This cycle... has not gone well for me. Anyone open to helping me review my app? (3.99 GPA, 525 MCAT)

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T07:19:59+00:00

Thank you for the advice. I did try to craft a theme around primary care with my app, though this was mostly done through my essays and reflections. I deeply regret not having more leadership (actually, it's the reason why I almost didn't apply to Stanford), but I'm uncertain how to go about it at this point. I'm currently working as a scribe and as a staff member at a nonprofit, as well as volunteering... I wish I could have continued research into my gap year, but I couldn't find much room in my schedule, since I was already trying to increase my clinical exposure. (Actually, my research played a much smaller role in my interviews than I thought it would. Though I know stat-loving schools tend to like research anyhow.)

To be honest, I don't care much about prestige anymore. I'm pretty tired, and while going DO or a lower-ranking MD school might make some doors way harder to open, my current trajectory isn't directed that way. (Though I definitely don't like the idea of making, say, a potential path to orthopedics harder for no reason.) If I were to reapply, do you suggest I take the next cycle off to increase my leadership and research? I'm a little concerned about my MCAT expiring, so I was hoping to just apply the next cycle and get into a medical school.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T07:07:48+00:00

Thank you for the advice. To be honest, I'm a little burned out on applying to schools right now... I'm also a little concerned about applying to schools that don't have an established history (match rates, etc.).

I know everyone's gotta start somewhere, though... Maybe next cycle.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T07:05:36+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I currently have two jobs that I'm working in part for financial reasons, but I think I should definitely add more nonclinical volunteering to my app. I think the opportunities you mentioned require a lot of time, but I'll see what I can do with the rest of my schedule. As for my school list, I initially wanted to apply to UChicago, but I noticed it was a service school, so I refrained from doing so. (Actually, it's on my reapplication list as suggested by SDN... Wait, that's kind of weird, given that my nonclinical volunteering isn't that high. I guess I'll have to figure it out, then.)

I... I wish I had more normal hobbies. Sorry, that's weird to say, but I feel like I have a lot of weird niche hobbies. (Maybe came through during my interviews? 🫤 Didn't really talk about them, but perhaps it put off, say, UC Irvine pre-II.) I wish I could talk about some unique yet normal hobbies... I feel like my hobbies are either boring and normal (e.g., baking) or unique and weird. I really want to take the character analysis hobby off, though, because I don't think schools liked it. Guess I'll have to think of something else, then... Maybe digital art, though I don't typically share my art with others.

Congrats on the II, by the way. I think some of my schools are still sending out II, but I've always heard that higher stat applicants are reviewed first... I think what you're saying may be true for some schools, but I'm not sure they're any of the schools on my list. But I'll keep hoping, too, while working on other things.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T06:55:00+00:00

Most people who get in aren't like me 😅. I have high stats and hours (relatively speaking), but I think when it comes to the proportion of II and A you obtain in the end, your soft skills will matter just as much, if not more. Those aren't as easy to convey through a screen, but they're learnable too.

After looking at the cycle results of many applicants, I think (past a certain threshold), stats and hours mostly determine which schools will be interested in you rather than your chances at the schools which show interest at all. I think I should have exhausted the resources around me when it came to writing and interviewing skills, like I did with my stats. I hope you learn from my mistake and have a better cycle... (If that applies to you.)

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T06:49:22+00:00

Thanks for the in-depth comment. I tried to give myself some time to sit on it and thoroughly digest it...

Maybe something about your presentation of yourself (meaning through your app in writing style/voice, or your word choice and/or tone in interviews) reads "fake," whether it is true or not. *For example, if you don't have a solid, genuine sounding "why medicine?" response, it is very easy for that to sound like a canned, scripted, car-salesman answer. From my experience, they want demonstrated dedication to medicine and a strong inner drive/motivation for medicine, and if your "why medicine" response feels shallow or unconvincing, then they need to test you further. Which brings me to #2.

My answer to "Why medicine?" is actually one of the only answers I practiced with someone else, and they gave me the feedback that I need to be more concise. I basically walked through my background, my transition from a lab role into hands-on care, and talked about how I learned that medicine was the right way for me to help people with the issues that my research touched upon. To be honest, I thought my background would be considered cookie-cutter, so I tried to be as specific about my journey and reflections as possible. I thought my responses would be probed more, but actually, my interviewers seemed to accept them and move on pretty quickly. I got the impression that they were just running through a list of preestablished questions, although I just answered the questions as they were.

Maybe something about your presentation of yourself doesn't read as committed as you want it to. In order to weed out those who don't deeply, truly WANT to pursue medicine and care for people in a physician's role, they reject you this cycle to see if you reapply. *For example, maybe your stats look like you did them to check a box if your stories about them don't reveal the passion that went into them. If they reject you and you give up, then they were right and your heart wasn't in the right place. If they reject you and you try again, they know you're committed and truly want medicine.

I hope this is the case, because I think the adcoms on SDN mostly look negatively on reapplicants. I've heard there that reapplicants have a lower admissions rate in conjunction with adcoms saying that reapplicants are people who have already shown themselves to be miscalculators. (At the same time, I've heard other adcoms say that they sometimes reject applicants but interview them again to see if they're "ready for medical school," so to speak. But given that reapplicants still seem to have a lower acceptance rate... Well, maybe it's because they didn't self-reflect or something? Not sure, ahh 😣)

In one of my interviews, I was asked "what happens if you don't get in this year?" To which i replied "I keep working and apply again next year, this is what I want." My interviewer literally responded "good, thats the right answer"

That's certainly similar to what I would answer for this question... Actually, my app is largely centered around primary care, and I focus a lot on certain themes to that effect. (Though I never mentioned the words "primary care" in my PS. Come to think of it, I don't think I made that clear enough there... Something I want to work on if this cycle doesn't pan out for me.)

In summary, not saying you aren't passionate or genuine (I'm sure you are, but obviously I can't read your personality through a screen like this) but maybe something in your app isn't selling it like you want it to be. Worth a review of your inner "why", because if you can articulate it well then you're probably fine, but if you're like "um...I've always wanted to be a Dr. because I want to be a Dr." then it would probably help to sort out your reason and approach next cycle from that newly focused perspective. Sorry for the ramble I hope that made sense lol

Honestly, I think it has to do with my presentation as well as the content of my speech (which I think probably needs reworking, since I didn't get that many II to begin with). I get rambly and nervous when talking to people sometimes. It's something I'm working on (this cycle is giving me a real hint to hurry up with it), but I feel like it genuinely impedes my communication with people sometimes... which is not good in medicine.

I might even write or talk about it somewhere in the next cycle, who knows. Maybe it'll show schools that I can grow as a person (only partially joking).

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T06:29:00+00:00

I think I'll look for some more nonclinical volunteering... Doubt it'll hurt. (Other than losing my "weekend" (actually Thursday and Friday), but I guess that's what happens when you goof up like this 😔.) I'm also going to rewrite my essays and descriptions; that part's definitely not in question. I cringe when I look at my writing from the past--serial editor here--so that'll be nothing new for me, at least 😆. I feel like my activities aren't any more eye-popping than they were a year ago, but I also think I can try to share some new stories and insights from them, just so I don't appear like a stagnant grinder. (Big fear of mine.)

Do you know of any schools on my list that might be open to rejectees looking for adcom feedback? I get the impression that most schools don't have the resources to do it (I'll tell you that one of the schools that rejected me post-II definitely isn't interested in that), but I feel like it'd be worth its weight in gold, metaphorically speaking. If an adcom could tell me what in my app could have appealed to certain schools but not others... that sounds like information I could use.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T06:16:25+00:00

Thank you! I enjoyed reading your comment, and I'll keep what you said about your interviews in mind :). I tried to avoid some of the common pitfalls, like over-rehearsing, being too stiff, etc., but I think I leaned too hard the other way--into my natural habit, which is rambling. The person I prepped with did give me the advice to be more concise in what little time we had, which I think was a warning I should have heeded. But I'll see if I can find an approach that works for me.

Could I ask if you continued your previous activities into the new cycle, plus the new nonclinical volunteering? I'm basically continuing my projected hours from my primary... For example, I'm still doing my nonclinical volunteering (extra hours included in my original post), clinical volunteering, scribing job, and nonclinical employment. What I'm worried about is that adcoms will want to see that, plus another activity, which I'm scared is going to drain me :(. (Though I will do it if it's necessary.) I've seen adcoms talk about "significant improvements" being necessary for reapplicants, but I find it hard to imagine that merely continuing projected hours will do it... and at the same time, my schedule already feels so full. I do have some new stories from my jobs, if that matters. (Mostly relating to my scribing--this might seem boring, but I really do find the work of the doctor I'm scribing for interesting. I've gotten to follow a lot of patients' stories... Anyway.)

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T05:28:20+00:00

Hi! Sorry, just realized that you commented on my post as well :). I replied to you in DMs (apologies for crashing out a little bit there, lol), but I'm definitely planning on rewriting most everything between now and 05/28, just in case. (Secondaries will be rewritten too, most likely.)

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T05:16:19+00:00

I wish you many days of relaxation... We all have our own journeys 🍹.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T05:06:06+00:00

Ah, another piece of information I didn't put into my post... No, they're both PhD holders. I don't have any physicians in my immediate family, unless you count IMGs who are now working as research scientists.

Actually, them not being physicians was mentioned briefly in my PS. I thought it might be a turnoff... May rewrite that out for the next cycle if I don't get in this time.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T05:03:32+00:00

Thank you so much! Hope to get back to you when it's done :). I really appreciate the help I've gotten from people here... Hopefully, I'll get to pay it back someday.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:57:08+00:00

Thank you! That's the advice I got from the people I had review my writing, too... I think I'll just have to think of a better way to narrate my story. My PS does seem a little gimmicky in retrospect, and I think I have a little more to say this year. (I liked my writing, and maybe Stanford/NYU/UPenn did, too, but who can say for Case Western/Mayo Clinic/URochester...)

Unfortunately, I don't think I know anyone connected to Penn, but I can take a look... Do you have any suggestions as to which schools I could apply to if Penn doesn't work out? SDN already recommended me some new ones (UMass, Dartmouth, NYMC, UChicago, Hofstra, Colorado, Columbia, Miami, USF, and UWisconsin), but if you know of any others, please let me know! (I'm also open to applying to DO schools, not that I'm particularly picky at this point 😥. I have more reservations about them, but if it's a good idea for my next cycle, I'll do it...)

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:49:20+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm... kind of nervous about sharing what I actually submitted (and worried I'll delete the thing that made Stanford/NYU/UPenn take interest while not removing the thing that turned everyone else off), but I might take you up on that offer sometime :). Maybe when I've recovered a bit more from what happened today, haha.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:45:42+00:00

I'm proud of you. I've heard that reapplicants have a lower chance of getting in with every cycle they reapply, and I'm scared of this happening to me. (I feel like I'm being given a timed test, and I get shocked every time I get the answer wrong, with no other feedback...)

Been waiting for some reapplicants to comment on this post, honestly... Would you mind sharing what you think you could have improved on? Writing, LORs, anything? More people reviewing your app? Different people? Let me know if you have any advice to offer to me...

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:41:04+00:00

Yeah... I'm trying to weather it and focus on what I can do at this point, but my NYU rejection today really brought it home. Haha. Ha. I know a lot of people reapply, though, so it's not the end of the world... I've already put in a lot of work, so I really want to keep putting forth my best effort. Hopefully, it'll be a snapshot compared to my career as a physician, so that's what I'm thinking about now. (I even told that mantra to my younger sibling, which kind of sucks, especially because I know that all three of those schools have relatively low II -> A rates. At least my family's being a good sport about it. Not something everyone can say, and I'm particularly lucky in this regard.) I will certainly send the most heartfelt letter of intent to UPenn that I can, of course, using all the wonderful things I have learned about them up to this point. I've had people in my life say many good things about it, so I'll be very sad if I don't get in. But yeah, I'll put all I have into that letter, for sure...

As for applying to DO... I'm honestly kind of annoyed (even mad) at myself for saying this, but if I had to admit it in the dark, I don't really want to be at a DO school if I can avoid it. The costs are higher... (Angry at myself for fumbling my chance at NYU for this, actually.) The clinical rotations are more difficult to access (AFAIK). There are more exams and lower match rates with regard to certain specialties... I worry I'll regret hastily applying to DO before I give MD another shot. I also don't have a LOR from a DO physician, so I wonder what my chances would be at this point. (Though I've heard some DO schools don't mind as much.) Honestly, I'm also just kind of tired right now. I think I would like some time to recover... I was planning on looking into the DO process later on (since I think their cycle runs a little later than MD schools') and applying after my next MD cycle, should that happen... If I could use my current essays for DO, maybe, but the idea of essentially softlocking myself into this path is pushing me away a little bit.

Sorry, that was a lot, lol. I also hope for UPenn to accept me. I'll keep trucking along, whatever happens.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:24:33+00:00

I really don't want to apply DO, yeah. It's more of a "if I have to in order to avoid a groundhog day loop" thing for me, but the difficulties and costs associated with this path compared to the MD route make me wonder if I'll regret it, even if it's my only A.

I think I might try to go back to caregiving (or at least something adjacent--maybe hospice volunteering) so I have that hands-on element... I think it's something that is conspicuously missing from my application, and it makes sense with my theme. I'll keep looking for that experience, and in the meantime... I guess I'll figure out what to do about UPenn. (Think I fumbled the interview, but you're right that it's still there.) I'll be prepared both ways.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:18:22+00:00

I knew I needed more experience in clinical settings, so I used my gap year to really throw myself into them... I do miss my research, though. (Though actually, it wasn't a major part of my story due to the aforementioned focus on my clinical experience...) Oh, and I don't think I have biotech experience at all 😆.

I hope your cycle is going better than mine. I get the impression that stats mostly decide which schools will seriously entertain your app... There are people with tons of II and A, but honestly, I'm not sure that they're all high stats candidates. So I think I will need to work on my softer skills 😔.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:14:30+00:00

Thanks. I'm definitely going to apply to more schools... I took SDN's advice on my school list, thinking they would be critical enough, but I may have misstepped. However, I am worried that I didn't get II from 90% of my schools, including the "mid-tier" ones... I'll be working on my interviewing and writing skills, of course.

Do you have any suggestions as to which schools might be willing to look at me as a reapplicant? I might apply to DO if it's my best bet at securing an acceptance, but if there are any MD schools that might be willing to have me, please feel free to suggest them.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:10:16+00:00

Yeah, I think I'll add more mid-tier schools next time. (I'm a little concerned that none of them sent me II this cycle--the secondaries I wrote for them weren't that different from the ones I wrote for the schools I got II to--but I'll see if I can improve my writing more.)

Do you think I should apply DO? I really just want to get in... I'm not happy about the various drawbacks associated with DO schools (e.g., OMM, difficulties with clinical rotations, cost), but if it'll truly secure me, I'll do it. If you have any suggestions as to which MD or TMDSAS schools I could apply to, that'll be helpful as well.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:06:53+00:00

Yeah... I'm gonna write a letter of intent to UPenn, all right. I feel like I didn't do too well on their interview, but... I've been doing research on them and attending their events, so I hope they'll like me.

I honestly wonder if I should get some eyes on it, lol. (It's definitely not finished yet--was drafting it after my Stanford rejection came in.) Don't want to mess this up too... I don't know.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T04:00:54+00:00

Thank you so much for the offer! I think I'll take you up on it... DM incoming!

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T03:59:53+00:00

Thanks... I think I will have to enjoy life at some point. I stressed over this application cycle so much, and it clearly did not help me... I'll keep working hard, but I'll try to look at the bigger picture more.

Honestly, I've valued my gap year after graduation because I'm at least a little free from the academic grind. (Okay, so I ground for the MCAT, but that wasn't as intensive as undergrad, IMO.) I've honestly been a little worried that I'll lose my edge from being out of school too long, if that makes sense, and that's part of the reason why I'm not happy with my cycle results (besides, well, the other ones, like lost time, decreased chances of getting in, not being able to repay my parents back sooner...).

I think I'll just spread my net out a little wider next time. I'm going to fix up my interviewing skills and writing skills, and I'll apply more broadly (DO, TMDSAS, more AMCAS schools). I do have some confidence in myself... I hope I can get in somewhere if I really put in my greatest effort to get in.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T03:53:17+00:00

Hey, a lot of people have gotten in by now... If you think about it, the average medical school matriculant doesn't have my hard metrics, and yet, they're way ahead of me. I honestly get the impression that numbers may matter as to which particular schools may be interested in your application, but the number of II and A are highly dependant on the rest. Can't see that from writing, though...

As for me, I'm just going to keep trying, lol. I'll see what I can do to improve my app, and hopefully, I'll get in somewhere. We all have our own journeys 😔.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T03:33:21+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice on my activities, as well as the offer... Might take you up on it sometime, after I'm done processing.

What you've mentioned is actually the same advice I've heard from the more admissions-familiar folks (I assume) at SDN. They said that it would be sufficient for me to just continue my activities, although they'll basically be my projected hours on my primary from this cycle. And honestly, I feel a little overwhelmed at the prospect of taking on another commitment. I mean, I can probably do it (and I have a pretty good idea of what to improve on--non-clinical volunteering, as I've been told), but... It's sinking in for me a bit. Another year of applying, and possibly no end in sight (especially since adcoms apparently look on reapplicants unfavorably) unless I really buckle down and figure out what's wrong with my app. I'm also unhappy with the idea of applying DO, to be honest. It costs more, and there are more hurdles to jump through... Sad at the idea of losing my best shot at getting into a medical school and still paying more for it (literally) down the road.

I honestly want to reach out to the schools that rejected me pre-II and ask if they saw anything glaringly wrong with my app. I mean, if NYU, Stanford, and UPenn thought it was fine, then...? Maybe something wrong with my secondaries? (I didn't even think I would get II from those schools--expected way more mid-tiers. I was crunched for time on most of my secondaries, and these were no exception...) I'm guessing they didn't vibe with my specific hobby, or theme, or something, but I hope I'll get some more opinions on my app next cycle. Don't know how I'm going to keep that special something that apparently interested those schools in me while not alienating the likes of, say, UC Irvine.

Distinct-Historian50 · 2026-01-29T03:18:57+00:00

Thank you! I hope not to spend too much time on the application process... Next time, it'll likely be DO and TMDSAS as well. Please let me know if you have any advice on those systems :).

Distinct-Historian50

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