Application Cycle One: 06/10/2009

• Undergraduate college: University of Michigan
• Undergraduate Area of study: Engineering/Technology

• Institution: Oakland University
• Area of Study: Premedical Studies
• Degree Obtained: Post-Bacc

• Total MCAT SCORE: 522
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 130, C/P 132, CARS 129   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 2.87
• Science GPA: 3.00

Summary of Application Experience

08/19/09:
I am happy that I\'ve got three interviews secured before Labor Day. But I can\'t slow down. I need to keep the momentum up. Too bad I started working full time again for a medical device company this week! This will complicate my application process...

09/02/09:
OSU really impressed me. I didn\'t realize until I was there that I was one of the first 16 to be interviewed this year. What a tremendous honor, and a pleasure to participate in.

09/05/09:
Wow. Case AND Cleveland Clinic...Five interviews offered now before Labor Day...I am utterly shocked...I have been given a tremendous opportunity. It is mine to blow at this point. Wow. CCLCM?! Amazing, Amazing, Amazing. I am humbled and honored to even be considered worthy of interviewing. The other candidates and students are the best of the best. Humbling.

09/12/09:
Ugh, funds are REALLY low...am putting up on eBay my classic MGAs I\'ve had since I was in high school...sacrifices, sacrifices...

09/16/09:
Got into town at midnight and found Cincinnati invitation waiting for me! I was so fried, I couldn\'t even process it in my mind...awesome! Too bad when I went to confirm that night, I found out there is a secret TERTIARY application! Dang! Have to put it off until I have time to intelligently respond to questions...grrr

9/29/09:
Ok real live person at PSU has determined something is amiss with my application...standby Houston...

9/30/09:
Well, I feel like an honorary Ohio resident...Cincinnati: awesome. State of Ohio...In-state when wife started working full time...excellent

10/15/09:
Big day today or tomorrow (first day that acceptances can go out)

10/15/09:
Had the most positive experience of my application process, literally, this week at CCLCM and Case Western Reserve. Both programs are VERY impressive. Top notch.

10/16/09:
ACCEPTED! THE Ohio State University --AND-- Cincinnati today!

10/16/09:
Put on hold for interview decision today at MSU CHM. I essentially missed the e-mail because it came late on Friday, when I was on my way out to celebrate getting into medical school, twice. Note that I was rejected pre-interview by Wayne State a while back too. At WSU, I requested a meeting with the associate Dean and was told I am not competitive this cycle. By a dean of a med school! He told me to reapply after skimming my application for reasons why I was rejected. While I am very grateful for what I have now, at the same time I am saddened and disappointed with my in-state medical schools, to be perfectly honest.

10/30/09:
Halloween: Well, my Alma Mater has finally \"screened\" me instead of interviewing me. \"Your application has been reviewed. At this point we are not able to offer you an interview. Additional reviews may take several months as we compare groups of applicants. Thank you for your patience.\" I think the likelihood of an interview invitation is slim (as is stands without this week\'s updates, they have made 415 of 650 interview invitations and have extended 42% of their offers already). I am still humbled by their generosity over 15 years ago to give me a scholarship. I will be forever grateful for that. But I think it is time to spread my wings, and fly...

11/08/09:
Well, I decided yesterday to withdraw from the last few remaining applications. Lots of craziness personally going on with my family and I think the window of opportunity for these last few \"very competitive\" schools is closing quickly. Besides which, I have a half a dozen outstanding completed applications from (arguably) less or as-competitive schools without so much as a peep. My Hopkins application has been complete for 4 months and a week (!!) and...no response. I am sure I won\'t be hearing back from many more schools for interviews, and I can not afford to throw more money at secondaries at this point.

11/20/09:
I received my fourth acceptance today from Indiana. I had written it off since so much time had passed. Once again, honored and excited. This has put some wind back into my sails...slightly. While there is not much I can do at this point for my applications, I think this might be the boost I needed to get through the emotionally difficult and long holiday season that is almost upon us. This of course includes possibly hearing back from my Cleveland Clinic interview which is still outstanding (double entendre intended).

12/18/2009:
I was told at 4:04 PM today by Dean Franco that I was the first person being called to be accepted today at CCLCM! Apparently, 12 people were accepted today. I am so fortunate to be in the group. I know it is difficult for the others I interviewed with to not hear back, but I wish them all the best of luck. It is really a \"God-send\", because I don\'t know how much longer my family could have lived within the haze of uncertainty. Now, I am certain of the path forward. We can plan a move, have my wife look for jobs, and plan for schooling and so forth for my children. Against many odds, we have succeeded as a family unit. They rock. Go family!

01/06/2010:
Received a letter indicating that I have been named a Dean\'s Scholar at The Ohio State University for 2010! Wow! What a blessing in-and-of-itself!

01/13/2010:
Pretty crazy...two full-tuition scholarships? Not competitive...my left buttocks...cool. Now I need closure from my Alma Mater...only a couple of dozen interviews left in a week! Ha...I\'m totally going to lose a bet with a dear friend over his not getting an interview...he\'s gonna enjoy those 20 little processed battered chicken pieces...

01/13/2010:
Put house on market this Monday, and visited Cleveland Clinic and the city this past weekend to look at neighborhoods etc. This is still unreal....

01/23/2010:
Well, finally my file was close by Michigan. It is good to have closure on my Alma Mater.

01/31/2010:
Formally withdrew from Univ. of Pittsburgh today. Wrote the following in response to their two prompts about why I am withdrawing and what schools I have been accepted to:
\"As I mentioned during my interview and application, I have a professional wife and three children. I was terribly disappointed in my wait-list status.
Being a non-traditional applicant, I can not wait further to make a decision. For example, my wife needs adequate time to find employment where we move. I also need to do all of the other typical tasks required to move my family well in advance of the start of school. Knowing that Pitt\'s wait-listed applicants would not be re-considered until \'the spring\' meant a virtual rejection for my family and me. For me to succeed in my first year of medical school, I need to begin an orderly transition of my family well in advance of the spring traffic dates.
I wonder how your admission process affects other competitive applicants with families? I suspect that your policy of wait-listing so many candidates may skew your final class demographics away from potential students like myself.
This is unfortunate, as I was keenly interested in Pitt SOM. The city ranked highest for my wife and I as a place to raise our children. Most importantly, I was very interested in the CSTP/PSTP programs as they align with my career goals and strengths.
I have many offers, including being named a Dean Scholar at The Ohio State University. However, I have accepted a position at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and am actively working to move my family as we speak to Cleveland, Ohio.
I do thank you for the opportunity to interview, and I hope that you understand.
With deepest regrets,
vc7777\"
[NO RESPONSE]

02/03/2010:
Just received an unexpected invitation to interview at MSU CHM at the end of this month! 8 months into the process, and the first sign of interest from an in-state school. It is bittersweet, I\'ll admit.

02/05/2010:
\"To Whom It May Concern,
I would like to formally decline my invitation to interview for MSU CHM.
I completed my MSU CHM secondary application exactly six months ago. I had hoped for a timely offer to interview. I sincerely was interested in you school at that time. I am flattered by your offer this week, and I would have been delighted to attend. But, for the reasons I cite below, I must decline.
...
With Deepest Regrets,
vc7777\"
\"Dear Vc7777,
We have received your email, and have withdrawn your application to MSU CHM MD Program as requested.
We wish you and your family the best.
Sincerely,
MSU CHM Office of Admissions\"
[Very nice! ]

02/15/10:
Just sent e-mails to formally decline my acceptances to Indiana, Cincinnati, and Case Western Reserve\'s University Program (UP) - Not CCLCM! No sense in holding onto spots even at this point. So, I know for a fact, because it is a zero-sum game, that three people will be accepted a little sooner because of this. Cool.

02/10/2010:
APPLICATION SEASON IS OFFICIALLY OVER! YAY! Finally got my rejection from Toledo today:
\"Most of our applicants are highly qualified, and I am certain could become excellent physicians. However, we have no alternative but to disappoint all but a small number...[shameless plug for their graduate medical sciences program.]\"

Ok....now that Toledo is in, let me gripe a little about their admissions....they sat on my app, then sent a half apologetic e-mail half-complaining that they received over 4200 applications, and if we wanted, to go ahead and withdraw if we were no longer interested...kind of irritating...I am sure didn\'t mind getting 4200 application fees...didn\'t complain about the money now did they!

03/15/10:
Got a letter from Yale rejecting me! You can\'t reject me! I rejected you! Ha! Hmmm...maybe they rejected my withdrawl and THEN rejected me for trying to withdraw?