Another Adcom, ask me (almost) anything

[hushcom]

Dear Hushcom,

I have been diligently working on my PS, and had some folks give me feedback. I tried not to make my PS all about me, but more about how others experiences shaped who I am, and who I want to be. Here is an excerpt of some advice I was given:

"Your PS started off great, then wavered as you made it more of a written version of a resume; you listed what you did, gave examples of duties, told what you learned, and related it to medicine.

2nd: you tie together art well with helping others. This isn’t directly relevant to medicine though.

What I really wanted was you to talk about how your passion for creating art, helping others, being part of a team, etc. has made you realize that you wanted to be a physician. In the last paragraph, you’re talking about a case you saw and the qualities good physicians have and you want to emulate (you even list them!). But this paragraph really isn’t about you until the last 2 sentences."

I'm really struggling with this whole thing being just about ME. Really tried to focus on what I did for others, but then my "passion" to be physician isn't coming through. I'm not really a passion person, so its feels wrong that I should create this persona. Guess I'm more of an introvert.

What do you think?? Thank you in advance for your opinion on PS.

I actually stopped really reading personal statements some time ago. I scan them to see if there is anything truly remarkable (i.e. weird), but they are incredibly repetitive and frequently of little use. Just write something balanced and reasonably safe that you don't hate.

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[Rainbow Zebra]

I actually stopped really reading personal statements some time ago. I scan them to see if there is anything truly remarkable (i.e. weird), but they are incredibly repetitive and frequently of little use. Just write something balanced and reasonably safe that you don't hate.

Many thanks for your inputs, and your comments are a bit of a relief. One school's pre-med PS brochure recommends have an awesome first paragraph, as Adcoms usually just skim the rest. I did spend a lot of time on my first couple of paragraphs, then petered out. @LizzyM also remarked that for PS, 10% are awesome and truly unique, 10% are terrible, and the rest of us fall into the 80% of making little difference. I'll aspire for the 80% and save my sanity for the secondary essays.

 

[hushcom]

Hi Hushcom,

I have kind of a unique situation. I bombed it in high school, barely made it out alive (2.3GPA graduating). Went to CC for 1.5 years bombed 2nd semester of CC (2.5) but have had a strong upward trend since transferring. I've obtained a 4.0 since I left CC 3 years ago. My question is I have A's in all the prereqs but no rigor for good reason. I transferred from CC to Rutgers University had to apply to transfer back to California because I ran out of money. Transfering back to UCs has a unit cap (if you have above 90 units you are not eligible to transfer), so it forced me to take 12 credits until transferring back to a UC in California. Upon transferring I didn't have any classes really to take besides major courses so I've been only taking 13-15 units. It's taken me 5 years to graduate with a 3.45 at CC and 4.0 at two universities now. How do you predict this low unit load will effect me given the circumstances? Should I mention this somewhere on my app? 13-15 units so about 4-5 upper division biology and chem classes for the past 3 years

Additionally I have taken the MCAT 3 times going from 29 (12/5/12)->31 (11/7/13)->36 (12/11/13). Given my experience I had never taken a standardized test before. Should I also mention this somewhere as well?

You've got very good numbers, so don't sweat it. In an interview setting I might ask you about the transfer back to California, but people migrate between colleges and universities all the time for financial reasons. Unless you fled NJ to avoid a warrant then the details are likely not very important.

 

[hushcom]

Hi hushcom,

I am an Ivy League student currently on my second year of my leave of absence from the university. I am applying to return to the school this fall and complete my final four semesters here, and have been conditionally approved on the basis that I can prove that I am capable of handling the undergrad curriculum upon returning. The way I have discussed this with my advisor is to take 2-3 courses over the summer at my non-flagship instate institution which is a) the closest university to my home and b) the cheapest.

I am considering taking Physics 2 + lab as one of these courses over the summer. I have completed Physics 1 and left the university while taking Physics 2 at my regular undergraduate. Additionally I will be taking another BCPM class related to my major in Biology. The reason why I am choosing specifically asking about Physics is because I switched into the Biology major relatively late and am currently under huge pressure to complete my requirements in time to avoid taking a ninth semester, which will cripple me financially. Completing physics 2 + lab in the summer offers more breathing room for me because it totals more credits (4.5 vs the standard 3 cr. for a typical upper bio class).

My concern is that first, my GPA is not very strong right now (~3.45) and I fear that this can be misconstrued as me "padding" my GPA, which will not be easily happening in this university. (Trust me on that). Additionally, I scored a B- on Physics I so I'm worried I'll be viewed as taking the "easy" way out.

Every other prereq will be or has been taken at my primary undergrad (except for maaaaaybe Organic Chemistry lab due to it being very difficult to fit in an undergraduate student's schedule here during the semesters).

So you're on a LOA from an Ivy, with a conditional approval for return based on academics, but your GPA is 3.45.

Please explain further.

 

[FFH]

Sounds fishy since according to MCAT statistics on AAMC 0.0 % of testers have gotten a 43+ as far back as 2005... Idk bout this year just saying

First of all, I know one 45 from last year and one from the year before from validated source. My professor interviewed one and I happen to have an appointment with my professor right after the interview took place and he told me that the student was as bright and the score suggested. U of Michigan's acceptance report listed a 45 this year, I think there was a 45 last year as well.

Secondly. 0.0% out of about 70k test takers doesn't mean that 0 people got above 43, it only mean that no more than 0.05% people among the 70k test takers (which also translates to no more than 35 people) got above 43 in one year. This shows how important it is for physicians to have basic stats knowledge.

 

[RedSox143]

First of all, I know one 45 from last year and one from the year before from validated source. My professor interviewed one and I happen to have an appointment with my professor right after the interview took place and he told me that the student was as bright and the score suggested. U of Michigan's acceptance report listed a 45 this year, I think there was a 45 last year as well.

Secondly. 0.0% out of about 70k test takers doesn't mean that 0 people got above 43, it only mean that no more than 0.05% people among the 70k test takers (which also translates to no more than 35 people) got above 43 in one year. This shows how important it is for physicians to have basic stats knowledge.

You sound like a real approachable person... It's still very unlikely and I think people prefer physicians be less passive aggressive. I prescribe a beer and a chill pill. Cheers.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

I actually stopped really reading personal statements some time ago. I scan them to see if there is anything truly remarkable (i.e. weird), but they are incredibly repetitive and frequently of little use. Just write something balanced and reasonably safe that you don't hate.

Woah, this is definitely something that I did not expect given the whole push of "holistic review" and hearing about schools that like to fill their class with "interesting and diverse" applicants...

Is this true of many admissions committees in allopathic schools in the US? How do you seem diverse? @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM

Just from the list of EC's or secondaries? I understand applicant-generated material isn't usually weighted very heavily, but besides that it just seems like a numbers game.

 

[ivythrowaway]

.

 

[Chemistry>Physics]

What's the best application you've ever seen? What makes an application to you good?

 

[Chemistry>Physics]

Do you have any specific tastes or preferences in applications. Do you prefer Eagle Scouts or science majors? Etc.

 

[boxer0011]

@hushcom hello, would you agree with Goro regarding academic dismissal, in that it can be compensated for? I just wanted a second opinion. Goro is very helpful of course but just wanted to know if you agreed, thank you

 

[boxer0011]

Also, how much better is it to get a very high MCAT (42+) compared to a high MCAT (say, 37)? Does the very high score look better since you come across so few of them? Thnk you.

 

[Goro]

My students have travelled many different roads. One student was a combat medic; several have had PhD's. Plenty have been in their 30s and 40s. We've had truck drivers, teachers, athletes, émigrés from 3rd Word countries, research lab techs, respiratory techs, and MPH's.

I can't blame Hushcom for not reading PS's. After awhile, they all look and read alike.

Woah, this is definitely something that I did not expect given the whole push of "holistic review" and hearing about schools that like to fill their class with "interesting and diverse" applicants...

Is this true of many admissions committees in allopathic schools in the US? How do you seem diverse? @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM

Just from the list of EC's or secondaries? I understand applicant-generated material isn't usually weighted very heavily, but besides that it just seems like a numbers game.

 

[hushcom]

The condition is that I am trying to take a courseload equivalent to 15+ credits but university policy normally allows me to only take 12 credits on the semester I return in. It's important for me to take 15+ credits per semester because I only have three semesters of financial aid eligibility remaining, so I am trying to take Physics 2 and another Biology class at a state school because it will a) count towards my major so that I can graduate on time, b) so that I will be approved to take more than 12 credits this coming semester, and c) because taking these courses in my state school is nearly 8 times cheaper than at my university.

Then do what it takes to finish on time. It is extraordinarily unlikely that anyone is going to get out a microscope and zero in on a 4.5 credit versus 3 credit summer physics course. There are invariably bigger fish to fry within your application.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyJamesFranco]

My students have travelled many different roads. One student was a combat medic; several have had PhD's. Plenty have been in their 30s and 40s. We've had truck drivers, teachers, athletes, émigrés from 3rd Word countries, research lab techs, respiratory techs, and MPH's.

I can't blame Hushcom for not reading PS's. After awhile, they all look and read alike.

But presumably most of these stories were found either in the Personal Statement or in EC's listed in the application?
In other words, are these diverse applicants invited to interview solely because of their uniqueness on paper (not from a statement), and then accepted because of the 'real-ness' in person?

 

[hushcom]

Woah, this is definitely something that I did not expect given the whole push of "holistic review" and hearing about schools that like to fill their class with "interesting and diverse" applicants...

Is this true of many admissions committees in allopathic schools in the US? How do you seem diverse? @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM

Just from the list of EC's or secondaries? I understand applicant-generated material isn't usually weighted very heavily, but besides that it just seems like a numbers game.

My review is holistic, but after practicing for awhile I can get a pretty good picture of most applicants in less than 5 minutes. Give me a college senior with a 3.65 and a 31, some shadowing, some volunteering, a research project, a history of an inspiring sick relative, a desire to practice rural family medicine, and decent LORs, and I can tear through that person's AMCAS in no time.

That said, some definitely take longer than others, particularly non-traditional applicants with more convoluted life stories.

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom hello, would you agree with Goro regarding academic dismissal, in that it can be compensated for? I just wanted a second opinion. Goro is very helpful of course but just wanted to know if you agreed, thank you

I agree with Goro.

Also, how much better is it to get a very high MCAT (42+) compared to a high MCAT (say, 37)? Does the very high score look better since you come across so few of them? Thnk you.

Let me put it this way: with a 37 people assume you are smart. With a 43 people assume you are smart and weird.

 

[boxer0011]

I agree with Goro.



Let me put it this way: with a 37 people assume you are smart. With a 43 people assume you are smart and weird.

Ok thank you very much hushcom and Goro, you two were very helpful thank you.

 

[LizzyM]

Woah, this is definitely something that I did not expect given the whole push of "holistic review" and hearing about schools that like to fill their class with "interesting and diverse" applicants...

Is this true of many admissions committees in allopathic schools in the US? How do you seem diverse? @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM

Just from the list of EC's or secondaries? I understand applicant-generated material isn't usually weighted very heavily, but besides that it just seems like a numbers game.

The experience section is going to tell us quite a bit in a systematic fashion. If I'm going to find a Jeopardy champion who builds robots in his spare time and has been employed as a tutor, and an EMT and has volunteered in a free clinic in Freeport NY, I'm going to find that in the experience section (totally fictional character by the way and any similarity to anyone admitted or not-admitted is purely coincidental).

So many personal statements are so similar to one another: my family member (usually a grandmother) was sick and I wanted to help but could not. I became interested in medicine as a career. I did x y and z and I now I am sure that I want to help others as only a physician can. The PS can be a real snore and I don't always get much out of them.

 

[hushcom]

Do you have any specific tastes or preferences in applications. Do you prefer Eagle Scouts or science majors? Etc.

I prefer applicants who are intelligent, articulate, friendly, and dedicated to a career in medicine, but with enough Tabasco I will eat anything.

 

[shady_bb]

For the non-science faculty LOR: Would my orchestra conductor count? I get a grade from him each semester on my transcript, but I understand how this may not attest to my academic performance. Otherwise my only non-science classes were taken either abroad 1 yr ago or as a freshman 3 yr ago. (oops)

Experience question: I've been playing in a small swing band for more than 6 years now. I want to include this on my application because it's a considerable time commitment (traveling about 3 hr roundtrip for gigs about 2x/month.), but sometimes when I tell people of authority ( e.g. research advisors) about my band they look at me like I'm silly. It's more or less a professional thing-- we play fundraisers, weddings, swing dances, office parties-- but I can see how it can work against me. Would including my band experience hurt me more than helping me?

 

[Vain Brother]

i have a question regarding the ubiquitous "am i just interviewing for a waitlist spot??" you see almost daily on SDN. does "interviewing for a wait list spot" even exist? all medical schools need to accept more students than will matriculate. sure, interviewing later may decrease your chances if many acceptances have already been given out, but i find it difficult to believe that if a school offers an applicant an interview, and that interviewee knocks it out of the park, the school won't have an acceptance to give

 

[Goro]

The trouble is, the other interviewees might be just as likely to knock it out of the park.

At this point in time at my school, we get very selective about who to accept. So yes, we rationing seats. Thus, people who have had the bad luck (or made the poor choice) to interview late are more likely to be interviewing for a spot on the wait list. Granted, my view is that if they're good enough, accept them all and fill up the Class now.

i have a question regarding the ubiquitous "am i just interviewing for a waitlist spot??" you see almost daily on SDN. does "interviewing for a wait list spot" even exist? all medical schools need to accept more students than will matriculate. sure, interviewing later may decrease your chances if many acceptances have already been given out, but i find it difficult to believe that if a school offers an applicant an interview, and that interviewee knocks it out of the park, the school won't have an acceptance to give

 

[Vain Brother]

no that's what i meant -- some people seem to be under the impression that after a certain point, schools will accept NO ONE. of course it gets more difficult the later in the season it is, but the idea that EVERYONE is there solely for a spot on the wait list, that the school is finished granting acceptances altogether, was what i was doubting

 

[hushcom]

For the non-science faculty LOR: Would my orchestra conductor count? I get a grade from him each semester on my transcript, but I understand how this may not attest to my academic performance. Otherwise my only non-science classes were taken either abroad 1 yr ago or as a freshman 3 yr ago. (oops)

Good LORs are not really about rehashing your academic performance, which is already on display in the form of your GPA and transcript. They are more about describing character and all the soft, ethereal qualities that make us humans. If you think your conductor has the standing to speak well of you, then go for it.

Experience question: I've been playing in a small swing band for more than 6 years now. I want to include this on my application because it's a considerable time commitment (traveling about 3 hr roundtrip for gigs about 2x/month.), but sometimes when I tell people of authority ( e.g. research advisors) about my band they look at me like I'm silly. It's more or less a professional thing-- we play fundraisers, weddings, swing dances, office parties-- but I can see how it can work against me. Would including my band experience hurt me more than helping me?

This is the sort of thing that can make you stand out a little bit from the crowd of premed robots. It implies some creativity and ambition, and makes a good talking point. I would use it.

 

[hushcom]

i have a question regarding the ubiquitous "am i just interviewing for a waitlist spot??" you see almost daily on SDN. does "interviewing for a wait list spot" even exist? all medical schools need to accept more students than will matriculate. sure, interviewing later may decrease your chances if many acceptances have already been given out, but i find it difficult to believe that if a school offers an applicant an interview, and that interviewee knocks it out of the park, the school won't have an acceptance to give

The school will have acceptances to give... to those who are high on the wait list.

 

[hushcom]

no that's what i meant -- some people seem to be under the impression that after a certain point, schools will accept NO ONE. of course it gets more difficult the later in the season it is, but the idea that EVERYONE is there solely for a spot on the wait list, that the school is finished granting acceptances altogether, was what i was doubting

I do not doubt it. Despite attempts at predictive analytics, this is a dynamic process that changes from year to year. If a school has 100 seats and normally makes 250 offers to fill, then a year with an unusually high yield early in the season might force it to slam on the acceptance brakes.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I am so impressed that you are still answering questions! I posted a thread on What are my Chances recently and didn't really get any responses (here), I was really wondering about how to characterize my experiences. If I volunteered in a student run clinic for a year, and intook patients and took care of secretarial duties etc, but also watched procedures and observed doctors, would this count as shadowing experience or just clinical? Also, I worked in a research lab for about a year during my freshman year, I was there quite often but have absolutely no idea how many hours I spent total. Is it good to just guess a number? Thanks.

 

[ra206p]

@hushcom

I had my BA overseas, doing prereqs now in a CC, and will do higher science classes in a uni.

Do you think I should have another bachelor's (premed) degree? Or just do the minimum prereqs for MCAT?

Can i get LORs from DO relatives if I shodow them?

What other EC would u recommend for someone who has little clinical / healthcare experience?

Thank you very much.

 

[radeksrat]

True or False, an applicant's fate has more or less already been decided by the time they show up to an interview?

What, if any, role does the secondary application play in the decision to interview an applicant?

 

[Goro]

At a certain point in time, schools will fill up their seats. BUT, people are still interviewing. You can't call them up and say "sorry, we're done". That's because schools have to accept more people than there are seats, because not everyone will attend the school. It's an art, rather than a science. At my school, we accept about 3x as many people for each seat (the numbers appear to be the same at gyngyn's and LizzyM's school as well).

It's a black art, really.

no that's what i meant -- some people seem to be under the impression that after a certain point, schools will accept NO ONE. of course it gets more difficult the later in the season it is, but the idea that EVERYONE is there solely for a spot on the wait list, that the school is finished granting acceptances altogether, was what i was doubting

 

[Goro]

False. But let's say that it does take some talent to bomb an interview.

True or False, an applicant's fate has more or less already been decided by the time they show up to an interview?

 

[GypsyHummus]

At a certain point in time, schools will fill up their seats. BUT, people are still interviewing. You can't call them up and say "sorry, we're done". That's because schools have to accept more people than there are seats, because not everyone will attend the school. It's an art, rather than a science. At my school, we accept about 3x as many people for each seat (the numbers appear to be the same at gyngyn's and LizzyM's school as well).

It's a black art, really.

Does this translate to a father moving waitlist?

Do you know what happens to applications on the list, like who/what a packet would look like who would get pulled off? Is it ranked on GPA, interview, combo of both?

I have heard that DO waitlists move quickly after deposit deadlines. How many people get pulled from the waitlist each year, generally speaking?

 

[Goro]

My Dean likes high MCATs.

I don't know the numbers of people pulled. That's the purview of our wily old Admissions Dean!

Does this translate to a father moving waitlist?

Do you know what happens to applications on the list, like who/what a packet would look like who would get pulled off? Is it ranked on GPA, interview, combo of both?

I have heard that DO waitlists move quickly after deposit deadlines. How many people get pulled from the waitlist each year, generally speaking?

 

[DrShephardWannabe]

My review is holistic, but after practicing for awhile I can get a pretty good picture of most applicants in less than 5 minutes. Give me a college senior with a 3.65 and a 31, some shadowing, some volunteering, a research project, a history of an inspiring sick relative, a desire to practice rural family medicine, and decent LORs, and I can tear through that person's AMCAS in no time.

That said, some definitely take longer than others, particularly non-traditional applicants with more convoluted life stories.

Going off of this, if you have seats left after accepting diverse applicants that seem fit, does deciding between all the "cookie-cutter" applicants you described come down more to minute details, essays/PS, interviews, or a randomized name generator app?

 

[Goro]

When we ration seats, we pick the students we like the best, especially in interviews. This is not a random process, it only seems that way when you're on the outside looking in.

Going off of this, if you have seats left after accepting diverse applicants that seem fit, does deciding between all the "cookie-cutter" applicants you described come down more to minute details, essays/PS, interviews,

 

[hushcom]

I am so impressed that you are still answering questions! I posted a thread on What are my Chances recently and didn't really get any responses (here), I was really wondering about how to characterize my experiences. If I volunteered in a student run clinic for a year, and intook patients and took care of secretarial duties etc, but also watched procedures and observed doctors, would this count as shadowing experience or just clinical? Also, I worked in a research lab for about a year during my freshman year, I was there quite often but have absolutely no idea how many hours I spent total. Is it good to just guess a number? Thanks.

1. From your description I would call it clinical.
2. Give it a good faith estimate. If you are paranoid just run the number past the lab's PI and see if he/she agrees.

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom

I had my BA overseas, doing prereqs now in a CC, and will do higher science classes in a uni.

Do you think I should have another bachelor's (premed) degree? Or just do the minimum prereqs for MCAT?

Can i get LORs from DO relatives if I shodow them?

What other EC would u recommend for someone who has little clinical / healthcare experience?

Thank you very much.

1. Start with the MSAR. Medical schools have different policies on what they require of individuals with foreign degrees. I would not obtain an entire second Bachelor's unless I had to.

2. There is nothing wrong with DO letters, per se, but getting LORs from relatives is problematic.

3. Volunteering in any available clinical setting, from ER to nursing home.

 

[hushcom]

True or False, an applicant's fate has more or less already been decided by the time they show up to an interview?

False. We get surprises all the time, both good and bad.

What, if any, role does the secondary application play in the decision to interview an applicant?

I do not screen for interviews, but I believe applicants tend to complete their secondaries more promptly than their PS's, so there is a level of candidness that can peek through. They can also be a good tool for assessing how well the applicant aligns with the institutional mission.

 

[hushcom]

Going off of this, if you have seats left after accepting diverse applicants that seem fit, does deciding between all the "cookie-cutter" applicants you described come down more to minute details, essays/PS, interviews, or a randomized name generator app?

This is where experience helps. After seeing and discussing hundreds to thousands of applicants you get a feel for who you consider strong, mediocre, weak, and borderline. Or at least you think you do.

 

[youououa]

Well he said 43 not 40+ and no ones gotten a 43 + in the past 10 years , not saying it's impossible just most likely untrue , could have gotten it this year

I think you're reading too much into the 0.0% thing.

If there are 94,000 MCAT takers (https://www.aamc.org/students/download/361080/data/combined13.pdf.pdf), the proportion 0.1% corresponds to 940 individuals. If only 450 individuals obtained a 43 (and I have friends who have met 43-scorers), the AAMC would likely report the fraction of 43-scores as 0.0%, to one decimal point.

 

[aflamp]

@hushcom

How closely do you look at grades when you initially look at applications?

I attended university almost a decade ago and got a really low GPA. I dropped out, joined the Army and went back to school. I have a 3.96 for this period of time at school, but my BCMP GPA is a 1.9 and a 0.0 for my freshman and sophomore year when factoring in the first college I attended.

Do you think most adcoms are going to see the difference in time between one set of grades and the other set and and realize that the 1.9 and 0.0 are not representative of my current academic ability, or are they going to see the 1.9 and 0.0 and toss my application on the reject/back of the waitlist pile?

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom

How closely do you look at grades when you initially look at applications?

I attended university almost a decade ago and got a really low GPA. I dropped out, joined the Army and went back to school. I have a 3.96 for this period of time at school, but my BCMP GPA is a 1.9 and a 0.0 for my freshman and sophomore year when factoring in the first college I attended.

Do you think most adcoms are going to see the difference in time between one set of grades and the other set and and realize that the 1.9 and 0.0 are not representative of my current academic ability, or are they going to see the 1.9 and 0.0 and toss my application on the reject/back of the waitlist pile?

You should do fine with schools that send automatic secondaries, which is many of them. If a human, rather than an algorithm, looks at your academic history (and service record) the pattern should be obvious. I personally would feel very comfortable interviewing a reinvention as thorough as yours, especially considering your time in the army.

The places where you will have trouble are schools that screen with rigid GPA cutoffs. Some emphasize more recent credit hours, but others do not. Suffice to say that if you cast a net wide enough you may very well catch something.

 

[sephora89]

Hi @hushcom thank you for doing this.

I have a few questions in regards to letters of recommendation and research experience on the AMCAS.

1) I know many schools have this 2 science and 1 non science letter of recommendation. I am still deciding who to ask and will definitely be getting a committee letter. At my school we get the letters of recommendations from our professors and submit them to the committee. If I were to get only one science and one non science letter will that be an issue for schools who have that requirement since I will technically have the committee letter?

2) I already have been doing research with a biology professor for quite some time and will probably get a letter from this PI. I have the opportunity to do research with another professor in the Physics department for credit (for 2 semesters). It is a science professor. If I were to get a letter of recommendation from this professor, will this count toward the "science letter" many schools require?

3) I will certainly be getting a letter from the original PI I mentioned. And I will list the experience on my AMCAS. I feel comfortable mentioning this because my research has been very productive.

I, however, do not want want to mention the Physics research on my AMCAS because it's something I mainly do for class and I don't think it will be very productive. Will this raise a red flag since I might possibly get a letter from the physics professor?

 

[nm825]

Hi @hushcom thank you for doing this.

I have a few questions in regards to letters of recommendation and research experience on the AMCAS.

1) I know many schools have this 2 science and 1 non science letter of recommendation. I am still deciding who to ask and will definitely be getting a committee letter. At my school we get the letters of recommendations from our professors and submit them to the committee. If I were to get only one science and one non science letter will that be an issue for schools who have that requirement since I will technically have the committee letter?

2) I already have been doing research with a biology professor for quite some time and will probably get a letter from this PI. I have the opportunity to do research with another professor in the Physics department for credit (for 2 semesters). It is a science professor. If I were to get a letter of recommendation from this professor, will this count toward the "science letter" many schools require?

3) I will certainly be getting a letter from the original PI I mentioned. And I will list the experience on my AMCAS. I feel comfortable mentioning this because my research has been very productive.

I, however, do not want want to mention the Physics research on my AMCAS because it's something I mainly do for class and I don't think it will be very productive. Will this raise a red flag since I might possibly get a letter from the physics professor?

I was in the same situation this year. I was an econ major and didn't really have any strong relationships with professors, so I was only able to get one from a chemistry professor that I barely knew. My committee only required one science letter.

I wouldn't recommend necessarily doing what I did, as I got into a MD school by the skin between my teeth (17 apps, 3 ii, 1 acceptance/1 waitlist/ 1 pending), but it's definitely not a killer.

 

[hushcom]

Hi @hushcom thank you for doing this.

I have a few questions in regards to letters of recommendation and research experience on the AMCAS.

1) I know many schools have this 2 science and 1 non science letter of recommendation. I am still deciding who to ask and will definitely be getting a committee letter. At my school we get the letters of recommendations from our professors and submit them to the committee. If I were to get only one science and one non science letter will that be an issue for schools who have that requirement since I will technically have the committee letter?

2) I already have been doing research with a biology professor for quite some time and will probably get a letter from this PI. I have the opportunity to do research with another professor in the Physics department for credit (for 2 semesters). It is a science professor. If I were to get a letter of recommendation from this professor, will this count toward the "science letter" many schools require?

3) I will certainly be getting a letter from the original PI I mentioned. And I will list the experience on my AMCAS. I feel comfortable mentioning this because my research has been very productive.

I, however, do not want want to mention the Physics research on my AMCAS because it's something I mainly do for class and I don't think it will be very productive. Will this raise a red flag since I might possibly get a letter from the physics professor?

1. I do not think the committee letter will not supplant one of the required letters. If most schools want two science letters, then I would get two science letters.

2. Yes.

3. There is no harm in including the physics research on your application, even if it has not been "productive." It would be stranger if the LOR from your physics professor mentions the research project but there is no other trace of it in AMCAS.

 

[hushcom]

I was in the same situation this year. I was an econ major and didn't really have any strong relationships with professors, so I was only able to get one from a chemistry professor that I barely knew. My committee only required one science letter.

I wouldn't recommend necessarily doing what I did, as I got into a MD school by the skin between my teeth (17 apps, 3 ii, 1 acceptance/1 waitlist/ 1 pending), but it's definitely not a killer.

Congratulations on your acceptance. It only takes one.

LORs from traditional applicants at large schools is a common headache for us, as they tend to be positive but superficial. We take this into account when making a decision, but the more reliable information we have the better.

 

[Salt Salt]

@hushcom

I was recently accepted to two schools: one with a significant scholarship and another that offers scholarships but has yet to extend them. I would *much* rather attend School 2. The schools are very comparable in terms of ranking (though perhaps not yield---I suspect School 2 has a higher yield).

I have three questions.

1) Should I ask for money from School 2?
2) If yes, should I wait to hear back to see if I was offered a scholarship first? Or just do it ASAP? I'm afraid that if I wait until they are announced, that I won't be able to get one as easy because they have already been extended.
3) School 2's scholarships are bigger. Will this drastically decrease my chances of positive results?

My stats are significantly higher than average at both schools, if that matters (not trying to humble brag, sorry).

Thanks!

 

[hushcom]

@hushcom

I was recently accepted to two schools: one with a significant scholarship and another that offers scholarships but has yet to extend them. I would *much* rather attend School 2. The schools are very comparable in terms of ranking (though perhaps not yield---I suspect School 2 has a higher yield).

I have three questions.

1) Should I ask for money from School 2?
2) If yes, should I wait to hear back to see if I was offered a scholarship first? Or just do it ASAP? I'm afraid that if I wait until they are announced, that I won't be able to get one as easy because they have already been extended.
3) School 2's scholarships are bigger. Will this drastically decrease my chances of positive results?

My stats are significantly higher than average at both schools, if that matters (not trying to humble brag, sorry).

Thanks!

I paraphrase a friend of mine who works in the corporate world, you generally do not get things that you do not ask for.

I would simply call the financial aid office at school 2 and have a frank conversation with them. Tell them you would much prefer their school, but the cost differential makes the choice prohibitive. At that point they will either find you some recruitment/scholarship money (if it is available) or not. Either way you will have an answer.

 

[scotchyscotchscotch]

Hi @hushcom!

If an applicant went to an international grad school but withdrew, would you be more concerned if the school was or wasn't listed on the schools attended section of their app? I might be briefly mentioning it in my PS but (since no credits transferred and no transcript is required) wasn't sure if listing it would just draw unnecessary attention. On the other hand I feel like the missing year in the middle of my undergrad might be odd (and yes, I did attend that grad school before completing my BS - I came back to finish up undergrad after I withdrew).

Thanks!