7/22/05: submitted AMCAS primary
8/5/05: AMCAS Primary complete
8/16/05: MCAT round 2. I decided to retake because I got a 28Q (10VR 8PS 10BS) first time round in April, which was disappointing
9/1/06: Buried under secondary applications. So many essays. Why does Vermont want to know if I have any traffic violations? Must go write.
10/9/05: An interview invite! To EVMS, by phone.
10/19/05: First rejection from BU. Major reality check. I'm not as hot as I wanted to believe I was. Shoot. Need thicker skin.
10/28/05: First interview at EVMS, my state school. Went well!
11/14/05: Accepted at EVMS. Breathe sigh of relief. MD class of 2010, here I come! Wait, 2010?
12/5/05: Drexel interview. Very laid back, good vibes.
1/3/06: Crappy day. Rejections from UVA and Dartmouth. Two in one day? Jeez. I'm hopeful for the upcoming Brown interview, though.
1/11/06: The August MCAT score not coming out till October really pushed my application reviews back, even though everything else was done with my secondaries within a week or so of receiving them. It's now January and I have one acceptance, 4 rejections, 6 interviews, I'm on pre-interview hold at 2 schools, and I am waiting to hear from 9 schools. It's stressful! Despite all the additional work and money, I am glad that I applied to so many schools, especially since I have so many 'reach' schools.
1/13/06: I've been sending update letters to schools that have been silent in the hopes that it will keep my file active and remind them that I'm alive.
1/14/06: Started getting my stuff together for filing a FAFSA
1/15/06: Drexel, where are you? I pestered the other day by phone to find out how much longer I might have to wait for a decision, and the lady on the phone said a decision should come this week. EEEE! Then I called again to ask something about financial aid, and a different lady told me 3-4 weeks for a decision. I need antihypertensives. Oh god.
1/16/06: So on UPenn's status page, a little message popped up saying 'Additional Application Progress' in green letters. I'm thinking, 'an interview invite? Please?' But underneath that, it said, 'Your application continues to be reviewed but there is no change in your status. Reviews will continue until March 2006.' Sigh.
2/13/06: Just came back from USC, which was amazing. I loved the campus, the hospital, the students, LA, everything. As of right now, Brown and USC are my top two picks. When I got home, I had a thick envelope waiting for me--an acceptance from Drexel! What a nice surprise.
2/28/06: The UVM interview went well, even though it was like -6 degrees in Burlington. I think this is my last interview.
3/13/06: So I am on the 'alternate list' for Keck-USC, which is very very disappointing. The admissions office lady told me that no waitlist movement will occur until after May 15th, so I guess I can just sit back and wait. Brown, my other top choice also informed me that I won't hear an answer until after April 15th. Of the other two schools I am waiting to hear from, VCU says they will send out the last round of letters in a couple weeks, and Vermont says late April.
3/21/06: Well Brown decided to ease my pain a teeny bit by letting me know that I am waitlisted today. Then, as I was sitting down to write yet another letter of 'please please oh please let me in,' VCU accepted me! Yay in state tuition AND a solid location near mom. Unless I get into USC or Brown off the waitlist, looks like VCU is gonna be my school.
4/14/06: Got the waitlist from Vermont too. May 15th, you are so very far away.
4/17/06: And off the waitlist at Vermont! Shortest waitlist time ever. Yay acceptance! In other news, I am arranging for another letter of recommendation to be sent to Brown and USC, my top two schools. Please, please, waitlist luck. I also withdrew from EVMS a couple weeks ago.
5/1/06: Withdrew from Drexel today. I've been in touch with some amazing faculty from VCU who are really making it a very appealing option for me. In the next 15 days, I need to decide UVM or VCU. So tough!
5/14/06: Withdrew from UVM today. In the end it was all about the money. In-state VCU ($24,000) vs out-of-state Vermont ($36,000), and VCU gave a rockin financial aid package to boot. Richmond, here I come! Unless, of course......there are those two waitlists I'm still on.....
5/26/06: Ohmygod, I got a call from USC today! I'm in! Overjoyed, have to call mom.
5/27/06: Withdrew from Brown, officially accepted USC. It was a little hard to withdraw from Brown, but I'm so excited to move to California. The dean of Admissions at USC, Erin Quinn, called me personally to welcome me. She was extremely warm and tolerant of my excited babbling.
12/22/06: I've been at USC for several months now, and I believe it was the right choice for me. It's not just that USC was the right choice, but that California and LA County Hospital (serves a very economicaly disadvantaged population) are the right choices for me. Good luck everyone else in making your dreams come true. Trust your instincts in choosing your schools. It's ok to go somewhere just because it 'feels right' or because it's in an area of the country that you think you'd enjoy. Have some faith in yourself and resilience in the process, and it will come together in the end!
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