Official 2008 Secondary Questions Thread

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I got Miami's secondary. My MCAT isn't in yet, so they based it just on my gpa. It said that I have met their gpa requirements, and that "to receive committee consideration, you must have a minimum composite MCAT score of 24 and you must have taken the exam in 2005 or later. To be truly competitive, non-Florida applicants must have an MCAT score of 30 or higher." Oh, and I'm a non-resident.

Their secondary asks which campus you want (Miami or Boca Raton), and that if you make a selection you'll be considered only for that campus. No preference will mean consideration for both. They also have a section to establish your FL residency. As for the secondary essay questions:

Non-Science/ Non-Medical Life Experiences

Follow the instructions and write brief narratives of your activities in the categories listed. Leaving categories blank in this section will not make the application incomplete. Where appropriate, indicate the year(s) in which you performed the activity and the length of your involvement. Narratives are limited to 375 characters each. Do not refer the reader to your AMCAS application:

Community Work
(organized activities performed for the benefit of the community)



Employment
(work experiences during the past five years that have been unrelated to science or healthcare)



Counseling/Teaching/Leadership
(activities as a leader, organizer, counselor, advisor, or teacher)



Fine Arts
(activities involving dance, drama, music, art, photography, etc.)



Sports
(organized team sports or recreational activities that you play, watch, or follow)



Journalism
(activities in which you served as a writer or editor)



Travel
(describe your most memorable travel experience)



Hobbies
(what do you do/collect for fun and relaxation)

Page 4 Narrative One

Briefly describe the one healthcare experience that has had the most influence on your decision to study medicine. Please note that this narrative is limited to 1,875 characters. Do not refer the reader to your AMCAS application.

Narrative Two

Tell us why you would like to study medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. If you chose either the Miami campus or the Boca Raton campus to attend, tell us why you would like to attend that campus.

I haven't finished going through the secondary, but I think those are the main questions from reading the application instructions. Oh, and it's an online application, with online payment ($65). I love that.

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MCW sent out the link and password to me this morning for the secondary. I don't have much time to explore it but I don't believe there are any additional essays, they just want to know what letters you will be submitting (Committee, individual, or packet), your picture, and some dinero.

Really? I didn't get anything. I wonder why.
 
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haha, i was thinking the same thing. for some reason i haven't gotten any secondaries since yesterday, but before that i got about 1/day... and it occupied my time at work.. :) hopefully they'll start up again soon
 
I just got Cornell's :D...

But I don't think I'll apply there... my stats aren't top notch, if you know what I mean :rolleyes:
 
i was just verified on monday at 4pm. i have received 3 so far. right now i am just finishing up columbia and trying not to sound like a tool about what satisfaction i expect as a physician...
 
i dont understand if once you're verified why you don't get every non-screening school's secondary right away? anyone know?
 
i dont understand if once you're verified why you don't get every non-screening school's secondary right away? anyone know?
because some schools are still fixing out the kinks in their secondary delivery systems.
 
I got Cornell's E-mail this morning.
200 words/essay
 
MCW sent out the link and password to me this morning for the secondary. I don't have much time to explore it but I don't believe there are any additional essays, they just want to know what letters you will be submitting (Committee, individual, or packet), your picture, and some dinero.

Yup. No essays whatsoever. There is an optional photo to upload, and it's an online secondary with online credit card payment.

Also, be aware that if you were ever in, currently enrolled in, or graduated from a graduate program, they want an additional letter from a prof. at that grad institution. However, if it was a very long time ago (for me it was 8 years ago), they will let you just have someone in the dean/registrar's office send a letter attesting to the fact that you went there the years you say, and that you graduated (I called and spoke to the admin director at MCW about this). Apparently they don't get a copy of your transcript, so that's what they require for previous grad students.
 
Yup. No essays whatsoever. There is an optional photo to upload, and it's an online secondary with online credit card payment.

Also, be aware that if you were ever in, currently enrolled in, or graduated from a graduate program, they want an additional letter from a prof. at that grad institution. However, if it was a very long time ago (for me it was 8 years ago), they will let you just have someone in the dean/registrar's office send a letter attesting to the fact that you went there the years you say, and that you graduated (I called and spoke to the admin director at MCW about this). Apparently they don't get a copy of your transcript, so that's what they require for previous grad students.

I didn't get anything... Weird.
 
Email invite today

Optional Essay

What additional information, if any, do you wish to provide the Admissions Committee that may be important in the evaluation of your candidacy? You may include anything in this essay that you feel is relevant. For example, many applicants have encountered various challenges in their backgrounds (e.g., coming from a low-income family, having to work a large number of hours per week while going to college, experiencing educational disadvantages in their pre-college years, following an unusually difficult course of study, changes in schools, time away from school, etc.). The Admissions Committee takes many factors into consideration when assessing performance. If your path to medicine has not been direct, please elaborate. If you feel that you have encountered significant disadvantages and would like the Admissions Committee to take them into consideration, you are invited (not required) to provide this additional information. (Limit response to 500 words.)

What if you don't have additional information? In other words, how do adcoms view no response on this optional essay?...This may seem like the obvious answer of "leave it blank," but that doesn't seem good to me...
 
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Has anyone gotten secondaries from schools in IL yet?
 
just got medical college of wisconsin's secondary
 
i have not received vermont yet and they send it to everyone whats goin on?

I haven't received Vermont yet either. Maybe they only sent it to residents so far? I'm not a resident.
 
anyone get UMDNJ-NJMS (not RWJ)?
 
does anyone know how the secondaries are handled by the following schools? I'm in spain for the summer, so online applications are obviously going to be better. Thanks for any info!


USC
UCLA
UCI
UCSF
UCSD
UofW Seattle
UCD


I applied to some others, but these are my top choices. thanks!


bump. no one has any info on these schools? Are any of these MAIL only? if thats the case, I'm pretty screwed, since I'm in spain.
 
Has anyone gotten secondaries from schools in IL yet?


Only IL school I have gotten any correspondence from has been SIU. They sent an email saying that they pre-screen applicants before they hand out secondaries.

Other than that no word from IL.
 
The MCW secondary has the following question.

"Have you ever been charged with or convicted of any offense, other then a speeding violation?"

This is troubling. Can they hold it against you if you were charged with something but not convicted? If the case was dropped or you were found innocent?

What about the time I was nailed for "following to close"... that isn't speeding.
 
What if you don't have additional information? In other words, how do adcoms view no response on this optional essay?...This may seem like the obvious answer of "leave it blank," but that doesn't seem good to me...

The universal answer I have gotten for this question is that there are no optional essays. There is always something you can write about. Maybe use an essay from another secondary?
 
The universal answer I have gotten for this question is that there are no optional essays. There is always something you can write about. Maybe use an essay from another secondary?

Thanks AMPed!
 
The MCW secondary has the following question.

"Have you ever been charged with or convicted of any offense, other then a speeding violation?"

This is troubling. Can they hold it against you if you were charged with something but not convicted? If the case was dropped or you were found innocent?

What about the time I was nailed for "following to close"... that isn't speeding.

I'd tell them about it. Most schools forgive 'minor traffic violations'. Especially if you were not convicted of anything.
 
bump. no one has any info on these schools? Are any of these MAIL only? if thats the case, I'm pretty screwed, since I'm in spain.

Hi soulspokn. As I understand it, because the UC's screen (I know you listed others too), they tend to not send secondaries as quickly. In searching sdn, one poster said they got a UCLA secondary in September. If someone else knows more about this, definitely post about it.

I say check your email, but enjoy the traveling! :cool: (sunglasses for the vacation haha)
 
Just got the email from jefferson with login info for their secondary

but I can't get it to work when I click "complete secondary application"...
 
Just got the secondary invite from JMC via e-mail. Logged in, clicked on "Complete Medical College Secondary Application" and got some error. Hope it's fixed soon. Will post more when it's up.

-z
 
Just got the email from jefferson with login info for their secondary

I just got that too, but the website is not working for me. I can log in, but when I try to access the secondary application, it says there's no data. I go back and try again, but it says there was a 'break-in attempt' and I have to log in again.

Anyone else?



Edit: Beaten to it!
 
I just got that too, but the website is not working for me. I can log in, but when I try to access the secondary application, it says there's no data. I go back and try again, but it says there was a 'break-in attempt' and I have to log in again.

Anyone else?

Me too. Fired off an e-mail to them. We'll see.
 
Me too. Fired off an e-mail to them. We'll see.

I did the same. Haha it was so weird, I was looking on this thread and clicked on the link about the Jefferson secondary, and then when I closed it and checked my email, I had the email from Jefferson about their secondary.
 
Just got Jefferson's right now... =P
 
For Medical college of wisconsin, I am going to have an advisor letter with some professor letters uploaded on virtual evals. Does anyone know which option I should chose for "letters"?

"Undergrad Packet of letters?" or
"One premed advisor letter?"


Thanks.
 
weird i havent gotten an email from jefferson yet :(
 
For Jefferson, I am going to have an advisor letter with some professor letters uploaded on virtual evals. Does anyone know which option I should chose for "letters"?

"Undergrad Packet of letters?" or
"One premed advisor letter?"


Thanks.

My school does that too. I selected "One premed advisor letter", since my school sends the committee composite letter and staples the individual letters they referenced. *shrug*
 
I received Jefferson and Cornell's secondary today.

Also- I'm not a resident of Vermont, but I have gotten that secondary if that helps anyone.
 
For Jefferson:

Letters of Recommmendation are to be transmitted via VirtualEval or, if your school does not have VirtualEval, then letters are to be FAXED to our digital secured FAX line at (215) 503.8877.


So, can we not use interfolio or mail them?
 
Any ideas on Vermont's section that just says "additional information" and provides like 5 lines? Do I leave it blank? I have no idea what I would put there.
 
For Jefferson:

Letters of Recommmendation are to be transmitted via VirtualEval or, if your school does not have VirtualEval, then letters are to be FAXED to our digital secured FAX line at (215) 503.8877.


So, can we not use interfolio or mail them?

That's certainly what that statement seems to imply, as weird as that would be. Try giving them a call.
 
btw i just called jeff. they send out in batches..
 
Is there any way to check our sat scores online somewhere, like from the people who originally administered the test? (I don't even remember what company did).
 
Most undergrad institutions keep track of it- ask your advisor or registrar if they have it. I luckily still had a pdf of the common app saved on my computer...
 
its the college board that did the SAT stuff
 
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