Why haven't I heard back from many schools?

[664628]

At this point in the cycle I'm frustrated and confused as to why I haven't heard back from many schools. I heard back from two (one MD, one DO), interviewed, and was wait-listed. This was in September and November. I haven't gotten word from anyone else, hold, rejection or anything.
Primary submitted this summer, secondaries finished later summer/early fall.
I'm not the most stellar applicant, I'll admit, but I think my scores/experiences are competitive for DO schools.
My weakest area is my science gpa, but I don't think that it's so bad schools wouldn't consider me.
Stats:
White male
Neuroscience major, chem minor
cgpa 3.5, sgpa 3.2 however, nothing but A's and B's my last two years of college.
MCAT 29 (9PS/10V/10BS)
~3000 hrs clinical experience as a Nursing Assistant on a Neuro ICU (I've been out of college for a year)
~100 hrs shadowing (neurology, nuerosurg, primary)
~100 hrs volunteering (separate hospital, ED and urgent care)
Participated in two clubs for all four years of undergrad, became an officer in one and VP/co-captain in the other. Both were non-academic. (Ski club and water polo)
Worked part time during semesters, worked FT during summers
~450 hours of research in a neuro lab
EMT certification

As I said, not stellar in any category, but I think I at least check the boxes. One setback was my DO letter. He took his sweet time while writing it, so he didn't get it out until November, but that should only have affected me at the schools that require a DO letter to be considered complete. Or maybe I'm wrong there?
Is there something I'm missing, or some huge red flag I'm not aware of? Is my sGPA too low for consideration? Should I contact schools? Also, I plan on sending update letters to the schools that wait-listed me, but I'm not sure what I can do that will change their mind. More shadowing? More volunteering?
Any help/advice/suggestions would be much appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Buddy.the.Elf]

Which schools did you apply to?

 

[feeling-dizzy]

You have to call or email those DO schools; otherwise they assume you are not interested or already accepted to your first-choice. I have not heard back from PCOM (all campus); VCOM (all campus), WCOM; and probably never will since I wont contact them either.

 

[DetectiveAlonzo]

Your school selection probably sucked (no offense).

 

[Goro]

Your stats are all <avg for MD schools, but I'm surprised that you haven't had more love from DO programs. Your school list might be a factor, and perhaps there is indeed a red flag in your file.

It's also been a heavy year for apps... so the schools might be taking their sweet time working their way down the pile to you.

At this point in the cycle I'm frustrated and confused as to why I haven't heard back from many schools. I heard back from two (one MD, one DO), interviewed, and was wait-listed. This was in September and November. I haven't gotten word from anyone else, hold, rejection or anything.
Primary submitted this summer, secondaries finished later summer/early fall.
I'm not the most stellar applicant, I'll admit, but I think my scores/experiences are competitive for DO schools.
My weakest area is my science gpa, but I don't think that it's so bad schools wouldn't consider me.
Stats:
White male
Neuroscience major, chem minor
cgpa 3.5, sgpa 3.2 however, nothing but A's and B's my last two years of college.
MCAT 29 (9PS/10V/10BS)
~3000 hrs clinical experience as a Nursing Assistant on a Neuro ICU (I've been out of college for a year)
~100 hrs shadowing (neurology, nuerosurg, primary)
~100 hrs volunteering (separate hospital, ED and urgent care)
Participated in two clubs for all four years of undergrad, became an officer in one and VP/co-captain in the other. Both were non-academic. (Ski club and water polo)
Worked part time during semesters, worked FT during summers
~450 hours of research in a neuro lab
EMT certification

As I said, not stellar in any category, but I think I at least check the boxes. One setback was my DO letter. He took his sweet time while writing it, so he didn't get it out until November, but that should only have affected me at the schools that require a DO letter to be considered complete. Or maybe I'm wrong there?
Is there something I'm missing, or some huge red flag I'm not aware of? Is my sGPA too low for consideration? Should I contact schools? Also, I plan on sending update letters to the schools that wait-listed me, but I'm not sure what I can do that will change their mind. More shadowing? More volunteering?
Any help/advice/suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[blkgrnblkylw]

@Goro how can an applicant have a red flag in their application without knowing about it? Just that they had a weak letter of recommendation letter, or multiple weak letters? Can there be some other type of red flag in an applicants application, without the applicant realizing it? Or just weak letters

 

[664628]

I applied to:
LECOM
LECOM-B
PCOM
VCOM
CCOM
AZCOM
NYIT
RVUCOM
Touro-CA
ATSU-kirksville

It's not an extensive list, but I also applied to MD schools. My bank account could only handle so much.
Bad list?

 

[IslandStyle808]

I applied to:
LECOM
LECOM-B
PCOM
VCOM
CCOM
AZCOM
NYIT
RVUCOM
Touro-CA
ATSU-kirksville

It's not an extensive list, but I also applied to MD schools. My bank account could only handle so much.
Bad list?

A really top heavy list with only one mid-tier level school (VCOM-virginia). You need a mixture of the two, since all these school have around a 28 average MCAT score (Touro-CA is around 30). It is a tough year for apps and so if you had applied two years earlier I bet you would have had more love.

You needed more mid-tier schools to be safe.

 

[Dr. Hopeful]

I applied to:
LECOM
LECOM-B
PCOM
VCOM
CCOM
AZCOM
NYIT
RVUCOM
Touro-CA
ATSU-kirksville

It's not an extensive list, but I also applied to MD schools. My bank account could only handle so much.
Bad list?

Seems you're applying to a lot of schools in the midwest/east coast, curious why KCUMB wasn't on your list? Reputable school with a large class size, highly increasing your chance of acceptance. Anyways, you most definitely should have heard from a lot of these schools with your stats, but you should have really been contacting the schools individually 2-3 months ago if you really hadn't heard anything by that time and you actually applied in summer. Contact each school now and see what's up. My guess is maybe you have a poor letter of recommendation? Speak with a counselor, they usually tell you if a letter is bad. Other possible reasons may include poor personal statement, but I personally can't see how a personal statement is bad enough to where you won't hear anything from this many schools. Also, when did you take your MCAT? Did you take a later MCAT and just recently receive a score?

 

[keels99]

I'm surprised you haven't heard back from Kirksville. Being from MO I know a lot of people who applied with lower stats who got in, and I know they don't have a regional bias.

 

[PlasticBag]

I see you guys are recommending that the OP should contact schools to show interest. I'm in a somewhat similar situation, but I hesitated with calling because what exactly would I say? Do you just ask about the status of your application?
I sent my updated transcript to all DO schools, they claim to have added new grades to my file. Haven't heard from AZCOM though, should I call and, for example, ask whether they received my new transcript?

Btw, I think that if the OP got two interviews and was waitlisted, not rejected, it probably means that he/she doesn't have huge red flags on their application. But maybe their app is slightly lacking in community volunteering/service?

 

[keels99]

I see you guys are recommending that the OP should contact schools to show interest. I'm in a somewhat similar situation, but I hesitated with calling because what exactly would I say? Do you just ask about the status of your application?
I sent my updated transcript to all DO schools, they claim to have added new grades to my file. Haven't heard from AZCOM though, should I call and, for example, ask whether they received my new transcript?

Btw, I think that if the OP got two interviews and was waitlisted, not rejected, it probably means that he/she doesn't have huge red flags on their application. But maybe their app is slightly lacking in community volunteering/service?

Just call them and say you are wanting to check back on your application. Simply doing so shows that you are still interested in their school.

Let it be known, though, that you should really be polite and courteous when you do this, because I got kind of hateful with Pikesville and I'm convinced that's why I received a silent rejection from them haha.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Schools are getting ridiculous if your caliber of student isn't getting at least invites.

 

[evooo8]

Would you guys recommend emailing or calling schools to let them know you are still interested?

 

[PlasticBag]

Just call them and say you are wanting to check back on your application. Simply doing so shows that you are still interested in their school.

Let it be known, though, that you should really be polite and courteous when you do this, because I got kind of hateful with Pikesville and I'm convinced that's why I received a silent rejection from them haha.

A few months ago I emailed an MD school with an important update (immigration status) and guess what, got a rejection email a couple of hours later. So I've been burned!

Kind of worried it will go like that:

Me: "Hi, I'm PlasticBag and I'm wondering if I could ask about the status of my application?"
Admissions person: "Hold on a second... PlasticBag... Oh yes, we are scheduled to send you a rejection letter next week but I guess I can do that right now for you"
Me: "umm... Thank you?"

 

[keels99]

A few months ago I emailed an MD school with an important update (immigration status) and guess what, got a rejection email a couple of hours later. So I've been burned!

Kind of worried it will go like that:

Me: "Hi, I'm PlasticBag and I'm wondering if I could ask about the status of my application?"
Admissions person: "Hold on a second... PlasticBag... Oh yes, we are scheduled to send you a rejection letter next week but I guess I can do that right now for you"
Me: "umm... Thank you?"

It's not going to change your status either way if they've already decided to reject you. You might as well call, because they might be missing something and just haven't told you or you just might not have been reviewed yet. The worse thing that could happen is that they let you know that it's going to be a rejection. But they're not rejecting you because you called. There's really no negatives to calling.

 

[PlasticBag]

It's not going to change your status either way if they've already decided to reject you. You might as well call, because they might be missing something and just haven't told you or you just might not have been reviewed yet. The worse thing that could happen is that they let you know that it's going to be a rejection. But they're not rejecting you because you called. There's really no negatives to calling.

You're right. I absolutely hate talking on the phone so maybe that's why I'm looking for excuses. Will call tomorrow! Thanks 🙂

 

[evooo8]

A few months ago I emailed an MD school with an important update (immigration status) and guess what, got a rejection email a couple of hours later. So I've been burned!

Kind of worried it will go like that:

Me: "Hi, I'm PlasticBag and I'm wondering if I could ask about the status of my application?"
Admissions person: "Hold on a second... PlasticBag... Oh yes, we are scheduled to send you a rejection letter next week but I guess I can do that right now for you"
Me: "umm... Thank you?"

lol I keep reading this as Hi, I'm A PlasticBag
sorry we are currently only looking to accept paper bags at this time haha

 

[keels99]

You're right. I absolutely hate talking on the phone so maybe that's why I'm looking for excuses. Will call tomorrow! Thanks 🙂

I hate talking on the phone too haha but good luck! 🙂

 

[PlasticBag]

lol I keep reading this as Hi, I'm A PlasticBag
sorry we are currently only looking to accept paper bags at this time haha

Hahahahaha!

"I would like to kindly inform you that since submitting my primary application, I have upgraded my composition to recyclable plastic. I believe I thus fulfill your environmental pre-requisites and hope you will consider me for the next entering class".

 

[664628]

Seems you're applying to a lot of schools in the midwest/east coast, curious why KCUMB wasn't on your list? Reputable school with a large class size, highly increasing your chance of acceptance. Anyways, you most definitely should have heard from a lot of these schools with your stats, but you should have really been contacting the schools individually 2-3 months ago if you really hadn't heard anything by that time and you actually applied in summer. Contact each school now and see what's up. My guess is maybe you have a poor letter of recommendation? Speak with a counselor, they usually tell you if a letter is bad. Other possible reasons may include poor personal statement, but I personally can't see how a personal statement is bad enough to where you won't hear anything from this many schools. Also, when did you take your MCAT? Did you take a later MCAT and just recently receive a score?

KCUMB has a 3.25 sGPA cut-off, which I don't meet. I absolutely would have applied otherwise. I took my MCAT and recieved my scores long before I applied. I will try contacting schools. Maybe something is missing? Though, I would find that hard to believe since two schools *have* contacted me, with full information. Also, when I look online at my status, all of them have checkmarks for every item that should be complete.

 

[IslandStyle808]

KCUMB has a 3.25 sGPA cut-off, which I don't meet. I absolutely would have applied otherwise. I took my MCAT and recieved my scores long before I applied. I will try contacting schools. Maybe something is missing? Though, I would find that hard to believe since two schools *have* contacted me, with full information. Also, when I look online at my status, all of them have checkmarks for every item that should be complete.

There is a 2 out of 3 rule that KCUMB has. So even if one part is below the cut off, as long as the others are above you should get a secondary. You cannot apply this cycle, but you shouldn't be auto screened if you apply the next cycle.

You should contact them. Some may have had problems processing your file. Some may have invited you for an interview, but did not contact you by email. Some may have glanced at your app. and not looked at it again (pile B or something similar). If you contact them, you will find out whether these were potential factors.

 

[664628]

There is a 2 out of 3 rule that KCUMB has. So even if one part is below the cut off, as long as the others are above you should get a secondary. You cannot apply this cycle, but you shouldn't be auto screened if you apply the next cycle.

You should contact them. Some may have had problems processing your file. Some may have invited you for an interview, but did not contact you by email. Some may have glanced at your app. and not looked at it again (pile B or something similar). If you contact them, you will find out whether these were potential factors.

So what I meant was, I was rejected by KCUMB pre-sedcondary for what I assumed was the sGPA because it's the only cutoff I didn't meet. Who knows.

Anyway, I appreciate the advice. I'll contact schools and see what's up. I guess if I don't get anywhere this cycle I'll know the moves to make next time around.

 

[user3]

I applied to:
LECOM
LECOM-B
PCOM
VCOM
CCOM
AZCOM
NYIT
RVUCOM
Touro-CA
ATSU-kirksville

It's not an extensive list, but I also applied to MD schools. My bank account could only handle so much.
Bad list?

Have you received any rejections yet? Where are you WL'ed?

 

[DocWinter]

Your list is too short and you applied top-heavy. An honest perception of mine is that this application process is something of a crapshoot, and when a school gets something 5K applications on average, your odds are just not good. Your lack of a response is saying less about your application and more about your need to apply wider.

 

[Goro]

Getting shut out from MD schools I can understand, but Easty's list is a decent one, and I am at a loss, unless it is, as I surmise, a really competitive year. My school would have jumped on OP by now.

I applied to:
LECOM
LECOM-B
PCOM
VCOM
CCOM
AZCOM
NYIT
RVUCOM
Touro-CA
ATSU-kirksville

Red flag would be bad LOR, not merely a weak one. No IAs in the package, OP???? One other possibility is perhaps the app is somehow incomplete?

@@Goro how can an applicant have a red flag in their application without knowing about it? Just that they had a weak letter of recommendation letter, or multiple weak letters? Can there be some other type of red flag in an applicants application, without the applicant realizing it? Or just weak letters

 

[Goro]

One more thing, Easty...the cycle isn't over yet!!!! Thus, patience is a virtue.

 

[evooo8]

I was not aware the KCUMB was a science GPA cut off. I thought it was cGPA that is why I didn't apply there lol

 

[IslandStyle808]

I was not aware the KCUMB was a science GPA cut off. I thought it was cGPA that is why I didn't apply there lol

It's both. One is cGPA, one is sGPA, and the last part is MCAT. You need 2 out of 3 to be above the cut off the get a secondary.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

I have a feeling your PS and secondaries sucked.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get waitlisted?

Was it one of the LECOMs or VCOM?

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I am also suspicious that your PS and secondaries are poor. Reason being, LECOM isn't a 'top tier school'... sorry to whomever it was who thought that... I don't know that I'd put PCOM as a top tier school either. The list looks pretty average to me, so something else is going on. Either your letters aren't as good as you think, or your PS/2nds aren't as good as you think. Did you have someone from SDN go over your PS??

 

[user3]

Crickets from OP...

 

[TheLeadSeed]

Crickets from OP...

He went Caribbean?

Jus' playin'. But forreal, hang in there OP! I hope all ends well 🙂

 

[664628]

I have a feeling your PS and secondaries sucked.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you get waitlisted?

Was it one of the LECOMs or VCOM?

I mean, it's a possibility. Obviously I wouldn't have used a PS/secondaries that I thought weren't good enough, but then again, I am biased towards my own success. I talked/reviewed with friends that have successfully gone through the process about the PS and secondaries though,so I thought I was good there. If it's a letter (or letters) I won't know unless admissions lets me know when I ask.

Waitlisted at LECOM-B. Oh, and just recently put on pre-interview hold from AZCOM

 

[664628]

Crickets from OP...

Sorry about the crickets... I do truly appreciate everyone's help and advice, I just don't get on SDN very often.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

I mean, it's a possibility. Obviously I wouldn't have used a PS/secondaries that I thought weren't good enough, but then again, I am biased towards my own success. I talked/reviewed with friends that have successfully gone through the process about the PS and secondaries though,so I thought I was good there. If it's a letter (or letters) I won't know unless admissions lets me know when I ask.

Waitlisted at LECOM-B. Oh, and just recently put on pre-interview hold from AZCOM

PM me if you're interested in getting off of the waitlist or hold.

I have 2 quizzes tomorrow so I'll reply tomorrow evening.

 

[lolcat]

I'm in the same position. Can an average PS and secondary really ruin an app similar to the OP? @Goro

 

[IslandStyle808]

I would bet on his list being to top heavy. This cycle is brutal and you won't get the same love with those stats as one would have 2 years ago.

 

[user3]

I would bet on his list being to top heavy. This cycle is brutal and you won't get the same love with those stats as one would have 2 years ago.

around this time last year, people were saying pretty much the same thing...but in the end, most schools' averages really didn't change much.

 

[PlasticBag]

I wonder if there is still hope to get an ii... Haven't been rejected from any DO schools yet but I'm not hoping for much at this point. I'm mostly worried that if I don't get even one ii, I won't have much luck next cycle either because there is only that much I can change (get a few more good grades, get some more experiences). I have a 29 mcat which I thought was okay for DO schools. Maybe not.

 

[keels99]

I wonder if there is still hope to get an ii... Haven't been rejected from any DO schools yet but I'm not hoping for much at this point. I'm mostly worried that if I don't get even one ii, I won't have much luck next cycle either because there is only that much I can change (get a few more good grades, get some more experiences). I have a 29 mcat which I thought was okay for DO schools. Maybe not.

Your MCAT is fine. When did you send out your secondaries?

 

[user3]

.

 

[PlasticBag]

Your MCAT is fine. When did you send out your secondaries?

Late, unfortunately. Two that didn't need a DO letter were in October and a few more in early December (when I finally got my DO letter). I just added one more school and was complete a few days ago (didn't originally plan to apply there but hey, I got a bit desperate). I see though that some people on SDN were complete later than me and already got their ii's. Maybe I'm just a crappy applicant.

 

[user3]

Late, unfortunately. Two that didn't need a DO letter were in October and a few more in early December (when I finally got my DO letter). I just added one more school and was complete a few days ago (didn't originally plan to apply there but hey, I got a bit desperate). I see though that some people on SDN were complete later than me and already got their ii's. Maybe I'm just a crappy applicant.

what is your school list?

 

[keels99]

They're still sending out ii's. I applied in February last cycle and didn't hear back from schools until 6 weeks later (in late March.)

Late, unfortunately. Two that didn't need a DO letter were in October and a few more in early December (when I finally got my DO letter). I just added one more school and was complete a few days ago (didn't originally plan to apply there but hey, I got a bit desperate). I see though that some people on SDN were complete later than me and already got their ii's. Maybe I'm just a crappy applicant.

 

[PlasticBag]

.

 

[keels99]

NYCOM and PCOM-GA (both didn't require a DO letter so I was complete in October. added the letter later), Touro-CA, AZCOM, CCOM, RVU (the school I just added recently). Also applied to WesternU which rejected me based on a mistake, I contacted them, and they finally sent me a secondary a couple of weeks ago. I'm working on it now but I don't see much chance.



I know, I remember your story and that's why I'm still holding on to hope! Did you get more than one ii? Maybe your school list was really good (and your app 😉 ) and mine is too top heavy so I won't get as lucky.

I only applied to 4 schools and had one ii

 

[PlasticBag]

I only applied to 4 schools and had one ii

That's pretty amazing, especially considering late app!

I guess I need to be patient, maybe as people drop their acceptances, schools will move on to more lowly applicants. My self-esteem dies little by little with every next silent day!

 

[IslandStyle808]

They're still sending out ii's. I applied in February last cycle and didn't hear back from schools until 6 weeks later (in late March.)

Kind of worried about that school, since people are saying they are only able to get April spots with their recent IIs.

 

[keels99]

Kind of worried about that school, since people are saying they are only able to get April spots with their recent IIs.

The same school has been giving out April interviews since December this cycle. People drop ii's when they get accepted to other places. Saying you're worried about the school I got accepted to is kind of insulting to be quite honest.