Rowan University (RowanSOM) Discussion Thread 2016-2017

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My essays are 497/750 and 225/750... do you guys think thats kind of asking them not to accept me? I definitely answered the question, but Im usually right at the word limit. Is anyone else having a problem with meeting the word limit?

You will be fine as long as you get your point across.

How did you answer the question regarding what specialty or area of medicine you are interested in? I have my answer, but I don't really know if all that is required is just one sentence that says what you want to do, or a whole essay talking about it.

They give you 500 words to work with, but the question does not ask you to go in to detail as to why you want to do whatever it is.

I was accepted with just one sentence really early in the cycle. One sentence will suffice.

I suspect the school cares more about GPA/MCAT and your interview performance rather than the length of your secondary essays at this point in the cycle. It honestly depends on a lot of factors. Your secondary essays, if written well, will not affect your application.

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How did you answer the question regarding what specialty or area of medicine you are interested in? I have my answer, but I don't really know if all that is required is just one sentence that says what you want to do, or a whole essay talking about it.

They give you 500 words to work with, but the question does not ask you to go in to detail as to why you want to do whatever it is.

for me, I wrote 2-3 sentences saying that I want to explore but interest lies in surgery or internal medicine. only 2-3 sentences and i got in... haha so do not stress over!
 
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just submitted my secondary application now (July 4th). Anyone know how long it typically takes to hear back about an interview?
 
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just submitted my secondary application now (July 4th). Anyone know how long it typically takes to hear back about an interview?

RowanSOM doesn't really start interviewing until late August (and that's for the early decision applicants.) I didn't get an invite until beginning of October. You're going to be waiting quite a while.

Don't worry, the process is extremely long. For regular decision, people started getting II's by like the second week of September. It really depends on your stats and how they feel you fit their school and mission.
 
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RowanSOM doesn't really start interviewing until late August (and that's for the early decision applicants.) I didn't get an invite until beginning of October. You're going to be waiting quite a while.

Don't worry, the process is extremely long. For regular decision, people started getting II's by like the second week of September. It really depends on your stats and how they feel you fit their school and mission.
Does Rowan focus on their mission to a much greater extent than other schools? I know some DOs are very mission driven
 
Does Rowan focus on their mission to a much greater extent than other schools? I know some DOs are very mission driven

I think Rowan is a little less mission driven than schools like BCOM or CUSOM. They focus more on your interview and GPA/MCAT.
 
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I got an email that I'm complete this morning, although I still don't have my DO LOR quite yet (he says he's finishing it this week). I think I won't get an II here, unfortunately. I really like the school. When asked what specialties I was interested in I might have shot myself in the foot by listing things I wanted to learn more about. It was apparently better to just say "family medicine, internal medicine" (although those are the two I'm actually by far most interested in). Haha. Plus, my GPA is terrible (3.13 sGPA and 3.0 cGPA, although my last two years have been 3.4 and 3.85). My only saving grace might be my MCAT of 514. Haha.


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Anyone have any thoughts on Rowan's PBL Curriculum? They are expanding the PBL program this year and they make it seem attractive, but I'm sure people have their own opinions about it.
 
Anyone have any thoughts on Rowan's PBL Curriculum? They are expanding the PBL program this year and they make it seem attractive, but I'm sure people have their own opinions about it.

Are you a self-directed learner or do you learn better by lectures? PBL gets one exam per block, and it is just pass/fail.

Pretty much that's the difference between the two curriculums.
 
Are you a self-directed learner or do you learn better by lectures? PBL gets one exam per block, and it is just pass/fail.

Pretty much that's the difference between the two curriculums.

I honestly I'm not sure. I never felt like lectures taught me well, but maybe I was not making the most of my teachers. I do a lot of studying by myself, but I don't have much experience at self-directed learning (but maybe I could get used to it).

So basically PBL sounds interesting but I don't know if I could do it. However, I could be making a big deal out of nothing.
 
I honestly I'm not sure. I never felt like lectures taught me well, but maybe I was not making the most of my teachers. I do a lot of studying by myself, but I don't have much experience at self-directed learning (but maybe I could get used to it).

So basically PBL sounds interesting but I don't know if I could do it. However, I could be making a big deal out of nothing.

Perhaps you should talk to one of the students who is in PBL. I personally am in the lecture based program, but I don't know anyone who really has done the PBL program yet.
 
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Is Rowan hard-set on NJ residents or do they like regional applicants too? I'm from MA and have heard that they tend to like students from the region too. I have some family in NJ which I can explain as a tie to the area but was just wondering how they are with regional applicants vs completely OOS applicants. Thanks!
 
RowanSOM has had the worst follow-up protocol than any other school I have had to work with so far. I emailed them and called them several times as well as met them but they still have yet to give me an update on my application. Status never changed from october, and to top it all off, they said they would tell me in a couple of days, everytime that I asked them.

Anyone else had these sorts of issues? If so, how did they solve it, or how do they plan to solve it for the upcoming cycle?
Dang, sorry to hear that. I also had communication issues with admissions but usually they were fixed with a quick phone call or email. If I sent an e-mail, I usually sent it to the general address and cc'd the rest of the adcoms as well. I know it was a bit overkill, but I just wanted to maximize the opportunity of them seeing my email.
 
for me, I wrote 2-3 sentences saying that I want to explore but interest lies in surgery or internal medicine. only 2-3 sentences and i got in... haha so do not stress over!
Same with me, just mentioned the specialties and a short sentence following as to why.
 
Perhaps you should talk to one of the students who is in PBL. I personally am in the lecture based program, but I don't know anyone who really has done the PBL program yet.
Do you know if Rowan offers recorded lectures? Or mandatory attendance?
 
Do you know if Rowan offers recorded lectures? Or mandatory attendance?

Yes all lectures are recorded and there's no mandatory attendance to lectures. You are required to go to OMM lab and On Doctoring, however.

Also, the school provides you with laptops which you get to keep (built into your tuition.) This year we got Lenovo Thinkpad L460.
 
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Is Rowan hard-set on NJ residents or do they like regional applicants too? I'm from MA and have heard that they tend to like students from the region too. I have some family in NJ which I can explain as a tie to the area but was just wondering how they are with regional applicants vs completely OOS applicants. Thanks!

You should go ahead and apply. I got accepted this past cycle and I'm from California.
 
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Darn it. i just realized, that last question was optional. I wrote a whole thing about my horror story. Ugh. I hope I dont sound desperate.
 
Hello All,

the portal says they have not received my mcat, how is that even possible? Its on aacomas, no?
DO I need to send it straight out to Rowan? HALP please
 
Hello All,

the portal says they have not received my mcat, how is that even possible? Its on aacomas, no?
DO I need to send it straight out to Rowan? HALP please

did you release the scores specifically to AACOMAS via AAMC? they aren't automatically sent.


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did you release the scores specifically to AACOMAS via AAMC? they aren't automatically sent.


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Yes, I just did it. I had not noticed until today. Thank you thank you .
 
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Got my secondary today. Hoping this cycle goes better than the last one and I get in here. Keeping my fingers crossed!!
 
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I have already sent in my secondary but wanted to know if someone could tell me my chances for an interview/acceptance! sGPA and cGPA= 4.0. MCAT= 504 (124 CARS). New Jersey Resident.
 
Does this school give love to OOS applicants?
 
Does this school give love to OOS applicants?
it's definitely tough to get in out of state, but totally do-able. I think like 85-90% of each class is IS, but I have heard this statistic is skewed by the IS vs OOS tuition and that more OOS students get accepted than actually matriculate. We also seem to have 1-2 students from Canada each year as well.

Hopefully that helps!
 
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So on the status page it says my LOR are incomplete with a red!

However when I click on "Letters of Recommendation" it shows a green check mark under "received" for all my letter writers.
 
Got campus tour invite. And is ONLY for campus tour. Strange. Never heard of such scenario. Usually campus tour is combine with interview.
 
Got campus tour invite. And is ONLY for campus tour. Strange. Never heard of such scenario. Usually campus tour is combine with interview.
yeah I got that too..i think its just something you can go to if you want to take a look at the campus
 
yeah I got that too..i think its just something you can go to if you want to take a look at the campus
Yeah it is, I got it too. just a general, open event
 
Hi, just curious how much applying ED helps at this school. I'm a NJ resident with a great gpa but lower MCAT. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Thats why I felt like I should wait and be more prepared in order to take it because my scores are still way too low. But I am in state. I actually live right around the corner from Rowan SOM.

Hey, take the second MCAT and see how you do. I grew up in Washington Township, NJ. RowanSOM was also my first choice school. If you plan on staying around this area for the duration of your career it is favorably looked upon. There is a member of the admissions board who especially wants to keep well trained physicians, who have ties to the area, around the area. This may be something you consider putting in an essay, or question response.

Really put thought into your essays, be honest, but make yourself stand out. Tell your story well and tie it into why you want to be a physician. I emphasize this because I know it helped me get in, admissions specifically told me this post interview. I had average scores, I know people with better scores than me, who did not get in. You just need to be competitive and a good fit.

Also, I am sure you know this, but study as hard as you can for your MCAT. A LOT, I repeat, a lot can be learned and reviewed, in the span of two months.

As a 2nd year (like me), you will have approximately 3 months to review everything you learned front 1st and 2nd year for step 1 of the boards. If we can learn to go from failing practice board scores to passing, you can crush this MCAT.

Look up various study strategies, like SN2ED on SDN forums. I didn't have a lot of money, or parental support, so I couldn't afford a class. I found free stuff online. I mainly used SN2ED study method and didn't even complete it. I would up scoring 80th percentile (a 30 on the old MCAT, a 507 on the new), sometimes higher on practice exams after studying. I studied for about 2 months apprx 8 hours a day. Before this, I took an MCAT blind because I had no idea what I was doing when I was applying to medical school and scored a 50 percentile (24 I believe then about a 500 now). I improved my percentile by 30. You can do this.

Good luck.
 
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Anyone else having problems with the portal in terms of LORs? I called to get it fixed but nothing has changed yet.
 
Hey, take the second MCAT and see how you do. I grew up in Washington Township, NJ. RowanSOM was also my first choice school. If you plan on staying around this area for the duration of your career it is favorably looked upon. There is a member of the admissions board who especially wants to keep well trained physicians, who have ties to the area, around the area. This may be something you consider putting in an essay, or question response.

Really put thought into your essays, be honest, but make yourself stand out. Tell your story well and tie it into why you want to be a physician. I emphasize this because I know it helped me get in, admissions specifically told me this post interview. I had average scores, I know people with better scores than me, who did not get in. You just need to be competitive and a good fit.

Also, I am sure you know this, but study as hard as you can for your MCAT. A LOT, I repeat, a lot can be learned and reviewed, in the span of two months.

As a 2nd year (like me), you will have approximately 3 months to review everything you learned front 1st and 2nd year for step 1 of the boards. If we can learn to go from failing practice board scores to passing, you can crush this MCAT.

Look up various study strategies, like SN2ED on SDN forums. I didn't have a lot of money, or parental support, so I couldn't afford a class. I found free stuff online. I mainly used SN2ED study method and didn't even complete it. I would up scoring 80th percentile (a 30 on the old MCAT, a 507 on the new), sometimes higher on practice exams after studying. I studied for about 2 months apprx 8 hours a day. Before this, I took an MCAT blind because I had no idea what I was doing when I was applying to medical school and scored a 50 percentile (24 I believe then about a 500 now). I improved my percentile by 30. You can do this.

Good luck.
Thank you so much for the support and words of encouragement. I also grew up in Washington Township NJ so we have that Twp connection!

I've been studying my butt off for the MCAT and I'm already seeing the improvements. Before I took the MCAT last June, I went in blind, in a way, as well. I took one practice MCAT and scored very low so I should not have been surprised when I got my 498. I took a practice MCAT on Saturday and my score was 503. Obviously I have a lot to improve on, but I definitely feel more comfortable now than I did a few weeks ago. Hoping to continue with the strong study sessions and working on my weakness.

But your message right here, has given me that extra push to finish off strong for the next several weeks. So it means a whole lot to me that you took the time out of your day to respond to me. Thanks a lot! :)
 
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Is there a portal for this school where I can check the status of my application? I got a call saying everything was complete not too long ago, but I haven't heard a thing since
 
When does this school start interviews?
 
Stats to anyone that been accepted?
 
I mean the stats of those who received IIs lol
 
Just received a secondary invite. Does anyone know if they prescreen?

Edit: According to last year's thread, they do not pre-screen. Here are the questions for this cycle:

  1. [Required; 500 words] Please identify your area of professional interest below (i.e. Family Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, etc.)
  2. [Required; 750 words] How did you learn about osteopathic medicine and why is it a good fit for you?
  3. [Optional; 750 words] Please describe any significant barriers or challenges you may have overcome in the pursuit of your personal/professional goals.
Some of the largest word limit I have seen so far...
 
Some of the largest word limit I have seen so far...

You don't have to get anywhere near the word limit. It's more of an absolute max than a suggested word count. My essay last year was less than 400 words and I was in one of the first set of regular decision II. I also didn't even do the hardship essay. Just answer the question clearly and don't worry so much about word count. Good luck!
 
You don't have to get anywhere near the word limit. It's more of an absolute max than a suggested word count. My essay last year was less than 400 words and I was in one of the first set of regular decision II. I also didn't even do the hardship essay. Just answer the question clearly and don't worry so much about word count. Good luck!
Hey do you remember when that II was sent?
 
I got an interview here last year but got wait listed. I don't how much of my advice you'd want because I did get wait listed and not accepted, however from my experience with the essays you need to just be straight forward with it. My interviewer did mention things from my essays I wrote but I felt comfortable answering her questions because I wasn't over the top with my responses to begin with. So just keep that in mind. Rowan isn't trying to trick you. They're not looking for a right or wrong answer.

Also I was complete at the end of august and got an interview offer mid to late October. However I wouldn't accept to hear anything soon because I don't even think ED decisions have been sent out yet.
 
Hey do you remember when that II was sent?

I got an II in mid September and my actual interview was in late September. I think I was in one of the first set of regular decision II. Actually, most of the II between now and the end of September are going to ED applicants so I know it sucks, but just try to be patient. They will be getting to regular decision folks right after they finish up with the ED people
 
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