Self-Assessment Guide: A Good Tool For Unsuccesful Applicants To Utilize

It is a fact, unfortunately, that over half of the nation's medical school applicants do not get accepted, meaning most students fail to matriculate into any of their medical school choices when they first apply.

More specifically, American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) statistics show that just under 42% of applicants in 2013 matriculated into medical school. The reality is there's a ton of great applicants for which schools simply don't have open seats.

At MSU in particular, we receive thousands of applications annually from students who have put in a great deal of time and effort to prepare their medical school applications. We understand how one can feel taxed after not receiving an acceptance.

If the MSU College of Human Medicine (CHM) was one of those choices that you were unsuccessful with and you have not been admitted to any of your additional choices, there are steps you can take to become a more competitive applicant should you intend to reapply to CHM in the future.

Steps to improve your application for the following cycle can only begin once a review of your profile has taken place. Awareness of where your application may have been weak is key to knowing how to correct your deficiencies going forward.

For that reason, any unsuccessful applicant who applied to CHM can use this Self-Assessment Guide, which will help you assess where you have room for improvement. One of our admissions advisors will review and respond with comments.

An honest assessment of your application can identify areas to strengthen.
Some common problem areas for unsuccessful applicants are:
  • Inadequate GPA and/or MCAT scores
  • Limited Experiences and Achievements
  • Issues with Prerequisites
  • Poor Essays
Please note that anyone who intends to reapply to the college in the future must complete and submit the Self-Assessment Guide. From there, our admissions advisors are available* to meet with unsuccessful applicants for a self-assessment appointment.

Appointments can be held in person, by phone, or even Skype. However, advising appointments are exclusive to unsuccessful applicants who:
  • have completed and submitted their Self-Assessment Guide
  • have been rejected from all other schools, and
  • have not yet submitted the AMCAS application for the next application cycle
Once all of the above criteria are met, submit your completed Self-Assessment Guide to us by fax at 517. 432.0021 or by mail:

Michigan State University
College of Human Medicine
Office of Admissions
804 Service Rd., Room A112
East Lansing, MI  48824-1317

After submitting your Self-Assessment Guide, go to our Advising Appointment form and complete the form. One of our advisors will contact you by email to set up an appointment.

To be a successful reapplicant, analyzing your profile will help you determine which factors might have contributed to your non-acceptance.

If you're convinced medical school is still the path for you to take, a little perseverance can go a long way. For those that are willing, that still can mean medical school.

*Decisions made by the Committee on Admissions are not subject to appeal or revision. Therefore, representatives of the Office of Admissions will not discuss your application with you once a final decision has been made. So while we cannot go over any specifics regarding why your application was not accepted, advisors are happy to help identify areas you can strengthen.

For more daily tips and insight, follow the MSU College of Human Medicine Office of Admissions on Facebook and Twitter.

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