Official 2008 Secondary Questions Thread

I just got off the phone with Jefferson and SAT scores are NOT mandatory....

scrubsrfun said:

Is there any way to check our sat scores online somewhere, like from the people who originally administered the test? (I don't even remember what company did).

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are you talking about collegeboard here?

anotherpremed said:

Most undergrad institutions keep track of it- ask your advisor or registrar if they have it. I luckily still had a pdf of the common app saved on my computer...

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they wont give it to me over the phone =/

Did anyone submit jefferson's yet? I submitted but in the status area it still says " no" for secondary received?
?? anyone else?

NBCDTT said:

I just got off the phone with Jefferson and SAT scores are NOT mandatory....

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HAHA Ok because I just spent the last 20 minutes trying to get my score from the college board over the phone and they said it was a 12 dollar fee, but that's good that it's not mandatory then. Thanks!

Daydreamer2008 said:

Did anyone submit jefferson's yet? I submitted but in the status area it still says " no" for secondary received?
?? anyone else?

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Yes, I have the same thing. I believe it might take them a bit to receive it.

Is anyone else having trouble accessing MCW's secondary? I tried to submit but got this message that says I can't access the website remotely but I have no idea what it means. Thanks.

To anyone who has started filling out SUNY: are you putting course descriptions for every class? I can't tell if they want it for all classes or just the ones that don't clearly fill the pre-req requirement.

Also, are you listing all Bio classes (for example) or just 6-8 credit hours and then stopping?

GreenMudPhud said:

They just sent it to me. Monday I believe. (I'm instate)

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Cool, another IL'er.

I looked at SIU's website and they give everyone a secondary that meets the minumum requirements

goosie said:

To anyone who has started filling out SUNY: are you putting course descriptions for every class? I can't tell if they want it for all classes or just the ones that don't clearly fill the pre-req requirement.

Also, are you listing all Bio classes (for example) or just 6-8 credit hours and then stopping?

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Which SUNY? Upstate? I don't think they want descriptions for all classes, just the ones that don't clearly fill the pre-req.

Daydreamer2008 said:

Did anyone submit jefferson's yet? I submitted but in the status area it still says " no" for secondary received?
?? anyone else?

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Where is this "APPLY ONLINE" button for Jefferson's secondary? It's supposed to be at www.Jefferson.edu/JMC/, but I don't see it. Am I just blind or something? (Tried on Firefox and IE...)

PistolPete said:

Where is this "APPLY ONLINE" button for Jefferson's secondary? It's supposed to be at www.Jefferson.edu/JMC/, but I don't see it. Am I just blind or something? (Tried on Firefox and IE...)

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it's in the top right... it has a little graphic with a computer mouse that says "apply online"

soulspokn said:

bump. no one has any info on these schools? Are any of these MAIL only? if thats the case, I'm pretty screwed, since I'm in spain.

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Last year UCLA snaimailed the secondary questions...not sure about this year...

Daydreamer2008 said:

Did anyone submit jefferson's yet? I submitted but in the status area it still says " no" for secondary received?
?? anyone else?

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Same here, I'm guessing that someone has to go in and change the status, rather than it changing automatically. I'm not too worried yet...

Do you think stylistically they expect our secondary essays to be much different than our PS's? I find that mine are not really anecdotally based and more straightforward -- and I'm just curiosu if that's a bad way to approach??

PistolPete said:

Where is this "APPLY ONLINE" button for Jefferson's secondary? It's supposed to be at www.Jefferson.edu/JMC/, but I don't see it. Am I just blind or something? (Tried on Firefox and IE...)

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If anyone else is having trouble seeing the mouse that has the link to the online secondary for Jefferson (above the picture of the building), it's probably because of your firewall. Only after I disabled my Symantec firewall did it appear on the web page for me. Hope this helps others who might be experiencing similar issues...

I just got Snail mail from Uni of Rochester. They said Secondary will be available by July 6th online.

I got an email from U of Oklahoma today. They just want money and LORs.


Is there ANYONE other than me applying to OU this year????

The Columbia secondary asks you to enter the type of work you did during college, including summers. It asks for it in list format, using commas. Would it be bad to use the space (1100 characters) to discuss my summer work instead of just listing it?

I know this had been discussed earlier regarding the Tulane Secondary, but I called their office to ask them if it would be ok if I did not include the list of medical schools I am applying to when I send a copy of my AMCAS ap. The lady told me that it wouldn't make any difference because they can see which schools I applied to when they receive my application from AMCAS. I was under the impression that the list of schools is not made available to medical schools. Was the lady misinformed or does this occur?

I think I saw this kind of answered in this thread, but just want a little more clarification.

For MCW, under the 'Letters' section, my school uploads the packet of letters to each med school. So I've got that part checked. For the 'Personal Recommendations' part, are any of you specifically writing the names of those recommenders, even if they would be in your rec file that is sent to MCW?

I feel like I should fill out the 'Personal Recommendations' part, but I think that if I do, the committee will be waiting for these individual letters, instead of just seeing them in the online packet that they will be in. Anyone have any idea? Thanks.

PreMedMommy said:

I got an email from U of Oklahoma today. They just want money and LORs.


Is there ANYONE other than me applying to OU this year????

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Yes.

And there's a little more to the Oklahoma secondary for those of us who are OOS or graduate students.

http://www.medicine.ouhsc.edu/admissions/supplemental.asp

$65
LOR from pre-health committee + 1 extra (weird)
If OOS, a letter explaining your ties to the state
If a graduate student, a letter from your graduate program saying you're in good standing and have their permission to apply to medical school.

Did anyone successfully submit Jefferson's secondary? Each time I try to submit my payment, it says " a break in attempt has been detected" and asks me to login again...

kirseb said:

Did anyone successfully submit Jefferson's secondary? Each time I try to submit my payment, it says " a break in attempt has been detected" and asks me to login again...

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That's weird, I was able to submit successully

does it make a difference if I'm using Firefox? Should I try IE instead?

GoSouthernGo said:

Cool, another IL'er.

I looked at SIU's website and they give everyone a secondary that meets the minumum requirements

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Except me last year who lives in a small town south of I-80 and got screen out..

Does Jefferson absolutely require faxing of LOR's? My schools letter service only mails.

AMPed said:

The Columbia secondary asks you to enter the type of work you did during college, including summers. It asks for it in list format, using commas. Would it be bad to use the space (1100 characters) to discuss my summer work instead of just listing it?

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i think that they are trying to see if we can follow directions. no one could fill 1100 characters in list format. i think they are testing our self control. i say this because they also give you the option of uploading another document to say whatever you want. i say follow the directions. if you really want to elaborate then upload another document.

Tropicana100 said:

Does Jefferson absolutely require faxing of LOR's? My schools letter service only mails.

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Just call Jefferson. Does your school not use VirtualEvals or Interfolio?

anotherpremed said:

Just call Jefferson. Does your school not use VirtualEvals or Interfolio?

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I'm using interfolio to handle all of my LOR's. Looks like Jefferson won't accept interfolio electronically. Do they fax? or would they given this special circumstance?

anotherpremed said:

Just call Jefferson. Does your school not use VirtualEvals or Interfolio?

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Neither, the send it out snail mail.

Does anyone know what that space is for?? I don't have low grades to explain or anything of that nature. What can I substantially say in 500 characters w/o wasting some admissions officers time?!

hehehehe silly cornell!!!

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION INSTUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

anyone else notice this?

AMPed said:

The Columbia secondary asks you to enter the type of work you did during college, including summers. It asks for it in list format, using commas. Would it be bad to use the space (1100 characters) to discuss my summer work instead of just listing it?

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I would list it with a little elaboration. Might as well use the space right? If you don't have a lot of different work experiences to talk about (probably why there is so much space) then you could def. use it to explain it a little. I think I will.

So, JHU only lets you put in the name of two recommenders. I'm not sure if my school's refletter service sends all of the letters or just a select few, but would it be bad to send all 5 even though I only listed two on the secondary?

And, does "assistant professor" = "senior faculty"?

question: using my columbia ID i can log into JHU's site, but don't want to because i havent gotten an email from JHU yet... has everyone gotten emails from them?

Bluesmurf314 said:

I would list it with a little elaboration. Might as well use the space right? If you don't have a lot of different work experiences to talk about (probably why there is so much space) then you could def. use it to explain it a little. I think I will.

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with your stats you could probably poop on the application, send it in, and get accepted.

keys said:

question: using my columbia ID i can log into JHU's site, but don't want to because i havent gotten an email from JHU yet... has everyone gotten emails from them?

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I'm filling out the secondary right now. You might as well, there are several short essays to do. Then as soon as you get the email you can submit. Although, I bet if you submit before the email they wouldn't be opposed to it. They just want our cash!

Bluesmurf: did you get the email from JHU already?

nope

I have been finding that most secondaries ask you the same exact questions that the amcas does. Do adcoms just use the amcas for GPA and MCAT. Specifically the university of florida titles one of their essays "personal statement" with practically the same prompt as the amcas personal statement. What's with this? I have just been filling out the same info that I did for the amcas.

I think this is bs, 30 bucks just to run your gpa and mcat through a computer.

Bluesmurf314 said:

So, JHU only lets you put in the name of two recommenders. I'm not sure if my school's refletter service sends all of the letters or just a select few, but would it be bad to send all 5 even though I only listed two on the secondary?

And, does "assistant professor" = "senior faculty"?

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Assistant professor is definitely junior faculty. I pretty sure associate professor is also.

I'd guess that if you sent all 5 letters that the worst case would be that they would only look at the 2 you listed. I think they'd probably look at all of them, though.

I got JHU's e-mail about a week ago. Maybe they like alumni.

AMPed said:

Assistant professor is definitely junior faculty. I pretty sure associate professor is also.

I'd guess that if you sent all 5 letters that the worst case would be that they would only look at the 2 you listed. I think they'd probably look at all of them, though.

I got JHU's e-mail about a week ago. Maybe they like alumni.

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Well I have a letter from my PI and I'm SURE she's senior faculty, at the med school no less, but she never technically taught me for a class. Do you think I should put her down as my second "senior faculty" instead?

As far as getting the email already, you were probably verified before I was as well. Or, maybe they just don't like me and I could be wasting my time. Haha.

For those of you who are filling out Tulane's secondary, did you get an email or snail mail invite?
Thanks

Bluesmurf314 said:

Well I have a letter from my PI and I'm SURE she's senior faculty, at the med school no less, but she never technically taught me for a class. Do you think I should put her down as my second "senior faculty" instead?

As far as getting the email already, you were probably verified before I was as well. Or, maybe they just don't like me and I could be wasting my time. Haha.

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I'd go with your strongest 2 letters, unless there is a requirement for letters from particular undergrad faculty - I don't remember what JHU asks for. A strong letter from a senior faculty member you've done research would be a no-brainer, IMHO. You may want to call your undergrad ref service and see what they send and then ask JHU what they'd like you to do, however.

And I'm sure that the fact that I was verified very early is the only reason for receiving an early secondary - especially from JHU (lets just say that I wasn't a star student while I was there).

AMPed said:

Assistant professor is definitely junior faculty. I pretty sure associate professor is also.

I'd guess that if you sent all 5 letters that the worst case would be that they would only look at the 2 you listed. I think they'd probably look at all of them, though.

I got JHU's e-mail about a week ago. Maybe they like alumni.

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Do we have to wait until a school has sent us an e-mail to let us know that we can proceed with their secondary even though their secondary is posted on the schools' website (where you can find the link very easily?) If I remember correctly, Yale even said that we can submit our secondary before they got our primary. The Hopkins and Columbia secondaries have been posted for a while now.

EyeballLove said:

Do we have to wait until a school has sent us an e-mail to let us know that we can proceed with their secondary even though their secondary is posted on the schools' website (where you can find the link very easily?) If I remember correctly, Yale even said that we can submit our secondary before they got our primary. The Hopkins and Columbia secondaries have been posted for a while now.

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I submitted my secondary for JHU a few days ago and didn't get an email. I figure that if they didn't want you to send it before getting an email then they'd say that somewhere on the website.

saqrfaraj said:

I submitted my secondary for JHU a few days ago and didn't get an email. I figure that if they didn't want you to send it before getting an email then they'd say that somewhere on the website.

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Nope, we don't need an e-mail invitation from them. I remember reading that on their website. I was just there, and here are the instructions: "After all your reading and questioning, if Hopkins seems to be the right place for you, your next step is to apply to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) by visiting their web site at www.aamc.org. After you have submitted your AMCAS application and receive your AMCAS ID number, you may complete The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine on-line application." Whew. I submitted my Hopkins secondary a few days ago too.

How about Jefferson. Their application is on their site, but I think you need some information from an invite before you can submit? Has anyone NOT gotten an email invite from them?

Bluesmurf314 said:

So, JHU only lets you put in the name of two recommenders. I'm not sure if my school's refletter service sends all of the letters or just a select few, but would it be bad to send all 5 even though I only listed two on the secondary?

And, does "assistant professor" = "senior faculty"?

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Senior faculty= Position is "Professor" (or above, like Professor Emeritus or something) Junior faculty= assistant & associate professor

Daydreamer2008 said:

Did anyone submit jefferson's yet? I submitted but in the status area it still says " no" for secondary received?
?? anyone else?

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I don't have the current MSAR, but my copy from last year says that Jefferson Medical College avearages the MCAT scores. Are they still doing that this year?