Where did I go wrong?

[jdub1822]

I'm a current applicant hoping to be accepted for matriculation in the fall but I haven't had any luck getting into my top choice schools so far. My stats are as follows:

MCAT
PS: 15
VR: 13
BS: 15
W: Q

Composite: 43Q

GPA (University of Miami)
Science: 4.0
Cummulative: 3.981
Major in Neurobiology, minors in Chem and Business Admin

I have a year of research experience in a neuroscience lab. I was involved in several leadership roles on campus including being an RA, fraternity president, and chair of a major campus service event. I'm in Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Order of Omega. I worked part time all through college sometimes at two jobs. During the summers I worked full time.

The major red flags on my application are an alcohol violation from my junior year that led to a small fine from the school and some community service hours. Also, because I worked so much, my clinical experience was limited to a couple months of volunteering at a trauma center two summers ago. I submitted my AMCAS on June 30th, had my transcripts and MCAT scores verified by August 1st and secondaries complete by September 1st.

My top choice schools are Pittsburgh, Penn, Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard. I got interviews at Michigan and Pitt, but both wait-listed me. Penn rejected me without offering an interview. I haven't heard back from UNC, Harvard, or Hopkins, but the later it gets in the year, the less promising my chances seem with those schools. I knew going in that I probably wouldn't get in everywhere I applied, but I really thought with my numbers and involvement I'd be having better luck. I really want to go to one of the 6 schools listed, and if i don't get into any, I'll probably reapply. Any thoughts or advice on what is holding me back so that I can try to fix it if I reapply?

PS I'm a Michigan resident

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[MiniMoo]

Your numbers are great, obviously, but they're not going to make up for a severe lack of clinical experience. You have to realize that you're competing against people who also have insanely good numbers, research, AND hundreds of hours of volunteering. Clinical experience shows admissions committees that you know what you're getting yourself into. Medicine has a lot of pitfalls. They don't want to accept someone only to have that person realize that medicine isn't for them. If you want to go to med school, start volunteering asap. I'm sure you can manage to carve out 4-5 hours/week.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The limited clinical experience will do you a lot of damage. The alcohol violation might be overlooked if you during your interview show that your a intelligent individual. But with the limited clinical you'll have a hard chance with top tier.
Take a acceptance at a non-top tier and run is my advice.

 

[bravofleet4]

I think it's going to be difficult to find advice from people with reasonable authority on this matter. Most people don't want to hold off for such prestigious schools or have such high standards. I'll save the whole talk about any medical school is medical school. Incredible GPA and MCAT though. Nice EC's but nothing spectacular except the workload.

 

[JonBonesJones]

Have you been accepted/interviewed at other schools? I get that your heart is set on one of the 6 you listed, but if you have an acceptance somewhere else, DO NOT reapply. From your posting it is not clear if you only applied to those 6 schools or not.

 

[avatarftw]

a

 

[Catalystik]

Aside from the weak clinical experience, it's probably more difficult to get into the research giants you've specified with only one year of research. Hopefully. you've spent this application year beefing up the less spectacular elements of your activities. Physician shadowing should be done as well. At least you're strong in leadership, another quality prized by med schools.

Aside from that, are your LORs strong, your PS well-written and setting the right tone? Did you apply in June to get maximal consideration? Did you call Penn, speak to a dean, and ask what you could do to improve your application? Might you have failed a backgroud check?(not referring to the ETOH violation).

 

[shiftingmirage]

My belief is that if you are interviewed, you are fine on paper. With that in mind, the problem seems to be with what's happening during the interview.

 

[Morsetlis]

My beliefs are you did something wrong with the subjectives.

-Check your LORs
-Check your interviews
-Check your personal statements

Call admission and ask them what was wrong.

 

[bainrd]

my belief is that if you are interviewed, you are fine on paper. With that in mind, the problem seems to be with what's happening during the interview.

+1

 

[bannie22]

i dont know what to say. seems you lack ecs and volunteerring.

43Q 3.98?

wow...