- Joined
- Nov 5, 2020
- Messages
- 469
- Reaction score
- 825
Hello again, yall. Unfortunately the cycle has ended very unsuccessfully for me, with zero II. My best guess for this is that I hadn't completed enough science coursework for schools to be confident with my app. That should be fixed this time around with all of the prereqs under my belt and a couple of advanced classes planned for summer/fall. I'm also working on redrafting most of my secondaries and getting another round of edits on my primary. I felt confident with most of my writing, but it can't hurt.
I didn't end up applying to DO schools last year due to sheer burnout as I was working 60+ hour weeks on top of applying to 20 MD schools and keeping up with my other obligations. This time I will def be dual applying.
The only other thing I can think of doing at this point is retaking the MCAT. I took it before Orgo/Biochem so I'm confident I could up my science subscores significantly, and I did test a few points below my average CARS/PS scores as well. I could probably do it again over the summer, but I'm waiting on seeing how spring semester goes/how busy May/June will be with applying.
cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- Grade breakdown from last year's app
- Add to this As in Orgo I and II with lab
- PB sGPA includes 4 math classes I got B's in years ago for my current career. Without those it'd be closer to a 3.7-3.8.
MCAT score(s) and breakdown
- 509 (125/128/126/130)
State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- Pennsylvania
Ethnicity and/or race
- White guy
Undergraduate institution or category
- State School
Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
- Hospital Volunteer (baby cuddler/general wards assistant): 245 hours (complete)
- Volunteer Dr. A MA: 130 hours (complete)
- Volunteer Dr. B MA: 205 hours (complete)
- Respite care for family friend with MS: 100 hours (complete)
- Applying for a part time clinical job (PCA/Scribe level) at local hospital now, probably low hours by app time but will project out.
Research experience and productivity
- R&D Project at MilSim Company: 200 hours (complete)
- Grad School Eye Tracker Applied Research: 1000 hours (complete)
Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- Dr. A: 50 hours (complete)
- Dr. B: 10 hours (complete)
- MedSchoolCoach Online Program: 30 hours (complete)
- Trying for a DO letter for this cycle also
Non-clinical volunteering
- The Trevor Project: 258 hours (325 hours by Jun 24)
- Food Banks / Red Cross / Homeless Outreach bundles together: 56 hours, prob another 20-30 hours by Jun 24
- Epilepsy Camp: 50 hours (complete)
- Child Equine Therapy: 33 hours (complete)
Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Software Instructor: 8000 hours by Jun 24
- Software Engineer/Designer: 10000 hours (complete)
- Business Owner: 600 hours (750 hours by Jun 24)
- 5 LORs, 2 strong from science profs, 1 strong from a former software teacher who also was my manager at my first instructor job, 1 strong from MD I shadowed/MA'd for for 2 years, 1 decent from the suicide hotline supervisor I worked with most often
- Lifelong hobby of singing, well over 10k hours including rehearsals/practices/lessons/shows, currently singing in multiple groups 10h/wk, raised $10k+ over my life at benefit concerts
- Lifelong small time farmer, my dad always grew stuff when I was a kid and now I do too. Also a forager, I love to ID mushrooms and plants. I live in a rural area and would like to continue that. Currently talking to a local mycology researcher about joining his lab to further this more scientifically.
Relevant honors or awards
- Multiple promotions and employee of the months at all pro jobs held
- $45k R&D award
- Most Innovative Award for the grad school project at an important industry conference's collegiate division
Anything else not listed you think might be important
- Gay trans man, important part of my app.
- Only applying in states where trans people aren't actively under attack with a few exceptions due to proximity.
- Actively working with Navy recruiter for the HPSP program, also planning to apply for VA HPSP and NHSC if I am unsuccessful (prior health issues might dq me)
- Last year's WAMC: MD & DO - WAMC: Non-Trad LGBT, ~3.5cGPA, ~3.7sGPA, 509 MCAT
MD School List:
- Pitt (yolo reach)
- UMich (yolo reach)
- UVM
- Dartmouth (below 10th percentile for MCAT) (grandma went to CRNA school here, first class that allowed women students, idk if that matters at all)
- Tufts (ME track pref)
- Quinni
- Rush
- Chicago Med
- Loyola
- Temple
- Drexel
- MCW
- Hackensack (below 10th percentile for MCAT)
- UMaryland
- UWisconsin
- UMass (below 10th percentile for MCAT, but strong mission fit for PURCH track and grew up next door in NH)
- USUHS
- UIllinois
- VCU
- EVMS
- WVU (proximity)
- NEOMED
- Central Michigan
- Rowan
- Penn State
DO School List:
- Chicago
- LECOM Greensburg (proximity)
- MSU
- PNW
- PCOM Philly
- Duquesne (worth the risk? looks like solid partnerships and proximity)
- UNE
- RVU Colorado
- Western PNW
- VCOM Virginia
- DMU
- Rowan
I didn't end up applying to DO schools last year due to sheer burnout as I was working 60+ hour weeks on top of applying to 20 MD schools and keeping up with my other obligations. This time I will def be dual applying.
The only other thing I can think of doing at this point is retaking the MCAT. I took it before Orgo/Biochem so I'm confident I could up my science subscores significantly, and I did test a few points below my average CARS/PS scores as well. I could probably do it again over the summer, but I'm waiting on seeing how spring semester goes/how busy May/June will be with applying.
cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
- Grade breakdown from last year's app
- Add to this As in Orgo I and II with lab
- PB sGPA includes 4 math classes I got B's in years ago for my current career. Without those it'd be closer to a 3.7-3.8.
MCAT score(s) and breakdown
- 509 (125/128/126/130)
State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
- Pennsylvania
Ethnicity and/or race
- White guy
Undergraduate institution or category
- State School
Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
- Hospital Volunteer (baby cuddler/general wards assistant): 245 hours (complete)
- Volunteer Dr. A MA: 130 hours (complete)
- Volunteer Dr. B MA: 205 hours (complete)
- Respite care for family friend with MS: 100 hours (complete)
- Applying for a part time clinical job (PCA/Scribe level) at local hospital now, probably low hours by app time but will project out.
Research experience and productivity
- R&D Project at MilSim Company: 200 hours (complete)
- Grad School Eye Tracker Applied Research: 1000 hours (complete)
Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- Dr. A: 50 hours (complete)
- Dr. B: 10 hours (complete)
- MedSchoolCoach Online Program: 30 hours (complete)
- Trying for a DO letter for this cycle also
Non-clinical volunteering
- The Trevor Project: 258 hours (325 hours by Jun 24)
- Food Banks / Red Cross / Homeless Outreach bundles together: 56 hours, prob another 20-30 hours by Jun 24
- Epilepsy Camp: 50 hours (complete)
- Child Equine Therapy: 33 hours (complete)
Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- Software Instructor: 8000 hours by Jun 24
- Software Engineer/Designer: 10000 hours (complete)
- Business Owner: 600 hours (750 hours by Jun 24)
- 5 LORs, 2 strong from science profs, 1 strong from a former software teacher who also was my manager at my first instructor job, 1 strong from MD I shadowed/MA'd for for 2 years, 1 decent from the suicide hotline supervisor I worked with most often
- Lifelong hobby of singing, well over 10k hours including rehearsals/practices/lessons/shows, currently singing in multiple groups 10h/wk, raised $10k+ over my life at benefit concerts
- Lifelong small time farmer, my dad always grew stuff when I was a kid and now I do too. Also a forager, I love to ID mushrooms and plants. I live in a rural area and would like to continue that. Currently talking to a local mycology researcher about joining his lab to further this more scientifically.
Relevant honors or awards
- Multiple promotions and employee of the months at all pro jobs held
- $45k R&D award
- Most Innovative Award for the grad school project at an important industry conference's collegiate division
Anything else not listed you think might be important
- Gay trans man, important part of my app.
- Only applying in states where trans people aren't actively under attack with a few exceptions due to proximity.
- Actively working with Navy recruiter for the HPSP program, also planning to apply for VA HPSP and NHSC if I am unsuccessful (prior health issues might dq me)
- Last year's WAMC: MD & DO - WAMC: Non-Trad LGBT, ~3.5cGPA, ~3.7sGPA, 509 MCAT
MD School List:
- Pitt (yolo reach)
- UMich (yolo reach)
- UVM
- Dartmouth (below 10th percentile for MCAT) (grandma went to CRNA school here, first class that allowed women students, idk if that matters at all)
- Tufts (ME track pref)
- Quinni
- Rush
- Chicago Med
- Loyola
- Temple
- Drexel
- MCW
- Hackensack (below 10th percentile for MCAT)
- UMaryland
- UWisconsin
- UMass (below 10th percentile for MCAT, but strong mission fit for PURCH track and grew up next door in NH)
- USUHS
- UIllinois
- VCU
- EVMS
- WVU (proximity)
- NEOMED
- Central Michigan
- Rowan
- Penn State
DO School List:
- Chicago
- LECOM Greensburg (proximity)
- MSU
- PNW
- PCOM Philly
- Duquesne (worth the risk? looks like solid partnerships and proximity)
- UNE
- RVU Colorado
- Western PNW
- VCOM Virginia
- DMU
- Rowan
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