2014-2015 Michigan State University Application Thread

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
gettheleadout

gettheleadout

MD
Moderator Emeritus
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Verified Expert
Joined
Jun 23, 2010
Messages
11,808
Reaction score
2,807
1. Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What were the challenges? What did you learn? Please limit your response to 300 words or less.

2. Describe a personally rewarding experience. What did you learn about yourself through this experience? You are permitted to use an experience included in your AMCAS application, as long as you didn't go into great detail in your AMCAS application (including personal statement and experiences) or in Essay One, or you discuss a different aspect of the experience. Please limit your response to 300 words or less.

3. The vast majority of medical school applicants cite their love of science and strong desire to help others as motivation to enter a career in medicine. If you had to choose one more motivating reason, what would it be and why? Please limit your response to 150 words or less.

4. If you could present yourself to the Committee on Admissions, what would you want to make sure they knew about you? Please limit your response to 300 words or less.

Good luck to everyone applying! :luck:
Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Go Green!

If anyone has questions about East Lansing, i'd be happy to answer them. I went here for undergrad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
TheThirdLevel said:
Go Green!

If anyone has questions about East Lansing, i'd be happy to answer them. I went here for undergrad.
Click to expand...
Hey I am applying here! Can you share your experiences at East Lansing? Ups and downs? Thanks!
 
dcbgfit said:
Hey I am applying here! Can you share your experiences at East Lansing? Ups and downs? Thanks!
Click to expand...

East Lansing is a great college town. Absolutely huge, beautiful campus and tons of students (~38k undergrads, ~11k graduate/postgrads) so there's a lot of stuff to do and people to meet. The house party scene is huge, its a typical Big Ten school with tons of sports so school spirit is big. The nightlife isn't as good as a big city really, mostly just college-aged stuff to do. I'd also recommend venturing into Lansing a bit, as there are actually some great things there that students miss out on because Lansing has a reputation of being a bit shady (some parts are, but there's some really nice parts with cool things like Oldtown). Your biggest enemy on campus will be Parking Services.

I had a great time in EL and found tons of things to do.
 
OOS 31/3.95
I have experiences in underserved communities (Boys & Girls Club volunteer program leader, research assistant in public health dealing with rural populations)... Worth giving it a shot here even though I'm not from the great state of Michigan?
 
bdDOC71 said:
OOS 31/3.95
I have experiences in underserved communities (Boys & Girls Club volunteer program leader, research assistant in public health dealing with rural populations)... Worth giving it a shot here even though I'm not from the great state of Michigan?
Click to expand...

Yeah MSU loves that kinda of stuff. Check out their website for more info. They really want people who stick to their mission. They also love non-trads
 
Hey, I've already been accepted to CHM through an early program and am wondering if anyone has information on the Grand Rapids campus versus the East Lansing campus? I believe that I get to choose which I go to and am guaranteed the spot. I am curious what the social aspects are like at each location. I know I won't have a ton of time, but I will be living in these areas so I am curious what my options are. I went to a really small school for undergrad and feel like I missed out on some of the college experience.

Like I said I'm not looking to party every night, but am curious what you guys have to say. I do understand that the GR campus has newer facilities. Both are similar distances from my home.
 
unspoken said:
Hey, I've already been accepted to CHM through an early program and am wondering if anyone has information on the Grand Rapids campus versus the East Lansing campus? I believe that I get to choose which I go to and am guaranteed the spot. I am curious what the social aspects are like at each location. I know I won't have a ton of time, but I will be living in these areas so I am curious what my options are. I went to a really small school for undergrad and feel like I missed out on some of the college experience.

Like I said I'm not looking to party every night, but am curious what you guys have to say. I do understand that the GR campus has newer facilities. Both are similar distances from my home.
Click to expand...
Hey I'm at MSU right now for undergrad in East Lansing. If you choose to go to East Lansing you will definitely get the college experience. Parties start Thursday night. There several big party weekends including St. Patty's, Halloween, etc. There are several dive-y bars in the downtown area but most of them have excellent food. People are really nice and open here. However, if you're not into the typical college stuff like me (I don't drink and I get bored at "ragers") it can get kind of boring. Downtown Lansing is pretty cool as well with more "classy" bars and restaurants around the Capitol. I don't have a whole lot of experience with Grand Rapids but it is not a college town at all. It's fairly big city and has a lot of cool more metropolitan things. You may want to look up more about GR yourself but if you have any questions about East Lansing I can probably answer them.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
So many questions -.-
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
@gettheleadout

1. Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What were the challenges? What did you learn? Please limit your response to 300 words or less.

2. Describe a personally rewarding experience. What did you learn about yourself through this experience? You are permitted to use an experience included in your AMCAS application, as long as you didn't go into great detail in your AMCAS application (including personal statement and experiences) or in Essay One, or you discuss a different aspect of the experience. Please limit your response to 300 words or less.

3. The vast majority of medical school applicants cite their love of science and strong desire to help others as motivation to enter a career in medicine. If you had to choose one more motivating reason, what would it be and why? Please limit your response to 150 words or less.

4. If you could present yourself to the Committee on Admissions, what would you want to make sure they knew about you? Please limit your response to 300 words or less.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
OOS looking for love- AMCAS verified at 2:10, secondary received at 2:45. Secondaries must be rollinggg out
 
chromealt said:
Is it worth it to apply here as a Canadian? I've heard of Canadians being accepted here in the past but looking at the MSAR data, it says 420 applicants, 1 interview, 0 matriculants for internationals... any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Hello there fellow Canadian. When seeing absurd international stats like that (ie. 500 applicant, 1 interview), I look to see if the school actually treats Canadians as Internationals, or just OOS students. Schools like Wayne and VCU treat Canadians as OOS, not internationals - so perhaps MSU also has that view.

Looking at their admissions website, it seems they have info for Canadian applicants (ie. they are able to apply with strong credentials), and then they have a separate "International Student" section, with no mention of Canadians. Could this mean that Canadians are treated as OOS? Maybe. It states that, "Canadian citizens are considered non-Michigan residents" - so it may be an indication of OOS status.

Overall I decided to apply (3.95/32), and hopefully they are receptive to Canadians. Also, apparently my friend's friend was accepted (and matriculating) at MSU this or last year (not sure), so that also gave me the incentive to apply.

Cheers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
"forwarded to preliminary review" email.

looks like last year's II's didn't start til September, yikes
 
What's the consensus on using a pre-college experience for the comfort zone essay? I think I have a decent idea for it but its from the middle of high school
 
Planning on submitting today, was wondering about the theme for the why medicine question. They specifically ask for things outside love of science and desire to help others. However, they are also very big on serving the community. I am kinda thrown off by that. Would it be fine to talk about a reason that doesn't involve serving the community? or should we find a way to work that in?
 
SparkOfLife538 said:
Planning on submitting today, was wondering about the theme for the why medicine question. They specifically ask for things outside love of science and desire to help others. However, they are also very big on serving the community. I am kinda thrown off by that. Would it be fine to talk about a reason that doesn't involve serving the community? or should we find a way to work that in?
Click to expand...

I think they are just looking for a third plausible reason of why you are going to commit your life to the profession. Science and helping people are the big two, some people want job security, others want a challenge, responsibility, etc.
 
Hey! Went here for undergrad, went through the interview process, and was accepted. I have to say this place probably has time of the friendliest admission staffs and a great interview day. Also, I don't know about Grand Rapids, but the East Lansing campus is extremely student friendly, fun, and safe.
 
Are we allowed to send them an update letter? I didn't get a chance to talk about what I am doing during my gap year in my secondaries but really want them to know! On the instructions it said that no additional information will be considered but I don't know if this includes an update with what I'm doing during my year off.
 
lilypond147 said:
Are we allowed to send them an update letter? I didn't get a chance to talk about what I am doing during my gap year in my secondaries but really want them to know! On the instructions it said that no additional information will be considered but I don't know if this includes an update with what I'm doing during my year off.
Click to expand...
IMO an update is considered "additional information". I think they make it pretty clear that they don't accept them, but maybe someone else can speak to this? Did you mentioned any of your gap year activities in your primary?
 
How did people tackle the last secondary question? I assume they don't want to regurgitate the most important aspects of our application... would this be an opportunity to write a why MSU essay?
 
Last edited:
When I spoke to an admissions rep they said they didn't accept updates
 
kirtip said:
How did people tackle the last secondary question? I assume they don't want to regurgitate the most important aspects of our application... would this be an opportunity to write a why MSU essay?
Click to expand...

I'm stuck here as well. And I think that would be hard for applicants like us :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Has anybody written the optional essays? Maybe the current students at MSU can help: is that important that I write anything there? I do not have significant experience, except for living in a rural area until i was 18 years old.
 
cj_cregg said:
Those are applications for separate programs within the medical school - one that would prepare you for working with the underserved in general and one for practicing rurally. If you don't want to apply for either program, you don't do the essays associated with them.
Click to expand...
Thank you, for an amazingly quick reply!
 
so just to clarify, if one of our AMCAS letters is no longer being sent, we need to email MSU CHM and let them know, correct?
my secondary is submitted and on hold for my committee letter which should be sent out in the next few days
 
sashka1 said:
so just to clarify, if one of our AMCAS letters is no longer being sent, we need to email MSU CHM and let them know, correct?
my secondary is submitted and on hold for my committee letter which should be sent out in the next few days
Click to expand...

I guess it would be courteous to do so, but as long as you designated a letter as "No Longer Being Sent" in AMCAS, that should be okay. I emailed UMich about the same thing, and they said that the AMCAS designation was fine. Can't hurt to email them anyway, though.
 
Currently wrapping up my essays for the secondary application, but I have a quick question I'm hoping someone here might know the answer to: can I write and submit essays for the LMU (Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved) program at a later time after I've already submitted my secondary, can I not submit without having those essays written if I want to be considered for the program? I know that the program technically doesn't start until 3rd and 4th year, I"m just curious.
Any info is appreciated, thanks.
 
Was in Flint today and thought this was cool. For those that don't know, they are moving their PH office to Flint and establishing a home base for the med students there.
 

Attachments

  • 1407358789559.jpg
    1407358789559.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 132
Is the upcoming class going to be enrolled at the new Flint location?
 
Found this on their site http://mdadmissions.msu.edu/applicants/process/process2.php#chmprocess

Scroll to the bottom.
When is the first interview date? Last year II's were sent out the first week of September. I assume the early ones are for Early Decision applicants.

"
2014-15 Admission Decision Release Dates
September 10, 2014
September 24, 2014
October 1, 2014
October 22, 2014
October 29, 2014
November 5, 2014
December 3, 2014
December 10, 2014
December 17, 2014

January 21, 2015
January 28, 2015
February 11, 2015
February 18, 2015
February 25, 2015
March 4, 2015
March 25, 2015
April 1, 2015
April 8, 2015
April 22, 2015"
 
I'm actually hoping to get in here, since I'm doing my undergrad there and I love it. I have a 3.85 GPA and a 26 MCAT, the mcat may kill me but I have some decent LORs (I think), 240h nursing home experience, 140h of shadowing 2 doctors, and Im currently working at a research lab. I submitted my II like a week and half ago, so hopefully they give me some love.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
M_thepotentialmedstudent said:
I'm actually hoping to get in here, since I'm doing my undergrad there and I love it. I have a 3.85 GPA and a 26 MCAT, the mcat may kill me but I have some decent LORs (I think), 240h nursing home experience, 140h of shadowing 2 doctors, and Im currently working at a research lab. I submitted my II like a week and half ago, so hopefully they give me some love.
Click to expand...
Good luck with the process! Just so you know II doesn't mean the secondary, it means an interview invite. :)
 
ohhhh whoops...yeah I did the secondary then. Sorry I got confused there for a sec...I was too tired lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Just submitted secondary. My paragraphing in each of the essays was correct in the in-text editor, but when I submitted it, it lumped them together into one paragraph. This happen to anyone else?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

PapaGuava
2022-2023 Michigan State
9 10 11 12 13
Replies
647
Views
125K
Maybesomeday
M
PapaGuava
2021-2022 Michigan State
9 10 11 12 13
Replies
612
Views
145K
Chemmajor248
C
wysdoc
2022-2023 Michigan
7 8 9 10 11
Replies
517
Views
164K
hopefully1234
hopefully1234
chilly_md
2022-2023 Central Michigan
6 7 8 9 10
Replies
461
Views
97K
Fluffernuttersquish
F
wysdoc
2022-2023 Western Michigan (Stryker)
8 9 10 11 12
Replies
593
Views
123K
popegreemIII
popegreemIII
Top