Wanting to start over...???

[DBop]

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I'm in the middle of my gap year at the moment. If you've read any of my previous posts you'd know that I've yet to receive any interviews this cycle. It's a strange feeling because I go through these cyclical feelings where I feel optimistic one week and then utterly hopeless the next.*

My stats aren't terrible but they aren't great either. I graduated from a UC with a 3.42sGPA and a 3.51cGPA with a 31 MCAT. This year off has given me plenty of time to reflect back on college and analyze what I could've done differently. You know the saying, "hindsight is 20/20."*

I wish I could just go back and do really well. I think *the reason my grades weren't as great as the could've been during my first three years is due to the fact that I lacked focus/a clear goal. During those years I knew I wanted to do something in the sciences. Medicine was an option, but it wasn't (yet) my clear cut choice. During my senior year of college I finally realized that medicine was my true calling and with that mental resolve I was able to focus much better and really kick butt in my classes.*

It's almost painful to sit here on pins and needles waiting for interviews knowing that I may not get any. I know deep down that medicine is what I want to do. I wish I'd had this determination earlier on because I probably wouldn't be in this current situation.*

I wish there was some way to tell the AdComs this. I wish they could see how dedicated I am now. I may have "screwed around in college" in their eyes, but I know that given the chance I would give 150% in med school.*

I'm trying to prove this to them by taking full advantage of my gap year. I'm working with NGO's abroad, shadowing at clinics near home, and just keeping myself busy.*

Does anyone who's been in the same position have any advice on things I could do to change AdComs' minds or just stand out in general?

 

[ManBroDude]

Everyone has screwed around in college. You're not the first. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'd venture a guess that you didn't do the necessary research into what schools you should have applied to to give you the best shots at getting in (eg: only CA schools).*

Mind posting your list so we could dissect it for you?**

 

[Mount Sinai]

I lol'ed slighty upon reading your post. You are a cali resident--but your stats are inconsistent with their standards. However, you are not the first with stats lime this. There are people with worse stats that still manage to make it. I wish you the best.

 

[DBop]

I lol'ed slighty upon reading your post. You are a cali resident--but your stats are inconsistent with their standards. However, you are not the first with stats lime this. There are people with worse stats that still manage to make it. I wish you the best.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by your comment. Do you mean inconsistent with California med schools' standards?

I applied to quite a lot of school, including a couple reaches. Here's the list.

Albany Medical College
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Creighton University School of Medicine
Dartmouth Medical School
David Geffen SoM at UCLA
Drexel University College of Medicine
Duke University School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
George Washington School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson Uni.
Keck
Loyola University Chicago Stritch SoM
Medical College of Wisconsin
Michigan State University
Morehouse SoM
Mount Sinai SoM
New York Medical College
New York University
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine
Rush Medical College
Saint Louis University SoM
Stanford SoM
Stony Brook University SoM
Temple University SoM
The University of Vermont College of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
Tulane University SoM
UCSD
UCSF
UCD
UCI
University of Chicago - Pritzker
University of Colorado SoM
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania - Perelman
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rochester SoM
Virginia Commonwealth University SoM
Virginia Tech Carilion SoM
Wake Forest University SoM
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown Uni.

 

[centrigeugle]

You probably didn't apply to enough schools.

 

[DBop]

You probably didn't apply to enough schools.

I know, I overdid it just a little. I was just trying to improve my odds!

 

[Mount Sinai]

Regarding my last comment, "inconsistent" meant that you are below the mean. Most matricuants are. According to the msar, you seem OK and you applied quite broadly. By the way, I don't think you posted your experiences.

 

[Quaero]

If you really want to prove to them that you can do it, taking a year off to work and study isn't a bad idea. Call/email the schools that have rejected you. Some will actually respond and give you some honest feedback.

But I think you already know what they are going to say. 🙂

You can do it. Never give up.

 

[deleted261193]

agreed with above about trying to find out why schools have rejected you.

that's a lot of schools you applied to. maybe you didn't put enough time/care into each secondary? i'm not trying to assume you're lazy but doing that many secondaries in a short period of time would make me think you had to sacrifice on quality.

i think your best bet is to keep sending updates if you can. wait it out. if you still don't hear back and have to reapply, i'd consider looking at post-bacc programs to boost your gpa a bit.

 

[DBop]

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely make a phone call to the schools that have rejected me and see if they can offer me any information.

I think I may have not had as much clinical/shadowing experience as schools would've liked. I spent more of my undergrad participating in research/laboratory work. I'm trying to remedy that lack of clinical experience with my activities during this gap year.