Those of you with more than 1 interview invites

[ijustwantanmd]

How did you do it? I realize it's ECs but like what ECs do you have? 

This is my first yr applying so I'm just looking for an idea of why my app flopped

[aloeplant]

You have to be different from the other 5000 applicants. If you're not, then you have to be better (more hours, higher gpa, mcat) than them.

[whatdoido]

Share your app with us and we can give insight.

For reference, I got 5/5 Ontario interviews this cycle (first time applying), which I'm shocked about, but here are my stats:

4.0 cGPA, 524 MCAT (131 CARS). ECs are honestly very lacklustre- other than research, I started most of them late my 3rd year, but I had a couple of things that were unique. I had executive positions at student clubs, typical premed things (hospital, nursing home), helping out in my community, working with vulnerable populations and kids, tutoring, etc. I think the way you write about them is what matters most.

[MedicineLCS]

Luck, luck, luck, and did I say luck? The process is subjective, someone likes your ECs=higher scores. The school I thought would be the most likely to interview me rejected me. Instead I'm sitting on interviews to schools at the bottom of the "I think they'll give me an invite" list. Apply everywhere, let the process sort itself out. ⁰0

Beyond that, as someone in this situation, I think the key comes down to a few things:

1. Widely competitive stats. I'm talking a very solid MCAT with a great CARS score+a great GPA combined with coursework that meets weighting rules. This let's you apply to more schools. This is the first and most important part. 

2. Great CASPer results. Which is subjective. 

3. IP advantage is a real boost if you have it. 

4. Broad ECs that check a lot of boxes in terms of physician competencies, show who you are (unique), and show your interests. I'd like to think my ABS paints a sketch of me that doesn't say "premed wannabe who volunteered in a hospital, did a little research, and spent the odd weekend on something". Instead, it says I'm interested in X, dabble in Y, work in Z, and all of these are relevant some way. As such, I'm never posting my ABS details. 

But I'll be the first to acknowledge that it's very subjective and there is luck, divine intervention, whatever you want, at play when it comes to the evaluation. In the end, I see people with better stats, and at least from my POV, better ECs getting rejected, and all I can think is I'm exceptionally blessed and so are all the others who fall into the same group with invites. Also, not wanting to try my luck again makes me a highly motivated interview prepper.

Luck changes, try again next year, hope the winds blow in your favour, and (hopefully) some of us will sign off on each others work some day. 

 

Alternatively, it's the internet. Everyone is exaggerating. I do think that this forum makes the process seem more competitive by only showcasing a subset of the "525/4.0, Olympian, Nature published" high flyer types who are out there. There's way more if us who have solid, but not "wow" stats and competitive ECs who can fill out classes. That's what motivates me to post, I want to tell all the 4th years that you dont need to be 25+, apply 30+ times, and have amazing ECs and stats to get invites. I've seen far to many quarter life crises in classmates who feel like they're competing against super humans and give up their med dream. 

[takasugi]

I got 4/5 interviews this year whereas last year I only got 1/4.

 

I think it's kind of luck. For example, the UofT questions this year we're way better suited for me and easier for me compared to last year's questions. 

[wattsthematta44]

It's not just ECs, it's everything. GPA, MCAT, ECs, CASPer,  your sketch/ABS/supplemental documents etc. If you have great ECs, you need to be able to effectively talk about them and showcase them in your sketch/supplemental documents, make sure it's well written, structured well etc. If you don't have perfect stats, you need to make sure every other component of your application is excellent! Also don't underestimate CASPer