<p>nyumom and iwbb have it right IMO. First acceptance, then start culling.</p>
<p>Mcat2: May i ask you the med school your don goes to is in CA? We live in CA, and my S is a pre-med junior in an OOS LAC. Just wondering, sending him to UG in OOS helps him getting in a Med school in CA? </p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-I717D using Tapatalk 2</p>
<p>collegeguy562,</p>
<p>No, DS does not go to a med school in California. He’s on the other coast for both college and med school.</p>
<p>I think there were 2 CCers who went to OOS colleges (Duke and an Ivy) in the past. Both seem to have attended a non-Californian med school in the end. I do not know the reason though.</p>
<p>I calculated numbers a few months ago and came up with only 40-45% of all California residents attending in state med schools and the rest are going OOS. There are just not enough medical seats in California for all the qualified residents who make it to medical school.</p>
<p>One of the CCers whose home state is CA had been interviewing at quite a many top 10 and top 20 med schools but got so frustrated with the lack of responses from Ca med schools that he posted that it is only after he had begged and begged, exactly one of the mid-tier Ca public med schools threw him some bones (giving him an II.) He was very open about his stats at that time and his college is also very open about the stats of all non-minority med school applicants. If I remember it correctly, according to a GPA-MCAT grid published by his alma mater, he was among the top one or 2 dozens of the applicants from his whole school that year.</p>
<p>DS also knew of a CA applicant with 3.95/40 from a top 5 college who got into exactly one med school in CA very late in the application cycle.</p>
<p>If the stats were never their problems, and both of them added another research year in their gap year, the only “sin” they might have inherited (literally) is their parents had no choice but live in California.</p>
<p>I really feel for those non-hooked California applicants.</p>
<p>This is the GPA-MCAT acceptance rate grid chart I was referring to. He (that CA resident, not DS) was not applying in 2010, but if he were, he belongs to the top leftmost corner group of 14 applicants in the chart (his MCAT is actually much higher than 35 - and the majority of CA med schools did not roll the carpet for him):</p>
<p><a href=“Medical and Health Careers | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University”>Medical and Health Careers | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University;
<p>Assuming that he applied in the 2008 cycle:</p>
<p><a href=“Medical and Health Careers | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University”>Medical and Health Careers | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University;
<p>iI really feel for those non-hooked California applicants."</p>
<p>Many of them apply to midwest privates…SLU, Creighton, Loyola Chicago, etc.</p>
<p>Also to western and midwest publics—Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, OSU, Michigan.</p>
<p>CA students made up almost 1/3 of CU’s incoming class last year.</p>
<p>I was away for a bit, enjoying the start of college football season. I am not completely caught up with the thread yet, but it looks like there have been some more interview invitations. Congratulations to TatinG’s daughter and plumazul! </p>
<p>My son got another interview invitation (Pitt) and should be complete at most, if not all, of his schools. At this point, his application is probably at the bottom of the pile at most schools. The real wait begins now…</p>
<p>Ugh…my son’s friend who applied this cycle to about 8 MD schools just got scores back (she ignored our pleas to test earlier) and her scores just aren’t MD-ready. So, now she’s applying to DO schools. </p>
<p>Her scores were such a disappointment. After she tested, she felt that she had done well, so this was a surprise. She and her parents were at my son’s White Coat and they were so excited that she might go to the same med school next year (she went there for undergrad), but with her current scores, that’s very unlikely. :(</p>
<p>Now everyone is on the learning curve about the DO app process. All I know is that they seem to be more expensive…lol…and they don’t use AMCAS, they use their own system. </p>
<p>Maybe she should just blow off this year, do the Kaplan MCAT prep class, retest, and apply next cycle?</p>
<p>there is a new DO school in alabama… but all DO schools are private i think so high tuition. i know someone who just got admitted with a 24 mcat</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This, except for the Kaplan class. I’m still not convinced of the value of this expensive hand-holding. She should reset, reaccess and do it right next year.</p>
<p>D. liked that she took Kaplan. But she handed all her MCAT books to the next person and he did just fine without taking class and passed all of materials to the next guy.</p>
<p>expensive hand holding is a good description for a kaplan class - but whether or not it has value depends on the person (i.e. their study habits, neuroses, and financial situation). But if you have the money for it, tutoring (doesn’t have to be kaplan) will be much better than a class - especially if the student thinks they are doing better than they are.</p>
<p>I took a Princeton review class because I thought I needed it to carve out the time and make sure I got the work done. However, my score is reflective of my personal work ethic that came after the class. Knowing what I know now, I think a class is over priced and not neccessary to do well. And others told me this as well, but I had to experience it for myself.</p>
<p>On the subject of the MCAT, I was very surprised today to find a link to a U.S. News article on my Twitter feed that very closely laid out the “system” I used to prepare for the exam. I took a lot of flak from adherents to the “common wisdom” when I posted my preparation plans. But because of my personal results and the apparent agreement by “experts”, I now feel totally and completely vindicated. :D</p>
<p>[3</a> Ways to Prepare for the MCAT as a Premed Student - Medical School Admissions Doctor (usnews.com)](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/2013/09/03/3-ways-to-prepare-for-the-mcat-as-a-premed-student]3”>http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/medical-school-admissions-doctor/2013/09/03/3-ways-to-prepare-for-the-mcat-as-a-premed-student)</p>
<p>From what I’ve gleaned. It appears the best way is whatever works for an individual. </p>
<p>If tutoring/taking a class or self studying floats one’s boat then so be it. </p>
<p>One can share what works best for them, but it may not necessarily work for someone else. </p>
<p>Good luck to all!</p>
<p>My Input based on D’s experience (in everything, not just MCAT prep.) - YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR OWN WAY, personal way in every decision / plan that you make for yourself. D. has always put her own way in front of every expert’s that she has ever took advice from in her life. It has been working well. Everybody is very different, respect yourself before you listen to others and you will succeed. This is also my life story, and I am very ancent person.</p>
<p>*Quote:</p>
<h1>Maybe she should just blow off this year, do the Kaplan MCAT prep class, retest, and apply next cycle?</h1>
<p>This, except for the Kaplan class. I’m still not convinced of the value of this expensive hand-holding. She should reset, reaccess and do it right next year.*</p>
<p>Yes, I can see what you mean. She’s a smart girl, and REALLY wants to do primary care (pediatrics). I’m guessing that she knows her sciences, but maybe she needs help with problem-solving and critical thinking?? If so, then maybe that’s where Kaplan can help?</p>
<p>
DS was just the opposite. He thought he had not done well in one section on his MCAT test. But it turns out he did the best on that section among the 3 sections. But he is always the “glass is half empty” kind of guy.</p>
<p>DS did Kaplan as well. It was just because the didtance to their center is the shortest. He wrote his own notes while he went through the course, I think.</p>