Rejected, advice for next steps?

[Duff84]

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I am pretty discouraged by this past cycle's failures but I'm by no means giving in. I'm hoping for a little advice/feedback. This past cycle I applied to 19 Allopathic schools, got only 2 interviews, both rejections. My stats are, 3.69 GPA, 3.83 sGPA, 30Q MCAT (11 V, 9 PS, 10 BS). I have 2+ years research experience with publications, 3+ years as a medical assistant. I just turned 29 and I'm getting my next application together looking for any advice or to see if I'm on the right track. I know it's bad to use the same application and clearly I will be updating my personal statement but what else should I do? I honestly don't think I can significantly improve the MCAT and my committee said it wasn't worth retaking unless you can improve at least 3-4 points. The only feedback from schools was to shadow more specialties which I will be doing, I could get another MD LOR from my practice but my LOR's this past cycle were very strong so I'm hesitant to throw them out.

I really want to forge ahead and get an acceptance in this next cycle. Is this a mistake? The only weakness I see is my MCAT but I don't feel like it is THAT low. Should I really take a whole other year off to dedicate to raising it? Anything else I can do to ensure this is the last time I have to apply?

 

[SilverCat]

I'm surprised you received so few interviews. Your numbers and ECs both look good. Here's some stuff that might have went wrong.

1.) Early or late app? Later = more likely to be overlooked and rejected

2.) What schools did you apply to? Lots of reaches, schools that favor in-state students where you were an out-of state applicant?

3.) Did you get feedback on your PS?

4.) Interview prep--did you do mock interviews? Being outright rejected post-interview usually means weak interviewing skills.

If you can possibly call the schools that interviewed you, you could get some feedback.

 

[aspiringdoc09]

Well you got 2 interviews so it wasn't all bad. Congrats to that! It's competitive! Like you said, change your PS but I guess it wouldn't change too much over a year. Make sure your activities are reflective and tie well with your PS statement (central theme type ordeal). That's what I did. But you got 2 interviews!

Most important things to do:

Try improving your interview skills (did they reject you right after?)
shadow more especially primary care if you hadn't as advise
submit application early (when did you submit last time?)
What schools (have a good mix of schools).

If you submitted late, that may have been your issue because your stats are great dude!

 

[Duff84]

Thanks for the replies. I'm from MA so I only have one state school which was one of my interviews. I did do mocks which went well, and I felt my interviews did as well, no stumbles, no long pauses, felt I had good responses. I was JUST rejected from UMASS this past week, 5 months post interview, and Georgetown rejected me about 3 months post interview. I think I could benefit from more focused school choice. Having only one in state option kind of sucks so I'm forced to do a lot of OOS. I hit the ones that most everyone does, GWU, Georgetown, Temple, Rush, Rosiland, Drexel, Keck. I was hoping to get more interviews after my 2'nd as I felt I was really getting comfortable so hopefully this time around will go better.

 

[gyngyn]

I only count 7 schools where you had a fair to good chance of an interview.

Apply early. Identify at least a dozen schools that might interview you. Work on your interview skills.

 

[EmergDoc2B]

Did you mix your schools up upper tier, middle tier and some lower tier?

 

[One Day MD]

I'm sorry how things turned out this cycle, but do you think that applying to 19 schools was enough? I would honestly say this time around to apply to 25-30 schools, with an emphasis on schools who have lower matriculant stats for MCAT/GPA, and also schools that recently opened like Cooper Medical School, University of Central Florida, FIU, etc (As found on LCME website).

As others have said, apply early, shadow a new physician to get a new LOR, and churn out your secondaries quickly. In terms of your Personal Statement, maybe you can discuss the same thing in a different way, or focus on another aspect of your character that maybe you didn't have a chance to focus on in this past cycle

Either way, good luck!

 

[OhHey]

Apply to schools differently. Be really honest with yourself and apply to schools in your stats range and lower. After you turn in your app to all these schools first... then apply to a couple schools that are higher ranked and that u really wanna go to. I don't think it would put u at a disadvantage to apply to highly ranked schools later.. I hear some schools save lower stats people with good backgrounds in a certain group and interview them together later on in the cycle. It will put u at a disadvantage at schools that are at ur range or lower.

 

[Goro]

Your numbers are really good; I suspect that you aimed too high, and they didn't like the imbalanced MCAT. Do NOT retake it! Just aim for low-medium tier schools, plus your state schools, if any. try some DO programs as well. You'd be accepted in a heartbeat at my school.


Also, you don't mention your ECs. Yes, you have work experience in the medical field, but where's your altruism? You need to show your humanity, not just that you're a good student and test taker. Shadowing is needed because you need to show us you know what you're getting into.

The only other thing I worry about is if there's a red flag in your packet...any IA's? Felonies? recent or multiple misdemeanors? Bad LOR?

I am pretty discouraged by this past cycle's failures but I'm by no means giving in. I'm hoping for a little advice/feedback. This past cycle I applied to 19 Allopathic schools, got only 2 interviews, both rejections. My stats are, 3.69 GPA, 3.83 sGPA, 30Q MCAT (11 V, 9 PS, 10 BS). I have 2+ years research experience with publications, 3+ years as a medical assistant. I just turned 29 and I'm getting my next application together looking for any advice or to see if I'm on the right track. I know it's bad to use the same application and clearly I will be updating my personal statement but what else should I do? I honestly don't think I can significantly improve the MCAT and my committee said it wasn't worth retaking unless you can improve at least 3-4 points. The only feedback from schools was to shadow more specialties which I will be doing, I could get another MD LOR from my practice but my LOR's this past cycle were very strong so I'm hesitant to throw them out.

I really want to forge ahead and get an acceptance in this next cycle. Is this a mistake? The only weakness I see is my MCAT but I don't feel like it is THAT low. Should I really take a whole other year off to dedicate to raising it? Anything else I can do to ensure this is the last time I have to apply?