10+ Interviews

[MCAT guy]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Despite the posters online dictionary explanation, most adcoms are educated people and educated people do not say "a myriad of."

What about the use of "your" in place of "you're"? Is this something educated people will say?

Please clarify. THX!

 

[DM3]

My first post!

I can't believe it took me this long to get on here, in my last semester of undergrad.

Anyways, I have 13 interview invites so far, with a fair amount of 'reach' schools outstanding. So far I've attended 7, been accepted by five, and canceled three. I'm 3.7/38, which helped, but I'm coming from a relatively unknown school (outside the state of Florida), UCF, so I figure my application is roughly average, all things considered.

I agree with many above posters that applying to a nice range of med schools is key. I'm not a URM, though I did have a rather dramatic couple of years as an undergrad, and was able to write a compelling PS. Plus, my grades took a sharp upturn after everything settled down (all As in my junior and senior Molec Bio coursework).

I also have a lot of other interests; I held a national ranking in fencing, wrote a novel, am an avid reader and cook, and play drums in a band. I really had to force myself to accent these traits in my application because my first instinct was to downplay my non-scientific endeavors, but the results speak for themselves.

My advice: write SHORT essays and stress what sets you apart like crazy. We're all smart; emphasize what makes you awesome.

 

[muhali3]

My first post!

I can't believe it took me this long to get on here, in my last semester of undergrad.

Anyways, I have 13 interview invites so far, with a fair amount of 'reach' schools outstanding. So far I've attended 7, been accepted by five, and canceled three. I'm 3.7/38, which helped, but I'm coming from a relatively unknown school (outside the state of Florida), UCF, so I figure my application is roughly average, all things considered.

I agree with many above posters that applying to a nice range of med schools is key. I'm not a URM, though I did have a rather dramatic couple of years as an undergrad, and was able to write a compelling PS. Plus, my grades took a sharp upturn after everything settled down (all As in my junior and senior Molec Bio coursework).

I also have a lot of other interests; I held a national ranking in fencing, wrote a novel, am an avid reader and cook, and play drums in a band. I really had to force myself to accent these traits in my application because my first instinct was to downplay my non-scientific endeavors, but the results speak for themselves.

My advice: write SHORT essays and stress what sets you apart like crazy. We're all smart; emphasize what makes you awesome.

False

 

[orion333]

The number, broken out by in-state, out of state, international is right there in the MSAR. This is the best $25 you'll spend in this application process. Seriously, get a copy.

I also could not agree more about targeting your applications to your numbers. This is one of the most important things you can do in the application process.

Thanks Lizzy. I've actually had the MSAR since May, and although I have read through it about 50 times so far, I missed that "Interviewed" line buried in the Acceptance & Matriculation Data. I always just looked at total applicants and matriculants, but later realized that those numbers can be deceiving. For example, do you know if "total applicants" includes folks who never submitted a secondary?

What I'd really like to see is:
1) # of "complete" applications
2) # of offers extended

 

[DM3]

Haha, yikes.

OK, maybe above average, but not top? The point wasn't to beat my own drum, it was more to demonstrate that my application did have some weak points that have prohibited me from competing at some top institutions. BU for instance rejected me w/o an interview, so they must have seen something they didn't like.

While your point about Dean German (<3 her) is well-made, you have no idea how many times I've been asked in interviews "UCF? Isn't that a commuter school?" or "Mickey Mouse University, right?". Any Florida undergrad that isn't Miami, FSU or Florida seems to get lumped into a 2nd or 3rd tier category out of hand, which has proven frustrating.

I had some research and significant OR time too, but I really attribute my success so far to my effort to appear like a real person on paper, which was my main advice.

Which would of course be 'False', as you so aptly put it, b/c everyone knows no pre-med is a 'real person' in the classic sense ; )

 

[BrainBuff]

Any Florida undergrad that isn't Miami, FSU or Florida seems to get lumped into a 2nd or 3rd tier category out of hand, which has proven frustrating.

I know is gotta be frustrating, but UCF is a third tier school as ranked by USNews. You don't need to defend the school. You need to present yourself well as an applicant, and apparently you have been successful at that.

 

[DM3]

BTW what do you tell them when they ask that about UCF? Stuff along the lines as that of which I suggested? Just curious.

lol to be honest you just gave me a few ideas for the next time I'm asked ; )

I have taken the route the above poster suggested, which is not to try and defend anything; I've just held my head high and tried to let my performance on the national exam speak for itself. I did pretty well with *just* a UCF education, which I think says more than I ever could about the strength of the Molec Bio program.

All of that being said, I was sort of hurt when the UCF College of Medicine deferred me, though I admit that may not be an entirely rational sentiment.

 

[IvyHopeful20]

However i will make one point to you on another note!!

Your point about playing up your unique activities is important. VERY IMPORTANT. There are plenty of people who volunteered in a hospital, who shadowed physicians, who did this that and the other that are typical premed activities.

Agreed. I have 14 interviews so far (I didn't apply to many more) and no rejections. I think the biggest reason is, and the biggest topics of discussion at those places has been 1) Math major 2) martial arts competitions 3) research. At several of those places, we never even got around to 'Why Doctor?' or 'Why this school?'

Being unique is such a huge deal...it makes sense considering the number of applications they get.

 

[wanderer]

It WAS an "actual mistake." Despite the posters online dictionary explanation, most adcoms are educated people and educated people do not say "a myriad of."

It grates like fingernails on a chalkboard and will be noticed by many people who read your secondaries, just like many SDNers noticed it. And adcoms won't go to dictionary.com to check it!!!!

At a minimum, it is a fundamental rule of grammar to use ONE word instead of THREE whenever possible. Good writing rules should be followed, even if they are not mandatory.

Oh, and some dictionaries allow you to use the word "irregardless" now too, but I would highly recommend against it.

I believe I got an acceptance letter from a school that used "a myriad of" in the letter. I know it's wrong but apparently the people writing these things don't seem to know the difference. By the way most uneducated people don't use "myriad" in any form.

While your point about Dean German (<3 her) is well-made, you have no idea how many times I've been asked in interviews "UCF? Isn't that a commuter school?" or "Mickey Mouse University, right?". Any Florida undergrad that isn't Miami, FSU or Florida seems to get lumped into a 2nd or 3rd tier category out of hand, which has proven frustrating.

That's odd. I go to a similarly unknown school and rarely have I been asked about my undergrad. A couple of times I was asked my thoughts about it, but never was I directly asked why I went there or did they imply they thought less of me for it. Though I'm sure it factors into their overall decision.

Agreed. I have 14 interviews so far (I didn't apply to many more) and no rejections. I think the biggest reason is, and the biggest topics of discussion at those places has been 1) Math major 2) martial arts competitions 3) research. At several of those places, we never even got around to 'Why Doctor?' or 'Why this school?'

Being unique is such a huge deal...it makes sense considering the number of applications they get.

Maybe for top schools but outside of that I don't think these things are that important. My application is fairly typical, and at all my interviews I've been asked the usual. The whole unique thing is overrated for the most part (though if you're borderline or non-trad it could definitely help).

 

[ElChamaco]

The noun form (myriad of) apparently predates the adjectival form (myriad), though I admit I find 'myriad of' awkward.

Usage
Myriad is derived from a Greek noun and adjective meaning ‘ten thousand.’ It was first used in English as a noun in reference to a great but indefinite number. The adjectival sense of ‘countless, innumerable’ appeared much later. In modern English, use of myriad as a noun and adjective are equally standard and correct, despite the fact that some traditionalists consider the adjective as the only acceptable use of the word


http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/...2E83829D8B5DD7591099A3AD0D2561#m_en_us1270231

 

[slowbutsteady]

What about the use of "your" in place of "you're"? Is this something educated people will say?

Please clarify. THX!

Are you suggesting that I misused the word "your" when I said "your secondaries" and that I should have said "you're?"

If so, you are really scaring me. Please, reconsider medical school.

 

[RoboChicken]

Does your "reader" know that it is incorrect to say "a myriad of?"

The word "myriad" means "many." Would you say "a many of suggestions?"

I would get a new reader and hope that you didn't use the word "myriad" in any of your secondaries.

Your welcome.

Are you suggesting that I misused the word "your" when I said "your secondaries" and that I should have said "you're?"

If so, you are really scaring me. Please, reconsider medical school.

Nah, he's referring to your earlier post.

 

[CougarMD]

I think this is hilarious that this discussion is still happening.


slowbutsteady....not sure why you picked me to crap all over, but really....is it worth your effort?

I posted something that I thought would be useful along the lines of the topic. Nowhere in my post did I profess to be a writing genius. In fact...my whole point was that I USED a writing genius to edit me. Despite how important you seem to think your posts and this forum are, she does not edit my posts on here. In fact, I doubt she even knows that this site exists. Of course, all of that is assuming that I made some huge mistake.....which apparently I did not.

If you did not find my observations helpful....then THAT would have been the thing to pick on. Picking on my allegedly poor use of a word was just.....well...petty. And it is very unclear why you did it in the first place.

On the plus side....I hope you have put this much effort into your apps, because then you will likely become a doctor in the next decade, and I look forward to working with you🙄

 

[RoboChicken]

I think this is hilarious that this discussion is still happening.


slowbutsteady....not sure why you picked me to crap all over, but really....is it worth your effort?

I posted something that I thought would be useful along the lines of the topic. Nowhere in my post did I profess to be a writing genius. In fact...my whole point was that I USED a writing genius to edit me. Despite how important you seem to think your posts and this forum are, she does not edit my posts on here. In fact, I doubt she even knows that this site exists. Of course, all of that is assuming that I made some huge mistake.....which apparently I did not.

If you did not find my observations helpful....then THAT would have been the thing to pick on. Picking on my allegedly poor use of a word was just.....well...petty. And it is very unclear why you did it in the first place.

On the plus side....I hope you have put this much effort into your apps, because then you will likely become a doctor in the next decade, and I look forward to working with you🙄

+1...and that's exactly why I had no problem clearing things up a bit

If you're making mistakes differentiating between your and you're, you have no place making a fuss over gray-area words....