Official 2008 Secondary Essay Prompts Thread

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Links to Available Secondary Prompts

Albert Einstein - online, e-mail invite
Baylor - online
Boston - e-mail invite
Case Western - e-mail invite
Cincinnati - e-mail invite
Columbia - email invite
Cornell - email invitation
Dartmouth - online
GW - email invitation
ECU (Brody) - email invite
Eastern Virginia Medical School - email invitation
Emory - e-mail invite, on or before August 15th
ETSU-Quillen
FSU - email invitation
Georgetown - e-mail invite
Jefferson - e-mail invite
Johns Hopkins - online
Loyola - snail mail invite, online application
Marshall
MCW - e-mail invite
Meharry - online
MSU-CHM - email invitation
MUSC - E-mail invite
Ohio state - email invitation
Pitt - e-mail invite
Rosalind Franklin
SLU - e-mail invite
South Carolina - e-mail invite
SUNY Downstate - e-mail invite
SUNY Upstate - e-mail invite
Temple
Tufts
Tulane - online
UAB - e-mail invite
U at Buffalo - no essays
UChicago-Pritzker - e-mail invite
UCincinnati
UConn - online
UCSD - email invite, 2 page personal statement
UF- email
UIC - e-mail invite
UKentucky - e-mail invite
U of Louisville - e-mail invite
UMDNJ-RWJMS - e-mail invitation, no essays
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School - email invite
UMiami - e-mail invite
UMich - e-mail invite
UMC - e-mail invite
UNC - e-mail invite
UPenn - e-mail invite, no essays
USUHS - e-mail invite
UTSW - TMDSAS should be submitted first
Rochester - snail mail invite, no essays
UOk - e-mail invite
USF - email invite
UVermont - e-mail invite
UWisc - e-mail Invite
VCU
WashU - email invite
Yale - online


Last Year's 2007 Secondary Thread

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Has anyone recieved a secondary from:
Harvard
Stanford
U. of Colorado
UCSF?

Any idea what this year's prompts are for those schools?
 
Any word on when SIU will be inviting people for their secondary?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
No major essay questions. They ask if your undergraduate education was continuous (and if it wasn't what you did in your time off) and if you aren't going to be enrolled in school this year, what you'll be doing with your time off. Other than that, straight-forward. Good luck.
 
NYU

E-mail invite.

The usual, describe what you've done since you graduated, if you aren't in college.

If there is any information you wish to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee regarding a physical or emotional problem that you feel may have affected your scholastic performance, please indicate below.
 
Links to Available Secondary Prompts

Albert Einstein - online, e-mail invite
Baylor - online
Boston - e-mail invite
Case Western - e-mail invite
Cincinnati - e-mail invite
Columbia - email invite
Cornell - email invitation
Dartmouth - online
GW - email invitation
ECU (Brody) - email invite
Eastern Virginia Medical School - email invitation
Emory - e-mail invite, on or before August 15th
ETSU-Quillen
FSU - email invitation
Georgetown - e-mail invite
Jefferson - e-mail invite
Johns Hopkins - online
Loyola - snail mail invite, online application
Marshall
MCW - e-mail invite
Meharry - online
MSU-CHM - email invitation
MUSC - E-mail invite
NYU-- Email invite =D
Ohio state - email invitation
Pitt - e-mail invite
Rosalind Franklin
SLU - e-mail invite
South Carolina - e-mail invite
SUNY Downstate - e-mail invite
SUNY Upstate - e-mail invite
Temple
Tufts
Tulane - online
UAB - e-mail invite
U at Buffalo - no essays
UChicago-Pritzker - e-mail invite
UCincinnati
UConn - online
UCSD - email invite, 2 page personal statement
UF- email
UIC - e-mail invite
UKentucky - e-mail invite
U of Louisville - e-mail invite
UMDNJ-RWJMS - e-mail invitation, no essays
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School - email invite
UMiami - e-mail invite
UMich - e-mail invite
UMC - e-mail invite
UNC - e-mail invite
UPenn - e-mail invite, no essays
USUHS - e-mail invite
UTSW - TMDSAS should be submitted first
Rochester - snail mail invite, no essays
UOk - e-mail invite
USF - email invite
UVermont - e-mail invite
UWisc - e-mail Invite
VCU
WashU - email invite
Yale - online


Last Year's 2007 Secondary Thread


woot. my first secondary. NYU! I gotta write that supplemental essay about something that happened with my grades, but I'm pretty stoked anyway. otherwise if you havent any emotional problems or problem quarters, no essays... it just sucks its 100$!!.
 
haha. i guess I was beat to it.=P Cheers
 
Secondary from Indiana in the mail yesterday (I am in-state). Didn't have a chance to look through all of it, but there were some letter of rec forms and a payment form.
 
Received Penn State's through email today.
 
NYU

E-mail invite.

The usual, describe what you've done since you graduated, if you aren't in college.

If there is any information you wish to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee regarding a physical or emotional problem that you feel may have affected your scholastic performance, please indicate below.

do we have to answer the second question? I feel like there wasn't a problem that affected my school performance. does that mean we can't use that space to talk about other things? cuz besides the second question, NYU doesnt seem to require an essay.

help!
 
so basically NYU doesnt require any extra writing? we just pay and submit?

So long as you don't feel the need to explain your grades and you've been in school continuously, then pretty much. You fill out blanks for courses you've taken, and answer a few yes/no questions, and that's it.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
So long as you don't feel the need to explain your grades and you've been in school continuously, then pretty much. You fill out blanks for courses you've taken, and answer a few yes/no questions, and that's it.

thanks! NYU is gonna be the first secondary i submit, so excited :)
 
does anyone know if the following school screens? Thanks

-NYU
-Mount Sinai
-Stony Brook
-U Southern California
-U Washington Seattle
 
UVA

Three essays, 300 words or less:

Why are you interested in attending the University of Virginia School of Medicine?

Briefly describe yourself and your medical career as you see it ten years from now.

What do you think will be your greatest personal challenge as a physician, and how will you address this?
 
I got Mt. Sinai's via email this morning.

Some yes no questions, a question about race, and then two essays:

1) What diversity would you add to the class? (not exact wording, but it was about adding diversity, 250 words)

2) Why Mt. Sinai? (250 words also, I think)


I am pretty sure they don't screen...
 
I got Mt. Sinai's via email this morning.

Some yes no questions, a question about race, and then two essays:

1) What diversity would you add to the class? (not exact wording, but it was about adding diversity, 250 words)

2) Why Mt. Sinai? (250 words also, I think)


I am pretty sure they don't screen...

Can someone please post the exact wording of the questions? Thanks!
 
Can someone please post the exact wording of the questions? Thanks!

I haven't gotten it yet, but it sounds like they're the same as last year:

What makes you special, someone who will add to the Mount Sinai community? (suggested 250 words or less)

Indicate the reasons for your specific interest in Mount Sinai. (suggested 200 words or less)

EDIT: Yeah, that's the wording. The first is required and the second is optional.
 
does anyone know if the following school screens? Thanks

-NYU
-Mount Sinai
-Stony Brook
-U Southern California
-U Washington Seattle



I got an email from UCSF today. They said they just got my AMCAS and it is ready to review. I sent it a month ago, but I called them at the time and they said I was too early. If you meet the requirements they will email you a link after they review your AMCAS. This is all I have heard so far.
 
For UNC I am out of state, but the application still isn't online yet
 
Links to Available Secondary Prompts

Albert Einstein - online, e-mail invite
Baylor - online
Boston - e-mail invite
Case Western - e-mail invite
Cincinnati - e-mail invite
Columbia - email invite
Cornell - email invitation
Dartmouth - online
GW - email invitation
ECU (Brody) - email invite
Eastern Virginia Medical School - email invitation
Emory - e-mail invite, on or before August 15th
ETSU-Quillen
FSU - email invitation
Georgetown - e-mail invite
Indiana - Snail mail
Jefferson - e-mail invite
Johns Hopkins - online
Loyola - snail mail invite, online application
Marshall
MCW - e-mail invite, no essays
Meharry - online
MSU-CHM - email invitation
Mt. Sinai - email
MUSC - E-mail invite
NYU and also NYU
Ohio state - email invitation
Penn State - email
Pitt - e-mail invite
Rosalind Franklin
SLU - e-mail invite
South Carolina - e-mail invite
SUNY Downstate - e-mail invite
SUNY Upstate - e-mail invite
Temple
Tufts
Tulane - online
UAB - e-mail invite
U at Buffalo - no essays
UChicago-Pritzker - e-mail invite
UCincinnati
UConn - online
UCSD - email invite, 2 page personal statement
UF- email
UIC - e-mail invite
UKentucky - e-mail invite
U of Louisville - e-mail invite
UMDNJ-RWJMS - e-mail invitation, no essays
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School - email invite
UMiami - e-mail invite
UMich - e-mail invite
UMC - e-mail invite
UNC - e-mail invite
UPenn - e-mail invite, no essays
USUHS - e-mail invite
UTSW - TMDSAS should be submitted first
Rochester - snail mail invite, no essays
UOk - e-mail invite
USF - email invite
UVA
UVermont - e-mail invite, no essays
UWisc - e-mail Invite
VCU
WashU - email invite
Yale - online


This Year's Official Secondary Discussion Thread
Last Year's 2007 Secondary Thread
 
I just got a Penn State secondary via e-mail and thought I'd share with you the prompts.

This has honestly been the toughest app so far simply because every question, with the exception of one, has a 50 word MAXIMUM limit.


1.Have you previously applied for admission to The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine?
If so, were you granted an interview?
Please indicate the entering first-year class year(s) to which you applied, and explain how your qualifications have changed since your previous application. (No more than 50 words)


2. Have you, previous to this application year, applied for admission to any medical school other than Penn State College of Medicine? Please indicate the entering first-year class year(s) to which you applied, and (if not indicated in 1b above) explain how your qualifications have changed since your previous application. (No more than 50 words)

3.Have you previously matriculated at any medical or professional school?

Then the next few questions are just asking for info about any family members that are graduates or faculty/staff at PSU, etc.

8. If not currently enrolled in a full-time academic program, please summate your activities from the time of graduation from your baccalaureate program through the time of this application, as well as your plans between now and your matriculation to medical school.

Then pre-reqs and letters of recommendation...

13. Explain the negative aspects of medicine that you considered in making this career decision. (Maximum 50 words)

14. Is there a unique aspect of your application that should be considered by the admissions committee? (Maximum 50 words)

15. Explain why you decided to apply to Penn State College of Medicine. (Maximum 50 words)

And that's it!
 
Hi all,

I'm working on the Yale secondary right now, and I feel like I've explained "what my interests in Yale Med School" are. I've only got about 150 words, and the max for the essay is 500.

I realize BS is a very bad thing, but should I really try and add some more stuff since it's not even half as long as the max......
 
NYU and NYU (summaries, still need actual wording) - No major required essays

I gave the actual wording for the (third) one. Docrower basically gave the exact wording for the first (ones). They ask what you if your education was continuous. If it wasn't, you have to explain. They ask what you've done since graduation (on the receipt, the wording is 'After Graduation Activities Essay).
 
I gave the actual wording for the (third) one. Docrower basically gave the exact wording for the first (ones). They ask what you if your education was continuous. If it wasn't, you have to explain. They ask what you've done since graduation (on the receipt, the wording is 'After Graduation Activities Essay).

Thanks for the clarification :)
 
Hi all,

I'm working on the Yale secondary right now, and I feel like I've explained "what my interests in Yale Med School" are. I've only got about 150 words, and the max for the essay is 500.

I realize BS is a very bad thing, but should I really try and add some more stuff since it's not even half as long as the max......


The advice I got from a resident was to think of specific examples and show who you are through them while you answer their question. Examples/stories take up space, make it more engaging, and hopefully are not BS. ;) Also, you can show how your interests were X when you did Y and now you'd like to do that at Yale... etc. Hope this helps.
 
FROM UCSD

From: Sofia Rendon <[email protected]>
Date: Jul 18, 2007
Subject: Secondary Application
To: Sofia Rendon <[email protected]>


You have been approved for a secondary application. To access the secondary application go to our website at http://meded.ucsd.edu/asa/admissions/. Click on "Application Status Check" and log on.

(
Please do not staple secondary forms together. )

 
Thanks for posting that... it shows that they got my app on the 25 of June, but haven't made any decisions as of yet.
 
Thanks for posting that... it shows that they got my app on the 25 of June, but haven't made any decisions as of yet.

You are welcome. My amcc verified on 06/28/2007
Good luck to you.
 
Got this awhile ago, but since no one has posted it, here are the questions:

All have cutoffs at 800 characters

1. In what ways do you fit the goals of this school?


2. How do you envision your life and medical practice ten years from now?


3. Describe any participation in any health care (volunteer, employment) or social care activities.


4. How would you contribute to the diversity of your medical school class?


5. How familiar are you with life in a rural setting or American Indian community? What are some advantages and disadvantages of living in a rural community or American Indian community?


6. What are some of the important responsibilities of a family practice or other primary care physician?


7. Describe the essential qualities that you look for in a physician.


8. Briefly describe your career plans in the event that you do not attend medical school.

9. What are your recreational and leisure activities?


10. Please use this space to update the information contained in you AMCAS application. Indicate grades earned, alterations in your proposed coursework or graduation dates, additions to your extracurricular activities, and anything else you feel the Committee should know.


11. Describe how you have contributed to or supported your family, extended family or local community.

12. Please describe what you are currently doing. If you have already graduated, please indicate what you have been doing since graduation, and what your plans are for the coming year.

13. Describe your ties to the state of Minnesota.
 
I am instate at UNC and I haven't gotten anything yet (email or whatever). On MSAR, I am pretty sure it says August 1 so who knows. I think it just looks like they haven't done the invites yet.
 
FROM UCSD

From: Sofia Rendon <[email protected]>
Date: Jul 18, 2007
Subject: Secondary Application
To: Sofia Rendon <[email protected]>


You have been approved for a secondary application. To access the secondary application go to our website at http://meded.ucsd.edu/asa/admissions/. Click on "Application Status Check" and log on.

(
Please do not staple secondary forms together. )


Does anyone know how many secondaries are sent to in state vs out of state at UCSD? I read on their site that they get about 5500 applications and send secondaries to just under 2000...but I don't know how many are in vs out??
 
since UCSD is a public state school, they screen heavily for OOS. I would guess out of 78 interviewed last year, that they sent out close to 300 secondaries.
 
FROM UCSD

From: Sofia Rendon <[email protected]>
Date: Jul 18, 2007
Subject: Secondary Application
To: Sofia Rendon <[email protected]>


You have been approved for a secondary application. To access the secondary application go to our website at http://meded.ucsd.edu/asa/admissions/. Click on "Application Status Check" and log on.

(
Please do not staple secondary forms together. )

Could someone please share what exactly the UCSD secondary asks? I saw earlier in the thread that it says "personal statement, 2 pages" but that is very vague... unless, of course, that's exactly what they ask you for. Yikes.
 
UCSD

This should be a true autobiographical statement. Topics to be included are family, childhood, primary and secondary school years, early adult years, and future career goals in medicine. You should also discuss the motivational factors which led you to a career in medicine including any disadvantages or obstacles which might put your accomplishments into context. Do not exceed two pages.
 
Does anybody know the essay prompts for University of Maryland or University of North Carolina?
 
UCSD

This should be a true autobiographical statement. Topics to be included are family, childhood, primary and secondary school years, early adult years, and future career goals in medicine. You should also discuss the motivational factors which led you to a career in medicine including any disadvantages or obstacles which might put your accomplishments into context. Do not exceed two pages.

Total 8 pages send me a email to [email protected] Ill send a word file to you.
 
UCSF and UCLA email me "under processing"
It takes about 10 days to get approve.
 
UCSD

This should be a true autobiographical statement. Topics to be included are family, childhood, primary and secondary school years, early adult years, and future career goals in medicine. You should also discuss the motivational factors which led you to a career in medicine including any disadvantages or obstacles which might put your accomplishments into context. Do not exceed two pages.
Thanks!
 
Is Wake Forest even out yet? Or Northwestern?
 
My wake forest online status says that I have passed their screen and will receive the secondary via email in the next week.
 
Is Wake Forest even out yet? Or Northwestern?

I'm pretty sure I saw someone on MDApps that had gotten Wake's. I checked my status today and it had changed from "your primary has been recieved and the committee will review it" to "You will be notified by email as to your status." So at least we know they're moving.

By the by, I'm thinking bad news awaits me in that email.
 
I'm not sure if I missed it somewhere in this thread or in other threads...but does anyone know what the secondary questions are for UMich? Thanks!
 
Wake Forest is out, the essays were something like this:

1-In which service activity that you listed on your AMCAS application do you feel you made the biggest impact on someone else?
2-Which service activity that you listed on your AMCAS application do you feel made the biggest impact on you?
3-Optional box -- if you would like the committee to know anything else about you, etc.


No limits on the words/chars as far as I could tell(EDIT - Apparently around mid-August they added a 3-5 sentence limit per response). For the first two I think they only want you to identify the activity, not write an essay about it, but I'm not totally sure. All I did was identify the activity. It's not a bad secondary, I was able to submit the same day I got it.
 
Links to Available Secondary Prompts

Albert Einstein - online, e-mail invite
Baylor - online
Boston - e-mail invite
Case Western - e-mail invite
Cincinnati - e-mail invite
Columbia - email invite
Cornell - email invitation
Dartmouth - online
GW - email invitation
ECU (Brody) - email invite
Eastern Virginia Medical School - email invitation
Emory - e-mail invite, on or before August 15th
ETSU-Quillen
FSU - email invitation
Georgetown - e-mail invite
Indiana - Snail mail
Jefferson - e-mail invite
Johns Hopkins - online
Loyola - snail mail invite, online application
Marshall
MCW - e-mail invite, no essays
Meharry - online
MSU-CHM - email invitation
Mt. Sinai - email
MUSC - E-mail invite
NYU and also NYU
Ohio state - email invitation
Penn State - email
Pitt - e-mail invite
Rosalind Franklin
SLU - e-mail invite
South Carolina - e-mail invite
SUNY Downstate - e-mail invite
SUNY Upstate - e-mail invite
Temple
Tufts
Tulane - online
UAB - e-mail invite
U at Buffalo - no essays
UChicago-Pritzker - e-mail invite
UCincinnati
UConn - online
UCSD - email invite, 2 page personal statement
UF- email
UIC - e-mail invite
UKentucky - e-mail invite
U of Louisville - e-mail invite
UMDNJ-RWJMS - e-mail invitation, no essays
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School - email invite
UMiami - e-mail invite
UMich - e-mail invite
UMinn Duluth - e-mail invite
UMC - e-mail invite
UNC - e-mail invite
UPenn - e-mail invite, no essays
USUHS - e-mail invite
UTSW - TMDSAS should be submitted first
Rochester - snail mail invite, no essays
UOk - e-mail invite
USF - email invite
UVA
UVermont - e-mail invite, no essays
UWisc - e-mail Invite
VCU
Wake Forest - email Invite
WashU - email invite
Yale - online


This Year's Official Secondary Discussion Thread
Last Year's 2007 Secondary Thread
 
I'm pretty sure I saw someone on MDApps that had gotten Wake's. I checked my status today and it had changed from "your primary has been recieved and the committee will review it" to "You will be notified by email as to your status." So at least we know they're moving.

By the by, I'm thinking bad news awaits me in that email.

Umn, you start checking your status after you submit your secondary, right...? If not, how do you check it?
 
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