University of St. Augustine Fall 2016

I'm still raging. San Diego State just revamped their webpage and changed admission requirements, too. Like, 4 days ago. Granted, their cycle doesn't open until 10/1, but I'm asking for reference letters RIGHT NOW, and I've already gotten hard copies (as per previous requirements). Now they tell me it's electronic and I can't have a letter from an employer? And there's an essay about contemporary issues in PT? And a VIDEO??

Sorry this is unrelated to USA, I'm just really angry.

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University of St. Augustine Fall 2016

2015-2016 Columbia University College of P&S Application Thread

Hey Everyone,
I'll be an incoming MS1 student, so don't ask me any questions about the curriculum or facilities (or, god forbid, the wards). Kidding. Sort of.
I fell in love with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (affectionately and inaccurately referred to as college of surgeons and surgeons around SDN) when I was far younger, and my affection has only increased during my application cycle, interview trail, and second look weekend. I'm thrilled to become a part of P&S, and I'd love to answer any questions that anyone has (or at the least refer you to someone who knows more than I do).

I've created an "information sheet" below, to try to summarize some key points about P&S (as you'll find on a few other threads, I'm sure). Good luck to everyone applying!

Stats [Source]
~7,800 applicants
~7,450 "applications considered"
~1,100 interviews (no in-state bias)
As per Columbia P&S Graduate, about 200 are accepted immediately, 700 waitlisted, and 100 rejected
~325 total acceptances (including off WL)
170 matriculated

Matriculating Class Statistics [source: @WedgeDawg]:
Median Undergraduate GPA: 3.85
Median MCAT Score: 36 (13/11/13 median section breakdowns)

2015-2016 Secondary Application (there is no screen)

1. If you took time off from your undergraduate studies, please briefly summarize your reasons for doing so. - 250 words
2. From which languages can you translate scholarly material into English?
3. In what collegiate extracurriculars did you engage? - 400 characters
4. Did you work for compensation during college during the year or the summer? If so, what did you do? How many hours a week did you work? - 300 words
5. If you have graduated from college, please briefly summarize what you have done in the interim. - 300 words
6. What challenges do you expect to arise from living and working in a complex urban environment? How will you meet them? - 300 words
7. Is there anything else you would like us to know? - 300 words
8. Please describe your parents' occupations: - 100 char

*Note: prompt 7 is completely optional. Prompts 1, 2, 4, and 5 were also optional, although N/A was an acceptable response.

2014-2015 Secondary Application (there is no screen)

2014-2015 Important Dates*
First secondary: July 1st, 2014
First interview invites: August 18th-20th, 2014
First acceptance: February 11th, 2015 via phone call (portals updated within a couple days with email alert)
First waitlist: February 12th, 2015 via portal update (with email alert)

As per recent (5/5/15) phone calls to the admissions office, waitlist movement should occur by mid-to-late May.
*All dates have been obtained through SDN archives, though there is complete agreement with these dates and those published by P&S admissions online.

Update Letter Policy
Updates are accepted pre- and post-interview. All updates should be uploaded through the application portal. You should receive an email within a few days confirming that your update has been received. In addition, "Thank You Letters," should you choose to send them, should also be uploaded through this portal. [Source: interview day]

Curriculum
1.5 year condensed preclinical curriculum.

• Preclinical grading is Pass/Fail [Source]
• Clinicals are graded using a 4-tiered system: honors/high pass/pass/fail.
• Lectures are non-mandatory and recorded; labs and small group activities are incorporated throughout the fundamental courses (and foundation selectives)

Interview
One faculty interview. Faculty interview is open-file.

Of Note

• Columbia graduates are below the national mean with respect to post-graduate debt, although merit scholarships are reputed to be somewhat uncommon. That being said, the tuition is ~53,500 a year, and COL in NYC is no laughing matter. Check here for more details. Fortunately, the financial aid office is generous with need-based aid and, like I said, the average indebtedness for P&S grads is still below the national mean. Not bad when you consider everything else Columbia has to offer (utterly shameless comment from infatuated MS0)
• Extensive on-campus student housing is offered to P&S students to help mitigate the cost of living in NYC
• Columbia admissions and students extoll the P&S club as being the largest and most comprehensive student activities organization "in American medical education"
• Student research opportunities at Columbia are virtually limitless, both with respect to mentors and to financial support. At second look weekend, we were told that every single person who applied for summer research funding the previous year (so summer of 2014) managed to receive a grant.
• Official match list
• Columbia P&S Facebook Page

Finally, I will probably periodically update this throughout the coming months, although if anyone has any details that they would specifically like me to add, feel free to comment.
Citation for format: the ever-informative @hellanutella

As I said before, I'd be willing to answer as many questions as I can. Thankfully, there are several older P&S students who frequent SDN, and I'm sure they'll be along to help everyone out along the way. Once again, good luck to all applying!

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2015-2016 Columbia University College of P&S Application Thread

2015-2016 University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley Application Thread

I'm from the valley, so I hear things through the grapevine - just in case you were wondering how I know the following things I'm about to say. They're supposedly only going to accept 50 students in their first class, just like Dell Med at UT Austin. The campus (at least the medical education part) will be built in Edinburg although there will probably be several sites in Harlingen/McAllen/Edinburg which will have clinical training for med students - one of which was formerly the RAHC through UTHSC San Antonio (it's in Harlingen). I'm sure it'll be tough to get in if you don't have a desire to work with underserved populations - especially since you'll be training in the poorest area of the U.S. They're probably looking for students who want to work with Hispanic populations, can speak Spanish (or at least intend to learn how to speak it), and are interested in primary care. It's not to say they won't accept someone with the desire to practice non-primary care medicine, but I'm sure they'll take your interest in primary care more seriously. I think the stats will probably reflect that of El Paso and Lubbock, but just due to the fact that they're accepting few students may make it more difficult.

If anyone has questions on what living in the valley is like, feel free to ask! I will say that it's not as bad as people think it is. No, there's no *border violence* on our side of the border, and I would say the valley is much safer than most major cities in Texas. We also have South Padre, which is only 20 minutes from Brownsville and about an hour and a half away from Edinburg!

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2015-2016 University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley Application Thread

A.T. Still University (ATSU-SOMA) Arizona Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

Describe your activities during any gaps longer than 3 months in your college or postgraduate record.

Describe your academic readiness for medical school by answering one of the following questions:

a. Describe your learning strategy and how this strategy will help you become a successful student at SOMA.

b. Describe any academic performance issues you have experienced and how you got back on course.

Describe your understanding of a career as a physician by answering one of the following questions:

a. Describe the essential traits of a physician. Which one of your past experiences had the greatest influence on your choice of traits?

b. Of the following characteristics found in successful medical students, choose one that is important to you and explain why?

• 
  
  
  • Confidence
  • Discipline
  • Resilience
  • Intelligence

Describe your understanding of a career as an osteopathic physician by answering one of the following questions:

a. Describe your experiences with DO’s.Have you ever shadowed a DO, if not explain why? Do you have a letter of recommendation from a DO, if not explain why?

b. Which one of the osteopathic tenets do you most identify with at this point in your life? Explain why.

c. How do you envision incorporating osteopathic philosophy and practice as a physician?

Describe your understanding of SOMA by answering one of the following questions:

a. What unique feature of SOMA appeals to you? What specific feature of SOMA concerns you?

b. What would be your strongest attribute as a SOMA student? What would be your weakest?

c. How do you plan to be involved with medically underserved populations in your medical career? How have your past volunteer experiences influenced your plans?

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A.T. Still University (ATSU-SOMA) Arizona Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

The official MCAT May 20th 2016

I don't think you're starting too early by any means, especially if you recognize that you have a lot to review content wise. However, remember that CONTENT is in reality a minor contributor to your final score. You need the baseline, the foundation if you will, but you get points and perform well based almost exclusively on your ability to: `

1. Read and understand challenging experimental passages taken from actual journal articles and,

2. Answer CONCEPTUAL questions relevant to that passage and/or the topics it touches upon.

As you seek out Full-Lengths and practice materials, make sure you compare them to the AAMC standard (there are two FL exams to compare to now). There is still a major problem right now with the prep material not matching the actual exam. For example, many, many passages aren't experimental at all, aren't based on actual research or cited journal articles, don't contain appropriately difficult graphs and figures, use language that is far too simplistic, use questions that are not AAMC question types, etc. There are various resources available and some are definitely better than others. I think every student needs to become educated and decide for themselves what constitutes accurate practice via comparison to the AAMC standard. Best of luck!

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The official MCAT May 20th 2016

****The Official U of Washington Class of 2020 Interview/Acceptance Thread****

Can't believe it's that time of year again! Good luck for those applying for the first class of the new decade!

It'll be a while before UW sends out interviews, I'd wager, but any questions about the process can be asked here.

Again, good luck everyone!

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****The Official U of Washington Class of 2020 Interview/Acceptance Thread****

2015-2016 SUNY Downstate Application Thread

Secondary Prompts:
If there were periods longer than 3 months, from the time you graduated from high school to now, when you were not employed full-time or in college full-time, please briefly describe your activities. (Limit 150 words)

If you are not attending college full time as of September 15, please describe your activities for the period September 2015 to July 2016.Please enter none if there are none. (Limit 200 words)

If you are not from the 5 boroughs of New York City, describe what personal experiences prepare you to live and study in New York City, and what will be your personal support system. (Limit 150 words)

If you have a specific reason why you wish to attend SUNY Downstate or a medical school in New York City, please explain. (Limit 100 words)

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2015-2016 SUNY Downstate Application Thread

Midwestern University Chicago (CCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

Ok so they put up the essays. Its the exact same as last year.

1. List any relative who is an osteopathic physician:

2. Why do you believe CCOM would provide you with the type of osteopathic medical education you are seeking? (1500 chars)

3. Why should CCOM accept you into this year's class? (1500 chars)

4. Upload a copy of your resume or curriculum vitae, which will include, but not be limited to the following information:

• Educational History (colleges attended and degrees earned)
• Employment History
• Medically related work and volunteer experiences
• College extracurricular activities, honors, and leadership responsibilities
• Community activities, honors, and leadership responsibilities
• Hobbies and nonacademic interests

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Midwestern University Chicago (CCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

2015-2016 The Commonwealth Medical College Application Thread

Lol then don't apply. As you said, it's a private school. They can do whatever they want. No one here is going to argue with you about their OOS matriculation percentage. You either think it's worth applying or you don't.

Edit: I will caution you though about the way you're analyzing this information. You want to give more weight to the interviews offered than the matriculation percentage. Once a seat is offered, it's up to the applicant whether or not they matriculate. There's a large number of reasons why less OOS applicants choose to matriculate than IS (tuition, distance from family, etc). Of the interviews offered, almost 50% were to OOS students. Over 20% of the class is OOS. That's good enough for me to apply.

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2015-2016 The Commonwealth Medical College Application Thread

Advice

Honestly, I interviewed at many DO schools and most of them are beginning to seriously frown upon grade replacements and some schools are even outright disregarding the policy altogether. I'm just being honest. By the time you start applying, it's going to be even more competitive at the established programs. You need to think seriously if this is the field you want to get into. Start volunteering at a hospital and figure out if you see yourself being a doctor. I get the feeling that you are rushing this. I find it very hard to believe that, at 20 years old, you had a robust enough application to apply to MASTERS level programs where you will be expected to complete a thesis and defend it in front of PhDs.
Finally, I leave you with a quote from Carly Fiorina, "Like Mrs. Clinton I too have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles but flying and traveling is an activity, it's not an accomplishment."

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Advice

Midwestern University Arizona (AZCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

After some digging around the internets, I have some questions I'm hoping current students could shed some light on.

Rotations - I cannot seem to find any list on the website, does one exist? Also, are 3rd year rotations still limited to AZ?

COMLEX / USMLE - Does the school offer any form of review or time for it?

PBL / small groups - Are there many chances for smaller group-work vs lecture style?

Early clinicals - Are there many chances for clinical experiences in 1st and 2nd years?

Thanks! I've seen these questions answered before, but not in a few years. I'm wondering if there have been any changes

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Midwestern University Arizona (AZCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

2015-2016 University of Michigan Application Thread

Stats
>5700 applied
~575 interviewed (400 OOS, 175 IS)
360 acceptances (240 OOS, 120 IS)
178 matriculated (10 of which are MSTP)

• Michigan aims for roughly a 50:50 in-state vs. out-of-state class profile.
• Over the past few years, Michigan has not accepted students off of their waitlist

2014-2015 Secondary Application (there is no pre-screen)
Secondary Application and Status Page

• Tell us something you are passionate about and why. Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words).
• At the University of Michigan Medical School, we are committed to building a superb educational community with students of diverse talents, experiences, opinions, and backgrounds. What would you as an individual bring to our medical school community? Do not exceed 1500 characters (about 250 words).
• We know you have many interests and passions beyond your pursuit of medical training. At Michigan we encourage you to continue to develop these talents. Please list three areas of interest (e.g., symphony orchestra, drawing/painting/ceramics, research in a specific area, joint degrees, athletic interests/running/softball, ballroom dance, Spanish language study, international travel/work/study, etc.) you would like to pursue while at Michigan. This will allow us to provide resources for you around these interests. (Three blanks given)
• Fun fact - We would like to know one fun fact about you. This may be shared with other applicants. Please answer the following question with up to four words: "Most people don't know that I can ____________"

MIC (mini-secondary for interviewees to fill out)

• Would you like to add any new information or activities to your AMCAS application?
• Do you have any gaps in activities or time on our application, or would you like to explain any poor grades or scores?
• Did you take the MCAT more than once?
• Please briefly describe your personal experience in a leadership position and the challenges that presented themselves in that position (250 words or less)
• Please briefly describe your experience as part of a team and how you contributed to the success of that team and its goals (250 words or less)
• What city and state do you consider your hometown?
• Do you have any dietary restrictions?
• Will you be driving to your interview and need a parking voucher?

Important Dates (2014-2015)
First secondary application: June 27th, 2014
First interview invitation: July 15th, 2014
First acceptance: October 15th, 2014 at midnight via email (and/or hand-delivered mail for those in the close vicinity of U Mich)
First deferral: October 15th, 2014
Last interview: February 6th, 2015
First post-secondary rejection: February 11th, 2015
First Dean’s Scholarship release: March 9th, 2015 via email

Interview
In 2014-15, for the first time, U of M added a (relatively short) MMI to their interview day. The day also included two traditional interviews, one with a faculty member and one with a student or alum., each scheduled for 30 minutes.

Update Letter Policy
Updates may be uploaded to the secondary portal.

Statuses
Several application statuses are given out by U of M. In 2014-2015, many applicants received statuses, mostly at the end of October, titled “Application Screening Complete.” At least one person with this status reported receiving an interview afterward, so it is not a rejection.

Of Note

• U of M regularly posts application-related updates on their Twitter
• The Application Tracker shows how many interviews/acceptances have been accepted and the average stats for each (for both IS and OOS)
• U of M has an app that can be downloaded to Android/Apple devices to check application status
• Match list archive and incoming class profiles

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2015-2016 University of Michigan Application Thread

Vote for President

Blade, you know I love you in a totally platonic way, but if you think Trump will be the GOP nominee, you're totally off your rocker.

It's unpossible. The establishment won't stand for it.

If I recall correctly, last election the GOP poll leader changed about 6 times, and every single time you jumped on the current leader to be our Obama savior. It was BS then and it's BS now.

Polls mean N O T H I N G before the first primary. It's just 24-hour news cycle bull****. He's leading a broad and splintered field during a period of time when 95%+ of people polled by phone HANG UP as soon as they hear it's a poll.

It'll be Bush, Rubio, or Cruz, god help us. Of those I think Rubio is probably the most electable vs Clinton.

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Vote for President

509+ MCAT Study Habits

1) Your individual scores and composite score:
Total: 517 PS: 129 CARS: 129 BS: 130 Psych: 129

2) The study method used for each section
PS: HEAVY use of Khan Academy. This was my weakest area when I took the AAMC Official exam 2 week into studying. As I did for every section, I did content review and question right from the start. I probably watched more videos for this than any other section. Khan is a huge help for this section, as it's mostly conceptual.
CARS: PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. Seriously. Do at least 3 passages a day, 7 days a week. Use different materials. I used EK, TPR, Next Step, and AAMC materials. I probably did a full section once a week for the last two months of my studying. Some weeks I did two full sections. Review every single problem. Especially for the AAMC material.
BS: Lots of scientific reasoning here. Be sure you understand experimental methods. I did lots of flash cards for weak areas, and used Khan for some Biochem stuff, same as every section- lots of practice problems.
Psych: I definitely put the least effort into Psych. I did Khan videos when I was too tired to do anything else that required a lot of thought. Focus on passages that emphasize experiment design. Know the basic psych terms. Most likely when you take this on the real thing you're going to feel like you're failing... horribly. I don't normally like to say this in academics, but common sense helps a lot here.

3) What materials you used for each section(Kaplan, TPR, Examkrackers, AAMC, TBR, etc):
PS: Heavy use of Khan and EK. Khan mostly for videos and some practice. EK I used the 1001 books on top of their content review books.
CARS: Literally anything I could get my hands on. Especially AAMC material.
BS: Lots of Khan questions, to a lesser extent Khan videos. Most EK again. I did some NS question books (they're infuriating, though), and TPR questions.
Psych: Um... I guess I did Khan videos, I also did all of EK stuff. I used the AAMC official outline to "study." Anything that tests research design is good.

4) Which practice tests did you use? (Optional: include scores):
EK1, EK2, EK3: I scored around 70% on each. These are the best exams other than AAMC
AAMC FL: Two weeks into studying I took this, 64% Chem, 73% Bio, 85% CARS, and 64% Psych.. something to that effect. I retook it three days before the real deal and scored >90% on each section except PS which was high 80's.
TPR1, TPR2, TPR3: Scored 502 on each of these. Did poorly in PS each time, average BS and CARS. Psych was always high.
AAMC Official Guide Questions: 70% Bio, 80% CARS, 86% PS...I forget my Psych score. This test was hard compared to the official FL.
I also used ALL AAMC question packs. They come as packets of 120 questions. I did 60 questions at a time, timed. Treat these like a FL. I scored around 80% of CARS, 93% for Bio, ~85% for chem, ~75% for Physics,

5) What was your undergraduate major?
Biology. I have a degree in nursing as well.

6) Any other tips you may have for those of us who still have this test lurking over us?

Practice from the start. Used a mix of practice materials if you can afford it. Use Khan, it's free, it's good, and it's affiliated with AAMC. Use all AAMC material available. No excuses here.

Time everything.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. It's on every section other than CARS. Know it. Be comfortable interpreting graphs. Be aware: AAMC likes to trick you on data interpretation. Know how to find a confounding variable, ect...

CARS every day.

Take notes when you read.

Read through your chapters at least twice. especially areas you're uncomfortable with
.
Make a word document called "lessons learned." Make notes on what you got wrong, how you can get to the right answer, and facts associated with that subject, and tips. review this at least once a week. By a month into study, you'll have a huge word doc. It helped keep me focused on my weak areas.

Don't study stuff you know more than once.

On the flip side, study stuff you don't know. I can't tell you how many times I googled redox reactions, electrolysis, galvanic cells.. etc. I hated it, but I was weak in it. You need to master the things you aren't comfortable with.

Practice> Review. Towards the end I wasn't reading any books except for specific questions. I used Khan videos, and google. Almost all my time was spent doing practice problems, timed practice problems. When you get a question wrong, guessed, or weren't sure, you then lookup the answer and more importantly, understand how to get it correct next time.

Take some time to do what you like. This test, and moreso studying for it, are emotionally taxing. There will be a day where you feel stupid, and that's okay.

Know your amino acids. Cold.

Did I mention experimental design?

7) How long did you study for the MCAT?
Three months, taking 11 credits. Working 24 hours a week, and Volunteering. Please do not do this to yourself. It sucked. I'm surprised I got the score I did with how much other stuff I had to worry about. I studied 6 hours a day during the week (yes, including school days) and did Khan videos during the weekend after my shift ended. The last month was crunch time as I was out of school. Probably 10 hours a day, five days a week.

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509+ MCAT Study Habits

2015-2016 George Washington University Application Thread

....I don't know what you guys are talking about? My link worked...

Prompts:

Please provide the Admissions Committee with a brief summary of your activities, academics, employment or other occupations to account for full-time activity (approx. 30-40 hours/week) for the 2015-2016 application cycle, or from the point of application through matriculation in 2016. (750 characters)

What is your most meaningful community service experience to date? (350 characters)

What is your most meaningful clinical experience to date, involving direct patient contact? (350 characters)

What makes you a unique individual? What challenges have you faced? How will these factors help you contribute to the diversity of the student body at GW? (1000 characters)

What is your specific interest in the MD Program at GW? What opportunities would you take advantage of as a student here? Why? (2000 characters)

@arianna_n No my letters are not in. Med schools don't need them until they start looking at your secondary app.

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2015-2016 George Washington University Application Thread

Touro College of Dental Medicine - New York

We all know New York is more saturated than a methane molecule, and thats saying something.
Also retiring should not be equally correlated with fresh rookie graduates. Reason one being and apparently the most obvious, I hear people saying more jobs are gonna be available because the baby boomer generation will eventually die or retire.

Well thats great, and that is evidential most people will retire in an old age, so it is not a consistent influx and outflux of dentists, to even the playing field, but rather a huge influx of dentists and little to insignificant outflux of dentists. Leading to saturation, we might need a new word because it is becoming more than saturated. We will begin to see even more dental offices next to each other. Hell, they might be neighbors.

God bless

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Touro College of Dental Medicine - New York

University of Pikeville - Kentucky (UP-KYCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

Hi, everyone! I don't know anything about how the secondary applications are going, but I will be a 2nd year student at KYCOM this fall if you have any questions! Best of luck to the entering class this year, and those who will be applying for next year!

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University of Pikeville - Kentucky (UP-KYCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

Class of 2017!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

Well, due to an issue with one of my transcripts, I'll be more than likely joining you all. Too bad I wasted my time in-putting all my data for this cycle!!! Oh well practice makes perfect

Edit: Oh, and I'm loving all the emphasis put on the exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!

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Class of 2017!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

2015-2016 Temple University Application Thread

they changed the third question, are you supposed to answer it if you choose the regular temple campus??

old question:
If you indicated St. Luke's Regional Campus or one of our clinical campuses (Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Geisinger Health System, or West Penn Allegheny Health System) as your first choice, please describe the nature of your special interest. Otherwise, please type N/A to continue.

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2015-2016 Temple University Application Thread

2015-2016 Tufts University Application Thread

It is absurdly naive to say that interpreting the word diversity as more than ethnicity is a sign of maturity. I'm well aware that that word CAN be used in a broad "tell me all about your lovely self!" way, but you have to be very, very out of touch with reality to think that this is what they're getting at. Many schools have questions in their secondaries that are phrased, "Tell us something about yourself that isn't on your application", "Why do you think you're a good fit at our school", "What makes you a strong and unique applicant?". Asking applicants to describe how they add to a school's diversity is clearly a choice, and one that was made because they want a class with a diverse ethnic background.
I'm not even saying that it's a bad thing, targeting disadvantaged groups to create opportunity is anything but. What I resent is them asking a vaguely worded question in the hopes that you talk about your ethnicity.

Also, I'd like to point that Canadian schools, with extremely "diverse" students but fewer racial problems than the States, never ask for a photo. I guess we just have really good memories.

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2015-2016 Tufts University Application Thread

2015-2016 Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

I got a bunch of emails from Duke-NUS over the past year too. It became a running joke between my friends and I.

(Not implying it's a bad program - I know next to nothing about it. We just joked about how aggressive they were about emailing people)

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2015-2016 Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

University of Tennessee c/o 2020 Applicants

Hello! I'm applying to UT! I'm out of state, and my gpa isn't amazing... (3.5 overall, 3.4 science, 3.25 last 45), but I'm determined to make it to some vet school. Even so... I'm already preparing for rejections. I'm thinking about retaking courses I made Bs or Cs in for next year and gaining more experience in wildlife and large animal.

I applied to six schools- VT, FL, CA (long shot), LA, GA, UT.

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University of Tennessee c/o 2020 Applicants

2015-2016 Indiana University School of Medicine Application Thread

It is a scholarship program at the lower tier schools. Gary's is to get urban doctors who want to work in Gary upon graduation and ISU is to promote rural doctors. The programs have been around for a while, so it isn't like we couldn't have applied and spent 4 years in Gary or Terre Haute just to get this advantage.

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2015-2016 Indiana University School of Medicine Application Thread

Marian University (MU-COM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

For the 2015—2016 admissions cycle, MU-COM has established the following dates:

June 15, 2015
AACOMAS mailing #1 available.

June 16, 2015
Download mailing #1.

June 17, 2015
Pre-screening begins.

June 19, 2015
Supplemental application invitations start.

July 15, 2015
AACOMAS application must be received by MU-COM for Early Decision and Pre-Medical Fast Track Programs.

August 15, 2015
All application materials must be received by MU-COM for Early Decision and Pre-Medical Fast Track Programs.

September 11, 2015
Interviews start.

September 17, 2015
Admissions Committee starts.

September 19, 2015
National Pre-SOMA Conference at MU-COM.

February 1, 2016
AACOMAS application deadline.

March 1, 2016
Supplemental application deadline at 5 PM EDT.

March 4, 2016
Processing ends. Materials received after 5 PM EDT will not be processed.

April 2, 2016
Interviews end.

May 5, 2016
Admissions Committee ends.

MU-COM reserves the right to change these dates.

Sincerely,
MU-COM Admissions

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Marian University (MU-COM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

2015-2016 Loyola University Chicago (Stritch) Application Thread

That answers my question, thanks! I was mostly curious if students typically lived in Maywood, which isn't a place I would want to walk through alone at night (though I'm sure during the day it's fine). Is Hines the VA campus you're talking about? My dad used to go there, but I didn't realize it was so close the Loyola's campus.

Anyone who is applying OOS- Oak Park/River Forest is an awesome area with tons to do. Very diverse and safe area.

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2015-2016 Loyola University Chicago (Stritch) Application Thread

2015-2016 Jefferson Medical College Application Thread

2015-2016 Vanderbilt University Application Thread

Hi guys! I'll be an MS1 at Vandy this summer (how weird to write that!), and I literally can't wait for classes to begin. I'm happy to share my experiences this cycle, Vanderbilt-specific or otherwise, and offer advice on anything you guys might find useful.

Here are some tips for the autobiography portion of the secondary. I used it for two schools and got an interview (and eventual acceptance) at both, so I feel at least something in it was successful.

-Don't write it all in one day. Start brainstorming when you're doing something unrelated, like on a long commute or waiting in line. Just think of some ideas and a few possible intros, and jot them down if you have a chance. Come back to it 1-2 days later and see if you still like it, or if any new ideas come to mind. You'll be surprised how much you end up crossing out.

-Have a general theme in mind before you start. This is true for personal statements too, but you're not trying to answer "why medicine" here. Instead, maybe you decide to make the point that you're extremely self-sufficient and able to adapt quickly to many situations. When talking about your early life, try to emphasize those qualities and show through your experiences how they were shaped. Maybe you'll think of new qualities or a different angle as you write. Maybe you'll have multiple overarching ideas in the end, and that's okay. There's no wrong way to tie your story together. Just always keep in mind a general end point with each paragraph you include.

-This is related to the previous point: when talking about your family, the characteristics of the environment in which you grew up, or, in general, when discussing things that are not you, always keep in mind how you will bring it back to YOU. When I stated mine, I really wanted to share all the unique/crazy things about my home country where I lived for 10 years, which is currently a dictatorship with some really interesting facets about its history and daily life. Pretty quickly, I realized my first two paragraphs would be a great start to a literary novel, but hold barely any mention of me. I ended up keeping a chunk of that for the intro, but limited the descriptives to 3 sentences and emphasized how it shaped my childhood (and subsequently, why we left) in the sentences that immediately followed. You don't want the admissions committee getting lost in your childhood ramblings. Always keep the big picture in mind.

-This goes without saying, but please don't repeat things from your personal statement/rest of AMCAS. This secondary question is about your qualities, not your resume points. Regarding the discussion of things you've been doing since graduation, this question comes up on almost every school's secondary so you'll find it useful to have a crafted response for this that you can add to the end. If you've already mentioned those activities elsewhere, it's sufficient to state them and write 1-2 NEW sentences about how they add to your personal growth. Please don't repeat exact sentences that you've used elsewhere in your application - they read and reread your essays, especially at the time you're being considered for acceptance, so in the best scenario this will not fly under the radar.

I hope this helps! Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

...As a side note, even though Taylor Swift moved to New York, she reportedly still spends a lot of time in Nashville. And who knows, your airport Uber driver may very well have been her previous personal driver, and will take you on a pit stop to see her condo.... (this actually happened to someone at second look). All the more reason to apply!!!

P.P.S. If you want an idea of what Nashville is like, check out my writeup of Vandy on mdapps (which hasn't been updated in a while cause I'm lazy). If that doesn't make you wanna visit the music capital, you must be red-red-red-red-red-redneck crazy.

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2015-2016 Vanderbilt University Application Thread

2015-2016 UCLA PRIME Application Thread

Yes, here are the questions:

2,000 characters each

1. What is the most important health care issue confronting disadvantaged communities and what would be your first steps to address this issue?

2. In what way will graduating from the UCLA PRIME program enhance your career in health care or health services for the disadvantaged communities?

3. Describe the manner in which your experiences demonstrate your understanding of, and commitment to, underserved communities.

4. What are your greatest strengths and your greatest challenges as you approach medical school?

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2015-2016 UCLA PRIME Application Thread

2015-2016 Harvard Medical School Application Thread

Hey folks,
I will be matriculating here in the fall. I absolutely fell in love with HMS (especially after revisit). The facilities, opportunities, and (most importantly) the people were truly incredible. I’m extremely humbled and excited about the possibility of joining some amazing colleagues in the fall. There were some students on last year’s thread that were very helpful, and I hope I can do the same.

Stats (for 2014 entering class)-Source
-Applicants 6,614
-Admitted 231 (3.5%)
-Matriculated (includes 13 MD-PhD students) 164
-Men 84 (51%)
-Women 80 (49%)
-Underrepresented in medicine (African-American, Native American, Hispanic, Mexican-American) 31 (19%)
-Asian 56 (34%)

-Average GPA -3.8 Source
- Average MCAT
Verbal-11
Physical Science-12.41
Biological Science-12.67

(from revisit materials- for 2015 entering class)
- Applicants: 6113
- Interviewed: 813
- Total offers (as of revisit): 189
- Total URM: 41
- Total Asian: 56

Age Distribution for 2015 entering class (as of revisit)

Undergrad schools for 2015 entering class (as of revisit)

2015 Course Requirements (these are slightly different than in the past)

1. Biology-All applicants must complete a full year of biology. We will accept advanced or higher-level biology courses towards this requirement as well.
2. Chemistry-All applicants must complete a two year chemistry sequence that covers inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.
3. Physics-All applicants must complete a full year of physics.
4.Laboratory Experience
Required laboratory components of biology and chemistry are no longer defined as discretely as they were in the past. Lengthy laboratory components of the required science requirement courses are not necessarily time well and efficiently spent. Proper focus on hypothesis-driven exercises, problem solving, and hands-on demonstrations of important principles should take precedence over lengthy laboratory time commitments that steal time away from other, more productive educational opportunities. Active, sustained participation in faculty-mentored laboratory research experiences is encouraged and can be used to meet requirements for the acquisition oflaboratory skills."

5. Computational Skills/Mathematics-All applicants must complete a one-year mathematics sequence that contains calculus and statistics. Biostatistics is preferred for the statistics portion of the requirement.
6. Analytical and writing skills/ expository writing-All applicants must complete a year of coursework that features expository writing. Generally, any course in the social sciences or humanities that involves substantial essay writing will count towards this requirement.
7. Language- All applicants should be fluent in English. It does also state that “mastery of a foreign language, although not required, is valuable”
8. Additional Requirements for the HST Program
In addition to all the above requirements, the HST curriculum requires that students be comfortable with upper-level mathematics (through differential equations and linear algebra), biochemistry, and molecular biology. This is usually demonstrated through upper level course work, but other approaches may satisfy these requirements. In addition, one year of calculus-based physics in college is required.

2014-2015 Secondary Application
1. If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters max) summarize your activities since graduation.
2. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine.(4000 character maximum)
3. Our interview season runs from midSeptember through January. Please indicate any significant (three or more weeks) restriction on your availability for interviews during this period. If none, leave blank.


*All of these prompts were optional.
2014-2015 Important Dates (Dates were obtained from last year’s SDN application thread)
- First secondary: 7/10
- First Interview Invites: Late August (I found the first reported IIs on 8/2)
- Last Interview Date: 1/29
- First acceptances: 3/3/15
- First Waitlist: 5/4 (from last year's application thread)

Financial Aid
- For 2015-2016 Entering Students (MD)
Tuition- $55,850
Budget- $ 87 k

-Harvard uses the unit loan system. The unit Loan System is calculated as follows
Standard Budget - Family Contribution= Financial Need

- For example if the budget is 85k and EFC=0 Need= 85k. Since the unit loan is capped at 33k (for our class) that means that the remainder would be covered by “HMS Scholarship”

-HMS does not offer merit scholarships (all aid is need based). HMS need based aid tends to be one of the most generous. They also have a scaled EFC formula.

-HMS doesn’t match scholarship offers from other schools

Pathways Curriculum
-The Pathways Curriculum is new for this year. The goal was to rearrange the curriculum to start clinical during the first portion of the 2nd year. I will update as I go through it, but I am actually very excited about it.

Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) MD Program

Harvard/M.I.T. MD PhD Program.

More info on MD-PhD

Of Note
-70-80% of first year students live in Vanderbilt Hall. This is a dorm style setup. Vandy is a cheap alternative to the (ridiculously) expensive housing in Boston. It is also across the street from TMEC (which is where classes are)

- If you are married or not interested in living in Vandy, Harvard does offer graduate student housing. I’m currently looking for housing and will update.

-2015 Match List


I will try to update this thing throughout the cycle. Please let me know if something doesn’t make sense, or if I missed any details.
Good luck!

Citation for formatting- Thank @hellanutella for being a rockstar and starting this trend.

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2015-2016 Harvard Medical School Application Thread

2015-2016 Yale University Application Thread

2015-2016 Mercer University Application Thread

Whoo! It's awesome to be applying here! First time applicant (BS Biomedical Engineering from GA Tech, 33 MCAT, 3.76 cGPA, 3.89 sGPA, 175 shadowing hrs, 200+ EC hrs, 150+ volunteer hrs, 2 yrs research hrs in labs prosthetics and heart valve research). Hopefully that puts me in a good position!

I'm personally applying to 15 schools and hear that the secondaries can really pile up, so I'm planning on pre-writing the secondary questions. I looked at the previous years' secondary essays and they seem to rehash the same questions. In case anyone out there is also pre-writing the secondary essays, here they are. Bear in mind that these were used for the last two years at Mercer:

1. A. The mission of the Mercer University School of Medicine is to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the primary care and health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia. How do you plan to contribute to healthcare in rural or underserved Georgia?

B. Please describe a service or volunteer activity that you feel best prepared you for the mission of our school?

2. The recruitment of a diverse student body is a major goal of Mercer University School of Medicine's Admissions Committee. Students learn from each other as well as from faculty, and being part of a diverse student body affords additional learning opportunities for every student. Please tell us what facets of your life and education to date would contribute to the achievement of this goal. Such facets might include your early education, socioeconomic status, culture, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and life or work experiences.

3. What ethical dilemmas do you foresee that you might encounter in a medical practice in rural and underserved Georgia? Please describe one such incident and how you might resolve it.

4. Would you consider yourself disadvantaged as compared to the 'average' medical school applicant?

5. Please explain to the Admissions Committee other factors that would help them better understand your unique circumstances? (i.e. poor grades, MCAT score, missing information, life circumstances, legal difficulties, additions to your AMCAS application since it was completed, etc.)

NOTE: These are NOT this year's essays - just the ones from the past two years. The years before that also had similar questions.

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2015-2016 Mercer University Application Thread

2015-2016 Official Psychology Ph.D./PsyD Interview Invite Thread

That time is upon us! I believe the last of the Psychology Ph.D/Psy.D. program application deadlines have passed or are coming up. This is my second time applying to programs and I found this site/thread helpful last year. Hopefully it will be again this year!

Please post (or send me a private message) your invitations here. I will try to update as often as I can.

2014-2015 Official Psychology Ph.D./PsyD Interview Invite Thread
2013 - 2014 Psychology PhD/PsyD Interview Invite thread
2012 - 2013 Official Psychology PhD/PsyD Interview Invite thread

The Grad Cafe Results: http://ift.tt/1Y916EW

Last updated: 1/31/2016 4:09 pm

School Name:
Date Interview Invite Received:
Degree: PhD/PsyD
Type: Clinical/Counseling/School/Combined/Experimental (w/in Experimental please specify social, developmental, cognitive, neuroscience, etc.).
Track: e.g., adult, child, health, etc.
Notified via:Email, phone call, post
From:POI, DCT, administrative assistant, etc.
Interview Date:
Additional Info:e.g., social event the night before, expenses (partially) covered, etc.

Clinical Psychology Ph.D.
American University: notified via email 1/21/16 by DTC. Interview Date: 2/8
Arizona State University: notified via phone 1/21/16 by POI. Interview Date: 2/18-2/20/16.
Boston University: notified via email 1/22/16 by POI Interview Date: 2/26/16. Can Skype with POI beforehand if traveling arrangements cannot work. Can also be housed by a current student.
Brigham Young University: notified via phone 12/29/15 by POI Interview Date: 1/25.
Catholic University of America: notified via phone 1/13/16 by POI, Interview Date: 1/29 or 2/5/16
Clark University: notified via phone call and email 1/20 by POI, Interview Date: 2/10 or 2/12
CUNY City College: notified via email 1/28 by Admin Coordinator, Interview Date: 2/9
Drexel University: child track; notified via phone 1/11/16 by Program Coordinator, Interview Date: 2/12/16
Emory University: notified via email 1/12/16 POI, Interview Date: 2/4-6; Follow-up email with more information is on the way.
Georgia State University: notified via email 1/11/16 by Academic specialist, Interview Date: 2/19; optional dinner 2/18
Indiana University - Bloomington: notified via phone 1/7 by POI, Interview Date: 2/4-2/6;
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis: notified via email 12/18 by Admin Asst., Interview Date: 2/5; Informal gathering evening before
John Jay College of the City University of New York: notified via email 12/11 by DTC, Interview Date: 2/5; Grad students hosting reception the night before; housing with students available (limited basis); Skype/phone accommodations if physical visit impossible
LIU Brooklyn: notified via phone call 1/12 by current student,Interview Date: 2/13 or 2/20
Loma Linda University: notified via email 1/20 by Admissions Officer; Interview Date: 2/22;
Louisiana State University: notified via email 12/11 by POI, Interview Date: 1/29
Loyola University Chicago: notified via email 1/19 by Admin Asst., Interview Date: 2/5 or 2/19, Dinner with grad students the night before
Michigan State University: notified via phone call 1/12/16 by current Grad student Interview Date: 1/13 or 1/20
Michigan State University: notified via email 12/20 by Grad admissions, Interview Date: 2/8
Missouri University- Columbia: notified via phone call 1/6 by POI, Interview Date: 2/5; Unofficial social event the night before (for those arriving the day before), interview all day with formal social event that night
Northwestern Feinberg: notified via email 1/6 by DCT, Interview Date: 2/19/16. Full day of interviews with happy hour after with current students.
Northern Illinois University: notified via email 1/8 by POI, Interview Date: 2/10-11.
Ohio University: notified via email 12/21 by POI, Interview Date: 1/29 or 2/19
Oklahoma State University: notified via email 12/17, Interview Date: 2/6
Pacific University: notified via email 1/20 by Director of Graduate Admissions., Interview Date: 2/19; Interview day goes from 8:45-4, will have two 15 minute interviews with faculty
Palo Alto University: notified via email 12/12 by Director of Admin., Interview Date: 1/15-16 or 1/29-30
Pennsylvania State University: notified via phone call 12/21 by POI, Interview Date: 2/12-13; Interview on Friday or Saturday. Current students provide housing and host events throughout weekend.
Saint Louis University: notified via email 1/19 by Admin Asst., Interview Date: 2/11, 2/12, 2/18 or 2/19; Social event with graduate students each of the interview nights
Sam Houston State University: Forensic Track; notified via phone call 12/14 by Committee Member, Interview Date: 2/12; student social event 2/11 and all day interview 2/12
Southern Methodist University: notified via phone call 1/14/16 by Admissions Dept. Interview Date: 2/20; Block of hotel rooms saved for out of town guests; informal dinner the night before
Suffolk University: notified via email 1/22/16 by Program Assistant. Interview Date: 2/26;
SUNY Albany: notified via phone call 1/22/16 by POI. Interview Date: 2/27;
Temple University: Adult track, notified via email 12/29 by DCT., Interview Date: 1/15 or 1/18. You choose the morning session or afternoon session; graduate student housing may not be available to everyone; social event the night before both interview days
University of California Las Angeles (UCLA): notified via phone 1/19 by Grad Student., Interview Date: 2/4-2/6
University of Colorado: clinical Health psychology, notified via email 1/19 by POI, Interview Date: 2/5 or 2/19, Interview all day Friday, arrive Thursday, do not depart prior to 7pm Friday
University of Connecticut (UCONN): developmental psychopathology track, notified via email 1/7 by POI., Interview Date: 2/10-12, Grad students offering student-only events and housing
University of Delaware: developmental track (not officially a track at UD) notified via email 12/29 by POI., Interview Date: 1/29 (options for 2/1 and 2/5
University of Georgia: notified via email 12/14 by Admin Asst., Interview Date: 1/25; social event night before
University of Florida: neuropsychology track; notified via email 1/22 by Admissions Office, Interview Date: 2/18-20; lodging may be provided by graduate students.
University of Illinois-Chicago: notified via phone call 1/7 by POI, Interview Date: 2/5; Some financial assistant for travel;
University of Iowa: notified via email 12/28 by POI., Interview Date: 2/6-2/8; The university will cover the cost of a hotel room and provide some funds for airfare.
University of Kansas: health track, notified via phone call 1/12, Interview Date: 2/12; Limited information at this time, will hear more details about travel, etc. soon
University of Kentucky: notified via email 12/21, Interview Date: 1/28-29; lodging provided by graduate students, informal dinner reception on 1/28
University of Maine: Child track; notified via phone and email 12/16 by POI, Interview Date: 2/22/16
University of Maryland- Baltimore County (UMBC): notified via email 1/15/16 by POI, Interview Date: 2/19, Social event the evening before. Also mentioned possibility of phone/Skype interview if travel can not be arranged
University of Massachusetts- Amherst: notified via email 1/5/16 by POI, Interview Date: 1/29-30. Limited student housing available. Potluck dinner with current students and department on 1/29.
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss): notified via phone 12/16 by POI, Interview Date: 2/19-20; will email additional information
University of Missouri: notified via phone 12/15 by POI, Interview Date: 2/5 ; Lodging will be provided by graduate students; meals provided on interview day; social event the evening of the interview day
University of Missouri- Kansas City: notified via email 1/15/16 by Office Support Admin, Interview Date: 2/19 ; interview 9-3. If unable to attend, will set up skype/phone interview
University of North Carolina- Charlotte: health track; notified via email 1/8/16 by program direction, Interview Date: 1/29; Limited student housing available. Interviews 9am-4pm; informal social gathering afterwards
University of New Mexico: notified via email 1/18/16 by POI, Interview Date: 1/21; Phone interview 1/21, will update post if I learn about in-person interview dates
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: child track, notified via phone 1/5 by POI, Interview Date: 2/19-21;
University of Rhode Island: notified via email 1/19/16 by admin asst., Interview Date: 2/15; social event with current graduate students the night before, limited lodging available
University of South Alabama: notified via email 1/28/16, Interview Date: 2/29
University of South Carolina: Clinical Community track, notified via email 1/6/16, Interview Date: 2/1, 1/31 informal dinner, 2/1 interviews, optional happy hour after
University of South Florida: notified via email 1/14/16 by POI, Interview Date: 2/19 or 2/26; Informal gathering evening before (on both dates)
University of Southern Mississippi: notified via phone call 1/2/16 by POI, Interview Date: 2/11 or 2/12
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: notified via email 1/22 by chair of admissions, Interview Date: 2/27/16, social the night before, all day interview, happy hour following interview.
University of Tulsa: notified via phone 12/21 by POI, Interview Date: 1/28 and 29
University of Utah: notified via email 1/20 by POI, Interview Date: 2/19; Social event the night before with current graduate students. Lodging available with graduate students.
University of Virgina (Curry School of Education): notified via email 1/20, Interview Date: 2/5 or 2/12; Interview from 8:30am-3pm, breakfast and lunch provided; optional dinner night before interview; possible overnight accommodation with current grad students
Wichita State University: notified 1/14, Interview Date: 2/5 or 2/8
Yale University: notified via email 12/21 by POI, Interview Date: 1/25; School will cover plane ticket, arrive 1/24, all day interview on 1/25, leave 1/26. Social event night of 1/25. Most meals provided.

Clinical Psychology Psy.D.
Indiana State University: notified via phone call 1/22 by Admissions Office, Interview Date: 2/12 or 2/19
LIU C.W. Post: notified via email 1/4 by Asst. Director, Interview Date: 1/31 and 2/8; Group orientation, two individual interviews, Q & A, and tour
Roosevelt University: notified via email 1/28 by DCT, Interview Date: 2/19 or 2/22, Full interview day consisting of an introductory talk by Dr. Dienes-Williams (Director of the PsyD Program), interviews with two faculty members, lunch, a tour of the building, open question time, and time to chat with current students and fellow applicants. They didn't mention whether all invitations went out or not and they asked to specify which professors applicants want to meet with.
Spalding University: notified via email 1/29 by Admin Coordinator, Interview Date: 2/12, 2/26, 2/29, 3/4; Half day interview either morning or afternoon. Three 30 minute interviews conducted by two faculty members and two doctoral students with an information session/lunch
University of Denver: notified via phone call 1/22 by Admissions Director, Interview Date: 2/26
The Wright Institute: notified via email 1/25 by Director of Admissions, program admin, Interview Date: 2/18
Yeshiva Ferkauf: notified via email 1/13 by program admin, Interview Date: 1/28/16

Counseling Psychology Ph.D.
Boston College: notified 2/8 via phone and email by POI, Interview Date: 2/8; From 8am-2:30pm, interviewees will pay for own travel expenses; detailed interview information will be emailed later this week or early next week
Georgia State University: notified via email 1/21 by admissions, Interview Date: 2/22
Howard University: notified via email 1/15 by POI, Interview Date: 2/5;
Indiana University- Bloomington: notified via email 1/7 by DCT, Interview Date: 2/5; Optional dinner/social with current students the night before; can depart any time after 6 PM on interview day; an assistant will follow up with logistics after confirming availability
New York University- Steinhardt: notified via email 1/22 by Admin Asst., Interview Date: 2/12. Received an email from a program administrator with the invite letter attached. There is a voluntary meet and greet the evening before on 2/11 and then a full day of interviewing the followingday.
University at Albany, SUNY: notified via phone 12/15 by POI/DCT , Interview Date: 2/5; Potluck dinner with grad students the night before, interviews all day and departmental tour on 2/5; POI will follow up with an email with more info (including nearby hotels but also stated that they try to have current doctoral students house interviewees as well)
University of Florida: notified via phone 1/4, Interview Date: 1/24-25; lodging provided by graduate students, informal dinner with current students 1/24 evening, interviews 1/25
University of Maryland: Adult track; notified via phone 12/17 by POI,Interview Date: 2/5/16; Phone interview-flexible date;
University of Miami: notified via phone 1/13 by POI,Interview Date: 2/5/16; Luncheon with students on the 4th. All day interviews on the 5th.
University of Minnesota- Twin Cities: notified via email and phone 1/15 by POI,Interview Date: 1/15/16;
University of Oregon: notified via email 1/5 by POI,Interview Date: 1/28-29;
University of Utah:notified via email 1/25 by DCT, Interview Date: 2/19; Can request an interview via phone or Skype if not available; will likely be an optional social event with current students the evening of 2/19; program assistant will provide more info/help with logistics; a faculty member should be following up with a personal invitation
UVC:notified via phone 1/12 by program asst., Interview Date: 1/22

Experimental (Social) Psychology Ph.D.
Wayne State University: notified via email 12/21 by POI, Interview Date: via Skype 1/4 or 1/5

School Psychology Ph.D.
Syracuse: notified via email 1/12/2016 by POI, Interview Date: 2/25 or 2/26; half day interview
University of Indiana- Bloomington: notified via email 1/15/2016 by student service specialist, Interview Date:four dates to choose from, Tuesdays and Fridays, 1/26, 1/29, 2/2, 2/5; interviews are half days with a social the night before
University of Maryland: notified via email 1/5, Interview Date: 2/5/16. Will be assigned either morning or afternoon interview session
University of Tennessee Knoxville: notified via email 12/1 by program coordinator, Interview Date: 1/29 (alternate date 2/5). Dinner with current students the night before. Full day interviews, 9-3
University of Texas at Austin: notified via email 12/10 by Admin Asst. , Interview Date: 2/5.
University of Wisconsin, Madison: notified via email 12/22 by recruitment professor, Interview Date: 1/22; Meals provided - dinner with current student the night before, breakfast at welcome on morning of interview, lunch and dinner day of interview. Limited spaces to stay with students, phone interviews only available for extreme circumstances.
University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee: notified via email 1/14/16 by Program Coordinator Interview Date: 2/18; interview from 9-1, individual interviews
University of Washington- Seattle notified via email 1/14/16 by Program Coordinator Interview Date: 2/5; individual interviews from 8-5, Skype interviews available

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2015-2016 Official Psychology Ph.D./PsyD Interview Invite Thread

Ohio State Class of 2020 Hopefuls!

"No more than one required prerequisite course may remain to be completed after autumn term of the academic year in which you apply."

If you're applying for class of 2021 next fall, you need to have 3 of the 4 capstone courses* completed by the end of next year and all of them completed by the Spring of 2017. That's how I understand it. If you are still worried, call OSU admissions and ask (or e-mail).

*The capstones are the true "required" courses now (physiology, biochem, microbio, and speech). The other prereqs can be met through a variety of coursework that you'll hopefully have by that time by sheer virtue of being pre-vet and taking GEC's (lower chemistries, physics, biologies, humanities, etc.).

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Ohio State Class of 2020 Hopefuls!

2015-2016 California Northstate University College of Medicine

Class of 2020!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your eyes may be open wide now...but plenty of all-nighters and a growing cynicism for the world will eventually get you to our level.

My advice to you is don't take 3 or 4 pre-reqs in your very first semester. I took 1 my first semester, and never more than 2 at a time, and turned out just fine. You don't want to be playing catch up your entire undergraduate career.

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Class of 2020!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2015-2016 University of Kansas Application Thread

there are other demographic questions etc ofcourse, but the secondary essay questions are as follows:

Provide relatively brief (1000 character maximum) answers to the following questions. Use Notepad or other non-formatting text editors if you would like to copy-paste your answers from drafts prepared elsewhere. If you copy-paste more than 1000 characters into a text box, you will lose your answer when you click the <Save> button. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.*

1. What experiences have led to your decision to become a physician?

2. Describe examples of leadership experience in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

3. Describe any of your special interests and how you have developed knowledge in these areas. Give examples of your creativity: the ability to see alternatives; to take diverse perspectives; to develop varied or original ideas; or the willingness to try new things.

4. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge.

5. Give an example of what you have done to make your community a better place to live.

6. Describe your experiences facing or witnessing discrimination. Tell how you responded and what you learned from these experiences and how they have prepared you for your future in medicine.

7. What special life experiences and/or characteristics would you bring to KU School of Medicine?

8. If not included in your AMCAS application, describe your health care experiences that involved direct exposure to physicians' clinical duties.

9. If you are not a Kansas resident, what is your specific interest in applying to the University of Kansas School of Medicine?

10. If necessary, update the information contained in your AMCAS application. Indicate grades earned, alterations in your proposed course work or graduation time, additions to your extracurricular activities, or other pertinent information.

11. If there are discrepancies in your application that have not been explained in your personal statement, use this space to clarify. Examples may include unexplained gaps in time, multiple undergraduate institutions attended, multiple course withdrawals, inconsistent academic performance, inconsistency between academic performance and MCAT scores.

12. If you are currently enrolled, or plan to be enrolled during the next academic year, in a graduate or professional degree program, please describe your status within the program and your intention to complete the program. You must also request a letter from your graduate program advisor or from the dean of your professional school. This letter must include acknowledgement of your application to medical school and a description of your status in the program.

13. If you are no longer a full-time undergraduate student, briefly describe your current employment, community, and/or post-graduate educational activities.

14. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant academic experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.

15. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant employment and personal experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.

16. For Combined MD/PhD Program Applicants: Do you also want to be considered as an "MD-only" applicant?

*17. Have you ever been convicted for violation of a regulation or law relating to controlled substances (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved.

*18. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved.

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2015-2016 University of Kansas Application Thread

2015-2016 Case Western Reserve University Application Thread

University Track

Please describe the greatest personal challenge you have faced, one which you feel has helped to shape you as a person. Examples may include a time when you felt you were "in over your head," or a time when you felt personally criticized. You may also discuss a moral or ethical dilemma, a situation of personal adversity, or a hurdle in your life that you worked hard to overcome. Please include how you got through the experience and what you may have learned about yourself as a result. (3500ch)

Please describe the hypothesis of your research, why the methods were selected to answer that hypothesis, your results and interpretation of your results with respect to future findings. If you have not participated in research or scholarly work, please indicate so in the text area below. (3500ch)

Is there any further information that you wish to share with the Admissions Committee? This could include information about your academic history, personal life or any other area that is of importance to you.

If you were working on a small group project and you thought that another student wasn't carrying his/her load, how would you handle it? (300-1000ch)

College Track

Each year our students target for themselves areas of improvement. Other than the acquisition of new knowledge, what personal area do you think you have that could use strengthening? Design a plan as to how you could improve it. (500-1000 char)

Tell us about a time when you received unexpected criticism or negative feedback. How did you react? What did you do? (500-1000 char)

How do you see your career ten years from now? (500-1000 char)

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2015-2016 Case Western Reserve University Application Thread

2015-2016 Boston University Application Thread

I think I got them all. The secondary is a bit confusing to navigate.

Did you go on to college directly after high school?*
If no, explain:

Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree?*(Post bac work is NOT considered undergraduate. If attending a post bac program prior to entering medical school, the answer is NO and should be explained.) If you took gap year(s), please use this space to explain what you have been doing prior to applying to medical school.
If no, explain: For example, attending post bac or other graduate program, working, traveling, etc.

If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below. (You may skip this question if you have graduated within 4 years.)

Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us.For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. (2000 Characters)

Optional Essay:Use the space below to provide additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine.This should include only information NOT already included in your AMCAS or other sections of the BUSM Supplemental Application. Most applicants leave this blank.

Boston University School of Medicine / Boston Medical Center Connection:List any personal connections(s) you have at Boston University School of Medicine or Boston Medical Center. (Other than as a patient.) Most applicants leave this blank.

There is also an option to upload CV/Resumes transcript etc if needed. The space can also be used for update letters. I submitted my CV because I ALWAYS have an up to date copy with me at all times.

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2015-2016 Boston University Application Thread

*** 2015-2016 MD/PhD Acceptances ***

Wisconsin for me too! I made a fool of myself in the airport with my laughing and whooping, but I don't even care!

DO NOT ERASE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!
1) click quote on the most recent list
2) delete the " " tags on the top and bottom
3) add your user name, (Interview invite date, Acceptance date, any other pertinent info, and if needed, add the school name to the list)
4) Enter the name(s) of the school(s) where you are adding data into the "Title" box (at the top) so that your changes can be easily located.
5) Enter Submit

Legend:
I: Interview date
A: Acceptance date

Emory: 26point2 (I: 9/28, A: 10/19), Allaboutthatbass (I:9/28, A:10/19)
Penn State Hershey: Want2beaDr2 (I: 10/5, A: 10/15)
Rutgers NJMS: Want2beaDr2 (I: 9/17, A: 10/31)
Stony Brook: MSTPtastic (I: 9/30, A: 10/29)
University of Chicago: 26point2 (I: 9/14, A: 10/15), psf73 (I: 9/14, A: 10/15), BR2016 (I: 9/14 A: 10/15), neurotroph (I: 9/29 A: 10/15)
University of Pittsburgh: 26point2 (I: 9/17, A: 10/15), psf73 (I: 8/31, A: 10/15)
UT San Antonio: Nanorust (I: 8/24, A: 10/23)
University of Wisconsin PhySci94 (I: 10/8-11, A: 11/2), edc1618 (I: 10/08, A: 11/02), MSTPtastic (I: 10/8, A: 11/2)

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*** 2015-2016 MD/PhD Acceptances ***

2015-2016 University of Iowa (Carver) Application Thread

Three strands:
Clinical and professional skills - where you learn physical exam, patient interview, and evidence based stuff

Medicine and society - public health type courses, courses on health disparities etc

Foundations/Mechanisms of health and disease - this is where all of the science courses are. Foundations will have your basic sciences (biochem, cell bio, etc.). Mechanisms of health and disease is basically systems based physiology.

The helix is supposed to represent interconnectedness and tiebacks of the courses. For example G6PD deficiency may be mentioned during biochem, then again with more info during genetics, then again when you go through liver normal physio, then again when you do abnormal. Each time you get more information about a topic. Another example would be learning the neuro physical exam in CAPS the same time you are going through neuro in anatomy, and then how neuro comes up again when you do neuroscience.

Hopefully that clears things up.

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2015-2016 University of Iowa (Carver) Application Thread

2015-2016 Meharry Medical College Application Thread

It seems like this school is REALLY about primary care and service of the underprivileged.

However, the secondary asks you to rank your reasons for an interest in medicine, whether you are interested in primary care, and where you would like to work (small town, larger metropolitan area, etc)

To be honest, the whole thing seems like a trap LOL, cuz it seems like there is an obvious "right" answer to each question.

Has anyone had success getting admitted after indicating an interest in specialty practice in an academic setting?

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2015-2016 Meharry Medical College Application Thread

2015-2016 Oregon Health & Sciences University Application Thread

Just called OHSU to ask about border counties (I live in Clark) and whether they are considered in state:

NOPE.

I am a WA resident in a border county and will still be considered OOS. No going to bother with the secondary, a shame I didn't ask sooner for the primary. Good luck to the rest of you!

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2015-2016 Oregon Health & Sciences University Application Thread

2015-2016 Drexel University Application Thread

I'm pre-writing secondaries now and am assuming Drexel's secondary essay prompt will be the same or similar to last year:

"Please give details about any interruption or time away from your education, which includes the time since graduation. Detail your activities for each year away from school."

I looked through last year's thread but was unable to find a character or word limit for the essay. Does anyone know if there is a word/character limit on Drexel's secondary essay, and if so, what it is? Thanks!

Also, as a non-trad, I have 4 years between graduation from college and applying to medical school. Most of my 4 years is pretty well-documented in my Work and Activities section on AMCAS, so is it necessary to go in-depth in terms of what I did these four years? Or will a paragraph simply stating what I did each year suffice?

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2015-2016 Drexel University Application Thread

Michigan State University (MSUCOM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

2016 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

Overwhelmed with gratitude to be MS1 in August, looking for ways to pay forward all the kind assistance I received on this journey as I remember this time last year...

All I can say is hang in there, guys, keep your head down and check one box at a time. Anyone who says this application year isn't draining is not shooting straight--especially if you are nontrads, juggling management of a family, taking classes, working, and then piling onto all of this, flying and driving around the country for interviews. No one will ever know what it takes for us to pull this off unless they've done it.

If there's one thing I would constrain you to get squared away, it's this: For a nontrad, you want to very clearly be able to answer the question, "Why now?" --for yourself first, then for the personal statement and the interviews. The PS readers and interviewers need to be able to follow a logical progression through your story that has led you to this point in your life where you believe medicine is right for you. This is worth the trouble to think through and figure out exactly how to articulate, as it will keep coming up over and over.

Don't let anyone tell you that you are too old for this. You can decide you are too old for it at any point along the arduous path, but no one else can make that call for you. Just one more layer of encouragement--I have never seen anyone as old as I am on SDN as a premed, so if I'm not too old, you definitely are not.

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2016 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread