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- Mar 19, 2015
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Give me a break. I've been on waitlists since October 15th (the first day we can know decisions), and almost no schools have been forethcoming or transparent. It doesn't matter what I have to do to achieve it because I want to pursue medicine. This process is so ridiculously drawn-out in every way for those like myself. I'm financially depleted from cross-country interviews, three jobs, and pouring almost all my remaining money into SMPs and reapplication, and I'm depleted in just about every other way by this process. Doing everything in our power, and then getting obliterated is not easy on any of us. I'm sure you understand.
The other ones also have mcat averages over 30 as well for the most part. Though a program like this would really benefit those with lower mcats considering we have FEW options, aside from risking taking the test again. People in postbaccs have GPA boosters. We have a few programs like this, reapplying, or retaking an entirely new test and hoping the chips fall the way we want them. Hearing "you're not good enough because your mcat is a few pts too low" in a program that would really benefit those of us with lower mcats in a significantly is a slap in the face.
Think of it this way:
You do slightly below average (in terms of matriculate data, not below average on the mcat curve) on the mcat. Succeeding in medical school coursework and having the opportunity to improve your standardized test scores and be trained to think in a mindset that is beneficial for standardized test taking would be profoundly useful to those of us with slightly low mcats.
There are only 16-18 people in a class with a rumored average of 33 (I don't even know if this is true for the ACP program). Average does not matter in a sample size that small. From the scores I know, there are a couple of us in the near 40s and a couple of us in the high 20s. The applicants accepted into ACP were also waitlisted in other schools and for all you know had the same or greater struggles than you have. I know the stories of many of my peers and I think it is unfair and also an untrue assessment to assume that a majority were great test takers or were also not financially depleted. "Empathetic" is a common term medical students use to describe themselves. An empathetic person would realize that there are other applicants who have had struggles, setbacks or have also felt "obliterated" by the process.
All post-baccs are designed to fill medical seats with battle tested students (with a slight monetary incentive for some schools). As mentioned in my original post, the ACP program just puts you through what you need and charges accordingly (not that exorbitant full year tuition other places do). Just because the ACP program offers many benefits; however, does not mean it should change its standards. I am not saying that you are not qualified (I was waitlisted as well) but am reinforcing that you probably do "have the qualities necessary to perform well in medical school, if given the opportunity." After all, you were waitlisted by at least one medical school committee in addition to being reviewed by the ACP committee so more than one group of people thought you were qualified. What I am trying to point out is that all 50+ of the applicants were also waitlisted at medical schools and therefore have the qualities necessary to perform well in medical school, if given the opportunity. The only way to solve the problem of #applicants > #ofspots is to increase the number of spots.... and then you get the 180-200 student class you have at other SMPs with a 10% direct matriculation rate.
If you have done research on Tulane School of Medicine, you will often hear about a "fit" they look for in interviews. This is one of the few schools I interviewed at that was serious about this more holistic approach to applicants. I can guarantee you the ACP committee uses that similar approach for its accepted applicants since there is a high chance those students will eventually become medical students.
tl;dr: MCAT is not a valid metric (unless you were under the minimum) to evaluate your ACP review. Everyone is qualified and on the same playing field, there are just limited spots
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