Tufts c/o 2016 Applicants

[sunnex3]

the 500 word limit is stressing me out too. i feel like i'm not very unique anymore...what have i done that makes me different???? urghhhhhhh.

AHHHHHH

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[orca2011]

the 500 word limit is stressing me out too. i feel like i'm not very unique anymore...what have i done that makes me different???? urghhhhhhh.

AHHHHHH

I feel the same way. I'm kind of just writing stuff even though I don't think it's particularly amazing. I feel like nothing I say is actually unique but I can't come up with anything else and I'm running out of time... especially since I want to visit friends at PSU next weekend. =/

 

[sunnex3]

I feel the same way. I'm kind of just writing stuff even though I don't think it's particularly amazing. I feel like nothing I say is actually unique but I can't come up with anything else and I'm running out of time... especially since I want to visit friends at PSU next weekend. =/

you and me, orca2011, seem to share some very similar thoughts this application cycle

i'm just recycling my vmcas statement...i shortened it, tweaked a couple things, etc. i picked out what i thought were the most important elements. i really don't have the patience to write a completely new "why i am so amazing" essay.

so looking forward to being done with everything...application wise at least.

 

[TigerWillow]

you and me, orca2011, seem to share some very similar thoughts this application cycle

i'm just recycling my vmcas statement...i shortened it, tweaked a couple things, etc. i picked out what i thought were the most important elements. i really don't have the patience to write a completely new "why i am so amazing" essay.

so looking forward to being done with everything...application wise at least.

I feel the same way and am procrastinating too. I'm getting tired of the "y am I a special snowflake" essays.

 

[sunnex3]

I feel the same way and am procrastinating too. I'm getting tired of the "y am I a special snowflake" essays.

GRRRRR i'm sick of feeling like an ordinary snowflake haha.

 

[Bisbee]

Oh, I know, I know! The "unique" essay is killing me. I felt so good getting all the others done, but now I'm stuck. And time is running out. We're all unique, though, so there has to be a way to get our uniqueness across, right? Will let you know if I figure out how. Meanwhile, I'm exhausted and hope that I"ll be inspired while I sleep.

 

[sunnex3]

yup tomorrow starts my usual first of three 13 hour shifts in a row over the weekend in the ER/ICU...which means I won't be able to work on my essays much this weekend. whoo...??

 

[orca2011]

Totally just might have banged out the "uniqueness" essay.

Now I understand why I put papers off to the last minute. I do my best writing at the wee hours of the morning.

 

[sunnex3]

did you write a totally new one? i'm trying to revamp my vmcas essay...not sure how well that will go

 

[orca2011]

I wrote a totally new one since that's what I did last year. When I went over last year's application with them, they seemed to really like the path I took so I tried to do something similar but obviously with a different topic.

 

[marshmallow12]

I feel the same way and am procrastinating too. I'm getting tired of the "y am I a special snowflake" essays.

Haha special snowflake. loooove that. i started my essay differently from the VMCAS one, but i used a few sentences here and there from the VMCAS essay. anyone attaching their VMCAS to the additional info page?

 

[kaydubs]

Hello to all of the special (and ordinary) snowflakes!!! I know the Tufts app and the essays may be starting to pick at your sanity but don't call it quits!! Still try and put your best effort forward with it.

BD618, can't speak from the perspective of an adcom but with my experience with Tufts, it seems that they want to see you as a whole person with interests outside of vet med rather than the same "Yes, I want to be a vet cause I'm superduper uber awesome." At least, that was my experience. In my one interview question, they asked what I'd be if I could have any profession. I replied that although vet was the current front runner, I would love to pursue a career in dance or as a racer. I think I threw them momentarily (and I was concerned that maybe this was a trap question) but then we went on to talk about why those careers appealed to me and about So You Think You Can Dance.

In short, I'd say do both. Try and balance between the two (Hope that's helpful).

I'm really struggling with this historical figure essay. I've selected my person based on the fact that what they were famous for is one of my favorite hobbies. Is the adcom looking for me to spend the whole essay talking about this person, or should I focus more on myself and why I like this particular hobby. Any thoughts?

Aw, every snowflake has to chill a bit. Don't stress about being the most specialest snowflake but do highlight what makes you special and an awesome candidate versus the other applicants in the pool. Just remember you're competing for spots in a class but don't let that blind you (We are all in this together, you know?). Toot your own horn but don't use a bull horn to do so. Make sense?

Most importantly: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!! It will bite you when you are hitting your head off your laptop on Halloween rather than gorging on chocolate. (The deadline is Nov. 1st, yes? It was that last year so don't freak out if I'm misinformed....)

And, for marshmallow, I did attach my VMCAS to the add. info. Not sure if it helped or hindered me in anyway. At best, I'd say neither

Haha special snowflake. loooove that. i started my essay differently from the VMCAS one, but i used a few sentences here and there from the VMCAS essay. anyone attaching their VMCAS to the additional info page?

I feel the same way and am procrastinating too. I'm getting tired of the "y am I a special snowflake" essays.

 

[Bisbee]

Thanks Kaydubs,
I think my unique essay is coming along, slowly but surely. I also have to prod on more of my recommenders to submit the letter. How are you liking the Tufts experience so far?

 

[kaydubs]

Actually, the truth is, Bisbee, is I'm a one year deferment. Depending on what happens, I will be a fellow 2016er. Otherwise, I wish everyone the best That unique essay of why you should be a Tufts can be tough but keep at it. I believe in you!

Thanks Kaydubs,
I think my unique essay is coming along, slowly but surely. I also have to prod on more of my recommenders to submit the letter. How are you liking the Tufts experience so far?

 

[Bisbee]

Oh Kaydubs, I didn't realize you had deferred. I thought you were there right now! Well, I hope you're having a productive year and to catch up with you next fall (if I get in). Thanks for the advice on the essay. It has helped, and I'm just about finished (maybe some concluding sentences and then going aback and changing little parts over and over again as I tend to do).

 

[kaydubs]

But I do know several great people who are currently entrenched in their first year so if anyone has questions, I will inquire on your behalf

Thanks for the well wishes, Bisbee!! Best of luck to all!

Oh Kaydubs, I didn't realize you had deferred. I thought you were there right now! Well, I hope you're having a productive year and to catch up with you next fall (if I get in). Thanks for the advice on the essay. It has helped, and I'm just about finished (maybe some concluding sentences and then going aback and changing little parts over and over again as I tend to do).

 

[Bisbee]

Okay, it's official...my essays (even the unique one) are done! Now I will have my husband read them over, and maybe I'll have the nerve to hit the submit button on Monday. I'm still waiting for that last ELOR, though. That stresses me out even though she did the VMCAS ELOR no problem, so I know she's going to do this one, too. I'll just have to send reminders. Good luck to everyone still writing...you can do it! We are all unique!

 

[sunnex3]

frackity frack frack frack!!!!! i had a terrible weekend at work (allergic reaction to a cat scratch, had to go to ER, etc.) so i didn't get to work on my tufts application AT ALL.

physics test tomorrow, orgo lab report, etc. so won't be able to work on it till wednesday night. my "unique" essay is almost done, but haven't even started the dinner essay yet.

AHHH!

 

[orca2011]

frackity frack frack frack!!!!! i had a terrible weekend at work (allergic reaction to a cat scratch, had to go to ER, etc.) so i didn't get to work on my tufts application AT ALL.

physics test tomorrow, orgo lab report, etc. so won't be able to work on it till wednesday night. my "unique" essay is almost done, but haven't even started the dinner essay yet.

AHHH!

You can do it!!!
I still have the turtle one to finish so you're not alone.

 

[Bisbee]

My advisor sent the ELOR yesterday but said she had some difficulty because large sections were being deleted when she tried to download or paste. She had to finally type it in by hand all over again instead of from her word processor. Although my essays are done, I want to go through everything on the application again with a fine tooth comb today, then do the application inspector, and then maybe have the nerve to hit the submit button tonight. It does feel good to have those essays finished, especially the unique one. It was hard to do, but if I got through them, so will you guys. Next week the application process itself will be behind us (and then the waiting game begins...I don't know which is worse).

 

[orca2011]

Wahoo!! I think I finally finished my essays. Just need to read over them a few times before I submit. =)

 

[Bisbee]

Good Orca. I finished mine a couple of days ago but still have not submitted. I tend to read them over and over again until I'm so sick of them that I think they're no good anymore. But I think I'll stop doing that and submit tonight. I know that Tufts starts interviews early, but do you know if the order of interviews depends upon when you submitted your application? I know many people have submitted theirs weeks ago, so if they go by date of submission, I guess we'll be hearing later rather than sooner. Oh well....

 

[orca2011]

Good Orca. I finished mine a couple of days ago but still have not submitted. I tend to read them over and over again until I'm so sick of them that I think they're no good anymore. But I think I'll stop doing that and submit tonight. I know that Tufts starts interviews early, but do you know if the order of interviews depends upon when you submitted your application? I know many people have submitted theirs weeks ago, so if they go by date of submission, I guess we'll be hearing later rather than sooner. Oh well....

Hmm. I'm not really sure. I know I submitted mine like the night before the deadline last year and I got my interview invite the first week in January, so I guess it's possible.

 

[sunnex3]

yup still not even close to finishing the app had a physics test + lab report today, orgo lab report tomorrow, so won't be able to reallllllly work on it very hard till tomorrow night. this sucks i feel like everyone is so ahead of me! is there really an advantage to submitting early? i didn't think that tufts worked that way.

 

[TigerWillow]

yup still not even close to finishing the app had a physics test + lab report today, orgo lab report tomorrow, so won't be able to reallllllly work on it very hard till tomorrow night. this sucks i feel like everyone is so ahead of me! is there really an advantage to submitting early? i didn't think that tufts worked that way.

I was going to hash out all my essays tonight (been brainstorming the past week) and try to perfect them Saturday, since that is my only day off from work in the entire MONTH.


However, does anyone know if I have to pay right when I submit? Bc then I might have to borrow from mother. I don't get paid until Halloween

 

[orca2011]

I was going to hash out all my essays tonight (been brainstorming the past week) and try to perfect them Saturday, since that is my only day off from work in the entire MONTH.


However, does anyone know if I have to pay right when I submit? Bc then I might have to borrow from mother. I don't get paid until Halloween

I'm 99.9999999% sure you do.

 

[bksambo]

Yup. I just submitted. You can't submit without paying.

 

[Whyevernot55]

Oh thank HEAVENS. My final evaluator just submitted for Tufts - he got the VMCAS in early, but was unreachable and hadn't completed the Tufts one yet!

Phew!

 

[deleted266066]

.

 

[Bisbee]

Just submitted the application! Now for the waiting.

 

[sunnex3]

ahhhhh you guys are so ahead of me

 

[orca2011]

ahhhhh you guys are so ahead of me

You can do it!! And don't worry. I seriously submitted everything last minute last year...I'm pretty sure I was getting ready to go out for Halloween last year when I hit submit. And who knows...maybe they'll extend the deadline again. It happened last year, granted it was only by a day but I'm sure still helpful to some.

 

[kaydubs]

Hmm. I'm not really sure. I know I submitted mine like the night before the deadline last year and I got my interview invite the first week in January, so I guess it's possible.

Hey guys! I haven't posted in forever and pretty much only keep up with this thread and the updates on 2015'ers.

Anyway, thought I would help alleviate some stress - I submitted my app the day before it was due. My eLOR was in about a month ahead of time. I didn't start writing my main essay until a couple weeks before the deadline, and the little essays were whipped up the week prior to the due date. Many other classmates of mine were in a similar boat (meaning they applied, interviewed, and got in), and submitting early won't help or harm your application. I WOULD suggest submitting it at least a day before it is due, to make sure Tufts received it, since things can get lost in the interweb. Then for those people that are less crazy and don't like to live quite as on the edge, feel free to submit early

When it comes to early interview dates, I'm not personally certain how they decide who is chosen for the "early" one in mid-December - last year I think it was only out of staters, but you can check the 2015 interview thread for confirmation. As for the interviews in February, if I recall right they grouped them by in-state dates and out-of-state dates. Be prepared for reschedules as necessary due to snow (that happened last year for a few dates).

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about Tufts, I've only been here a few months but it feels like forever (I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing ). I'm fairly busy and won't read essays, but should get back to questions quickly enough during one of my must-procrastinate moods.

Hope to see some of you next fall! (or on campus during your interview!!)

I'm pretty sure TES covered it all. I *BELIEVE* that early interviews might be random (or top of the heap) applicants. Makes sense, if you're thinking the way that I do (as in, the super awesome applicants who may have applied to like 29 schools but can only go to 1 - they interview them first and then fill up the rest). From memory, there was 1-2 dates in December. Those emails had been sent out around Thanksgiving. The rest of us started getting emails for interviews the first week of January-ish.

NOTE: Make SURE that your mailing address is the appropriate one. My school's break goes all the way to February. The letter took an extra week to get to me after I spent many days torturing friends and family. I even got my "we'd like to schedule your interview" email before my interview letter. But, the Tufts adcom was gracious enough to email me a copy.

Ironically, my letter lost from my university arrived the next day. Anyways, I submitted my stuff with VMCAS and received my invite on January 6th according to the postmark from last year.

Less than a week to submit. No pressure - but get cracking, guys!!!

 

[Bisbee]

Wow! I guess if those invited before the end of the year for interviews are the top contenders, most of them probably were accepted last year? It would be so nice get an early interview and be a top contender for this year! Also, the shorter wait would be especially nice.

 

[LoveTheMICES]

Hey All!

Sunnex3 don't worry. I am still working on my essays and probably will not submit until Saturday. I too am super busy taking Orgo, Epidemiology and working full time. We are going to get the app done in time and our essays will be amazing I did my 100 and waiting for a word back on the last edit, and tryna pick which route I want to take for the choice essay.

Orca 2011, you got an interview but are reapplying? Why, what did they say? What did you have to change for this cycle if you do not mind sharing..

 

[orca2011]

Orca 2011, you got an interview but are reapplying? Why, what did they say? What did you have to change for this cycle if you do not mind sharing..

They said I was short on vet experience (I had like 80 hours with a vet, 150 as an intern zoo keeper and about 1000 working as a lab assistant) and my grades/GRE was on the lower side of average (3.5 GPA, 3.6 science, 3.7 last 45th hours, 1220 GRE). So basically if one of those areas had been stronger, I probably would have gotten in. I've been working in a vet's office since July so I'm hoping the more hours will make up for the grades part. I'm taking an online course but I really couldn't be bothered with taking the GRE for a 3rd time.

 

[LoveTheMICES]

oh! Well best of luck to you orca even though your stats to me already sound very good Thank you for the details and yea i hear ya on the GRE pllllllllll

 

[orca2011]

oh! Well best of luck to you orca even though your stats to me already sound very good Thank you for the details and yea i hear ya on the GRE pllllllllll

Thanks! Good luck to you too! But seriously to the GRE part. I'd rather pay more to take a course I am interested in and will be useful for what I want to do in life, than pay less to take what is apparently like a 5 hour test now, which I probably won't even improve on unless I shun society. No.thank.you.

 

[orca2011]

Just submitted!

 

[sunnex3]

Just submitted!

congrats orca2011!!!

i'm going to try and submit by sunday night

pretty much done with my "100/unique" essay, working on the "historical figure" essay right now which i'm actually sort of enjoying, because i'm writing about someone that i'm interested in

the "why tufts" blurb should be easy too...i really like the international medicine program they have!

 

[sunnex3]

for those of you that may be inserting the paragraphs from your VMCAS statement that you eliminated from your "100/unique" essay, how are you presenting these in the additional information? are you just saying "these are some additional paragraphs that i didn't include in the essay, so i'm putting it here for additional information/consideration" or whatever? should i say it's from my VMCAS personal statement, and I want to include it because i feel it will add more light to my application?

 

[Bisbee]

My "unique" essay didn't resemble my VMCAS PS at all. I know that some people just added the entire PS to the additional information of the Tufts application. I think that's what Kaydubs said she did last year.

 

[Whyevernot55]

I do not like ANY of the "outside animal realm" essay prompts, and I don't want to do it. I am literally sitting here looking at a blank Word document because I can't make myself pick one and don't have decent ideas for any of them. And I have to get this done because I'm going out of town this weekend.

 

[Bisbee]

I was really stuck at first, too. Then I just decided to sit at the computer and start typing ANYTHING that came to mind. Of course, it was a mess at first. But out of that mess came a few seedlings of ideas I was able to build on. Withing several hours I actually had an essay. I did the one about having dinner with a historical figure. You can do it!

 

[orca2011]

I was really stuck at first, too. Then I just decided to sit at the computer and start typing ANYTHING that came to mind. Of course, it was a mess at first. But out of that mess came a few seedlings of ideas I was able to build on. Withing several hours I actually had an essay. I did the one about having dinner with a historical figure. You can do it!

This method worked for me too. My friend, who is an excellent writer, told me to "free write" for 10-15 minutes, which is essentially what you did. You literally write down everything that comes to mind for 10-15 minutes without stopping, even if it is "I don't know what to write." It sucks but you're bound to get some ideas out of it.

 

[kaydubs]

My "unique" essay didn't resemble my VMCAS PS at all. I know that some people just added the entire PS to the additional information of the Tufts application. I think that's what Kaydubs said she did last year.

You are correct, Bisbee. I did just that.

I do not like ANY of the "outside animal realm" essay prompts, and I don't want to do it. I am literally sitting here looking at a blank Word document because I can't make myself pick one and don't have decent ideas for any of them. And I have to get this done because I'm going out of town this weekend.

Bad, Whyevernot55, no self-inflicted violence! You're too close to submitting your trusty app! I agree with the free-writing tip suggested. Sometimes it helps. I think I'd have a hard time narrowing down the dinner party one just because there are so many amazing people I'd want to chat with. I'd probably have to have dinner parties once a week for the rest of my life! Shake off those nerves and WRITE!

This method worked for me too. My friend, who is an excellent writer, told me to "free write" for 10-15 minutes, which is essentially what you did. You literally write down everything that comes to mind for 10-15 minutes without stopping, even if it is "I don't know what to write." It sucks but you're bound to get some ideas out of it.

 

[Bisbee]

It does seem to work; somehow there's an essay that can be developed from all the chaos.

 

[chelsealee861]

I just submitted my application... It's so surreal. I've spend so many months applying to schools, I can't believe I'm done!

 

[TigerWillow]

So I only aske my 2nd teacher evaluator to write me a letter two weeks ago (I didn't realize I needed two!) and she turned it in this morning. How come she's on top of it and I haven't finished my last essay?!?! Gahhhhh!


Is anyone else taking the extra space page to write about extra curricular activities? Just listing them makes me feel sad

 

[zoovet]

Originally Posted by Whyevernot55
I do not like ANY of the "outside animal realm" essay prompts, and I don't want to do it. I am literally sitting here looking at a blank Word document because I can't make myself pick one and don't have decent ideas for any of them. And I have to get this done because I'm going out of town this weekend.

I completely agree. I am having such a hard time with this; it's unbelievable.
Free-writing only works when you can conjure form semblance of a coherent thought... which is not the case with me right now. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH