What happened?

[UCBShocker]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am about to blow off a little steam, as I would like to vent to people that are in the same boat as I am. If you don’t want to hear anything about stats, then I suggest you do not read on. All I am looking for is a little perspective on this very stressful situation.

I am completely dumbfounded right now as I could not get into a single public medical school in my state, California, let alone EVEN AN INTERVIEW. I graduated with honors from Berkeley (the #1 public school in the country) with a 3.7 GPA and scored a 33 MCAT. The verbal was a bit low at 9 but I am not applying to medical school to be a damn author, and my biology was a freaking 13. I taught 5th grade science, have over 2 years clinical experience in an ER as a volunteer and an EMT. I was in charge of a medical team responsible for over 700 athletes during competitions and 150 athletes during normal practice sessions. I tutored high school students, was a member of a couple honor societies and was the academic director of my fraternity as well as an interim vice president of said fraternity.

I am currently working as an EMT and ambulance driver and am simply overwhelmed with a great sense of rejection. I do have one hope, my top choice in California (not public), with which I think I had an excellent interview, but with this pattern of rejection I do not know what to think. I have not heard from some east coast schools, but the ones I did hear from were all rejections, and one waitlist.

Honestly... What the hell happened? I just do not understand.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

You got screwed by the UC system. With only 600 or so spots for the 5000 instate applicants, many qualified students are doomed to a screwin'. I am surprised that you haven't recieved even an interview. Did you apply early?

 

[Sarikate]

It does seem odd, Shocker. NO interviews except for the one? What about your personal statement and recommendation letters? The latter has so much weight. Did you know your professors well? Did you get letters from your supervisors for your EMT work? How many schools did you apply to?

 

[Psycho Doctor]

yea, it makes no sense to me either! 🙁 it's a crapshoot, and this really proves it. what east coast schools did you apply to? can't you call up adcoms and ask where you went wrong. say you may want to apply next year and ask how you can improve your chances; see what they can offer

 

[UCBShocker]

It does seem odd, Shocker. NO interviews except for the one? What about your personal statement and recommendation letters? The latter has so much weight. Did you know your professors well? Did you get letters from your supervisors for your EMT work? How many schools did you apply to?

My letters of rec were all very good as far as I know. I was told that the schools preferred professors over my supervisors so I focused on that. I applied to 14 schools total (6 in california). My personal statement was read by a published author of murder mysteries and she had described it as, "excellent"....

 

[Sarikate]

My personal statement was read by a published author of murder mysteries and she had described it as, "excellent"....

Maybe that's the problem!

 

[ads99]

It sounds like you need to get your pre-med advisor or a trusted professor to read your letters of recommendation and tell you if there's something bad in there. I've heard plenty of stories of people getting screwed by their letter-writers. Another way to find out is to call schools where you've been rejected and ask them how to improve your application. Just ask them if your letters of recommendation raised any flags for them.

Best of luck to you in your applications.

 

[UCBShocker]

yea, it makes no sense to me either! 🙁 it's a crapshoot, and this really proves it. what east coast schools did you apply to? can't you call up adcoms and ask where you went wrong. say you may want to apply next year and ask how you can improve your chances; see what they can offer

Ya I did that actually, word for word... and all I got in response is a form letter saying the usual too many applicants and that they had to reject so many qualified applicants...

 

[ravi]

I am about to blow off a little steam, as I would like to vent to people that are in the same boat as I am. If you don’t want to hear anything about stats, then I suggest you do not read on. All I am looking for is a little perspective on this very stressful situation.

I am completely dumbfounded right now as I could not get into a single public medical school in my state, California, let alone EVEN AN INTERVIEW. I graduated with honors from Berkeley (the #1 public school in the country) with a 3.7 GPA and scored a 33 MCAT. The verbal was a bit low at 9 but I am not applying to medical school to be a damn author, and my biology was a freaking 13. I taught 5th grade science, have over 2 years clinical experience in an ER as a volunteer and an EMT. I was in charge of a medical team responsible for over 700 athletes during competitions and 150 athletes during normal practice sessions. I tutored high school students, was a member of a couple honor societies and was the academic director of my fraternity as well as an interim vice president of said fraternity.

I am currently working as an EMT and ambulance driver and am simply overwhelmed with a great sense of rejection. I do have one hope, my top choice in California (not public), with which I think I had an excellent interview, but with this pattern of rejection I do not know what to think. I have not heard from some east coast schools, but the ones I did hear from were all rejections, and one waitlist.

Honestly... What the hell happened? I just do not understand.

Sorry to hear this. I wish you with the one school you had interview with. May be it is a good idea to call the admissions office where you already got rejected and find out the reasons. Looks like you have a very good applicaton. Best of luck.

 

[constructor]

i feel your pain, bro. i thought i had decent stats but didn't fare too well with the uc's either. i actually did significantly better with the ivies and like you said, it just doesn't make any sense. the thing that really bothered me, though, is how people with shockingly low stats somehow get into the uc's. i just don't get it...

 

[Mr. Darcy]

There is great deal of luck in this process. You sounds like a great candiate. This is a long haul process perhaps use your year to spend some time overseas... I noticed that folks who could say they had been somewhere else did much better in the process. I am in my late 30s and am the first to suggest one can do this later after messing around at other stuff.

Anyway I think finding a professor at a medical school who can get you the physical copies of your recommendations is the first and highest priority. Be totally sure these are correct for the next round. A personal statement is key. Some admin offices will love a unique essay others will be confused. Don't know when you applied, but if you applied in the first week you should get in somewhere. Though perhaps not CA as it is highly desired for various reasons. Did you apply to a spread of schools (high, mid, and low levels?).

Hope this helps, and without a doubt this whole process sucks. Very stressful, and completely random. I applied to 27 schools and have gotten into some and rejected by many. I can find no real reason other than schools seem to like me more the further I get from my home town.

 

[newbiedoc]

Interesting UCBShocker,

You and I are in similar situations. However, I got 3 interviews, but they weren't even top notch research schools. I think the fact that I stated that I wanted to become a faculty member killed my application. I never did research. However, I wasn't applying to MD/PhD programs. So I don't know what's going on.

I am just assuming that people hate Cali students. We lived the good life for too long.

 

[Sarikate]

I second the idea about going abroad. I lived in Africa and South America for several months and I think this got their attention more than my MCAT score did (luckily).

 

[palminator2003]

One question. Do you have any connections? Any connections at all? Even if they are tenuous at best, see if you can utilize them to at least get you interviewed at a medical school.

 

[KiKat37]

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. And, I totally understand your frustration. I am not from Cali and didn't apply to those schools, but I know how infuriating it is to work hard all your life, get a good GPA, manage a good score on the MCAT, spend countless hours volunteering, etc... and get nothing or one single interview! I am on the same boat.

If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time contacting adcoms and asking what part of my app was too "weak". I personally think that you have a great file, and unless your LORs screwed you over, you should have had no problems getting in somewhere - let alone getting interviews.

So, here is what I think you should do (just my opinion of course): write a letter to that school where you interviewed and tell them you WILL attend if accepted (letter of intent). That will maximize your chances. You have nothing to lose at this point. It's getting a little late and even if you do get more interviews (I'm crossing my fingers for you), it might be just for the waitlist. Plus, you mentioned that the school you interviewed at is one of your top choices... So, you would be happy going there no matter what, right?

Well, best of luck on whatever you decide to do. But, what I explained is my plan. I'll go to my (only) interview in a couple of weeks. Then, I'll send them a letter of intent and hope for the best. It's also (thank god!) one of my top choices.

Don't lose hope!

 

[UCBShocker]

One question. Do you have any connections? Any connections at all? Even if they are tenuous at best, see if you can utilize them to at least get you interviewed at a medical school.

A fraternity brother of mine, now a doctor, was a former admissions committee member at one of the UC schools I applied to, and even his complete recommendation did nothing.

 

[constructor]

One question. Do you have any connections? Any connections at all? Even if they are tenuous at best, see if you can utilize them to at least get you interviewed at a medical school.

LOL!

 

[UCBShocker]

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. And, I totally understand your frustration. I am not from Cali and didn't apply to those schools, but I know how infuriating it is to work hard all your life, get a good GPA, manage a good score on the MCAT, spend countless hours volunteering, etc... and get nothing or one single interview! I am on the same boat.

If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time contacting adcoms and asking what part of my app was too "weak". I personally think that you have a great file, and unless your LORs screwed you over, you should have had no problems getting in somewhere - let alone getting interviews.

So, here is what I think you should do (just my opinion of course): write a letter to that school where you interviewed and tell them you WILL attend if accepted (letter of intent). That will maximize your chances. You have nothing to lose at this point. It's getting a little late and even if you do get more interviews (I'm crossing my fingers for you), it might be just for the waitlist. Plus, you mentioned that the school you interviewed at is one of your top choices... So, you would be happy going there no matter what, right?

Well, best of luck on whatever you decide to do. But, what I explained is my plan. I'll go to my (only) interview in a couple of weeks. Then, I'll send them a letter of intent and hope for the best. It's also (thank god!) one of my top choices.

Don't lose hope!

Thank you very much for the suggestion!

Does anyone have any experience with this letter of intent business? Does it actually raise your chances? I definitely see the logic in this suggestion, and am considering it, but isn't there a chance that it may seem like an act made in desperation?

 

[UCBShocker]

My personal statement was read by a published author of murder mysteries and she had described it as, "excellent"....

Maybe that's the problem!

HAHA, maybe so =)

 

[Wiggy73]

Man, I'm sorry. Chances are there's absolutely nothing wrong with your application, and maybe if a different person had looked at it on a different day in a different mood, your situation might be, well, different. Maybe that BS in the form letter about too many qualified applicants is actually the truth. But keep on hoping, because the year's not over yet!

 

[KiKat37]

You and I are desperate, aren't we? lol 😀

Seriously though, I don't think that it sounds desperate because you are the only person who knows that this school is your only chance. The said school has no way to know that. They can only guess. And, with your stats, a rational person would think that you probably had at least 3-4 interviews and probably got at least one acceptance.

So, the key is to make them feel like they are your TOP choice and that you will choose them over <cough> your other choices. You gotta write a letter saying why they are so special, why you like them so much, and explain that BECAUSE of these reasons, you will withdraw all your others apps if accepted.

I personally know 2 ppl for whom the letter of intent worked very well. There are also several thread on the topic. You can do a quick search.

 

[Bap2qwrq7]

I am about to blow off a little steam, as I would like to vent to people that are in the same boat as I am. If you don’t want to hear anything about stats, then I suggest you do not read on. All I am looking for is a little perspective on this very stressful situation.

I am completely dumbfounded right now as I could not get into a single public medical school in my state, California, let alone EVEN AN INTERVIEW. I graduated with honors from Berkeley (the #1 public school in the country) with a 3.7 GPA and scored a 33 MCAT. The verbal was a bit low at 9 but I am not applying to medical school to be a damn author, and my biology was a freaking 13. I taught 5th grade science, have over 2 years clinical experience in an ER as a volunteer and an EMT. I was in charge of a medical team responsible for over 700 athletes during competitions and 150 athletes during normal practice sessions. I tutored high school students, was a member of a couple honor societies and was the academic director of my fraternity as well as an interim vice president of said fraternity.

I am currently working as an EMT and ambulance driver and am simply overwhelmed with a great sense of rejection. I do have one hope, my top choice in California (not public), with which I think I had an excellent interview, but with this pattern of rejection I do not know what to think. I have not heard from some east coast schools, but the ones I did hear from were all rejections, and one waitlist.

Honestly... What the hell happened? I just do not understand.

I feel your pain. I'm a CA resident as well and applied to a boat load of schools, including all the UC schools but I have gotten nowhere. Luckily I applied to a broad range of medical schools across the country so I have managed to get a few hits here and there, but if you are a CA resident, it is extremely difficult to get into our state schools sadly enough.

A friend of mine, who scores a 36 on the MCAT was put on pre-interview hold from UC Irvine of all places. It is a good school and all but his application was good enough to get interviews at many other top schools across the country.

But I would second the letter of intent process. Also send letters updating your activites and saying how much you love the school every few weeks. When I interviewed at MCO, my interviewer told me at the end that it would be beneficial for me to send a letter of interest to the school saying how I loved it because he said the committee(sp) looks favorably on applicants who expresss a strong desire to attend their school.

Could you list the schools you applied to? If you don't want to that's perfectly fine but it's strange to see such a qualified applicant get the shaft.

Best of luck.

 

[davidus]

Thank you very much for the suggestion!

Does anyone have any experience with this letter of intent business? Does it actually raise your chances? I definitely see the logic in this suggestion, and am considering it, but isn't there a chance that it may seem like an act made in desperation?

They won't know it's an act of desperation unless you tell them you have no other options. They have no idea what your situation is. If you commit to them 100%, you'll definitely get at least a minor boost since all schools love to have the highest yield possible. You need to make sure that you'd go even if you ended up interviewing/being accepted elsewhere, though. Good luck!

 

[nona1]

Yes, but what happens later if you decide you want to go to another school? Is this letter of intent in any way contractually binding? Can the holder of said letter show it to this new school and cause them to release that acceptance?

 

[UCBShocker]

Yes, but what happens later if you decide you want to go to another school? Is this letter of intent in any way contractually binding? Can the holder of said letter show it to this new school and cause them to release that acceptance?

I wouldnt think so (in regards of a contract), but it does not speak well to your credibility if you do end up doing this... but I did some looking after it was suggested on this post, and it seems that letters on intent will have more of an effect if written towards the end of the interview cycle... we are still right in the middle.

 

[newbiedoc]

It's not binding. What are they going to do? Make you go to their school and pay tuition?

Yes, but what happens later if you decide you want to go to another school? Is this letter of intent in any way contractually binding? Can the holder of said letter show it to this new school and cause them to release that acceptance?

 

[nona1]

'Binding' in terms of holding you to your (now misleading) word and requiring that you either choose to attend their University as promised, or not attend any other. I would hope that is not the case, but I do not know how these things work behind the scenes.

 

[davidus]

It's not binding. What are they going to do? Make you go to their school and pay tuition?

Ethics.

 

[japhy]

all amcas schools get a list of where each student has been waitlisted and accepted. if you turned in a letter of intent to school A and then later declined and decided to attend school B, you bet your ass that the adminstrators at school A would have a nice long talk with those at school B.

like davidus said, it is about ethics.

 

[newbiedoc]

sure. That's why i think it is morally binding, but not legally. I think that I've told three different girls in my life that I would love them for the rest of my life...There's this famous Southern California saying that goes something like this: "Sometimes the nutsack doesn't bounce the way you want it to. It's all about how well it rebounds." Same thing is with medical schools. Except that I don't think they would mourn if the OP did go elsewhere.

 

[Mistress S]

UCBshocker,

I feel your pain. I just got another rejection today; out of 15 schools I applied to that makes 4 rejections, 2 interviews, 1 "pre-interview hold", and 8 schools that haven't bothered to get back to me yet. I am still trying to be optimistic. It could be worse but it could be a lot better, and I wouldn't have put so much time and energy and money into this if I didn't think I would have fared better than I have so far in this process. I also felt I had a good app: 3.75/32, years of paid clinical experience in a non-profit clinic, volunteer work, etc. I did take the Aug MCAT which of course slowed things down, I just hope it wasn't the kiss of death. I feel very frustrated, of course I am far from perfect but I thought with my stats and background I would get at least a few interviews. Maybe I will, but they better act fast because the interview season is winding down, as we are all painfully aware.

If the school you interviewed at is one of your top choices, I second (or third or fourth, whatever we're on) the letter of intent suggestion. However, if there are any other schools you are waiting to hear from that you would attend over that school, then think carefully about whether you truly are willing to forego an acceptance at another school. The LOI isn't a legal document, but it is taken seriously and I wouldn't send it unless you really would go to that school if accepted. If that is the case, then it may be your best shot. Good luck!

 

[hung]

to all these people who have been having bad luck... when did you guys submit the AMCAS and your secondaries?

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I feel your pain. I'm a CA resident as well and applied to a boat load of schools, including all the UC schools but I have gotten nowhere. Luckily I applied to a broad range of medical schools across the country so I have managed to get a few hits here and there, but if you are a CA resident, it is extremely difficult to get into our state schools sadly enough.

A friend of mine, who scores a 36 on the MCAT was put on pre-interview hold from UC Irvine of all places. It is a good school and all but his application was good enough to get interviews at many other top schools across the country.

But I would second the letter of intent process. Also send letters updating your activites and saying how much you love the school every few weeks. When I interviewed at MCO, my interviewer told me at the end that it would be beneficial for me to send a letter of interest to the school saying how I loved it because he said the committee(sp) looks favorably on applicants who expresss a strong desire to attend their school.

Could you list the schools you applied to? If you don't want to that's perfectly fine but it's strange to see such a qualified applicant get the shaft.

Best of luck.

what a comprehensive profile, it would be very helpful for those starting out

 

[Psycho Doctor]

all amcas schools get a list of where each student has been waitlisted and accepted. if you turned in a letter of intent to school A and then later declined and decided to attend school B, you bet your ass that the adminstrators at school A would have a nice long talk with those at school B.

like davidus said, it is about ethics.

yikes! not that i would do it but i didn't know they'd share that information..makes sense

 

[wonderfun]

Honestly... What the hell happened? I just do not understand.

If i had to guess, I'd say it was your 9 in verbal...supposedly that's the most important section because studies have found it correlates most strongly to either the boards (i'm pretty sure its this because reading comprehension is key skill for teh boards) or your first 2 yeras in school. that's the only hint of weakness from what you've said.

but i agree that it's worth assaulting the adcoms to see if there's anyting else you can do. you have nothing to loose. but honestly, with you stats, etc, i'm sure you'll get in somewhere else, perhaps even better than any of the UC schools.

 

[Mistress S]

If i had to guess, I'd say it was your 9 in verbal...supposedly that's the most important section because studies have found it correlates most strongly to either the boards (i'm pretty sure its this because reading comprehension is key skill for teh boards) or your first 2 yeras in school. that's the only hint of weakness from what you've said.

wonderfun,
of course you may be correct, but I have had only slightly better luck than UCBShocker in this process with a 15 in VR (of course there are other factors that may be affecting me, such as taking the Aug MCAT or the fact that my score is very unbalanced). I'm starting to feel like it's more about luck, and I just don't seem to have it. I also have heard that VR is the most important section, but adcoms certainly aren't knocking down my door yet, so who knows? 😕

 

[wonderfun]

wonderfun,
of course you may be correct, but I have had only slightly better luck than UCBShocker in this process with a 15 in VR (of course there are other factors that may be affecting me, such as taking the Aug MCAT or the fact that my score is very unbalanced). I'm starting to feel like it's more about luck, and I just don't seem to have it. I also have heard that VR is the most important section, but adcoms certainly aren't knocking down my door yet, so who knows? 😕

hmmm. fair enough. 15 in verbal: my, my that's pretty impressive. and it is odd that you're not miss popular with ad coms. i guess it's the unbalanced thing and the late application. i've heard that ad coms prefer 3 10s rather than say a 8,10,12. Why? beats teh sh-t out of me. I've always thought it a useful thing have a mix of people with different strengths. did you tank one of the other two sections?

in teh end though, this whole process is very bizarre and i guess you just can't take it personally or read into anything too much, unless, of course, you wnat ot loose your mind.

good luck guys. 🙂

 

[DocStretch]

Ya I did that actually, word for word... and all I got in response is a form letter saying the usual too many applicants and that they had to reject so many qualified applicants...

Man, that situation sucks. Maybe you could pick one of the UC schools you'd least like to go and really pump them for info about your file (or maybe see if you could arrange a meeting with an admissions counselor at whatever school is closest for you). You don't have much to lose if you end up pissing that one school off by trying to get a legit response, but maybe you'll get some useful info should you have to apply again. G'luck

 

[beanbean]

Some thoughts:

How long have you been out of school? How old are your prereqs? Some schools like to see recent classes if it has been a few years.

You mentioned that you taught school and have done EMS work. How long did you hole these positions? A kiss of death on your application can be the appearance of job-hopping. If your sequence of jobs since undergrad could appear to be that you have been unsure in your career path and have been 'trying' out a few positions, a school may be reluctant to take your interest in medicine seriously. I have no idea if your application may appear this way, but structuring your essays to show a continued interest in medicine and how you came to this conclusion through your past experiences can make all the difference.

LORs are very tricky. Academic letters are certainly important, but a 'this person did well in my class' letters are a dime a dozen. Did your professors really know you well enough to write a personal and enthusiatric letter? Letters from physicians who know you well and employers who can speak directly of your talents and uniqueness can really stand out.

Personal statement: Have lots of people read you personal statement! There are always people on SDN willing to read statements. Try to find a diverse group of people to give you their opinions and then work the feedback into the statement.

Best of luck to you this cycle! and I am very glad I was not from CA when I applied.

 

[abababa]

What length of time would be job hopping?

 

[beanbean]

It varies. If you are not staying in any one position or field for more than a few months to a year and seem to show a pattern of this; it would be a red flag to some adcoms. There are many of us (myself included) who have worked in other fields before applying to med school and I think these experiences are looked upon favorably. However, when interviewing for professional positions, companies tend to question applicants that have hopped around and haven't show any commitment to a particular position or company. I believe that this would also be a red flag for some med schools when reviewing non-trad applicants.

 

[abababa]

That definitely makes sense for someone out of school a while. I was thinking more for people who have been out of school for a year or less and have tried many things during school and then the year after, and I wasn't sure if that is what was being referred to. Thanks

 

[gujuDoc]

yikes! not that i would do it but i didn't know they'd share that information..makes sense

The admissions director at USF told us that they know when students whom they have accepted get off waitlists elsewhere, and sometimes even before the student knows where they have gotten off a waitlist because the schools rank people in a certain order. And depending on where your rank is and how many people take acceptances elsewhere determine where you get off the waitlist. That is why these admissions people have access to this info.

 

[UCBShocker]

Thanks for all the suggestions and insight. I really appreciate the responses. I will certainly let you guys know if I hear any good news, hopefully it is coming. I don’t remember all the questions, but no I have not been out of school long so everything is pretty recent. I graduated last may. There really is no job hopping in my file, since this EMT job I have now is my first real paid job, and most of my work during college revolved around clinical work, except for the teaching of course. If I have to go through this process again, at least I know a little more to maximize my chances.

 

[kmnfive]

dont get me wrong but isnt this why cali applicants apply to 30+ schools?
UCBShocker, I'm just curious but what is your nationality?

You mentioned that you got most of your LORs from professors; from which classes? If not from classes then where? Or from what sources?

I'm sorry to hear about your frustration but med school admissions here just seems like pure madness.

I hope all goes well my friend

Cheers.

 

[UCBShocker]

dont get me wrong but isnt this why cali applicants apply to 30+ schools?
UCBShocker, I'm just curious but what is your nationality?

You mentioned that you got most of your LORs from professors; from which classes? If not from classes then where? Or from what sources?

I'm sorry to hear about your frustration but med school admissions here just seems like pure madness.

I hope all goes well my friend

Cheers.

Hehe ya, a lot of people apply to 30+ schools, or so I hear. But that was just unrealistic for me considering the cost. Frankly I thought that with the 14 schools I applied to I would definitely wind up at one of them with my qualifications. I realize of course that the numbers are far from perfect, but I was still very confident with them. Ironically enough, my safety school (though I did not apply to any school that I would not be happy to attend) was the first to reject me. There is a lesson here =), but I am too frustrated to dig it out and dust it off just yet. My nationality is Lithuanian (first generation American), but in the end that just comes out to Caucasian. I wish you luck as well... and TO US ALL!

 

[nikibean]

I have to admit that I'm bummed for you, UCB- and I'm kind of in the same boat, as is a friend of mine. We're both post-bacs, and UCLA just became
"f-ucla" as we call it. He has a 34 MCAT, great spread, I have a 31, pretty even (10, 11, 10). I have been put on hold at 3 of the 5 UCs (Irvine, SF, SD), and rejected from LA. Davis told me that they haven't made a decision yet. I have 4 years EMT, 4 years volunteer, a letter of recommendation from an extremely important person at Lawrence Livermore and letters from professors I know very very well who originally prodded me in the direction of medicine. I'm also Phi Beta Kappa. My GPA is on line with yours, actually higher. Two generations of my family attended UCSF. I took two sets of interviewers down the river as a guide this year, and haven't heard **** from either school they work for.
So I called. Both schools told me to "keep my app fresh" by sending a letter of intent. DO IT. Even though I haven't had interviews there, because I'm under review, the more interest I show apparently, the more likely I am to get some attention from the committee. That goes for people who have interviewed as well.
Know that there are others in your boat with you. I'll guide...
Good luck with your other school (USC?). Hope all goes well for you.

 

[sKorpia]

I'd always thought there was a desired cross-pollination effect in California. The reasoning flows along the same lines as the study/live abroad category: how much of a perspective can you have if you've lived in California your whole life? Much as I hate to say it, it really is a different experience being born and bred in California as opposed to anywhere else in the country. I never personally felt racism practiced against Asians until I visited a Denny's in Florida and it was rather jarring.

 

[davidus]

The worst for me was repeatedly being called Mr. Miyagi by a bunch of black kids who'd never seen an Asian before.

 

[45408]

If i had to guess, I'd say it was your 9 in verbal...supposedly that's the most important section because studies have found it correlates most strongly to either the boards (i'm pretty sure its this because reading comprehension is key skill for teh boards) or your first 2 yeras in school. that's the only hint of weakness from what you've said.

You would think that it wouldn't keep him from every interview though. I mean, if I were looking his app over, I might go "Ah, that's too bad, but he looks pretty well-balanced otherwise."

sucks, man, I dunno what to say 😳