Undergraduate College: Top 25 Private
Undergraduate Area of Study: History/Humanities
MCAT: BS 13, PS 13, VR 11, Q
Overall GPA: 3.90
Science GPA: 3.80
Brief Profile:
I submitted AMCAS before knowing my MCAT score, so I applied to a lot of middle/lower tier schools (around 35). After I did well on the MCAT, I added about ten reach schools (so my primary was sent to ~45 schools in total), and I withdrew pre-secondary from a lot of the schools I wasn't too keen on. I also withdrew from schools whose LOR requirements I realized I couldn't meet, and from schools whose secondaries indicated I wasn't a good fit (if they asked a lot about leadership experience, etc.), and from schools whose secondaries I couldn't bring myself to write, lol.
I ended up being complete at around ~35 schools in late August. I had good stats, 2 great LOR's, 1 generic LOR, and not great EC's. Though I had a few unique clubs, activities, and volunteer experiences, everything else was pretty mediocre: <250 hours clinical experience, <150 hours research, no real leadership experience, no work experience, and no long-standing commitments (no EC's for >1.5 year). I had a strong PS and worked very hard on my secondary essays, and received compliments on both at many of my interviews. I received 15 interview invites, went on 12 interviews, and currently have 5 acceptances, 4 waitlists, 1 rejection, and 2 I haven't heard from (probably waitlists).
Advice to future applicants: Don't submit AMCAS before you know your MCAT score, and if you do, only submit to 1-2 schools. Look at schools' secondary prompts before you send them your primary, and take note if they don't seem geared toward you and your background. My single best piece of advice to future applicants would be to work very hard on your secondaries. I think my secondary essays were pretty much responsible for a couple of my interview invites.
Advice to future CA applicants: Apply to the SUNY's!
AMCAS submitted: 6/28/2011
Applied, Rejected
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Applied, Withdrew
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: No
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Application Complete, Rejected
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
Application Complete, Withdrew
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Invited for Interview, Withdrew
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Attended Interview, Rejected
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Attended Interview, Withdrew
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Attended Interview, Waitlisted, Rejected
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Reach school.
4/3/12: I'm effectively waitlisted, as they've filled the class already, though they don't give out official notifications. REALLY hoping for this one.
5/23/12: Rejected. But that's okay, with this rejection, my cycle is FINALLY OVER!!!!!
Attended Interview, Waitlisted, Withdrew
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
New York University - "Worst. Interview. Ever. My interviewer was creepy and rude. Ugh. I'm shocked I got waitlisted instea..."
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Worst. Interview. Ever. My interviewer was creepy and rude. Ugh. I'm shocked I got waitlisted instead of rejected. I loved this school before my interview day, but no longer have any desire to attend.
Accepted
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Matriculating!
Emory University - "Reach school. Withdrew after agonizing decision-making process."
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Reach school. Withdrew after agonizing decision-making process.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Withdrew, but loved the school.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Withdrew.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Tough choice to withdraw from here. It was my first acceptance, plus the very friendly office staff made me feel like I'll be missing out. But it just doesn't make sense to choose COM-Phoenix over Davis or Emory.
Summary of Application Experience
The most expensive roller coaster ride you will ever take.