2010-2011 Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU Application Thread

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ksmi117

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Prompt:

Select an experience unrelated to science or medicine that you've had in each of the categories below. Just name the experience and then write a very brief statement about why you did the experience and/or what was the most important thing(s) you learned about yourself from doing it. You may write about a new experience or one listed in your AMCAS application. An experience may be used more than once. Leaving categories blank will not make your application incomplete. Limit your answers to the spaces provided.

1. A community service experience (unrelated to science or patient care). (1200 characters limit)


2. An employment experience (a job you held for pay unrelated to science or medicine). (1200 characters limit)


3. A position of responsibility/authority (in which others depended on you for direction). (1200 characters limit)


4. A creative endeavor (anything that required you to be creative in your approach, e.g. art, dance, music, computer programming, web site design, writing). (1200 characters limit)

5. A situation in which you interacted with individuals who were different from you. (1200 characters limit)

6. Sports, travel, pets, hobbies: Choose one of the following and write about it as you did in 1-5 above: a) a sport in which you participate or follow); b) your most memorable travel experience; c) pet(s) for which you provided care; or d) an avocation (most important thing you do for distraction). (1200 characters limit)

:luck: with your application!

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Just emailed them today; they said I was accepted!!!:D
No application needed.
 
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This is the first time I've heard about this school. Are they still accepting applications or something? It sounds like they JUST opened their application for applicants? Maybe Im getting something mixed up. Anyone with any background info about FAU that they could share?
 
Wow, florida is getting up there in terms of # of schools
 
It is crazy to think that they are opening up applications at the end of Feb and are considering interviewing into July. They really do want a class this year I guess.

You can email them [email protected] and ask to be added to their mailing list. They're sending out a notification once they go live in AMCAS.
 
Okay, I was just making sure I wasn't crazy to think that their application was just opening in Feb. I guess everyone is still waiting to submit stuff? They said something about Feb 24th being the day that they are added to AMCAS?
 
I will definitely be applying to this school. Does anyone know if they are giving any type of scholarship to their first class? I am an OOS so this would be a plus.
 
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I will definitely be applying to this school. Does anyone know if they are giving any type of scholarship to their first class? I am an OOS so this would be a plus.
from the admissions page:
"Funds have been set aside to award scholarships to the majority of the charter class based on merit, need or diversity for up to a total of four years of support."
 
from the admissions page:
"Funds have been set aside to award scholarships to the majority of the charter class based on merit, need or diversity for up to a total of four years of support."

Thanks :)
 
I can't wait for the application. Is there any reference to how this school performed when it was still affiliated with UM? Also, what changes have they made since becoming independent?
 
Wow, a new medical school with the AMCAS application opening up in late February? That's pretty interesting.

While I'm from New York State, and didn't apply to any Florida schools this cycle, I might just log into AMCAS and add this when it becomes available.

I wonder how competitive applications will be this late in the cycle. Is the inaugural class going to be very small, like Hofstra?
 
Wow, a new medical school with the AMCAS application opening up in late February? That's pretty interesting.

While I'm from New York State, and didn't apply to any Florida schools this cycle, I might just log into AMCAS and add this when it becomes available.

I wonder how competitive applications will be this late in the cycle. Is the inaugural class going to be very small, like Hofstra?

64 people, only 10 out of state. Check out their website http://med.fau.edu/medicine/admissions
 
Thanks.

Does anyone know if the secondary will have essays?

Just guessing, but probably a “what have you done since submitting AMCAS”, since that was over 7 months ago for people who submitted in June.

Maybe a why FAU? Or at least a why FAU for us OOS’ers
 
Just guessing, but probably a “what have you done since submitting AMCAS”, since that was over 7 months ago for people who submitted in June.

Maybe a why FAU? Or at least a why FAU for us OOS’ers

That sounds like a reasonable guess.

I wouldn't have any problem giving an update on activities since last year.

"Why FAU" might be tougher, since I would only be applying for the novelty of a new med school app opening, and have never even been to Florida in my life.

The school is in Boca? I hear it's really nice (and ridiculously expensive) there.
 
Thanks.

I like how they claim to be the oldest new medical school in Florida.:laugh:

Does anyone know if the secondary will have essays?
i thought you were kidding, but there it is...

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University is the oldest new medical school in the State of Florida.
 
I am actually from Boca Raton, so if anyone has any questions about the location you can PM me or just throw them up on the thread

:)
 
I go to to FAU, you are right - its is excessively expensive to live here. They just built brand new apartment-style living facilities for grad/med students, opening Fall 2011. The price? Over $1200 a month... for a dorm room.

Wow, that's crazy. I'm from Buffalo, NY, which is one of the most affordable places to live in the U.S. Anywhere else seems expensive to me. $600 a month is a nice sizable apartment here.

FAU only caught my attention because its a new school, and the applications are opening up soon. Most of my applications were complete on the later end in September.

If I apply to FAU, everything would be right on time. From the website, they are only taking 10 OOS students, so my chances of an interview invite are likely to be between 0% and 1%.:laugh:

The secondary fee is only $30, so it wouldn't be a big loss.:)
 
On their website it says that they just got a preliminary accreditation which means until they have their first batch of students take Step 1 with good scores they won't get the final accreditation...Which makes me weary since the price is so high to begin with..

What do you guys think?
 
On their website it says that they just got a preliminary accreditation which means until they have their first batch of students take Step 1 with good scores they won't get the final accreditation...Which makes me weary since the price is so high to begin with..

What do you guys think?

I can't imagine they would have students matriculate if there was any chance of losing their accreditation. This school will accept strong applicants from the same applicant pool as all other schools. Why would the Step 1 scores be very different?
 
There was a second part of my message I edited out because, well, I didn't want anyone from FAU reading it and thinking I was being critical of the school. However, since you brought it up...

I can't quite figure out the game plan here. When UCF opened their medical school, they offered full scholarships to the charter class. This made their applicant pool extremely competitive. They, if I remember correctly, also didn't wait this long to start accepting applications. Furthermore, they offered/will offer an additional 75/50/25 discount on tuition to the next three classes, respectively, if the rumors going around are true. As expected then, UCF widely publicized last year that they had one of the, if not the, most competitive applicant pool in Florida. Likewise, I watched their white coat ceremony online and the dean stated UCF had the highest GPA/MCAT stats on average for their matriculants vs. all other FL schools. I didn't think much of this because I didn't know the additional steps of accreditation were contingent upon the number of students passing Step 1 (as someone above wrote). I was previously arguing that since FAU, at least FAU's premed department, had knowledge of and blasted the info via email about UCFs scholarship program, that FAU should offer the same types of scholarships (including the 100% for the charter class). That would produce a more competitive class considering the circumstances. However, because of the lack of PR surrounding scholarship money (aside the one line statement on the website - 'funds have been set aside'), I just assumed FAUs charter class might be less than stellar - no big deal. Now I have agree with you, I can't imagine FAU accepting anyone who would hurt their chances of full accreditation, which would be a disaster both on an academic level and on a PR level. Basically, this means they need to throw out cash bachelor party style and advertise doing it.

The only thing I can think of as to why this is not being done (at least publicly) is that they may want applicants who want to go here not for the money but for the school, teaching style, etc... but lets just be honest, its late in the game - why not try and get the best students you can?

I didn't read all of that, but I'm sure there are plenty of extremely strong applicants, even this late in the season, who are still hoping for their first acceptance.
 
We premeds probably know better than anyone that every year, some percentage of qualified applicants will be turned down simply because of space issues. That means that, like Maxwell just said, even this late in the season, there will be strong applicants around to apply to FAU. I'm willing to bet that with a $30 secondary, there will be Florida applicants who may already have acceptances at other schools, but will apply to FAU for the chance of a full ride. Either way, advertising about financial support won't necessarily draw only the strongest applicants - it'll draw everyone, which just means more applications to sift through on a limited amount of time.
 
I didn't read all of that, but I'm sure there are plenty of extremely strong applicants, even this late in the season, who are still hoping for their first acceptance.

I'm sure there are, now its just a question of whether they're all in Florida. I'm confident that they will be able to reel in enough solid OOS applicants, but that's only 10 out of 64 spots.

I'm still looking for my first acceptance. I'll be applying to FAU and would love to go there (have reasonable OOS ties), but it is an interesting and well-thought out point that d2 made. Opening their application in February does present at least some level of risk, maybe even unnecessary risk given that its also their first class.

We premeds probably know better than anyone that every year, some percentage of qualified applicants will be turned down simply because of space issues. That means that, like Maxwell just said, even this late in the season, there will be strong applicants around to apply to FAU. I'm willing to bet that with a $30 secondary, there will be Florida applicants who may already have acceptances at other schools, but will apply to FAU for the chance of a full ride. Either way, advertising about financial support won't necessarily draw only the strongest applicants - it'll draw everyone, which just means more applications to sift through on a limited amount of time.

Another good point... Subpar applicants like to find schools like FAU because they think it will be easier to get in. However, it does seem like they value MCAT / GPA highly, so they could conceivably have a cutoff there pre-secondary. Especially for OOS students, because they can probably be quite selective with those. That would probably help weed out a lot of applications.
 
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Wow I hope they are paying you to write so many good things about FAU! If you are planning on applying maybe you shouldn't build them up so much, you are only drawing in the competition lol.
 
Isn't it crazy that just 12 years ago there were only 4 med schools (3MD and 1 DO) in Fl. with some DO student clinical sites for the 2 Missouri DO schools but for all 4 years, only 3 MD and 1 DO school in Fl.

Then by 10 years ago when i started college there were 4 MD schools and 1 DO school. Then 7 years ago it was 4 MD schools 2 DO schools. Now it is 7 MD schools and 2 DO schools.

And for that matter we also have had 3 new pharmacy schools (Palm beach atlantic, lecom, and USF pharmacy).

And a new Dental school coming to Lecom.

That is 5 new medical schools, 1 new dental school, 3 new pharmacy schools for a total of 9 new professional doctoral level programs in Florida over the last 10 years.

Yes. I cannot believe it. And yet I hear multiple people complaining about there are not enough med schools opening up (which there aren't), but why is Florida growing so rapidly in comparison to other states/schools?
 
Yeah I am applying. Yeah I know but the truth is I've learned one thing in life.

If they really think I'm that uncompetitive and didn't want me or a bad fit for their school it doesn't matter if there are only 100 applicants for 65 seats or 65 applicants or 4000 applicants. They would still probably not take me.

And I know this for a fact because UCF, another new Fl. school in its opening year had the opportunity to interview up to 350 people of its 4000 applicants and yet purposely chose to interview less for the 40 seats of the first class.

Last year they interviewed 313 not 350 though 350 is the total max for the 2nd class.

So if FAU really doesn't want me or you or anyone else they won't take us not because there are 4000 applicants or 2000 applicants but because they won't have thought I'm a good fit for their school or didn't like me enough.

For instance, FIU rejected me as early as July. My first rejection because they look at GPA by collapsing all GPAs rather then looking at grad/postbac work separately of main ugrad GPA whereas Wayne State and UCF where I interviewed at looked at it separately. If there were less applicants at FIU it does not necessarily still mean they'd have given me a chance.

So that's why I honestly don't give a damn if there are 4000 applicants or 1000 applicants.

That's just my opinion.

But on that note only 2 more days. :)

I know what you mean, I was just wondering why you were so enthusiastic about this school that's all. Good luck, I hope you get in! :)
 
Today's the day! Soooo, where's the updated AMCAS application??? C'mon!
 
Hey everyone, I'm sure all of you are FL residents on this discussion thread, just wondering what you think the chances are for someone out of state.
 
Hey everyone, I'm sure all of you are FL residents on this discussion thread, just wondering what you think the chances are for someone out of state.
Their website says 10 seats for out of state, I believe.
 
apps up on amcas

Hey thanks, I can also confirm that the app is there. In fact, I think it's the only school on AMCAS that isn't past deadline by now.

Don't know what I'm thinking applying here, seeing as I'm OOS, and there are only 10 seats for OOS applicants. Most of my apps were complete in September, so this is an opportunity to apply somewhere as early as anyone else.

Hope the secondary isn't too bad.:)
 
I'm in the same boat as you Maxwell. More schools = more chances for a yes in my book!
 
Submitted my amcas app! so excited! My parents house is less than 30 min from fau and my sister goes there now for undergrad, and I lived in palm beach county since I was 9, its such a great place...far enough from crowded miami, but close enough to still go down and enjoy it

FYI the boca area around fau is expensive, but if you go around the boynton beach or west palm beach area, which are about 30 min from the school, you can probably find cheaper housing.

Good luck everyone :)
 
Submitted my amcas app! so excited! My parents house is less than 30 min from fau and my sister goes there now for undergrad, and I lived in palm beach county since I was 9, its such a great place...far enough from crowded miami, but close enough to still go down and enjoy it

FYI the boca area around fau is expensive, but if you go around the boynton beach or west palm beach area, which are about 30 min from the school, you can probably find cheaper housing.

Good luck everyone :)

Ditto! :thumbup:
 
Just sent in my primary. Does anyone know about how many IS / OOS they will accept this year?
 
Does anyone know if any funds will be given for living expenses?
 
It seems like they do emphasize GPA/MCAT from their website, seeing as they are putting together their first class. Anyone know if they screen pre-secondary? It wasn't clear on the website.

Also, what exactly would you consider as "strong FL ties"? I'm OOS, but I used to live in Florida for 2 years and have some family there. I did a year of community college while I was there.

I got the feeling the secondary has essays, since it said something about how it will ask about ties to FL and your nonacademic interests.
 
Thanks gujuDoc for all the info!!

Yeah, I had avoided applying to FL schools because of the OOS tuition and it seemed like most of the schools really favored in-state applicants. Plus, I had to really cut down the schools I applied and I was considering so many. I never thought that my FL ties would be considered "strong" either, until now.

I actually lived in the panhandle of FL, nowhere close to southern FL. It felt more like Alabama than Florida lol.
 
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