 cycle ASAP.
 
I've submitted my primary AMCAS last week. I applied to 8 schools last time, 10 schools this time. The schools close to me won't discuss my past application until the beginning of medical school 2006.

And yes, I am very shy and it is noticable. My boss, who once sat on the admissions board said I don't have the "medical student personality", also in a recent interview they told one of my references that I seem to be "really shy and introverted". At my EMS agency, I constantly told I needed to "display more confidence".

The sad part is EMS made me 1,000Xtimes more outgoing and confident than I was before, yet people give me these same damn criticisms.
 
styphon said:
I've submitted my primary AMCAS last week. I applied to 8 schools last time, 10 schools this time. The schools close to me won't discuss my past application until the beginning of medical school 2006.

And yes, I am very shy and it is noticable. My boss, who once sat on the admissions board said I don't have the "medical student personality", also in a recent interview they told one of my references that I seem to be "really shy and introverted". At my EMS agency, I constantly told I needed to "display more confidence".

The sad part is EMS made me 1,000Xtimes more outgoing and confident than I was before, yet people give me these same damn criticisms.

I think you have to apply to more schools. Perhaps you have social anxiety, which is very common among pre-meds. I think there was a thread about it recently. When you go in for the interview, tell yourself that they are very interested in you, that you are 1 in 20 or so that even were offered the interview. It's an accomplishment to be there and they just want to know who you are. Practice common interview questions. Look through the interview feedback on SDN (huge help!) You'll be more confident if you know what to expect. Smile occasionaly, don't forget the firm handshake. Don't rush with answers. Start speaking louder now to everyone -- your friends, when ordering pizza, at work, you'll get used to it by the time interviews come around and it will become natural. Coming across shy is still better than seeming arrogant.
 
styphon said:
I've submitted my primary AMCAS last week. I applied to 8 schools last time, 10 schools this time. The schools close to me won't discuss my past application until the beginning of medical school 2006.

And yes, I am very shy and it is noticable. My boss, who once sat on the admissions board said I don't have the "medical student personality", also in a recent interview they told one of my references that I seem to be "really shy and introverted". At my EMS agency, I constantly told I needed to "display more confidence".

The sad part is EMS made me 1,000Xtimes more outgoing and confident than I was before, yet people give me these same damn criticisms.


This may sound cheesy - but it will work. Look for a toastmasters club in your town. They don't charge much to belong and they will force you to become comfortable speaking in front of crowds - extemporaneously. Once you can do this (with your obvious intelligence and skills it won't take long) sitting through an interview will be a breeze. I am aware of more than a few persons who overcame very dramatic stage fright to become competent public speakers because of their class. I know you aren't going to address the entire school staff, but should you be comfortable doing so, talking to one or three persons won't be intimidating any longer.
 
I am sorry to hear about your bad luck. Your stats sounded great-so I guess my main question was started to get touched upon near the end of the Email thread. Specifically-

You applied to 8 schools. Which 8?

Now you applied to 10-which 10?

Did you get invited to interviews to most of the 8? I would think that (nervousness aside) that by the 8th interview that you might have had exposure to some of the "usual suspect" questions and so your last interview (all other things being equal) should have come off the best since you would have had a better answer, even if given nervously. Conversely, if your waitlist came from an early interview, maybe you are not seeming nervous-but canned (the downfall of practice).

Would you mind giving a little more info on your condition?
 
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