Why did my app cycle so poorly?

[eteshoe]

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The point I was trying to make is that it's okay to expect different things based on what you have. It's okay for someone with 39+ MCAT/3.8 GPA to expect more in terms of medical school admissions success than someone with a 30 MCAT/3.5 GPA given that all else is equal. Sure OP should be grateful of his one acceptance, but he/she is also completely justified in asking why they did not receive more. Instead of helpful replies about what could have been the problem, OP got a bunch of bitter posts essentially telling him/her to shut-up and be grateful.

Certainly true. Ideally speaking the OP should have enjoyed a lot more success. However, as many others pointed out, it's not just a pure numbers game - especially at the top 10 schools. The low yield that the OP got is indicative of a deeper symptom beyond academic prowess (maybe something in his PS or interviews). Not much else could be said beyond that since this is an anonymous internet board. I can't say I was personally helpful with my posts but I certainly wasn't attacking the OP - just saying a lot more people don't even get an acceptance. Therefore, it doesn't make a lot of sense to dwell on how "poor" the cycle went - reflect on your [OP's] behavior and move on.

 

[Dr.NickRiviera]

I was previously under the assumption that SDN was full of gunners and top-notch students. After reading the comments on this thread, it's quite clear that SDN is populated with those who have the mentality of being thankful for participation trophies. They tell you to be grateful you got into your safety school when your application is above average for the top 10 schools. They'll probably tell you to be grateful you matched into your bottom-ranked residency program when you have a 270+ Step I and junior AOA from HMS. They'll also probably tell you that mediocrity is fine, and that nobody should have the audacity to demand more for themselves.

"Got into your state school? Withdraw from all your other schools and crawl on over to their admissions office and thank them for accepting you!"
"Someone's talking about how they got into a top 10 school? How dare they bully me, I only go to a top 88 school and now I feel inferior because they're talking about an accomplishment of theirs."

You all say "prestige *****", "prestige chaser", and yet you still apply to the same top 10 schools and know the list by heart.

The first rule of prestige-chasing is: you don't talk about prestige-chasing. Seriously though, for better or for worse, our social conventions kind of demand that you tone it down. Maybe this was OP's undoing.

 

[Mad Jack]

The first rule of prestige-chasing is: you don't talk about prestige-chasing. Seriously though, for better or for worse, our social conventions kind of demand that you tone it down. Maybe this was OP's undoing.

Basically this. Harvard doesn't want students that exude pretentiousness or arrogance that will make their student body seem irritating to work with, as that sort of reputation does them no favors come match time.

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

OP is a troll! Come on! look at his post count! He got us all dammit....

 

[SurgeonOfLife]

Best guess, you are not nearly as interesting as you think that you are.

Ouuuch
Savage lol

 

[Goro]

Ouch! Leave it to a surgeon to get right to the point!

Best guess, you are not nearly as interesting as you think that you are.

 

[Nietzschelover]

Best guess, you are not nearly as interesting as you think that you are.

One of the classics of all time. And I'm going to use this one (often).

 

[Marcion]

OP you got in somewhere at least, cry me a river.

 

[Takamori]

.

 

[laffytaffy7]

.

 

[lmn]

You applied to mostly top schools, even if your stats fit their averages that doesn't mean you will get an II. Every school is inundated with an over abundance of qualified applicants, they can't interview everyone. Your essays/etc probably just didn't spark their curiosity enough to make them think they had to bring you in and get to meet you, and/or it's just a numbers game and your roll of the dice odds just didn't work out like you were hoping. "Qualified" =/= II's necessarily, just because your stats fit doesn't mean the schools think you are right for their school.

 

[abcdeffedcba]

The bold is probably the most lethal, but your essays probably were also a factor. Red flag LORs are rare, but conceivable.

Assuming that OP submitted early/on time, most schools would not see his Fall Senior grades.

 

[ditritium monoxide]

OP what is your race?

I feel like you're in the right here, and I'm impressed that you are able to admit your minor fault and address all this overreaction levelheadedly

 

[caffeinemia]

Best guess, you are not nearly as interesting as you think that you are.

Honestly, the fact that he/she/cis-trans-whatever (no micro-agressions! PC-bro!) broke it down to "Top 70" makes me think that brand name and reputation were what this candidate was after. It is often easy to catch and very off-putting.

Also out of curiosity -- "HYPSM" -- what's is the M? I'm going to go with Michigan. As Harvard is the Michigan of the East after all.

 

[caffeinemia]

Ouch! Leave it to a surgeon to get right to the point!

Meh, he's a vascular surgeon -- their access points are so circuitous these days.

 

[efle]

Honestly, the fact that he/she/cis-trans-whatever (no micro-agressions! PC-bro!) broke it down to "Top 70" makes me think that brand name and reputation were what this candidate was after. It is often easy to catch and very off-putting.

Also out of curiosity -- "HYPSM" -- what's is the M? I'm going to go with Michigan. As Harvard is the Michigan of the East after all.

Wouldn't you need to interview to catch that though? Unless it was even in the personal statement

MIT (as the best there is for engineering)

 

[caffeinemia]

Wouldn't you need to interview to catch that though? Unless it was even in the personal statement

MIT (as the best there is for engineering)

He got 5/10 interviews. 50% is pretty damn good. So I'd say, maybe it was caught after all.

Also, ITT Tech forever.

 

[Nietzschelover]

Seems reasonable for someone with a 3.9/40+ to ask why things didn't go better. That is the title of the thread, after all, and I can imagine that those who find themselves in a similar situation would at a minimum have such thoughts whether they posted a thread about it or not.

 

[deleted407021]

Didn't get into one of the top schools you wanted? Here's a solution :

1) Go to where you got in.
2) Do really, really well.
3) Fix any interview problems you have.
4) Go to one of those top places for residency and feel like a baus b/c where you do residency actually matters.