2010-2011 Secondary Application Thread

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2009-2010 Secondary Prompts

Albany Medical College - Prompt - Thread
Albert Einstein College of Medicine - Prompt - Thread
Baylor College of Medicine - Prompt - Thread
Boston University - Prompt - Thread
Brown University - Prompt - Thread
Case Western Reserve University - Prompt - Thread
Columbia - Secondary - Prompt - Thread
Cornell University (Weill) - Prompt - Thread
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU - Prompt - Thread
Creighton - Prompt - Thread
Dartmouth - Prompt - Thread
Drexel - Prompt - Thread
Duke - Prompt - Thread
East Carolina (Brody) - Prompt - Thread
East Tennessee (Quillen) - Prompt - Thread
Eastern Virginia Medical School - Prompt - Thread
Emory - Prompt - Thread
Florida International University - Prompt - Thread
Florida State University - Prompt - Thread
George Washington University - Prompt - Thread
Georgetown - Prompt - Thread
Harvard - Prompt - Thread
Howard - Prompt - Thread
Indiana University - Prompt - Thread
Jefferson - Prompt - Thread
Johns Hopkins - Prompt - Thread
Loma Linda - Prompt - Thread
Loyola (Stritch) - Prompt - Thread
LSU - New Orleans - Prompt - Thread
LSU - Shreveport - Prompt - Thread
Mayo - Prompt - Application Thread
Marshall University (Edwards) - Prompt - Thread
Medical College of Georgia - Prompt - Thread
Medical College of Wisconsin - Prompt - Thread
Medical University of South Carolina - Prompt - Thread
Mercer - Prompt - Thread
Michigan State - Prompt - Thread
Meharry - Prompt - Thread
Morehouse - Prompt - Thread
Mount Sinai - Prompt - Thread
New York Medical College - Prompt - Thread
NEOUCOM - Prompt - Thread
Northwestern - Prompt - Thread
NYU - Prompt - Thread
Oakland University - Prompt - Thread
Ohio State - Prompt - Thread
Oregon Health & Sciences University - Prompt - Thread
Penn State - Prompt - Thread
Ponce School of Medicine - Prompt - Thread
Rosalind Franklin - Prompt - Thread
Rush - Prompt - Thread
San Juan Bautista - Prompt - Thread
SLU - Prompt - Thread
Stanford - Prompt - Thread
Stony Brook - Prompt - Thread
SUNY Downstate - Prompt - Thread
SUNY Upstate - Prompt - Thread
Southern Illinois University - Prompt - Thread
Temple - Prompt - Thread
Texas A&M - Prompt - Thread
Texas Tech (Lubbock) - Prompt - Thread
Texas Tech (El Paso) - Prompt - Thread
The Commonwealth Medical College - Prompt - Thread
Tufts - Prompt - Thread
Tulane - Prompt - Thread
UMDNJ-RWJMS - Prompt - Thread
UMDNJ-NJMS - Prompt - Thread
Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences - Prompt - Thread
Universidad Central del Caribe - Prompt - Thread
University of Alabama - Prompt - Thread
University of Arizona - Prompt - Thread
University of Arkansas - Prompt - Thread
University at Buffalo (SUNY) - Prompt - Thread
University of California - Davis - Prompt - Thread
University of California - Irvine - Prompt - Thread
University of California - Los Angeles - Prompt - Thread
University of California - San Diego - Prompt - Thread
University of California - San Francisco - Prompt - Thread
University of Central Florida - Prompt - Thread
University of Chicago (Pritzker) - Prompt - Thread
University of Cincinnati - Prompt - Thread
University of Colorado - Prompt - Thread
University of Connecticut - Prompt - Thread
University of Florida - Prompt - Thread
University of Hawaii - Prompt - Thread
University of Illinois - Prompt - Thread
University of Iowa (Carver) - Prompt - Thread
University of Kansas - Prompt - Thread
University of Kentucky - Prompt - Thread
University of Louisville - Prompt - Thread
University of Maryland - Prompt - Thread
University of Massachusetts - Prompt - Thread
University of Miami - Prompt - Thread
University of Michigan - Prompt - Thread
University of Minnesota - Prompt - Thread
University of Mississippi - Prompt - Thread
University of Missouri (Columbia) - Prompt - Thread
University of Nebraska - Prompt - Thread
University of Nevada - Prompt - Thread
University of New Mexico - Prompt - Thread
University of North Carolina - Prompt - Thread
University of North Dakota - Prompt - Thread
University of Oklahoma - Prompt - Thread
University of Pennsylvania - Prompt - Thread
University of Pittsburgh - Prompt - Thread
University of Puerto Rico - Prompt - Thread
University of Rochester - Prompt - Thread
University of South Alabama - Prompt - Thread
University of South Carolina - Prompt - Thread
University of South Dakota - Prompt - Thread
University of South Florida - Prompt - Thread
University of Southern California (Keck) - Prompt - Thread
University of Tennessee - Prompt - Thread
University of Texas Medical Branch - Prompt - Thread
University of Texas - Houston - Prompt - Thread
University of Texas - San Antonio - Prompt - Thread
University of Texas - Southwestern - Prompt - Thread
University of Toledo - Prompt - Thread
University of Utah - Prompt - Thread
University of Vermont - Prompt - Thread
University of Virginia - Prompt - Thread
University of Washington - Prompt - Thread
University of Wisconsin - Prompt - Thread
Vanderbilt University - Prompt - Thread
Virginia Commonwealth University - Prompt - Thread
Virginia Tech Carilion - Prompt - Thread
Wake Forest University - Prompt - Thread
Washington University in St. Louis - Prompt - Thread
Wayne State - Prompt - Thread
West Virginia University - Prompt - Thread
Wright State - Prompt - Thread
Yale - Prompt - Thread

when they ask you questions such as whats been your most important clinical or volunteer or anything like that kind of experiences, how should you go about that? I mean, if its the most important, I probability have it somewhere in my PS or activies sections so should I just expand on my experiences?

Another question is, in more personal questions, like how did you deal with academic challenges or challeneges in life in general, is it okay to mention things in high school?

Thanks SDNers

Originally Posted by Prism328

when they ask you questions such as whats been your most important clinical or volunteer or anything like that kind of experiences, how should you go about that? I mean, if its the most important, I probability have it somewhere in my PS or activies sections so should I just expand on my experiences?

Well considering that your PS isn't super long, they assume that you haven't elaborated on it much. Go into much more detail. Also, talk about how it developed you as a person not just how it made you want to go into medicine.

Another question is, in more personal questions, like how did you deal with academic challenges or challeneges in life in general, is it okay to mention things in high school?

Thanks SDNers

My "biggest challenge" example was from middle school, so go for it. But make sure it's something that's made a profound effect over your entire life and tie it back into how it shaped you into the person you are now.

thanks for the tips. How did you go about answering "why this school" questions? When i'm writing this, I feel like I am just giving the same reasons that the school used to advertise itself. I'm researching the schools using the MSAR and the schools website.

My friend recently went to speak with the assistant dean of my state medical school. She tried to explain to him why that school was her top choice and why it would be a good fit. He said, "Looks like you've been pulled things from our website." This school took a community based approach to medical practice and has some good research opportunities, both of which she was interested in. It was true that she had been to the website to learn more about the school (how else would you know) but he made it sound like it was a bad thing. I guess my question is how are schools going to believe you when you say that you're interested in certain things they have when pretty much everyone is also going to say the same thing (b/c everyone uses the same sources of information)?

Originally Posted by gujuDoc

That is why you have to expand upon why those things are important and your ECs should back up those things. For instance, my friend works for a community health clinic as a manager of some sort and a translator before that. So if she said she was interested in community health approaches say of FIU, as a Fl. resident, she could back up her claim about why FIU would be a fit by showing her past actions back up her interest in their program and skills to do well in such. She also could use the language skills. That's just one example.

If you are interested in a school and they have emphasis on research, show what you've done to do research projects in the past in the same area they had emphasis on that interests you.

i see what you're saying. thanks.

When I see a description of the curriculum, a lot of schools say they like to combine clinical and basic science together rather than just basic science. This made sense to me so I wrote that as something I like in the curriculum. But then I read up on a lot of other schools too and they pretty much do the same thing. They advertise this like they're the only schools doing it. But I guess its still good to write about it anyways because it is true, even though its not unique.

I see that some schools ask if there is anything else that we should add. Or supplemental information they should know.
Like for instance:
"his section should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any information not previously discussed throughout your application"

Or like a page with additional information.

I am not sure what they want.
Is it additional activities not in the activities or personal statement.
Could someone give me an example of a type of answer that is relevant to this question.
Thank you!

I had a question regarding "unique experiences" or "additional info" questions...

I DID list a certain activity on my app, but only explained it in about two sentences. I would like to expand on that further-is this fine, even though I already mentioned it elsewhere in the app?

Question:

When does AMCAS send my reference letters to designated schools? The letters have been received by AMCAS, but my application status is not changed to "complete" on my secondaries...

Does anybody know how long it takes for schools to receive these electronic letters via AMCAS?

Thanks!

I have done that and my status does not show as "complete" on the 5 secondaries which I have completed so far...

Is other people's status immediately complete upon submission?

on questions which ask about academic problems and such, is that something that's necessary to fill out? The only academic problem I can think of is getting a bunch of Bs in my first semester (3.2GPA) but it was pretty much straight As since then. Personally, I blame having to drive 40 miles a day back and forth since I couldn't find housing that semester, plus I was getting used to the campus (but these probability sound like a crappy excuses). Another problem was that I got a poor verbal score on my first mcat which I brought back up on a retake. Don't really have an excuse for that except inadequate studying.

Originally Posted by Prism328

on questions which ask about academic problems and such, is that something that's necessary to fill out? The only academic problem I can think of is getting a bunch of Bs in my first semester (3.2GPA) but it was pretty much straight As since then. Personally, I blame having to drive 40 miles a day back and forth since I couldn't find housing that semester, plus I was getting used to the campus (but these probability sound like a crappy excuses). Another problem was that I got a poor verbal score on my first mcat which I brought back up on a retake. Don't really have an excuse for that except inadequate studying.

You don't HAVE to write anything, but you can. It might not hurt to address the B's but it's really no big deal. I think of these questions as more referring to <3.0 semesters or C's and D's and such. But I don't think it would hurt to write about that semester.

Originally Posted by Prism328

on questions which ask about academic problems and such, is that something that's necessary to fill out? The only academic problem I can think of is getting a bunch of Bs in my first semester (3.2GPA) but it was pretty much straight As since then. Personally, I blame having to drive 40 miles a day back and forth since I couldn't find housing that semester, plus I was getting used to the campus (but these probability sound like a crappy excuses). Another problem was that I got a poor verbal score on my first mcat which I brought back up on a retake. Don't really have an excuse for that except inadequate studying.

You have my sympathy. For 10 months, I drove 50 miles back and forth to work (total of 100 miles daily). The job was GREAT and provided excellent clinical experience, but eventually seek employment closer to home because the commute drove me nuts.

I feel that your improved grades and MCAT score will speak for themselves. Mentioning it will come off as sounding like an excuse. I'm sure it'll come up in your interview and you can easily tell them why your grades were not up to par to your other semester.

Originally Posted by djommy2005

I see that some schools ask if there is anything else that we should add. Or supplemental information they should know.
Like for instance:
"his section should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any information not previously discussed throughout your application"

Or like a page with additional information.

I am not sure what they want.
Is it additional activities not in the activities or personal statement.
Could someone give me an example of a type of answer that is relevant to this question.
Thank you!

Well... one friend wrote about having a freak accident in which he could have bled to death. His parents didn't take him to the hospital because they were dirt poor and thought they wouldn't be able to afford healthcare. Little did they know it would be free for people who can't pay for it. This experience motivates him to work within poor communities to promote accessibility to healthcare.

Or if you identify something other than heterosexual, and it's not mentioned anywhere in your app at all. You can speak about how challenging it was growing up and how it will allow you to relate to GLBT patients better. And help non-GLBT patients be better informed about homosexuality.

Hope that helps. Maybe you just might have a near-death experience in mind?

I've applied to 22 schools this year. I submitted my primary 6/30 and have not yet been verified. I have received 4 secondaries. Should I expect to receive a bunch more secondaries right after I am verified?

Originally Posted by Acp2010

I've applied to 22 schools this year. I submitted my primary 6/30 and have not yet been verified. I have received 4 secondaries. Should I expect to receive a bunch more secondaries right after I am verified?

Yeah, I submitted 7/3 and got 4 secondaries right away. But it still hasn't been verified so I can't submit them yet but I'm done!! Still says "ready for review" for more than 2 weeks. anyone have an idea of how much longer it might take?

you can submit the 4 secondaries that you got right away without being verified. i submitted 6/30 and was verified today (7/20) so it took almost exactly 3 weeks. I guess I'll start receiving more now that the schools have my info. i'll keep you updated if you want since I'm a couple of days ahead of you it looks like. but get those secondaries submitted - dont wait to become verified!

Originally Posted by Acp2010

you can submit the 4 secondaries that you got right away without being verified. i submitted 6/30 and was verified today (7/20) so it took almost exactly 3 weeks. I guess I'll start receiving more now that the schools have my info. i'll keep you updated if you want since I'm a couple of days ahead of you it looks like. but get those secondaries submitted - dont wait to become verified!

Sweet, congratulations! And thanks, can you let me know as you get more secondaries? It would be great to know your progress =)

Originally Posted by Lt Surj

Sweet, congratulations! And thanks, can you let me know as you get more secondaries? It would be great to know your progress =)

Sure, the ones I've received so far are Dartmouth, GW, Columbia and UMDNJ, and then I got an email today from Virginia Commonwealth today saying that they received my primary (but they screen so i'll have to wait to see if I get a secondary). We'll see if I get more this week!

I'm curious about fellow SDN-ers' opinions.

In the flurry of secondary drafting, editing, and eventual submission that takes close to 3 weeks, I see many SDN-ers submit their secondaries within 1 to 2 weeks. (I generally spend 1 week research and reflecting, a few more days to draft, and then a few mor days to edit before finally submitting.)

Assuming that the rate I compose my drafts equal to those who post frequently (which is probably a huge assumption), I am left to wonder which one's more important: submit quickly and get the name out there or take the time to check over it to make sure that I'm making as positive an impression as possible?

Update: Since being verified I've gotten secondaries
from NYU, UMDNJ-RWJ, Tulane, Temple, UVA, and Duke. Still waiting on 11 more!

Originally Posted by Acp2010

Update: Since being verified I've gotten secondaries
from NYU, UMDNJ-RWJ, Tulane, Temple, UVA, and Duke. Still waiting on 11 more!

wow that's pretty quick! congratulations! i guess i need to prepare myself for a flood of secondaries!

one question: if your amcas says "ready for review" will it ever say anything else before its completely done? like will it say "currently being reviewed" or something of the sort? thanks

Originally Posted by Lt Surj

one question: if your amcas says "ready for review" will it ever say anything else before its completely done? like will it say "currently being reviewed" or something of the sort? thanks

No, all of a sudden it will just say "complete", and AMCAS will email you to let you know that it's verified. then you should review it to make sure they calculated your GPA correctly. good luck! and yeah, try to prepare yourself for a flood of secondaries - i'm overwhelmed right now but just trying to get through one at a time

has anyone been verified lately? If so, when did you submit?

Originally Posted by jmaggiekent

has anyone been verified lately? If so, when did you submit?

search for the official 2010-2011 verification thread and u can see when people submitted/when they were verified. for example i submitted on 6/30 and was verified 7/20

Originally Posted by jmaggiekent

has anyone been verified lately? If so, when did you submit?

I submitted on 7/3 and still haven't been verified =( Hopefully soon!

Edit: Just verified today! 7/28

Originally Posted by Lt Surj

I submitted on 7/3 and still haven't been verified =( Hopefully soon!

according to the verification thread you shouldddd be verified today or tomorrow. i'm still getting secondaries and i was verified on the 20th - they definitely come at random times. still waiting on Drexel, Penn State, U Maryland, Brown, Emory and the 3 schools I applied to that screen

Originally Posted by Acp2010

according to the verification thread you shouldddd be verified today or tomorrow. i'm still getting secondaries and i was verified on the 20th - they definitely come at random times. still waiting on Drexel, Penn State, U Maryland, Brown, Emory and the 3 schools I applied to that screen

Ya actually i just got verified a few hours after i posted that actually

and today morning i got 4 secondaries. sigh, here comes the flood! OOh let me know when Brown gets back to you. It's one of my top =)

Originally Posted by Lt Surj

Ya actually i just got verified a few hours after i posted that actually

and today morning i got 4 secondaries. sigh, here comes the flood! OOh let me know when Brown gets back to you. It's one of my top =)

Congrats! still nothing from brown, but did get secondaries from Emory and UMaryland yesterday. oh boy, these essays are getting annoying

heard from brown 9 days after being verified.

If the secondary prompt basically instructs me to include any other information I want, and doesn't ask, "why this school?", should I answer that question anyway?

Originally Posted by Smrti05

If the secondary prompt basically instructs me to include any other information I want, and doesn't ask, "why this school?", should I answer that question anyway?

you can i suppose. I usually tell them something about myself they don't already know - like about a certain experience i had. or if they don't ask what i'm doing in my year off between college and med school, i discuss that. you could talk about "why that school", but i would include some information about yourself in the process. more like "i want to go to your school because of this, this, and thi about me that makes me unique"

hi. i am taking a year off and a few secondary questions ask what my major activities and plans are for that year off... it's only been a few months, so i've just been enjoying the summer AND FILLING OUT APPS haha, also i am still volunteering at the same places i listed on the primary app and have a temp job, i am searching for a research job... i wrote all of this and it's only like 3 sentences and they give a limit of like 1000 characters.. is that okay? should i expand on them? but i listed them on the primary and explaing everything in detail there...or should i add more stuff like my hobbies and such? i enjoy reading, running, and what not and have done that over the summer.. also i have been helping my younger sibiling with classes since she's taking summer classes and is a recent hs grad so everything is new for her.. but are those considered major? should i talk about them in the essay? i don't want them thinking i'm going to waste my year away...

thanks! and sorry for ranting on..

Originally Posted by gujuDoc

I didn't write much. that's for people who have a lot to say. I think I wrote like a few sentences cuz I don't have the specifics of my research just yet, just where I'm going to be doing it and that it is for my thesis and what its general topic is. going to go see those people tomorrow to get more details and figured i'd send updates to the schools that accept them.

I don't know that the helping the sister thing is major. They won't. If you want to expand, expand on what your volunteer stuff is and what kind of research you are looking to do or something like that.

oh okay, thanks. well i'm like applying to everything i can for research since i barely have any experience so can't say what kind in particular. should i still expand on my volunteer stuff even though they are the same ones from the primary app?.. i already detailed them in the descriptions for each activity.

good luck everyone!

Thank you very much!

Thank you very much, Acp2010 and GujuDoc!

Ahh!!! I'm expecting to be verified very soon and inundated with at least 21 of 28 schools I applied to which don't screen applicants.

Originally Posted by Smrti05

Thank you very much, Acp2010 and GujuDoc!

Ahh!!! I'm expecting to be verified very soon and inundated with at least 21 of 28 schools I applied to which don't screen applicants.

No problem! good luck with all of those secondaries - do the easiest ones first and work your way through them one at a time. I've received secondaries from all but 1 of the 22 schools that I've applied to and it's only been 2 weeks since i've been verified.prepare yourself haha

I apologize in advance if this question seems silly, but do we have to actually wait to receive an email invite for secondary applications? Or can we go to the school's website and try to access the application from there? I noticed that for some schools, you can not access the secondary. I'm just getting anxious because I received 5 secondaries right after I submitted my AMCAS, but I haven't received any more in like, a week. I guess it takes time.

Thanks for the help.

Originally Posted by Tiramisu89

I apologize in advance if this question seems silly, but do we have to actually wait to receive an email invite for secondary applications? Or can we go to the school's website and try to access the application from there? I noticed that for some schools, you can not access the secondary. I'm just getting anxious because I received 5 secondaries right after I submitted my AMCAS, but I haven't received any more in like, a week. I guess it takes time.

Thanks for the help.

If you can get to them and you know they don't screen, go ahead and fill them out.

How many schools do folks apply to, in general? I've only applied to 11 so far and am wondering how many I should add. I live in Alaska, so interviewing/visiting is difficult, and I don't have a lot of $ to sink into secondaries. I see some folks applying to 20-30 which just seems incredible to me. My stats are pretty good, about average at the more selective schools, decent ECs. Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by UnderAnesthesia

How many schools do folks apply to, in general? I've only applied to 11 so far and am wondering how many I should add. I live in Alaska, so interviewing/visiting is difficult, and I don't have a lot of $ to sink into secondaries. I see some folks applying to 20-30 which just seems incredible to me. My stats are pretty good, about average at the more selective schools, decent ECs. Any thoughts?

Also, if you can, try to apply to schools located in the same area/city. You can save on airfare if you line your interviews up next to each other.

How critical is submission within 2 weeks of receiving secondaries?

Only one of the schools I've received (so far) explicitly encouraged submission within 2 weeks; is there a significant detriment if we take longer?

Or if our secondaries are submitted, but LoRs aren't in yet, that's the same as 'incomplete' right?

Thanks for the advice!

My verification has been completed on August 13th, MCAT results came out on August 18th, my stats are good enough to be asked for secondaries from many schools that i applied to. After almost 3 weeks i haven't heard from 20 schools out of 22 that i applied to.
Now my questions is how do i proceed? do i need to contact schools to find out about the status?

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Originally Posted by jsmaa

My verification has been completed on August 13th, MCAT results came out on August 18th, my stats are good enough to be asked for secondaries from many schools that i applied to. After almost 3 weeks i haven't heard from 20 schools out of 22 that i applied to.
Now my questions is how do i proceed? do i need to contact schools to find out about the status?

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Maybe you should look into it. I was verified on August 13th as well and I received secondaries from all of the 18 schools that I applied to within 2 weeks of verification.

.

Hi

You can find this info by using search box in the top of website with some keywords related before posting questions.

Originally Posted by ksmi117

2009-2010 Secondary Prompts

Albany Med....

Thanks for all of your huge help with this stuff, ksmi!!!