wamc (3.93 GPA, 515) + Reapplication Advice

[aspiring_student0530]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I made the unfortunate decision to apply very late last cycle (October 2024) and got interviews to Long SOM and UTSW (both Rs), I reapplied this year with the following information and have yet to hear anything other than a rejection from UTMB (November 4th)

1. 3.93 cGPA, 3.94 sGPA
2. August 2024: 515 (127/132/128/128)
3. Texas Applicant
4. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
   1. ~500 hrs paid Cardiology clinical research intern
      1. Spoke with patients about trial viability, Processed blood samples, administered subQ study drug injections
5. Research experience
   1. ~500 hrs Unpaid HemOnc Research Intern (on going)
      1. First wetlab experience, just started in August 2025 so all hours on applications were projected
      2. Mouse Handling, Mouse Dissection (for tumor removal, blood collection from IVC), basic wetlab techniques including PCR, Western Blotting, IHC staining, ELISA, Flow Cytometry, Cell Culture
   2. I published two clinical research abstracts in High school
6. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   1. 450 hrs Outpatient Cardiology Shadowing
   2. 60 hrs family medicine shadowing
   3. 10 hrs Outpatient surgical center shadowing
7. Non-clinical volunteering
   1. ~200 hours Soup Kitchen volunteering
   2. ~40 hrs Food Bank
   3. ~40 hrs Wildflower Center
8. Other extracurricular activities
   1. Tennis (Recreational and with friends) ~ 400 hours
   2. Neuroscience Honor Society Membership Chair (This, and training the the phlebotomists and other interns on the protocols at my clinical research job are my only leadership experiences)
   3. Book Club/Reading for Leisure ~ 3000 hours (I read a lot)
9. Letters
   1. 2 of my letters are from STEM professors from my university
   2. My third and last letter is from the Cardiologist I shadowed
   3. When reapplying I plan on getting two new letters (because I don't think my professors will respond if I email them again), one from my current PI, and one from another doctor I will shadow.

In the 2024 Cycle I only applied to 6 in-state schools. Because the Texas schools are so much more affordable, I would really like to get into one of them. For this current cycle I broadened to 24 MD programs:
Dell Medical School (Have not heard back about submitting their secondary so I think I can write them off at this point)
Long SOM
Baylor COM
UTSW
UTMB (R)
McGovern
TAMU
UofH (Tilman J Fertita)
UT Tyler
Texas Tech
Tufts
Case
Uni of Colorado SOM
Emory
UCSD
Boston University
Tulane
Johns Hopkins
UC Irvine
Georgetown Uni
Yale
Harvard
USC - LA
Pritzker U Chicago

As it is late in the cycle for the Texas schools, and most of my out of state applications were reach programs, I figured I needed to start planning for a reapplication now, but I am unsure whether I should apply in the 2026 or the 2027 cycle. I would prefer to apply in 2026, but that leaves me with only ~6 months to rack up more volunteer hours or anything else my application might need, and I'm worried adcomms won't see a big enough change in my application if I reapply so soon like I did this year. I would also appreciate any advice y'all can give me about the biggest weaknesses in my application. I'm applying for jobs right now and I'm not sure if I should be looking for scribe or RA positions. Additionally, should I focus on getting more non-clinical volunteering hours at the Soup Kitchen or trying to find a clinical volunteering opportunity?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Let me get the timeline again:
1) You applied late your first time (October 2024), but you lucked out getting 2 interviews, both rejections.
2) When did you apply this cycle? So far, radio silence and 1 denial (no pickup from the previous 2 schools, so likely denied interview there?). You also applied to other OOS schools.

What feedback did you get from Long or UTSW from your past interviews before you applied this cycle? How did you significant improve your profile between 2024 and 2025 submissions?

I think you need a cycle reset and apply in 2027. Rushing a third time as a reapplicant won't be a great look, especially if your attempts have been minor improvements or don't address your major problem (whatever that is). History says only a handful of non-TX schools will consider TX applicants knowing their tendencies to stay home for cheaper.

Clearly you have potential, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten the interviews from 2024-2025. But you clearly didn't do your homework and wasted money in many of your OOS schools (low MCAT, low service orientation hours?, lack of diverse clinical exposure vs. research hours: my first impressions without your actual applications). Your purpose as a physician doesn't seem to align with your medical schools, and the fact you had two post-II R's and they aren't giving you a second chance is a blinking light (not sure what the red flag is).

 

[aspiring_student0530]

I agree that the lack of a second chance from Long and UTSW is a bad sign. I am scrambling to find out what the red flags are for my application so I can start working on them. I did not realize that a 515 was a low score; I've been told it was competitive. Should I consider retaking the MCAT for the 2027 cycle?

This cycle I finished my secondaries in early July and submitted primaries in early June. I asked for feedback from Long and UTSW but was told they do not give feedback to rejected applicants. The biggest difference between this cycle and my last cycle was my HemOnc research, and I rewrote all of my essays. I assume that's not a significant enough improvement?

Thank you for your advice Mr.Smile!

 

[wysdoc]

I agree that the lack of a second chance from Long and UTSW is a bad sign. I am scrambling to find out what the red flags are for my application so I can start working on them. I did not realize that a 515 was a low score; I've been told it was competitive. Should I consider retaking the MCAT for the 2027 cycle?

This cycle I finished my secondaries in early July and submitted primaries in early June. I asked for feedback from Long and UTSW but was told they do not give feedback to rejected applicants. The biggest difference between this cycle and my last cycle was my HemOnc research, and I rewrote all of my essays. I assume that's not a significant enough improvement?

Thank you for your advice Mr.Smile!

Texas Tech Lubbock and I think El Paso run some re-applicant seminars in the spring. Look for those in your email or search them out starting around March or April.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I agree that the lack of a second chance from Long and UTSW is a bad sign. I am scrambling to find out what the red flags are for my application so I can start working on them. I did not realize that a 515 was a low score; I've been told it was competitive. Should I consider retaking the MCAT for the 2027 cycle?

The biggest difference between this cycle and my last cycle was my HemOnc research, and I rewrote all of my essays. I assume that's not a significant enough improvement?

515 isn't low for Texas applicants or even some MD programs OOS... only the ones on your list where there is no clear mission fit who clearly pick applicants with higher scores (Yale, Harvard, Hopkins, Pritzker, Case, UCSD).

IMO, UTSW and Dell would appreciate your additional research experience, but it doesn't address the real problem of your low community service involvement. That's a likely reason why you haven't been picked up, in addition to their internal assessment from your interviews.

I would add TCOM and Incarnate Word (the two DO schools in Texas) if you could.

 

[aspiring_student0530]

okay, thank you again for your advice Mr. Smile and wysdoc!

 

[Med Ed]

It is somewhat difficult to see the problem with your application. A couple of things do stick out, however.

When I look at hours, my brain puts them on a scale of weeks/years of full-time work. For instance, you say 3000 hours of book club/reading. That is the equivalent of reading for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 18 months. That's a lot of reading. Depending on the timeframe for this activity, it makes me wonder what else you could have been doing with your time (and I say this as someone who also enjoys reading).

Likewise, 450 hours of cardiology shadowing translates into 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, for just over 11 weeks. That is well beyond the point of diminishing returns for any shadowing experience. Between this, your cardiologist letter, and your cardiology research, the perception of your application may be "future cardiologist or bust," and I don't know if that aligns with your actual career goals.

FWIW, if you DM me the first paragraph of your PS (copy-paste, not a link) I would be happy to give you my thoughts.

 

[aspiring_student0530]

It is somewhat difficult to see the problem with your application. A couple of things do stick out, however.

When I look at hours, my brain puts them on a scale of weeks/years of full-time work. For instance, you say 3000 hours of book club/reading. That is the equivalent of reading for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 18 months. That's a lot of reading. Depending on the timeframe for this activity, it makes me wonder what else you could have been doing with your time (and I say this as someone who also enjoys reading).

Likewise, 450 hours of cardiology shadowing translates into 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, for just over 11 weeks. That is well beyond the point of diminishing returns for any shadowing experience. Between this, your cardiologist letter, and your cardiology research, the perception of your application may be "future cardiologist or bust," and I don't know if that aligns with your actual career goals.

FWIW, if you DM me the first paragraph of your PS (copy-paste, not a link) I would be happy to give you my thoughts.

I'm definitely not certain I want to be a cardiologist, this specific Cardiologist was very engaging with me and taught me a lot, which is why I shadowed with him for so long. And the reading has been over the past 5 years. Should I consider lowering my reported hours for these two activities in my reapplication or would that look even more strange in the eyes of an admissions committee that has access to my previous application? Also, as an update, I was lucky enough to score an interview at Georgetown University (submitted my secondary in early September), but haven't heard anything else from Texas schools, or other out-of-state schools. Obviously it would be amazing to get accepted into Georgetown, but I know they're very competitive and I don't think I stand out much so I am tempering my expectations and still trying to prepare my reapplication.