Should I withdraw AMCAS application

[WolfLarson]

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I submitted my AMCAS primary application beginning of september. Is it too late to apply to MD schools this cycle and should I wait to beginning of next cycle? I was thinking that I'd apply this cycle (finishing up with my post-bacc, strong upward trend went from 2.86 GPA in my first undergrad to a 3.7 GPA) but some people told me its too late. Is that the case?

Also, is there stigma against reapplicants? If I submit this year and don't get in, but continue working on improving my application throughout the year (take some courses i did ****ty in, work in another lab, do some more hospital volunteering, try to get doctor shadowing), will it be sufficient improvement to answer the question 'how has your application improved'?

My post-bacc GPA is 3.7, 2017 MCAT 509 (125,126,130,128).

 

[aaronrodgers]

How many schools did you select on your primary app?

 

[WolfLarson]

How many schools did you select on your primary app?

Around 5. I was going to do more, but hesitated.

 

[aaronrodgers]

Im only an applicant but I believe that adcoms here have said that you are considered a reapplicant only to those 5 schools in which you have sent a primary app. Not sure, but I think someone will clarify more soon!

 

[workaholic181]

Some schools will ask if you've ever applied to any medical schools on their secondaries, while others will ask if you've only ever applied o their institution. So ultimately it could be more than five schools that consider you a reapplicant.

If I were ou I'd apply early next cycle. It's not necessarily too late but it is later than ideal and your stats aren't great. An early app will put you in a much better position.

 

[WolfLarson]

Some schools will ask if you've ever applied to any medical schools on their secondaries, while others will ask if you've only ever applied o their institution. So ultimately it could be more than five schools that consider you a reapplicant.

If I were ou I'd apply early next cycle. It's not necessarily too late but it is later than ideal and your stats aren't great. An early app will put you in a much better position.

So there's stigma towards reapplicants?

 

[workaholic181]

So there's stigma towards reapplicants?

I wouldn't necessarily say stigma but usually if a school wants to know you're a reapplicant, they will have an essay associated where you have to list how you've improved since your last app, and you'd better have a good answer for that.

 

[WolfLarson]

W

I wouldn't necessarily say stigma but usually if a school wants to know you're a reapplicant, they will have an essay associated where you have to list how you've improved since your last app, and you'd better have a good answer for that.

Hats considered a good answer?

 

[workaholic181]

W

Hats considered a good answer?

Publications, significantly improved MCAT or gpa, significant clinical experience. I'd say you'd need at least two of these items

 

[Goro]

I submitted my AMCAS primary application beginning of september. Is it too late to apply to MD schools this cycle and should I wait to beginning of next cycle? I was thinking that I'd apply this cycle (finishing up with my post-bacc, strong upward trend went from 2.86 GPA in my first undergrad to a 3.7 GPA) but some people told me its too late. Is that the case?

Also, is there stigma against reapplicants? If I submit this year and don't get in, but continue working on improving my application throughout the year (take some courses i did ****ty in, work in another lab, do some more hospital volunteering, try to get doctor shadowing), will it be sufficient improvement to answer the question 'how has your application improved'?

My post-bacc GPA is 3.7, 2017 MCAT 509 (125,126,130,128).

Your chances will be best with your state school and any DO school. For other MD schools, even those that reward reinvention, I'm not sanguine.

 

[WolfLarson]

Your chances will be best with your state school and any DO school. For other MD schools, even those that reward reinvention, I'm not sanguine.

Im a Canadian applicant so I don't have a state school. And it's easier to get into Harvard than a Canadian med school

 

[WolfLarson]

Publications, significantly improved MCAT or gpa, significant clinical experience. I'd say you'd need at least two of these items

What is defined as significant clinical experience?

 

[workaholic181]

What is defined as significant clinical experience?

Hundreds of hours working in a clinical setting, or dozens shadowing physicians in a variety of specialties.

 

[Goro]

Im a Canadian applicant so I don't have a state school. And it's easier to get into Harvard than a Canadian med school

For US MS schooks, international applicants need to be Harvard /Stanford caliber.

 

[Premed2295]

You should probably apply to a couple more schools. 5 isnt really enough for anyone aside from the best of the best.

 

[21Rush12]

If you are a Canadian applicant I would wait; you need the wind at your back and any boost you can get to be considered. Give yourself the best chance; it's your career on the line, and one extra gap year is nothing if it means you are accepted.


Edit: just my 2 cents. I would search for the adcom advice on this topic and try to come up with a game plan.

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[WolfLarson]

If you are a Canadian applicant I would wait; you need the wind at your back and any boost you can get to be considered. Give yourself the best chance; it's your career on the line, and one extra gap year is nothing if it means you are accepted.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

I see. So by applying this year I am shooting myself in the foot? If so, how?

 

[WolfLarson]

For US MS schooks, international applicants need to be Harvard /Stanford caliber.

Damn. That's bad news. Is that the case for DO schools as well?

 

[21Rush12]

I see. So by applying this year I am shooting myself in the foot? If so, how?

If you're applying late-ish you're not giving the best chance. If you don't make significant improvement to your application between cycles it's likely that you'll end up rejected.

Don't take it from me; this is just how things work to my understanding. @Goro and @LizzyM would know much better.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Goro]

Damn. That's bad news. Is that the case for DO schools as well?

Nope!!

 

[WolfLarson]

Nope!!

Much thanks!

If you're applying late-ish you're not giving the best chance. If you don't make significant improvement to your application between cycles it's likely that you'll end up rejected.

Don't take it from me; this is just how things work to my understanding. @Goro and @LizzyM would know much better.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

What would be defined as a 'significant change'? I will be taking some courses/working in a lab/volunteering for this application cycle. Would this be considered 'significant'?

 

[LizzyM]

Do you have other MCAT scores besides the 2017? What is your total GPA combining undergrad and post-bac? Frankly, given your Canadian situation, I don't hold out much hope for MD schools this year or next. This year would clearly be a donation to a handful of schools. Next year might be dicey, too, because your undergrad and MCAT may be too low to pass the screens.

 

[WolfLarson]

Do you have other MCAT scores besides the 2017? What is your total GPA combining undergrad and post-bac? Frankly, given your Canadian situation, I don't hold out much hope for MD schools this year or next. This year would clearly be a donation to a handful of schools. Next year might be dicey, too, because your undergrad and MCAT may be too low to pass the screens.

Yeah. I got a 28R in 2012 for MCAT and (foolishly) wrote again in 2015 and got a 24. My first GPA was a 2.86 so I did a post bacc and my last two years were (my post bacc is 2 years) is 3.7

Would you suggest applying to DO schools instead?

 

[LizzyM]

Yeah. I got a 28R in 2012 for MCAT and (foolishly) wrote again in 2015 and got a 24. My first GPA was a 2.86 so I did a post bacc and my last two years were (my post bacc is 2 years) is 3.7

Would you suggest applying to DO schools instead?

Your academic record does not give one confidence of your readiness to succeed in medical school. It might be possible but would be a case of "high risk" with a question of whether you also bring the possibility of "high reward". I'll leave it to @Goro to speak to your chances in DO but I don't see much chance of you getting into the schools that are most open to admission of Canadians.

 

[WolfLarson]

Your academic record does not give one confidence of your readiness to succeed in medical school. It might be possible but would be a case of "high risk" with a question of whether you also bring the possibility of "high reward". I'll leave it to @Goro to speak to your chances in DO but I don't see much chance of you getting into the schools that are most open to admission of Canadians.

Thanks for your reply.

I thought schools look at upward trends? Doesn't my academic record show a strong upward trend? (going from 2.86 to 3.7 in one year is no easy feat).

 

[gyngyn]

I thought schools look at upward trends? Doesn't my academic record show a strong upward trend? (going from 2.86 to 3.7 in one year is no easy feat).

The mean Mcat for successful internationals is 512.
The mean gpa is 3.74.
Trend is important, but not more important than all other parameters.

 

[WolfLarson]

The mean Mcat for successful internationals is 512.
The mean gpa is 3.74.
Trend is important, but not more important than all other parameters.

I see. Much thanks. I will be retaking Gchem (I have weak knowledge of it it seems, and then will retake MCAT if I do well), think I can get a 512.

 

[gyngyn]

I see. Much thanks. I will be retaking Gchem (I have weak knowledge of it it seems, and then will retake MCAT if I do well), think I can get a 512.

The AAMC recommends that multiple MCAT's be averaged...

 

[WolfLarson]

The AAMC recommends that multiple MCAT's be averaged...

Oh. I see. Thanks for the information!