What is going on?

[aprilfools]

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As the title indicates, I'm starting to get pretty frustrated and confused with this whole application cycle. I went into the cycle thinking I would be at least somewhat competitive with even top tier schools, but haven't had success anywhere. I just graduated from a fairly-well ranked liberal arts school in May with a 3.63 (Biochem/Bioinformatics major/concentration), a 519 on the MCAT (132,127,130,130), and lots of ECs: running a volunteer student-run collegiate EMS service as a supervisor/Director of Operations, being a volunteer firefighter/EMT in my home town, a smalls stint in research, playing on a DIAA rugby team and of course physician shadowing and all that. I received 3 interviews all within a week or two of each other at the start of September (Buffalo, Downstate, Rochester) and have been subsequently waitlisted at all three. I'm not too hopeful regarding getting more interviews because the schools that I have not heard from yet are Penn, WashU, Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Columbia, Sinai, Northwestern, Temple, and a pre-II hold at UCSD. I just feel like the competitiveness of my application is not matching up with the lack of success I am having. I did have an institutional action to report (police broke up a party at my off-campus apartment junior year and we all had to do community service), but I feel like that wouldn't be a huge deal? Maybe for some reason my letter of recommendation wasn't as good as it should have been? I feel like my personal statement was pretty good, and had multiple people read over it, but maybe that could have been the issue as well. I guess I'm just looking for what I can improve on if I have to do this again next year and was wondering if you all had any insight?

 

[libertyyne]

As the title indicates, I'm starting to get pretty frustrated and confused with this whole application cycle. I went into the cycle thinking I would be at least somewhat competitive with even top tier schools, but haven't had success anywhere. I just graduated from a fairly-well ranked liberal arts school in May with a 3.63 (Biochem/Bioinformatics major/concentration), a 519 on the MCAT (132,127,130,130), and lots of ECs: running a volunteer student-run collegiate EMS service as a supervisor/Director of Operations, being a volunteer firefighter/EMT in my home town, a smalls stint in research, playing on a DIAA rugby team and of course physician shadowing and all that. I received 3 interviews all within a week or two of each other at the start of September (Buffalo, Downstate, Rochester) and have been subsequently waitlisted at all three. I'm not too hopeful regarding getting more interviews because the schools that I have not heard from yet are Penn, WashU, Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Columbia, Sinai, Northwestern, Temple, and a pre-II hold at UCSD. I just feel like the competitiveness of my application is not matching up with the lack of success I am having. I did have an institutional action to report (police broke up a party at my off-campus apartment junior year and we all had to do community service), but I feel like that wouldn't be a huge deal? Maybe for some reason my letter of recommendation wasn't as good as it should have been? I feel like my personal statement was pretty good, and had multiple people read over it, but maybe that could have been the issue as well. I guess I'm just looking for what I can improve on if I have to do this again next year and was wondering if you all had any insight?

Your list is out of control.
Here is a more realistic list where you will be competitive as an applicant and above the median acceptee LizzyM. Also your GPA is too low for top Tiers. THat is not to say you wont get in this cycle, its just that your school list is really top Heavy. How did you explain your IA ?
Mayo
Ohio State University College Of Medicine
Emory
University of Cincinnati
University of Iowa
St Louis
U of Rochester
Einstein
U of Miami
Unversity of Colorado School of Medicine
Hofstra
Dartmouth
Tufts
loyola
George Town
Floria Atlantic
Medical college Wisconsin
Thomas Jefferson
U of Vermont
Oregon Health
Brown
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Loma Linda
Indiana
U Central Florida
Temple University
Albany
Tulane
Creighton
USF
Oakland University Beaumont
Penn State
EVMS
Western Michigan
Wake Forest
Drexel
Virginia Tech
University of Arizona
VCU
Wright State University
Rosalind Franklin Chicago
George Washington University
Rush
New York Medical College
Michigan State
Frank H Netter
West Virginia
Cooper Medical School Rowan
Duke
Boston

 

[mistafab]

I'd say you likely had a bad school list. You should plan on reapplying next cycle to get ahead of the game. Use an MSAR and be realistic. 75% of the schools you should apply to should be schools you are in the range of, 20% "safety schools (there are no safety schools)," and 1 or 2 reaches.

You need to know if the schools you apply to and are in range for 1) interview out of state students, 2) MATRICULATE OOS students 3) do not have strange exclusionary requirements not advertised well (U wash won't accept if you aren't in the region there, despite having good OOS matriculation data at first glance).

Apply to 18-24 schools, no question. Again, 14 should be competitive, at least 4 "safety", all your state schools, and a reach or two.

Hopefully you get pulled off a wait list, but plan for the worst now. If you end up reapplying, you need to get your app submitted within the first few days of the app opening.

 

[aprilfools]

While I'm realizing now my school list was definitely a little top heavy, those are only the schools I've yet to hear from. I have already been rejected at the following schools:
Hofstra
Stony Brook
JHU
Stanford
Boston University
USUHS (medically disqualified)
GW
Georgetown
USC-Keck
UCSF
Chicago
Cornell
NYU


In regards to the IA, I explained what happened, took responsibility for it, said that everything resolved without incident.

EDIT: my app was in within the first week AMCAS opened. Secondaries were all submitted within 5 weeks most within 3 (i was out of the country)

 

[libertyyne]

While I'm realizing now my school list was definitely a little top heavy, those are only the schools I've yet to hear from. I have already been rejected at the following schools:
Hofstra
Stony Brook
JHU
Stanford
Boston University
USUHS (medically disqualified)
GW
Georgetown
USC-Keck
UCSF
Chicago
Cornell
NYU


In regards to the IA, I explained what happened, took responsibility for it, said that everything resolved without incident.

Once again top heavy. You have a good app, your school list was a bit delusional. I have similar stats and have been faring well. And I don't even have much patient experience.

 

[aprilfools]

Once again top heavy. You have a good app, your school list was a bit delusional. I have similar stats and have been faring well. And I don't even have much patient experience.

Yeah I mean I guess I took a shotgun approach to the top tier schools but figured I had enough lower-middle tier schools to be ok.

 

[aalamruad]

Aside from the ridiculously top-heavy school list, you really need to evaluate your interview skills. There's really no reason to believe you'd be accepted at those top schools even if you received II's from them. Getting 3 waitlists from 3 interviews could indicate poor interview performance. I've also noticed that interviewee quality (just in terms of how personable/social, friendly, well-put-together, well-spoken/articulate, passionate, interesting, etc. they were - all of which certainly correlate with interview success) seems to correlate very strongly with quality of school. After interviewing at a wide range of schools (from top 10 to mid-tier to unranked), it's just very clear that there's more competition at the interview stage at the better schools, so if you're not having luck with mid-tiers and low-tiers then you might be hard pressed to garner an acceptance after interviewing at the super high quality schools you applied to. Do some mock interviews and try to incorporate the criticism you receive as thoroughly as possible.

 

[mw18]

Yeah I mean I guess I took a shotgun approach to the top tier schools but figured I had enough lower-middle tier schools to be ok.

GW and Georgetown are both extremely low yield for pretty much everyone. Your original list was 80-90% schools that it would be a surprise that you got in, and only 10% on the schools that should be 90% of your effort. But reapply with a better list and it will be okay. But your stats are borderline for top schools, but with an IA I feel like you were misguided to apply to the entire top 20 and only other schools in desirable areas.

Edit: Typos and clarity

 

[aprilfools]

Aside from the ridiculously top-heavy school list, you really need to evaluate your interview skills. There's really no reason to believe you'd be accepted at those top schools even if you received II's from them. Getting 3 waitlists from 3 interviews could indicate poor interview performance. I've also noticed that interviewee quality (just in terms of how personable/social, friendly, well-put-together, well-spoken/articulate, passionate, interesting, etc. they were - all of which certainly correlate with interview success) seems to correlate very strongly with quality of school. After interviewing at a wide range of schools (from top 10 to mid-tier to unranked), it's just very clear that there's more competition at the interview stage at the better schools, so if you're not having luck with mid-tiers and low-tiers then you might be hard pressed to garner an acceptance after interviewing at the super high quality schools you applied to. Do some mock interviews and try to incorporate the criticism you receive as thoroughly as possible.

I did some mock interviews between the Buffalo/Downstate and Rochester interviews and feel like I am generally a good interviewer, but I know the results seem to say something different.

 

[RunawayGrape]

As others have said, your school list be cray. You applied almost exclusively to top-tier schools and low-yield mid-tier schools.

Your grades are obviously fine. You might still get some love off the wait lists, but if it comes to it, I think you'll have better luck next cycle simply with a better school list. You should also continue to practice your interviewing skills and get some more opinions on where you can improve. In the meantime, consider getting a job as an EMT, CNA, scribe, etc.

 

[stickgirl390]

I have many friends who go to Buffalo (my undergrad alma mater too). Everyone I know who got in at UB was waitlisted; I think that's just how they do it every year. I've actually never heard of someone who was accepted right after their interview. I do have one friend who was rejected post II. Hope that helps!

 

[RunawayGrape]

I have many friends who go to Buffalo (my undergrad alma mater too). Everyone I know who got in at UB was waitlisted; I think that's just how they do it every year. I've actually never heard of someone who was accepted right after their interview. I do have one friend who was rejected post II. Hope that helps!

Anecdotal story here: my friend interviewed yesterday, was accepted today.

 

[stickgirl390]

Anecdotal story here: my friend interviewed yesterday, was accepted today.

Oh well. So much for that theory...lol

 

[IlDestriero]

It's ok to aim high and shoot for the moon, but you have to apply to other more appropriate schools as well.
You aimed way too high.
Years ago I posted a sketch of the kind of student that will get accepted to Stanford. I don't know where it is, but that application makes yours look quite pedestrian. The competition is brutal at the top. Not everyone is a superstar, but many really are head and shoulders above the average accepted applicant.

--
Il Destriero

 

[candbgirl]

Yeah I mean I guess I took a shotgun approach to the top tier schools but figured I had enough lower-middle tier schools to be ok.

Which schools did you consider lower-middle tier schools? Did you use the MSAR when you developed your list?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[ciestar]

As the title indicates, I'm starting to get pretty frustrated and confused with this whole application cycle. I went into the cycle thinking I would be at least somewhat competitive with even top tier schools, but haven't had success anywhere. I just graduated from a fairly-well ranked liberal arts school in May with a 3.63 (Biochem/Bioinformatics major/concentration), a 519 on the MCAT (132,127,130,130), and lots of ECs: running a volunteer student-run collegiate EMS service as a supervisor/Director of Operations, being a volunteer firefighter/EMT in my home town, a smalls stint in research, playing on a DIAA rugby team and of course physician shadowing and all that. I received 3 interviews all within a week or two of each other at the start of September (Buffalo, Downstate, Rochester) and have been subsequently waitlisted at all three. I'm not too hopeful regarding getting more interviews because the schools that I have not heard from yet are Penn, WashU, Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Columbia, Sinai, Northwestern, Temple, and a pre-II hold at UCSD. I just feel like the competitiveness of my application is not matching up with the lack of success I am having. I did have an institutional action to report (police broke up a party at my off-campus apartment junior year and we all had to do community service), but I feel like that wouldn't be a huge deal? Maybe for some reason my letter of recommendation wasn't as good as it should have been? I feel like my personal statement was pretty good, and had multiple people read over it, but maybe that could have been the issue as well. I guess I'm just looking for what I can improve on if I have to do this again next year and was wondering if you all had any insight?

I feel that in the terms of IA's, your's is minor so it shouldn't be really holding you back. You are correct, though, the competitiveness of your application is absolutely not matching up with the success you're having, but for a good reason. Your school list was just...a bad idea. It's insanely misguided and I am wondering if you looked at an MSAR at all. Your gpa is below average, to start. Yes, you have an excellent mcat but with your gpa, I would have been targetting more mid-tier schools with your stats in their range.

If you're stuck reapplying, really do a better job with your school lists, and a few posts were posted with a good place to begin. However, you need to do your research on the schools themselves. This is a big mistake I keep seeing, that applicants think they belong/deserve top tier only. You have to humble yourself and be realistic. Do take the time and look at school mission's. Don't have >1000 hours of non-clinical service? Don't apply to Rush.

The best things you can do right now is reevaluate that school list and maybe pre-write some secondaries so you have plenty of time to really edit them and make them the best they can be, but I'd also look into service opportunities for underserved, there are tons of things out there and there should be at least one thing out there you would be interested in. Every interview I had, we talked about my service in the community.

 

[infinityavenue]

Oh well. So much for that theory...lol

I was a direct accept to Buffalo too and ironically waitlisted by other SUNYs with significantly higher post-interview acceptance rates.

That being said, Downstate and Buffalo waitlist A LOT of people, OP. So your hopes of matriculating at a MD school are not down the drain. Just start sending them some love letters and preparing for next cycle in the worst case scenario. Talk to a trusted advisor or mentor on ways you can improve your app if you have to reapply.

 

[Danny L]

AFAIK, a 3.63 GPA is on the lower side even with what sounds like a tougher major. If you had like a 3.8 or 3.9 Your app might be better suited for the top schools you applied to

 

[aprilfools]

Which schools did you consider lower-middle tier schools? Did you use the MSAR when you developed your list?

I did use MSAR, and I wasn't really expecting much from the top 20 schools I applied to, but I figured I wouldn't have had a problem with the following school list so I just threw on a bunch of top tier schools once I saw how well I did on my mcat:
Buffalo
Downstate
Rochester
Stony Brook
Hofstra
USC-Keck
Temple
Tufts
BU
Einstein
GW
Georgetown
And on the higher end but still within range, Sinai and NYU

I thought that would be a fine list and both tacked on the long shot schools on top of that and removed some of the lower tier schools I wasn't so keen on (upstate, nymc, albany) once I got my MCAT score back

Like I said I wasn't necessarily expecting anything from the top 20 schools, but they were more an add-on to the existing 13 school list I described above.

 

[Mclovin0351]

I made a very similar mistake last cycle, reapplied this cycle to a much smarter list of schools and have been far more successful. Your application seems strong enough (and interviews verify it is) to reapply next cycle with success if you add more lower tier schools.

 

[RunawayGrape]

I would have applied to Upstate, NYMC, and Albany anyway if I were in your shoes. Your GPA is below the median for top-tier and many mid-tier schools, and while your overall MCAT is high, you only scored 127 in the bio/biochem section, which is arguably the most important section. I think you may have simply underestimated how difficult it is to get into MD schools nowadays.

 

[aprilfools]

I would have applied to Upstate, NYMC, and Albany anyway if I were in your shoes. Your GPA is below the median for top-tier and many mid-tier schools, and while your overall MCAT is high, you only scored 127 in the bio/biochem section, which is arguably the most important section. I think you may have simply underestimated how difficult it is to get into MD schools nowadays.

My 127 was in CARS, 132 in C/P, 130 in the other 2

 

[aprilfools]

I guess this is where my confusion comes from. If we ignore the many reach schools I applied to, I would have thought that I would have had more success than I am having with this school list. Would you disagree?
Buffalo
Downstate
Stony Brook
Hofstra
USC-Keck
Temple
Tufts
BU
Einstein
GW
Georgetown
NYU
Sinai
Rochester

 

[kb1900]

My 127 was in CARS, 132 in C/P, 130 in the other 2

I had the same MCAT as you (more even breakdown) and a higher gpa and my list was not nearly as top heavy as yours.
Schools that showed me love were:
My 2 state schools
My alma mate institution
2 Manhattan schools
Hofstra
Downstate
Einstein.

The only two "top 20" schools were Manhattan schools.

 

[RunawayGrape]

I guess this is where my confusion comes from. If we ignore the many reach schools I applied to, I would have thought that I would have had more success than I am having with this school list. Would you disagree?
Buffalo
Downstate
Stony Brook
Hofstra
USC-Keck
Temple
Tufts
BU
Einstein
GW
Georgetown
NYU
Sinai
Rochester

My mistake regarding your MCAT score! Nevertheless, I don't think there's been any "confusion." A third of these schools are notoriously low-yield (BU, Tufts, Georgetown, GW) and your grades are not very competitive for NYU or Sinai (your GPA is too low). I am surprised that Buffalo and Downstate haven't shown you some love though.

 

[aprilfools]

My mistake regarding your MCAT score! Nevertheless, I don't think there's been any "confusion." A third of these schools are notoriously low-yield (BU, Tufts, Georgetown, GW) and your grades are not very competitive for NYU or Sinai (your GPA is too low). I am surprised that Buffalo and Downstate haven't shown you some love though.

I mean I was waitlisted in October at both buffalo and downstate but I'm not sure how much how early you are waitlisted matters, plus I know people who have been pulled off of both already. And I guess I just figured the 519 could somewhat makeup for the 3.63.


I will start to plan to reapply, but how likely do you think it is that I get pulled of the waitlist at at least one of the three:Buffalo, Downstste, Rochester?

 

[RunawayGrape]

I mean I was waitlisted in October at both buffalo and downstate but I'm not sure how much how early you are waitlisted matters, plus I know people who have been pulled off of both already. And I guess I just figured the 519 could somewhat makeup for the 3.63.


I will start to plan to reapply, but how likely do you think it is that I get pulled of the waitlist at at least one of the three:Buffalo, Downstste, Rochester?

I have no evidence to base this off of, but given your scores and the rest of your application, I would say very likely.

 

[fukuyou]

I had the same MCAT as you (more even breakdown) and a higher gpa and my list was not nearly as top heavy as yours.

Similar GPA and MCAT and activities as well, and I have had 8 II and 2 acceptances so far (hearing back from the rest soon). But I have had quite a bit more research experience. Perhaps a lot of the top tier schools you applied to are not only looking for well-rounded applicants (which you definitely are given the breadth of your ECs), but also "pointy" applicants as well who excel in any particular area (demonstrated by awards, publications, athletic accomplishments, etc.).

I mean no need to worry! Like a few of the posts above have said, being waitlisted at those schools means there's a good chance you'll have an acceptance. But in the worse case scenario come next spring, because a lot of the top tier schools really value research, maybe joining a productive basic science lab or doing more extensive clinical research would help you the second time around?

 

[aprilfools]

Similar GPA and MCAT and activities as well, and I have had 8 II and 2 acceptances so far (hearing back from the rest soon). But I have had quite a bit more research experience. Perhaps a lot of the top tier schools you applied to are not only looking for well-rounded applicants (which you definitely are given the breadth of your ECs), but also "pointy" applicants as well who excel in any particular area (demonstrated by awards, publications, athletic accomplishments, etc.).

I mean no need to worry! Like a few of the posts above have said, being waitlisted at those schools means there's a good chance you'll have an acceptance. But in the worse case scenario come next spring, because a lot of the top tier schools really value research, maybe joining a productive basic science lab or doing more extensive clinical research would help you the second time around?

I see what you're saying in terms of the pointy applicant. I guess I had considered my point/passion to be EMS/Fire, as I have easily over 1000 hours and significant leadership roles in two separate organizations. I guess it's harder to demonstrate that passion/"pointyness" than it would be in research where you could have come away with a publication or award from it though.

 

[ed*26]

I guess this is where my confusion comes from. If we ignore the many reach schools I applied to, I would have thought that I would have had more success than I am having with this school list. Would you disagree?
Buffalo
Downstate
Stony Brook
Hofstra
USC-Keck
Temple
Tufts
BU
Einstein
GW
Georgetown
NYU
Sinai
Rochester

The 10th percentile GPAs for NYU and Sinai are 3.62 and 3.61, respectively.

Temple gets 11,000 apps for 200 seats, Boston 11,000 for 180, Tufts 11,000 for 200, Georgetown 13,000 for 200, and GW 15,600 for 180 seats, and thus are all considered low-yield for everyone. I think you used these to pad your app correctly, but it isn't surprising to get silence if you're an average applicant.

Getting into any Cali school for an OOS applicant is pretty much a Hail Mary for anyone who isn't a superstar.

Honestly, I think you're doing pretty well. Out of the ones you had a pretty reasonable chance of getting an interview to (bolded), you received three early interviews. As the saying goes, "Interviews three, a doctor you'll be," and more could be on their way. Your app could have used more schools that you had a reasonable chance at, but this is just the reality of applying to medical school. It's hard, it's long, and a heck of a lot of people (50% matriculants) only get into one.

 

[aprilfools]

Aside from the ridiculously top-heavy school list, you really need to evaluate your interview skills.

Regarding interview skills, do you think that the fact I have been waitlisted at 3/3 of my interviews is a sign that I tend to perform poorly on interviews? I just don't know what to make of it. I would think if I were not great at interviews, I would have gotten one or more rejections.

 

[aalamruad]

Regarding interview skills, do you think that the fact I have been waitlisted at 3/3 of my interviews is a sign that I tend to perform poorly on interviews? I just don't know what to make of it. I would think if I were not great at interviews, I would have gotten one or more rejections.

Not sure, but it could be a sign that you interview poorly but not horribly

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I don't think waitlists are necessarily specific for poor interview performance actually. You are on the wait list because they see you as a student that would fit in their class, and they may offer you that seat. If you had done a patently poor job, I feel that a rejection would have been the result.

 

[aalamruad]

I don't think waitlists are necessarily specific for poor interview performance actually. You are on the wait list because they see you as a student that would fit in their class, and they may offer you that seat. If you had done a patently poor job, I feel that a rejection would have been the result.

Some schools reject very very few people outright, and you can interview pretty poorly and still get a waitlist

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Some schools reject very very few people outright, and you can interview pretty poorly and still get a waitlist

Yes it is probably dependent on the percentage of outright rejections a particular school gives post interview. I assume that many schools waitlist about 2-2.5x the number of seats.

 

[Danny L]

How much can good stats offset poor interviewing?

Also what constitutes a poor/horrible interview performance?

 

[libertyyne]

Yes it is probably dependent on the percentage of outright rejections a particular school gives post interview. I assume that many schools waitlist about 2-2.5x the number of seats.

It seems like 2X people get accepted and 2X people get waitlisted. The total amount of interviews is usually around 4X. Rejects after interviews seem like they are due to poor performance, but rarely does anyone get straight rejected.

 

[aprilfools]

It seems like 2X people get accepted and 2X people get waitlisted. The total amount of interviews is usually around 4X. Rejects after interviews seem like they are due to poor performance, but rarely does anyone get straight rejected.

What is it that sets outright acceptances apart from waitlists, if there is anything at all?

 

[libertyyne]

What is it that sets outright acceptances apart from waitlists, if there is anything at all?

It depends on the school, and how high up a person is in their internal ranking system. I would think interview performance would contribute but the whole package decision is usually made. I interview OK and have 100% conversion so far, but I was also above the media. Acceptee for the schools I applied to.

 

[kb1900]

It depends on the school, and how high up a person is in their internal ranking system. I would think interview performance would contribute but the whole package decision is usually made. I interview OK and have 100% conversion so far, but I was also above the media. Acceptee for the schools I applied to.

Yup. The staircase analogy is extremely fitting when discerning post interview waitlist/acceptance.

You could interview perfectly but if you were lower on the staircase, you probably had to bring something substantial/impressive to the table when you interviewed.

I say this with 2 acceptances from places where I was above the 90%ile stats wise and probably applicant ECs-wise. I was waitlisted (continued) at the place where I was average-above average stats wise, but likely below average EC-wise. My interview performance was at the very least consistent thru all 3 of those places, if not actually better at the place I got waitlisted.

 

[mw18]

How much can good stats offset poor interviewing?

Also what constitutes a poor/horrible interview performance?

I think the two questions are obviously very importantly linked. I would say nothing really offsets a truly horrible interview. Because a research dynamo with a 45/4.0 (and for perfectionists, it's just an example, save the diatribe about how extremely high stats applicants struggle. Substitute whatever your "ideal" stats are) that leaves an interviewer with an extremely negative opinion of them will struggle to get in. If you rub an interviewer the wrong way to the extent they actively lobby against you, I don't see why they would offer you. If you had two interviewers and only bombed one of them, then you'd still be be alive.

I think the more likely scenario is you come off boring or unremarkable in an interview, and then I think you can be saved by being a truly solid and likely above the median for that school application. Interviews are the schools only real chance to find out what you're like outside of a paper application, so the things you would think a school can get from that is what they're trying to get from that. What your personality is like, how well spoken you are, sometimes some thinking on your feet, and just getting to know you so they can build a class they feel fits. If you're shut off, extremely nervous to the point it's hard to get through, bragging, rude, not knowing your application or especially caught lying or exaggerating, these can be very difficult to overcome.

 

[sliceofbread136]

1. Poorish gpa
2. IA
3. Ecs that don't match up to the schools you applied. You have no research and I know for a fact top schools care very little for ems/firefighter ecs, even though you sound highly involved
4. Top heavy list

With 3 waitlists you have a decent chance. Start sending update letters and interest letters!

 

[aprilfools]

I know for a fact top schools care very little for ems/firefighter ecs

How do you know that and why is that?

 

[JB50]

1. Poorish gpa
2. IA
3. Ecs that don't match up to the schools you applied. You have no research and I know for a fact top schools care very little for ems/firefighter ecs, even though you sound highly involved
4. Top heavy list

With 3 waitlists you have a decent chance. Start sending update letters and interest letters!

Wut

 

[Dr. Stalker]

As the title indicates, I'm starting to get pretty frustrated and confused with this whole application cycle. I went into the cycle thinking I would be at least somewhat competitive with even top tier schools, but haven't had success anywhere. I just graduated from a fairly-well ranked liberal arts school in May with a 3.63 (Biochem/Bioinformatics major/concentration), a 519 on the MCAT (132,127,130,130), and lots of ECs: running a volunteer student-run collegiate EMS service as a supervisor/Director of Operations, being a volunteer firefighter/EMT in my home town, a smalls stint in research, playing on a DIAA rugby team and of course physician shadowing and all that. I received 3 interviews all within a week or two of each other at the start of September (Buffalo, Downstate, Rochester) and have been subsequently waitlisted at all three. I'm not too hopeful regarding getting more interviews because the schools that I have not heard from yet are Penn, WashU, Tufts, Harvard, UCLA, Columbia, Sinai, Northwestern, Temple, and a pre-II hold at UCSD. I just feel like the competitiveness of my application is not matching up with the lack of success I am having. I did have an institutional action to report (police broke up a party at my off-campus apartment junior year and we all had to do community service), but I feel like that wouldn't be a huge deal? Maybe for some reason my letter of recommendation wasn't as good as it should have been? I feel like my personal statement was pretty good, and had multiple people read over it, but maybe that could have been the issue as well. I guess I'm just looking for what I can improve on if I have to do this again next year and was wondering if you all had any insight?

Mate, the 3 schools you interviewed at are notorious for waitlisting just about everyone post-interview. DS and UB accept maybe 5 or max 10% direct accept. The other 80% are waitlisted. Then the last 10% unfortunately get a direct reject. Your numbers are so incredible DS and UB probably don't think you'll attend, so why waste an acceptance? I know its backwards thinking, but that's what adcom goes by. Also, I'm not an expert on Rochester, but check the last few years SDN pages.

Congratulations on all the waitlists. Remember. Deep breaths, you're on a list to be considered a f*cking doctor!!! Go out and celebrate. You've earned it. Pce homie

 

[sliceofbread136]

How do you know that and why is that?

Well my experience is from 4 years ago, but I knew many people heavily involved in ems/paramedic stuff and no top 20 seemed to give a damn at all. I just don't think it aligns with their mission. Saying "I know for a fact" was an exaggeration though in retrospect

Wut

3.6 is really not great, especially for top schools

 

[JB50]

Well my experience is from 4 years ago, but I knew many people heavily involved in ems/paramedic stuff and no top 20 seemed to give a damn at all. I just don't think it aligns with their mission. Saying "I know for a fact" was an exaggeration though in retrospect



3.6 is really not great, especially for top schools

"Not great" is different than "poorish" pal

 

[aalamruad]

"Not great" is different than "poorish" pal

It's below average even for average med schools. A 3.6 is way below the means at the schools OP is applying to

 

[aalamruad]

Mate, the 3 schools you interviewed at are notorious for waitlisting just about everyone post-interview. DS and UB accept maybe 5 or max 10% direct accept. The other 80% are waitlisted. Then the last 10% unfortunately get a direct reject. Your numbers are so incredible DS and UB probably don't think you'll attend, so why waste an acceptance? I know its backwards thinking, but that's what adcom goes by. Also, I'm not an expert on Rochester, but check the last few years SDN pages.

Congratulations on all the waitlists. Remember. Deep breaths, you're on a list to be considered a f*cking doctor!!! Go out and celebrate. You've earned it. Pce homie

How do you know the percent that DS directly accepts?

 

[JB50]

It's below average even for average med schools. A 3.6 is way below the means at the schools OP is applying to

All's I'm saying walloobi-woo is that it's not a poor GPA. It's not gonna keep someone OUT of medical school, necessarily. But yes at top tiers theres no point lol.