I have applied to schools strategically located in or near cities and states where we have family. I have a wife of 16 years and 2 kids (11 YOA and 9 YOA), and having family around will provide a great support network while I attend medical school.
On the other edge of the sword is the fact that this strategy severely limits my chances of getting in...I only applied to 8 schools.
I like how some other applicants have kept this area up as a blog of sorts...its too bad I didn't start it that way from day 1.
Well...I will most likely be staying in Arizona for medical school. This is a good thing because I will not have to relocate my family, and my wife can keep her great job with having to be reassigned to a new / different territoy in another state.
I have been accepted at AZCOM, and I am hoping to hear good news sometime soon from the U of A (my state school).
I will know by tomorrow (Friday 27 Jan 2006) if Harvard wants to interview, but I am doubtful...with all my other rejections.
The U of A will send out the first wave of acceptances on Monday 30 Jan 2006. This wave is probably reserved for their strongest applicants, but I am still hoping to hear. If not, they will send out 2 more waves of acceptances; mid Feb and early Mar. We'll see.
UPDATE 02 Feb 2006
The U of A did not see their way clear to including an acceptance offer for me in the first wave of acceptances. There are 2 more waves to go...15 Feb and 15 Mar...then comes the dreaded waitlist (from which they took more than 30 students from last year)...and finally, rejection (April sometime). Psychologically, I will be attending AZCOM this fall...if the U of A comes through, I will be more than pleasantly surprised.
I have also updated my GPAs to match what I have found AMCAS has reported (you only get to see what they have gleened from reviewing your transcripts - the confirmation process - by selecting the 'print application' button after loggin-in). Although, the Overall GPA shown is my graduate GPA...lower than 3.8 because, for some reason, they chose NOT to count certain graduate courses I have taken.
It goes without saying that, having not received an interview invite from Harvard means I have been rejected there as well.
UPDATE 06 May 2006
I was not even waitlisted at the U of A. I was plainly REJECTED. This is a bummer considering that I (like all of us U of A applicants) figured I was at least competitive. It just goes to show there really is no pattern as to who they accept. I really do think that a major factor is WHO you interview with; WHAT they write about you; how far they are willing to 'push' you anf your app (if they like you); and the 'weight' of their reputation with the adcom and at the U of A college of medicine.
My 1st interview was with an Ortho Surgeon was has been in it for 30 years. He started the interview with, 'I've seen the best in medicine and now I am seeing the worst.' He proceeded to tell me (in so many words) that I am too old to go to medical school; that my career - comparitively speaking - would be entirely too short to have enough time to 'give back', significantly, to the field of medicine, and that I should really consider becoming a NP or PA. How pompous was that? Looking back, I am sure he has a great reputation there, and I am equally as sure he did NOT offer a glowing report. I was very frustrated with this whole thing and I feel that it truly borders on age discrimination. The U of A seems to accept a couple older students every year, so I am sure nothing can be said about it, but it really turned me off to them.
Since February, I have come to realize that becoming a DO is a 100% better fit for me. Even if the U of A had come through with an offer; even with the difference in tuition; I would have turned them down in favor of AZCOM.
I can't wait to get started. My wife and I are building a dream home in Surprise so I can be close to campus. It is a good move for our kids too because of the great school in our new neighborhood.
We help students become doctors. TM
