Brief Profile:
Second time applying - 2007 Score: 25R VR: 8, PS: 8, BS:9 At least I consistently blew it! Not very pleased with a 9 in BS, hoping it won't hurt me in the long run...
Undergraduate Expriences/Info: - Cardiac Rehabilitation volunteer (80+ hours) - University blood drive organizer (all through undergrad) - Chemistry, Biology tutor, including a deaf student - President of Tri-Beta - Honors College Member, Dean's list, Pre-Med Club (the usual) - P/t work in sports and recreation management all 4 years of undergrad - Shadowed a dermatologist (30 hours) - ER volunteer (still volunteering, 600+ hours)...some work in other departments, but I like ER the most - Fluent in American Sign Language (meaning I took more than three classes and actually work with the community)
Current Activities: - F/t work as a social worker/health educator for a methadone treatment program specific to deaf patients - P/t work as a medical technician/CNA in a group home for deaf patients with developmental disabilities
Activities not on AMCAS: - Member of a community orchestra starting August 2008, helping with fundraising and community programs to provide instruments to underprivileged kids...wish I had thought to do it sooner though/include it in my application. I've been playing violin for 14 years (some adjudicated competitions but mostly a hobby now) - Psychiatry research assistant starting January 2009 (10+ hours/wk): file review, patient recruitment/assessment, fun stuff
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 2008
Undergraduate college: Towson University
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Institution: Doube Major - Biology and Deaf Studies
Area of Study: Computing and Information Science
Degree Obtained: BS
Total MCAT SCORE: 511
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 125,
C/P 127,
CARS 130
Overall GPA: 3.85
Science GPA: 3.73
Summary of Application Experience
Like I said, this is my second time applying and hopefully my last. Last year I only applied to University of Maryland after getting bad MCAT scores, but I did get an interview. We'll see what happens this year.
Status Updates -- Dates for the schools are included above and as accurate as I can remember. AMCAS verified/submitted 8/28.
10/1: First rejection - Boston. 10/14: Hold from Wake Forest and a rejection from Georgetown - today was not a good day. 10/15: Decided to add Drexel, NYMC, and for some crazy reason Pitt...Why??? Am I losing my mind? 10/27: Rejected from Rochester...I know I don't have the research background they want but I DO have a great background in working with the Deaf, which I thought would be a huge plus for them. This one really stings. 11/12: So MAJOR crisis this week? Maryland somehow got my letter of recommendation yet it didn't end up in my committee file...so, I'm not really complete since they can't give me an interview without an LOR. Awesome. 11/17: Maryland processed another copy of my LOR, hopefully everything is straightened out now. God, what a nightmare. 11/19: First invite - Maryland!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!! 12/4: Pre-interview hold from GW. Boo. Pitt rejection - waste of money but hand-written rejection. I felt special. 12/6: On hold at VCU. Really wanted to interview here. Boo again. 12/18: Holy crap, got an interview at NYMC in January. I have no idea how I got so lucky - everyone else is in April! 1/29: Interview feedback...Maryland interview went poorly because I got too nervous and really out of practice. Word vomit is not my friend. Interview at NYMC despite awful weather and closing the school due to TONS of snow went okay I guess...I'm really wishing they wouldn't take so long in making their decisions...I honestly loved it, just wish it was closer to my family/SO. And I got an invitation to interview to Drexel, but the soonest I could schedule one was April. I'll go but I don't know what good it will be. 2/13: Got a letter saying I'm on post-interview hold at Maryland, which will ultimately be a WL. All I can do is continue to wait. And wait...and wait some more... 3/18: 'Better luck next year' emails from VCU and GWU. 4/9/2009: The. Single. Greatest. Day. Of my life. I'm going to be a doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5/19: I thought April 9th rocked, today blew it out of the water. Got into my top choice. Maryland -- 4 days after a top half waitlist notification AND found out I'm going to be an aunt!! I'm floored. Absolutely floored. I did it. I did it.
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After all the ups and downs I went through in this process (both times), I got into my top choice. I'm going to Maryland and everything worked out in the end. I can't believe it!! Class of 2013!!
My advice: be different. Excel and do well when and wherever you can but do something different with the precious time you have in undergrad/before applying. The basics (research, leadership, and volunteering) are established for a reason: do them, but keep your personal interests in mind. I wouldn't trade my experiences in working with the Deaf community and learning ASL for anything and in the end I think that is what made the difference.
