Should I Submit My Med School App WITHOUT a Committee Letter?

Session 178

Let’s chat with Andy, who is applying now and getting verified. Should he stagger his primary apps so that his secondaries don’t come all at once?

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[00:21] Question of the Day

“I’m currently in a situation where I’m deciding whether or not to submit my committee letter. A little bit of background about me, I’m a first-generation college student. I just graduated with my bachelor of science in biology and a minor in health.

Throughout the year, I consider myself to be pretty involved here and there, such as being in the marching band with 11 years of experience. I’m part of a couple of premed organizations and I volunteered. I’m currently a chief medical scribe in dermatology for the past two years.

I’m currently applying to medical schools. I took my MCAT, took my Casper exam, primary application, and all that. I was just waiting on my committee letter. But I got the score that they gave me on Thursday, and they recommended me with reservations. What’s the best way to approach this?

They gave me feedback and told me I had good experiences and supportive letters. The support letters are from two dermatologists and two of my professors, who are science professors. They told me they recommend uncovering the S grades as I had a couple during the pandemic. I scored low on organic chemistry. It’s very common for premeds to score it that way. My overall GPA is 3.61 and science GPA is 3.52. MCAT is 506.

They said the recent academic performance was a concern. In my last semester of college, I got a C in organic chemistry II and a B in neuroscience. They also told me my personal statement needs some significant proofreading for grammar and to avoid storytelling.”

[03:29] Your Stats are Good Enough!

From a GPA perspective, your GPA is good. It’s not stellar, and it doesn’t have to be. Your grades and your MCAT score are probably good enough. In the light that medical schools are going to look at you in.

“We continue to push this narrative, especially from advisors, that you have to be a perfect student to get into medical school. You do not.”Click To Tweet

I’m assuming you’re an underrepresented student applying to medical school and medical schools are going to look at you in that light.

You’ve played the cards that you’re dealt, and your grades are good. Your MCAT score, on average, is better than other underrepresented students applying to medical school. And it’s good enough.

[04:35] On Your Personal Statement

I haven’t seen your personal statement and maybe it does need someone to look at it for grammar.

In terms of the storytelling aspect, obviously, I love stories in a personal statement. Not everyone agrees with me. You may have gone too overboard with your stories. And I may not even like your personal statement, because it’s too storytelling. Again, without seeing it. I can’t really give you that advice.

[05:23] Should You Submit the Committee Letter?

If you can just submit all the individual letters, and not use your committee letter. Also, be thankful they told you.

Disconnect from your committee at this point and just submit all of the individual letters. If you have to go to your individual letter writers to do that, then I would probably try to do that if you can.

“Getting a C in your final semester is not the end of the world. One grade does not dictate whether or not you're going to be a great medical student.”Click To Tweet