UMDNJ-SOM Discussion Thread 2012 -2013

Mister Murke said:

Yeah, I just figure if nothing happens in a couple weeks, that things aren't looking good. Plus if there's a hole in my phone, it'll be a good excuse to upgrade to the iPhone 5.

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Gsun88 said:

I actually have a question. I am not sure if anyone knows this but, for invites, does the entire ADCOM decide whether you get an invite or is it just one member of the ADCOM?

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qwerty2012 said:

Usually it is the director of administration who will give you the interview when you meet the requirements. Then you go there and interview with an ADCOM who will give support to your file when it is presented in front of faculty.

The entire administration is very supportive. And the interview process isn't "unconventional", they are just trying to gather as much stuffs on your as possible to see whether you fit. Very laid back. Most people are done in under 20-30 minutes.

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Dmr6186 said:

Interview invite! In-state. The woman was very friendly and funny. I can't wait.

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qwerty2012 said:

U going to get it. 90 % sure. 😎

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Dmr6186 said:

Interview invite! In-state. The woman was very friendly and funny. I can't wait.

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Dmr6186 said:

Interview invite! In-state. The woman was very friendly and funny. I can't wait.

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EnergyDrink said:

Thanks.



Maybe it's just Marisol, but UMDNJ has the nicest admissions staff I have dealt with yet. Regardless of the outcome of my admission, I'm going to contact the dean and let him know that his staff is awesome.

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MedicalMBA said:

Interviewing here tomorrow at 10 Am! I walked around campus today to get myself acquainted with the area. I have to say, while the surrounding town is a typical jersey city, the campus itself is beautiful! I talked with a few students and they all said they felt like a family here and felt that the administration's number one goal is to support them. I am extremely excited for my interview tomorrow, and I hope it is as laid back as people mentioned here.

I will go into much more detail tomorrow after my interview/tour. This is my number one school. Wish me luck!!

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Dr SunDai said:

Good Luck tomorrow!!!!

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MedicalMBA said:

Thanks!! Maybe I'll see you around my tour tomorrow. I'll be the tall Indian guy wearing the "SDN rocks" hat

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Gsun88 said:

Thanks! I am just worried cause I keep reading in SDN that some people get to the interview because the person reading their file is interested but overall get rejected due to grades when the entire ADCOM meets. Paranoia sucks

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Tianar said:

Voice mail for an interview invite!

Called back and had to leave a message, hopefully they will get back to me soon. 😀

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MedicalMBA said:

Just interviewed here today! I want to give some of my feedback. This is a long post so bear with me!

The first thing I would like to say is that the admissions staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They were extremely helpful, warm, and welcoming (great for those like me who are nervous for their interviews).

The interview itself was not what I expected at all. There were no real direct questions asked of me aside from why umdnj and some other few personal things about my application. The interview felt like a conversation, and my interviewer was also warm and comfortable and easy to talk with. We discussed my application, its weaknesses and strengths and about why I want to be at this school. The interview felt like it flew by and before I knew it he was asking me if I had any questions.

He told me the committee meets next Friday, and calls for acceptances will go out on that same day. When I asked what my chances were of getting in he told me that the way the committee ranks applicants is by giving them a separate score for their GPA, MCAT, LORs, Interview, and overall application (ECs). If you meet the cut off you get in and if you don't then you get waitlisted/rejected. Also, if you are a borderline applicant, they will discuss your file more in depth. From my specific interview session, it feels like the interview will probably not "make" your application, but could surely "break" it.

The school itself is beautiful. The campus has a semi-closed feel to it, even though it is in the middle of Stratford. The facilities all look brand new and technologically advanced. The students ( I talked to a lot) all said the same thing: They felt like a family here and the administration's number one goal seems to be their student's success. I find it hard to diasgree with this, especially with my interactions with the staff, a personal phone call for interviews, the minimal deposit required, and the ability for non-residents to claim NJ residency and its financial benefits after one year.

Overall, the whole experience was amazing. This was already my first choice before coming, and this just solidified that. I hope I get that call next Friday! =D If you have any specific questions definitely let me know and I'll try and answer them.

SHOUT OUT to the amazing people I interviewed with! They told me they were SDN lurkers but never really posted. (PM me if you get that call =])

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psychgirrrl said:

Wow that was gutsy of you to ask the interviewer for your chances! I guess I have some reading to do on "why UMDNJ!" Time to get busy!

Could you give some specific details on the whole "no direct questions" thing? I am curious about that!!!! I am sure you will hear good news on next Friday!!

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Dmr6186 said:

Dude no doubt you made it in. The interview was just a formality. He knew you before he met you. Congrats on a good interview day and thanks for the feedback!!!

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MedicalMBA said:

Thanks! And the whole asking for your chances thing was recommended to me by one of my advisers. He didn't seem offended at all and I guess it shows interest (and I really wanted to know what he thought of my candidacy =P).

In regards to the no direct questions thing: it might have been just for me or just this specific interviewer, but I was expecting us to sit down and him to ask "Tell me about yourself", and then move on to "why medicine", "why UMDNJSOM", "why DO". I was under the impression that was how a traditional interview went. For me, we sat down and just started talking about my application. He had me clear up any personal problems with my own application. We talked about the school and why it is a good fit for me and then moved on to my MBA. But never did he really ask me any standard direct questions. I was taken aback by this and this is why I asked HIM if he wanted me to expand on any extracurricular, but he told me he believed I had strong ECS and I had done a great job in describing them in my application. I was definitely a little confused, but I took it as a positive sign. Definitely went better than I could have ever imagined haha. Just be ready to have an honest and easy-going conversation with your interviewer.

Hope that helps =].

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psychgirrrl said:

Awesome man, thanks!

So it was just you and another person? That's nice, my other interview it was me and 2 interviewers and one was poker face the whole time and the other one was responding by nodding, smiling. I got the poker face to smile a couple times so I think that's a good sign LOL. I think it will be easier with just one interviewer! That's a nice interview, I hope that's what happens when I am there! Maybe I will follow your footsteps and ask "what are my chances"...maybe if I am feeling confident that day! LOL

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ModernAlchemist said:

I'm not applying here, but I thought I'd share this concerning information I found about UMDNJ:

http://www.change.org/petitions/the...enate-bill-s2063-merge-umdnj-som-with-rutgers

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MedicalMBA said:

Yep, just me and one DO physician/professor. And yeah I think its all about how you phrase the question and make it seem like you are just so curious cause you're so interested. Goodluck! April, the admissions lady, told me that UMDNJ has a very laid back and low-pressure interview process. So I am sure you will be fine. =]




I talked to a few students there about this issue. Most did not seem concerned and said they did not foresee it causing any issues in their education. They did say that most of the details were going to be worked out this year. I hope this does not affect the school too badly, because the institution is phenomenal.

Maybe any current students at the school can comment on this through this forum?

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psychgirrrl said:

For those who have already scheduled their interview/already interviewed:

How long did it take for admissions to send you a confirmation e-mail? I want to book tickets for my interview but I am afraid to do it until they actually confirm the date.

Thanks.

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psychgirrrl said:

For those who have already scheduled their interview/already interviewed:

How long did it take for admissions to send you a confirmation e-mail? I want to book tickets for my interview but I am afraid to do it until they actually confirm the date.

Thanks.

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MedicalMBA said:

Just interviewed here today! I want to give some of my feedback. This is a long post so bear with me!

The first thing I would like to say is that the admissions staff are some of the nicest people I have ever met. They were extremely helpful, warm, and welcoming (great for those like me who are nervous for their interviews).

The interview itself was not what I expected at all. There were no real direct questions asked of me aside from why umdnj and some other few personal things about my application. The interview felt like a conversation, and my interviewer was also warm and comfortable and easy to talk with. We discussed my application, its weaknesses and strengths and about why I want to be at this school. The interview felt like it flew by and before I knew it he was asking me if I had any questions.

He told me the committee meets next Friday, and calls for acceptances will go out on that same day. When I asked what my chances were of getting in he told me that the way the committee ranks applicants is by giving them a separate score for their GPA, MCAT, LORs, Interview, and overall application (ECs). If you meet the cut off you get in and if you don't then you get waitlisted/rejected. Also, if you are a borderline applicant, they will discuss your file more in depth. From my specific interview session, it feels like the interview will probably not "make" your application, but could surely "break" it.

The school itself is beautiful. The campus has a semi-closed feel to it, even though it is in the middle of Stratford. The facilities all look brand new and technologically advanced. The students ( I talked to a lot) all said the same thing: They felt like a family here and the administration's number one goal seems to be their student's success. I find it hard to diasgree with this, especially with my interactions with the staff, a personal phone call for interviews, the minimal deposit required, and the ability for non-residents to claim NJ residency and its financial benefits after one year.

Overall, the whole experience was amazing. This was already my first choice before coming, and this just solidified that. I hope I get that call next Friday! =D If you have any specific questions definitely let me know and I'll try and answer them.

SHOUT OUT to the amazing people I interviewed with! They told me they were SDN lurkers but never really posted. (PM me if you get that call =])

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Tianar said:

Voice mail for an interview invite!

Called back and had to leave a message, hopefully they will get back to me soon. 😀

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qawsy123 said:

Ahh, I have to post now that you've called me out 🙂

I also wanted to share my experience at the the interview yesterday. MedicalMBA did a fantastic job of going over the general atmosphere of the school. As soon as I arrived, everyone was friendly and smiling, and although I was nervous and slightly jet lagged (NJ resident but currently in California) I instantly felt calm and reassured that no was going to try to give me a hard time or try to drill me during the interview. The admissions staff also knows/remembers everyone in the program, which goes to show how much they go out of their way to make their students feel happy and at home.

In the interview (which was one on one) we began by going over very specific things about my application, and the doctor who interviewed us that day wrote out everything I was telling him right in front of me, so it did not seem so cryptic and nerve-racking. Like MedicalMBA said, it felt like the interview flew by, and I wound up talking for most of it. It also did not feel like a q&a, but rather a way for them to get a general sense of who you are, and why you were there. We discussed very openly my strengths and weaknesses, and what I could do to improve my chances, as well as what I have already done to prove myself. The interviewer even told me how he would present his interview experience with me to the committee if they decided my file needed additional review!

After the interview, we were allowed to sit in on a first year Biochemistry class while we waited for all the applicants (there were five of us interviewing that day) to finish up their interviews. Then we had lunch and current students took us on a tour of the campus. The facilities all seem new and updated, and every student seemed so happy to be there. From their experiences and descriptions, you could tell that this is a strong program, and UMDNJ really strives to accomodate to their students. After the tour, the admissions staff recounted some funny stories of students reactions after getting accepted and getting off the waitlist. All in all, it was a great experience. UMDNJ is my first choice, and the interview made me feel even more excited than I already was about the program.

Just some facts/figures fyi, I think they received ~3100 applications so far, and they have about 160 seats. There is a strong preference for NJ residents (we were all NJ-ians in the interview) but I met some students who were originally OOS as well. Like MedicalMBA said, they meet Friday Sept 21 to review all interviewed applicants thus far (they began interviewing Aug 16 I believe), and you either get a call that Friday if accepted 🙂xf🙂 or they send out a letter in the mail notifying you that you are on the waitlist.

Hope this helps! I'll try posting all of my other interview experiences (so far interviewed at LECOM-Seton Hill, and have invites from UNECOM, NOVA, and ACOM).

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qawsy123 said:

Ahh, I have to post now that you've called me out 🙂

I also wanted to share my experience at the the interview yesterday. MedicalMBA did a fantastic job of going over the general atmosphere of the school. As soon as I arrived, everyone was friendly and smiling, and although I was nervous and slightly jet lagged (NJ resident but currently in California) I instantly felt calm and reassured that no was going to try to give me a hard time or try to drill me during the interview. The admissions staff also knows/remembers everyone in the program, which goes to show how much they go out of their way to make their students feel happy and at home.

In the interview (which was one on one) we began by going over very specific things about my application, and the doctor who interviewed us that day wrote out everything I was telling him right in front of me, so it did not seem so cryptic and nerve-racking. Like MedicalMBA said, it felt like the interview flew by, and I wound up talking for most of it. It also did not feel like a q&a, but rather a way for them to get a general sense of who you are, and why you were there. We discussed very openly my strengths and weaknesses, and what I could do to improve my chances, as well as what I have already done to prove myself. The interviewer even told me how he would present his interview experience with me to the committee if they decided my file needed additional review!

After the interview, we were allowed to sit in on a first year Biochemistry class while we waited for all the applicants (there were five of us interviewing that day) to finish up their interviews. Then we had lunch and current students took us on a tour of the campus. The facilities all seem new and updated, and every student seemed so happy to be there. From their experiences and descriptions, you could tell that this is a strong program, and UMDNJ really strives to accomodate to their students. After the tour, the admissions staff recounted some funny stories of students reactions after getting accepted and getting off the waitlist. All in all, it was a great experience. UMDNJ is my first choice, and the interview made me feel even more excited than I already was about the program.

Just some facts/figures fyi, I think they received ~3100 applications so far, and they have about 160 seats. There is a strong preference for NJ residents (we were all NJ-ians in the interview) but I met some students who were originally OOS as well. Like MedicalMBA said, they meet Friday Sept 21 to review all interviewed applicants thus far (they began interviewing Aug 16 I believe), and you either get a call that Friday if accepted 🙂xf🙂 or they send out a letter in the mail notifying you that you are on the waitlist.

Hope this helps! I'll try posting all of my other interview experiences (so far interviewed at LECOM-Seton Hill, and have invites from UNECOM, NOVA, and ACOM).

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RainSan said:

all these stories are just making me love this school even more!!! It was alrdy my #1 choice and i just want the interview so much more now! im in-state and alrdy have some experience with the area, a friend at the PA school there and a cousin who is a recent med school grad working at a few of the associated hospitals. both of them have rly great things to say about the school/staff too, with so many different positive experiences they must rly be on top of their game.
interview invite plz!!

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Hope this helps! I'll try posting all of my other interview experiences (so far interviewed at LECOM-Seton Hill, and have invites from UNECOM, NOVA, and ACOM).

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MedicalMBA said:

I just remembered my interviewer telling me this so I thought I'd share. He said that UMDNJ has a policy of replacing your science gpa completely with your post-bac gpa if you decide to go that route. I thought that was pretty interesting and beneficial to anyone who has a poor science GPA. I can't remember if this was stated before by someone or not.

Good luck!

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TheBoss88 said:

I'm about to mail this secondary app in today because UMDNJ sent me a follow up e-mail saying that they have my letters of rec but not my secondary app. Did anyone else get this e-mail? Do you think this means that they are legitimately interested in me?

cGPA: 3.82
MCAT: 30

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EnergyDrink said:

When are you guys interviewing? I'm on for October 2

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MedicalMBA said:

AHHHH So nervous for Friday!!! Who else is expecting to hear their decision this Friday?!

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Dmr6186 said:

I'd call out of work if I were you and glue my phone to my hand until they call!

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Dmr6186 said:

I'd call out of work if I were you and glue my phone to my hand until they call!

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djv5025 said:

Just remember they usually call the number on your Primary application. I was waiting for a phone call on my cell phone last year, and just happened to be watching tv, when the phone rang and I saw on the caller ID that it was UMDNJ, lol. Needless to say, I made a bee-line to the phone. Just thought I'd let everyone waiting for Friday aware! It's a nerve-wrecking day to begin with!

Good luck to everyone on Friday!

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xrealityx said:

already losing sleep over friday .. good thing my professors gave me two exams to make the day less nerve wracking!!

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Dr SunDai said:

Good Luck to everyone awaiting decisions tomorrow!! If for some reason you are waitlisted, please don't lose hope (the list moves)!!!! Also, if the decision is unfavorable DO NOT take it personally, use it as a learning experience and keep pressing forward. My wish for you all is an acceptance...fingers and toes crossed for you all!!!!! :::::good vibes::::

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