Application Cycle One: 2003

• Undergraduate college: Johns Hopkins University
• Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

• Total MCAT SCORE: 516
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 129, C/P 130, CARS 127   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.80
• Science GPA: 3.81

Summary of Application Experience

I took the August MCAT and submitted most of my applications in October. My applications have been complete mostly in late-Oct or early-Nov.

11/12/03 - On hold for secondary at MSU
11/19/03 - Rejected by U of Chicago
12/09/03 - Rejected by Georgetown
12/15/03 - On hold for further review at PSU
12/16/03 - Rejected by Cornell
01/06/04 - Interview Invite from Emory
01/06/04 - Interview Invite from Albert Einstein
01/19/04 - Rejected by MSU
01/20/04 - Rejected by Harvard
01/24/04 - Interview Invite from USC
01/26/04 - Rejected by Boston U
01/27/04 - Interview Invite from UMN-MPLS
01/28/04 - Rejected by Wash U
01/29/04 - Interview Invite from Queen's University
02/02/04 - Rejected by UPenn
02/04/04 - Rejected by Columbia
02/10/04 - Interview Invite from Medical College of Wisconsin
02/14/04 - Interview Invite from University of Toronto
02/16/04 - Withrew the interview invite from MCW
02/25/04 - Rejected by JHU
02/29/04 - Rejected by Maryland
02/29/04 - Acceptance from the University of Minnesota - Minneapolis
03/01/04 - Withdrew application from Penn State
03/02/04 - Rejected by NU
03/05/04 - Rejected by McMaster
03/08/04 - Rejected by UCLA
03/19/04 - Waitlisted by Emory
03/22/04 - Rejected by Stanford
03/23/04 - Rejected by MSSM, Yale and McGill
04/01/04 - Acceptance from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
04/06/04 - Waitlisted by USC
06/01/04 - Accepted by University of Toronto
06/01/04 - Rejected by Queen's University
06/05/04 - Withdrew from USC and Emory

Note 1/22/04
I took 18 rejections last year. Took 3 more earlier during this year's process.... But all of a sudden, I get 2 interview invites in 3 hours! But now, I'm back to the rejection streak. Here is for hoping that this streak won't be as long as the last!

Note 1/27/04
Although receiving an interview invite from the U of M was not exactly like receiving my first interview ever, I was very thankful nevertheless. Here I am, a candidate who would have never been close to being considered last year, receiving my 4th interview invite. I have set my goal to 8 interviews, then I believe that I can guarantee receiving an accpetance from at least one school.

Note 1/28/04
My first interview at Emory complete! It was a very nice tour and I was fully impressed by the Grady Hospital and what the Emory School of Medicine had to offer. Woodruff Health Sciences Center is located at the undergrad campus, so it is easy to get yourself involved with a lot of activities. I think this is a great school and I would love to attend this school, that is if they allow me.

Note 2/3/04
It appears that the interview invites from U.S. schools are really starting to dry up. I haven't heard any good news since last week Tuesday and it looks like I might now be done for good. So far, I have 4 U.S. school interviews. I'm not certain at all if this will be enough to get me in. The likelihood of ending up in at least one of these schools is about 94% but it's really hard living this life of uncertainty. God knows where I will be in August. It's only few months away and I can only wonder and dream helplessly as my life is being weighed here and there. There will be days when I look back to these days and smile knowing what I don't know now. But it's hard to see just where I will lay my feet on the grounds of this Earth that I seek to become a healer of this nation's great people.

Note 2/14/04
Interview invite from UT! This came as yet another pleasant surprise. I have the opportunity to go back to my home city. Now this has certainly made me think of not attending the interview at MCW. Considering that I just had an awesome interview at UMN, I think whether I attend 6 or 7 interviews won't really make a difference.

Note 2/19/04
Gosh... I wonder if I will get the nod from Emory, my 1st choice school! If I don't get anything in the mail by tomorrow, I know my luck would have run out and it will be all about a grudge match with the admissions office to get me in!

Note 2/25/04
Although I had expected it, the JHU rejection hurts for sure.

Note 2/29/04
I come home from LA from my USC interview and I see my roommate at the airport inside my car with a large envelope in his hand from UMN. I tried to think of all reasons to believe that it was not an acceptance... I didn't even open it until we went over to our friend's place to celebrate his birthday. I tried telling my roommate that it was probably something related to financial aid paper work because I was sure that UMN calls to let their applicants know of acceptances. However, sure enough.... I open the envelope to find out that I had indeed received an acceptance from the Univ of Minnesota. I'm INNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Lord for 24 years of trial!

Note 3/23/04
Finally, I can put all the waiting behind me now that I am certain that I have heard back from all the schools post-secondary. I can definitely be appreciative of the U of M offer but the fact that they have the most expensive tuition of all the schools I'm waiting from and that they want me to take a Biochem and a Psychology course really does put a damper in this whole thing. Let's go USC! Give me an answer!

Note 4/2/04
So now I have a tough decision between U of M and AECOM. AECOM tuition is much cheaper. And they don't require that I take any more courses before entering the school. These two reasons may well persuade me to choose AECOM over the U of M.

Note 4/6/04
Waitlisted from USC. Mother of all disappointments. :(

Note 6/1/04
Accepted from University of Toronto! Happiest Day of My Life!!! I'm OUT of the MIDWEST for GOOD!!!! YESSSSSSS~!