**2016-2017 URM Medical School Application Thread**

[720606]

Figured I'd jump on here since I looked to past URM app threads before applying to gauge my chances.

I'm a reapplicant (this is my first cycle applying outside of Texas). AA female. LizzyM ~66 and I have 3 MD IIs so far. I really think that being able to convey your value in your PS and in secondaries makes a huge difference.

Good luck to everyone. I'll be posting here with updates and such.

Congratulations! I pray you have many more. You are right: writing skills and conveying yourself are two things that boost every application.

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[Panther_]

MY FIRST INTERVIEW INVITE!!!! God is good!

University of Pittsburgh!

 

[alpha-GTP]

MY FIRST INTERVIEW INVITE!!!! God is good!

University of Pittsburgh!

Congratulations!!! That's a great way to kick off the interview invite season. I'm sure several more are on the way.

 

[Panther_]

Congratulations!!! That's a great way to kick off the interview invite season. I'm sure several more are on the way.

Thanks!!! I am so relieved.

 

[NimbleNavigator]

My MCATs were 22, 23 and 501 and science GPA was 3.53 and 3.61 over all.

Interesting

 

[720606]

II to UT Southwestern in the middle of another interview! Praise God for good news!

 

[Panther_]

II to UT Southwestern in the middle of another interview! Praise God for good news!

Congratulations!!!!


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[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Interesting

What's interesting ?

 

[SydSing]

II Case Western

 

[720606]

II Case Western

Awesome! I hope many more are on the way!

 

[alpha-GTP]

II to UT Southwestern in the middle of another interview! Praise God for good news!

Congratulations!! UTSW is a great school. Nothing like a receiving an interview invite during an interview to boost the confidence.

 

[DrHueyFreeman]

Hey all,

Super glad I found this thread! Are there any Canadian applicants in here??

 

[NatureEssence]

Hey everyone,I'm a longtime lurker here on sdn but I decided to join on this thread as I love how supportive y'all are.

Took MCAT in July, submitted my app late July (I know I should have submitted earlier) LizzyM of 67 using my practice AAMC scored (1) MCAT, attend top 20 school.

I'm a bit concerned about my application and still haven't made a school list just yet. I submitted my AMCAS so that I could get my app verified. Any advice on schools to apply to is much appreciated! And congrats on the interview invites so far.

 

[x3kib]

Hi everyone! First of all congratulations

Is anyone is my position that their Letters are STILL being held by their school? it's driving me crazy I've done everything but I'm
not complete anywhere will I still be OK being complete in mid August?!!

AHHH sorry I'm so frustrated about this

 

[720606]

II UT Houston! Miracles are still happening!

 

[alpha-GTP]

II UT Houston! Miracles are still happening!

Congratulations!! I knew that it was only a matter of time till your IIs start to really pile up.

 

[720606]

This is insane... II at UTMB Galveston.

 

[Dr. Ivy]

So jelly of everyone getting II lol. Congrats, everyone! you're doing so well!!! Someone needs to pray for me to get these II! I heard that we have to send our MCAT to aacomas/amcas? is that true bcuz on my app it already had my mcat, atleast for AMCAS

 

[720606]

So jelly of everyone getting II lol. Congrats, everyone! you're doing so well!!! Someone needs to pray for me to get these II! I heard that we have to send our MCAT to aacomas/amcas? is that true bcuz on my app it already had my mcat, atleast for AMCAS

I think you send it to AACOMAS. AMCAS automatically has it.

 

[Dr. Ivy]

I think you send it to AACOMAS. AMCAS automatically has it.

I should prob go ahead and do that then


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[WhittyPsyche]

Hi everyone! First of all congratulations

Is anyone is my position that their Letters are STILL being held by their school? it's driving me crazy I've done everything but I'm
not complete anywhere will I still be OK being complete in mid August?!!

AHHH sorry I'm so frustrated about this

You will be fine. Complete in mid August is OK according to all the adcoms, it's not early, but it's on time. Don't worry, relax. Plus some schools seem to review and send IIs without LOR in, according to some of the school threads.


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[WhittyPsyche]

I should prob go ahead and do that then


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Get to it! Lol


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[WhittyPsyche]

Hey everyone,I'm a longtime lurker here on sdn but I decided to join on this thread as I love how supportive y'all are.

Took MCAT in July, submitted my app late July (I know I should have submitted earlier) LizzyM of 67 using my practice AAMC scored (1) MCAT, attend top 20 school.

I'm a bit concerned about my application and still haven't made a school list just yet. I submitted my AMCAS so that I could get my app verified. Any advice on schools to apply to is much appreciated! And congrats on the interview invites so far.

Work on that school list with a rough estimate based on your practice score. Basically focus on the mid and target range of your list, then add your high range and reaches after your score. At least start writing secondaries for schools you will apply to anyway.


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[x3kib]

Great thank you! Do you happen to know which schools do that?

You will be fine. Complete in mid August is OK according to all the adcoms, it's not early, but it's on time. Don't worry, relax. Plus some schools seem to review and send IIs without LOR in, according to some of the school threads.


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[WhittyPsyche]

Great thank you! Do you happen to know which schools do that?

Look at the school threads.


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[triplejtwo]

Puerto rican, 3.2 cgpa, 3.3 sgpa, bad first 2 years then significant upward trend 3.75-3.8 for two years and 40 credits in two semesters. 500 MCAT, good ECs (research 500 hrs should result in 3 publications, 400 hrs clinical, and then 4800hrs as a mechanic (wrote about this in my personal essays and how it was comparative to medicine.)) Retake mcat aug 25th. 25 MDs and 23 secondaries so far. lets get those IIs

 

[Chelsea FC]

Puerto rican, 3.2 cgpa, 3.3 sgpa, bad first 2 years then significant upward trend 3.75-3.8 for two years and 40 credits in two semesters. 500 MCAT, good ECs (research 500 hrs should result in 3 publications, 400 hrs clinical, and then 4800hrs as a mechanic (wrote about this in my personal essays and how it was comparative to medicine.)) Retake mcat aug 25th. 25 MDs and 23 secondaries so far. lets get those IIs

Make sure to apply to the 4 PR schools. If you don't have residency in PR then I wouldn't apply to UPR because they don't take out landers

 

[720606]

Y'all, God doesn't sleep. As I said earlier, I majorly screwed up my AMCAS primary app by saying I wanted to go to one school, while applying to many. I honestly didn't expect one II from any school outside TX, but at 6pm today, Johns Hopkins gave me a II.....(real sequence of emotions.)

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Y'all, God doesn't sleep. As I said earlier, I majorly screwed up my AMCAS primary app by saying I wanted to go to one school, while applying to many. I honestly didn't expect one II from any school outside TX, but at 6pm today, Johns Hopkins gave me a II.....(real sequence of emotions.)

Wohoooo go kill it you got this

 

[Dr. Ivy]

Y'all, God doesn't sleep. As I said earlier, I majorly screwed up my AMCAS primary app by saying I wanted to go to one school, while applying to many. I honestly didn't expect one II from any school outside TX, but at 6pm today, Johns Hopkins gave me a II.....(real sequence of emotions.)

Let's go!! Congrats!


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[720606]

For anyone applying to Texas Tech, the interview is super chill. Nothing to worry about; the people are so nice!!! Also, they have a 3-year family medicine program you can apply for (I e-mailed them with interested after I submitted my TMDSAS app, and they reopened it for me 2 days before my interview).

 

[SydSing]

Y'all, God doesn't sleep. As I said earlier, I majorly screwed up my AMCAS primary app by saying I wanted to go to one school, while applying to many. I honestly didn't expect one II from any school outside TX, but at 6pm today, Johns Hopkins gave me a II.....(real sequence of emotions.)

Niiiiiice. Congrats

Side Note: II at Quinnipiac today.

 

[720606]

Niiiiiice. Congrats

Side Note: II at Quinnipiac today.

Not a side note: MAIN NOTE! Congrats, and more to come!

 

[ready2go2]

Need some help with writing secondaries that ask about contributing to diversity. Did you guys just talk about your race/culture etc? Or did you choose to leave it out? I'm so bleh about this one. Makes me want to write "yeah, I'm a black woman, duh"

 

[alpha-GTP]

Need some help with writing secondaries that ask about contributing to diversity. Did you guys just talk about your race/culture etc? Or did you choose to leave it out? I'm so bleh about this one. Makes me want to write "yeah, I'm a black woman, duh"

I had 2 different diversity essays depending on the school and if one type was discussed in another essay prompt. I used either my experiences as an immigrant or as a nontraditional applicant with a previous career. In both cases, I tied diversity to how it would affect how I would practice as a physician and the skills/experiences I would bring to the table.

 

[SydSing]

II at Albany.

And pertaining to diversity I spoke mostly on my background, life experiences, and individual strengths.

Rarely did I speak on my contribution to addressing a lack of racial diversity.

 

[720606]

II at Albany.

And pertaining to diversity I spoke mostly on my background, life experiences, and individual strengths.

Rarely did I speak on my contribution to addressing a lack of racial diversity.

Congratulations!!

 

[Panther_]

Need some help with writing secondaries that ask about contributing to diversity. Did you guys just talk about your race/culture etc? Or did you choose to leave it out? I'm so bleh about this one. Makes me want to write "yeah, I'm a black woman, duh"

I wrote about race, experiences with underserved/minority populations, traveling abroad and post-undergraduate work. All of this was tied into a common theme, which discussed the skills that I bring to the table and/or how I would treat patients/what I would bring to the medical school community.

I either shortened or altered which experiences were used based on the school. I hope this helps.

 

[SydSing]

Congratulations!!

Thanks I would love to get a few closer to home (Texas) but I'm definitely not complaining!!!

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Need some help with writing secondaries that ask about contributing to diversity. Did you guys just talk about your race/culture etc? Or did you choose to leave it out? I'm so bleh about this one. Makes me want to write "yeah, I'm a black woman, duh"

My personal statement already touched on my immigrant experience, low SES, and experience with minority and immigrant groups in my research and volunteering so for diversity prompts I spoke about my educational background (I attended religious schools: Hindu, Islamic, Catholic and Christian through my childhood) and Spanish fluency as a second language and how those experiences impact my interactions with individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. I never explicitly mentioned my race, but talked about my culture and heritage in other essays like passions/experiences.


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[DoctressM]

So happy to have found this thread. I have filled out 6 secondaries so far. And now I am waiting for my II.

The waiting sucks.

 

[NatureEssence]

Got my MCAT score today 96% percentile God is good!! Now I have the motivation to finish up my apps

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Got my MCAT score today 96% percentile God is good!! Now I have the motivation to finish up my apps

Congratulations! Very exciting news.

Two more weeks for me! I just finished submitting all my secondaries today save a couple that are screened.


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[alpha-GTP]

Congratulations! Very exciting news.

Two more weeks for me! I just finished submitting all my secondaries today save a couple that are screened.


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I'm glad you were able to knock out all those secondaries!! That to me is the most difficult part about applying. The interviews will start pouring in once that MCAT score comes in.

 

[WhittyPsyche]

I'm glad you were able to knock out all those secondaries!! That to me is the most difficult part about applying. The interviews will start pouring in once that MCAT score comes in.

It actually wasn't as bad as I expected because I thought every school would be like Harvard and Dartmouth which the high character count so after doing those it was mostly cutting down and being concise to stay within character limits then some tailoring to each school.

Also I started my vacation on July 29th so I've been able to write at will without work/studying which I know must have been a big constraint for you.


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[alpha-GTP]

It actually wasn't as bad as I expected because I thought every school would be like Harvard and Dartmouth which the high character count so after doing those it was mostly cutting down and being concise to stay within character limits then some tailoring to each school.

Also I started my vacation on July 29th so I've been able to write at will without work/studying which I know must have been a big constraint for you.


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Actually, I had the hardest time with the prompts that asked for 1000 characters max, because I felt like I was just scratching the surface with my responses. Duke was a monster though, because 2 or 3 of their prompts changed this year, and that was by far the most difficult secondary I had to do. I originally had VCU on my list and I had applied there on AMCAS, but I took one look at the secondary and decided not to even bother. They had an MMI type question, and they change their prompts each year, so that was just too little ROI for me personally. I prefer more traditional essay prompts because they are not as mentally taxing.

Now I'm just anxiously waiting to see if any more IIs come between now and 10/15. I'm kinda paranoid about how quiet the last 2 weeks have been, but that's pretty dumb on my part considering I didn't expect to even have any invites at this point. Hopefully I can do some breathing exercises and calm down, because it's going to be a long app cycle if I keep this up LOL.

 

[NatureEssence]

It actually wasn't as bad as I expected because I thought every school would be like Harvard and Dartmouth which the high character count so after doing those it was mostly cutting down and being concise to stay within character limits then some tailoring to each school.

Also I started my vacation on July 29th so I've been able to write at will without work/studying which I know must have been a big constraint for you.


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Super lucky, my internship ends next week so I haven't had the time to sit down and knock out those secondaries. And hey, now that those are done you can relax! I hope you do well on the MCAT!

 

[WhittyPsyche]

Actually, I had the hardest time with the prompts that asked for 1000 characters max, because I felt like I was just scratching the surface with my responses. Duke was a monster though, because 2 or 3 of their prompts changed this year, and that was by far the most difficult secondary I had to do. I originally had VCU on my list and I had applied there on AMCAS, but I took one look at the secondary and decided not to even bother. They had an MMI type question, and they change their prompts each year, so that was just too little ROI for me personally. I prefer more traditional essay prompts because they are not as mentally taxing.

Now I'm just anxiously waiting to see if any more IIs come between now and 10/15. I'm kinda paranoid about how quiet the last 2 weeks have been, but that's pretty dumb on my part considering I didn't expect to even have any invites at this point. Hopefully I can do some breathing exercises and calm down, because it's going to be a long app cycle if I keep this up LOL.

I decided against applying to Duke after reading comments like that in the school thread lol. I found UCLA- Prime a beast. Fortunately, since it's screened I still have time to keep working on it for the rest of the month.

It's far too early to start worrying! You have a good app and I'm sure there will be more invites. I am bummed that some school are already in late October dates for interviews so I'm going to be interviewing in the winter for sure, which I hate.


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[alpha-GTP]

I decided against applying to Duke after reading comments like that in the school thread lol. I found UCLA- Prime a beast. Fortunately, since it's screened I still have time to keep working on it for the rest of the month.

It's far too early to start worrying! You have a good app and I'm sure there will be more invites. I am bummed that some school are already in late October dates for interviews so I'm going to be interviewing in the winter for sure, which I hate.


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Yeah, traveling during the winter is a b!tch with weather delays and all that. I think that will be the least of your worries since you'll have a pretty competitive application. Since most top 20 schools have late decision dates, interviewing late is definitely not a disadvantage. At least your application is complete with the exception of the MCAT. Hopefully you are able to grab some October interview dates.

 

[dr_stewpeas]

II from SUNY Upstate yesterday!