GPA: 4.575 (W), 3.950 (UW) at the time of application
Class Rank: school does not rank, class size: 313
ACT: 26 (was required to report for BS/MD, otherwise did not report most places)
SAT: 1410
Test-optional: all BS/MDs required testing, submitted scores to most UG
AP’s (no scores submitted)
At time of application: AP BC Calculus, AP Physics C (both), AP Physics 1, AP Psychology, AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science A, AP US History, AP English Language & Composition, AP Statistics, AP US Government and Politics
Taken senior year: AP English Literature & Composition, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP European History
College Classes (transcripts submitted)
At time of application: Animal Biology, Genetics, Genomics & Bioinformatics, Data Structures
Taken senior year: Cell Biology, Introduction to Sociology, Modern World History, Macroeconomics
Teacher/Counselor Letters of Recommendation: Didn’t read, however, should be great because I was very specific in my “ask” email and they most likely copy-pasted.
State: WI
Sex: M
Ethnicity: ORM (Asian)
Income: >200k
Hooks: None, unless being LGBTQ+ counts (I don’t think it does?)
Awards:
- Presidential Volunteer Gold Service Award
- HOSA, Future Health Professionals Competition: EMT Category: 2nd in State & Internationals Qualifier
- Reverse Pitch High School Edition: 3rd, pitched a way to increase healthcare access for patients
- WI Youth Entrepreneurs in Science Contest: selected to Diligent Dozen (state-wide)
- Semifinalist at the Conrad Challenge, a virtual innovation summit for non-renewable energy solutions
Major ECs
- Statewide Council for LGBTQ+ Activism (was newly elected at time of application)
- Founding President of school’s GSA (Genders and Sexualities Alliance)
- 1 Computer Development internship (service-based)
- 1 Electrical Engineering internship (paid)
Community Service:
- Hospital NICU: 40+ hours
- Key Club: 250+ hours
- Nonprofit I was a leader of: 250+ hours
Medically related activities:
- 2 internships at Medical College of Wisconsin - different labs, no publications
- Leadership of national non-profit (that provided online shadowing) with over 55,000 members
- Summer program for medical shadowing: 70+ hours
Mentoring/Teaching: nothing officially.
Interviewing Ability: Excellent.
Applied to following BS/MD Programs:
- Baylor-Baylor - rejected pre-interview (accepted undergrad with scholarships)
- Oklahoma University - rejected pre-interview (accepted undergrad with scholarships)
- Virginia Commonwealth University - rejected pre-interview (accepted undergrad with scholarships)
- Rice-Baylor - rejected pre-interview (waitlisted undergrad)
- Boston University SMED - rejected pre-interview (rejected undergrad)
- Siena College - rejected pre-interview (accepted undergrad with scholarships)
- Augusta-MCG - rejected pre-interview (accepted undergrad with out-of-state waiver)
- Stevens Institute of Tech-NJMS - rejected pre-interview (accepted undergrad with scholarships)
- University of Cincinnati - interviewed (MMI) - ACCEPTED (with partial undergrad scholarships)
Applied to the following undergraduates:
- Tulane University - Cell & Molecular Biology - ACCEPTED (with partial undergrad scholarships, rejected Paul Tulane full-tuition)
- University of Louisville - Computer Engineering - interviewed for multiple full rides and guaranteed dental program - ACCEPTED (as a full ride+ Brown Fellow and BS/DMD Program)
- Washington and Lee - Computer Science - interviewed for full ride (the Johnson) - ACCEPTED (as a Johnson full ride+ recipient)
- University of Houston - Computer Science - interviewed for full ride - ACCEPTED (as a Tier One full ride recipient)
- Marquette University - Biomedical Sciences - interviewed for full-tuition scholarship and guaranteed dental program - ACCEPTED (as a full-tuition Burke Scholar and BS/DDS Program)
- UNC at Charlotte - Computer Science - ACCEPTED (no interview for Levine Scholars full ride)
- UT Austin - rejected
- Duke - rejected
- UW Madison - ACCEPTED
- NYU - waitlisted
- Rollins College - Computer Science + premed - interviewed for full ride - ACCEPTED (rejected full ride - Alfond)
- Carthage College - Computer Science + premed - interviewed for scholarships - ACCEPTED (rejected majority of scholarships)
- U of Mississippi - Computer Engineering - ACCEPTED (with automatic full tuition scholarship, no interview for Stamps Scholars full ride)
- IU - Bloomington - Computer Science - ACCEPTED (with partial scholarship, no interview for Wells Scholars full ride)
DECISION: University of Cincinnati Connections (BS/MD) Program
Scholarship: Multiple, around half-tuition undergrad
Reflection:
Loved it! This was an awesome time for me. I started my application in the January of my junior year so I was way ahead of the curve. I was able to write most essays well ahead of time and lost zero sleep because of procrastination - may have lost some to the anxiety though. I hated the waiting. Everything else was great. I also wouldn’t let lower stats deter you, most people on CC and otherwise will tell you not to go for it, but I did and look where I am!
Going into the cycle, I had two individual goals - win a full ride to college OR get into a BS/MD program. Fortunately, I met both of those goals - alas, not at the same university.
Initially, I thought I was going to be a physician 100%. Then that absolute faith dwindled so I also applied to dental programs (after shadowing some really happy dentists). I ended up getting the only BS/MD I got the interview for, both the BS/DDS programs I applied to and interviewed for, and multiple full rides to study Computer Science + Biology + premed at great universities and in great programs. When it came down to it and I had to choose, I decided medicine was my path and I wasn’t going to let impostor syndrome win. I feel incredibly blessed to have gotten all of these acceptances!
Giving up full rides is tough, but the guaranteed medical school is worth it. It’s extraordinarily tough to get in nowadays without taking gap years, especially as an ORM male.
I’ve said this before - but, you’ll constantly read on here and other websites that “all you need is one acceptance.” I’m here to tell you that its true. Believe in yourself.
Somethings I learned:
- Getting flown out for full ride interviews is incredible. The people you will meet are lifelong friends - honestly, despite where everyone ends up. Apply to full rides for the networking if nothing else.
- Cincy is truly holistic. They consider all of the parts. I wouldn’t have gotten in without that. My interview went awesome! They also consider how much prep you did for the standardized testing (between each administration). You have to report all scores.
- Cincy: The program focuses on humanistic development (my interest), has a pretty okay MCAT cutoff (507) and GPA cutoff (3.5). It is not accelerated. You can also apply out to other medical schools without losing your seat. Also, completely crazy perk I had no idea about, Cincy’s a great medical school (it was the 3rd highest ranked school that I applied to) and the BS/MD is pretty phenomenal too.
- Cincy BS/MD interview: it’s literally conducted by the College of Medicine just like any MD interview would be. There are 9 MMI sessions. It was online. Most of the raters do not give hints as to how your answer was. You cannot write things down. Scenarios can be difficult. There’s definitely gonna be a “why physician?” in there. I’d prepare with mock questions, focus on personal stuff always, try to relate back to your own life and experiences, and give extremely thorough answers. There’s apparently a strong in-state preference, but hey, I’m OOS.
I was told CC was incredibly toxic, so I didn’t even go on here until I had turned in all of my applications. However, that turned out not to be the case - the community is mostly supportive. Join and post if you want! People are mostly nice.
Thank you very much!!! Good luck to everyone who applies in the future and congratulations to everyone who was accepted!