when can I be justifiably worried about not receiving IIs?

[erw1336]

I'm a little disheartened about the application process and am hoping for some realistic opinions on whether or not my application is competitive. I submitted 31 secondary applications between early July - mid August to a range of schools (all MD: 26 of which realistically within my reach based on their previous stats, 5 unlikely 'why-nots') and do not have any IIs yet - I know the process is just getting started but I can't help but feel a little worried, especially looking around at all the others who have received multiple IIs. Does anyone have any insights on the II timeline and when I should be justifiably worried if I still have no invites? Should I add a couple more schools to my list to increase my chances or is it too late to be sending in more applications?

A little on me:

MCAT: 514 (129/128/128/129)
sGPA: 3.41
cGPA: 3.67
LizzyM: 69.60

strong leadership experience, medical and non-medical volunteering experiences, moderate clinical exposure (shadowing/scribing), sufficient research background but no publications, not underrepresented in medicine, 5 rec letters from 2 professors, 2 employers/supervisors, and 1 physician, who all know me well

my science GPA is pretty low - I received C's in the first sections of physics and bio during the same semester, but improved both grades to A/A- during the second semester of each course. Overall, my grades show an upward trajectory. I'm not sure if adcoms factor this in when looking at grades, but I did graduate from a highly competitive undergraduate institution (top 10).

Any advice or insights welcome!! Process is starting to drive me a little crazy (I refresh my e-mail hoping for IIs an embarrassing amount of times per day) so just wanted to hear from others who are currently going through it or have been through it in the past. Thanks so much!

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[676188]

Don’t start stressing unless you haven’t received anything by Thanksgiving. That’s over 8 weeks away! I don’t even have any secondaries yet...hang in there. If you’re still finishing classes focus on making a 4.0 this semester. If you still have spare time to worry bump up your volunteer hours, or find a complicated new hobby that will take up some brain power.

 

[Saifa]

In like 2 months, seriously.

 

[BOAO523]

I'm in the same boat as you. Better GPA, worse MCAT, similar ECs, similar application timeline. 1 II and otherwise crickets. Also incessantly refreshing my email.

Know that you are not alone and that I strongly suspect our time will soon come!

 

[Goro]

Don’t start stressing unless you haven’t received anything by Thanksgiving. That’s over 8 weeks away! I don’t even have any secondaries yet...hang in there. If you’re still finishing classes focus on making a 4.0 this semester. If you still have spare time to worry bump up your volunteer hours, or find a complicated new hobby that will take up some brain power.

This.

And patience is a virtue, the need for instant gratification is not.

Schools stratify the apps as they come in and don't send out secondaries or IIs merely in chronological order.

Secondaries are often a tax on the hopelessly naïve, if not pathologically optimistic.

 

[Osteosaur]

The apps are sent and you can't do anything about it. If you're really concerned you should find a DO to shadow, honestly. I had similar-ish stats to yours and got 6 DO II's on applying DO for the first time (compared to 1 MD II as a re-applicant). Your stats won't be working against you so much there.

Otherwise relax, you've had a long and miserable summer.

 

[alictiria]

Cs, especially two of them in core premed classes combined with a good but not great MCAT are definitely a concern. That's even more true with decent but not fantastic clinical and research experience, so there's not a ton of reasons an adcom would take a risk on this file and fall in love with it. Now I'm not saying you won't get anything, but it probably would have been wise to do some DOs as well.

 

[CougarMD]

Cs, especially two of them in core premed classes combined with a good but not great MCAT are definitely a concern. That's even more true with decent but not fantastic clinical and research experience, so there's not a ton of reasons an adcom would take a risk on this file and fall in love with it. Now I'm not saying you won't get anything, but it probably would have been wise to do some DOs as well.

I disagree that it is "definitely a concern". It is never a bad idea to apply to DO schools if you would actually go to them. If you would not, then don't put the extra strain on the application system.

Stressing about not receiving any II is a waste of time, energy and effort. As I tell every applicant, assume that you are rejected from the moment you file AMCAS. The reason to take that mindset so you can continue to enhance your record in case reapplication is needed.

The apps are sent and you can't do anything about it. If you're really concerned you should find a DO to shadow, honestly. I had similar-ish stats to yours and got 6 DO II's on applying DO for the first time (compared to 1 MD II as a re-applicant). Your stats won't be working against you so much there.

Otherwise relax, you've had a long and miserable summer.

This is excellent advice.

Your main choices are to distract yourself by improving your application (which will, in theory, improve your life, your motivation to enter medicine, and your understanding of your future) or distract yourself by non-application improving means. You can go anywhere in the US and many places in the world and still have a wifi connection, and a secondary can be written anywhere. If you have the financial means, take some time off and go somewhere for a week, then come back and think of things you can do that will improve your exposure to medicine, academics, or both. I don't think anyone is disregarding that this is incredibly stressful, but the freedom you potentially have when your application is done and submitted and no one is asking anything of you is a rare occurrence in this life, and you should take advantage.

 

[DoctorSnow]

Cs, especially two of them in core premed classes combined with a good but not great MCAT are definitely a concern. That's even more true with decent but not fantastic clinical and research experience, so there's not a ton of reasons an adcom would take a risk on this file and fall in love with it. Now I'm not saying you won't get anything, but it probably would have been wise to do some DOs as well.

OP scored in the 91st percentile on the MCAT. That is a great MCAT and he/she should feel proud.

 

[hiragana]

The apps are sent and you can't do anything about it. If you're really concerned you should find a DO to shadow, honestly. I had similar-ish stats to yours and got 6 DO II's on applying DO for the first time (compared to 1 MD II as a re-applicant). Your stats won't be working against you so much there.

Otherwise relax, you've had a long and miserable summer.

im in a similar boat...did you ever get more MD II's?

 

[Osteosaur]

im in a similar boat...did you ever get more MD II's?

My last cycle? No. I think some schools were probably sick of seeing my app. Or the ones that I had a best shot at interviewed and hated me. That's another confound I had to worry about. Otherwise I've ha about 7 MD interviews in my premed career. Interestingly that final MD Interview I did get was at a school I had no shot at when I embarked on this journey.

One of the pitfalls of what I did was I applied several consecutive years. I could only do so much to improve during an application year, all the little incremental improvements I made probably did not amount to much.

Medical school applications are very much a game, sadly. Knowing what I know it might have been better had I applied DO immediately on the second go-round. As a borderline applicant its nice as a kind of fresh start if you make serious mistakes during your first MD cycle.

 

[hiragana]

My last cycle? No. I think some schools were probably sick of seeing my app. Or the ones that I had a best shot at interviewed and hated me. That's another confound I had to worry about. Otherwise I've ha about 7 MD interviews in my premed career. Interestingly that final MD Interview I did get was at a school I had no shot at when I embarked on this journey.

One of the pitfalls of what I did was I applied several consecutive years. I could only do so much to improve during an application year, all the little incremental improvements I made probably did not amount to much.

Medical school applications are very much a game, sadly. Knowing what I know it might have been better had I applied DO immediately on the second go-round. As a borderline applicant its nice as a kind of fresh start if you make serious mistakes during your first MD cycle.

As a borderline applicant I applied to both DO and MD as I do not want to do another cycle as I have taken more than 1 gap year. I have already been accepted at DO schools so this cycle is it for me haha if I do not get anymore MD II's.

 

[yourFutureDoktur]

Cs, especially two of them in core premed classes combined with a good but not great MCAT are definitely a concern. That's even more true with decent but not fantastic clinical and research experience, so there's not a ton of reasons an adcom would take a risk on this file and fall in love with it. Now I'm not saying you won't get anything, but it probably would have been wise to do some DOs as well.

are you craazy?! 514 is an outstanding mcat score!! what world are you living in

 

[MCATISEZ]

I'm a little disheartened about the application process and am hoping for some realistic opinions on whether or not my application is competitive. I submitted 31 secondary applications between early July - mid August to a range of schools (all MD: 26 of which realistically within my reach based on their previous stats, 5 unlikely 'why-nots') and do not have any IIs yet - I know the process is just getting started but I can't help but feel a little worried, especially looking around at all the others who have received multiple IIs. Does anyone have any insights on the II timeline and when I should be justifiably worried if I still have no invites? Should I add a couple more schools to my list to increase my chances or is it too late to be sending in more applications?

A little on me:

MCAT: 514 (129/128/128/129)
sGPA: 3.41
cGPA: 3.67
LizzyM: 69.60

strong leadership experience, medical and non-medical volunteering experiences, moderate clinical exposure (shadowing/scribing), sufficient research background but no publications, not underrepresented in medicine, 5 rec letters from 2 professors, 2 employers/supervisors, and 1 physician, who all know me well

my science GPA is pretty low - I received C's in the first sections of physics and bio during the same semester, but improved both grades to A/A- during the second semester of each course. Overall, my grades show an upward trajectory. I'm not sure if adcoms factor this in when looking at grades, but I did graduate from a highly competitive undergraduate institution (top 10).

Any advice or insights welcome!! Process is starting to drive me a little crazy (I refresh my e-mail hoping for IIs an embarrassing amount of times per day) so just wanted to hear from others who are currently going through it or have been through it in the past. Thanks so much!

Hey! I was just in your shoes last year and I remember refreshing my email compulsively to the point anyone would have thought I was insane. You certainly have some time before I would say it times to be concerned. The GPA is a bit low, but the MCAT is solid - although I do not have a school list to assess. Have you considered applying to osteopathic schools? I applied to both and ultimately matriculated to an allopathic school, but having an admit early from a DO school helped ease my mind a bit (a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush).

While you may find Goro here saying something along the lines of "every applicant should consider themselves rejected until they hear they are not" (I'm not trashing his advice in anyway! It's realistic but can seem a tad pessimistic), these things work at a pace of a turtle and I would say absolutely nobody has the patience for it (it is truly torture). You have so much longer to go. Even after you get your II (I truly think you will one of these days!!) you'll wait forever to hear back and if you are waitlisted you may wait even longer. I spent the whole year thinking I will/have figured out where I am going, but I did not truly know till March/April. Got an II to my top choice early in the cycle, got waitlisted and sat without any other IIs till after November/December. Then I traveled all across the country to many places I realized I'd never want to live until I got word I got off the waitlist.

Try to find ways not to think about it. The med school application process (actually even med school itself from what I've seen so far) is really just taking one day at a time and getting used to living like that. It should go without saying you should probably continue to improve your application for potential update letters or if god forbid you need to apply again.

Good luck!

 

[amylovee19]

when are the bulk of interview invites sent out?

 

[Lucca]

when are the bulk of interview invites sent out?

By the end of November >70% of all IIs will have gone out, as estimated by the II tracker Planeblue made.

 

[altblue]

Hey! I was just in your shoes last year and I remember refreshing my email compulsively to the point anyone would have thought I was insane. You certainly have some time before I would say it times to be concerned. The GPA is a bit low, but the MCAT is solid - although I do not have a school list to assess. Have you considered applying to osteopathic schools? I applied to both and ultimately matriculated to an allopathic school, but having an admit early from a DO school helped ease my mind a bit (a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush).

While you may find Goro here saying something along the lines of "every applicant should consider themselves rejected until they hear they are not" (I'm not trashing his advice in anyway! It's realistic but can seem a tad pessimistic), these things work at a pace of a turtle and I would say absolutely nobody has the patience for it (it is truly torture). You have so much longer to go. Even after you get your II (I truly think you will one of these days!!) you'll wait forever to hear back and if you are waitlisted you may wait even longer. I spent the whole year thinking I will/have figured out where I am going, but I did not truly know till March/April. Got an II to my top choice early in the cycle, got waitlisted and sat without any other IIs till after November/December. Then I traveled all across the country to many places I realized I'd never want to live until I got word I got off the waitlist.

Try to find ways not to think about it. The med school application process (actually even med school itself from what I've seen so far) is really just taking one day at a time and getting used to living like that. It should go without saying you should probably continue to improve your application for potential update letters or if god forbid you need to apply again.

Good luck!

This is a great post. I'm realizing how important patience is in the process and how I'll probably have to wait months to assess how the cycle has gone. Just have to accept the process for what it is and go about my day.

 

[LizzyM]

While the MCAT at the 91st percentile is exceptional, it might be below the 10th percentile at some stat-***** schools. If the OP targetted appropriately, the interview invites should roll in (at least 2) by Thanksgiving (that's 2 months away).

In the meantime, OP, chill. Binge watch a TV show. Read something challenging and completely unrelated to medicine. Help somone. Write a letter to someone far away. Have coffee by yourself and doodle. Watch puppy or kitten videos. Do something that helps you to relax and forget about the application process for a few minutes or a few hours or a few days. It will still be there when you get back.