Why BU rejected me

[Daydreamer2008]

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So I contacted BU regarding the reasoning for my rejection (to improve my application for next years cycle if it comes to that), and all they gave me was there admissions process:
1)they screen 10000 applicants and choose 5000 to further screen (based on mcat, gpa, PS)
2)they screen 5000 applicants and choose 1000 for interview
3)choose from 1000 interviewees

I'm assuming I got to the second step b/c it took them 3.5 months to get me my rejection. I'm trying to figure out what it is about my application that is preventing me from getting interviews. I have already been rejected from 5, with no interviews, I also further contacted BU to see if they could give me a definitive answer. I also got on "pre interview hold" from albany which i was surprised about. I have a 32 mcat and 3.4 gpa which i know is terrible, but someone with a 25 mcat got an interview at albany!

Do you guys think it could be my low gpa and schools thinking I can't handle the courseload? Or could it be my letters of rec? Or probably a combo of both? 🙁

 

[armybound]

the person with the 25 probably had some special circumstance. supposedly a friend of mine from undergrad got an interview at Harvard with a 24-26 MCAT, but he had a 3.8-3.9 GPA and was extremely poor and was from Puerto Rico or something like that.

all I can really think with the minimal information you gave us is your GPA and MCAT might be a little lower than the average applicant they saw this year. maybe your PS didn't really stick out and your LORs didn't really shine.

we can't know for sure, and I doubt any medical school will give you anything but the generic "We get a lot of applications, we look at the whole package, please improve on everything and try again" response.

 

[kyley3k]

I think that for schools like BU, you need to either A) have something that really stands out on your application (i.e. MCAT, GPA, research, an experience etc.) or B)tailor your application to them. With so many applicants, I would assume that unless something catches their eye, they might just toss your application to the side and forget about it. But who really knows, besides the admissions committee.

 

[nazdar]

I contacted BU also. Here's what they told me:

Our application process, in general terms, proceeds as follows:

1. Our first step each year is to establish a universe of academically prepared individuals within the approximately 10,000 candidates who file initial applications with us. This step is based largely, but not exclusively, upon quantitative data such as academic performance at the undergraduate, postbaccalaureate and graduate levels, MCAT scores, and academic rank of the educational institution(s). Various aspects of life history are also considered. In recent years we have had almost 5000 applications pass this initial screen and move on to additional review and consideration.

2. Next, we review the remaining folders in even greater detail, struggling to identify the candidates with special or unusual characteristics that suggest they may be particularly well suited to attending our medical school. Of the approximately 5,000 applicants reviewed at this level, we have capacity to interview only about 1,000, so we are forced to make many arbitrary and subjective decisions. Our focus is on a comprehensive, holistic evaluation of each applicant, incorporating academic and nonacademic factors in a highly individualized review. Once again, it is extremely unusual for a decision to be made on the basis of only 1 factor. Rather, these decisions reflect our sense of the overall portfolio.

 

[GuzzyRon]

we can't know for sure, and I doubt any medical school will give you anything but the generic "We get a lot of applications, we look at the whole package, please improve on everything and try again" response.

Well, not exactly. Most schools I interviewed with said the director/dean of admissions will be more than willing to go over the application of anyone who cares to know why he/she was rejected.

 

[crowman]

I'll tell you why... because BU has a

up their

 

[SurgeonUFO]

I have a 36 MCAT and 3.45 GPA (3.53 BCM GPA), and was also rejected from BU pre-interview. I called up Carver and asked them why I was rejected (also pre-interview) and they said that it was my GPA, and that I needed to either get an MA or do a post-bacc. Of the 10 or so schools I submitted secondaries too, I've been rejected from 6, interviewed at UVM, and waiting to hear back from Tufts, Dartmouth and Temple re: interviews, though considering the date I'm not too enthusiastic.

So basically it's down to UVM, and if not that, an earlier application next year. And if that fails, I guess I'll be doing an MA or post-bacc before I waste my 3rd strike.

This process is ridiculous enough once...I can't imagine what doing it 3 times could be like...

 

[theDOCTORINATOR]

I'll tell you why... because BU has a

up their

They have a corn wearing a belt "up their" picture of a donkey in front of a fence? That makes absolutely no sense.

 

[instigata]

They have a corn wearing a belt "up their" picture of a donkey in front of a fence? That makes absolutely no sense.

Generally I think your posts are funny, but this time 👎

And are you Denmark b/c he/she used to be funnier...

 

[yeeseng]

I called them to ask about my interview status a few months back and the administration don't seem too polite.. "We have more than 10000 applicants, we just cannot answer your question now."

However, when I finally get an interview, I had a pleasant experience. But I also noticed that their admissions office is kinda understaffed.

 

[Law2Doc]

I have a 32 mcat and 3.4 gpa which i know is terrible, but someone with a 25 mcat got an interview at albany!

Do you guys think it could be my low gpa and schools thinking I can't handle the courseload? Or could it be my letters of rec? Or probably a combo of both? 🙁

You shouldn't be focusing on others with lower scores and wondering "why them and not me" -- I promise you there are folks with even better stats than you who don't get interviews at certain places. "Good fit", unusual and impressive ECs, and various unique backgrounds can open doors for people in this process -- it is not a strictly by the numbers process, as you probably should realize by now. Doesn't mean they will get in, but they had something that got their foot in the door. But FWIW, even the best numerical applicant is going to get some rejections.

That being said, things like LOR, a lackluster PS/essays and the like can totally make the difference between interviews and rejection. In an application consideration pool of as many as 10,000 (such as BU has) there are going to be plenty of people (likely thousands) who equal or beat you strictly on numbers, so these other parts of your app will make a huge difference as to whether they want you in for a look.

One suggestion I would make is to not try to get a reason for your rejection from schools during the current cycle -- the way to do this is to contact schools AFTER the cycle and ask them "what you can do to improve your app for future cycles". To ask them now, and if you phrase it as a "why did I get rejected", you put them on the defensive and are unlikely to get a helpful or accurate answer.

 

[crowman]

Generally I think your posts are funny, but this time 👎

And are you Denmark b/c he/she used to be funnier...

That was funny! What self respecting corn cobb wears a belt anyway... thats so 80's.

 

[Neelesh]

It's your GPA.