Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) Discussion Thread 2016-2017

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I just got an interview this morning too! :)
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You guys getting interviews today-- when did you complete your secondary??


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BelieveMeChile said:
You guys getting interviews today-- when did you complete your secondary??


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I finished mine a little over 2 weeks ago. I was emailing the head of admissions yesterday about a LOR question and he said I was up for review yesterday by the committee and he would let me know today!
 
Interview on on August 22nd as well!!! Flying in from Texas :)
 
Congrats to everyone receiving IIs! My interview here last year was a far better experience than I expected it to be. Everyone was very considerate and extremely down to earth. Just keep in mind that your interview starts from the minute that you step foot into the building and doesn't end til the minute you step foot back into your hotel. It's not just the 30 minutes or whatever it is that you're sitting in a room in front of your interviewers. The staff there will remember your name if you make an effort to be known - whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you.

If y'all have any questions on travel and stuff for your interview then let us first-years know. There's still many things that we're learning ourselves since we'll be the first class at BCOM, but we'll try to get you the best possible answer on something if we can.

Lastly, I know the travel costs for interviews can get to be pretty expensive whether you've got one or multiple interviews. Here's a pro-tip for those of you looking to rent a car and are considered under age (25 years or younger).

If you're under 25 and need to rent a car to get from El Paso to Las Cruces then sign up for a USAA account. For most things USAA you'll need to be military or affiliated with military (through family), but for car rentals you can sign up for an account without being military. This isn't a secret, but for some reason it's something that nobody knows about. As a USAA member you'll get the "under 25 years old" fee waived and on top of that you'll receive a rental discount. The discount varies and you may or may not save that much overall, but it doesn't hurt to spend a few minutes to create an account and save a few dollars. Save that money to go out and get dinner somewhere the night before your interview! Lots of good local places to eat in the area.

Good luck to all those applying to med schools this cycle!
 
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TexasMedic15 said:
Congrats to everyone receiving IIs! My interview here last year was a far better experience than I expected it to be. Everyone was very considerate and extremely down to earth. Just keep in mind that your interview starts from the minute that you step foot into the building and doesn't end til the minute you step foot back into your hotel. It's not just the 30 minutes or whatever it is that you're sitting in a room in front of your interviewers. The staff there will remember your name if you make an effort to be known - whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you.

If y'all have any questions on travel and stuff for your interview then let us first-years know. There's still many things that we're learning ourselves since we'll be the first class at BCOM, but we'll try to get you the best possible answer on something if we can.

Lastly, I know the travel costs for interviews can get to be pretty expensive whether you've got one or multiple interviews. Here's a pro-tip for those of you looking to rent a car and are considered under age (25 years or younger).

If you're under 25 and need to rent a car to get from El Paso to Las Cruces then sign up for a USAA account. For most things USAA you'll need to be military or affiliated with military (through family), but for car rentals you can sign up for an account without being military. This isn't a secret, but for some reason it's something that nobody knows about. As a USAA member you'll get the "under 25 years old" fee waived and on top of that you'll receive a rental discount. The discount varies and you may or may not save that much overall, but it doesn't hurt to spend a few minutes to create an account and save a few dollars. Save that money to go out and get dinner somewhere the night before your interview! Lots of good local places to eat in the area.

Good luck to all those applying to med schools this cycle!
Click to expand...
Any restaurant recommendations?
 
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Prilozack said:
Any restaurant recommendations?
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Andales was my favorite (omg their tortas too good) and Tiffany's Greek is great if you want a break from the Mexican food.
 
I had Andales the night before my interview with another interviewee. Can confirm that it's good. Went to La Posta the night of my interview. It was also pretty good.
 
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hopefulstudent55 said:
I was unable to find information on them taking the GRE into consideration. Is this in substitution to the MCAT? Would you be able to provide more information on this?
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Not to my knowledge, when you submit your scores you can submit scores on all graduate exams, i.e. GMAT, GRE, LSAT. Those are done in ADDITION to your MCAT, which you HAVE to take. I'm just saying that they look at those scores as well, and take them into consideration.
 
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TexasMedic15 said:
I had Andales the night before my interview with another interviewee. Can confirm that it's good. Went to La Posta the night of my interview. It was also pretty good.
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ANDELES!!!! Yep. Get the Christmas!
 
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YorkH said:
Andales was my favorite (omg their tortas too good) and Tiffany's Greek is great if you want a break from the Mexican food.
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I will def need some mediterranean food.
 
Those of you who received an II yesterday: Where there Sept. dates open?
 
Did you guys get a "completed" email after your secondaries were submitted?
 
TexasMedic15 said:
Congrats to everyone receiving IIs! My interview here last year was a far better experience than I expected it to be. Everyone was very considerate and extremely down to earth. Just keep in mind that your interview starts from the minute that you step foot into the building and doesn't end til the minute you step foot back into your hotel. It's not just the 30 minutes or whatever it is that you're sitting in a room in front of your interviewers. The staff there will remember your name if you make an effort to be known - whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you.

If y'all have any questions on travel and stuff for your interview then let us first-years know. There's still many things that we're learning ourselves since we'll be the first class at BCOM, but we'll try to get you the best possible answer on something if we can.

Lastly, I know the travel costs for interviews can get to be pretty expensive whether you've got one or multiple interviews. Here's a pro-tip for those of you looking to rent a car and are considered under age (25 years or younger).

If you're under 25 and need to rent a car to get from El Paso to Las Cruces then sign up for a USAA account. For most things USAA you'll need to be military or affiliated with military (through family), but for car rentals you can sign up for an account without being military. This isn't a secret, but for some reason it's something that nobody knows about. As a USAA member you'll get the "under 25 years old" fee waived and on top of that you'll receive a rental discount. The discount varies and you may or may not save that much overall, but it doesn't hurt to spend a few minutes to create an account and save a few dollars. Save that money to go out and get dinner somewhere the night before your interview! Lots of good local places to eat in the area.

Good luck to all those applying to med schools this cycle!
Click to expand...

Meh, don't get too anxious over this post. I stayed low key and just hung around a few other interviewees and it worked out for me. The committee who makes the admission decisions aren't around until you start your interviews, then while you are eating lunch they go elsewhere and eat and make their decisions. It's a very relaxed process and you have nothing to worry about...at all.
 
OrdinaryDO said:
Meh, don't get too anxious over this post. I stayed low key and just hung around a few other interviewees and it worked out for me. The committee who makes the admission decisions aren't around until you start your interviews, then while you are eating lunch they go elsewhere and eat and make their decisions. It's a very relaxed process and you have nothing to worry about...at all.
Click to expand...

Nobody is getting anxious over my post. All I'm doing is reminding people to mind their manners while they're at the interview site, which isn't exactly a bad idea. The admissions committee might not be around before or after your 30 minutes but that doesn't mean that your behavior can't be what makes the difference between an admission/rejection decision.

I personally know of an individual who was given an outright rejection because of what they said after their interview (it was overhead). There were also individuals who got a chance to meet and speak with the dean after their interview last year and that apparently left enough of a positive impact to gain them an acceptance. I'm not saying that your behavior before or after an interview will guarantee an acceptance or rejection, but it doesn't hurt to be friendly and outgoing. During my interview last year I met with and got to know all of the other interviewees in my group and spoke with many of the faculty members there. Made my experience that day all the better, and sure enough I received my acceptance email something like 3 hours later.
 
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TexasMedic15 said:
Nobody is getting anxious over my post. All I'm doing is reminding people to mind their manners while they're at the interview site, which isn't exactly a bad idea. The admissions committee might not be around before or after your 30 minutes but that doesn't mean that your behavior can't be what makes the difference between an admission/rejection decision.

I personally know of an individual who was given an outright rejection because of what they said after their interview (it was overhead). There were also individuals who got a chance to meet and speak with the dean after their interview last year and that apparently left enough of a positive impact to gain them an acceptance. I'm not saying that your behavior before or after an interview will guarantee an acceptance or rejection, but it doesn't hurt to be friendly and outgoing. During my interview last year I met with and got to know all of the other interviewees in my group and spoke with many of the faculty members there. Made my experience that day all the better, and sure enough I received my acceptance email something like 3 hours later.
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All I am saying is I know a guy who had TERRIBLE mannerisms, I mean TERRIBLE during the lunch and he was accepted the same time. Nor you or myself can tell if anyone is getting anxious, but from reading your post I know if I were going for an interview this would make me feel like I had to be perfect and uptight the entire time I was there. All I am saying is for those of you who are going for the interview just relax and be casual. The staff are incredibly easy to talk to, very informal and conversive, and really open about sharing their stories, both embarrassing and funny. There is a lot of information they have to share if you are willing to open up and listen to what they have to say. Some of folk lore and other stories are true. Ask about the monk who camped out by the Oregon mountains and lit the fire every night.
 
TexasMedic15 said:
Nobody is getting anxious over my post. All I'm doing is reminding people to mind their manners while they're at the interview site, which isn't exactly a bad idea. The admissions committee might not be around before or after your 30 minutes but that doesn't mean that your behavior can't be what makes the difference between an admission/rejection decision.

I personally know of an individual who was given an outright rejection because of what they said after their interview (it was overhead). There were also individuals who got a chance to meet and speak with the dean after their interview last year and that apparently left enough of a positive impact to gain them an acceptance. I'm not saying that your behavior before or after an interview will guarantee an acceptance or rejection, but it doesn't hurt to be friendly and outgoing. During my interview last year I met with and got to know all of the other interviewees in my group and spoke with many of the faculty members there. Made my experience that day all the better, and sure enough I received my acceptance email something like 3 hours later.
Click to expand...
Wow you find out about your acceptance within the same day as the interview? does that happen for everyone or was it just a few people?
 
hopefullyafutureDOstudent said:
Wow you find out about your acceptance within the same day as the interview? does that happen for everyone or was it just a few people?
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BCOM has a consistently short turn around. Many have found out day of, or within 72 hours. This is abnormal for most medical schools, but it's awesome.
 
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Anyone familiar with the Burrell Expedited Admission Review (BEAR) Pathway?
 
I need some help with the supplemental application. I am on their online portal and I have finished everything, paid the fee. When I click "Status" it says thats the Letters of Recommendation section is incomplete. When I open up that page I see something that says "Recommendations" and just a big blank box. I have sent in all my LOR's to all my schools via AACOMAS. All the schools have received it.

Please help!
 
The fast turnaround time for a decision is great. Let's not forget though that this is a different cycle. They might have kept the same policy for accepting/rejecting on the same day or they might have changed it. I don't know that it's been announced anywhere. We won't know for sure until the first group of interviews are through.
 
premedwishful said:
Anyone familiar with the Burrell Expedited Admission Review (BEAR) Pathway?
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That was something they rolled out a little late last year in the cycle so I doubt many people here will be able to tell you much about it. By the time that came around most applicants had already applied through AACOMAS. I would suggest searching through last years thread to see what info you can find. I know there were a few mentions of it somewhere.
 
premedwishful said:
Anyone familiar with the Burrell Expedited Admission Review (BEAR) Pathway?
Click to expand...
This is for local recruitment of medical students. It allows for a sort of a preferred route to the admissions committee and I would bet it gives you a bit of an advantage over AACOMAS applicants. I say this mainly because BCOM has explicitly said they hope to reach a student body which accounts for 98% of in-state applicants. The BEAR application is a way for in-state students to apply without going through AACOMAS and I believe I will give an expedited and preferred look into the applicants who do use this method.
 
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achitn said:
I need some help with the supplemental application. I am on their online portal and I have finished everything, paid the fee. When I click "Status" it says thats the Letters of Recommendation section is incomplete. When I open up that page I see something that says "Recommendations" and just a big blank box. I have sent in all my LOR's to all my schools via AACOMAS. All the schools have received it.

Please help!
Click to expand...

This has been covered on this thread and several others. There are often problems with the systems updating to reflect receipt of all materials. Admissions staff has said not to worry, they have the LOR's, if you're in doubt you can always call the staff at any school to verify what they have. If you're worried, you can submit material directly to schools, unless they specify they will only take information from AACOMAS. I used Interfolio and loved it.
 
I submitted my secondary last Monday. It's been a week and I haven't heard back... Should I call?
 
Demihorvat said:
I submitted my secondary last Monday. It's been a week and I haven't heard back... Should I call?
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Seems a little jumpy. Take a deep breath and give it a little longer than a week.
 
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Do you guys think it would be disadvantageous to submit an essay instead of a video?

edit: Did anyone get II's who submitted an essay or physicial piece instead of a video
 
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cptnjack said:
Do you guys think it would be disadvantageous to submit an essay instead of a video?

edit: Did anyone get II's who submitted an essay or physicial piece instead of a video
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Really just depends on the person. If you think you'd be super awkward in front of a video camera then go for the essay option. I think the video recording is a great way to stand out, but not everyone can pull something like that off.
 
cptnjack said:
Do you guys think it would be disadvantageous to submit an essay instead of a video?

edit: Did anyone get II's who submitted an essay or physicial piece instead of a video
Click to expand...

I have an ii with an essay
 
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Demihorvat said:
I submitted my secondary last Monday. It's been a week and I haven't heard back... Should I call?
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chill. last monday was a holiday and i know the dean was out of town part of last week through yesterday. give it 2 more weeks then call if you've not heard anything
 
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OrdinaryDO said:
All I am saying is I know a guy who had TERRIBLE mannerisms, I mean TERRIBLE during the lunch and he was accepted the same time. Nor you or myself can tell if anyone is getting anxious, but from reading your post I know if I were going for an interview this would make me feel like I had to be perfect and uptight the entire time I was there. All I am saying is for those of you who are going for the interview just relax and be casual. The staff are incredibly easy to talk to, very informal and conversive, and really open about sharing their stories, both embarrassing and funny. There is a lot of information they have to share if you are willing to open up and listen to what they have to say. Some of folk lore and other stories are true. Ask about the monk who camped out by the Oregon mountains and lit the fire every night.
Click to expand...
[OrdinaryDO] doesnt even go here ...[anymore]. jk, @OrdinaryDO, best of luck in your HCA/DO program and sorry we won't be classmates next month.

y'all be yourself and have fun but remember it is interview day so being professional and courteous to everyone students, faculty, staff, and other interviewees is a given. don't be afraid to have a sense of humor and tell some awesome stories just be aware and respectful of those you are with too.

And now for a story.....at my interview the dean was discussing the faculty he was hiring and said that he thought the staff had found the perfect candidate with great experience and awards and research and seemed really amazing and she impressed all her interviewers for a faculty position as dept chair (can't remember which position). in all the dean and sr leaders were ready to offer her the job on the spot until they finished the day up with dinner. unfortunately during the dinner, the faculty candidate treated the wait staff like they were pond scum and beneath her and ...long story short they decided she was not the right person for the job

finally - turn around time from interview to decision was anywhere from same day to 3 weeks but this is a new yr and new cycle so anything goes i guess for now. if you get waitlisted make sure you let them know of your continued interest and feedback on weaknesses. for those of you that took the GRE if your MCAT was borderline then they will take other factors into account (search my posts on last yrs thread for more advice) - oh, and good luck!
 
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i scheduled my interview for 8/29 but i wanna reschedule to earlier because my other interview interferes... does anyone know what the earlier dates are besides 8/22 and if i can still switch?
 
So this school does not receive federal financial aid? Can someone elaborate. Would I need private loans? Sorry for the ignorance.
 
Can anyone, who has access to the II calendar, tell me what's the latest interview date right now?
 
Marrowist said:
So this school does not receive federal financial aid? Can someone elaborate. Would I need private loans? Sorry for the ignorance.
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You'll need private loans, currently Wells Fargo (#1 choice), Sallie Mae, New Mexico Student Loans, and ihelp (believe that's the name). Check your credit and have a cosigner talk with someone in case you're not up to par. Good luck!


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