State: TX
GPA (AMCAS):
cGPA: 3.95
sGPA: 3.85 (TMDSAS: 3.9)
ECs:
Research: 3+ years clinical research; I was working on a project but the grad student that was helping me with this moved away to another school and the professor that he worked for moved on to another concentration. In terms of results, I wasted a year, but I still learned a lot about the process of research, doing data analyses and statistical tests. I was also able to get a couple of posters out of this. I'm now working on a project that we are hoping to publish in early spring (feb/mar). I would be first author on this publication. I won a grant from my school and in the resulting poster presentation, was a finalist.
Shadowing: I also have 200+ hours of shadowing (downside: specialists, not primary care).
Clubs: helped found and am president of a student organization on campus.
Volunteering: have worked at a rape crisis center in Austin for over a year now in both education (going to schools to talk about sexual assault to help prevent it) and on-call (going to the hospital in the middle of the night to be there for the person during the rape kit and police report OR taking crisis calls).
Abroad: I also went on a medical mission trip, which was really about me more than the people, to my dismay (but really, what was I expecting? I'm a pre-med with little actual medical skills, although my Spanish speaking was a plus and because of my work at the rape crisis center, I could help educate the women and, yes, children, because they came into the clinic with symptoms of rape, ugh). Also, I write as a hobby (creative writing).
LoRs:
pretty good, IMO: my PI, director of my major's honors program, my club advisor, the doctors I shadowed and my professor who got me interested in my sexuality/women studies minor.
PS/other essays:
Also solid, I think: my ECs lend themselves to awesome (sometimes depressing) experiences.
MCAT:
I initially took my MCAT, made a 29S. I decided to re-take, especially after making 35+ on practice exams, but I freaked out and made a point lower. I sort of fell into a bit of a depression and applied late.
In-state, it's past pre-match, but I have my only interview in December. Haven't heard back from OOS schools. I am a mixture of fear and low self-esteem. I think my poor performance on my MCAT made me believe that maybe my other achievements weren't all that great. I know now that it was stupid to think like that.
I think I might have to re-apply next year, and so I'm not coasting. I am graduating a semester early with multiple honors. I've already talked to my prior letter-writers (save for the doctor I shadowed): they are willing to write my letters again. They may be better letters too since they know me more. Also, will have my volunteer coordinator at the crisis center write me a letter (didn't get one last time because I didn't think she knew me well enough). A hole in my application is shadowing primary care...will shadow extensively next semester and make that my letter to replace my doctor letter (unless he's willing to re-submit that one, but I'd like to get a new one). So, I have a mix of old LoR and new LoR.
My question...should I re-take my MCAT...but this time, addressing my issues with nervousness and spending more TIME on it (will not have the stress of all of my ECs as much, nor the stress of school since I will have graduated)? Or, is the rest of my application strong enough, to where I can, this time, re-apply EARLY and try for admission? I really kind of want to take the test again (if I have the slightest doubt at the end of the exam, I'll void it). I'll know by March/April where my possibilities are (because it's around that time that schools stop interviewing).
If I end up re-applying, I'm getting mixed responses: some say that medical schools hate it, and others say that it shows persistence. I honestly believe that part of the reason why this cycle has been sucking was because of my late application and MCAT. I can definitely apply early next year, and if asked what I learned in the year that I did not get into medical school, I actually have some stuff to say right now, just because this semester has ripped me a new one and I learned that working harder is not the same as working smarter. I guess age would be on my side too, since I'm <21 right now. If I don't get in this cycle, I would probably start a scribe job back at home, since it's money and while my parents hate the idea of me working, I hate the idea of relying on them for money and not being able to pay for my own car insurance/gas/health bills/personal items.
I guess I'm just asking for general feedback... I don't frequent SDN a bunch, but when I have a question, usually get good responses.
Thanks in advance.
GPA (AMCAS):
cGPA: 3.95
sGPA: 3.85 (TMDSAS: 3.9)
ECs:
Research: 3+ years clinical research; I was working on a project but the grad student that was helping me with this moved away to another school and the professor that he worked for moved on to another concentration. In terms of results, I wasted a year, but I still learned a lot about the process of research, doing data analyses and statistical tests. I was also able to get a couple of posters out of this. I'm now working on a project that we are hoping to publish in early spring (feb/mar). I would be first author on this publication. I won a grant from my school and in the resulting poster presentation, was a finalist.
Shadowing: I also have 200+ hours of shadowing (downside: specialists, not primary care).
Clubs: helped found and am president of a student organization on campus.
Volunteering: have worked at a rape crisis center in Austin for over a year now in both education (going to schools to talk about sexual assault to help prevent it) and on-call (going to the hospital in the middle of the night to be there for the person during the rape kit and police report OR taking crisis calls).
Abroad: I also went on a medical mission trip, which was really about me more than the people, to my dismay (but really, what was I expecting? I'm a pre-med with little actual medical skills, although my Spanish speaking was a plus and because of my work at the rape crisis center, I could help educate the women and, yes, children, because they came into the clinic with symptoms of rape, ugh). Also, I write as a hobby (creative writing).
LoRs:
pretty good, IMO: my PI, director of my major's honors program, my club advisor, the doctors I shadowed and my professor who got me interested in my sexuality/women studies minor.
PS/other essays:
Also solid, I think: my ECs lend themselves to awesome (sometimes depressing) experiences.
MCAT:
I initially took my MCAT, made a 29S. I decided to re-take, especially after making 35+ on practice exams, but I freaked out and made a point lower. I sort of fell into a bit of a depression and applied late.
In-state, it's past pre-match, but I have my only interview in December. Haven't heard back from OOS schools. I am a mixture of fear and low self-esteem. I think my poor performance on my MCAT made me believe that maybe my other achievements weren't all that great. I know now that it was stupid to think like that.
I think I might have to re-apply next year, and so I'm not coasting. I am graduating a semester early with multiple honors. I've already talked to my prior letter-writers (save for the doctor I shadowed): they are willing to write my letters again. They may be better letters too since they know me more. Also, will have my volunteer coordinator at the crisis center write me a letter (didn't get one last time because I didn't think she knew me well enough). A hole in my application is shadowing primary care...will shadow extensively next semester and make that my letter to replace my doctor letter (unless he's willing to re-submit that one, but I'd like to get a new one). So, I have a mix of old LoR and new LoR.
My question...should I re-take my MCAT...but this time, addressing my issues with nervousness and spending more TIME on it (will not have the stress of all of my ECs as much, nor the stress of school since I will have graduated)? Or, is the rest of my application strong enough, to where I can, this time, re-apply EARLY and try for admission? I really kind of want to take the test again (if I have the slightest doubt at the end of the exam, I'll void it). I'll know by March/April where my possibilities are (because it's around that time that schools stop interviewing).
If I end up re-applying, I'm getting mixed responses: some say that medical schools hate it, and others say that it shows persistence. I honestly believe that part of the reason why this cycle has been sucking was because of my late application and MCAT. I can definitely apply early next year, and if asked what I learned in the year that I did not get into medical school, I actually have some stuff to say right now, just because this semester has ripped me a new one and I learned that working harder is not the same as working smarter. I guess age would be on my side too, since I'm <21 right now. If I don't get in this cycle, I would probably start a scribe job back at home, since it's money and while my parents hate the idea of me working, I hate the idea of relying on them for money and not being able to pay for my own car insurance/gas/health bills/personal items.
I guess I'm just asking for general feedback... I don't frequent SDN a bunch, but when I have a question, usually get good responses.
Thanks in advance.
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