What I Wish I had Known When Applying to Medical School!!

[koolkid596243]

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Hi all,

I am a recently accepted medical student. I learned a lot this cycle, and I wanted to ensure that I reflected on it in a way that others can learn from my experiences.

With that being said, there's a lot of stuff that you can be doing RIGHT NOW to get a head start on your AMCAS application. This includes:

- Asking for Letter of Recs
-Getting official transcripts in order
- Brainstorming personal statement
- Brainstorming 15 activities you want to write about.

I was going to link a video I made, but it is against SDN rules to do so (even though the video is not monetized at all and is completely intended to help others).

Thus, I am indirectly linking the video in my signature. I was told that would be okay. Please know that I am truly just doing this to help out. I think it's important for pre-meds to stick together and learn from one another, and I hope you benefit from the video!

 

[Chelsea FC]

Normally I dislike this kind of stuff but your channel is good. Keep making vids, you have a talent for it.

 

[koolkid596243]

Normally I dislike this kind of stuff but your channel is good. Keep making vids, you have a talent for it.

Means a lot to me! thanks for the support. 🙂

 

[Turkishking]

Thank you. I will keep this in mind.

 

[koolkid596243]

No problem 🙂 Glad you found it helpful! There's so much I think I could have benefitted from if I just started early :/

 

[koolkid596243]

Just posted a new video today about AMCAS in case anyone's interested!

 

[Coltuna]

How do you suggest getting official transcripts in order? Don't you just request them through the application service once it opens? Or is there a way to get your ducks in a row before that?

 

[Dagrimsta1]

Also that Vaseline is required when taking the new MCAT.

 

[787593]

Also that Vaseline is required when taking the new MCAT.

No kidding. 7.5 hours of getting it from behind...

 

[koolkid596243]

Also that Vaseline is required when taking the new MCAT.

If only they allowed it in :/ The security clearance for the MCAT is almost as bad as the TSA LOL

 

[787593]

If only they allowed it in :/ The security clearance for the MCAT is almost as bad as the TSA LOL

Much worse than the TSA haha, at least at my testing center

 

[koolkid596243]

How do you suggest getting official transcripts in order? Don't you just request them through the application service once it opens? Or is there a way to get your ducks in a row before that?

So, you can technically send your transcript to AMCAS WAY before the AMCAS opens. I finished my studying a semester early, and I knew all my grades were set, so I sent my official transcript to AMCAS in like February. That worked out fine. Your school should have its own way to send out the transcript, so talk to your school about it. UC Berkeley was willing to send it via snail mail for free, so that's how I sent it. The only thing you should make sure of is the fact that all courses are accounted for.

 

[freshprinceMD]

So, you can technically send your transcript to AMCAS WAY before the AMCAS opens. I finished my studying a semester early, and I knew all my grades were set, so I sent my official transcript to AMCAS in like February. That worked out fine. Your school should have its own way to send out the transcript, so talk to your school about it. UC Berkeley was willing to send it via snail mail for free, so that's how I sent it. The only thing you should make sure of is the fact that all courses are accounted for.

So we ask the schools to send the transcript to AMCAS?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[koolkid596243]

Yup! Discuss this in the video linked below ("What I Wish I had Know...")

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

Love the videos! I subscribed. I was actually curious about your advice on thinking about writing 15 extracurricular activities? I currently have 12 I can write about. 3 of which are very significant and the rest are decently significant to me. What's your opinion on this? Some things I've heard about is that having 12-15 is too much?

 

[koolkid596243]

Love the videos! I subscribed. I was actually curious about your advice on thinking about writing 15 extracurricular activities? I currently have 12 I can write about. 3 of which are very significant and the rest are decently significant to me. What's your opinion on this? Some things I've heard about is that having 12-15 is too much?

Thanks! I think having 12 is fine. Usually the barometer I have is that you should include activities where you have committed at least 100+ hours. Anything less and you're stretch. Also, what category of activities are your 12? You should try and include hobbies, which help show schools you're a person with feelings and passions. ^__^ Have you started writing descriptions yet? I'll also try and make a video on this!

Let me know if you have more questions, and if you email me, I can send you a more detailed version of my AMCAS app 🙂

 

[kb1900]

Much worse than the TSA haha, at least at my testing center

Got touched a little too close every single break...that's like 5 times too many

 

[bioboy23]

I subscribed. Great videos!

 

[Coltuna]

So, you can technically send your transcript to AMCAS WAY before the AMCAS opens. I finished my studying a semester early, and I knew all my grades were set, so I sent my official transcript to AMCAS in like February. That worked out fine. Your school should have its own way to send out the transcript, so talk to your school about it. UC Berkeley was willing to send it via snail mail for free, so that's how I sent it. The only thing you should make sure of is the fact that all courses are accounted for.

I'm a little confused as I called AAMC today, and they said NOT to send transcripts until the application cycle opens up in May as they won't carry over to the next application cycle.

 

[koolkid596243]

Hmm okay, maybe they changed it recently? I sent mine after I had created the new AAMC account, so maybe my recollection of dates is a bit off. I just remember it was significantly before the day when AMCAS officially opened for submission. I apologize for misleading anyone 🙁 I was going off my memory, but with a cycle that's a year long, I guess everything gets a bit hazy.

So, I think the best bet is to wait until you have opened up your AMCAS account and have the AMCAS ID number. Once you have that, maybe then you have the go ahead. Nonetheless, understanding how to go about sending the transcript is still a valuable process to know and will save you time when you eventually have to do it. S

 

[koolkid596243]

Got touched a little too close every single break...that's like 5 times too many

For my MCAT, I distinctly remember they checked the POCKETS WITHIN MY POCKETS. I was like.... I didn't even know I had these LOL

 

[koolkid596243]

Hey could you upload more videos like the case western one and mayo one? I found those very helpful as a prospective applicant.

YAY I AM SO GLAD YOU FOUND THAT HELPFUL! I have a TON of those in production atm! I will post more as soon as I can! Thanks for the support!

 

[premedvideos1]

Awesome videos. It is so cool to see incoming med student youtube videos!

 

[Murrrr]

Your videos are helpful! Please post some more. I'm from Canada and my school (as well as a couple of others) have a different GPA grading system. You maybe make a video on how you had to type in each grade for each class you ever took?

 

[koolkid596243]

Awesome videos. It is so cool to see incoming med student youtube videos!

Thank you! This is good to hear 🙂 I just posted a new one today actually!

 

[Nucleophile1]

One of the biggest things that I am glad that I knew when applying (thanks to SDN) is that your school list can literally make or break your application. A good school list is essential to getting accepted. There are plenty of people who did not get accepted solely because they applied to schools that they had no business applying to.

 

[bioboy23]

One of the biggest things that I am glad that I knew when applying (thanks to SDN) is that your school list can literally make or break your application. A good school list is essential to getting accepted. There are plenty of people who did not get accepted solely because they applied to schools that they had no business applying to.

How long would you say it takes to make a very good school list? Or is it just a matter of having your GPA and MCAT score and going through MSAR?

 

[Nucleophile1]

How long would you say it takes to make a very good school list? Or is it just a matter of having your GPA and MCAT score and going through MSAR?

You'll want to use the MSAR to look at GPA, MCAT, what percentage of OOS they take, etc. Also research schools that you think you have a good shot at to find more details. For example, matriculants at Rush Medical College have a lot of service hours (more than the average applicant).

To get feedback on your school list, I recommend posting here: What Are My Chances?

 

[bioboy23]

You'll want to use the MSAR to look at GPA, MCAT, what percentage of OOS they take, etc. Also research schools that you think you have a good shot at to find more details. For example, matriculants at Rush Medical College have a lot of service hours (more than the average applicant).

To get feedback on your school list, I recommend posting here: What Are My Chances?

Awesome, thanks! IMHO I think you're completely right about having a strategic school list making all the difference. When I hear of an extremely competitive classmate not getting in then ask them where they applied, it all makes sense.

 

[begoood95]

Thanks! I think having 12 is fine. Usually the barometer I have is that you should include activities where you have committed at least 100+ hours. Anything less and you're stretch. Also, what category of activities are your 12? You should try and include hobbies, which help show schools you're a person with feelings and passions. ^__^ Have you started writing descriptions yet? I'll also try and make a video on this!

Let me know if you have more questions, and if you email me, I can send you a more detailed version of my AMCAS app 🙂

This would be very much appreciated by a lot of us, I think! So if you did make a video on writing descriptions, that would be amazing.

 

[koolkid596243]

This would be very much appreciated by a lot of us, I think! So if you did make a video on writing descriptions, that would be amazing.

Thanks for the recommendation! I added it to my list and will update you when I publish 🙂

 

[koolkid596243]

One of the biggest things that I am glad that I knew when applying (thanks to SDN) is that your school list can literally make or break your application. A good school list is essential to getting accepted. There are plenty of people who did not get accepted solely because they applied to schools that they had no business applying to.

To add on to this, it is also important to remember that there is no such thing as a "safety" medical school. Every medical school gets thousands of applicants for 100-200 slots, and that's why it's such a crapshoot. Would definitely recommend that people take this into consideration when picking schools! Pick schools that are a GOOD MATCH! There are no safeties!!!

 

[koolkid596243]

How long would you say it takes to make a very good school list? Or is it just a matter of having your GPA and MCAT score and going through MSAR?

This and you should also factor in location, where you see yourself in the long run, particular programs (PRIME in UCs and dual degree programs elsewhere).

 

[koolkid596243]

Your videos are helpful! Please post some more. I'm from Canada and my school (as well as a couple of others) have a different GPA grading system. You maybe make a video on how you had to type in each grade for each class you ever took?

Totally overlooked this! But this is a wonderful idea! I added it to my todo list! 🙂

 

[koolkid596243]

Hey could you upload more videos like the case western one and mayo one? I found those very helpful as a prospective applicant.

Just uploaded one about my interview at Northwestern! Hyperlinked here!