Reapply or go with my A?

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plzimbeggingyou

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I’m (F23) just wondering if I should try to take a second gap year to apply a second time or if I’d be shooting myself in the foot. I applied to 20 schools and got A to 1 Ohio DO, and WL to 1 lower tier Ohio MD (NEOMED). Once I finished my application I realized that I really wanted to go to OSU (alma mater)/Cincinnati/Case W, but I’m not sure if I even have a chance if I tried again. Unfortunately, I finished my application late this cycle (September), obviously, if I were to apply again I would apply early, and work on improving my application essays, but also there's a good amount of stuff this year that none of the schools I applied to know about.

Here’s some info about my last application stats:
  • GPA 3.55
  • MCAT 516
  • 300 clinical hrs
  • 400 research hrs, no pubs
  • 300 work hrs
  • pre-health sorority, (had minimal volunteering)
  • Shadowed 3 Dr’s in college, but shadowed 2 Dr’s in high school for ~3 months (which I included in my personal state b/c they contribute to why I want to become a Dr)
  • 1 personal hobby
  • 1 club
Here’s some info about what I would add to my potential new application:
  • additional 900 clinical hrs working at an urgent care as an MA
  • Have teaching experience by training a new MA and our new Manager. Advised and collaborated with the new manager to help our urgent care develop a kind of contract with the nearby university (my alma mater)
  • Volunteering at a food pantry, and still trying to get started at an organization that supports SA survivors
  • Shadowed an additional Dr
  • ran a 5k
  • Joined another club
  • about to sign up for a fundraising event where you raise $ for cancer research in exchange for cycling in a race and performing other volunteering.

I’m not sure if that’s enough, if my GPA is too low for me to ever consider OSU/Cinci/Case, or if I should just run with what I have, but I just feel so defeated. Any advice is appreciated >.<!

EDIT: Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who gave advice! Definitely helped me realize I wasn't seeing the forest for the trees and that I should be happy with what I have been lucky enough to receive :). Also wanted to say thank you guys so much for actual advice and not being mean-I posted the same thing on Reddit and a moderator berated me and then banned me lol T_T

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Where did you get your waitlist? NEOMED? Absolutely take the A. If you don’t you will probably be blackballed by DO, and no guarantee you get accepted to MD schools next year.
 
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Just take the A; most med schools have secondary prompt questions asking you if you've ever been admitted to another med school and if you answer yes that raises a bunch of red flags.
 
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You should not bet that OSU, Cincinnati, or Case will even interview you. Take the IS DO option. There is a chance Neomed takes you off the WL, so that is an option too.
 
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I would LOVE to be in your position right now with an A to any school. Be happy you have an A, nothing in the app process is guaranteed.
 
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Would you be happy going to NEOMED too? Is it a DO vs MD issue? I heard NEOMED accepts many from WL historically.
It isn't really a DO/MD thing and more of just those specific 3 schools mentioned since I always grew up thinking I'd end up at one of those 3. I don't care about MDvsDO since at the end of school we all end up as doctors with the same amount of skill.
 
It isn't really a DO/MD thing and more of just those specific 3 schools mentioned since I always grew up thinking I'd end up at one of those 3. I don't care about MDvsDO since at the end of school we all end up as doctors with the same amount of skill.
I have always lived in Ohio and lived about ~30 min from OSUCOM for all of it. I would love to go there like really really go there. However, I made the mistake of applying with no research. I currently have 840 hours of research, but I also have 2 As and a few WL.

I can't (never ever) see myself reapplying just to be able to add the research to my application. At the end of the day, it is *just* a med school. If you really love the environment that much, I say why not plan to come back for residency? You would easily have access to mentors there since NEOMED is not too far.

I completely understand your situation because at one point during the cycle, I was hoping to be invited to apply to their post bacc program (I know...stupid) but take your A and run!
 
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I was in your shoes, contemplating a DO acceptance. Taking boards in a month. Don’t give up a sure thing.
 
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EDIT: Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who gave advice! Definitely helped me realize I wasn't seeing the forest for the trees and that I should be happy with what I have been lucky enough to receive :). Also wanted to say thank you guys so much for actual advice and not being mean-I posted the same thing on Reddit and a moderator berated me and then banned me lol T_T
I'm glad to hear that you were happy with the advice you received! Sometimes we all need an outside perspective. :D
 
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Ohio applicant here too. You probably made up your mind already but I took myself off the NEOMED WL. I’m on 2 other WL and my rationale was basically I couldn’t see myself in rural OH for 4 years. My mistake that I even applied there lol, I guess I’m reapp or get in off the WL🙏
 
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