Should I apply this summer?

[Doctoblast]

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Hi. I'm taking my MCAT this July and was originally planning on taking a gap year and applying in the summer of 2015. However, a little voice inside my head has been telling me to just apply now and see what happens. Here's some information:
GPA: 3.6
SGPA: ~3.4
1 semester of research
Over 50 hours of clinical volunteering
About 90 hours of community service
Active membership in a pre-proffesional medical group
Part time job on campus

So I don't think my application is very strong. By next year hopefully my gpa will have gone up a little in each category and I'll definitely have more hours of volunteering and research. My goal is a 31 on the MCAT and my top choice is Wayne State MD.

My dilemma is that I don't know if it will look good to apply now and again next year if I don't get in this year. Also, if I bomb the MCAT I don't know how that will look if I need to withdraw the application. Maybe I should just wait? But what if I get in?! Ahhhhh I need advice!

 

[ciestar]

I would apply next year.
That is a decision I had to make recently. You don't ever want to be a reapplicant (seriously, read some threads around here).

Apply next year. Beef up your ECs (especially clinical!), nail the mcat, and you said your gpa could go up, which is great too.

Have you shadowed?

 

[Doctoblast]

I would apply next year.
That is a decision I had to make recently. You don't ever want to be a reapplicant (seriously, read some threads around here).

Apply next year. Beef up your ECs (especially clinical!), nail the mcat, and you said your gpa could go up, which is great too.

Have you shadowed?

Shadowing is one thing that I have not done. I was planning on doing that this summer. The hospital where I volunteer has a thing where if you get 60 hours in then they will set up shadowing for you. I'm only 10 hours away from that. I appreciate the advice!

 

[MidwestLovin]

I would apply next year.
That is a decision I had to make recently. You don't ever want to be a reapplicant (seriously, read some threads around here).

Apply next year. Beef up your ECs (especially clinical!), nail the mcat, and you said your gpa could go up, which is great too.

Have you shadowed?

Can I ask why being a reapplicant is so bad?

 

[MidwestLovin]

But, yeah I agree. Take a year off.

 

[ciestar]

Can I ask why being a reapplicant is so bad?

I wouldn't know personally. I just have a generalization for that based on what I've read on here.

But I honestly would think about putting your all into an application cycle and trudging through all the crap you have to do and to not get in anywhere...well, yeah. I would think that feels pretty terrible.

 

[umbrellaapp]

I mean, other than financial costs (for ex. applying to 20+ schools is over $3000 in apps alone, not including traveling to interviews/lodging/taking the MCAT/buying the MSAR etc), it's a huge waste of your time and energy. Apps take up your life, and it's gonna be hell waiting for interview invites or acceptances and not getting any.

 

[allantois]

I think you could give it a try at DO schools this application cycle. However, 1 semester of research probably does not lead to very meaningful experiences to talk about. Your clinical volunteering is not extensive enough and while you do not need a lot of shadowing you still need to shadow. I wonder if being in a pre-med club took too much time from you and hurt you as an applicant.

 

[Keladry]

I mean, other than financial costs (for ex. applying to 20+ schools is over $3000 in apps alone, not including traveling to interviews/lodging/taking the MCAT/buying the MSAR etc), it's a huge waste of your time and energy. Apps take up your life, and it's gonna be hell waiting for interview invites or acceptances and not getting any.

+1, and I'd also like to add that it means rewriting essays. My biggest mistake last time was applying late, not anything in my PS/secondaries, and yet I still have to rewrite them for the schools I'm re-applying to because I need to show them I've put in the effort. PS was especially tough - my reasons for wanting to pursue medicine haven't changed in a year! That, to me, is one of the worst parts of reapplying.

 

[Doctoblast]

I think you could give it a try at DO schools this application cycle. However, 1 semester of research probably does not lead to very meaningful experiences to talk about. Your clinical volunteering is not extensive enough and while you do not need a lot of shadowing you still need to shadow. I wonder if being in a pre-med club took too much time from you and hurt you as an applicant.

I agree. I think 3 semesters worth of research will mean a lot more. Also I'll have around 150 hours of clinical and over 100 regular community service. Plus shadowing will be done too. The pre-med club is a pretty dumb club, honestly, but I got connected with the hospital to do my clinical volunteering through it and the clinical volunteering will lead to my shadowing hours. So I don't think it was a total waste of time.

I'll definitely wait till next year to apply. Thank you all for the advice!