My applications are complete, and now I’m biting my nails. But I have 5 months to go, minimum! Compared to my competition, I would guess I have fantastic “soft” qualifications: PS, personal history. GPA is a different story. MCAT was middling, at 29.
How do you handle the wait? The right school could look at me and see a physician – or absolutely no one might call. I’ve exhausted my financial resources to apply this year (even with an AMCAS waiver). I have a great job in virology–but I have no backup plan. I want nothing else other than medicine. I have never been so vulnerable. How do you handle the wait? Unless I get a good mindset, the ulcers are lying in wait.
Aside from the rejection letters, the waiting is the hardest part of this whole process. It will make you crazy. You will be checking your emails constantly, will mug your mailman for any mail he has, will be checking your voice mail over and over, etc… It will drive you crazy. I would love to be able to give you some words of wisdom on how to handle things, but I never figured out how to do it without going crazy. The best thing to hope for is an early acceptance.
Good luck
Hang in there! Everyone can relate to how you feel on some level. And that 29 MCAT is NOT “middling” 
– I got the same score. Of course if you got like 2BS, 4PS, and 13Verbal, there may be a problem… 
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Aside from the rejection letters, the waiting is the hardest part of this whole process. It will make you crazy. You will be checking your emails constantly, will mug your mailman for any mail he has, will be checking your voice mail over and over, etc… It will drive you crazy.
I am handling it in the same way I handle all waiting and rejection, which is to resort to a completely disgraceful, paranoid manner of sulking that brings shame on everyone who associates with me. Oh and so much for my productivity at work. So don’t reject me, anyone!
I’m right there with: deeply depressed one day (I must have a mental condition to think that anyone with my grades can get in, I should see a shrink right now) and elated the next (Baylor should be so lucky to get me). Today’s a day I think I was crazy to apply.
Hi there,
The way to handle the waiting period is to work on your Plan B. The more elaborate your Plan B, the better your chances of getting into medical school. It just seems to work out that way.
There are year-to-year differences between applicants so comparing yourself to other applicants is pretty useless. You fill out your application and you put your best foot forward. You can’t make any predictions as to what is in the “mind” of people on an admissions committee. Resist the urge to make yourself crazy with how you believe you measure up because you are speculating about something that you can’t do anything about.
Develop and execute your Plan B. Make solid plans as if you are not going to be accepted by a medical school. What are you going to do? Are you going to re-apply if not accepted? If so, then you need to have a definitive plan as to how you are going to upgrade your application. If not, are you looking into allied health professions like nursing or PA? If so, then start getting information for these professions.
During the year that I applied, I put together all of my fall and winter lectures for the next year. It turned out that I didn’t give any of these but it kept me away from the mailbox and it kept me from going crazy.
Good luck!
Natalie
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I am handling it in the same way I handle all waiting and rejection, which is to resort to a completely disgraceful, paranoid manner of sulking that brings shame on everyone who associates with me. Oh and so much for my productivity at work. So don’t reject me, anyone!
Pushkin: I just found an old disk I used while writing my application essays… One document (which I had forgotten about) features my ranting and raving about the whole process…cuss words and all.
For me, the waiting was harder than the rejection letters. KNOWING is easier than not! Anyway, I agree with Natalie, keep yourself busy with things and you won’t be assaulting the poor mailman as he comes by everyday!!
Kathy
Thank you so much for your advice. The idea of getting the plan b together, keeping myself busy sounds good.
I really appreciate yourthoughts. If you have any more, keep them coming. -Barb