2015 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

BU Medical Sciences
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Kinda sorta got a II for jefferson yesterday. Waiting for it to be scheduled. Such excite!
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I'm going to share this message from @Overanxious because it was so damn good.

I sent her a PM congratulating her on Yale and she sent this back.

I opened the email saw it was from Yale and...
embarassed-for-u.gif


which turned into...
jwdrp.gif


followed by...
sywht1.gif


then...
huh.gif


finally...
too-much-cry.gif
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@ridethecliche There you go...showing everyone how crazy i am :laugh: Now poor canadianinusa is really going to think this thread is anxious. Though it's really not too bad. Look over on the duke thread or even boston and those people are just scary cray cray. Though maybe for good reason?
 
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What about that BU thread? :p We are all very chill over there. ;)
 
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Heavy waiting. :) Half of us check our statuses every day, the other half are telling us not to. :)
Decisions for all applicants are expected to be announced by the end of the week, thus the extra interest.
 
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You're funny milski...:wacky: It just looks as though it's about to go down hill and the admissions folk should highly consider blocking all incoming phone calls. This would have saved Duke (maybe). They are just anxious...with every right though. I suspect many calls will be made tomorrow. The mentality is "we will never hear back and be in perpetual angst the rest of our lives".
 
I'm not sure why people there associate frequent checking with being neurotic. I work all day at a computer, not having my email up sounds just... Absurd. I would not call them though - can't imagine how that would change anything. It is fun fun to run in circles with my hair on fire or at least pretend to, makes waiting a bit less boring.
 
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I keep hearing stories of the Duke thread! I need to go check this out for myself...
 
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RachieRach said:
I keep hearing stories of the Duke thread! I need to go check this out for myself...
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Believe me. Duke was a doozie... It hurt lots. I'm on there plenty haha apologize in advance for the craziness that came out there.
 
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Ok, I read the Duke thread, that was pretty messed up. In all fairness any angst in the BU thread is completely self induced, more like the last few days before MCAT results come out.
 
Accepted at Western Michigan!!! SOOOOOO HAPPPPYYYYYYYY :clap::banana::biglove:
 
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Wrapped up the cycle with a waitlist BU, got the rejections from everywhere else. Not bad for Friday, 13th but looks like a few more months of waiting before the final verdict.
 
milski said:
Wrapped up the cycle with a waitlist BU, got the rejections from everywhere else. Not bad for Friday, 13th but looks like a few more months of waiting before the final verdict.
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@milski , hoping good news finds you soon.
 
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After a 2+ year journey filled with blood, sweat, toil, and tears, I am absolutely ecstatic to report that I received my MD acceptance today. Although I am a new poster, I'm a long-time lurker and I'm convinced that the wisdom and encouragement found on SDN helped get me through. A big thank you to everyone who contributes here!
 
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Qweras said:
After a 2+ year journey filled with blood, sweat, toil, and tears, I am absolutely ecstatic to report that I received my MD acceptance today. Although I am a new poster, I'm a long-time lurker and I'm convinced that the wisdom and encouragement found on SDN helped get me through. A big thank you to everyone who contributes here!
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@Qweras, congratulations! Glad that the "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" portion of the struggle is over and you can move on to the "finest hour" segment! (Where, as we know, the toil continues and the blood, tears, and sweat will be joined by still other bodily secretions and by-products! ;)) Good for you and may the rest of the journey be filled with joy and victory!

BUT. . .the word for today on thesaurus.com (and don't ask why I know such a thing!) is dysphemism, the substitution of a harsh word for one more neutral. That word made me stop and consider "lurk." I know it is the accepted verb for reading without posting, but the connotations all suggest sinister intent, evil purpose. When BengaliBrat is appointed Supreme Dictator of Vocabulary (any day now, I am certain), "lurk" will not be used for folks like you. You will "linger" or "tarry" or even "sojourn" (like Sojourner Truth, long-time heroine of mine.) Dawdling thus described connotes attraction and pleasant hanging around rather than resentment and treachery--basking in the summer sunshine and not lying in wait in the chilly shadows. You don't sound like a lurker. . .much more like a sojourner!

Here endeth the lesson for today. Congratulations!
 
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Thanks for the support everyone and BengaliBrat, your lexical lesson is duly noted! My remaining in the shadows did not belie any sinister intent!
 
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Accepted to University of Washington. This old man is going to med school! I've dreamed about this since I was 5. Love you guys!
 
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Got a last minute interview to Jefferson this weds. I'm pretty psyched. The school's been pretty high on my list due a long list of intangibles (close proximity to family, philly, etc etc etc). Eep! So excited.

Feeling interview butterflies again is so bizarre.
 
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rikudo said:
Accepted to University of Washington. This old man is going to med school! I've dreamed about this since I was 5. Love you guys!
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Yay, @rikudo!! Congratulations. Hey, old man. . .do you play nick-nack? Paddywhack? And when it comes to the dog, do you hand out bones? In any case, you are rolling "home"!! Good on ya!
 
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Waitlisted at my top choice (einstein) today on mah birfday. Boo!!!

ONWARD TO JEFFERSON!
 
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Acceptance felt like winning the lottery. Financial aid "award"...not so much. Ughhhhhhh.
 
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I have yet to hear anything from any of my schools on financial aid.
 
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Congrats to all the new acceptances!

I've been staying away since I know I likely won't hear anything new until April, but had to check in and see the good news :)
 
Aw man, I really loved Jeff. Might even have tied for my favorite school after interviews!

Crossing my fingers. Should hopefully know in a couple of weeks (mid april?)
 
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ridethecliche said:
Aw man, I really loved Jeff. Might even have tied for my favorite school after interviews!

Crossing my fingers. Should hopefully know in a couple of weeks (mid april?)
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Good luck to you!
 
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GoB killing the entire cycle.

Med school cycle. Dead.
 
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Hey is anyone else a little baffled by match results? I just see a list of specialties and a bunch of hospitals that I haven't heard of. What is that supposed to mean?? And if someone matches in a really prestigious program, does it reflect on the school or the student's work ethic?
 
I'm guessing it's a lot like admissions. Where you went has a slight effect but how well you did in the assorted hoop jumping is 95% of it.

I could see an effect where certian programs might exclude certian applicants regardless of performance based on where they attended, just like Harvard would presumably exclude someone who did all their prerequisites at community college.
 
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Accepted to EVMS a week ago! Now, Albany or EVMS... hmmm...

Leaning toward the latter for the location. Still waiting on Drexel.
 
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rikudo said:
Accepted to University of Washington. This old man is going to med school! I've dreamed about this since I was 5. Love you guys!
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congrats, fingers crossed I'll be joining you in a cycle
 
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WaterPog said:
I'm guessing it's a lot like admissions. Where you went has a slight effect but how well you did in the assorted hoop jumping is 95% of it.

I could see an effect where certian programs might exclude certian applicants regardless of performance based on where they attended, just like Harvard would presumably exclude someone who did all their prerequisites at community college.
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I think you're right. People seem to get really excited about the lists though.
 
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RachieRach said:
I think you're right. People seem to get really excited about the lists though.
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The match list to me is like the weather forecast in a way. It's like what specialities are trending there, maybe there's an underlying reason at that school. Miami for example had 19 match to ophthalmology this year and it is most likely in part to the leading eye center there. Otherwise, seeing the caliber of schools I think is important to know where students are going and if they're getting their top choices. I know a little bit more about the hospitals themselves because of my work background, but just like med school there are programs with name recognition, which is helpful for landing an actual job as a doctor. It's funny how that will be in almost a decade. It is up to you the student to get the grades and board scores and research, but again I think it's like a weather forecast.
 
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RachieRach said:
Hey is anyone else a little baffled by match results? I just see a list of specialties and a bunch of hospitals that I haven't heard of. What is that supposed to mean?? And if someone matches in a really prestigious program, does it reflect on the school or the student's work ethic?
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Not really. It just means what students there matched into. I don't know how strong the programs they match into are, outside of a few names, so it really doesn't matter.

It reflects on both the school and the student, but mostly the student. The school doesn't take step 1 for ya!

WaterPog said:
I'm guessing it's a lot like admissions. Where you went has a slight effect but how well you did in the assorted hoop jumping is 95% of it.

I could see an effect where certian programs might exclude certian applicants regardless of performance based on where they attended, just like Harvard would presumably exclude someone who did all their prerequisites at community college.
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Going to HMS might let you into certain residencies with lower stats than those from say Albany, because Harvard. This is what I've been told.

kthxbai said:
Accepted to EVMS a week ago! Now, Albany or EVMS... hmmm...

Leaning toward the latter for the location. Still waiting on Drexel.
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Congrats!

ConsultantMD said:
The match list to me is like the weather forecast in a way. It's like what specialities are trending there, maybe there's an underlying reason at that school. Miami for example had 19 match to ophthalmology this year and it is most likely in part to the leading eye center there. Otherwise, seeing the caliber of schools I think is important to know where students are going and if they're getting their top choices. I know a little bit more about the hospitals themselves because of my work background, but just like med school there are programs with name recognition, which is helpful for landing an actual job as a doctor. It's funny how that will be in almost a decade. It is up to you the student to get the grades and board scores and research, but again I think it's like a weather forecast.
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This is key. Miami matched 19 to optho and only 1 to ortho. To some people, that means miami sucks at ortho, which is far from the truth. It's just what students of that year were interested in. Sure there's self selection as well as more people interested in optho are going to go to miami for med school if they have the choice (and like optho that early), but to some people, this reads as more like a 'oh look miami can't match ortho!'.
 
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I saw that last night - congratulations! Isn't that two acceptances for you?

And you were worried! (I don't blame you :p)
 
Tintinnabula said:
I saw that last night - congratulations! Isn't that two acceptances for you?

And you were worried! (I don't blame you :p)
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Yeah, I was. I liked Albany, but would have been disappointed to go there because of the other 'potential offers' i.e. interviews. I liked Albany the school, but not the location if that makes sense. Jeff is just about perfect.

My cycle at this point is over pending 2 WL's at both Einstein and UMass. Accepted at Jeff and Albany.

I ended up getting interviews at: Hofstra, UMass, Albany, UMiami, Jefferson, Rosalind Franklin (declined), Einstein, and Quinnipiac.

This was from ~45 completed applications. I might write this all up in a post somewhere on the main forum when I'm finally done.
 
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ridethecliche said:
Yeah, I was. I liked Albany, but would have been disappointed to go there because of the other 'potential offers' i.e. interviews. I liked Albany the school, but not the location if that makes sense. Jeff is just about perfect.

My cycle at this point is over pending 2 WL's at both Einstein and UMass. Accepted at Jeff and Albany.

I ended up getting interviews at: Hofstra, UMass, Albany, UMiami, Jefferson, Rosalind Franklin (declined), Einstein, and Quinnipiac.

This was from ~45 completed applications. I might write this all up in a post somewhere on the main forum when I'm finally done.
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I also find mdapps really helpful, @ridethecliche, and post notes about my experiences there. I have like 3100 views of stuff, so I guess people search through the website pretty thoroughly--I am not that helpful, but the info about dates may be. And by the way, congratulations on your popularity! "Just about perfect" is GREAT!!
 
I find myself ascribing to both wabi sabi and 'perfect is the enemy of good' regarding many things in life. Education being one of them. I went to the undergrad that gave me the most money and it just happened to be the highest rank, though I would have gone elsewhere if the money had been better. I didn't regret it. The same applies to medical school. Both Albany and Jeff will give me the tools to succeed. Jeff just happens to be 30 mins from where my folks live.
 
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ridethecliche said:
I find myself ascribing to both wabi sabi and 'perfect is the enemy of good' regarding many things in life. Education being one of them. I went to the undergrad that gave me the most money and it just happened to be the highest rank, though I would have gone elsewhere if the money had been better. I didn't regret it. The same applies to medical school. Both Albany and Jeff will give me the tools to succeed. Jeff just happens to be 30 mins from where my folks live.
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Wow, that's super convenient about Jefferson - my ILs are similarly very very close to one of my hold list schools (I keep calling it a waitlist). If I got in off the list there, there are so many ways I'd practically take it as a sign from God that this is, in fact, my vocation, I wasn't wrong about that. My ILs love my girls and love to see them, my husband's paternal grandparents' home is empty but not being sold and we'd have a place to live for the cost of utilities about 20 minutes from the school, off in a quiet neighborhood in the country. If he weren't able to find a job up there in time, I could still stay in the house and then have a housemate to help keep bills low to absent yet not live totally by myself, which I can do okay but would be more expensive. I mean, really, that school would be ideal in a lot of ways.

Have you decided then or are you giving yourself till the 15th?
 
15th of what? I think the deadline for dropping acceptances is the end of April this year.

I'm still crossing my fingers for Einstein a little bit to be honest.
 
RachieRach said:
I think you're right. People seem to get really excited about the lists though.
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Match lists are problematic for several reasons:
1) they only tell you where people matched, not where they matched in relation to where they wanted to match.

2) hospitals with big name recognition dont necessarily equate to strong residency/highly reputable programs for a given specialty. A lot of times places might have strong programs in one specialty but not in another. Sometimes it's places you've never heard of that are strongest. You likely won't figure out which are which til you start talking to advisors in your specialty in medical school. For instance if you saw someone matched neurosurgery at St. Joseph's hospital, AZ you might be like "hey neurosurgery good, but what kind of place is that. It was probably at the bottom of their list" and you'd likely be very very wrong as that's the home of the Barrow Neurological Institute and a highly reputable nsg.program.

3) not everyone wants to go to the best, most prestigious, etc places for residency. People matching are getting to a point in their lives where other factors come into play. So they might choose a less prestigious but quality program near their family to help with childcare, or to be by significant others, or take advantage of research opps, or because x place has a strong primary care track, cost of living/ debt ratio, couples matching, or they are just sick of winters.

I once saw a match list for a school in Puerto Rico and some people concluded they didn't match to strong programs, I said it looked to me like the people had a strong preference for matching to warm states with large Spanish speaking populations. :shrug:

4) they don't tell you how far down the rank list people had to go, or even if they matched to their first choice specialty, or how many didn't match at all.

Moral: it's fun to look and daydream, but that's about it.

Some med schools might have more resources available, and name probably counts for something in some fields, some schools set aside more dedicated board review time, but most of it probably comes down to the individual student.
 
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