2020-2021 Boston University

[TheDataKing]

Please tag a pre-allo moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview Feedback: Boston University

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[Med16484]

Anyone else prewriting these essays? I was looking at last year's prompts and all the essays seem to be about non trads/gap years. As a traditional student, I honestly don't know if there are any essays for me to even do. Anyone else having this problem?

 

[eartharte]

Anyone else prewriting these essays? I was looking at last year's prompts and all the essays seem to be about non trads/gap years. As a traditional student, I honestly don't know if there are any essays for me to even do. Anyone else having this problem?

I was looking at the previous years' prompts as well and it looks like the only one that could be significant for traditional students would be the optional essay that asks the provide additional information (maybe using this as an opportunity to explicitly explain why you applied to BU).

 

[srstudent]

Can someone who's received the secondary please post the prompts? I heard there's a new essay

 

[axonwhiskers]

@TheDataKing

• Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree? (1400 characters)
• If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below (1400 characters).
• Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us. For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. Also use this section to explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans (2000 characters).
• Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital in New England, serving primarily people who are publicly insured, people of color, immigrants, and low-income people in the Greater Boston Area. Why are you specifically interested in beginning your medical education in this environment, and how do you feel that your previous experiences will prepare you for this unique learning environment (3000 characters).
• Use the space below to provide additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. This should include only information NOT already included in your AMCAS or other sections of the BUSM Supplemental Application. Most applicants leave this blank (3000 characters).

 

[eartharte]

@TheDataKing

• Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree? (1400 characters)
• If you have spent more than 4 years as an undergraduate, please explain below (1400 characters).
• Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us. For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. Also use this section to explain any impact that COVID-19 may have had on your educational/research/volunteering or employment plans (2000 characters).
• Boston Medical Center is the largest safety net hospital in New England, serving primarily people who are publicly insured, people of color, immigrants, and low-income people in the Greater Boston Area. Why are you specifically interested in beginning your medical education in this environment, and how do you feel that your previous experiences will prepare you for this unique learning environment (3000 characters).
• Use the space below to provide additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine. This should include only information NOT already included in your AMCAS or other sections of the BUSM Supplemental Application. Most applicants leave this blank (3000 characters).

Do they prescreen for secondaries?

 

[Havelock Vetinari]

Do they prescreen for secondaries?

I don’t believe so. But they may send invitations out in batches to prevent server overload.

 

[sleepypickle]

Secondary received!

 

[Med16484]

Is anyone going to put something for the additional information prompt? I was going to but I ended up using that essay for their new prompt. They say most people leave it blank so I may just do that

 

[deleted1039724]

Is anyone going to put something for the additional information prompt? I was going to but I ended up using that essay for their new prompt. They say most people leave it blank so I may just do that

I wasn’t planning on writing anything for that one. For their other optional one, the narrative about educational timeline, I was planning on writing about my study abroad experience, but now they’ve combined it with covid. I don’t know if I should try to combine them, or just choose one over the other? Is anyone else having this problem?

 

[Naioki151]

Is the new prompt basically a "Why BU" essay but focused on the underserved populations of Boston?

 

[Med16484]

Is the new prompt basically a "Why BU" essay but focused on the underserved populations of Boston?

I thought it was more why this area with their underserved communities and less about the institution. I may be wrong though but I discussed more about my experiences with underserved communities and concluded with mentioning how Boston (the city) will provide me with many opportunities

 

[4573890]

That's the way I approached it too^

 

[sleepypickle]

Is anyone else having trouble with the core competency section? I filled out the prerequisite grid and there are no unfilled boxes, but it's registering as incomplete.

I'm having this problem as well

 

[mellex17]

For the "Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree?" prompt, is the character count an indication that you should explain yourself? I am planning on going to med school directly after undergrad and don't know if I should explain that choice or just put yes.

 

[micro_glia]

For the "Are you expecting to go on to medical school directly after completing your undergraduate degree?" prompt, is the character count an indication that you should explain yourself? I am planning on going to med school directly after undergrad and don't know if I should explain that choice or just put yes.

Just put yes. If you hit no, then the prompt asks to essentially explain what your gap year plans are which doesn’t seem relevant to you since you’re planning on matriculating right after you graduate from college.

 

[sleepypickle]

I sent admissions an email about it. I'll let you know what they say or hopefully they just fix the issue.

I sent them an email earlier too! I doubt they'll respond over the weekend though :/

 

[wfire]

Is anyone still waiting for a secondary?

 

[deleted1039724]

Is anyone still waiting for a secondary?

+1

 

[Smareo]

+1

+2

 

[ChocolateChipCookiez]

+2

Same here

 

[Havelock Vetinari]

Same here

Me too. Hoping it arrives sometime Monday.

 

[SiberianIris]

Me too. Hoping it arrives sometime Monday.

+4

I got SLU yesterday so my placid assurance that I wouldn't get any on weekends has been shaken, but it seems like the BU office is doing it at least somewhat manually.

 

[jcshen97]

What are you guys writing about for the "Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us" essay? I put my piano hobby on my AMCAS but I kind of want to expand upon that a little bit for this essay. I wrote something *disorganized/incoherent* about my immigration story in elementary school but I don't feel it would be as strong as this idea.

 

[crossstr]

+1

 

[Havelock Vetinari]

What are you guys writing about for the "Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us" essay? I put my piano hobby on my AMCAS but I kind of want to expand upon that a little bit for this essay. I wrote something *disorganized/incoherent* about my immigration story in elementary school but I don't feel it would be as strong as this idea.

I wrote about attending a Jewish pre-school, an Episcopalian elementary-middle school and classes on Hindu philosophy at the Indian cultural center. About how I worked through the confusion and eventually synthesized my own, blended spirituality. Then I described how I studied Spanish, French, German and Dutch and connected with people of different backgrounds, including on study-abroads and internships abroad. And how I took different portions of their value systems to create my own. I rounded out the essay by relating that to how I would approach learning and community-building at BUSM.

Still haven’t received the invitation to complete the secondary though.

 

[micro_glia]

What are you guys writing about for the "Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us" essay? I put my piano hobby on my AMCAS but I kind of want to expand upon that a little bit for this essay. I wrote something *disorganized/incoherent* about my immigration story in elementary school but I don't feel it would be as strong as this idea.

Personally, I wrote a combo of my diversity and challenge essays. I think if you have more to expand about learning to play the piano and if that shows the reader more about your unique personal characteristics then you can maybe go for it.

 

[sleepypickle]

It's fixed now! I just submitted

Same for me! Go us!

 

[sleepypickle]

What are you guys writing about for the "Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us" essay? I put my piano hobby on my AMCAS but I kind of want to expand upon that a little bit for this essay. I wrote something *disorganized/incoherent* about my immigration story in elementary school but I don't feel it would be as strong as this idea.

I wrote about how my dance experiences exposed me to different cultures in the various places I've lived. I think the piano example is much more unique, especially if it was a really formative experience for you. For context, I also immigrated in elementary school and have lived in pretty diverse communities growing up, but that experience just wasn't very personal to my medical school journey.

 

[_sunny_]

For the core competencies, do we have to list courses that we got from AP credit as well? It says to put every course on your transcript, so I wasn't sure if APs were included.

 

[4573890]

secondary received, OOS

 

[TabbyTuxy]

Secondary received and submitted 7/14, complete email today 7/15.

 

[eartharte]

Just to clarify, how many letters are we allowed to send? I see that they require 2 science faculty and 1 other, but can we send more?

 

[deleted1039724]

anyone else still not gotten a secondary yet?

 

[Havelock Vetinari]

anyone else still not gotten a secondary yet?

I’ve not.

 

[ChocolateChipCookiez]

I’ve not.

+1

 

[akg0119]

Received one this morning! OOS

 

[mdpls!]

How did people enter their birth city on the pre-registration form? I copied it exactly as it is on my primary and am being told it is incorrect.
I put it as City, County (U), State, United States of America (the)

 

[TabbyTuxy]

How did people enter their birth city on the pre-registration form? I copied it exactly as it is on my primary and am being told it is incorrect.
I put it as City, County (U), State, United States of America (the)

I just put the city. No county, state, or country.

 

[jcshen97]

Personally, I wrote a combo of my diversity and challenge essays. I think if you have more to expand about learning to play the piano and if that shows the reader more about your unique personal characteristics then you can maybe go for it.

Thank you all for your feedback on this essay prompt. @micro_glia, I wrote an essay about the qualities that piano has taught me, such as perseverance and being able to relate and adapt to an audience. The more I look at my immigration story, the less natural it seems; indeed that was how I felt when I wrote my drafts.

 

[4573890]

submitted 7/17, complete and under review 7/19

 

[bugsbunny25]

How many of you guys left that last question blank? I know the prompt says most do, but I wasn't sure if it was an appropriate place to say why Boston U

 

[Havelock Vetinari]

How many of you guys left that last question blank? I know the prompt says most do, but I wasn't sure if it was an appropriate place to say why Boston U

They have a “Why BUSM”-adjacent prompt already.

 

[Rosiris Fleetfoot]

Is anyone else having trouble with the core competency section? I filled out the prerequisite grid and there are no unfilled boxes, but it's registering as incomplete.

I figured it out! I sent them an email already, but you have to limit your responses to 300 characters or it won't actually save. You can check at the bottom, and if you have more than 300 characters per field, it will say "Not Saved" after clicking save.

 

[jcshen97]

I still haven't received my secondary yet.

 

[Vikingbear16]

@jcshen97 same and oos

 

[deleted1039724]

I still haven't received my secondary yet.

I just received mine this morning, verified in June with an MCAT score, so they’re definitely taking their time sending them out. I wouldn’t worry, as they say they don’t screen, you’ll get one eventually (hopefully soon!)

 

[TabbyTuxy]

To others who are complete -- does your portal status say "Complete and Under Review"? Or do some people just see "Complete"? I know some schools will say you're "under review" even when no one has seen your app yet, so trying to gauge what this means, if anything.

 

[Med16484]

To others who are complete -- does your portal status say "Complete and Under Review"? Or do some people just see "Complete"? I know some schools will say you're "under review" even when no one has seen your app yet, so trying to gauge what this means, if anything.

Mine went straight to complete and under review

 

[djl5948]

Is anyone else getting the message "Failed to Submit Supplemental"