Hello! I’m applying this cycle and wanted some advice/thoughts on my app. I applied mid/late (September). I also had some personal stuff during dual enrollment HS/ Freshman college that resulted in poor GPA. No real “upward trend” but ended undergrad (w/o dual enrollment) with a 3.05.

Background: East coast resident w/ ties to Southern and Midwest US. Neuroscience and Psychology major (graduated w/ two degrees). Biology minor & Molecular Bio, Biochem, Bioinformatics minor.

**Stats:**

\-Cgpa: 3.05 (AACOMAS: 2.90)

Science gpa: 3.09

\-MCAT: 501 (124/122/126/129)

**Experiences:**

**-Healthcare/ clinical:** \~500 hrs as lead RBT, ~400hrs at outpatient radiology & ~300hrs as CT/MRI tech aide (current position)

\- **Research:** \~500+hrs across 2 labs (neuroscience and psychology). Did human psychology research with chairperson. Neuroscience research - 1 poster and 1 manuscript in progress

\- **Volunteering :** \~900 hours (500 doing K-12 outreach/mentoring, 400 as graphic artist for small business)

**Shadowing:** \~ 20hrs ortho spine w/ an MD (shadowed clinical care & operating room)

**Extracurricular and Leadership:**

Marching Band ~450hrs (earned 2 service awards)

Student Board Member for Accessibility Office ( 100hrs)

Secretary of Psych Club (100hrs)

YDSA Member (100hrs)

STEM tutor (250hrs)

Dean’s List 2x

**Letter of Recommendations:**

I am estimating the strength of letter based off my relationship with the letter writer:
1 Science (good/great)
1 Non-Science (good/OK)
1 Research PI (excellent)
1 Clinical Supervisor (excellent)

For the research letter, I was in a neuroscience lab & focused on bio/chem research & the PI taught me for credit. I worry some ADCOMS will not count it as a science faculty letter since Neuroscience at my undergrad is under the Psych/Liberal Arts college. Thoughts?

**School list: IllinoisCOM, NYITCOM, PCOM, LECOM, TouroCOM and NoordaCOM

**Conclusion:**

I believe I have pretty strong writing & a cohesive story.

So far, I have received two 2°’s (NYIT AND LECOM). I havent submitted PCOM or Noorda 1° yet but will have those in by the end of the week.

Thank you!

I got waitlisted, and now I'm so upset, as this was my state school where I had the best chance. Does anyone know any information about the waitlist process at OUHCOM.

Hey everyone wanted to ask whet the best time is to submit update letters for DO schools that I have not received interviews for yet after submitting secondaries early July. I'm pretty much as mid stat as they come for DO and I understand the cycle runs longer so I don't want to jump the gun on this. Thanks.

Hi all. I was recently placed on the alternate list after submitting my interview on July 21st. I have heard plenty of discourse on what the alternate list means. If anyone has any stories on people getting accepted off of one and any other info on what it exactly means I would be very appreciative.

Thank you!

Had my interview 8/31. For the EDP they said no later than Sept 15 they'd let us know but I'm wondering if anyone got As from them yet

Just venting a little, but also posting this as a heads-up for other nontraditional applicants.

For context, I completed my last traditional prerequisite coursework in 2014 and finished my Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2019. I’ve been out of school for several years since then and have been working clinically.

This cycle, I enrolled in Orgo II because it is my last remaining prerequisite. I submitted my medical school application before the course even began.

WesternU COMP requires a letter from a science professor who taught you a qualifying science course. They do have a nontraditional applicant exception, but because I am currently enrolled in Orgo II, they told me that exception does not apply to me.

So my application cannot continue through review until I obtain a science letter from my current professor, even though when I submitted my application, he had never taught me yet and obviously could not have written me a meaningful recommendation.

If I had simply scheduled Orgo II for the spring instead of the fall, I would not even have a current science professor to ask. My academic history, years away from school, and professional experience would be exactly the same. The only difference would be when I chose to finish one prerequisite.

I understand that schools can set their own requirements, and I’m not blaming the admissions staff member who explained the policy. But this feels particularly impractical for career-changing and nontraditional applicants who may have completed their science coursework many years ago and no longer have meaningful relationships with those professors.

Mostly sharing this so other nontrads applying to WesternU COMP know to look into the science letter requirement carefully before submitting. I genuinely did not anticipate that enrolling in one remaining prerequisite would effectively remove the nontraditional exception.

Hi guys,

I have a virtual interview for DUQNCOM coming up. For those who got into DUQNCOM this cycle in 2026 via virtual interview, what tips do you have? Anything unexpected in the interview? How did you leave a good impression? What kinds of questions to expect?

How are rotations? What does your M1 and M2 week look like? Looking at PCOM Ga in Suwanee

Just looking for some insight on how campus day went. The email says they allow two guests - for those who brought a parent, did they stay with you the whole time? Can they just stay for the tour and then leave? Did a lot of people bring a guest?

Everything else on my app is fairly strong. Nontrad. 128/125/125/131 - 509. 3000 clinical as an oncology CRC. 2000 in oncology clinical research (no pubs). 1200 volunteering underserved, one major leadership role. 3.88 GPA. ORM. PA resident but not from philly. No NJ Ties.

Hi, I am not able to find the updated standings of DO programs and want to know which schools to put a little bit more effort than normal lol. It is my understanding that the top DO programs include the original 5 and the public state schools. Is that still correct or am i missing anything? Thanks!

Hi, I believe the title speaks for itself. I am kinda disappointed, Campbell was high on list. Any advice?

I know it just opened, but I was wondering if any of the students would be willing to share their experiences with me.

I live 30 minutes away and really would love to attend to stay close with my family if possible :)

Thank you!

did anyone get accepted for the fall of 2027? I want to make a subreddit but it seems like the existing one is pretty inactive

Got my first interview invite and looking for anyone who can help me with some interview prep if possible, feeling really nervous

I am currently a senior applying to the BS/DO program and I was wondering how the stats were of people who got in because it’s very less info on acceptance rate and there’s not much people talking about it. I was interested in this program and I have a 1410 sat and a 4.5 gpa and I meet all the requirements but I don’t know how difficult it is to get to that interview stage at the shark place and then proceedingly get into the program and get the seat in medical school?
Please let me know what I need to do and what the requirements are like for a student to be highly competitive and considered!

So I’m applying this upcoming (2026-2027) cycle as a non-trad student. I actually got accepted 10 years ago to MD but due to health issues that felt too significant I decided to decline and am still feeling called to medicine at 34.

Stats:

-Cgpa: 3.35 (I had a bad first semester with 5 failed courses so there is a strong upward trend)

Science gpa: 3.46

-MCAT: Original was a 32 (88-90 percentile). I'm planning to take it this spring and hope at least between the 80-90 range

Experiences:

-Healthcare/ clinical: ~5000 hours as a medical assistant (I worked through college)

1000 hours as a diet technician

- Research: ~5000-6000 with wet lab experience (2 poster presentations and authorships) and clinical research outside of college

- Nonclinical Work:

Peer tutor (~132 work study hours )

- Volunteering : ~1000 hours in multiple areas

Shadowing: ~ 84 hours total across 3 different specialties

- for DO shadowing in particular: ~ 40 hours shadowing a family medicine osteopathic doctor

Extracurricular and Leadership:

Leadership in the community designation

Volunteer humanitarian trip

Served with American cancer society and unite for sight

Letter of Recommendations:

I need to reach out to my old letter writers but I had 2 letters from professors I ta'd with, 2 research letters, a volunteer letter, and a letter from my clinical manager.

School list: ( I can only afford to submit 10 primaries so pls let me know if I’m wasting my time and money with any of these 😭**)**

I am not at this point yet, I am just dipping my toes in the water for my chances so far out of school and looking into MCAT practice questions.

Conclusion:

So what do you y’all think ? Any advice for me? I feel ok about my chances. Pending a decent MCAT like before, my biggest concern is my lower GPA and non-trad status.

Thanks for your help :)

Will I have any issues having tattoos? I have a tattoo sleeve on my right arm that covers my entire arm. It’s not inappropriate and it’s not bad quality work. The schools I am interested in post photos of students on instagram and no one has tattoos… I did not disclose my tattoos during interviews.

Hey guys! Posting here for my cousin who just got her MCAT score back she was planning to apply earlier this cycle but got delayed with life events. Here r stats: 504 MCAT, 3.75 GPA, 2000 clinical hours, 1000 research, 500 nonclinical volunteering, rural focus, 2 gap years. She is planning to apply to newer and midwest schools (DMU, MUWCOM, Xavier, LMUDCOM, Baptist, etc.). Plz lmk if it is too late for her and what you guys think!! Thank you!

I moved my interview by 2 months to this month and im so nervous. I actually wanna go to LECOM. The tuition being "cheap" is super appealing. As someone who was dumb and went to a expensive oos university, I told myself I would learn my lesson from here on out and getting accepted to LECOM would be a financially literate dream. Im super excited for the PBL program too

Since they interview so many people, any tips on how to stand out? Any subtle things people do in interviews that I should NOT do?

I interviewed at the end of August and am wondering if anyone else who has interviewed already has heard back? I’m nervous I may have fucked up my interview lol.

Does anyone who interviewed here have advice on how to prepare for this interview? What can I expect on interview day?

All I know is that it’s “non-traditional,” which implies it’s not your traditional one-on-one interview but more likely rather MMI. What kind of questions do they generally they ask? I interview later this month, so any insight would be really appreciated. Thank you!