2006 Non-Trad Applicants' Progress Thread

[QofQuimica]

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Have you also started a collection of signed books by authors?

lmao, yes. 😳 😀 Some of the more interesting authors I've met were Joceyln Elders (surgeon general under Clinton who advocated masturbation to avoid pregnancy and spread of STDs), Laurie Garrett (The Coming Plague, Betrayal of Trust, both about public health), Fred Shuttlesworth (leader of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights; he was the one who invited MLK to B'ham to face Bull Connor), and Cornell West (African American studies prof who was rebuked by Pres. Summers while at Harvard).

I also have a signed copy of Ralph David Abernathy's memoirs, although I didn't meet him. (He was the third leader of the B'ham civil rights campaign with King and Shuttlesworth; Shuttlesworth is the only one of the three who is still alive.)

Who are some of the more interesting authors that you have met?

 

[1Path]

lmao, yes. 😳 😀 Some of the more interesting authors I've met were Joceyln Elders (surgeon general under Clinton who advocated masturbation to avoid pregnancy and spread of STDs),

With all due respect Q, I'd like to think (and I'm sure she would agree) that Dr. Elders would probably rather be rememered more for being the first black woman surgeon general and a STRONG advocate for safe sex, than someone who advocated masturbation. 😕

 

[titoincali]

lmao, yes. 😳 😀 Some of the more interesting authors I've met were Joceyln Elders (surgeon general under Clinton who advocated masturbation to avoid pregnancy and spread of STDs), Laurie Garrett (The Coming Plague, Betrayal of Trust, both about public health), Fred Shuttlesworth (leader of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights; he was the one who invited MLK to B'ham to face Bull Connor), and Cornell West (African American studies prof who was rebuked by Pres. Summers while at Harvard).

I also have a signed copy of Ralph David Abernathy's memoirs, although I didn't meet him. (He was the third leader of the B'ham civil rights campaign with King and Shuttlesworth; Shuttlesworth is the only one of the three who is still alive.)

Who are some of the more interesting authors that you have met?

You met Laurie Garrett? I really have enjoyed her books, especially Betrayal of Trust. That book was what cemented my belief that I wanted to pursue preventive medicine and public health in general. I tend to read a lot fiction (outside from my numerous books on public health). I have met Barbara Kingsolver, Garrison Keillor, Simon Winchester, Sandra Benitez, Jane Hamilton (went to my undergrad), Amy Tan, and Alice Walker. Those are the only books in my library I won't lend out!

 

[SailCrazy]

I once saw Jimmy Buffett having lunch at the Margaritaville cafe in Key West.

I also at lunch at a table next to Dennis Franz in Chicago.

I spotted Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn eating lunch at an airport cafe in San Francisco.

I once tracked down Dr. J as he was hiding behind a wall in the Philadelphia airport eating a hot dog.

I saw Joe Thiesman on an escalator in O'Hare. (He must have had a sandwich in his carry-on!)


Apparently I have a knack for finding celebrities & their lunches!! 😀

P.S. This doesn't really count for me, but my dad once took a leak next to Michael Jordan in the skybox area of Wrigley Field... No, he didn't look. & Yes, someone (not my dad) did ask Jordan for an autograph as he was taking care of business! 😱

 

[titoincali]

I once saw Jimmy Buffett having lunch at the Margaritaville cafe in Key West.

Are you kidding?! That's pretty ironic and funny.

 

[SailCrazy]

I once saw Jimmy Buffett having lunch at the Margaritaville cafe in Key West.

Are you kidding?! That's pretty ironic and funny.

Not as ironic & funny as it might sound.
He owns the place (so I guess he eats & plays there with some frequency) and was in town for an authors convention.

 

[QofQuimica]

With all due respect Q, I'd like to think (and I'm sure she would agree) that Dr. Elders would probably rather be rememered more for being the first black woman surgeon general and a STRONG advocate for safe sex, than someone who advocated masturbation. 😕

lol, I'd agree that may well be her preference, but that isn't the first thing that comes to most people's minds when they think of her. That whole Clinton era in general has the same problem.... 😉

 

[titoincali]

Not as ironic & funny as it might sound.
He owns the place (so I guess he eats & plays there with some frequency) and was in town for an authors convention.

Oops. Didn't know that. It's great that he spends time there. Bet the customers love that.

Whenever I'm in Carmel the locals love to tell me about Clint Eastwood and places he likes to frequent.

 

[JamieMac]

By the way, what were the stats of the UofM non-trad?

I believe he said he was low 30's on the MCAT, and around a 3.6 for his pre-reqs. It just sounded low to get into UofM.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Submitted on 7/1
Verified 7/14.

Difference between UG and Grad is like night and day. Really crappy UG (no need to get into specifics) really good Graduate (cumm.:3.63). Yes I did finish the program, graduated this year in fact, I am still working on my thesis which is still in draft.

Taking August MCAT and applied to both DO and MD schools.

Hopefully, the schools will put more emphasis on the fact that my graduate grades are great and this was done while working full time and raising a family. And I am not talking about just 1 class a semester. The last year I took 2-3 classes per semester. Wish us all luck.

 

[JamieMac]

As far as physics is concerned, I took the non-calc physics. I worked hard but it went well. I don't know if I would have survived trying to re-learn calc in a calc-based class. Review your basic trig. early if that isn't fresh. I beat OChem into submission, again through lots of time & effort.

Ok Sail,
I have another question for you. Do you feel that the non-calc physics prepared you well enough for the MCAT? Also, do you think that schools may give you less consideration as a result of taking the 'less difficult' route? The reason I ask is that I also have the option of taking the non-calc physics, and wouldn't mind not stressing over calc review if you know what I mean. Anyone else who'd like to put their two cents in is welcome. I'd love to hear what you guys think about it.
Thanks.

 

[SailCrazy]

If anything I'd say that it was better preparation. The MCAT physics is non-calculus, so I felt that my physics classes were almost identical to what I saw on test day.

As far as how schools view the two classes, I really don't know. To look at it another way, I'm pretty sure my A in non-calc physics looks better than the likely B I would have earned (with a lot of work and some luck) in calc-based! 😉

What do others think?

Ok Sail,
I have another question for you. Do you feel that the non-calc physics prepared you well enough for the MCAT? Also, do you think that schools may give you less consideration as a result of taking the 'less difficult' route? The reason I ask is that I also have the option of taking the non-calc physics, and wouldn't mind not stressing over calc review if you know what I mean. Anyone else who'd like to put their two cents in is welcome. I'd love to hear what you guys think about it.
Thanks.

 

[blee]

Well, now that some secondaries have come in, I kind of wish they'd stop for a while. These things are more annoying than I had expected them to be. And the $$$ isn't much fun, either! 😛

 

[QofQuimica]

Well, now that some secondaries have come in, I kind of wish they'd stop for a while. These things are more annoying than I had expected them to be. And the $$$ isn't much fun, either! 😛

lol, I was just telling a friend last night that I have to be more careful about what I wish for in the future. To think, only a short week ago I was impatient to start receiving secondaries. 😉

 

[SailCrazy]

lol, I was just telling a friend last night that I have to be more careful about what I wish for in the future. To think, only a short week ago I was impatient to start receiving secondaries. 😉

I hear ya' Q!

My status is now updated:
Transcripts: 5/24
Submitted: 7/7 ~11am (hopefully a lucky day!)
Verified: 7/15 noon 🙂

I haven't received a secondary yet, and I'm already a bit intimidated by the task ahead of me!

Good luck everyone!

 

[blee]

So has anyone not received secondaries from some schools that have already sent some out? I applied to Jefferson, for example, and have yet to hear anything.

 

[SailCrazy]

So has anyone not received secondaries from some schools that have already sent some out? I applied to Jefferson, for example, and have yet to hear anything.

Well, as I was just verified Friday at noon, I'm not surprised by a lack of secondaries! 🙂

I did receive CaseWestern's right away on Friday evening.

 

[ShyRem]

So has anyone not received secondaries from some schools that have already sent some out? I applied to Jefferson, for example, and have yet to hear anything.

I haven't heard from Temple or VCU, though I understand a few others have gotten their secondaries from those schools already. On the other hand, folks are still hearing from KCOM and MCW giving out secondaries and mine have been submitted for about a week now (waiting on LORs).

 

[sweetdoc]

I guess I'm a late addition. I'm still working on my application and personal statement and will definitely finish everything by the end of July. Anyways, I'll probably be back with last minute questions later, but I just wanted to stop in and introduce myself and wish the best of luck to us all.

sweetdoc 😳

 

[blee]

VCU's status site is now available; all they had to tell me is that they received my AMCAS application and will make a decision on whether to invite me to submit a secondary.

I've read of a few people who have submitted secondaries for some schools that have them openly available online. Will these schools still contact me at some point, or is that just their standard procedure?

 

[ShyRem]

I got the VCU status page as well, and Temple today too.

 

[registered user]

So has anyone not received secondaries from some schools that have already sent some out? I applied to Jefferson, for example, and have yet to hear anything.

I haven't heard from Jefferson either and have been verified since 6-27. I'm not gonna worry about it until next month. Let us know when you get it.

 

[blee]

Got EVMS earlier today. I submitted AMCAS on the first day and was verified a week later, just for reference.

 

[QofQuimica]

I received UF's secondary today and sent off U. Miami. 👍 How are the rest of you guys doing?

 

[blee]

(oops, repost...sorry)

 

[titoincali]

Hello non-trads!

This is how obsessive I am: I am in beautiful Oslo, Norway and I can't help myself from logging on to SDN! At least I was able to wait until day 4 of my vacation. Plus, someone I don't even know on SDN decided to PM to tell me how "sucky" my college is and to tell me I "lied" about the ranking in some random posting. WTF??? I couldn't help from logging on to see who this guy is and write back with the link to US News and World Report. I should have let it go but the one thing I hate is being called a liar.

Anyway, I finally got Jefferson's secondary last night. Yeah! I've decided to enjoy this vacation and not stress about secondaries. That hasn't stopped me from pulling out my notebook and writing when there is some down time! I think sitting at an outdoor cafe in Europe drinking some Norweigian beer is good for me though because I've already finished one more essay!

Until later...

 

[blee]

Yep, I got Jefferson yesterday as well. Phew.

 

[QofQuimica]

Plus, someone I don't even know on SDN decided to PM to tell me how "sucky" my college is and to tell me I "lied" about the ranking in some random posting. WTF???

I'm amazed anyone even heard of your college, let alone PMd you to diss it. 🙄 I went to an even smaller liberal arts college than Carleton and hardly anyone has heard of mine. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about what some random person on SDN says about it, Tito, unless that person is an adcom member at a school where you're applying. 😉 😛

 

[ShyRem]

If I'm not mistaken, isn't Carleton a rather well-respected little liberal arts college? That PM must have been from a large university or ivy snob.

 

[ShyRem]

OK. Here's my status:

Secondaries received--done:
Albany: 7/20 notified that amcas received (secondary available in few weeks)
MCW: 7/10--7/10
Temple: 7/15--7/19
VCU: 7/12 notified amcas received
KCOM 7/12--7/15
MSUCOM: 7/10--7/18
NYCOM: 7/12 receipt for amcas
OUCOM: 7/6 (not done yet - waiting for Adobe Pro program so I can so the stupid PDF file!)

Still waiting for/haven't heard from:
Drexel
Univ Colorado
Univ Vermont
DMUCOM
PCOM
PCOM-Ga
UNECOM

The ones I have out the door are waiting for LORs.
Anyone else?

 

[MollyMalone]

We interrupt this thread for a short announcement...



These essays are driving me insaaaaaaaaaaaane!!!
😱 😛 🙄 😴



We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

[blee]

Yes, the essays suck. I've finally reached the point where I can semi-recycle them,though.

I just got this from Wake Forest:

Dear Applicant:

Your application for the next entering class has been received from the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

Our office will contact you when further information is required.

LOL. How informative, thanks!

 

[doctorjoy]

I can finally post something here. I submitted my DO application on the 15th of July 😍 My MD application is complete just need a little more money

 

[ShyRem]

Got Vermont, finished Vermont. Another $85 out the door. *sigh*

 

[blee]

VCU guys, check your status online. I just did (didn't get anything from them, just being neurotic) and found out that I was invited to submit a secondary.

 

[Hoberto]

I am having serious trouble describing my motivation for medicine without rehashing my PS.

The other ones aren't so bad. Well, the OSU wants one about altruism and I don't have a story about how I jumped out of a plane without a parachute so a stranger could have the last chute and live. Most of my altruism is tied into work or school. Is helping people with a class you aren't even in altruism?

I wish they all gave the same essay prompt. Grrrrr!

 

[EMET_BUTS]

I cant think of a good reason to bash Carleton, unless you went to my undergrad institution (across town). You probably saw about half of the Olaf class over there in Norway

 

[titoincali]

I cant think of a good reason to bash Carleton, unless you went to my undergrad institution (across town). You probably saw about half of the Olaf class over there in Norway

An Olie! I have never met an Olie outside of of at St. Olaf! Did you guys have as many jokes about us as we did about you?? All in good fun though. I'm actually on a tour with my choir and the conductor has mentioned St. Olaf at every concert and you can see the heads in the audience nodding in recognition. It's funny!

I'm in Sweden now. I'm not exactly where. We're spending the night in some resort town and heading off to Stockholm tomorrow. I'm a little disorientated by this whole trip; I barely know what day it is.

Thanks for all the support about the whole college thing. Q, you're right. Most of the time when I say I went to Carleton they ask me if it's a community college nearby! I don't mind. It amused me. ShyRem, Carleton is pretty well respected but doesn't have the name recognition that a lot of the east coast liberal arts schools out there.

Ok. I've got to go. I'll post again when I get to Russia. Hope the secondaries are going well. I'm still waiting for one from a school that screens. 🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

Thanks for all the support about the whole college thing. Q, you're right. Most of the time when I say I went to Carleton they ask me if it's a community college nearby! I don't mind. It amused me.

I never got asked if New College was a community college, but for some reason people thought it was hysterical to ask if there was an Old College. 🙄 Actually, we were named after the original New College, which is hardly new or obscure. It was founded in 1379, and it's part of some little rinky dink school called OXFORD UNIVERSITY. 🙄

 

[unfrozencaveman]

If I'm not mistaken, isn't Carleton a rather well-respected little liberal arts college? That PM must have been from a large university or ivy snob.

Everyone that respects the value of a good education enough to go to an Ivy would also know what and where Carleton is (and New for that matter). People who don't know probably didnt have a shot of getting in.

Why is everyone always picking on the ivys??

 

[QofQuimica]

Everyone that respects the value of a good education enough to go to an Ivy would also know what and where Carleton is (and New for that matter). People who don't know probably didnt have a shot of getting in.

Why is everyone always picking on the ivys??

Because the Ivies are supposed to be the Golden Standard, right? Most people, if asked to pick the most prestigious American institution, would pick Harvard, not a liberal arts college. You'd be amazed how few people know about liberal arts colleges actually. I'm guessing you might have heard of NC since you're from FL, but there are lots of people who haven't, even Floridians.

On a completely different note, are you a non-trad, caveman? Did you apply to the other FL schools besides Miami? Maybe we'll end up as classmates. 😀

 

[unfrozencaveman]

Because the Ivies are supposed to be the Golden Standard, right? Most people, if asked to pick the most prestigious American institution, would pick Harvard, not a liberal arts college. You'd be amazed how few people know about liberal arts colleges actually. I'm guessing you might have heard of NC since you're from FL, but there are lots of people who haven't, even Floridians.

On a completely different note, are you a non-trad, caveman? Did you apply to the other FL schools besides Miami? Maybe we'll end up as classmates. 😀

Yeah it's true that liberal arts schools dont get the respect they deserve from the public at large- but I'm sure most ivy grads would know of them... Just part of getting sucked into that culture of academia..

Anyway, yes, I am a non-trad- I was an undergrad at Penn (boo-hiss!!!), worked for a while, did my pre-reqs in a postbacc at Miami, and now keeping my fingers crossed for the year. Keep me updated on your progress... I have applied so far to Miami, USF and UF, and am procrastinating on FSU. Not really sure I want to end up sending in that app (program not really for me, location not for me, secondary too annoying)- but can beggars be choosers? I'm hoping the great state of florida will show me some mercy on Oct 15 so I can start sleeping at night.

 

[SailCrazy]

I'm an Ivy grad who (no offense) had never heard of New College or Carleton.

I think the main reason most people know the big schools and not the small liberal arts colleges has to do with sports & media. You hear about the bigger school both during sports coverage and when the media mentions XYZ discovery from scientists working at ABC Ivy/Big University.

Unless you specifically set out on a quest to learn the identities of small LA schools, or you know someone who went there (less likely because they are small) you probably don't know most of them. Also, because people already know the names of the bigger schools, when they are mentioned the name sticks in your head. If a small LA school is mentioned you might later remember the topic of the story, but not the school's name...

Those are my random thoughts.

Yeah it's true that liberal arts schools dont get the respect they deserve from the public at large- but I'm sure most ivy grads would know of them... Just part of getting sucked into that culture of academia...

 

[SailCrazy]

Anyway, yes, I am a non-trad- I was an undergrad at Penn (boo-hiss!!!), worked for a while, did my pre-reqs in a postbacc

Sounds just like me... except why no love for the Quakers?!? 😕

 

[unfrozencaveman]

I'm all love for the Quakers, the booing was related to the anti-ivy-ness of the earlier post.

Plus what kind of philadelphian doesnt love to boo stuff?

 

[SailCrazy]

I'm all love for the Quakers, the booing was related to the anti-ivy-ness of the earlier post.

Gotcha!
I was a little slow on that one... Probably because I was educated at an Ivy and not a high-powered, small LA school! 👍
(just kidding, of course, and no offense intended to any or all)

 

[QofQuimica]

I have applied so far to Miami, USF and UF, and am procrastinating on FSU. Not really sure I want to end up sending in that app (program not really for me, location not for me, secondary too annoying)- but can beggars be choosers? I'm hoping the great state of florida will show me some mercy on Oct 15 so I can start sleeping at night.

You and me both. 😉 I'm glad to meet another non-trad from FL. I am not applying to FSU, but I sent in secondaries to UF, USF, and U. Miami for the FAU campus. (I just sent off UF today. ) I ended up having to do quite a lot of work for UF, because I wrote a research essay, and I also had to write essays for all three schools about what I have done to improve my application since I last applied to medical school....which I did a decade ago. So that's quite a bit of stuff.

SailCrazy, no offense taken. Going to NC has certainly made applying to medical school interesting, because I don't have grades, a GPA, or credit hours for any of my pre-reqs. But the good thing is that all of the FL schools are familiar with NC, and I passed their screening, even though I have a 0.00 GPA at my main institution.

 

[unfrozencaveman]

You and me both. 😉 I'm glad to meet another non-trad from FL. I am not applying to FSU, but I sent in secondaries to UF, USF, and U. Miami for the FAU campus. (I just sent off UF today. ) I ended up having to do quite a lot of work for UF, because I wrote a research essay, and I also had to write essays for all three schools about what I have done to improve my application since I last applied to medical school....which I did a decade ago. So that's quite a bit of stuff.

SailCrazy, no offense taken. Going to NC has certainly made applying to medical school interesting, because I don't have grades, a GPA, or credit hours for any of my pre-reqs. But the good thing is that all of the FL schools are familiar with NC, and I passed their screening, even though I have a 0.00 GPA at my main institution.

Q- keep me abreast of the progress... We are very much in the same boat, right down to the 0.0 gpa. But mine is Ivy. [clenched jaw chortle] And out of 4 [embarassed dejection]

Anyhoo, any idea on the turnaround time on these puppies? I should be complete at UF and UM (waiting for recs) aug 15...

 

[blee]

How often do you suppose med schools update their status websites? I've been checking Penn's daily, since that's the first school to which I submitted a secondary. My application and money were received quickly enough (online), but so far, none of my recommendation letters show up as being received. I'm not 100% positive, but I would think/hope that at least one of them would've made it out by now.

In other news, JHU's secondary invite and viewbook arrived in the mail yesterday, along with unsolicited WUSTL literature.

 

[QofQuimica]

Q- keep me abreast of the progress... We are very much in the same boat, right down to the 0.0 gpa. But mine is Ivy. [clenched jaw chortle] And out of 4 [embarassed dejection]

Anyhoo, any idea on the turnaround time on these puppies? I should be complete at UF and UM (waiting for recs) aug 15...

Hee hee, cool. I'm glad I'm not the only one with no GPA. 👍 Maybe you are my alter ego, along with lorelei. I checked the FL schools' websites and they all start interviews in Sept. I don't think that they'll process you before they receive your LORs. But I'm guessing nothing is going to happen for a few weeks now anyway. I'm complete at USF and Miami, and I've just submitted everything to UF, so I'll let you know if I hear anything.

blee, Wash. U. will send you a booklet if you score well on the MCAT. How long ago did you send your letters to Penn? They might just not be caught up with updating their website because of the mail backlog, so I suggest that you give them a couple of weeks and then call or email them if your file is still not complete. I'm sure they must be getting tons of mail....Just think, every school must have hundreds of applicants sending them stuff right about now! Can you guys imagine being the person who has to collect and transport the medical admissions mail for any med school??? It must be like an avalanche every day when you open the mailbox!!! 😱