Application Cycle One: 2005

• Undergraduate college: University of Oklahoma
• Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

• Total MCAT SCORE: 519
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 130, C/P 128, CARS 132   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.23
• Science GPA: 2.88

Summary of Application Experience

UTHSCSA interview was great. One of my interviewers said he would recommend me over all other interviewees.

USUHS interview was a great day. I love the school. My tour guide was very friendly. They made it very clear that the tour guides have no admissions input. The interviewers were very stone faced, so I don't know how that went. I hope it went well, since they're a top choice.

I called USUHS on 14 Oct and Michelle said, 'Check your mail next week.'

Later that day, Mrs. Stearman called and said they had accepted me and I should be receiving the letter in the mail next week. Yeah!! She is the most wonderful director of admissions who makes the process as painless as possible. She leads the best staff that I've had the opportunity to work with (although honestly UTHSCSA was also wonderful, so I've had 100% good experiences so far).

I think the factors that overcame my GPA were my MCAT, military experience, early application, excellent PS, and great LORs. If you've got a negative in your app, then work hard to keep everything else that might be within your control as positive as possible.

I got an interview invitation for GWU for mid November. I'm a little put out by them, because I had a week in DC around my USUHS interview. I let them know I was available for interviews and that it would be extremely helpful, since active duty military service makes scheduling interviews difficult. Well, they couldn't manage to interview me at that time. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to take time away from work for this interview, but we'll see.

I was accepted to USUHS. I got a phone call over the weekend and the letter arrived in the mail on Monday, Oct 17th. Yeah!! I'm going to be a doctor! USUHS is one of my top choices, no doubt.

Baylor interview went fairly well. I was impressed, but I don't think I was impressed enough to go there over USUHS. I wonder how many people will believe that?! It's strange, but I love USUHS.

Interesting! I called San Antonio and they said they hadn't accepted anyone, yet. So they tried to call me later that day and I missed it. I called back today and I'm accepted! I loved them during interview day and I'm so happy to be accepted there. Now for a choice [panicked].

I withdrew from GWU, which was tough. I wish they'd interviewed me when I was in DC. I called to try to coordinate, but they didn't, so no interview.

I'm glad to have an OU interview. That's my hometown med school. Getting an interview there is sort of like coming full circle for me. I'm excited!

OK, I got all my stuff done at USUHS. Now I've withdrawn from OU and OSU-COM. OU was tough to withdraw from. It's my undergraduate school and most of the docs in OK seem to come from there. I don't need it, though, so I'll wish someone else well. OSU confused me! I thought they were one of my best chances starting out. I'm in state, I've shadowed two DOs, their average GPA is higher than mine, but my MCAT balances it somewhat. Anyway, I withdrew because even if they accepted me, I've got other plans, but now I'm left with the curiousity. This process is unpredictable.

I realized while I was at it, I should go ahead and withdraw from the schools I was definitely not as emotionally invested in as OU and OSU. So I went ahead and did the courteous thing and withdrew from Tulane, even though I doubt they even realize I ever applied there, with the hurricane and all. I also withdrew from Columbia. They probably would have rejected me at some point, but even if they didn't, New York is not for me. I realized I'd withdrawn from Drexel without noting it. Now the Texas schools are left, but I'm just going to let those peter out with the match, I do believe.

It's just about down to two, maybe three depending on Baylor's decision. I'm almost at the choice point. This has been a much better experience than I ever hoped. Wow. Interviews weren't a big deal. All the paperwork truly sucked, but everything else was a little fun.

I've gotten all the Texas rejections. Basically a 'didn't accept you, so we're formally telling you' kind of thing, which was ok, because they just did what I was too lazy to do. What? I didn't interview there and you didn't accept me anyway? ; )

At this point, I'm making all my plans to go to USUHS. I'm just leaving enough options open that if I suddenly have something hugely physically disqualifying happen, I still have at least one option. I seriously can't wait to start school, though!

I got accepted to Baylor, which is a huge ego boost. Early in this application cycle, my advisor told me to concentrate on Osteopathic schools. Well, I was definitely interested in some, but I thought I could apply to a number of places. It turns out I was right. Getting into one of my extreme reach schools is a pleasant surprise!

Well, I spent the past week finding a house in Maryland. I did and my offer was accepted, so as reluctant as I've been to directly say I've made a choice, I have. I'm going to be attending USUHS Class of 2010! Just in the interests of making this as accurate as possible, I'll wait to finish it until I've actually withdrawn from my other two acceptances (which needs to be soon in the interest of other applicants).

Well, that was one of the hardest parts of this process. I just called and withdrew from Baylor and UTHSCSA. I delayed it, because it was a difficult chore, so for those two students who had to wait, I'm sorry. This is it! I'm going to USUHS, class of 2010!