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You're a little late bro 😉
Reflections/thoughts on the admissions game
Started by NickNaylor
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you're kidding right?
also, baring anything during the interview can't be a good thing
No. They expect you to act like yourself. Obviously don't act like a douche and be offensive but don't act like you're in front of a firing squad and a wrong answer will get you killed.
BRA! i aint LATE!
HES IN THE SPRINGTIME OF HIS YOUTH. HE CANT HAVE ALREADY GONE TO ALL THE GOOD PLACES ALREADY.
get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
HES IN THE SPRINGTIME OF HIS YOUTH. HE CANT HAVE ALREADY GONE TO ALL THE GOOD PLACES ALREADY.
get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
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I want to clarify this a bit and say that you should act like yourself, but that doesn't mean act as if you're chummy with your interviewer.
Hey guys, not to hijack this thread, but thought I'd add my own opinions on the admissions process. Since it's a short and disorganized post, I didn't think it warranted its own thread. I told myself I would make this post if things turned out well this application cycle and they did.
I want to give a little bit of hope and a tiny bit of advice to those who are applying in this cycle and the next. My target audience is the people on the fence thinking about taking a year off with semi-competitive stats.
I'll jump right into it and say I had a 2.6 GPA my first term freshman year. I didn't do the work, didn't go to class and was being stupid in my transition to college. My sophomore year, I got a C in molecular biology bringing my grand total of Cs in pre-reqs to 3. I did not take a year off, but at the end of my junior year, I rebounded to about a 3.5 sGPA and a 3.4 sGPA. I'm sure if I posted a "What are my chances?" thread, I would have got a couple cynical responses on my resume. With my pre-med advisor and independent sifting through SDN, I was able to become well-versed in the application process.
I spent about a month studying for the MCAT and got a 34S on three hours of sleep. It was my lowest score of any practice test, and I complained about it like a pre-med student would. I naively thought about retaking the test, but realized that a lot of people do a lot worse. Take what you get and run with it. With these stats and humility, I submitted my application in mid July and was verified in early-mid August. I submitted the majority of my secondaries in late August, early September. I did all of this while I was working 2 jobs during the summer, 9AM-12AM, 6-7 days a week. It can be done.
Your application should be a reflection of you. Don't jump all over the place, do things with focus. If you're a budding opthmalogist and that's what you want to be, then you better have an application that illustrates that.
Do things that interest you and not for the sake of a medical school acceptance. This extends to research, clinical volunteering, hobbies and community service. Your sincerity will reflect in the interview, for what it's worth.
I thought I bombed one of my interviews. In my defense, we talked about illegal immigration, euthanasia, religion and a bunch of controversial/sensitive/stressful topics. I ended up saying that I would treat a patient without fully educating them. Probably not too ethical and it's certainly not what I believe. Yet, I was accepted off the waitlist today. Don't stress too much on aspects of your application and interview season. Waiting is a pain, but everything will turn out okay if you stay honest, work hard and hunger for it.
Apply early, but do not rush your application, take a year off if necessary. I feel confident my 4.0 performance my senior year could have meant more opportunities at better schools. I regret not taking a year off at times. Better schools translates into better financial aid and better opportunities. Better schools does not necessarily mean higher ranked schools. You'll get a feel for where you belong on the interview trail. I think there will be a couple of schools that should resonate with you.
You should apply broadly and wisely. I applied to 25 schools, received 5 interviews and 5 acceptances. I kept my expectations low, but am very happy the way the cycle turned out. Send letters, they can only help you.
Thank the people that helped you get where you are today: your friends, your parents, your mentors, your professors, etc. You are on your way to equip yourself with tools to help others like these people did. My PI emailed me this mundane statement at the conclusion of one of my summers. I really believe in it.
"Keep working and good things will happen."
Truer words were never said...errr...e-mailed.
I want to give a little bit of hope and a tiny bit of advice to those who are applying in this cycle and the next. My target audience is the people on the fence thinking about taking a year off with semi-competitive stats.
I'll jump right into it and say I had a 2.6 GPA my first term freshman year. I didn't do the work, didn't go to class and was being stupid in my transition to college. My sophomore year, I got a C in molecular biology bringing my grand total of Cs in pre-reqs to 3. I did not take a year off, but at the end of my junior year, I rebounded to about a 3.5 sGPA and a 3.4 sGPA. I'm sure if I posted a "What are my chances?" thread, I would have got a couple cynical responses on my resume. With my pre-med advisor and independent sifting through SDN, I was able to become well-versed in the application process.
I spent about a month studying for the MCAT and got a 34S on three hours of sleep. It was my lowest score of any practice test, and I complained about it like a pre-med student would. I naively thought about retaking the test, but realized that a lot of people do a lot worse. Take what you get and run with it. With these stats and humility, I submitted my application in mid July and was verified in early-mid August. I submitted the majority of my secondaries in late August, early September. I did all of this while I was working 2 jobs during the summer, 9AM-12AM, 6-7 days a week. It can be done.
Your application should be a reflection of you. Don't jump all over the place, do things with focus. If you're a budding opthmalogist and that's what you want to be, then you better have an application that illustrates that.
Do things that interest you and not for the sake of a medical school acceptance. This extends to research, clinical volunteering, hobbies and community service. Your sincerity will reflect in the interview, for what it's worth.
I thought I bombed one of my interviews. In my defense, we talked about illegal immigration, euthanasia, religion and a bunch of controversial/sensitive/stressful topics. I ended up saying that I would treat a patient without fully educating them. Probably not too ethical and it's certainly not what I believe. Yet, I was accepted off the waitlist today. Don't stress too much on aspects of your application and interview season. Waiting is a pain, but everything will turn out okay if you stay honest, work hard and hunger for it.
Apply early, but do not rush your application, take a year off if necessary. I feel confident my 4.0 performance my senior year could have meant more opportunities at better schools. I regret not taking a year off at times. Better schools translates into better financial aid and better opportunities. Better schools does not necessarily mean higher ranked schools. You'll get a feel for where you belong on the interview trail. I think there will be a couple of schools that should resonate with you.
You should apply broadly and wisely. I applied to 25 schools, received 5 interviews and 5 acceptances. I kept my expectations low, but am very happy the way the cycle turned out. Send letters, they can only help you.
Thank the people that helped you get where you are today: your friends, your parents, your mentors, your professors, etc. You are on your way to equip yourself with tools to help others like these people did. My PI emailed me this mundane statement at the conclusion of one of my summers. I really believe in it.
"Keep working and good things will happen."
Truer words were never said...errr...e-mailed.
Not even anywhere close to applying to medical school (incoming freshman to undergrad) but this post was fantastic! I'll definitely refer back to it when the time comes...
Yeah, excellent post, especially because it's chronological
This deserves a bump.
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Hopefully made into a sticky by the mods..
Sigh...no one ever reads the FAQ's...
But, but, but... how will they know what to do when they see a troll?
Well, they might read that one...but only because the title is catchy.
great post, looking forwarded to that upcoming blog. 👍
lots of good info in this thread.
Great info. "Nick you the bestest"(using drake voice)
I've seen Nicknaylor, he's actually mexican and has a mohawk.
Lol every time I see his mdapps I think to myself... why didnt harvard and upenn accept him? I guess its just that competitive, or he didnt have enough research
y u out me?
Looking back I think it's largely because I was (IMO) a strong applicant but still a cookie cutter applicant. I never found anything that I was super duper passionate during undergrad about and I think that probably showed in the form of me not taking the initiative to do something truly awesome. Don't get me wrong, I loved all of the activities I was involved with, but it wasn't up to par with what the strongest applicants do.
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Very great read. Make me feel more secure about future months!
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