2010-2011 University of Southern California (Keck) Application Thread

[ksmi117]

Prompts:

Please briefly explain your interest in the Keck School of Medicine (250 word limit)

Briefly describe any unique qualities and abilities you possess which would contribute to:
(A) the educational environment (250 word limit)
(B) the diversity of the entering class (250 word limit)
(two separate essays)

Please provide a summary of a meaningful leadership or life experience which shaped your decision to pursue medical school. . (250 word limit)

Briefly describe your most relevant extra-curricular activites (volunteer, research,serving disadvantaged or underserved populations, etc...) related to your interest in medicine. (250 word limt)

with your application!

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[DaisyBuchanan]

Yay USC! I went there for undergrad, I work in a lab there now, and I can't get enough. I think it's my top choice for right now.

 

[soccerboy2288]

Anyone get 2ndaries from USC yet? if not any idea when they come out??

 

[crixx]

Still haven't receive mine (OOS)

 

[Kip]

Anyone get 2ndaries from USC yet? if not any idea when they come out??

Last year they started coming out on 7/22, and the year before that 7/11.

 

[maverick2011]

Does anyone know anything about applying MD/MPH? The school's site seems to suggest you have apply to it as a medical student, but there is an option on AMCAS to indicate interest in it. I'm confused.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Last year they started coming out on 7/22, and the year before that 7/11.

Strikes me weird that it can come out different time on different years.

I'm pretty inundated with other 2ndaries... so I don't mind that they are taking their sweet*** time.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

yeah i like that they havent sent this out yet. Ive been putting off one school waaaaaaaaay too long because every time I clear up secondaries and can get to it I get another school's secondary that I view as higher priority haha

 

[BullDog4Eva]

yeah i like that they havent sent this out yet. Ive been putting off one school waaaaaaaaay too long because every time I clear up secondaries and can get to it I get another school's secondary that I view as higher priority haha

Ditto. LMAO. When I finally do submit for that school, I hope that school won't be able to sense that. But then again... if I get accepted to ANY "higher priority" school, why would I care?

 

[The Law]

Just got my secondary request.

 

[dragon529]

Just received this one!

 

[asteph7]

Me too! And I'm out of state. Good luck everyone!

 

[DbDan]

Not that I have any sort of chance of getting in here but I got their secondary too. Gotta get to work on it tonight.

 

[brightday]

do you guys know if keck's screens prior to sending a secondary????

THANKS

 

[s2015]

I just got my secondary too! (OOS) On the email it says "additional letters and materials will not be considered in place of the two required science letters" but on the website it says "applicants are required to arrange for the submission of current letters of recommendation from two science faculty members OR a current evaluation from a pre-medical committee". I was planning on sending a comittee letter. Is the email a mistake or the website?

 

[s2015]

do you guys know if keck's screens prior to sending a secondary????

THANKS

According to the MSAR they do not screen.

 

[jeepy]

do you guys know if keck's screens prior to sending a secondary????

THANKS

no they don't.

I'm at a bit of a loss here considering their course requirements for biochemistry and molecular biology. luckily I took a biochem class "for fun", but I have no other molecular biology class! ahhh! As a psychology major, I actually didn't need biology courses other than for my neuroscience minor....

does anyone think "biology of the brain" (a physiology and neurobiology course) or a lab in physiological psyc would count for this? there was a decent amount of neuron cell structure/function studying in these courses at least...

 

[zetabetazeta]

Whoo Hoo, I got it toooooo!

 

[BioeMD]

Whoo Hoo, I got it toooooo!

Same

 

[HW51Revisited]

no they don't.

I'm at a bit of a loss here considering their course requirements for biochemistry and molecular biology. luckily I took a biochem class "for fun", but I have no other molecular biology class! ahhh! As a psychology major, I actually didn't need biology courses other than for my neuroscience minor....

does anyone think "biology of the brain" (a physiology and neurobiology course) or a lab in physiological psyc would count for this? there was a decent amount of neuron cell structure/function studying in these courses at least...

It's definitely worth asking. Can't really learn neurobiology without a bit of biochem ; )

 

[The Law]

30 credit hours of humanities and social scis? Isn't that like a whole year's worth of these courses? My program didn't give me THAT many electives... geez...

 

[juliedi]

30 credit hours of humanities and social scis? Isn't that like a whole year's worth of these courses? My program didn't give me THAT many electives... geez...

Yeah, I have some classes that might fall under these categories, but I'm not quite sure...

 

[DbDan]

Yeah, I have some classes that might fall under these categories, but I'm not quite sure...

I'm not sure I make it either. I'm also not sure if it is semester or quarter units since thats the only one it doesn't specify on, everything else it asks for a # of semesters/quarters. I think I've got >30 quarter units so hopefully I'll work it out.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

30 credit hours of humanities and social scis? Isn't that like a whole year's worth of these courses? My program didn't give me THAT many electives... geez...

I wonder if Foreign Language counts as Humanities? I have PLENTY of those. Otherwise, I only have three social science classes. and two writing courses that would legitimately count as humanities. That would only be about 20 credits though

 

[BullDog4Eva]

no they don't.

I'm at a bit of a loss here considering their course requirements for biochemistry and molecular biology. luckily I took a biochem class "for fun", but I have no other molecular biology class! ahhh! As a psychology major, I actually didn't need biology courses other than for my neuroscience minor....

does anyone think "biology of the brain" (a physiology and neurobiology course) or a lab in physiological psyc would count for this? there was a decent amount of neuron cell structure/function studying in these courses at least...

Is Molecular Bio actually required? I happened to have it... but barely. It was sort of random luck that I ended up taking that class.

 

[DbDan]

Is Molecular Bio actually required? I happened to have it... but barely. It was sort of random luck that I ended up taking that class.

Looks like it is. Luckily one of the bio series at my school included molecular biology so I've got it covered.

I've hit a snag though trying to answer the educational and diversity qualities I bring to school. I can probably figure out something for education but diversity?

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Looks like it is. Luckily one of the bio series at my school included molecular biology so I've got it covered.

I've hit a snag though trying to answer the educational and diversity qualities I bring to school. I can probably figure out something for education but diversity?

Molec Bio was the worst class I ever took as an undergrad. The course material was alright and I felt I learned a lot but the professors were completely evil and tried to make the hardest tests they can. I felt completely dominated. The average tend to be in low 50's even though I go to a school where EVERYONE is good in the science. In comparison, our average for Orgo, which is notoriously low at most other schools, tend to be mid 70's. Regretted taking that class after I finished it, but now I'm glad I did.

 

[Evergrey]

USC's prereqs annoy me because they are the most science-intensive of ANY medical school in the country, AFAIK. I definitely need 1 more bio class to matriculate here.

OTOH they have sinister humanities/social sciences requirements too. At least I meet those bc of my 100+ credits in that area.

 

[Kanye West]

How are you guys doing #5?
.
Briefly describe your most relevant extra-curricular activities (volunteer, research, serving disadvantaged or underserved populations, etc…)..

I can only fit like 4 with descriptions (Research, leadership, clinical, and non-clinical volunteering)

 

[Carbon inc]

How are you guys doing #5?
.
Briefly describe your most relevant extra-curricular activities (volunteer, research, serving disadvantaged or underserved populations, etc…)..

I can only fit like 4 with descriptions (Research, leadership, clinical, and non-clinical volunteering)

I think I'm gonna just pick the 3 most important ones to describe.

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

I could only fit 3...uhoh!

-research
-community service
-clinical volunteering

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Still lacking motivation to get any more 2ndaries done .

 

[DukeNatlChamps]

I wonder if Foreign Language counts as Humanities? I have PLENTY of those. Otherwise, I only have three social science classes. and two writing courses that would legitimately count as humanities. That would only be about 20 credits though

Were your foreign language courses more advanced topics? If you have plenty of courses, I'm assuming you were a major/minor in a language, so your courses are writing intensive and either literature or social science topics - therefore humanities courses - only difference is that they are just in another language!

 

[obgyny]

Could someone please post the essay questions?

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Were your foreign language courses more advanced topics? If you have plenty of courses, I'm assuming you were a major/minor in a language. I was a dual French and German major in college, so courses I took like "Economic History of France" or "Goethe's Faust" are definitely humantities courses as they are writing intensive and either literature or social science topics - only difference is that they are just in another language!

Nope. My Foreign Language classes were simply to learn to speak that language. I have 6 semesters worth of Japanese. I'm guessing this won't count... which means I'm majorly screwed and probably won't be able to apply here.

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

I have 28.2 "semester hours" of humanities/social sciences/writing etc....and not the 30. haha..and I'm also done with school after December. FML.

 

[jeepy]

are you guys calling admissions to ask about your individual course criterias? I figure I'll have to do this....I feel like they must get a million calls a day from people asking if they meet USC's insane and excessive course requirements.

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

so I noticed a problem with the app (after submission)...

On the Application Worksheet, Q4 shows: "Please provide a summary of your most recent and relevant leadership experiences"...whereas on the application itself the question has to do with a personal experience that makes you want to enter medical school....

I answered it assuming it was the latter and submitted it. After submission, I reviewed my app and see what it looked like and it showed the question was the leadership one...

What do you guys think?

 

[Kip]

so I noticed a problem with the app (after submission)...

On the Application Worksheet, Q4 shows: "Please provide a summary of your most recent and relevant leadership experiences"...whereas on the application itself the question has to do with a personal experience that makes you want to enter medical school....

I answered it assuming it was the latter and submitted it. After submission, I reviewed my app and see what it looked like and it showed the question was the leadership one...

What do you guys think?

The leadership question was from last year. I'm guessing the forgot to update it.

 

[Seven of Nine]

Would anyone mind posting ze prompts?

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

The leadership question was from last year. I'm guessing the forgot to update it.

So I just hope that when they look at our apps, it doesn't show up as the leadership question and they think that we miswrote an essay...

It sounds like the consensus is "write according to what was in the actual app"...and by consensus, I mean you and me Kip. haha!

 

[Suncrusher]

On the Application Worksheet, Q4 shows: "Please provide a summary of your most recent and relevant leadership experiences"...whereas on the application itself the question has to do with a personal experience that makes you want to enter medical school....

I answered it assuming it was the latter and submitted it. After submission, I reviewed my app and see what it looked like and it showed the question was the leadership one...

I know the leadership one was last year, and it makes sense that they might have forgotten to update the worksheet... but it bothers me that when you reviewed your submitted app, the leadership question showed up.

 

[Asyouwereatrio]

I know the leadership one was last year, and it makes sense that they might have forgotten to update the worksheet... but it bothers me that when you reviewed your submitted app, the leadership question showed up.

Ya, that's why I'm worried too...bc of the post-submission thing. Anyone know if they're fast to responding via email?

 

[HW51Revisited]

I just called the Admissions Office. Foreign language credit counts towards the Humanities coursework

 

[dragon529]

can someone call admissions and see if they want us to write about leadership experience or the personal experience leading to medicine?

 

[BullDog4Eva]

can someone call admissions and see if they want us to write about leadership experience or the personal experience leading to medicine?

And you're not doing this because of... why?

 

[Suncrusher]

also interesting to note: the application worksheet itself does not contain the leadership question, whereas the 'click here to print the application worksheet' version does. I think it is just left over from last year. I'm not gonna worry about the leadership thing unless they change the version of the supplemental that we fill out and click to submit. Plus, I have no leadership experience, so I would be panicking right now if I hadn't been able to rationalize that that question must be something they forgot to update from last year

 

[doremi2010]

Do you think a regular genetics class counts for molecular bio requirement?

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Do you think a regular genetics class counts for molecular bio requirement?

Can't say whether they will accept it or not but having taken both classes, I think the course material are quite different. Biochem and molecular bio, on the other hand, has many overlapping material.

Still can't believe they require molecular bio. So strict.

 

[doremi2010]

Can't say whether they will accept it or not but having taken both classes, I think the course material are quite different. Biochem and molecular bio, on the other hand, has many overlapping material.

Still can't believe they require molecular bio. So strict.

I know. I was a chem major and didn't do bio after genetics. I did take biochem though... ugh.