What is your app's biggest weakness?

[doctorshateher]

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I'm mostly just curious about what people perceive to be the biggest weakness in their application.

For me I think its the secondary essays. I don't consider myself a great writer and I've had a hard time getting them up to par with what I think is the expectation. With the PS it wasn't such a big deal because I had a lot of time to work on it and have lots and lots of people read it.

 

[aSagacious]

My science GPA + clinical experience

 

[kpcrew]

My science GPA + clinical experience

me too but mine is lower

 

[Bumbl3b33]

I have a feeling this thread is going to make me really angry with kids with 3.6+ saying they have low GPAs and 'low MCATs' of 35s

 

[SexyDoctor]

Research experience. I write like a mofo, have a perfect GPA, can interview circles around people, and I haven't taken my MCAT so I can't say, but I have absolutely no research and probably will only have about a year's worth.

 

[NickNaylor]

Protip: you often overestimate the severity of your weaknesses and the greatness of your strengths.

Thought I'd inject that before people get all down on themselves.

 

[doctorshateher]

Protip: you often overestimate the severity of your weaknesses and the greatness of your strengths.

Thought I'd inject that before people get all down on themselves.

👍

 

[Narmerguy]

I have a feeling this thread is going to make me really angry with kids with 3.6+ saying they have low GPAs and 'low MCATs' of 35s

To be fair, the question was what their "greatest weakness" was, so it may be that their app is outstanding aside from a 3.6 GPA (or 35 MCAT). A 3.6 GPA is not a great GPA by any means. It can work and you can still get in places, but it will limit your choices at quite a few schools.

Personally, I have pretty weak clinical experience 🙁

 

[Kekeirda]

Everything!!!!

 

[circulus vitios]

Probably my ECs. I'll have shadowing and volunteering (50-100 hours each) and work. I don't do clubs.

 

[deleted397231]

Research

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Mine is research. I have a bit of it, but nothing like these SDNers who have been doing research for eight hundred years and have six first-author pubs in Science.

 

[yangxx2]

MCAT. We'll see what happens today around 3-4PM...

 

[aSagacious]

MCAT. We'll see what happens today around 3-4PM...

Gooood luck!

 

[Narmerguy]

Probably my ECs. I'll have shadowing and volunteering (50-100 hours each) and work. I don't do clubs.

Eh me neither. I tried it Freshman year and just hated it.

 

[paul411]

I think people overestimate how much research they need to be competitive for medical school. Just start early in a lab, be diligent when you go to lab and stay in the lab for a while (> 1 semester). That's all you really need to do... the rest of the stuff (pubs/posters/presentations) will happen depending on your luck.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I think people overestimate how much research they need to be competitive for medical school. Just start early in a lab, be diligent when you go to lab and stay in the lab for a while (> 1 semester). That's all you really need to do... the rest of the stuff (pubs/posters/presentations) will happen depending on your luck.

Well, my problem was that I hated working in the lab. I just dreaded going every day. So I did it for a semester, and couldn't take it any more. I wasn't going to do something I hated just to put it on my application. I only listed it on AMCAS so that if it comes up, I can explain that lab research really wasn't my thing but I at least tried it. I did do a summer of policy research that I enjoyed, so I can speak more positively about that if asked.

 

[FattySlug]

I think people overestimate how much research they need to be competitive for medical school. Just start early in a lab, be diligent when you go to lab and stay in the lab for a while (> 1 semester). That's all you really need to do... the rest of the stuff (pubs/posters/presentations) will happen depending on your luck.

Agreed. Having publication for most people is about being in the right lab at the right time.
My weakness would be the fact I took the MCAT 3 times, 2 of those with 8 in VR section.

 

[n3xa]

Mine is research. I have a bit of it, but nothing like these SDNers who have been doing research for eight hundred years and have six first-author pubs in Science.

ACCORDING TO WHATYOUSAY IM JUST OLD 🙁 THATS WHY MY POST CONTAINS LOUD NOISES


On a serious note, my verbal score. I also have a difficult time mustering up sympathy for unmotivated colleagues in pre-med land, which is fortunately completely different from how I interact with clients as a HIV counselor/tester.

 

[garrett24]

I chose other because I have had some personal medical problems that caused me to withdraw from multiple classes. I know it is an uphill battle with withdrawals, but I plan to work my butt off during application season for next year when I will be submitting my application.

I've worked hard to graduate from high school and college with a good GPA, so I plan to do nothing but my best. I am going to follow the MCAT study plan that is posted on here and have already purchased some of the books, but I have two classes left until graduation in December so I will not focus on studying for the MCAT until after I graduate. I plan on taking it in either March or April.

I do have clinical experience and did an independent study with a Family Medicine Physician last year where I was able to get lots of hands on experience and I was a pharmacy technician for 4 years, so I hope those experiences will help me out with my application. Plus I have a rough draft of my personal statement, but I know it needs to be refined.

GOOD LUCK to everyone applying this application season! I hope to see lots of acceptances on here! 😀