Wait or reapply?

[believer!]

I had an unsuccess first attempt (not completely done yet) and am trying to weigh options for next cycle.

MCAT: 517
GPA 3.65
Graduated last semester (3.5 years) from a highly ranked BME undergraduate program.
Very involved in medical device research but only have one paper and it was not a first-author paper.
Moderate clinical volunteering experience

I got either rejected or never heard back (17) or waitlisted/alternate (3).

Need an honest opinion on:

1. Should I re-apply for the next cycle or wait one year? I am hoping to publish another paper in coming months while continuing research at a medical device company.
2. How do admission committees view re-applications?
3. Should I only apply to schools I have not applied before?
4. I have a substantial research background and will continue it in the future. Will an MD/PhD program be a better fit for me? I did not apply for it the first time because of the very limited available positions. Will applying MD/PhD further reduce my chances of acceptance?

I think my GPA is not strong enough but I do not have the pre-reqs to qualify for POST-BACC programs. My interview skills were probably not good either which I will need to work on.

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[Terror Billy]

You're going to need to share your school list if you want better advice. I have a hunch that might be what held you back this cycle with those stats.

1. Your research isn't the issue unless you exclusively applied to T20s (even then having a paper is impressive so I don't think you should waste more time on this part of your app)
2. Being a reapplicant with those stats shouldn't be an issue, you will probably need to add some schools you didn't apply to in the past
3. Partially, yes if you applied too top heavy
4. MD/PhD might not be the best option for you as those applicants typically have even higher GPA thresholds (or at least what I've observed from n=3 in real life and SDN)

Overall there might be other things holding you back like interview skills especially with 3 WLs. I highly suggest you find someone who has been through this process and see if there is anything you might be doing wrong. Also not sure if you shared, but what kind of volunteering experience do you have (clinical and non-clinical)?

 

[believer!]

You're going to need to share your school list if you want better advice. I have a hunch that might be what held you back this cycle with those stats.

1. Your research isn't the issue unless you exclusively applied to T20s (even then having a paper is impressive so I don't think you should waste more time on this part of your app)
2. Being a reapplicant with those stats shouldn't be an issue, you will probably need to add some schools you didn't apply to in the past
3. Partially, yes if you applied too top heavy
4. MD/PhD might not be the best option for you as those applicants typically have even higher GPA thresholds (or at least what I've observed from n=3 in real life and SDN)

Overall there might be other things holding you back like interview skills especially with 3 WLs. I highly suggest you find someone who has been through this process and see if there is anything you might be doing wrong. Also not sure if you shared, but what kind of volunteering experience do you have (clinical and non-clinical)?

Sorry, more details:

Applied to: Hopkins, Yale, UPenn, UPitt, Case, UCLA, Emory, VCU (Waitlisted), UWisconsin (Waitlist/Alternate), Columbia, Mount Sinai, UVA, GW, EVMS (Waitlisted), Duke, UMich, Brown, GT, Northwestern, UT Southwestern

Volunteer experience
Patient interview - 150 hours
Vision screening - 200 hours

Shadowing experience - 75 hours

Additional question - Will SMP good option to boost GPA at this point? I may be too late to apply.

 

[Terror Billy]

I think you need to re-evaluate your school list. If you notice the places you received IIs outside of Wisconsin were unlike the other schools in terms of tier/rankings. Doing an SMP would be a waste of your time and money. Also it does not appear you have any non-clinical volunteering and your shadowing hours might be light. I recommend you find a community center or something where you can show some type of commitment to service.

If you come up with a better list of schools (more places like VCU, think all your IS programs, Cincinnati, Georgetown, GW, Buffalo, etc) and improve your hours of shadowing + non-clinical volunteering you should be able to get in next cycle if you don't get off any of those WLs this cycle.

 

[believer!]

Thanks!

I have applied for a scribe position and looking into additional volunteering opportunities.

Thinking of the following list now:
Albert Einstein, Drexel, Dartmouth, Hofstra, Temple, Rush, SKMC, Tufts, Rochester, USF Health Morsani, Wake forest, UWV, BU, Cincinnati

Repeats: Emory, Wisconsin, GW, VCU, UVA, Duke

 

[892002]

We have pretty similar apps, and a very similar school list. I haven’t had much luck this cycle either. If I do have to apply next cycle, I’m going to add more mid tier/unranked schools to my list. I suggest you do the same FIU might be a good addition. But don’t give up yet, this cycle’s not over! If you’re looking for service experiences, I would highly recommend AmeriCorps! I’m doing it right now, and absolutely love it.

 

[believer!]

We have pretty similar apps, and a very similar school list. I haven’t had much luck this cycle either. If I do have to apply next cycle, I’m going to add more mid tier/unranked schools to my list. I suggest you do the same FIU might be a good addition. But don’t give up yet, this cycle’s not over! If you’re looking for service experiences, I would highly recommend AmeriCorps! I’m doing it right now, and absolutely love it.

Wow, Congrats on Dartmouth!

 

[892002]

Wow, Congrats on Dartmouth!

Thanks! Were you able to get off the waitlist at any of your schools?

 

[believer!]

Thanks! Were you able to get off the waitlist at any of your schools?

Nope!

 

[892002]

Nope!

Have you sent updates/letters of interest? I think they really do help for some schools. I sent almost 8 pages worth of updates to Dartmouth before being accepted.

 

[believer!]

Have you sent updates/letters of interest? I think they really do help for some schools. I sent almost 8 pages worth of updates to Dartmouth before being accepted.

Yeah, my waitlisted schools do not take any! Getting ready to just reply.

 

[892002]

Yeah, my waitlisted schools do not take any! Getting ready to just reply.

I see

Good Luck!

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

As mentioned before your biggest issue was probably your school list. How many non-clinical volunteering do you have? What is your state of residency?

If you are not a Florida resident you shouldn't apply to FIU or USF
Don't apply to Rush unless you have a ton of volunteer experience. I think from what I remember their average matriculant has around 600 hrs of volunteering experience.

Schools you should consider:

All your state schools
Tufts
Wake
Georgetown
Thomas Jefferson
Temple
Albany
University of Rochester
Dartmouth
Temple
GW
Hoftra
Drexel
Geisinger
Quinnipiac
Emory
Brown
Einstein
Icahn
Boston
UPitt
Cornell
Duke Case
University of Miami

Add any school you've been waitlisted at

 

[believer!]

As mentioned before your biggest issue was probably your school list. How many non-clinical volunteering do you have? What is your state of residency?

If you are not a Florida resident you shouldn't apply to FIU or USF
Don't apply to Rush unless you have a ton of volunteer experience. I think from what I remember their average matriculant has around 600 hrs of volunteering experience.

Schools you should consider:

All your state schools
Tufts
Wake
Georgetown
Thomas Jefferson
Temple
Albany
University of Rochester
Dartmouth
Temple
GW
Hoftra
Drexel
Geisinger
Quinnipiac
Emory
Brown
Einstein
Icahn
Boston
UPitt
Cornell
Duke Case
University of Miami

Add any school you've been waitlisted at

Thanks!

 

[btuck]

Add Carle!

 

[believer!]

Add Carle!

Will do