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worried about 2010-2011 cycle...
- Thread starter Rayne
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I'm confused. Have you been actually rejected by 35/38, or just not heard anything from most?
You aren't the first to raise the issue of interview timing this month, so let me give a little context.
Most MD programs have people whose full-time job is to manage the admissions process, because they have far more applicants than even the busiest MD/PhD program. With dedicated staff and a large faculty application review and interview team, it's most efficient to run application reviews and interviews in a rolling manner.
In contrast, virtually all MD-PhD programs place the application burden on their program staff, normally 1-3 people. In addition to running admissions, these folks have to do all the paperwork to move people between med and grad school, deal with the funding paperwork for each student, coordinate program seminars, myriad crises that occur on a daily basis, and about a thousand other things that I don't even know about. In addition, application reviews tend to be more intensive (involving more faculty), so it can take a while to get everyone together. It's more efficient given the smaller interview volume and other needs to 'batch process' applications.
Many programs (including my own), choose to wait until later in the application process to offer most interviews, and we do all of our interviews in a few weekends in January. By doing this we can offer you a much richer interview experience (several social activities with current students, lunches, etc) than we could if we interviewed 3-4 candidates at time. Also, given how much we spend on airfare, hotel, etc, we reduce the odds of interviewing folks who aren't interested in coming here.
So, specific advice:
1. For everyone: For the reasons outlined above, MD admissions have a different and generally more rapid timetable than MD/PhD. Please do not compare your application progress to MD applicants, even those whose AMCAS was finished at the same time as your's. There is no reason to panic about a lack of interviews this early in the year. I don't think I got my first interview offer until October, and I was still receiving them as late as early December. Despite this, I had several great options to choose from in the end.
2. For you: As you know, your GPA/MCAT are a bit on the low side for MD/PhD according to Neuronix's "what are my chances" sticky. You might consider taking some of MD interviews offers as they come up. There are many great paths to becoming physician-scientist if that's what you really want.
You aren't the first to raise the issue of interview timing this month, so let me give a little context.
Most MD programs have people whose full-time job is to manage the admissions process, because they have far more applicants than even the busiest MD/PhD program. With dedicated staff and a large faculty application review and interview team, it's most efficient to run application reviews and interviews in a rolling manner.
In contrast, virtually all MD-PhD programs place the application burden on their program staff, normally 1-3 people. In addition to running admissions, these folks have to do all the paperwork to move people between med and grad school, deal with the funding paperwork for each student, coordinate program seminars, myriad crises that occur on a daily basis, and about a thousand other things that I don't even know about. In addition, application reviews tend to be more intensive (involving more faculty), so it can take a while to get everyone together. It's more efficient given the smaller interview volume and other needs to 'batch process' applications.
Many programs (including my own), choose to wait until later in the application process to offer most interviews, and we do all of our interviews in a few weekends in January. By doing this we can offer you a much richer interview experience (several social activities with current students, lunches, etc) than we could if we interviewed 3-4 candidates at time. Also, given how much we spend on airfare, hotel, etc, we reduce the odds of interviewing folks who aren't interested in coming here.
So, specific advice:
1. For everyone: For the reasons outlined above, MD admissions have a different and generally more rapid timetable than MD/PhD. Please do not compare your application progress to MD applicants, even those whose AMCAS was finished at the same time as your's. There is no reason to panic about a lack of interviews this early in the year. I don't think I got my first interview offer until October, and I was still receiving them as late as early December. Despite this, I had several great options to choose from in the end.
2. For you: As you know, your GPA/MCAT are a bit on the low side for MD/PhD according to Neuronix's "what are my chances" sticky. You might consider taking some of MD interviews offers as they come up. There are many great paths to becoming physician-scientist if that's what you really want.
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What is your total sGPA (with the postbacc work)?? I think your high postbacc GPA is really good.
I am in a similar situation with you, although I will be applying next summer. My GPA isn't the most competitive, but I have maintained a 3.9 in my post-bacc work (taking upper bio electives).
I know for MD admissions, post-bacc work that shows strong grade improvement can have a strong influence. But I would like to know, how do MD/PhD programs view post-bacc work??
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I just wanted to echo what mrsanator has already said: It is only the beginning of September and it is certainly not time to panic yet.
Yes, it may be disheartening to have only rejections in your inbox at the moment, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you are an uncompetitive applicant (and if you begin to think of yourself as less than competitive, you are only going to hurt your case when it comes to selling yourself via secondary essays or interviews). The way I see it, those early rejections happened for one of two reasons:
1) The programs that have rejected you have very high GPA/MCAT expectations for applicants (either official or otherwise). Those programs would have likely rejected someone with lower stats post-interview anyway, so it's more of a blessing than a curse to be rejected early on.
2) There is something else wrong with your application - a poor LOR, an unimpressive Personal Statement etc. Although you don't have access to your LORs, did you have someone read over your essays before you submitted them to schools? Sometimes an outside eye can be helpful just to make sure that an applicant doesn't come off as accidentally pompous, insecure, etc.
As for your remaining applications, give it time. Some schools will not even host MD/PhD interviews for months, and others are choosing to fill their earliest interview spots with the most competitive applicants. Once the flow of applications slows down, those with more humble numbers stand a better shot of drawing some attention, so just be patient until then.
Yes, it may be disheartening to have only rejections in your inbox at the moment, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you are an uncompetitive applicant (and if you begin to think of yourself as less than competitive, you are only going to hurt your case when it comes to selling yourself via secondary essays or interviews). The way I see it, those early rejections happened for one of two reasons:
1) The programs that have rejected you have very high GPA/MCAT expectations for applicants (either official or otherwise). Those programs would have likely rejected someone with lower stats post-interview anyway, so it's more of a blessing than a curse to be rejected early on.
2) There is something else wrong with your application - a poor LOR, an unimpressive Personal Statement etc. Although you don't have access to your LORs, did you have someone read over your essays before you submitted them to schools? Sometimes an outside eye can be helpful just to make sure that an applicant doesn't come off as accidentally pompous, insecure, etc.
As for your remaining applications, give it time. Some schools will not even host MD/PhD interviews for months, and others are choosing to fill their earliest interview spots with the most competitive applicants. Once the flow of applications slows down, those with more humble numbers stand a better shot of drawing some attention, so just be patient until then.
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That will depend on the program. Some schools use equations to give weight to things like GPA and MCAT scores. At those schools, your post-bacc work is likely to be averaged with your undergraduate GPA and plugged into the formula without much thought. Nevertheless, there are schools out there that will give extra attention to your most recent grades, you just have to find them.
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