2013-2014 Albany Medical College Application Thread

[JJMrK]

All prompts are 1,000 Characters

If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, how have you spent your time since then?

Describe yourself:

Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores.

Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any gaps in your post-graduate history.

Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program.

In the "Work and Activities" section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession.

If your school has a Premedical Advisory Committee but you are not using that service, please indicate why:

GL all!

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[jsak]

Definitely looking forward to this application year!

 

[Captain Sisko]

Thinking about applying, I went to a school in the capital region for undergrad. The only thing dissuading me is the high cost of attendance. Any current students want to comment on this? Is it usually offset by aid or is it something you just deal with?

 

[joonage]

Thinking about applying, I went to a school in the capital region for undergrad. The only thing dissuading me is the high cost of attendance. Any current students want to comment on this? Is it usually offset by aid or is it something you just deal with?

How is the area? A lot of my school choices for applying are now boiling down to would I enjoy living there or not.

 

[Captain Sisko]

How is the area? A lot of my school choices for applying are now boiling down to would I enjoy living there or not.

It's nice, but things are spread out. Adirondacks are beautiful. The Berkshires are about 45 miles away.

 

[medschoolmyname]

Was just wondering if anyone could let me know how friendly albany is to CA applicants? thx!

 

[Soulstice]

Has anyone received the secondary here yet? Just trying to stay up-to-date and get all my essays & whatnot completed over this weekend, where doable.

 

[CaramelSandiego]

^ I have not received a secondary yet. I am OOS, I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

 

[Wonton Soup]

Same, also OOS

 

[orgostar]

haven't gotten it yet! and I'm an instate applicant

 

[MooMoo20]

Hi! I was looking into Albany as a hopeful option for medical school (I'll probably have a 3.4-3.5 GPA by the time I apply next year, it's low I know) and I'm aiming for a 34-35 on the MCAT, which I'm pretty sure I can achieve.

I noticed that Albany has a low-end average GPA (3.5) and average MCAT (29.1)- so I was wondering if it's a bit easier to get in, or if they value EC's more than grades?

Any help on this would be so appreciated- thank you so much!

 

[Captain Sisko]

They take a lot of students from bs/md programs from area schools such as rpi and maybe Sienna? So I'm not sure how those numbers are skewed by kids who are taking the mcat with the required minimum goal in mind. I don't know about the gpa though, that could mean that they've lower standards...

 

[mtbski]

Hi! I was looking into Albany as a hopeful option for medical school (I'll probably have a 3.4-3.5 GPA by the time I apply next year, it's low I know) and I'm aiming for a 34-35 on the MCAT, which I'm pretty sure I can achieve.

I noticed that Albany has a low-end average GPA (3.5) and average MCAT (29.1)- so I was wondering if it's a bit easier to get in, or if they value EC's more than grades?

Any help on this would be so appreciated- thank you so much!

The MSAR says that their median MCAT is a 32 and overall GPA is 3.65.

 

[wiley224]

Did anyone get a secondary yet?

 

[talinnlove]

Just got the secondary this morning. Prompts:

If you have previously applied to medical school, but were unsuccessful, how have you spent your time since then? (1,000 character limit)

Describe yourself: (1,000 character limit)

Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. (1,000 character limit)

Has your college or university, graduate or professional school attendance been interrupted for any reason? If yes, please explain. Also, please explain any gaps in your post-graduate history. (1,000 character limit)

Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program. (1,000 character limit)

In the "Work and Activities" section on your AMCAS application, you provided the following list of experiences. [AMCAS W&A list provided]. Please select the experience that you feel has been the most meaningful in influencing your desire to pursue a career in medicine, explain why, and also describe what aspect of that experience best equips you to make an impact in the medical profession. (1,000 character limit).

If your school has a Premedical Advisory Committee but you are not using that service, please indicate why: (1,000 character limit)

 

[IgA]

For the question about inconsistencies in grades, would you still write something if you already addressed this in your personal statement and if the inconsistencies are pretty minor (3.25 freshman year up to 4.0 senior year)?

 

[AndyB]

I'm a little confused about one of the secondary questions:

There's a section that asks you to choose one of your most meaningful experiences on your AMCAS and expand on it and explain how it will benefit you as physician. Didn't we already do that?

 

[thisandthat]

I'm a little confused about one of the secondary questions:

There's a section that asks you to choose one of your most meaningful experiences on your AMCAS and expand on it and explain how it will benefit you as physician. Didn't we already do that?

Haha, my thoughts exactly! I am going to have a tough time not repeating what I wrote in the primary.

 

[Captain Sisko]

Should I use this to try and explain why I only got a 10 in verbal? I don't want to seem whiney.

 

[C.glabrata123]

Haha, my thoughts exactly! I am going to have a tough time not repeating what I wrote in the primary.

This is a ridiculous prompt.

 

[Soulstice]

Didn't get one yet. Darn it .. I'll be traveling soon and wanted to have all my secondaries squared away.

 

[riseNshine]

is inconsistency something like jump in mcat by 2 points? or as the other poster suggested, sudden increase in gpa?

 

[Noggin]

is inconsistency something like jump in mcat by 2 points? or as the other poster suggested, sudden increase in gpa?

How would a jump in mcat by two points be an inconsistency?

 

[medschoolmyname]

I seriously don't like the second question and the 5th one. So im supposed to describe who I am, and then say one thing something about myself as why I should go there. Its gonna be hard not to be repetitive for sure.

 

[ilikeponies]

Please explain any inconsistencies in your university, graduate, or professional school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. (1,000 character limit)

I think they mean negative inconsistencies. Like, going from a 3.5 freshman/sophomore year to a 2.something junior year. Or a poor/ less desirable MCAT score. Pretty sure they're not looking for explanations for an increase in GPA/ MCAT score/ etc.

is inconsistency something like jump in mcat by 2 points? or as the other poster suggested, sudden increase in gpa?

Like I said, I doubt they're looking for either of those. Unless the "jump" is a downward jump... i.e. your second MCAT score was worse than your first.

 

[jamiechan]

does post graduate history mean gap years???

 

[medschoolmyname]

Dam that work activity section is tough. I know which activity was the most meanigful but I already exhausted talking about it. I don't know how to expand anymore than I have in the amcas app.

 

[Lya]

does post graduate history mean gap years???

I believe so.

Dam that work activity section is tough. I know which activity was the most meanigful but I already exhausted talking about it. I don't know how to expand anymore than I have in the amcas app.

It took a while for me too.. I tried to think of "sub-activities" that I didn't get a chance to describe in my primary and maybe use them instead of repeating the same activity description (they are both under the same activity title/name, though).

 

[temporaryumm]

Are people writing "Why Albany" for "Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program"? I'm thinking about reusing my diversity essay.

 

[Noggin]

Still no secondary.

 

[C.glabrata123]

Are people writing "Why Albany" for "Tell us one thing about yourself that would help the Admissions Committee determine if you should be admitted to our program"? I'm thinking about reusing my diversity essay.

Might as well tailor it to this question...

 

[lam2013]

Still no secondary.

I hadn't received mine either so I emailed their office. Got a reply back right away saying it's ok, it just may take a few days for them to get all the secondaries out. And then I got my secondary within an hour.

Don't lose hope!

 

[Noggin]

I hadn't received mine either so I emailed their office. Got a reply back right away saying it's ok, it just may take a few days for them to get all the secondaries out. And then I got my secondary within an hour.

Don't lose hope!

Literally ten minutes after I wrote that I got mine.lol

 

[IllinoisHopeful]

Got mine today as well. Went to my promotional folder in gmail so be alert

 

[jadedenvy]

So...people seem to generally agree that inconsistencies = negative trend. What if you don't have any? My GPA has been steady, and when I retook the MCAT my score increased. Is this an optional essay?

 

[mttamgirl]

Received my secondary today! Yay!

 

[CaramelSandiego]

So...people seem to generally agree that inconsistencies = negative trend. What if you don't have any? My GPA has been steady, and when I retook the MCAT my score increased. Is this an optional essay?

I'm curious about the answer to this as well; does it make sense to address positive trends, especially since I've mentioned it briefly elsewhere on my application?

 

[milkphlegm]

So...people seem to generally agree that inconsistencies = negative trend. What if you don't have any? My GPA has been steady, and when I retook the MCAT my score increased. Is this an optional essay?

I'm curious about the answer to this as well; does it make sense to address positive trends, especially since I've mentioned it briefly elsewhere on my application?

Yeah, I wrote an essay about taking the MCAT numerous times, although my last score improved. I just said that I learned from the initial poor result and will use the lessons learned later.

 

[riseNshine]

For gaps in post-graduate history..should we mention why we took a gap year or dive into what we're doing in our gap year or both?

 

[rch1]

Did anyone else certify before they clicked the payment button? Because I did that and I just saw that it says not to in the directions. And now, the payment button still appears even though I paid and the status shows that submission is pending. What do I do?

fwiw, i submitted payment first and then certified and i can still see the payment button

 

[orgostar]

are character limits including spaces or without spaces? thank you!

 

[SpartanWolverine]

are character limits including spaces or without spaces? thank you!

The 1000 character limit includes spaces.

 

[shinymk36]

just wondering because I was confused. it says on their website that:

When AMCAS sends us a copy of your verified application, we will send your pin number, via email, to access your on-line supplemental application.

But I haven't received any email yet and its been nearly 2 weeks since mine got verified. Is anyone else in this situation?

 

[Remy LeBeau]

just wondering because I was confused. it says on their website that:

When AMCAS sends us a copy of your verified application, we will send your pin number, via email, to access your on-line supplemental application.

But I haven't received any email yet and its been nearly 2 weeks since mine got verified. Is anyone else in this situation?

I was verified on 6/10, and I got my secondary this week. Many schools send out secondaries in waves to make processing easier on their side, so it could be awhile.

 

[HarperHarper]

Yeah, I wrote an essay about taking the MCAT numerous times, although my last score improved. I just said that I learned from the initial poor result and will use the lessons learned later.

I had a low verbal MCAT score, and I did not improve on this section on my retake. Should I still explain this (English is not my first language)?

 

[Lya]

I had a low verbal MCAT score, and I did not improve on this section on my retake. Should I still explain this (English is not my first language)?

If you mean by low verbal as in 8+, probably no need to explain.. I am not sure, though..


I have a question:

On the status page, is anyone else having a pending status for "Certified supplemental application received" and nothing mentioned for "Letters of recommendation received?"

I submitted my secondary 7/24 but I have no idea why I am still incomplete..

 

[AxiomaticTruth]

If you mean by low verbal as in 8+, probably no need to explain.. I am not sure, though..


I have a question:

On the status page, is anyone else having a pending status for "Certified supplemental application received" and nothing mentioned for "Letters of recommendation received?"

I submitted my secondary 7/24 but I have no idea why I am still incomplete..

I have pending for both the fee (which I have an email saying they recieved it) and the certified supplemental application received (which I submitted already). Maybe their systems are late? Dunno. Hope it isn't just us two.

 

[SixStringPsych]

I have pending for both the fee (which I have an email saying they recieved it) and the certified supplemental application received (which I submitted already). Maybe their systems are late? Dunno. Hope it isn't just us two.

Still pending also even though I submitted and paid on the 26th.

 

[aladd1n]

still pending also even though i submitted and paid on the 26th.

+1

 

[shinymk36]

wait so for the question on talking about most meaningful experience, do you have to talk about one of the ones you've marked and already explained as most meaningful experience? or can you pick another one to talk about it?