If Not Accepted to Graduate/Professional School Programs

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If Not Admitted to Graduate School
If Not Admitted to Medical School

If you are not admitted to Graduate/Professional School:  -top

J. M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, once said, "We are all failures - at least, the best of us are." This quote can serve to remind us that without making an attempt, we cannot succeed in anything.

No one likes to admit the possibility of failure, but if you find yourself not admitted to the graduate schools you applied to, it is important to view this as a setback rather than a defeat. The fact that you were not admitted does not mean you are unsuitable for graduate level work. The schools to which you applied could have lacked the funding to let in everyone they would have liked or they may have simply had an overwhelming number of qualified applicants. The professors reviewing your application could have had different interests than yours, or they could have just made a mistake and turned away applicants who would have done very well in their program.

The issue is what can you do now?

Improve references, test scores, essays
Applying to graduate school is much easier when you are already familiar with the process. Most people's test scores improve when taking the tests again because they the format and challenges and therefore know how to prepare properly. Similarly, if you have already written application essays, you are familiar with the basic procedure and can hone your skills and your essay. You can also have your essays edited by someone who can help you make it the best possible.

Another key factor to the application process is references. Improving references can be slightly trickier since it doesn't depend solely on you. However, if you didn't take advantage of providing professors with a clear resume and helpful information, doing so can improve the recommendations they provide. You can also look for different people to provide you with recommendations.

Work in a Related Field
Gain experience in a field that is related to your graduate program.  This will stand out because it shows you have a sincere interest in the field and are determined to work in that field.  Talk to the graduate school and ask what line of work would be most suitable and reapply next year.

Apply to the Master's program rather than the Ph.D. program
If you had originally applied to a school as a doctoral candidate and were not accepted, you may want to look into a Master's degree program as a jumping off point. The requirements are generally less stringent to be accepted into the Master's program and it provides you with the opportunity to adjust to graduate study and see if it's what you want to do. After completing a Master's you will have demonstrated your commitment to graduate study and should have a far easier time being accepted to the doctoral program of your choice.

Apply as a non-degree student
Another similar option is to apply as a non-degree student. This will generally enable you to take classes with the other degree candidates, allowing both you and your professors to see if you can handle the work. Students who choose this path often have the opportunity to make an extremely positive impression on the professors guiding the acceptance process and when their application comes up the following year, they can have references included from the department to which they're applying.

Apply to different schools or reapply to your current choices next year
When you are putting in applications next year, you have several options to consider. Your first approach would be to apply to the same schools as this year. This can be good if you have spent time working with professors from that school or changed your application significantly in some way. However, some committees will be less likely to admit applicants they have previously rejected, so it may be better to find new schools to apply to.

When applying to new schools, one of the primary methods of increasing your chances of acceptance is to pick schools that are either in less desirable locations or have slightly lower reputations.

Overall, the important thing to remember is that you need to be positive and pursue this as an opportunity rather than a roadblock. Good luck. And to leave you with one final thought from C. S. Lewis, "Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement."

Resources If Not Accepted Into Medical School:-top

Post-Baccalaureate Programs for Students Who Have Completed Their Pre-Medical Requirements

If you have completed the basic requirements for medical school, but your grades in those courses do not make you competitive for admission, you should take additional upper-level science courses to boost your science GPA before you apply. You can do this by taking classes as a non-matriculating student at a university OR you can complete a post-baccalaureate program, which is more structured, and enables you to receive on-site advising.

Some post-baccalaureate programs are non-degree programs; others give students the opportunity to complete a master’s degree. Of those that offer a master’s degree, several are at medical schools, where students typically take their post-bac courses alongside medical students. To assist you with investigating your options, two program lists are given below: one for programs that are not affiliated with a medical school, and another for programs that are. These lists may not quite be complete; a regularly-updated, searchable database of post-baccalaureate programs is available at the AAMC web site.

Interdepartmental Science Programs: (helps students gain entry to Med School)
The following is a list of programs that are NOT affiliated with a medical school:
American University
Post-baccalaureate Pre-medical Certificate Program
Dr. Frederick Carson, Director
(202) 885-1770
Barry University
Post-Baccalaureate/Master of Biomedical Sciences Combination Program
(305) 899-3379; or toll free: 1-800-756-6000, extension 3379
healthsciences@mail.barry.edu
City College of New York
Pre-medical Studies Program
Duquesne University
Post-baccalaureate Pre-medical Program
(412) 396-6335
postbacpremed@dug.edu
Harvard Extension School
Health Careers Program
Dr. William Fixsen, Director
(617) 495-2926
University of Miami
Pre-medical Post-baccalaureate Program
(305) 284-5176
University of Pennsylvania
Special Science Program, College of General Studies
(215) 898-7326
Syracuse University

The following are programs at medical schools:

Boston University School of Medicine
Master of Arts in Medical Sciences
(617) 638-5120
Boston U. Master of Arts in Clinical Investigation
617-414-1329
Drexel University College of Medicine
Interdepartmental Medical Science Program, Medical Science Preparatory Program
Gerald Soslau, Ph.D., Program Director
(215) 762-7864
imsinfo@drexel.edu
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Medical Masters Program
757-446-5944
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Special Masters Program in Physiology
medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu
New York Medical College
Basic Medical Sciences Interdisciplinary Program
(914) 594-4197
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Biomedical Sciences Certificate
800-999-6998, (215) 871-6700
admissions@pcom.edu
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Post-baccalaureate Program
Keat Sanford, Director
Phone: 860-679-3874
sanford@nso1.uchc.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine / VCU
Pre-Medical Basic Health Sciences Certificate
(804) 828-6916

Bridge Programs:
Oklahoma State University
Florida State University

LOCAL RESOURCES: (You can contact these organizations to ask for volunteer employment opportunities that relate to your desired profession)

Chiropractors:
ChiroDirectory.com
Yellow Book
Magic Yellow

Occupational Therapy:
SuperPages.com

Physicians:
Local Physicians Offices-From Magic Yellow
Doctors and Clinics in Salisbury-From Find a Local Doctor
Salisbury Doctors-From Yellow Pages

Dentists:
Magic Yellow
Orthodontic Dentists
Orthodontics Dentist Directory
SuperPages.com

Physical Therapy:
Physical Therapy Offices-From Yahoo
Physical Therapy Clinics-From Yellow Pages
Salisbury Physical Therapy-From Local.com

Pharmacies:
Switchboard
Yellowbook
Yahoo Local

Hospitals:
Hospitals by County
Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities-From Joint Commission
Maryland Hospital Association