Reapplying the very next cycle?

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bigbad

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I applied this cycle with a mid-20's MCAT and decent gpa/ECs to some lower ranked MD schools. No interviews and I'm sure that was due to the sub-par mcat.

People always talk about taking a year off but what about applying the very next cycle?

What I'll do differently this cycle:

1.Retake the mcat and do well (I'm confident since my earlier practice tests were higher than my actual score + another couple months studying won't hurt).

2. Apply DO + more MDs with lower stats

3. Apply way earlier.

4. Enhance my personal statement

During my application year, I'll probably be working on an internship or doing research but this won't be reflected in my app since I'll have my app complete before I start. It's tough knowing that I'll need to get my things in order in the next few months for yet another cycle. What are your thoughts on this if the only real changes in my application are personal statement and a higher mcat? As always, thanks for all of the insight.

I should mention I graduate this June, and since most DO's require a psych/sociology class, that further complicates things. But I suppose that can be done at a cc over the year I am applying.
 
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its more common than you think. Typically if you don't have an acceptance around March you'd want to find alternate plans (like reapplying). As long as you significantly improved your application since you submitted it last its definitely worth a shot.
 
I applied this cycle with a mid-20's MCAT and decent gpa/ECs to some lower ranked MD schools. No interviews and I'm sure that was due to the sub-par mcat.

People always talk about taking a year off but what about applying the very next cycle?

What I'll do differently this cycle:

1.Retake the mcat and do well (I'm confident since my earlier practice tests were higher than my actual score + another couple months studying won't hurt).

2. Apply DO + more MDs with lower stats

3. Apply way earlier.

4. Enhance my personal statement

During my application year, I'll probably be working on an internship or doing research but this won't be reflected in my app since I'll have my app complete before I start. It's tough knowing that I'll need to get my things in order in the next few months for yet another cycle. What are your thoughts on this if the only real changes in my application are personal statement and a higher mcat? As always, thanks for all of the insight.

I should mention I graduate this June, and since most DO's require a psych/sociology class, that further complicates things. But I suppose that can be done at a cc over the year I am applying.


Agreed, your MCAT is the obvious killer here in your application. Get it to 30+ and you should be getting interviews assuming your EC's and GPA are competitive. Whats the GPA like? Your 4 strategies are exactly what you need to do and you should be good to go.

Also which DO schools are you referring to about the behavioral science requirement? The ones that have it as a requirement are in the minority, as most just recommend such a course. The DO CIB shows the requirements for all the individual schools if you aren't familiar: http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/2013cib/2013CIB_whole_web.pdf

Also some DO schools require an LOR from a DO physician, so make sure you either have one or pick schools that don't require it. I personally got in to a couple of schools that only recommended a DO LOR and didn't have any problems. That's up to you.

Good luck!
 
Agreed, your MCAT is the obvious killer here in your application. Get it to 30+ and you should be getting interviews assuming your EC's and GPA are competitive. Whats the GPA like? Your 4 strategies are exactly what you need to do and you should be good to go.

Also which DO schools are you referring to about the behavioral science requirement? The ones that have it as a requirement are in the minority, as most just recommend such a course. The DO CIB shows the requirements for all the individual schools if you aren't familiar: http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/2013cib/2013CIB_whole_web.pdf

Also some DO schools require an LOR from a DO physician, so make sure you either have one or pick schools that don't require it. I personally got in to a couple of schools that only recommended a DO LOR and didn't have any problems. That's up to you.

Good luck!

My gpa is around 3.7-3.8 so that shouldn't hold me back from the schools I'll be applying to. I was browsing the aacom resources book and I saw some psych or biochem requirements which I don't have done. I'll also be graduating so I'm not sure whether or not I can fit it in before I graduate.

Are those requirements such that I can finish them anytime before I matriculate?

And I plan on getting a letter from a DO, but it's good to know that its not an unwritten requirement at the schools that "recommend" it haha.
 
My gpa is around 3.7-3.8 so that shouldn't hold me back from the schools I'll be applying to. I was browsing the aacom resources book and I saw some psych or biochem requirements which I don't have done. I'll also be graduating so I'm not sure whether or not I can fit it in before I graduate.

Are those requirements such that I can finish them anytime before I matriculate?

And I plan on getting a letter from a DO, but it's good to know that its not an unwritten requirement at the schools that "recommend" it haha.


Agreed, GPA looks great. Study hard and beast that MCAT.

There are definitely some that require those classes, so it might be worth it for you to come up with a school list. Either narrow it down based on your current transcript/courses or make sure you take the required courses if you have certain schools in mind. I believe most schools will just want you to have prereqs completed before you matriculate, and will still consider your application, interview you, etc. if you haven't finished them all. As long as you have the core requirements like bio, chem, ochem, and physics, I think you should be fine. It might be worth calling individual schools just to make sure you only need the biochem or behavioral course before matriculating rather than before applying.

Yeah in my experience the "recommended" DO LOR was pretty meaningless. I didn't take the chance of wasting my application fee on ones that said it was required.
 
OP i reapplied right away and have had success this cycle the 2nd time around, though I had started making EC improvements in January of last year when i only had a couple interviews. PM me if you want details but you seem to understand your weaknesses and are making strides to improve them, good luck!
 
1289 can you say what you have done so others here reapplying can see what you have done?
 
I had a friend who got rejected everywhere he applied in his first cycle. He reapplied the next cycle in mid-October to three schools without having done anything to change his app since the last cycle, and got accepted to one of those schools this year, and it was one of the ones that rejected him last year too.

So it definitely doesn't hurt to reapply. It's a good idea to improve your application though and not try to do what my friend did. In your case OP I think you'll be set by just getting a 30+ on the MCAT.
 
1289 can you say what you have done so others here reapplying can see what you have done?
uh sure. i did not retake the mcat, and my score's not great (below 30). starting in January last year I added 3 new volunteer activities: 2 were clinical (not hospitals) and the other was tutoring ESL high school students. I finished undergrad last May and have since been working full time in a patient care position for a home health agency. i completely re-did my personal statement. i got 3 new letters of rec, i submit my app really early and pre-wrote all my secondaries and had them submit within hours of receiving them last summer. I got 7 md interviews this year: mcw, uw-madison, creighton, george washington, vermont, albany and drexel. didn't go to the last 3. got accepted at 3 of the 4 interviews i attended
 
uh sure. i did not retake the mcat, and my score's not great (below 30). starting in January last year I added 3 new volunteer activities: 2 were clinical (not hospitals) and the other was tutoring ESL high school students. I finished undergrad last May and have since been working full time in a patient care position for a home health agency. i completely re-did my personal statement. i got 3 new letters of rec, i submit my app really early and pre-wrote all my secondaries and had them submit within hours of receiving them last summer. I got 7 md interviews this year: mcw, uw-madison, creighton, george washington, vermont, albany and drexel. didn't go to the last 3. got accepted at 3 of the 4 interviews i attended

thats pretty awesome, congrats!
 
uh sure. i did not retake the mcat, and my score's not great (below 30). starting in January last year I added 3 new volunteer activities: 2 were clinical (not hospitals) and the other was tutoring ESL high school students. I finished undergrad last May and have since been working full time in a patient care position for a home health agency. i completely re-did my personal statement. i got 3 new letters of rec, i submit my app really early and pre-wrote all my secondaries and had them submit within hours of receiving them last summer. I got 7 md interviews this year: mcw, uw-madison, creighton, george washington, vermont, albany and drexel. didn't go to the last 3. got accepted at 3 of the 4 interviews i attended

Hearing stuff like this makes me feel better about reapplying
 
uh sure. i did not retake the mcat, and my score's not great (below 30). starting in January last year I added 3 new volunteer activities: 2 were clinical (not hospitals) and the other was tutoring ESL high school students. I finished undergrad last May and have since been working full time in a patient care position for a home health agency. i completely re-did my personal statement. i got 3 new letters of rec, i submit my app really early and pre-wrote all my secondaries and had them submit within hours of receiving them last summer. I got 7 md interviews this year: mcw, uw-madison, creighton, george washington, vermont, albany and drexel. didn't go to the last 3. got accepted at 3 of the 4 interviews i attended
thanks for your response! much appreciated. Did you apply to those schools last application as well or was it your first time applying to them? Thanks again!
 
thanks for your response! much appreciated. Did you apply to those schools last application as well or was it your first time applying to them? Thanks again!
No problem! It was my first time applying to Albany but I was a reapplicant at the others
 
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