u/lavendergooms97

What started a year ago with picking up Middlemarch for the first time, turned into a desire to read all of Eliot's fiction. Well, today I finished Romola, marking the end of my journey.

I loved her psychological realism, deep and morally complex characters, subtle but biting humor, complicated marital and gender dynamics, and stunning prose.

Eliot's narrator is a character of her own and I enjoyed her observations, wit, empathy, and humanity. I found her pacing slow in general, but I stayed for all her characters! They're so multidimensional and deliciously human. I'm super excited to reread many of these books throughout the rest of my life.

Enjoy some of my favorite quotes. I could have shared 10x as many quotes as I did...

2, 3: Felix Holt

4-8: Middlemarch

9: Daniel Deronda

10, 11: Romola

12-14: Adam Bede

15-19: Scenes of Clerical Life

Hi y'all! I'm genuinely anxious af about this upcoming application cycle, it will be my first. I want to get some feedback on my app.

28yo, TX resident, ORM

Education:

3.8 cGPA, 3.7 SGPA (Bachelors of Piano Performance in 2018, DIY postbac for my prerequisite courses)

MCAT 2x: 502 to 506

Clinical:

3,500 hrs CNA in ICU

250 hrs CNA in nursing home

50 hrs hospice volunteering.

Non-clinical volunteering:

400 hrs camp counselor (from 2019 rip)

started at the food bank last month will only have about 30 hours by application (will project out more)

Shadowing:

30 hrs in pediatric cardiology completed, project out 30-50 more for the summer

Non-clinical work (AKA my whole collaborative piano career):

10,000 hrs piano accompanist for 6th-12th grade choral program at public school district (6 school years)

900 hrs church pianist

500 hrs collaborative gigging (faculty recitals, woodwinds/brass/vocal juries and recitals)

300 hrs my own piano studio (4 students over 2 years before covid)

600 hrs as pool manager

1,800 hrs lifeguard

Other:

Triathlons and quilting

I'm learning Spanish, currently basic conversational level: i use it every shift as a CNA, and with my husband and his family.

I'm applying to TMDSAS, AACOMAS, and maybe a few AMCAS still not sure. Hopefully 30-35 schools total. My top choice schools would be UTRGV and Foster (interested in border health)

I am just feeling nervous that I'm lacking a lot of non clinical volunteering and shadowing. I've been working full time while taking my courses/mcat studying. I'm also paying out of pocket for my post bac. I know that's not an excuse, but it's been difficult to balance everything. I also had a lot of trouble finding shadowing. It took me a ton of cold calls and emails so I'm thankful for what I have.

I really hope to get in at a TX school because I love TX, want to practice here, and obviously it's so affordable.

If I don't get any interview invites by a certain time, I might start studying for MCAT again even though the thought kills me lol 😆

Anyone have any advice/weak areas/concerns?? Or any advice for TMDSAS??!

George Eliot - Completed fiction

March-May reads