Where did I go wrong in my application? :(

[OhMyStars]

I've decided to retake my MCAT score and take two years off. Thank for your input!

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[gyngyn]

As long as at least half of your schools are the ones that might interview you, you should still be fine.

 

[OhMyStars]

As long as at least half of your schools are the ones that might interview you, you should still be fine.

Do you mean considering my GPA and MCAT score?

I chose my schools by filtering the lowest verbal reasoning score to an 8 and then applying to schools whose average MCAT scores were between 30 and 34

 

[gyngyn]

Do you mean considering my GPA and MCAT score?

The whole package, including factors outside of your control (state of residence).

 

[Lawpy]

Your ECs are fairly cookie cutter but that shouldn't be a reason why you haven't got much luck. What was your school list?

 

[Lannister]

Have you had your interview yet?

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Your EC's are fine and the completion date shouldn't be a problem. Who did you get to edit your essays?

 

[OhMyStars]

The whole package, including factors outside of your control (state of residence).

Thank you! I'll be sure to double check that for the next cycle. Also, you seem to know a lot about the application cycle so I was wondering if you could tell me which category biracial applicants all into (for example, white and asian)?

Your ECs are fairly cookie cutter but that shouldn't be a reason why you haven't got much luck. What was your school list?

Boston University, Drexel, Dartmouth, Emory, George Washington, Mayo, Brown, UC Davis, UC Irvine, USC, UC SD, UCSF, SUNY, University of Colorado, University of Louisville, University of North Carolina, University of Miami, University of Wisconsin, Wakeforest, and a bunch of other ones

Received secondaries from all UC's, Mayo, and I can't remember which other ones screen

Rejected from Boston University, Mayo, UC Irvine, UCSD, UCSF, Wisconsin

Have you had your interview yet?

I received an invite yesterday from Drexel and scheduled for next month

 

[SOMBound13]

You're a Calif resident, so as you know, the competition is fierce.

What SOMs did you apply to outside the state? and, which have rejected you?

What's the story with your verbal? Is English your primary language? How long is your MCAT good for?

Do you have any hooks? Do you have any ties to other states?

I don't know if you should retake the MCAT. You might do worse with the new MCAT. If you do have to reapply, then apply to the best DO schools as well.

 

[OhMyStars]

Your EC's are fine and the completion date shouldn't be a problem. Who did you get to edit your essays?

That really worries me because if that's true, then I might have to retake my MCAT :/ I was hoping there would be a simple solution like just applying earlier but I guess that's not how life works haha

I used Essay Edge or something to edit my essay and I took it into my schools writing help center

 

[OhMyStars]

You're a Calif resident, so as you know, the competition is fierce.

What SOMs did you apply to outside the state? and, which have rejected you?

What's the story with your verbal? Is English your primary language? How long is your MCAT good for?

Do you have any hooks? Do you have any ties to other states?

What is an SOM?

I was born and raised in the USA haha, my verbal was a fluke but I couldn't afford to retake my MCAT before it changed (I was supporting myself). I took my mcat July 2014, so it should be good for next cycle.

I have ties to Massachusetts and New Jersey too (my parents are divorced)

 

[Lannister]

I received an invite yesterday from Drexel and scheduled for next month

I mean, you have one interview, so I wouldn't give up yet.
Also, late July/early August is not late by any means.

 

[gyngyn]

You can put "other" for race, if you prefer.
There are only 2 or 3 schools on your list where you have a fair chance at an interview. This is not usually enough for a CA applicant.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

That really worries me because if that's true, then I might have to retake my MCAT :/ I was hoping there would be a simple solution like just applying earlier but I guess that's not how life works haha

I used Essay Edge or something to edit my essay and I took it into my schools writing help center

The issue is your school list especially with being a ca resident. Either way, focus on your upcoming interview and do your best

 

[OhMyStars]

You can put "other" for race, if you prefer.
There are only 2 or 3 schools on your list where you have a fair chance at an interview. This is not usually enough for a CA applicant.

The issue is your school list especially with being a ca resident. Either way, focus on your upcoming interview and do your best

Thank you all! I really appreciate it. If all else fails, I'll just work for two years and retake my MCAT, and move far far away from California. I guess I didn't realize it was so competitive for CA residents

 

[SOMBound13]

What is an SOM?

I was born and raised in the USA haha, my verbal was a fluke but I couldn't afford to retake my MCAT before it changed (I was supporting myself). I took my mcat July 2014, so it should be good for next cycle.

I have ties to Massachusetts and New Jersey too (my parents are divorced)

SOM = School of Medicine

You have ties to Mass and NJ but you didn't apply to their state SOMs?

Oh good, you have an interview. From which SOM?

guess I didn't realize it was so competitive for CA residents

Are you OOS for Calif? Do you have residency there?

 

[OhMyStars]

SOM = School of Medicine

You have ties to Mass and NJ but you didn't apply to their state SOMs?

Oh good, you have an interview. From which SOM?

Drexel University. My MCAT score was too low for most of the schools in Mass, unfortunately

 

[OhMyStars]

Are you OOS for Calif? Do you have residency there?

I'm a California resident :/

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Thank you! I'll be sure to double check that for the next cycle. Also, you seem to know a lot about the application cycle so I was wondering if you could tell me which category biracial applicants all into (for example, white and asian)?



Boston University, Drexel, Dartmouth, Emory, George Washington, Mayo, Brown, UC Davis, UC Irvine, USC, UC SD, UCSF, SUNY, University of Colorado, University of Louisville, University of North Carolina, University of Miami, University of Wisconsin, Wakeforest

Received secondaries from all UC's, Mayo, and I can't remember which other ones screen

Rejected from Boston University, Mayo, UC Irvine, UCSD, UCSF, Wisconsin


I received an invite yesterday from Drexel and scheduled for next month

Also, I don't know about the UC schools but the other ones that rejected you are low yield (lots of apps) or look for very specific students so I wouldn't let that discourage you

 

[7331poas]

Problem is that you have zero chance at UNC.

 

[piii]

Thank you! I'll be sure to double check that for the next cycle. Also, you seem to know a lot about the application cycle so I was wondering if you could tell me which category biracial applicants all into (for example, white and asian)?



Boston University, Drexel, Dartmouth, Emory, George Washington, Mayo, Brown, UC Davis, UC Irvine, USC, UC SD, UCSF, SUNY, University of Colorado, University of Louisville, University of North Carolina, University of Miami, University of Wisconsin, Wakeforest

Received secondaries from all UC's, Mayo, and I can't remember which other ones screen

Rejected from Boston University, Mayo, UC Irvine, UCSD, UCSF, Wisconsin


I received an invite yesterday from Drexel and scheduled for next month

Colorado, Louisville, UNC, Wisconsin, brown, and mayo were all poor school choices.

 

[Slave to the Game]

Personal statement/secondaries/LORs are possibly problematic, and you applied to moderately competitive schools when your focus should've been on schools with MCAT averages of 30 or below.

 

[SOMBound13]

Colorado, Louisville, UNC, Wisconsin, brown, and mayo were all poor school choices.

Agreed. Wonder why more midwest schools like SLU and Creighton were applied to? Seems like many Calif applicants that don't have top stats find some success in the midwest.

 

[Goro]

This is a classic example of why I advise people to carefully read the ".Acceptance Information" pages of MSAR.

These are the schools where I expect that you'd be competitive:

Drexel, George Washington, UC Davis, UC Irvine,University of Miami, Wake forest

I suggest that IF you get shut this cycle, that you add some DO schools to your list, and more private MD schools OOS where your stats are closest to their medians...AND your VR score is > their 10th %ile.


See!
I received an invite yesterday from Drexel and scheduled for next month..

 

[OhMyStars]

Agreed. Wonder why more midwest schools like SLU and Creighton were applied to? Seems like many Calif applicants that don't have top stats find some success in the midwest.

Those were in my reach. I applied to 27 total, many of which have a 30-31 MCAT average (I don't have the full list with me right now). I just want to be near my family when I go to med school. I did my undergrad in Canada and since I'm a very family oriented person, it's been really difficult. If being close to my family means that I have to take two years off and retake my MCAT, then that's what I'll do.

So that being said, I have decided to retake my MCAT. Thank you all for your advice!

 

[SOMBound13]

If being close to my family means that I have to take two years off and retake my MCAT, then that's what I'll do.

I understand that there is a benefit to living near family. Since you applied to SOMs in about 12 different states, does that mean that you have CLOSE relatives in each state?

There is "some" benefit to be near relatives, but I can tell you that you're going to be much busier in med school and you won't have a lot of time to spend visiting relatives.

 

[OhMyStars]

I understand that there is a benefit to living near family. Since you applied to SOMs in about 12 different states, does that mean that you have CLOSE relatives in each state?

There is "some" benefit to be near relatives, but I can tell you that you're going to be much busier in med school and you won't have a lot of time to spend visiting relatives.

You know when you're not sure what you want and you flip a coin to make a decision, but while the coin is in the air, you realize what you want? I think that's what this cycle has been like for me. All I want is to be able to go to a med school where it is possible to see them for more than four of five days every year. Plus, my MCAT score was wayyy lower than my practice exams, so I know getting a higher score, particularly in verbal reasoning, is feasible.

Really, thank you for talking though this with me, it was really helpful. I'm very motivated to improve my application

 

[Hospitalized]

What is an SOM?

To me, seeing an applicant that doesn't know a very commonly utilized abbreviation shows a lack of knowledge in the process as a whole. My guess is there are portions of your application that reflect this lack of knowledge. I could be blowing things out of proportion, though.

 

[SOMBound13]

↑
@OhMyStars What is an SOM?

@Hospitalized
To me, seeing an applicant that doesn't know a very commonly utilized abbreviation shows a lack of knowledge in the process as a whole. My guess is there are portions of your application that reflect this lack of knowledge. I could be blowing things out of proportion, though

When I saw that question, I was concerned that the applicant couldn't figure it out from the "context clues" in the sentences where the acronym was used:

You're a Calif resident, so as you know, the competition is fierce.

What SOMs did you apply to outside the state? and, which have rejected you?

What's the story with your verbal? Is English your primary language? How long is your MCAT good for?

Do you have any hooks? Do you have any ties to other states?

I don't know if you should retake the MCAT. You might do worse with the new MCAT. If you do have to reapply, then apply to the best DO schools as well.

I'm not saying the above to be harsh, the concern is that perhaps some critical thinking skills are lacking and that came across in the app or maybe was mentioned in an LOR. Someone who is in the thick of the app process who sees the question: "What SOMs did you apply to," should be able to figure out what that meant.