Throw a dog a bone! Possible Reapplicant, Need Advice!!

[XxThaDoggxX]

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VA Resident: Applied MD only
1st Generation Student, E01 Disadvantaged, Non-URM
cGPA: 3.76
sGPA: 3.61
MCAT: 505, 506
Was complete July 6th, most secondaries completed within 2 weeks of receiving

EC’s on current Application
—0.5 years of Emergency Room Scribing (700 hours)
—100 hours athletic training room volunteer
—3 years leadership position at school
—1 semester as Honors-course TA
—Vice President/Cofounder of school club for 3 years
—2 honors-faculty research projects (non-lab based)
—Few other small things
—50 hours community service (although not listed on Primary App; mostly included in secondaries if asked)

—Made aware during one of my interviews that one of my LOR recommended me for dental school instead of med school (emailed him, he apologized profusely for mistake but have no idea if this mattered to any committees)

School Applied to:
Albany, Drexel, EVMS
FIU, FAU, GWU, GTown
Temple, Loyola, NYMC, Rosalind
STL, Jefferson, TCMC, Miami,
Tulane, USF, UA Tuscon, Central FL, VCU
Wake, USC Greenville
(Really wanted to go down south, but next cycle will take out most FL schools, add Quinn, Rush, Creighton, Vermont, WVU, and a few others like it)

Offered 2 MD II this cycle
-State school
-GWU

Added EC’s for possible upcoming cycle
--1 full year of additional scribing (will be well above 2000 hrs by time I submit)
—6 months/500 hrs research @ nearby state MD school (possible publication but doubtful it will occur prior to submitting app)
—100-125 hours tutoring middle school kids at low income title school

I know my MCAT is hurting me a bit 🙁

What should I do!??! Will be adding 5-6 DO schools if I should have to reapply, but would really prefer to go MD. Appreciate any advice from knowledge members on here 🙂

Edit: Extremely grateful for the advice already given... @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM have any opinions or anything else to add??

 

[DrMidlife]

3 things:
1. MCAT, yes.
2. Dentist thing is really bad and yes it does matter.
3. You have public state schools outside VA on your list. You need to be a top 5% applicant to have a chance at those. You threw money away on those.

Best of luck to you.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Hopefully none of this will matter and you get an acceptance but the biggest issues I see

a) the LOR malfunction. Who knows how detrimental it was but didnt help
b) The two sub 30 MCAT equivalent MCAT scores. It sounds like since they are both from teh new MCAT so you took them very close in time to each other. That doesnt highlight good decision making and two sub 30 scores is definitely worse than just one.
c) Lack of any significant volunteering experience. Go through MSAR and see just how many schools emphasize service in their mission. If you dont have it, theyll find someone who does. Simple as that. Lack of significant volunteering was certainly problematic for you.
d) Generic application in a number of aspects especially ECs. Nothing stands out.

You're a good DO candidate which you probably already know. Apply broadly next cycle, interview decently, you shouldnt have problems.

If MD is the end goal this is a somewhat tricky situation to give advice to. It would be alot easier to say retake the MCAT if you only had 1 sub 30 score, but with 2 its harder to say. I really would only retake if you had a very good reason to believe you can show signifcant improvement(ie 513-514+ esque). Another retake to say 509 does absolutely nothing for you and is a negative. Even if you do well on the retake, many schools average multiple scores and the 3 attempts will hurt so it's not the magic elixer for you that will cure all but it will definitely help.

In your shoes my plan would be to start prepping for an MCAT retake. See where you stand come May. Dont retake if you arent likely to show significant improvement. But if you do retake, the result of that retake will decide alot of what I would do in your shoes.

If you dont show that significant MCAT improvement, start applying to DO schools. Include some MDs as well(particularly where you arent a reapplicant) but without a significant MCAT improvement it looks like DO will be where the odds are best.

If you show that improvement ie a 513+ type score on the retake and really arent in favor of the DO route, I would consider sitting out a cycle to really try to improve the ECs, ie diversify your experiences beyond scribing and get some more significant servive based volunteering. You already will be a reapplicant with 3 MCAT attempts in this case; your best bet would be to make your ECs as good as possible given those things against you. Good luck.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

3. You have public state schools outside VA on your list. You need to be a top 5% applicant to have a chance at those. You threw money away on those.

This really hurt, next time add: Rush, Creighton, Buffalo, UVA, VTech, Wayne State, Wright State, etc

c) Lack of any significant volunteering experience. Go through MSAR and see just how many schools emphasize service in their mission. If you dont have it, theyll find someone who does. Simple as that. Lack of significant volunteering was certainly problematic for you.
d) Generic application in a number of aspects especially ECs. Nothing stands out.

You're a good DO candidate which you probably already know. Apply broadly next cycle, interview decently, you shouldnt have problems.

If you show that improvement ie a 513+ type score on the retake and really arent in favor of the DO route, I would consider sitting out a cycle to really try to improve the ECs, ie diversify your experiences beyond scribing and get some more significant servive based volunteering. You already will be a reapplicant with 3 MCAT attempts in this case; your best bet would be to make your ECs as good as possible given those things against you. Good luck.

Absolutely this. The lack of community service really stood it. You have a decent number of ECs but it really seemed like you did what you felt was needed to check the boxes. The next time you apply, make sure you personal statement really tells a compelling story. You don't need to have some grand tour de force where you helped birth your little brother when you were 12 because your car broke down on the side of the road. You just need to sell that your experiences show you're ready to be an MD or have helped shape your worldview on the role of medicine, etc.

 

[italiancowgirl]

You couldn't find better advice than what you were just given by these folks. Follow the wise words written above me and you will do well! GL

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

Also...the f*ckin idiot that wrote me my messed up LOR...he has offered numerous times to do a revised one for the current cycle (i explained to him once they are sent they are sent)...should i take him up on his offer for the next cycle...or just scrap him completely? He is one of my few science LOR (well my only true core-science LOR)

 

[DrMidlife]

ah. only one science letter, and a crap one at that, is another problem...


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

ah. only one science letter, and a crap one at that, is another problem...

Thinking if I do have to reapply will scrap that letter and use PI letter instead. Or should I get him to change it and resend it along with PI letter as well?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thinking if I do have to reapply will scrap that letter and use PI letter instead. Or should I get him to change it and resend it along with PI letter as well?

You gotta look up school requirements specifically how many science LORs they require.

For schools you are a reapplicant, I really wouldnt bother using that letter again. It already left a bad taste in those schools mouth once and they will compare your reapp to your first time app if you reapply. For schools you arent a reapplicant, you can in theory use it but if your writer doesnt even know your applying to med school that's a pretty telling indicator he doesnt know you all that well and probably didnt write anything worthwhile/meaningful. Id really only use it at new schools as a last resort or if you have no other way of meeting their LOR requirements.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

You gotta look up school requirements specifically how many science LORs they require.

For schools you are a reapplicant, I really wouldnt bother using that letter again. It already left a bad taste in those schools mouth once and they will compare your reapp to your first time app if you reapply. For schools you arent a reapplicant, you can in theory use it but if your writer doesnt even know your applying to med school that's a pretty telling indicator he doesnt know you all that well and probably didnt write anything worthwhile/meaningful. Id really only use it at new schools as a last resort or if you have no other way of meeting their LOR requirements.

This is extremely true.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Thinking if I do have to reapply will scrap that letter and use PI letter instead. Or should I get him to change it and resend it along with PI letter as well?

There are a number of schools that require 2 science and 1 non-science faculty LOR. As a re-applicant, I contacted all of my letter writers around this time last year and asked if they would be willing to write another letter. My science letters were pretty much the same, but my boss, PI and Post-Bacc advisor all wrote totally new letters that included updated relevant information. In fact my PI wrote two letters. One that was more specific for a school where he was previously an adjunct professor.

This may have been unique to me, but in every interview I've had this year and last, at least one interviewer mentioned something from one of my letters. To that end, I can't stress enough the importance of strong LORs.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

There are a number of schools that require 2 science and 1 non-science faculty LOR. As a re-applicant, I contacted all of my letter writers around this time last year and asked if they would be willing to write another letter. My science letters were pretty much the same, but my boss, PI and Post-Bacc advisor all wrote totally new letters that included updated relevant information. In fact my PI wrote two letters. One that was more specific for a school where he was previously an adjunct professor.

This may have been unique to me, but in every interview I've had this year and last, at least one interviewer mentioned something from one of my letters. To that end, I can't stress enough the importance of strong LORs.

Problem is I have been out of school going on 3 years now, and only had 1 solid science LOR 🙁 I know I had atleast 2 strong LOR's, but the science one I used may have killed me

 

[Goro]

I suggest the following:

Quinnipiac
Oakland U Beaumont
WVU
EVMS
Rosy Franklin
MCW
Creighton
NYMC
VCU
Rush
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Albany
Netter
Your state school(s).
Any DO school, but have lots of them. Your MCAT scores are circling the drain for MD schools, and a 2x taker doesn't help. You're fine for my school.

If you get shut out this cycle, contact Admissions deans to get feedback on your rejections.

VA Resident: Applied MD only
1st Generation Student, E01 Disadvantaged, Non-URM
cGPA: 3.76
sGPA: 3.61
MCAT: 505, 506
Was complete July 6th, most secondaries completed within 2 weeks of receiving

EC’s on current Application
—0.5 years of Emergency Room Scribing (700 hours)
—100 hours athletic training room volunteer
—3 years leadership position at school
—1 semester as Honors-course TA
—Vice President/Cofounder of school club for 3 years
—2 honors-faculty research projects (non-lab based)
—Few other small things
—50 hours community service (although not listed on Primary App; mostly included in secondaries if asked)

—Made aware during one of my interviews that one of my LOR recommended me for dental school instead of med school (emailed him, he apologized profusely for mistake but have no idea if this mattered to any committees)

School Applied to:
Albany, Drexel, EVMS
FIU, FAU, GWU, GTown
Temple, Loyola, NYMC, Rosalind
STL, Jefferson, TCMC, Miami,
Tulane, USF, UA Tuscon, Central FL, VCU
Wake, USC Greenville
(Really wanted to go down south, but next cycle will take out most FL schools, add Quinn, Rush, Creighton, Vermont, WVU, and a few others like it)

Offered 2 MD II this cycle
-State school
-GWU

Added EC’s for possible upcoming cycle
--1 full year of additional scribing (will be well above 2000 hrs by time I submit)
—6 months/500 hrs research @ nearby state MD school (possible publication but doubtful it will occur prior to submitting app)
—100-125 hours tutoring middle school kids at low income title school

I know my MCAT is hurting me a bit 🙁

What should I do!??! Will be adding 5-6 DO schools if I should have to reapply, but would really prefer to go MD. Appreciate any advice from knowledge members on here 🙂

Edit: Extremely grateful for the advice already given... @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM have any opinions or anything else to add??

 

[Mansamusa]

I second adding Wright State. Focus on schools with lower MCAT averages