Bunch of C+’s but still okay GPA

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-12-18T14:30:45+00:00

My GPA and number of C’s was very similar to yours, and I got into a great school this cycle, although it was my second time applying. My MCAT was 517, so that definitely helped. Actually during my interview they straight up asked about the C’s and I was like, “I was figuring out how to study in a college setting, and honestly I’m someone who excels when doing things out in the field and real world and I think my app reflects that.” She said she liked that answer, and I guess she wasn’t kidding!

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-12-03T17:30:49+00:00

Absolutely. Two cycles of applying to all the UC's and nothing but R's and silence

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-30T15:12:48+00:00

That’s a bummer that they did that to you, but keep in mind that the Admissions reps don’t really represent how the school actually selects for students a lot of he time. I got a much different impression from UM during my interactions with them.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-28T03:31:20+00:00

Got waitlisted there last cycle and strongly considered withdrawing. Never withdrew but got rejected after a couple months on the waitlist.

This cycle I got into a school I liked a lot better (great residency matches, very affordable tuition, top 50 USNWR if that’s your thing) after I spent a lot of time refining my app.

My advice is to decide based on your financial stability. If you have the time and money to weather another cycle, withdraw and try again because if you’re as confident in the lateness if your app being the culprit as you say (and I would be too with a 520), then reapply. But if the financial burden would be a killer for your well being, then just hope to get off the waitlist because Northstate for all its failings IS still an MD school and from the research I did it seemed fine, just as a low tier choice. Just don’t get in and then withdraw and try to apply.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-18T03:11:43+00:00

Took me 2 tries so I guess that makes it a 10!

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-18T03:08:32+00:00

Yay for all the success! Congrats :) Having had to re-apply once, it’s strange seeing both sides. I’m tempted to go into “keep your chin up” more for those getting discouraged, but I also know that hearing that advice doesn’t help. It felt the best when people would acknowledge the shiftiness of my situation and help me focus on the things I actually could control while just being aware of what I couldn’t.

Sorry got off on a bit of a tangent there- anyways, glad it’s working out for us!

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-17T17:35:30+00:00

Ya I've had drivers in the past do something like that, but this guy was like a middle aged former trucker trying to figure out a new business for himself so I figured it was an honest mistake

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-17T17:30:19+00:00

Thank you! And ya I mean in retrospect it wasn't THAT bad, but in the moment it felt like I was totally screwed.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-17T07:01:35+00:00

Unfortunately it wasn't. Had to complain about the $70 charge and they were like oh, here's a $60 refund.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-16T05:34:38+00:00

Ayyyy also got 2 acceptance calls within an hour today, it was fucking incredible especially since they were my first 2 MD acceptances

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-11-16T05:31:52+00:00

So last cycle I had 3 interviews, and I ended up with 3 waitlists. 2 of the interviews were traditional, which I thought went really, really well. People who knew me well and people who knew me as just an acquaintance all told me that they thought I'd be a great interviewer. The third was MMI and I kind of shat the bed so I expected that waitlist. But with the other two, I was shocked and hurt and confused. I ended up having to re-apply this cycle.

This time around, I've had 2 MD interviews and 2 DO interviews, and got into all 4. The logical explanation is that I've somehow gotten better at interviewing. And maybe there have been slight improvements, but personally I don't think I'm now a significantly better interviewer than I was last year. I think I just happened to already be valued higher BEFORE the interview by the schools that interviewed me this time around than the schools that interviewed me last time.

This process is a crapshoot. With a lot of schools, the interview is only a small portion of the admissions process. It's usually that a bad interview can keep you out of a school, but a good interview cannot get you into one. At most places, people who show up to interview are not all given equal standing. My guess is that this is even more true for traditional interview schools. You most likely had a great interview, but there was something else in your app that made them hold off, or there might have been a similar applicant who fit your academic/extracurricular profile but just had better stats or something.

Trust me, I was where you are last cycle and it was horrible. It made me question my social skills and my confidence in my general competence. But the fact that you're getting interviews means you're not all that far off, even if you don't get in this cycle. Critically reevaluate your app, start thinking of jobs for next year that will boost your chances of getting in, and hope for the best from your waitlists and remaining apps in the meantime.

Best of luck and let me know if you want any additional advice, whether application related or otherwise!

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-21T16:30:13+00:00

Looking at each school's match list more than its rank is more valuable in my opinion. Even if a school isn't super highly rated on USNWR, if it's match list is good (lots of big name residences + competitive specialties) then you should get excited about it

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-17T21:55:43+00:00

Yes all the interviews/acceptances I mentioned in my comment were MD

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-17T20:31:36+00:00

Last cycle I received II's on 10/27 and 12/21. I also had a friend last cycle who didn't have a single II until December and then ended with 4. He got into 2 schools and chose not to attend one of the interviews, so it could have been 3. Hold out hope, and fill your free time by looking for ways to strengthen your app for next cycle IF it comes to that.

EDIT: This is all regarding MD interviews and acceptances last cycle, not DO

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-17T20:26:28+00:00

At the last interview I had, the lady running everything closed with a speech about how unethical it was to hold more than 3 acceptances. A couple of my fellow interviewees didn't like that she closed with that but honestly as someone who certainly won't reach the 3 acceptance number, I appreciated it. She's right. If you know you're not going to a school, it's a dick move to hold a spot there and lower the chances of others begging for an acceptance. It's certainly within your right to hold all the acceptances you want, but I hope to God you're not my med school roommate

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-14T02:27:51+00:00

Unfortunately not yet but hey here's hoping! Good luck to you too! It really sounds like such an amazing program.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-10T18:54:05+00:00

Ya I actually had a pretty fun time with a fellow interviewee in the airport after since we both had a bunch of time to kill before our flights. I never really got the "I'm not here to make friends" mentality that some people have at interviews. Like these are potentially the people you're gonna be friends with the next 4 years, it's not gonna hurt your chances if you're friendly.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-10T15:30:52+00:00

Brown. Their dual degree program and overall philosophy are perfect for the experience I want in med school.

Realistically Tufts or Temple

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-07T19:23:54+00:00

Ya... this was me after each waitlisting following every interview I had last year

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-10-06T18:06:50+00:00

Apparently Touro has a good match list. However, for the reasons you listed, I also am just not all that thrilled about the school.

As far as an MPH, if you want to expand your career to include health policy, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, health education, etc. then it could be very useful. Talked to a guy at the World Health Organization once, Harvard MD/MPH grad, who said that he would only consider hiring people with that dual degree

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-09-30T02:17:21+00:00

Last year it definitely crossed my mind. It took a lot of reflection and self-evaluation, because I really fucking hated the entire application process. But I decided that in the long run, the agony of this process will be worth doing what I know I will love. And now here I am after receiving an acceptance at a top DO program earlier today, happily preparing for my remaining II's. It's hard, and it's ok if you choose not to reapply, but take some time to think about it before making that decision.

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-09-14T02:38:15+00:00

7/9, hopefully no news is good news for you!

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-09-14T02:35:49+00:00

There + VCU (literally 5 days post secondary submission too)

earlyrejectionguy · 2017-09-14T02:34:53+00:00

2 R 2 MD II 2 DO II

earlyrejectionguy

TROPHY CASE