Community service: >1000 hours Clinical Experience: >300 hours Research: >800 hours, no pub Work: >3000 hours
First generation immigrant background Sustained activities in public health and community service
2 gap years working
Mainly filling this out to help encourage other applicants to 1) apply early, 2) apply hopeful but smart, and 3) give lots of prayers (if you believe in God that is).
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 06/08/2016
Undergraduate college: UC
Total MCAT SCORE: 507
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 125,
C/P 128,
CARS 126
Overall GPA: 3.80
Science GPA: 3.80
Summary of Application Experience
Worked diligently on primary app 3 months prior to opening (I think this was key to my success) Submitted primary app 3 days after AMCAS opens Submitted most secondaries within 2 weeks of receipt.
Summary of costs so far: < $4,000 including applications (thanks to FAP) and travel costs
Summary of Experience:
ACCEPTED!! Gah such a good school...gonna be a tough decision...
Interview experience:
I got to Chicago Midway Airport a day earlier and stayed with a host who lived about 15 minutes away from the main campus (it seemed like everyone lived about that far away). They were super nice and shared some tips with me, which made me feel better about the interview in general. The next morning, everyone gathered in the main lobby in the school of medicine at 9AM. We checked in, had a small continental breakfast, and got to chat for an hour with Mr. Nabers, the Director of Admissions here, and Tammy Patterson (who was so hilarious and awesome) talked a little bit about financial aid. Then, the day got broken up from there. Some people got their 2 interviews right after the morning meeting, and the rest alternate between taking a tour of the campus and sitting in between lectures. I got to see the new translational research building, which was GORGEOUS, and the Children's Hospital, which I loved. At 12PM, we met up in the break room to eat lunch with current med students (mainly MS2's and MS1's). And after that, it's a switcheroo from the morning activities (people who interviewed got to go on tours and lectures and people who didn't would get interviewed). At the end of the day, we all met up for a brief exit survey and they served you ice cream! :laugh:
Overall, I was extremely impressed by the organization of the day. It was my first time interviewing but I DID NOT feel nervous at all! The whole time, they reassured you about how it's really just meant to get to know who you are better and whether they like you as a person or not. Each of us got paired up with 2 individual interviewers, and I felt like the pairs were made with a purpose (for example, maybe you mentioned you liked primary care, they might paired you with an MD who is in primary care) - this is just a theory!! I'm not sure if it's true but it somehow felt like it. But anyways, they were both extremely nice and they KNOW your profile! They came to the interview on time and had a really nice conversation with me, which made me so relaxed it was great! Moreover, every student I met on campus said they really loved the school and how they felt Loyola lived up to its mission - they're not just saying stuff on their website for show!
Summary of Experience:
FIRST ACCEPTANCE!!!! AHHHH THIS IS AMAZING!!!! Definitely one of the top schools in my list...I'm so humbled by this opportunity!
Interview experience: Day before: I live close by the school so I did not stay with a host. However, people who have done it said the students were nice and made them feel welcomed.
Day of interview: Basically, you will be pre-assigned in either a morning MMI group or in the afternoon MMI group. Morning group starts at 9AM and ends at 1PM. Afternoon group starts at 11AM and ends at 3PM. Morning group will get introductions, MMI, then lunch with students. Afternoon group will get introductions, lunch, then MMI. Even before the day started, students who walked by us greeted us and told us good luck and to not be nervous, which made me feel so much better. Orientation or introductions itself was pretty good, where they went over what Davis has to offer and it was basically EVERYTHING I could ask for :). Lunch was catered hot buffet style and the choices was great! There were so many MS1 and MS2 students who came (partially for the free food) but more importantly to meet interviewees and to talk to us. There were students in some of the track programs too so you can ask them what's it like if you applied for them. OH AND THE RESTROOMS: either it was the students or staff who did it but they left us a bunch of cool stuff like mouth washers and mint and so many little things to help us wash up and get ready. I thought it was super neat and it showed the close-knit community feel of Davis!!
MMI: Because of the students I met earlier, I felt pretty relaxed going in. It was so much fun and fast-paced! Can't talk about it more than that due to confidential agreement :). Not sure how I did but I hope good enough > Tours: There was really no tour of the school itself because it's reserved for second-look days, but you can definitely walk and see that the campus has so many facilities surround it (cancer center, numerous hospitals, etc.). The student education building itself was super new and very nice. I also signed up for a tour to one of the free-clinics, which gave me even more insights into the school by students who run them. Once again, they stressed the highly supportive environment of Davis and all that it's got to offer...and I was pretty much sold!
In general, UCD exceeded my expectations and everyone was beyond welcoming and LOVED talking to us. I really, really hope they feel the same way about me. What a great institution! :)
PHGeek123 took the old MCAT and scored a 29 which is in the 73th percentile of all old scores.
We converted this to a 507 on the updated scale which is in the 74th percentile of the updated MCAT. We also converted PHGeek123’s section scores as follows:
PHGeek123 scored a 9 on the Biological Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 125 on the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems.
PHGeek123 scored a 11 on the Physical Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 128 on the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems.
PHGeek123 scored a 9 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 126 on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.