UMDNJ Discussion Thread 2011-2012

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New year, new discussion goes here!

oh man, that time already? first in i suppose :P

Definitely in my top 3.

...Why is this thread so quiet compared to the other schools?!

Originally Posted by MusicIsLife511

Definitely in my top 3.

...Why is this thread so quiet compared to the other schools?!

I'd guess because it's a state school with a relatively small class size.

Good luck everyone who will be applying!

Here are some links that might help you:

Website: http://som.umdnj.edu/
Page of the College Information Book: http://www.aacom.org/resources/books...-umdnj-som.pdf
Discussion Thread 2010-2011: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=738409
Discussion Thread 2009-2010: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=652473
Discussion Thread 2008-2009: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=525692

anyone receive a secondary yet?

Originally Posted by koala37

anyone receive a secondary yet?

You realize that umdnjsom doesn't filter students based on MCAT/GPA to send them a secondary. You can directly access it and send it away from http://som.umdnj.edu/education/admis...secondary.html

Hope this helps!

Looking at my stats. My cum GPA is 3.82 sGPA 3.78 and my MCAT score is 23R. I'm an NJ resident. I really more than any other school want to get in umdnj-som. Does anyone from previous classes have an idea if i have a chance for an interview? I'm planning to retake the MCAT in Sept..hoping to increase my score, do you think I should seriously consider retaking it. Or since I've taken the exam three times already with no improvement, should i stick to the score I have?

Originally Posted by itweetyi

Looking at my stats. My cum GPA is 3.82 sGPA 3.78 and my MCAT score is 23R. I'm an NJ resident. I really more than any other school want to get in umdnj-som. Does anyone from previous classes have an idea if i have a chance for an interview? I'm planning to retake the MCAT in Sept..hoping to increase my score, do you think I should seriously consider retaking it. Or since I've taken the exam three times already with no improvement, should i stick to the score I have?

Hey! I am kinda in the same boat as you. I took the mcat twice got a 22Q then a 24O. My gpa is a 3.76, sGPA is a 3.70. So my chances seem slim as qwell. I am preparing to take it a thrid time. u got a 23 three times? i dunno they usually say taking the exam three times is max. after that they start averaging ur scores, which sucks.I hate this exam....grrrrrrr

Are we supposed to wait for an email invite to submit secondaries??? Or can we just send them anytime after we send the primary? I'm confused... The website doesn't say anything about that.

Originally Posted by Future Dr Kwon

Are we supposed to wait for an email invite to submit secondaries??? Or can we just send them anytime after we send the primary? I'm confused... The website doesn't say anything about that.

send them off.

Sent mine in yesterday. I'm hoping that everyone is waiting for the email and I'm the only applicant Would love to go here.

Originally Posted by EMT2ER-DOC

send them off.

are u sure man? i called the admissions office and was told to wait for an email.

Originally Posted by donkeykong1

are u sure man? i called the admissions office and was told to wait for an email.

They told me the opposite. I mailed mine in and my check got cashed yesterday

I think it's okay if you sent it off before the e-mail. I just received the email and it states:

"If you have already submitted the secondary application, please disregard this email message."

Originally Posted by nebratu

I think it's okay if you sent it off before the e-mail. I just received the email and it states:

"If you have already submitted the secondary application, please disregard this email message."

Called today, said to send it. I will mail in Saturday along with another schools. Good luck everyone.

Just a quick question about the supplement...

For the essay, I see two prompts and they say to limit the length to one page. Is it one page for each prompt? Or one page for both combined?

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by retro

Just a quick question about the supplement...

For the essay, I see two prompts and they say to limit the length to one page. Is it one page for each prompt? Or one page for both combined?

Thanks in advance!

"Please complete your essay and include your responses to the following questions: (Please use font size 12 and limit your essay to one page. You may attach your essay to the application if additional space is needed.)"

To me it sounded like they wanted 1 essay answering both questions limited to one page. That's what I did and was accepted, but I don't think it really matters that much.

I don't think they need even a half a page of why I want to be a DO. That is a lot.

I think that makes sense. Thank you, and good luck to everyone applying.

Originally Posted by elftown

"Please complete your essay and include your responses to the following questions: (Please use font size 12 and limit your essay to one page. You may attach your essay to the application if additional space is needed.)"

To me it sounded like they wanted 1 essay answering both questions limited to one page. That's what I did and was accepted, but I don't think it really matters that much.

Originally Posted by retro

I think that makes sense. Thank you, and good luck to everyone applying.

Already sent mine. Called ahead it's one page. Good luck everyone!

Does this school send out a secondary complete e-mail notification or should I just call?

just wondering what people think about using a few of the same phrases or sentences in my personal statement & secondary. my personal statement basically addressed why I want to be a DO and why it fits into my goals. I don't want to be redundant though. does anyone else feel the same way about these prompts?

Originally Posted by texastaco

just wondering what people think about using a few of the same phrases or sentences in my personal statement & secondary. my personal statement basically addressed why I want to be a DO and why it fits into my goals. I don't want to be redundant though. does anyone else feel the same way about these prompts?

I felt the same way, hence my comments above. I felt like I touched a lot on my goals in my PS. I would say go ahead and be redundant if you have to, give them what they want. It does not tell you NOT to repeat information.

If it helps, when you think goals, think of what you want to be doing, not why you want to do it...if that makes sense. Get specific. That is what I will be doing.

On another note - I see no instruction on how to send this thing back! E-mail? Snail mail? I'm hesitant to call because I'm probably just missing the instructions and I don't want to look foolish!

Edit: I don't see a fee amount either. Am I missing some all important webpage?

Originally Posted by AvidAvatar

I felt the same way, hence my comments above. I felt like I touched a lot on my goals in my PS. I would say go ahead and be redundant if you have to, give them what they want. It does not tell you NOT to repeat information.

If it helps, when you think goals, think of what you want to be doing, not why you want to do it...if that makes sense. Get specific. That is what I will be doing.

On another note - I see no instruction on how to send this thing back! E-mail? Snail mail? I'm hesitant to call because I'm probably just missing the instructions and I don't want to look foolish!

Edit: I don't see a fee amount either. Am I missing some all important webpage?

I called them the other day and asked if it's okay to email the secondary application. They said they prefer receiving applications via mail... so you should mail your app (:

Originally Posted by AvidAvatar

I felt the same way, hence my comments above. I felt like I touched a lot on my goals in my PS. I would say go ahead and be redundant if you have to, give them what they want. It does not tell you NOT to repeat information.

If it helps, when you think goals, think of what you want to be doing, not why you want to do it...if that makes sense. Get specific. That is what I will be doing.

On another note - I see no instruction on how to send this thing back! E-mail? Snail mail? I'm hesitant to call because I'm probably just missing the instructions and I don't want to look foolish!

Edit: I don't see a fee amount either. Am I missing some all important webpage?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!! This was very helpful and I appreciate it!

To follow up on my above comments - all of that information I was looking for is in the last two pages of the application. Somehow the first file I downloaded had those pages missing. I re-downloaded and found them. Glad I did not end up calling!

I was talking to a student who interviewed at UMDNJ and she said the school was in a really bad part of town. Apparently there are barbed wire fences around the school. Has anyone else heard about this? It kind of dissuaded me from applying when I talked to the girl.

Originally Posted by SavoirFaire

I was talking to a student who interviewed at UMDNJ and she said the school was in a really bad part of town. Apparently there are barbed wire fences around the school. Has anyone else heard about this? It kind of dissuaded me from applying when I talked to the girl.

I believe only the allopathic school is in Newark (The bad part of town). I'm pretty sure the Osteopathic school is in Stratford, which I know very little about. Probably a suburb.

The Osteopathic school is NOT in a bad part of town, and there are no barbed wires anywhere. I think someone was pulling your chain.

The town of Stratford, while not Picturesque is a little town in a line of little towns along Route 30 in South Jersey. If you get away from the main roads, there are tree lined streets and quiet neighborhoods. While you are a stone's throw away from Camden City, a very dangerous city, Stratford is not like that at all.

The school is safe, but like anywhere else in the world, you have to be vigilant with your property and yourself. To give you an idea, the UMDNJ police call the stratford campus, "The Country Club". Especially where you compare it to Newark (which is about 90 minutes north without traffic)

Anyone have thoughts on writing one essay to answer both questions or writing two smaller essays? I wrote one last year and obviously didn't get in!

Does anyone know whether UMDNJ has the minium mcat score requirement?

Originally Posted by katiewil

Anyone have thoughts on writing one essay to answer both questions or writing two smaller essays? I wrote one last year and obviously didn't get in!

Don't listen to my post here - read my post below! It is ONE essay.

Originally Posted by Mommy doc

Does anyone know whether UMDNJ has the minium mcat score requirement?

I think they combine your GPA and MCAT scores to reach a certain number. No clue about the min Mcat though....

In staters probably have a different criteria....


GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! I hope they accept us all!.......... a first year class of 3,000

Originally Posted by mommy doc

does anyone know whether umdnj has the minium mcat score requirement?

24

Originally Posted by EMT2ER-DOC

24

I personally know people that have been accepted and are currently attending or just recently graduated with a lower score than that so I really don't think there is a hard and fast 'cut-off' so to speak; however, I think your chances of admission, even with a 24, are severely diminished barring some amazing circumstance, letter or rec, etc.

I wrote ONE essay. In the instructions, essay is singular...

Please complete your essay and include your responses to the following questions: (Please use font size 12 and limit your essay to one page. You may attach your essay to the application if additional space is needed.)

Limit your ESSAY to one page. Not "essays." Hopefully I was correct lol.

is anyone complete at this school?

Originally Posted by Future Dr Kwon

I wrote ONE essay. In the instructions, essay is singular...

Please complete your essay and include your responses to the following questions: (Please use font size 12 and limit your essay to one page. You may attach your essay to the application if additional space is needed.)

Limit your ESSAY to one page. Not "essays." Hopefully I was correct lol.

Well darn it! It looks like I'm wrong. I read "include your responses to the following questions" and immediately thought there there were two. My wife did not catch it either when she helped me proofread read it. Oh well!

Originally Posted by AvidAvatar

Well darn it! It looks like I'm wrong. I read "include your responses to the following questions" and immediately thought there there were two. My wife did not catch it either when she helped me proofread read it. Oh well!

I'm sure it'll be fine haha. I don't think they would deny you an interview just because you wrote more!

Quick question:

If we don't have a pre med committee letter, we need letters from (and I quote from the secondary app) "two science faculty members."

Technically, I do have two science faculty letters. One is from my ochem prof and another is from a microbiology prof I did research under. For the research letter, I did get school credit for part of the duration of research.

I'll probably give them a call to check, but do any of you think they will accept this?

"If we don't have a pre med committee letter, we need letters from (and I quote from the secondary app) "two science faculty members."

Technically, I do have two science faculty letters. One is from my ochem prof and another is from a microbiology prof I did research under. For the research letter, I did get school credit for part of the duration of research.

I'll probably give them a call to check, but do any of you think they will accept this"
I had similar worries as I had several letters from docs, 1 M.D, 1 DO who went to PCOM, and one DO that graduated from UMDNJ SOM. I also had a letter from my graduate school advisor/professor but not two science faculty letters...I'm nontraditional and have been out of school working long enough that I believe they may have made an exception due to my clinical background. I really think that those two letters, the o-chem and micro professor will count perfectly for your two science professors. The fact that you did research under one is a bonus....

Today I had the pleasure of talking to Ms. Watkins who had a question about my application. She said that although the committee has not met yet she believes they'll be calling me in a few weeks for an interview....I'm pumped and hopeful as this is my number one school choice...So, my point is that if the rest of your application is largely solid, those letters are great....

does anyone know if they send a complete email?

Originally Posted by yellowpwr

does anyone know if they send a complete email?

I am wondering this as well.

They do send a complete email, i got one yesterday

for UMDNJ, it says we need 2 science LORs, which I have. However, since I'm an older applicant, I have a lot a other LORs from my volunteering. SHould I include all my LORs or would that look bad that I send more letters than what they requested?

Thanks for the help!

Originally Posted by linebackeru6

They do send a complete email, i got one yesterday

When did you submit your application? I submitted back in June I think and haven't heard anything.

Originally Posted by kiwime

for UMDNJ, it says we need 2 science LORs, which I have. However, since I'm an older applicant, I have a lot a other LORs from my volunteering. SHould I include all my LORs or would that look bad that I send more letters than what they requested?

Thanks for the help!

send what was requested and maybe one more but not much after that. Discuss your volunteering at the interview.

Originally Posted by AvidAvatar

Well darn it! It looks like I'm wrong. I read "include your responses to the following questions" and immediately thought there there were two. My wife did not catch it either when she helped me proofread read it. Oh well!

I don't think they would decline your essay just because you wrote more/
I think everything will be ok

Originally Posted by doodle1

When did you submit your application? I submitted back in June I think and haven't heard anything.

Just call up the school. Everyone is nice there and they were very helpful when I called to check up on stuff. I mean, you are sending stuff in through the mail. Call and make sure it didn't get lost along the way.

From last year's thread it looks like interview invites come out right at the end of August.