Round #2...I need some help.

[pleasantspartan]

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So I did not get accepted this year, I am on two wait lists but after meeting with the Assistant Deans of each school my chances of acceptance are very low. I have a few questions... if anyone could help me out I would appreciate it!!

Here are my credentials:

3.9 Undergraduate GPA - Bio major- The Ohio State University- Honors Program

First MCAT -29N
7 Verbal 11 Physical Sciences 11 Biological Sciences
Second MCAT -31M
8 Verbal 1o Physical Sciences 13 Biological Sciences

white male

I have worked for an orthopedic office for 8 yrs now and volunteered at various locations for 2 yrs. I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador. I have shadowed many medical professionals. ... plan to take an EMT class and become a certified X ray tech... What else can I do?

Assistant Deans have told me that they were concerned about my verbal score. I just recently received my new scores and improved in verbal one point and lost a letter in my writing. I thought I did everything I could. Took all the practice tests online and probably another 30 separate verbal tests. I read the NY times everyday. I am just worried I will not get again . Any suggestions? I am about to turn in my 08 applications (Osteo and Allo)... Should I apply to more than 10 schools? I can't afford that many...

 

[Manyac86]

I would say you are competitive, above average GPA and about average MCAT. Guess it all depends on luck, essays, interviews, LORs. Go get em. Have you done research?

If you can only apply to 10 schools apply to 10 lower/mid tiers/state schools. Although I would say that you're going to spend a lot of money/time on med school. Of all times this is not the one to save money. If you apply to lots of schools you might get into one with good financial aid or a low tuition and it'll all be worth it. Also you may find that you get into a reach school you thought you had no chance in hell of getting in to.

 

[Hello34]

Honestly, you have really good stats and it seems like you have good ECs...It sucks you didn't get in the first time, but the thing is, one admissions director told me the reason a lot of people don't get in boils down to one thing: bad luck.

I know you think your verbal score is low, but there are TONS of applicants who have verbal scores of 8 and are accepted. With that said, there are just TONS of applicants in general. You just need to impressed the committees with your personal statement and interviews so you stand out from the people who got 10s in verbal. I think it would be crazy for you to take the MCAT again...My best advice is write a really good PS. If they note you are a sincere person and can convey your ideas through writing, I think they won't hold the verbal score against you. Also, be sure to apply broadly: state school, low tier, reach schools - do them all!

Good luck! 👍

 

[CatsandCradles]

So I did not get accepted this year, I am on two wait lists but after meeting with the Assistant Deans of each school my chances of acceptance are very low. I have a few questions... if anyone could help me out I would appreciate it!!

Here are my credentials:

3.9 Undergraduate GPA - Bio major- The Ohio State University- Honors Program

First MCAT -29N
7 Verbal 11 Physical Sciences 11 Biological Sciences
Second MCAT -31M
8 Verbal 1o Physical Sciences 13 Biological Sciences

white male

I have worked for an orthopedic office for 8 yrs now and volunteered at various locations for 2 yrs. I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador. I have shadowed many medical professionals. ... plan to take an EMT class and become a certified X ray tech... What else can I do?

Assistant Deans have told me that they were concerned about my verbal score. I just recently received my new scores and improved in verbal one point and lost a letter in my writing. I thought I did everything I could. Took all the practice tests online and probably another 30 separate verbal tests. I read the NY times everyday. I am just worried I will not get again . Any suggestions? I am about to turn in my 08 applications (Osteo and Allo)... Should I apply to more than 10 schools? I can't afford that many...

Pleasantspartan.

If there is one item of advice that really stood out in my mind as I read your post, it was that you are not applying to enough schools.

I know you say that you cannot afford many, but this is one of those areas in your life when you should maximize your chances. Apply to over 20 if I were you.

Pick your schools carefully, beware of state schools where you do not live in that state. Also, don't rule yourself out of not applying to a really superb school if you think you have a shot at it.

 

[medguy83]

I don't see why you're having this problem; then again, that's life as a med school applicant. Sometimes those who I thought had no chance got in, and those who should have been shoe-ins were rejected. Why schools do that I don't know. Either way, I wonder about your school selection. If it's something like Harvard, Duke, etc.. and only top tier schools you may be limiting yourself. regardless of how competitive your stats are, you should always apply to a wide variety and number of schools. Secondly, have you done any research? Thirdly, are any of your letters "questionable"? i.e. someone decided to screw you. That happened to a phD candidate I knew. He went for his dissertation defense and then was ultimately turned down and told to wait a while (he'd been there for over 6 years) Turns out a letter from a former undergrad prof led to some doubts.

I can relate to how you're feeling. I talked to an admissions committee member at a school that rejected me back in '05 and was told that although my mcat and gpa were great, I just didn't have enough clinical experience. I volunteered at an ER and a hospital ward, shadowed several docs, but that wasn't good enough. I think it's totally stupid to have to go into a trade program, waste thousands of more dollars and two more years of my life to become a surg tech or an x-ray tech. I mean, it seems as if you have to almost become a doctor before you can actually be one. My advice to you is this, get involved in some clinical research, and volunteer your time at some more clinics and charities. reapply to a host of schools and you should have no problem. Best of luck to you.

 

[CatsandCradles]

I can relate to how you're feeling. I talked to an admissions committee member at a school that rejected me back in '05 and was told that although my mcat and gpa were great, I just didn't have enough clinical experience. I volunteered at an ER and a hospital ward, shadowed several docs, but that wasn't good enough. I think it's totally stupid to have to go into a trade program, waste thousands of more dollars and two more years of my life to become a surg tech or an x-ray tech. I mean, it seems as if you have to almost become a doctor before you can actually be one. My advice to you is this, get involved in some clinical research, and volunteer your time at some more clinics and charities. reapply to a host of schools and you should have no problem. Best of luck to you.

Wow.

I can certaitnly relate well to the feeling. Sometimes it boils down to the roll of a dice.

 

[pleasantspartan]

Hey everyone thank you for the comments. I always appreciate others' opinions/suggestions.

To answer some questions:
No I have not been involved with research- No papers published. I did volunteer for two weeks for a pharmaceutical researcher over the past summer. It was so boring and did not pay. Basically we collected urine and measured blood pressures- collecting data for experiment drugs to lower hypertension. The reason why I never tried to get involved in undergrad research was because I was always working 10-20 hours, volunteering, and maintaining my GPA with Honors classes (not to mention I did have fun..shh do not tell them). I am not trying to make excuses and I probably could have handled participating in research too. I was just a little naive about the whole process. I thought if I kept doing what I was doing I would get in.

For my 07 applications I only turned in 7 secondaries.

This yr I plan to apply to around 15 Allopathic and 5 Osteopathic.

My father is an orthopedic surgeon. The orthopedic office I have worked in for 8 yrs is his!! Is it possible that the admission boards are negating this because he is my dad? I really did work there (if they only knew my father). My dad did pay my undergraduate tuition, but that is all. He believes I should be independent and on my own at my age and I agree. I worked at a factory for 3 summers working 84 weeks. I am not spoiled and I wonder if the admissions board thinks this.... Also in both of my interviews the MDs had some smart ass comment about orthopedics…”That must be nice. He is racking the cash isn’t he? Geez must be nice….”

So now I am debating should I try to do an EMT program? or get a high paying job? I am in talks with Nestle for a lab position testing nutrional benefits (actually more like quality control) of baby food. It pays really well and I could get over-time, but I am worried that it is not going to strengthen my application (like the EMT program would). I really need money, especially applying to 20 schools. It is quite the dilemma.

Either way I am working right now on getting licensed to be an X-ray tech. Still working for my dad, still continuing my shadowing, and my volunteering at the hospital, and Habitat for Humanity... I just want to make sure I get in next yr, but I feel there really is no definite route. Any suggestions???

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP...

 

[nlax30]

I honestly think your stats look just fine. Unless you were mostly applying to some top programs I wouldn't be too concerned about that verbal score. Your GPA is great, you broke the 30 barrier, and you've got a fairly long history of being involved in healthcare.

I don't know what I'd do as far as trying to get some sort of certification just to work for a year. I mean, it can't hurt you, I just don't think that it's required in your case since you seem to have a fairly competitive app. I understand wanting to be independent and all, but have you approached your dad about just helping some with the application fees? Or having him loan you some so you can apply more broadly?

I really think it's just a matter of applying to plenty of schools and making sure that you are applying to the "correct" ones..... for out of state public schools make sure they accept a good number of OOS applicants, make sure you plenty of schools where you're competitive at, along with some "reach" ones if you want.

 

[sunset823]

Are you an Ohio resident? If so, did you apply to ALL the schools in the state? There are a lot of them, and you would definitely be competitive at most if not all. I don't see your stats giving you a problem at all in OH (maybe CA, but not here)

I would say that your dad being an ortho may be part of your problem, but the fact that you went to OSU and didn't elect some ritzy private school shows that you want to be independent anyway - you really have to show in your PS that you have had a life away from the typical spoiled surgeon's kid

As for jobs, take the one that pays well...it doesn't really matter what you do, as long as you do it well, and you could always do a little voluntary clinical work on the side

 

[CatsandCradles]

For my 07 applications I only turned in 7 secondaries.

This yr I plan to apply to around 15 Allopathic and 5 Osteopathic.

7 secondaries is a little bit too low. So it's good your applying to 20 this time around.

So now I am debating should I try to do an EMT program? or get a high paying job? I am in talks with Nestle for a lab position testing nutrional benefits (actually more like quality control) of baby food. It pays really well and I could get over-time, but I am worried that it is not going to strengthen my application (like the EMT program would). I really need money, especially applying to 20 schools. It is quite the dilemma.

I was an EMT B for a little over a year. I enjoyed it very much, but I was with a volunteer group. Maybe you could find out if there is an EMT service group around your county that is a paid group? I know there were several groups were the EMTs were paid in my area - and I come from some really backwards and rural area. It might not pay a whole lot, but still be enough to cover various expenses.

Being an EMT will allow you to say that you had patients under your care. I don't know what EMTs may or may not do in Ohio, but just having patients under your care makes for a much stronger applicant.

It is also quite interesting to work with firemen and policemen - especially at the scene of an MVA. Sometimes, there are huge house fires in the middle of the night - and I will always remember them. It was so very sad to see a three story house burn to the ground.

Either way I am working right now on getting licensed to be an X-ray tech. Still working for my dad, still continuing my shadowing, and my volunteering at the hospital, and Habitat for Humanity... I just want to make sure I get in next yr, but I feel there really is no definite route. Any suggestions???

This is very good. Your might be very busy, but if you can, you might want to definantly consider EMT work if you can.

 

[DrBubbles]

Hi, there. With what you've shared about your qualifications, 15 allopathic and 5 osteopathic schools is exactly what I would have done. Good work.

Also, schools like to see follow-through and commitment. If you're getting certified as an x-ray tech, work as an x-ray tech. Especially if your'e worried they're discounting your clinical experience because it's in your dad's clinic. If you'd rather work as an EMT, get certified as an EMT. But if your'e not going to work as an EMT, it's a waste of your time, energy and money--I would add five more schools in a heartbeat before getting certified for a position you're not going to fill. They don't care what degrees you have; they want to see what kind of experience you've got. And if your'e going to get lots of clinical degrees and then not use them, they'll question what you'll do with your MD or DO degree.

With almost no research experience, I would be sure the schools you're applying to aren't on US News' top Research list, but not on the Primary Care list. Namely, avoid schools like Harvard, Hopkins, Stanford, Yale....you know the drill.

I think you can get in, especially applying broadly as you are this year, and including some osteopathic schools. Best of luck!