Official 2008 Secondary Questions Thread

[FlowLimited]

How about Jefferson. Their application is on their site, but I think you need some information from an invite before you can submit? Has anyone NOT gotten an email invite from them?

Yeah, you need an email invitation from Jefferson in order to fill there's out. It has your ID and password in it. Although they aren't very clever when coming up with them.

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[AMPed]

Do we have to wait until a school has sent us an e-mail to let us know that we can proceed with their secondary even though their secondary is posted on the schools' website (where you can find the link very easily?) If I remember correctly, Yale even said that we can submit our secondary before they got our primary. The Hopkins and Columbia secondaries have been posted for a while now.

I'm sure that it is fine to complete any school's secondary that it readily accessible. I would double check the admissions web site before submitting it to make sure that you can send it in without having an "invitiaiton". If it doesn't explicitly say not to submit it, I would go for it.

 

[go lakers]

I don't have the current MSAR, but my copy from last year says that Jefferson Medical College avearages the MCAT scores. Are they still doing that this year?

The current MSAR says the same thing (averages MCAT).. It doesn't mention it anywhere on the school website, so I don't know what is right?

 

[Phoenix.]

I got EVMS, Jefferson and Cornell today. I guess Cornell is sending out in batches since others received it a few days ago.

 

[bunface]

I don't have the current MSAR, but my copy from last year says that Jefferson Medical College avearages the MCAT scores. Are they still doing that this year?

i think they're still doing that. i just checked the 2008 msar and it says that jefferson averages scores...bummer.

 

[Jpc984]

.

 

[bunface]

does anyone know if we can submit the secondaries for tulane and suny downstate if we havent received the invite to do so?
Thanks!

 

[prettymonkey]

i think they're still doing that. i just checked the 2008 msar and it says that jefferson averages scores...bummer.

what if the scores are expired (like from 5-10 years ago)? are they still averaged?

 

[146233]

Boston University just sent an e-mail to setup an account on their web site. Can't access a secondary yet, though. They said another e-mail with that information will be forthcoming.

 

[Jsmooth]

got email from pitt..but site doesn't work

 

[DrBowtie]

got email from pitt..but site doesn't work

Same but I can get on the site.

 

[nyct]

got email from pitt..but site doesn't work

It's working for me. Here are their questions:

Describe a personal experience which resulted in a substantial moral or ethical dilemma. What was the outcome? We are reluctant to accept assertions that you have never encountered such a situation. Please do not address cheating in an academic setting.
(Limit your response to 250 words or less.)

The recruitment of a diverse student body is a major goal of the University of Pittsburgh's Medical School Admissions Committee. Please tell us whether facets of your life, background or education to date would contribute to the achievement of this goal.
(Limit your response to 250 words or less.)



Nice layout of their application site... best I've seen yet.

 

[anotherpremed]

I just got Cincinnati's but it will not let me log in- I'll put up the question when I get it

 

[ziggy793]

Got email invite but giving me technical difficulties as well.

 

[sosarah]

1. I just got an email invite for Cincinnati's secondary but I got an error message when it tried to log in. I emailed them and asked them to reset my account so I'll post the questions whenever I can get to them. But they're out there. Also, I figure that means they don't pre-screen since my MCAT is pretty low and my GPA is a little below average.

2. Is anyone every going to update the list? I guess I'll go through and work on it tomorrow or monday night if no one has by then. that's all.

good luck everyone. I'm so excited!

 

[sosarah]

whoa. we all posted at the same time and we're all having trouble. that makes me feel better.

 

[GymClassHero]

Anyone know if Jefferson requires LORs, and if so what the specific requirements are? I just looked around their website and am filling out the secondary but didn't see anything about LORs anywhere.

 

[Tropicana100]

Anyone know if Jefferson requires LORs, and if so what the specific requirements are? I just looked around their website and am filling out the secondary but didn't see anything about LORs anywhere.

Open the PDF on their website. It lists requirements (i doubt anyone can meet their requirement of 3 science letters from bio,chem, and physics + 1 humanities letter). fortunately you're allowed to send diff letters if you let them know in advance.

 

[Tropicana100]

Could someone please update the list of schools? I'm not very tech saavy. Thanks!

 

[lois]

I liked Cornell's secondary- limited to 200 words per essay. In that respect Columbia's sucks....and describe the satisfactions you expect of becoming a doctor? I hate that it is an invitation for so many lame responses...am pulling out my hair trying no too. How long should we be taking to get them in? 2 weeks? A few days?
urgh...

 

[Phoenix.]

Regarding Miami, they say in the online instructions that they require a 2x2 passport photo, which can either be mailed or emailed (and they provide their email address). However, in the email confirmation you get right after you submit the secondary, it says to mail a 2x3 passport photo, and NOT to email it. I just called, and they said that they're not yet equipped to receive the photos via email, so they should only be mailed at this time. And 2x2 (the standard passport size) is fine.

 

[154241]

does anyone know if we can submit the secondaries for tulane and suny downstate if we havent received the invite to do so?
Thanks!

Don't know about SUNY, but you can with Tulane. Just go to the admissions site and make sure you read everything; I think you have to print out your AMCAS and mail it with your secondary or something weird like that.

 

[Phoenix.]

ARGH. For Boston University, neither their website nor the current MSAR says that they require calculus. On BU's own website it says the required courses are:

- English Composition or Literature (1 year)
- Humanities (1 year)
- General Chemistry (1 year) with Lab
- Organic Chemistry (1 year) with Lab
- Physics (1 year)
- Biology (1 year) with Lab

However, in the secondary, it lists calculus as a REQUIRED course and you need to fill in how many semesters of it you have taken. It lists as RECOMMENDED a bunch of others like genetics, biochem, etc.

I'm just annoyed because I would have preferred to have not thrown $30 away for no good reason. I did my research, and trusted that the MSAR and BU's own website would set forth if calculus was required. It's too late to talk to the office now, so I guess I'll just have to wait until Monday to clear this up. I'm guessing that they changed calculus to a required course, but forgot to update MSAR and their web site. Anyone else think that's not quite fair of them?

 

[armybound]

Get a hold of them and ask. If you're still a student, can you fit it into your schedule before you matriculate?

 

[Phoenix.]

Get a hold of them and ask. If you're still a student, can you fit it into your schedule before you matriculate?

I'm not still a student. And while I might be willing to take a semester of biochem to get into a particular med school (which is relevant knowledge to have for medical school), I'm not willing to pay for and take prereqs for calculus, and then a year of suffering through calculus itself, which in my mind is not entirely essential to the study of medicine anyway. That's why I eliminated every school that requires calculus from my application. I'm irked that they couldn't update their own web site if they were going to change the prereqs. Know what I mean?

 

[viciouz]

I just got one from Tulane... and University of Cincinnati.

 

[AMPed]

Hey Guys,
I'm working on the JHU essays and I was wondering if people could help me clarify something.
They ask what "area of medicine are you interested in".
Do they mean specialty, ie. Derm, Peds, Family..., or do they mean primary care, academic medicine, health policy, etc.
Any thoughts?

 

[ziggy793]

Did anyone else get the secondary for BU? I applied but didnt yet. Can you post the essay if there is one? THANKS!

 

[Phoenix.]

Hey Guys,
I'm working on the JHU essays and I was wondering if people could help me clarify something.
They ask what "area of medicine are you interested in".
Do they mean specialty, ie. Derm, Peds, Family..., or do they mean primary care, academic medicine, health policy, etc.
Any thoughts?

I would assume they mean derm/peds/family, etc., but it can't hurt if you throw in primary/academic/health policy if that's something you know you're interested in too. Tulane had a similar question, but they asked about "field of medicine."

 

[Phoenix.]

Did anyone else get the secondary for BU? I applied but didnt yet. Can you post the essay if there is one? THANKS!

BU doesn't have any required essay, but they do provide an "optional section" which gives you space in case you want to add something or explain something about your application. They specifically noted that many applicants don't put anything in the "optional section," and that that's fine (they acknowledge the great number of med schools we all have to apply to, and the time and effort it takes - they sounded quite nice). I'm not planning on putting anything down (provided they waive the calculus requirement!).

 

[ziggy793]

Did anyone else not heart from BU? I hope they aren't rejecting me at this stage!

 

[Jsmooth]

Did anyone else not heart from BU? I hope they aren't rejecting me at this stage!

i didn't either...

 

[GreenMudPhud]

I applied, haven't heard from them. I'm sure they are sending them out in batches like a lot of places.

 

[premeddick]

i didn't either...

Me neither... Is there a link to the app that anyone can provide? Is the password a complicated number or something related specifically to the applicant? I'd like to start that now since I am bored...

 

[AMPed]

I would assume they mean derm/peds/family, etc., but it can't hurt if you throw in primary/academic/health policy if that's something you know you're interested in too. Tulane had a similar question, but they asked about "field of medicine."

Thanks Phoenix1. That's what I'm trying to do, but as an OCD Pre-med, I need all the reassurance I can get.

 

[AMPed]

i didn't either...

I also didn't get the BU secondary yet, but I spoke with a woman in the admissions office quite a bit about my pre-reqs (english requirement) and she was very pleasant. I'm going to put an essay in the optional section describing why I've been out of school 9 years, but thats just because I have something to say.

 

[emquiksilver]

I recall that it's possible to be rejected pre-secondary. How do you know if you are rejected pre-secondary? Do the schools tell you? Or do they just ignore you?

 

[ziggy793]

yea, that is weird how they reject you pre secondary since secondaries are usually open to ALL applicants.... hmm

I emailed BU about not getting the secondary yet... let's see what they see Mon.

 

[BigRedPremed]

i didn't either...

Me either.

 

[Jsmooth]

everytime i try to save something on the upitt supplementary app..like the essay section....i go back and the entire essay is gone as if it was never saved...anybody else experiencing this problem? thanks

 

[Jaded03]

everytime i try to save something on the upitt supplementary app..like the essay section....i go back and the entire essay is gone as if it was never saved...anybody else experiencing this problem? thanks

Yeah. It has been having problems all day. I would say my essay would be saved, but disappears as soon as I log off. I'm not surprised though, the e-mail invite was sent recently, and OCD pre-meds are probably wigging out the system. Haha. I'm sure they'll have it cleared up in a while. Save your essay elsewhere and hopefully when you're ready to submit, everything will go smoothly. Good luck!

 

[GoSouthernGo]

So when an essay calls for, say 600 words or less, are you guys writing as much as possible or just getting to the point even if it means only using 200 words?

 

[Funky]

So when an essay calls for, say 600 words or less, are you guys writing as much as possible or just getting to the point even if it means only using 200 words?

I don't think you should write a long essay for the sake of making it long. I think short and concise is definitely the best way to go.

 

[Tropicana100]

So when an essay calls for, say 600 words or less, are you guys writing as much as possible or just getting to the point even if it means only using 200 words?

Depends on so many things. not much advice can be given unless you mention what the topic is.

 

[Jaded03]

AECOM - invitation
Baylor - online
Boston - e-mail invite
Cincinnati - e-mail invite
Columbia - email invite
Cornell - email invitation
Dartmouth - online
GW - email invitation
Eastern Virginia - e-mail invite
FSU - email invitation
Jefferson - e-mail invite
Johns Hopkins - online
Kentucky - email invitation
MCW - e-mail invite
Meharry - online
Ohio state - email invitation
SUNY Downstate - not sure
SUNY Upstate - Email Invite
Tulane - online
UAB - email
U at Buffalo - no essays
UConn - online
UF- email
U of Kentucky
UMDNJ-RWJMS - email invitation, no essays
UMiami - e-mail invite
UMich - Email Invite
UMC - email
Rochester - snail mail invite
UOk - e-mail invite
UVermont - Email Invite
UWisc - E-mail Invite
WashU - email invite
Yale - online

Instructions to Edit the List

 

[Jaded03]

It had been dead for a while and I've never really done that kind of editting before. I may have messed a few links up, not sure. Just thought I'd bring it back in case someone wanted to take over.

Add/edit Oklahoma, MCW, Rochester, Vermont, Wisc, Cincinnati. Hope it helps or not.

 

[ashmarj]

For those of you who have gotten invites, any essays for Vermont? Since it's the weekend, and I assume that they don't screen presecondary, I was hoping to get a head start on those secondaries that have been coming out (and that I haven't yet received).

Thanks!

 

[Phoenix.]

For those of you who have gotten invites, any essays for Vermont? Since it's the weekend, and I assume that they don't screen presecondary, I was hoping to get a head start on those secondaries that have been coming out (and that I haven't yet received).

Thanks!

I haven't received it yet either, but I'm assuming it will be similar to last year's secondary, which I found on SDN in an old secondary thread. Hopefully someone can confirm if it's the same? Last year's questions were:

1000 Character max each

Residency History

[1] Please list the cities and town in which you have lived from birth to the present. Please include the present approximate population of each.
Example:
Ages- Birth to 15 – Los Angeles, CA, population 1.2 million
Ages 15 – 18 – Montpelier, VT, population 8,300
Ages 18 – 22 – Burlington, VT, population 42,000

[2] Additional Information
Please list any additional information that you feel the admissions committee should be aware of during the application evaluation process.

 

[Tropicana100]

It had been dead for a while and I've never really done that kind of editting before. I may have messed a few links up, not sure. Just thought I'd bring it back in case someone wanted to take over.

Add/edit Oklahoma, MCW, Rochester, Vermont, Wisc, Cincinnati. Hope it helps or not.

Thank you so much!!

 

[deuce924]

I'll leave the editing of the list to the expert SDNers. I just wanted to let everyone know that LSU-NO is sending out secondaries via emails. I know they accept mainly in-state residents but just wanted to let everyone know.