Application Cycle One: 2008

• Undergraduate college: University of Michigan
• Undergraduate Area of study: Psychology/Social Sciences

• Institution: Boston University, Graduate Med. Science
• Area of Study: Computing and Information Science
• Degree Obtained: MA

• Total MCAT SCORE: 511
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 127, C/P 127, CARS 129   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.50
• Science GPA: 3.30

Summary of Application Experience

12/22 - Interview at BU today! Since I'm a GMS student, I didn't do the whole tour/meet the students part of the day. I guess they assumed that I already know my way around campus and have talked to a few med students in the last year. I think the interview went well. I really like the program...now I have to wait until late March to find out.

1/28 - Interview at Rush! I really enjoyed my visit. The school/program is great, and the students/faculty/administration are incredibly nice and friendly. I could definitely see myself here for the next 4 years! The interviews went well...really relaxed and conversational. They both seemed genuinely interested in learning more about me as a person.

2/4 - Interview Invite from New York Medical College

2/13 - Acceptance from Rush!!! Such a great day!!

2/20 - Interview Invite from St. Louis University

2/25 - Now that I've been accepted at Rush, I'll probably withdraw from both New York Medical College and St. Louis University. I really loved the 'feel' of Rush. The students seemed really great and 'tight-knit', the community service opportunities are tremendous, and the opportunity to do clinicals at Rush Medical Center (top 50 hospital in the US in 7 categories) and Cook County Hospital is tough to pass up (especially since I'm most interested in ER medicine).

If I get into BUSM, it'd be a tough decision...let's hope I get the chance to make it!

3/2 - Withdrew from NYMC...I just would not consider living in Valhalla, NY over Chicago.

3/24 - Interview invite from Loyola. Haven't decided if I'll attend because it isn't in Chicago, and I think it might be for a waitlist spot.

3/31 - Waitlisted at BUSM. Looks like my new home will be Chicago...Rush Class of 2013!

4/6 - Withdrew from Saint Louis University. I've heard good things about the school, but I decided that I prefer Rush. Plus, Chicago is much better than St. Louis. I've also decided to go to my interview at Loyola. It's close enough to Chicago to live in the city, and I've heard great things about the program. We'll see if they can 'wow' me away from Rush.

4/15 - Interviewed at Loyola. I really liked the school. The medical school building was really nice with lots of study areas (no library though). The students were very friendly and seemed to enjoy the school. Lots of international volunteer opportunities! I'm still deciding how much of a factor its location (Maywood...about 30-45 min. west of Chicago in morning traffic) will be. Unfortunately, this visit just made my decision that much harder (if, of course, I get in).

4/28 - What a day! I went to the Rush Second Look today. They talked a lot about the new curriculum and the new physicianship program that they are implementing for the incoming class. The current students and faculty I met were incredibly nice, friendly and seemed excited about happy to be at Rush. The other accepted students I talked to were also great and I could really see myself at the school. This afternoon I got accepted to Loyola!! I was pretty surprised because I thought that there were only a few acceptances left. I honestly don't know which school I prefer. I keep going back and forth. I guess I'll have to decide sometime in the next couple weeks, but at least I have the opportunity to make the decision for myself.

5/14 - Withdrew from Loyola today. It was a really tough decision, but I ultimately decided that Rush was a better fit for me. The factors that made me choose Rush were: rotations at Cook County, urban location, community service opportunities, and the cooperative and social atmosphere of the school and the students.

5/19 - Now that my decision to attend Rush is finally started to sink in, I've found myself thinking more and more about the specifics of moving back to Chicago. I'm really excited about living back in the Windy City. It's basically Boston on steroids. So many bars, great restaurants, plays, museums, parks, etc.

This process has been several years in the making. After starting out with some pretty rough grades in several pre-reqs during my sophomore year, getting told by my undergrad advisor to choose a different profession, and completing (and succeeding in) a Masters of Medical Science program, I can finally say I am done with med school applications! It's long and grueling, and it sometimes makes absolutely no sense (getting rejected pre-secondary from SIU, but getting accepted at Rush), but in the end, none of that matters when you get that first acceptance. So to all the low GPAs and borderline MCATs out there: hang in there and do something that will distinguish you from all the other applications. I know that if it were not for my interesting ECs, my application would have surely been lost amongst the other 'good' applicants. Some people have stellar grades, some people have a stellar MCAT, but those of us who have neither must find a way to break away from the pack and show that we can really shine.