What I am missing/ doing wrong?

[kmedhopeful95]

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Hey folks! Another neurotic pre-med hoping for any guidance.

I am grateful to have three interviews this cycle, but I am concerned after two of them turned into Waitlists, I would like to know what I am doing wrong and how I can improve before this third and final interview in February. Below is my WAMC for reference:

Hello! I am applying MD & DO but would greatly appreciate any help with my MD school list!

Stats:

Florida resident

sGPA- 3.59

cGPA- 3.58

2017 MCAT - 503 (yes, very bad. Changed my study habits/attitude/discovered-the-meaning-of-life-etc. for my next attempt)

2018 MCAT - 514 (130/127/126/131) (worried about BB score but that's really the best I could do)


Extra-curriculars:

• Shadowing 240 hours
• Created Two successful clubs focused on mental health
• Suicide Hotline Counselor
• Research in the Oncology Department-
• 300+ hours Volunteering at Alzheimer's Facility
• 1,500 + hours working as a Medical Assistant at an ENT- will be working there during my second gap year

Thank you for your time!!

I applied in June and was complete at all 23 schools by mid-July. I got an interview with one state school out of eight which concerns me, and the other two are out of state and low-yield. I have done mock-interviews, practiced with videos, and several medical students/laywers... anyone I could think of. I have read the Wash U Bioethics site forwards and backwards and would appreciate any other tips/sources for interviews.

I was told by my last interviewer that I had glowing letters of rec, and that my essays/secondaries had a lovely theme that tied it to together with my focus on mental health. Both interviewers brought up my retake and mediocre GPA, so I am sure that is a weakness but I don't know how to correct that and I feel like if I got to the level of an interview, they were looking beyond stats. I am feeling a bit discouraged since my interviews seemed to go well (one said "when you go here, not if") and I do not want to make any mistakes for the one coming up. Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[907914]

Hey folks! Another neurotic pre-med hoping for any guidance.

I am grateful to have three interviews this cycle, but I am concerned after two of them turned into Waitlists, I would like to know what I am doing wrong and how I can improve before this third and final interview in February. Below is my WAMC for reference:




I applied in June and was complete at all 23 schools by mid-July. I got an interview with one state school out of eight which concerns me, and the other two are out of state and low-yield. I have done mock-interviews, practiced with videos, and several medical students/laywers... anyone I could think of. I have read the Wash U Bioethics site forwards and backwards and would appreciate any other tips/sources for interviews.

I was told by my last interviewer that I had glowing letters of rec, and that my essays/secondaries had a lovely theme that tied it to together with my focus on mental health. Both interviewers brought up my retake and mediocre GPA, so I am sure that is a weakness but I don't know how to correct that and I feel like if I got to the level of an interview, they were looking beyond stats. I am feeling a bit discouraged since my interviews seemed to go well (one said "when you go here, not if") and I do not want to make any mistakes for the one coming up. Any advice?

Thanks!

Retake, GPA, only applying to 10 schools. The lower your stats are, and your stats are on the lower end of the matriculant average, the more schools you need to apply to. Regardless of the number of in-state schools that you have available you need to be comfortable with moving somewhere when your stats are as low as yours. The fact that you got three interviews with your stats and only applying to 10 schools is phenomenal. That means that your application is probably good. What I would recommend is this upcoming cycle it’s going to be expensive but applied to something like 25 to 30 schools. If you have the same ratio of getting 30% of schools you apply to his interviews then you have something like 11 interviews under your belt. Not that you necessarily will get that many, but the fact that you got so many interviews and you’ve heard good things about your application packet that tells me that you should be able to get more interviews and hopefully acceptances with a wider range of schools. You aren’t uncompetitive but you aren’t competitive. In addition to 25 to 30 MD schools I would suggest throwing 10 DO schools in there because your stats are DO gold .

 

[deleted931910]

The process is honestly so random and unpredictable, it sounds like you're doing a lot of things right.
Make sure you're properly and convincingly discussing your weaknesses (MCAT), telling specific stories about activities you're passionate about (mental health support), and try sending thank you cards and LOIs if the school accepts them. Good luck!

 

[kmedhopeful95]

Retake, GPA, only applying to 10 schools. The lower your stats are, and your stats are on the lower end of the matriculant average, the more schools you need to apply to. Regardless of the number of in-state schools that you have available you need to be comfortable with moving somewhere when your stats are as low as yours. The fact that you got three interviews with your stats and only applying to 10 schools is phenomenal. That means that your application is probably good. What I would recommend is this upcoming cycle it’s going to be expensive but applied to something like 25 to 30 schools. If you have the same ratio of getting 30% of schools you apply to his interviews then you have something like 11 interviews under your belt. Not that you necessarily will get that many, but the fact that you got so many interviews and you’ve heard good things about your application packet that tells me that you should be able to get more interviews and hopefully acceptances with a wider range of schools. You aren’t uncompetitive but you aren’t competitive. In addition to 25 to 30 MD schools I would suggest throwing 10 DO schools in there because your stats are DO gold .

Hello and thank you for your response! I apologize as I did not word my post correctly, but I did actually apply to 23 schools this cycle, so my app is probably not phenomenal with that ratio. I have applied to 5 DO's this cycle and am waiting to interview for those, but wanted to keep this post strictly MD for consistency. Again, thank you for your advice!

 

[kmedhopeful95]

The process is honestly so random and unpredictable, it sounds like you're doing a lot of things right.
Make sure you're properly and convincingly discussing your weaknesses (MCAT), telling specific stories about activities you're passionate about (mental health support), and try sending thank you cards and LOIs if the school accepts them. Good luck!

Thank you so much for the encouragement! Currently drafting a LOI as we speak, so hopefully that does something? haha unpredictable and random is an understatement, but I appreciate your response.

 

[candbgirl]

Do you have anyDO invites/acceptances? I know you want to keep them separate but that isn’t realistic. You are competitive for DO schools stats wise. If you haven’t received any interviews/ acceptances there is most likely some underlying problem that is bubbling up in your MD application too. If you have then you are ahead of the game. Are you not currently interested in attending DO schools? If you get ( or have gotten) a DO acceptance are you going to refuse it?

 

[kmedhopeful95]

Do you have anyDO invites/acceptances? I know you want to keep them separate but that isn’t realistic. You are competitive for DO schools stats wise. If you haven’t received any interviews/ acceptances there is most likely some underlying problem that is bubbling up in your MD application too. If you have then you are ahead of the game. Are you not currently interested in attending DO schools? If you get ( or have gotten) a DO acceptance are you going to refuse it?

Admittedly, I was much more on the ball with MD applications by submitting them early. I wanted to space out the DO applications because I read that the application cycle runs longer and I needed to save money in between. I sent most secondaries in November and December and have received one interview for March. I am worried now that I waited too long and blew my shot with DO schools. My goal is to become a physician and I would have no chip on my shoulder if I am lucky enough to get an acceptance with a DO school. Frankly with my stats, I am lucky that I got 3 MD interviews! My main concern was that after two "good" interviews I have only been waitlisted, so I really don't want to mess up with my two upcoming interviews (including DO).

 

[TaiLopez]

Hey folks! Another neurotic pre-med hoping for any guidance.

I am grateful to have three interviews this cycle, but I am concerned after two of them turned into Waitlists, I would like to know what I am doing wrong and how I can improve before this third and final interview in February. Below is my WAMC for reference:




I applied in June and was complete at all 23 schools by mid-July. I got an interview with one state school out of eight which concerns me, and the other two are out of state and low-yield. I have done mock-interviews, practiced with videos, and several medical students/laywers... anyone I could think of. I have read the Wash U Bioethics site forwards and backwards and would appreciate any other tips/sources for interviews.

I was told by my last interviewer that I had glowing letters of rec, and that my essays/secondaries had a lovely theme that tied it to together with my focus on mental health. Both interviewers brought up my retake and mediocre GPA, so I am sure that is a weakness but I don't know how to correct that and I feel like if I got to the level of an interview, they were looking beyond stats. I am feeling a bit discouraged since my interviews seemed to go well (one said "when you go here, not if") and I do not want to make any mistakes for the one coming up. Any advice?

Thanks!

Man I got nothing from Florida. Good for you that you got one. Im sure you will be fine. Maybe send some meaningful updates and dont overthink if you think you had a great interview. Best of luck

 

[DokterMom]

I was told by my last interviewer that I had glowing letters of rec, and that my essays/secondaries had a lovely theme that tied it to together with my focus on mental health.

You didn't, per chance, describe your own struggles with depression or anxiety or another mental health issue?...

 

[kmedhopeful95]

Man I got nothing from Florida. Good for you that you got one. Im sure you will be fine. Maybe send some meaningful updates and dont overthink if you think you had a great interview. Best of luck

Seriously, what happened to living in a "lucky" state?? Everyone I know is in the same boat with no love from in state, so hopefully yours is coming soon. Good luck to you as well and thank you for the encouragement!

 

[kmedhopeful95]

You didn't, per chance, describe your own struggles with depression or anxiety or another mental health issue?...

I see where you're going with this.. haha but no I didn't. Without getting too specific, my passion for mental health comes from experiencing the outcomes of ignorance towards the mentally ill and the stigma behind it firsthand, and most of my undergrad extra-curriculars were geared towards educating others and the programs I put in place to provide support. Hopefully that didn't raise any red flags.

 

[DokterMom]

I see where you're going with this.. haha but no I didn't. Without getting too specific, my passion for mental health comes from experiencing the outcomes of ignorance towards the mentally ill and the stigma behind it firsthand, and most of my undergrad extra-curriculars were geared towards educating others and the programs I put in place to provide support. Hopefully that didn't raise any red flags.

Hopefully, it didn't. But sadly, it may have...

 

[DokterMom]

If you weren't very specific in your descriptions, Ad Coms may have jumped to the conclusion that your involvement in mental health circles was due to exposure being in treatment yourself. There are countless threads here about stories like that -- applicant's successfully dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar or ADHD and as a result, becoming passionate about mental health treatment and/or disparities. It's similar to involvement in LBGTQ activism being a tip-off that the applicant is likely to be a member of one of those communities, or Indian dance revealing that the applicant is of Indian origin.

If you were clear that the mental health problems you witnessed were not your own and that your own mental health is/was robust, then it's probably not an issue. However, if you were vague, an assumption may have been made.

 

[theKingLT]

Sounds like you did a good job with interview prep. Since you did the mock interviews to get out any nervous ticks out of the way, the best thing you can do to keep improving before your next interview is to review old questions. Kind of like how you go over all the questions to study after taking a practice mcat, think back to any interview questions that you felt you could've answered better and then practice them. Not to the point of memorization because you will sound robotic, but come up with a better example or whatever it is and say it out loud a few times. Do that for any rough question from your practice interviews or the real things. Lastly, as you continue to work and gain experience, write down meaningful patient contacts, experiences with a physician, etc. I've found one of the best things in terms of preparation is not to have specific answers to all the questions (because you can't know everything they will ask), but to have an arsenal of experiences in the back of your mind ranging from leadership to failures to patient contacts. Practice talking about each experience even without a specific prompt. Then when you get a new question you just have to pull out the right experience and start talking about it, relating it to the question as needed

 

[jarednogeek]

I’ve heard so many people from Florida getting no love from instate including a close friend, what gives

 

[907914]

I’ve heard so many people from Florida getting no love from instate including a close friend, what gives

Because even Florida can’t stand Florida man and his shenanigans.

 

[kmedhopeful95]

If you weren't very specific in your descriptions, Ad Coms may have jumped to the conclusion that your involvement in mental health circles was due to exposure being in treatment yourself. There are countless threads here about stories like that -- applicant's successfully dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar or ADHD and as a result, becoming passionate about mental health treatment and/or disparities. It's similar to involvement in LBGTQ activism being a tip-off that the applicant is likely to be a member of one of those communities, or Indian dance revealing that the applicant is of Indian origin.

If you were clear that the mental health problems you witnessed were not your own and that your own mental health is/was robust, then it's probably not an issue. However, if you were vague, an assumption may have been made.

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to my queries, your advice has helped me countless times on numerous threads. I am no stranger to the bias/stigma involved with supporting mental health. The fact that this may be a concern only further drives me to make the topic more mainstream. But I have spent most of my undergrad and beyond supporting those who cannot speak for themselves not as a victim but as an ally. I believe my essays were clear in that regard and after several people edited. I can definitely see where that may be a gray area, but my passion and my extra-curriculars were never questioned from that point of view during the interview. I have had practice speaking on the topic as a suicide counselor helping others so I am familiar with the proper way to convey my point without becoming the victim. Again, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read my post!

 

[Stellaartwa]

Since you've gotten 3 interviews, I think it might be more pertinent to focus on your interviewing skills rather than red flags in your app. Make no mistake, interviewing is a skill. Are you answering most questions in 2-3 mins? I met a kid who said he answered the "Tell me about yourself" question in 25 mins. Bad. Are you focusing on showing more than telling? Do you have good anecdotes prepared for the common moral dilemma, challenging moment, argument with coworker type questions? Similarly, are you displaying through your answers/anecdotes your desire to work with AND SERVE others? A specific example that comes to mind, when asked a question like "What is an accomplishment in your life that makes you feel most proud?" To really take your interview to the next level, try to answer it in a way that describes a time you've served others or a very powerful moment you had while volunteering. Most kids will say "my MCAT" or "my research" or something mundane. Stand out by showing them you're passionate about working with others. Be well-dressed, well-groomed and polite to everyone! Finally, keep your confidence up. 2/2 waitlists isn't ideal but it could be a function of the new traffic rules. Good luck. Reach out if you have any specific Qs.

 

[theKingLT]

I see where you're going with this.. haha but no I didn't. Without getting too specific, my passion for mental health comes from experiencing the outcomes of ignorance towards the mentally ill and the stigma behind it firsthand, and most of my undergrad extra-curriculars were geared towards educating others and the programs I put in place to provide support. Hopefully that didn't raise any red flags.

If you weren't very specific in your descriptions, Ad Coms may have jumped to the conclusion that your involvement in mental health circles was due to exposure being in treatment yourself. There are countless threads here about stories like that -- applicant's successfully dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar or ADHD and as a result, becoming passionate about mental health treatment and/or disparities. It's similar to involvement in LBGTQ activism being a tip-off that the applicant is likely to be a member of one of those communities, or Indian dance revealing that the applicant is of Indian origin.

If you were clear that the mental health problems you witnessed were not your own and that your own mental health is/was robust, then it's probably not an issue. However, if you were vague, an assumption may have been made.

To expand on this and emulate what you said here, if I were to say "I've experienced first hand how homophobic parents can tear a family apart" you're going to wonder am I gay, did I get disowned for coming out of the closet, etc. I may be talking about my sibling or a friend, but who knows. Many people's first instinct when talking about something stigmatized like mental health is to be vague because it seems polite to whoever you're talking about. However, as DokterMom pointed out, you can't risk ambiguity in this setting because mental health among med students is such an issue. Not saying you did anything wrong in your previous interviews but make sure to be very clear who you are talking about in the future when discussing mental health experiences (without giving away identifying information obviously)

 

[kmedhopeful95]

To expand on this and emulate what you said here, if I were to say "I've experienced first hand how homophobic parents can tear a family apart" you're going to wonder am I gay, did I get disowned for coming out of the closet, etc. I may be talking about my sibling or a friend, but who knows. Many people's first instinct when talking about something stigmatized like mental health is to be vague because it seems polite to whoever you're talking about. However, as DokterMom pointed out, you can't risk ambiguity in this setting because mental health among med students is such an issue. Not saying you did anything wrong in your previous interviews but make sure to be very clear who you are talking about in the future when discussing mental health experiences (without giving away identifying information obviously)

Completely, I definitely understand your point and DokterMom’s absolutely. I am being vague here for anonymity and for my privacy, but for my personal statement and interview I was very clear who I was referring to and my firsthand experience.

 

[kmedhopeful95]

Sounds like you did a good job with interview prep. Since you did the mock interviews to get out any nervous ticks out of the way, the best thing you can do to keep improving before your next interview is to review old questions. Kind of like how you go over all the questions to study after taking a practice mcat, think back to any interview questions that you felt you could've answered better and then practice them. Not to the point of memorization because you will sound robotic, but come up with a better example or whatever it is and say it out loud a few times. Do that for any rough question from your practice interviews or the real things. Lastly, as you continue to work and gain experience, write down meaningful patient contacts, experiences with a physician, etc. I've found one of the best things in terms of preparation is not to have specific answers to all the questions (because you can't know everything they will ask), but to have an arsenal of experiences in the back of your mind ranging from leadership to failures to patient contacts. Practice talking about each experience even without a specific prompt. Then when you get a new question you just have to pull out the right experience and start talking about it, relating it to the question as needed

I love this advice!! I will definitely write down anecdotal stories I can bring up to be specific.

 

[kmedhopeful95]

Since you've gotten 3 interviews, I think it might be more pertinent to focus on your interviewing skills rather than red flags in your app. Make no mistake, interviewing is a skill. Are you answering most questions in 2-3 mins? I met a kid who said he answered the "Tell me about yourself" question in 25 mins. Bad. Are you focusing on showing more than telling? Do you have good anecdotes prepared for the common moral dilemma, challenging moment, argument with coworker type questions? Similarly, are you displaying through your answers/anecdotes your desire to work with AND SERVE others? A specific example that comes to mind, when asked a question like "What is an accomplishment in your life that makes you feel most proud?" To really take your interview to the next level, try to answer it in a way that describes a time you've served others or a very powerful moment you had while volunteering. Most kids will say "my MCAT" or "my research" or something mundane. Stand out by showing them you're passionate about working with others. Be well-dressed, well-groomed and polite to everyone! Finally, keep your confidence up. 2/2 waitlists isn't ideal but it could be a function of the new traffic rules. Good luck. Reach out if you have any specific Qs.

Thank you so much for your advice. The “Tell me About Yourself” question was tricky in the beginning for me, but definitely shows that interviewing is a skill because I feel much better about it now. Definitely not loving the two waitlist statuses, but nothing I can do but improve and practice. I will be sure to pm you if I have further questions!