Medical School Admissions - rejection, gap year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

Depends on her weaknesses. Clinical related is always helpful. Reapplying applicants will have harder time next year. Why didn’t she just take a gap year to begin with. Hindsight is 20/20 I know.

Why will reapplying applicants have a harder time next year?

She can reapply obviously, but she needs to show "significant" changes from this cycle application. What makes it difficult is they know she got R'ed this cycle and if her application looks the same/similar, that's an easy reject. Each school has so many well qualified applicants, it makes it that much more difficult.

eh, this will only be true for the schools she's applied to this year. she'll apply more widely next cycle.

what about a post-bacc?

This isn’t true. Reapplicants have a lower admission (at all schools, not just the one they applied to) and they want to see significant improvements on the second application. That’s why it’s risky to throw out an application before the applicant is ready and the application is looking good and to not widely apply. I have one in this application cycle and they took a gap year last year to round of their application and avoid this situation. They did research in the gap year (which is hard to find, we had connections). They have received three acceptances so far this cycle. If you can get published that’s probably best as so many kids are doing EMT and CNA type jobs.

This is a little doomsday and judgmental. Obviously, if you're not a full-time student who is working and studying for the MCAT, you have more time to focus on research and "rounding off" your app. Seems like admissions committee would be aware of this and not hold initial application against the applicant.

I didn’t make the rules I’m just telling you what the current advice is. Only applying to a few schools during the first cycle is risky.

[Anonymous]

Admissions are already rolling in across the country. We know one 2025 (doing 4+1 MPH)and one 2026 grad(senior now) who are already each into two med schools (one a T25) with more than 10 interviews each and many more decisions still pending. They both attend/ed a T10/ivy, both have over a 3.9 one has a 3.97, MCATs 519,521.

MCAT and gpa are key, OP. Your kid should have gotten better advice and not applied until they had scores within range for US MD programs, then applied to a balanced list of reach match safer bets. 40% of all US applicants get into one or more MD programs per AMCAS. AMCAS has overall charts on GPA range vs MCAT range and % of applicants who get at least one admission. Kid's T10/ivy gives them internal data based on their school: a 3.7 and 518 is all but guaranteed admission, at a school where 3.75ish is the overall student average. However these students apply to a broad list and do not apply until they have their best application to put forward.
Your kid needs to step back, reassess, do not apply again unless they have a 508+. Do a post-bacc or masters in a science program if the GPA is not considered competitive from their undergrad. Make sure they have research as well as clinical hours too. They may need 2 years. Ideally their advising at their school will give them specifics on what their odds are.

If their MCAT was under 495, it is highly unlikely to ever work, encourage a change of path. Just being honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

Depends on her weaknesses. Clinical related is always helpful. Reapplying applicants will have harder time next year. Why didn’t she just take a gap year to begin with. Hindsight is 20/20 I know.

Why will reapplying applicants have a harder time next year?

She can reapply obviously, but she needs to show "significant" changes from this cycle application. What makes it difficult is they know she got R'ed this cycle and if her application looks the same/similar, that's an easy reject. Each school has so many well qualified applicants, it makes it that much more difficult.

eh, this will only be true for the schools she's applied to this year. she'll apply more widely next cycle.

what about a post-bacc?

This isn’t true. Reapplicants have a lower admission (at all schools, not just the one they applied to) and they want to see significant improvements on the second application. That’s why it’s risky to throw out an application before the applicant is ready and the application is looking good and to not widely apply. I have one in this application cycle and they took a gap year last year to round of their application and avoid this situation. They did research in the gap year (which is hard to find, we had connections). They have received three acceptances so far this cycle. If you can get published that’s probably best as so many kids are doing EMT and CNA type jobs.

This is a little doomsday and judgmental. Obviously, if you're not a full-time student who is working and studying for the MCAT, you have more time to focus on research and "rounding off" your app. Seems like admissions committee would be aware of this and not hold initial application against the applicant.

I didn’t make the rules I’m just telling you what the current advice is. Only applying to a few schools during the first cycle is risky.

Agree, and not recommended at all by premed advising

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

what was the MCAT and what is the BCMP (stem) GPA? experience does not matter at all if they do not have these basics. The AMCAS application makes you list whether you are a reapplicant or not. Reapplicants are judged harsher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Admissions are already rolling in across the country. We know one 2025 (doing 4+1 MPH)and one 2026 grad(senior now) who are already each into two med schools (one a T25) with more than 10 interviews each and many more decisions still pending. They both attend/ed a T10/ivy, both have over a 3.9 one has a 3.97, MCATs 519,521.

MCAT and gpa are key, OP. Your kid should have gotten better advice and not applied until they had scores within range for US MD programs, then applied to a balanced list of reach match safer bets. 40% of all US applicants get into one or more MD programs per AMCAS. AMCAS has overall charts on GPA range vs MCAT range and % of applicants who get at least one admission. Kid's T10/ivy gives them internal data based on their school: a 3.7 and 518 is all but guaranteed admission, at a school where 3.75ish is the overall student average. However these students apply to a broad list and do not apply until they have their best application to put forward.
Your kid needs to step back, reassess, do not apply again unless they have a 508+. Do a post-bacc or masters in a science program if the GPA is not considered competitive from their undergrad. Make sure they have research as well as clinical hours too. They may need 2 years. Ideally their advising at their school will give them specifics on what their odds are.

If their MCAT was under 495, it is highly unlikely to ever work, encourage a change of path. Just being honest.

MCAT score was “within range,” as OP said it was median for schools applied to. I’m aware of someone with a score that is significantly over school average who was R’d from that school this cycle but in at another school with a higher average.

[Anonymous]

Enroll in either a post-bac (Pitt) or the SMP (Georgetown).

Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with poster who said there needs to be a significant change, unless they only applied to a very small number of schools and are a stellar candidate who was unlucky.

Better MCAT score if not standout always a plus.

Goal of gap year activity should be to get relevant experience *and* an additional letter of recommendation in which DC sparkles.

Admission committee will look favorably on this (esp as it's likely to be DC's full time gig and thus boss/letter writer may in fact be writing from a more informed view that others).

Depending on what that experience is, it could be the basis of a new and improved personal statement.

Disagree with doing an additional degree. “Why did you get X degree?” “So I could get into med school.” Bad idea, and expensive. (I also work at a med school and disagree with the other posters here. Totally makes no difference to me how well prepared you are in advance for anatomy class.) And DC doesn’t need a post bac. That’s for kids who haven’t completed all the med school prerequisites. Yours has.

Research opportunities – if DC is in DC area, NIH is normally a great avenue for 1-2 year jobs as research coordinator, lab tech etc. Not sure what’s that like now. Same for med schools/universities…lots of places with freezes except for funded projects and sometime even those have some pushback.

Best job – depends on DC. I think paramedic training takes at least a few months – program prob won’t want DC if they know DC is planning to leave after 1 year.

Also, not clear from OP post whether DC has been rejected everywhere they applied or only from top choice. If they do get in somewhere, go! Way better than pain of reapplying with higher bar next time.

Still has apps pending, but reading about students with 15-20 apps only getting a few interviews and no acceptances, for example. Applying narrowly doesn’t give one many opportunities. DC knows some
who’ve already received a few “R”s, with or without interviews.

15-20 is not enough

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

Depends on her weaknesses. Clinical related is always helpful. Reapplying applicants will have harder time next year. Why didn’t she just take a gap year to begin with. Hindsight is 20/20 I know.

Why will reapplying applicants have a harder time next year?

She can reapply obviously, but she needs to show "significant" changes from this cycle application. What makes it difficult is they know she got R'ed this cycle and if her application looks the same/similar, that's an easy reject. Each school has so many well qualified applicants, it makes it that much more difficult.

eh, this will only be true for the schools she's applied to this year. she'll apply more widely next cycle.

what about a post-bacc?

This isn’t true. Reapplicants have a lower admission (at all schools, not just the one they applied to) and they want to see significant improvements on the second application. That’s why it’s risky to throw out an application before the applicant is ready and the application is looking good and to not widely apply. I have one in this application cycle and they took a gap year last year to round of their application and avoid this situation. They did research in the gap year (which is hard to find, we had connections). They have received three acceptances so far this cycle. If you can get published that’s probably best as so many kids are doing EMT and CNA type jobs.

This is a little doomsday and judgmental. Obviously, if you're not a full-time student who is working and studying for the MCAT, you have more time to focus on research and "rounding off" your app. Seems like admissions committee would be aware of this and not hold initial application against the applicant.

Are you the Op?
I think you are in for a wild ride if so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enroll in either a post-bac (Pitt) or the SMP (Georgetown).

Good Luck!

A lot of people mentioned post-bac.

Isn't it mainly for humanities major folks? So that they could take required courses (stem requirement math/chem/bio).

What's the point of post-bac if you were already on premed track and just gap for a year?

What post-bac can offer that you can't do on your own?

[Anonymous]

A family member got a master’s during a gap and worked on bringing up her scores. She got in two years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enroll in either a post-bac (Pitt) or the SMP (Georgetown).

Good Luck!

A lot of people mentioned post-bac.

Isn't it mainly for humanities major folks? So that they could take required courses (stem requirement math/chem/bio).

What's the point of post-bac if you were already on premed track and just gap for a year?

What post-bac can offer that you can't do on your own?

If you have already taken the premed classes, there is no point in a post bacc and in fact, your kid isn’t eligible. A masters in a science may be a way for your kid to improve their science grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

Depends on her weaknesses. Clinical related is always helpful. Reapplying applicants will have harder time next year. Why didn’t she just take a gap year to begin with. Hindsight is 20/20 I know.

Why will reapplying applicants have a harder time next year?

She can reapply obviously, but she needs to show "significant" changes from this cycle application. What makes it difficult is they know she got R'ed this cycle and if her application looks the same/similar, that's an easy reject. Each school has so many well qualified applicants, it makes it that much more difficult.

eh, this will only be true for the schools she's applied to this year. she'll apply more widely next cycle.

what about a post-bacc?

This isn’t true. Reapplicants have a lower admission (at all schools, not just the one they applied to) and they want to see significant improvements on the second application. That’s why it’s risky to throw out an application before the applicant is ready and the application is looking good and to not widely apply. I have one in this application cycle and they took a gap year last year to round of their application and avoid this situation. They did research in the gap year (which is hard to find, we had connections). They have received three acceptances so far this cycle. If you can get published that’s probably best as so many kids are doing EMT and CNA type jobs.

This is a little doomsday and judgmental. Obviously, if you're not a full-time student who is working and studying for the MCAT, you have more time to focus on research and "rounding off" your app. Seems like admissions committee would be aware of this and not hold initial application against the applicant.

Are you the Op?
I think you are in for a wild ride if so.

Couldn't an app always be "better," though, with more time? More MCAT retakes, more research, more clinicals...heck, why not go ahead and get a PhD and THEN, and only then, apply?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

Depends on her weaknesses. Clinical related is always helpful. Reapplying applicants will have harder time next year. Why didn’t she just take a gap year to begin with. Hindsight is 20/20 I know.

Why will reapplying applicants have a harder time next year?

She can reapply obviously, but she needs to show "significant" changes from this cycle application. What makes it difficult is they know she got R'ed this cycle and if her application looks the same/similar, that's an easy reject. Each school has so many well qualified applicants, it makes it that much more difficult.

eh, this will only be true for the schools she's applied to this year. she'll apply more widely next cycle.

what about a post-bacc?

This isn’t true. Reapplicants have a lower admission (at all schools, not just the one they applied to) and they want to see significant improvements on the second application. That’s why it’s risky to throw out an application before the applicant is ready and the application is looking good and to not widely apply. I have one in this application cycle and they took a gap year last year to round of their application and avoid this situation. They did research in the gap year (which is hard to find, we had connections). They have received three acceptances so far this cycle. If you can get published that’s probably best as so many kids are doing EMT and CNA type jobs.

This is a little doomsday and judgmental. Obviously, if you're not a full-time student who is working and studying for the MCAT, you have more time to focus on research and "rounding off" your app. Seems like admissions committee would be aware of this and not hold initial application against the applicant.

Are you the Op?
I think you are in for a wild ride if so.

Couldn't an app always be "better," though, with more time? More MCAT retakes, more research, more clinicals...heck, why not go ahead and get a PhD and THEN, and only then, apply?

Well, op’s kid found out the hard way what happens when the app isn’t good enough. Current medical school admissions expectations require a year or two year gap to get a competitive application for most kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a student applying this cycle? Are they a senior, or did they do a gap year(s)? If a gap year, what are they doing in the gap? How is it going?

DC did not apply widely and was "R"'d from top choice. May be forced to do gap year and reassess. Trying to determine what most valuable experience would be in the interim. Paramedic? Research? Not sure about research opportunities if not actively a student.

Depends on her weaknesses. Clinical related is always helpful. Reapplying applicants will have harder time next year. Why didn’t she just take a gap year to begin with. Hindsight is 20/20 I know.

Why will reapplying applicants have a harder time next year?

She can reapply obviously, but she needs to show "significant" changes from this cycle application. What makes it difficult is they know she got R'ed this cycle and if her application looks the same/similar, that's an easy reject. Each school has so many well qualified applicants, it makes it that much more difficult.

eh, this will only be true for the schools she's applied to this year. she'll apply more widely next cycle.

what about a post-bacc?

This isn’t true. Reapplicants have a lower admission (at all schools, not just the one they applied to) and they want to see significant improvements on the second application. That’s why it’s risky to throw out an application before the applicant is ready and the application is looking good and to not widely apply. I have one in this application cycle and they took a gap year last year to round of their application and avoid this situation. They did research in the gap year (which is hard to find, we had connections). They have received three acceptances so far this cycle. If you can get published that’s probably best as so many kids are doing EMT and CNA type jobs.

This is a little doomsday and judgmental. Obviously, if you're not a full-time student who is working and studying for the MCAT, you have more time to focus on research and "rounding off" your app. Seems like admissions committee would be aware of this and not hold initial application against the applicant.

Are you the Op?
I think you are in for a wild ride if so.

Couldn't an app always be "better," though, with more time? More MCAT retakes, more research, more clinicals...heck, why not go ahead and get a PhD and THEN, and only then, apply?

Not really. There is no superscoring, so every MCAT score is listed. And too much research or too much time away is often seen as not being dedicated to being an MD, but instead a researcher. There is definitely a limit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Enroll in either a post-bac (Pitt) or the SMP (Georgetown).

Good Luck!

A lot of people mentioned post-bac.

Isn't it mainly for humanities major folks? So that they could take required courses (stem requirement math/chem/bio).

What's the point of post-bac if you were already on premed track and just gap for a year?

What post-bac can offer that you can't do on your own?

If you have already taken the premed classes, there is no point in a post bacc and in fact, your kid isn’t eligible. A masters in a science may be a way for your kid to improve their science grades.

This is not universally true - there are plenty of schools that offer "record enhancer" or "academic enhancer" post-bacs even if you have already completed most or all of the requirements. Some come with a masters and some with a grad certificate but not a masters. GW is one example:

"GW SMHS also has post-bacc academic enhancer programs for students who have completed the pre-medical prerequisites but want to increase their science GPA. The Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology offers two programs at the graduate level: a one-year Graduate Certificate in Anatomical and Translational Sciences (GCATS) and a two-year Master of Science in Anatomical and Translational Sciences (M-ATS)."

https://prehealth.gwu.edu/post-baccalaureate-programs