2009-2010 Mount Sinai Application Thread

[lms1712]

When I called last week the admissions woman told me that there hadn't been any movement that week, but that they were told there would be some movement soon. However, when I called today a different woman basically told me that the class was full and that waitlist movement would only occur as specific individuals withdraw.

Can someone tell me where they received the June 29th information? And also what the admissions office specifically told you?

Don't panic yet.

To think about this, of course the class is full and it has been full since April when they sent the last round of post-interview offers. Movements only occur as specific individuals withdraw because it doesn't make sense to send out more offers when the class is over-subscribed. What we can do at the moment is really just wait and see as any offer is going to be sporadic..

Good luck...

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[lms1712]

Good luck guys! (Sinai love )

danke... grazie... merci.....gracias....


take care...

 

[KidProQuo]

on a slightly different note, can anyone tell me what they've sent to the school/done after being accepted

I know I have to
1) send transcript
2) housing request form
3) student health from and meningococcal forms
4) fin aid - what do i do exactly???
5) tox screen

also, what's the deal with the physical/immunization/TB tests? If we have some of those done in the last year, can we send those? If we can't do them soon, can we do them when we arrive?

 

[iCarly]

for accepted people, i dont remember what students said on my interview day, but it isnt terrible to bring a mac to sinai right? im interested in buying a new computer, and while I prefer mac I want to make the best functional decision.

 

[mdeast]

on a slightly different note, can anyone tell me what they've sent to the school/done after being accepted

I know I have to
1) send transcript
2) housing request form
3) student health from and meningococcal forms
4) fin aid - what do i do exactly???
5) tox screen

also, what's the deal with the physical/immunization/TB tests? If we have some of those done in the last year, can we send those? If we can't do them soon, can we do them when we arrive?

I withdrew recently...but I had been working on these. For financial aid, you need to take your award letter and check off the type of loans and the amount from each type that you want to take out. So, in the case that maybe you got some outside scholarship, you may want to try and take out less for living expenses (i.e. avoid $15 martinis on weekends), or your parents are helping you out for a portion of it....you can take out less interest loans.

Then, send it back to the office. You'll get counseling on each loan (probably will have to take an online quiz, so you understand how it works and how you'll be paying it back). Hope that helps.

 

[bluedevil51]

Nice, thanks MDeast.

Quick question about the transcript - I took a gap year after graduating, so the transcript that I sent to AMCAS is my final transcript. Do I have to re-send that to Sinai? Seems a bit redundant...

 

[mdeast]

Nice, thanks MDeast.

Quick question about the transcript - I took a gap year after graduating, so the transcript that I sent to AMCAS is my final transcript. Do I have to re-send that to Sinai? Seems a bit redundant...

Yup. I think every school requires this. Basically it makes sure to them that AMCAS didn't screw up and that you actually did complete all their required courses. AMCAS also doesn't send official transcripts...they send their transcribed data that they use to calculate your AMCAS GPAs, which may be different from your transcript GPAs. So, Sinai (or any other school for that matter), sees your grades in the same format as every other applicant....as opposed to going through a ton of different formated transcripts from a bajillion different undergrad institutions.

 

[bluedevil51]

Yup. I think every school requires this. Basically it makes sure to them that AMCAS didn't screw up and that you actually did complete all their required courses. AMCAS also doesn't send official transcripts...they send their transcribed data that they use to calculate your AMCAS GPAs, which may be different from your transcript GPAs. So, Sinai (or any other school for that matter), sees your grades in the same format as every other applicant....as opposed to going through a ton of different formated transcripts from a bajillion different undergrad institutions.

Awesome, thanks for the info man. I've been a longtime fan of yours after lurking on the Sinai thread for pretty much a full year (hard to believe we started this process almost exactly 12 months ago!) and I'm a bit sad I won't get to meet you in person. Good luck at Stanford!

 

[mdeast]

Awesome, thanks for the info man. I've been a longtime fan of yours after lurking on the Sinai thread for pretty much a full year (hard to believe we started this process almost exactly 12 months ago!) and I'm a bit sad I won't get to meet you in person. Good luck at Stanford!

I know...it is kind of sad.

Giving up Sinai was really tough, it's such an awesome place. Sometimes I wish I could have been able to attend both simultaneously. But, at the end of the day, I sort of realized that I've lived the Big East Coast City life for long enough that taking 4 years to do something different might be a really enriching change of pace for me. I'm not sure if I'll be up for doing this later in life...so it was sort of a now, or potentially never. But...yes. Sinai .

70 degree weather, sunshine, and ample natural beauty aren't too bad of things to have to deal with for 4 years though. Luckily, Stanford has a very generous Med Scholars grant that allows me to do research in any lab in the US or abroad next summer without the hassle of looking to secure outside funding. So, I'm probably gonna look into someplace in NYC so I can at least get a summer of exploring that Manhattan life I've always wanted to live. Maybe I'll bump into some Sinai students.

 

[Quicky]

Looks like there was some more movement either thurs or fri. I'm about ready to give up on waitlists- I can't see much more than a couple acceptances happening from here on.

 

[mdeast]

I think stranger things have happened. I met a couple of people on the interview trail who got accepted to their school in late July or early August. As long as you're open to last minute changes, there's no point in withdrawing.

Then again, I get the sense that this year's wait list cycle has ended a bit earlier than last year's. So, who knows?

Good luck. Sending you vibes.

 

[Fulfilnadream]

Looks like there was some more movement either thurs or fri. I'm about ready to give up on waitlists- I can't see much more than a couple acceptances happening from here on.

how do you know there wAs movement????? grrr i wAnt to get into sinAi so bAdly!!!!

 

[pelliper]

how do you know there wAs movement????? grrr i wAnt to get into sinAi so bAdly!!!!

whats wrong with ur a key lolz

 

[Quicky]

The guy who made the nyu vs umn thread posted about getting off the Sinai wl. He didn't say which day but it was either Thursday or Friday. Either way, it seems that Sinai is accepting as many people per week as they have withdraws, which doesn't seem to be many. I wouldn't expect any big movement. It's quite frustrating that schools like Sinai waitlist hundreds of people when they obviously have no chance if they're not ranked in the top 50 or so. I'd much rather have a rejection than pointless waiting... Especially after spending hours writing letters because they encouraged showing interest if you're waitlisted. /End rant

 

[mdeast]

The guy who made the nyu vs umn thread posted about getting off the Sinai wl. He didn't say which day but it was either Thursday or Friday. Either way, it seems that Sinai is accepting as many people per week as they have withdraws, which doesn't seem to be many. I wouldn't expect any big movement. It's quite frustrating that schools like Sinai waitlist hundreds of people when they obviously have no chance if they're not ranked in the top 50 or so. I'd much rather have a rejection than pointless waiting... Especially after spending hours writing letters because they encouraged showing interest if you're waitlisted. /End rant

A student PMed recently about movement on Friday...so it's still going.

 

[47ind]

The guy who made the nyu vs umn thread posted about getting off the Sinai wl. He didn't say which day but it was either Thursday or Friday. Either way, it seems that Sinai is accepting as many people per week as they have withdraws, which doesn't seem to be many. I wouldn't expect any big movement. It's quite frustrating that schools like Sinai waitlist hundreds of people when they obviously have no chance if they're not ranked in the top 50 or so. I'd much rather have a rejection than pointless waiting... Especially after spending hours writing letters because they encouraged showing interest if you're waitlisted. /End rant

I completely agree. Its really annoying. They should at least tell us a grouping or something so we can reason whether we have a legitimate shot at getting off...

 

[lakerfan38]

did anyone get an mail from sinai to express interest if you're on the waitlist otday

 

[Quicky]

did anyone get an mail from sinai to express interest if you're on the waitlist otday

Ya, it seemed like something they sent to everyone.

 

[anon311]

Ya, it seemed like something they sent to everyone.

I didn't get this. Have you guys been writing update letters? I've made my interest very clear... hopefully that's why I didn't get one.

 

[OGMD]

Ya, it seemed like something they sent to everyone.

Also got one and replied right away. Maybe this is a sign of some upcoming movement?

 

[lms1712]

should i assume that i am rejected if i haven't received this email?

 

[deaninja]

I also got the email asking if I wanted to stay on the WL. I was a little surprised because I thought that I had already withdrawn from it. Anyway, hopefully it's a good sign for those of you still hoping to hear back if it is on a semi-selective basis.

 

[Quicky]

I wrote a letter of intent shortly after being WL'd in Nov or Dec and sent in grade updates.

 

[mdeast]

Looks like last year there were waves of movement related to committee meetings. I don't think this is strictly Dean Parkas taking students off the waitlist.

Good luck! There was movement on 6/25 last year.

 

[lms1712]

Looks like last year there were waves of movement related to committee meetings. I don't think this is strictly Dean Parkas taking students off the waitlist.

Good luck! There was movement on 6/25 last year.

so? anyone heard back since two weeks ago? I don't want to admit that my dream of going to med school now seems a total illusion....

 

[requiem87]

so? anyone heard back since two weeks ago? I don't want to admit that my dream of going to med school now seems a total illusion....

Hang in there lms1712 -- I'm praying for you. I had a friend who was in a similar position and got into Cornell Med the DAY before classes started a few years back. Admittedly, it's a rare story, but if you're looking for precedent, then there you have it.

 

[lms1712]

Hang in there lms1712 -- I'm praying for you. I had a friend who was in a similar position and got into Cornell Med the DAY before classes started a few years back. Admittedly, it's a rare story, but if you're looking for precedent, then there you have it.

Thanks for your post but i guess it just means that i am not good enough. I am wondering if sinai provides any feedback on the weekness or their concerns of accepting me... and if yes, how should i ask for it or rather from whom...

I love the school and the program and the student societies (communicated all these with the adcom but am still wondering why i am not chosen)....

p.s.
should i consider doing some master's to show i am capable in the US education system?)

 

[requiem87]

Thanks for your post but i guess it just means that i am not good enough. I am wondering if sinai provides any feedback on the weekness or their concerns of accepting me... and if yes, how should i ask for it or rather from whom...

I love the school and the program and the student societies (communicated all these with the adcom but am still wondering why i am not chosen)....

p.s.
should i consider doing some master's to show i am capable in the US education system?)

Hey lms,

I strongly believe that a school's decision to accept or reject you has very little correlation with whether you're "good enough". The schools receive thousands of qualified applicants...in my opinion, there are hundreds of students who don't get into med school who would make fantastic physicians. Just my own humble opinion. With that said, I think you should ask Sinai for feedback -- but be prepared for them telling you they are too overwhelmed to provide personal feedback. I would try calling the admissions office and asking them whom you should speak to. They're very friendly and patient based on my experience.

Whether or not you should pursue a master's program is a very complex question, and of course, no one here in good conscience can tell you what to do. However, if you find that your science gpa or cumulative gpa is lacking, or an admissions office has told you that your international education is an obstacle, a masters program may help. You should speak to your school's premed counselor if you have one to figure out the best way to spend time and resources on improving your application.

Good luck.