Application Cycle One: 2008

• Undergraduate college: Washington University in St. Louis
• Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

• Institution: Yale University
• Area of Study: Computing and Information Science
• Degree Obtained: MPH

• Total MCAT SCORE: 516
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 130, C/P 129, CARS 127   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.32
• Science GPA: 2.98

Summary of Application Experience

Applied last year to all MD programs (about 14 of them) and was rejected from all, no interviews. I did inquire about why I was not even given an interview (given that they took my money for secondaries, claiming that I had passed their cutoff criteria but I didn't tell them that), and most of them cited my low undergraduate GPA. They also claimed that having an MPH was of no help in the admissions process (mainly the University of California schools) and the only way I would have a shot of even coming close to an interview was going into a competitive post-bac program and basically squashing the competition. Even then, they went on to say, that wouldn't even secure me admission, despite my above average EC's and fairly respectable MCAT.

Since gaining my MPH, I pretty much spent the summer doing apps again, this time applying to more MD schools (it was probably a huge waste of time to be honest), and some DO schools. On the side, I decided to look for a paying job at the local health department, but due to funding issues, I couldn't get a job. I decided at the last minute to take some courses in biology (genetics and microbiology) to pass the time during the fall at California State University Bakersfield where I pretty much earned A's (after Wash U, I don't think it was all that hard, but I also didn't have that much emotional baggage at the time like a death in the family and the end of a relationship which absolutely destroyed my GPA in undergrad...I went from a 3.8 to a 2.8, which obviously sounds significant alarms.)

Unfortunately for me, rejections came in before I was able to send any updates regarding my recently acquired grades and progress on research that I was doing. I also took it upon myself to shadow a physician once a week for 3 hours. Would it have made any difference? I don't know. All I can say is that my undergraduate fiasco continued to haunt me.

I'm fairly happy with the places I got into so far. I'd like to think that if I could just properly explain my situation, I'd be gold, but of course I have to be given that opportunity. The people are nice and what not. Now comes the decision time between the two acceptances I have now. Both are pretty equal big picture wise, but I'm looking for minute details now. Any help would be awesome.