***2007-2008 Application Season*** Post all application questions here! Part I

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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What makes a competitive osteopathic application...I scored a 21Q (P-8,B-8,V-5 and Writing Q)...I am a little worried about the 5 in verbal though...I am contemplating retaking the MCAT this August because of this...What does everyone think?...I believe my GPA is alright...cum-3.67/science 3.9...(double major in Bio and Psych) and I have worked in patient care for seven years, as well as volunteered six months in Tanzania working with a doctor in rural communities.

...the mean MCAT scores for osteopathic matriculants is somewhere around 24...that means schools must accept individuals with scores higher and lower, right?

There are so many angles to ponder and sift through when making a decision to devote seven to nine years of your life studying the human condition...I am ready though...Good luck to all the 2008 applicants!
 
chas said:
What makes a competitive osteopathic application...I scored a 21Q (P-8,B-8,V-5 and Writing Q)...I am a little worried about the 5 in verbal though...I am contemplating retaking the MCAT this August because of this...What does everyone think?...I believe my GPA is alright...cum-3.67/science 3.9...(double major in Bio and Psych) and I have worked in patient care for seven years, as well as volunteered six months in Tanzania working with a doctor in rural communities.

...the mean MCAT scores for osteopathic matriculants is somewhere around 24...that means schools must accept individuals with scores higher and lower, right?

There are so many angles to ponder and sift through when making a decision to devote seven to nine years of your life studying the human condition...I am ready though...Good luck to all the 2008 applicants!
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Hey Chas, nice GPA and iffy MCAT. Have you thought about retaking the exam? Also, your ECs seem fantastic! I think you will be in shooting range for some medical schools, but maybe not the ones with higher MCAT averages (COMP, TCOM, PCOM, etc). If you apply early and keep everything else consistent, you probably will have a chance at some schools.

But, judging from your GPA--the 21 is not reflective of you imo. Also, out of curiousity, is english your first language?
 
DrVanNostran said:
Hey Chas, nice GPA and iffy MCAT. Have you thought about retaking the exam? Also, your ECs seem fantastic! I think you will be in shooting range for some medical schools, but maybe not the ones with higher MCAT averages (COMP, TCOM, PCOM, etc). If you apply early and keep everything else consistent, you probably will have a chance at some schools.

But, judging from your GPA--the 21 is not reflective of you imo. Also, out of curiousity, is english your first language?
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English is my first language...Nasema Kiswahili kidogo...I also speak a little Swahili. Why do u ask??? Thank you for your rapid reply. Per your response, I am considering taking the MCAT this August and will be finishing my aacom application this week. Unfortunately, I was unable to devote enough time studying for the MCAT last go-around and had been out the school/country for a year. However, I am curious with the new MCAT CBT protocol if my scores will make it to the schools before they are finished making their selections. What do you think? Also what does "imo" refer to?
 
chas said:
English is my first language...Nasema Kiswahili kidogo...I also speak a little Swahili. Why do u ask??? Thank you for your rapid reply. Per your response, I am considering taking the MCAT this August and will be finishing my aacom application this week. Unfortunately, I was unable to devote enough time studying for the MCAT last go-around and had been out the school/country for a year. However, I am curious with the new MCAT CBT protocol if my scores will make it to the schools before they are finished making their selections. What do you think? Also what does "imo" refer to?
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Hey.

1. imo-in my opinion 🙂
2. I asked about english because, sometimes a lower verbal score is indicative of a person who learned another language first. So in your case, it is probably just taking test taking strategy.
3. Now I understand why you had a lower MCAT. Definitely retake it this August and devote A LOT of time to it. Also, on your AACOMAS, I believe you will be able to indicate that you are taking the August administration of the exam, so they will just hold your application till then.
 
DrVanNostran said:
Hey.

1. imo-in my opinion 🙂
2. I asked about english because, sometimes a lower verbal score is indicative of a person who learned another language first. So in your case, it is probably just taking test taking strategy.
3. Now I understand why you had a lower MCAT. Definitely retake it this August and devote A LOT of time to it. Also, on your AACOMAS, I believe you will be able to indicate that you are taking the August administration of the exam, so they will just hold your application till then.
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Ahsante sana kaka yangu...milele amina...thank you very much my brother...peace forever!🙂
 
chas said:
Ahsante sana kaka yangu...milele amina...thank you very much my brother...peace forever!🙂
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No problem, and thanks :luck:

By the way, I am a native Olympian, I heart Washington!
 
chas said:
Yeah...did you go to school in Olympia?
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No, my entire family ended up moving to Chicago when I was younger. I try to come back every year or so though. I miss Washington so much.
 
for all those applying this cycle, what is your first choice? Mine is probably PCOM... i'm OOS though...
 
My first choice is probably MSUCOM...I'd like to stay instate
 
DrVanNostran said:
If I was IS, I would lovee to go to MSU. I will still apply anyways though, hoping for a scholarship.
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DMU offers this deal to its matriculants that if you have a 30+ mcat and gpa of 3.75 or higher they give you a full ride.
i dont know how many they give out or anything tho, just heard about it on my interview day.
 
bigdog8829 said:
DMU offers this deal to its matriculants that if you have a 30+ mcat and gpa of 3.75 or higher they give you a full ride.
i dont know how many they give out or anything tho, just heard about it on my interview day.
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Damn!! I wish I worked harder in undergrad, I have a 3.6 😡

Bigdog, regardless of what happens I may be classmates with you either this year or the next. Hopefully this year RFU, but maybe next year I will be hassling you about M1 year at CCOM.
 
bigdog8829 said:
DMU offers this deal to its matriculants that if you have a 30+ mcat and gpa of 3.75 or higher they give you a full ride.
i dont know how many they give out or anything tho, just heard about it on my interview day.
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They give out two full scholarships and two half scholarships. And I believe the GPA is a 3.5 not a 3.75.
 
HemaOncoDoc said:
They give out two full scholarships and two half scholarships. And I believe the GPA is a 3.5 not a 3.75.
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Yes! I might be in the running then!

Well it is June 4th everybody. Hopefully they open up the appication today!!:luck:
 
Do LOR's go in with secondaries or do they need to be submitted in order for the primary app. to be processed?
 
bioteach said:
Do LOR's go in with secondaries or do they need to be submitted in order for the primary app. to be processed?
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Only transcripts are required for your primary application to be processed. The LOR's typically go out to the schools with the secondaries, but this can depend on your letter service, i.e., whether you are doing it through the school, thourgh Interfolio, etc. My premedical committee basically used Interfolio and released my entire letter packet to all the schools that I applied to all at once. Anyway, you want to be complete as soon as possible at the schools, so send them out promptly. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think if you are doing it through Interfolio, there's no need to wait. You can release them right away to the schools you are applying to. When the schools receive your primary application, they will download your letters, if they don't reject you pre-secondary.
 
bioteach said:
Do LOR's go in with secondaries or do they need to be submitted in order for the primary app. to be processed?
Click to expand...

LOR's are not needed to process your primary app. As to when to send them, some schools will take them before they give you a 2ary and match them up after you send the 2ary in and others are very specific in saying not to send them until they send you a secondary, otherwise they will throw them out. Which schools are which, I can't remember - perhaps a visit to their website or a phone call will tell you. Although I didn't use it, I would recommend using Interfolio as most, if not all, schools accept the letters from them. It is a much easier process than going thru a person at your school (like I did) or having your writers send them to each school. If you have any questions about Interfolio, someone can give you those answers.
 
You guys are great. I had a momentary panic when I saw people saying they had already submitted all of their LORs to interfolio. I guess they are very luckily ahead of the game.
 
bioteach said:
You guys are great. I had a momentary panic when I saw people saying they had already submitted all of their LORs to interfolio. I guess they are very luckily ahead of the game.
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Yeah, you want to get those done b/c that can really hold you up if a LOR is not completed. There are lots of stories on here about 2arys being done but they are still waiting for that LOR and what was once an early app becomes a late one. You don't need all of your LORs done right now, but I would try to have them completed before or right after you start getting 2arys.
 
bioteach said:
Do LOR's go in with secondaries or do they need to be submitted in order for the primary app. to be processed?
Click to expand...

Great advice so far...but keep in mind that some professors will take forever, and ever, and ever-- even when you bug them on a daily basis-- to write a simple LOR. So, your best bet would to begin planning for them last week. Do not hesitate!
 
ooooooookay, so has anyone else already sent their transcripts in before today (when the application actually opens)? Apparently your supposed to send in your transcripts with the transcript request form.... guess i gotta resend em now huh..... craap, its always something
 
Tanner82 said:
ooooooookay, so has anyone else already sent their transcripts in before today (when the application actually opens)? Apparently your supposed to send in your transcripts with the transcript request form.... guess i gotta resend em now huh..... craap, its always something
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You're supposed to, but I'm not sure it's 100% necessary.
Why don't you e-mail AACOMAS and find out, before requesting them sent again?
 
Tanner82 said:
ooooooookay, so has anyone else already sent their transcripts in before today (when the application actually opens)? Apparently your supposed to send in your transcripts with the transcript request form.... guess i gotta resend em now huh..... craap, its always something
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I just logged into my student services from my school and did an official transcript request (then plugged in the right address) and it worked last time when I applied too early.
 
yeah guess i'll just ask them... thanks though
 
As noted in other threads, the AACOMAS is finally open 🙂
 
I think the only reason for those forms is to make things run smoothly. You don't want to enter the wrong addy for AACOMAS. So if you just requested a transcript and entered the AACOMAS correctly, you should be fine. Hopefully you put down your AACOMAS id number on your transcript heading. All this just makes things easier for AACOMAS employees to match your transcripts to your application. I don't know how many people apply to AACOMAS but I would imagine a lot. Good luck
 
Well, I just e-submitted my application and gave them some hard earned cash.

Let the waiting game begin.....
 
whatdapho said:
I think the only reason for those forms is to make things run smoothly. You don't want to enter the wrong addy for AACOMAS. So if you just requested a transcript and entered the AACOMAS correctly, you should be fine. Hopefully you put down your AACOMAS id number on your transcript heading. All this just makes things easier for AACOMAS employees to match your transcripts to your application. I don't know how many people apply to AACOMAS but I would imagine a lot. Good luck
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i did not see the forums to send with last year but i will be doing them this year.

there were enough people last yr that there were two of me....there was another applicant with my exact name (including spelling) and our transcripts got switched....
you can bet your bottom i am not taking any chances this year
 
Tanner82 said:
ooooooookay, so has anyone else already sent their transcripts in before today (when the application actually opens)? Apparently your supposed to send in your transcripts with the transcript request form.... guess i gotta resend em now huh..... craap, its always something
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just wondering where you found the transcript request forum??? i missed it last year and do not want to miss it this year
 
mommy2three said:
just wondering where you found the transcript request forum??? i missed it last year and do not want to miss it this year
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click on colleges attended and its in the right hand corner
 
Tanner82 said:
ooooooookay, so has anyone else already sent their transcripts in before today (when the application actually opens)? Apparently your supposed to send in your transcripts with the transcript request form.... guess i gotta resend em now huh..... craap, its always something
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Where is the form? I can't find it!

Nevermind, saw previous post.
 
I sent transcripts about 2 weeks ago to AACOMAS. Now that Ive done my primary app, how long do you think until its "matched up" and my status indicates there in?
 
Perhaps a week or two from today now that the app is up and running.
 
How did people send in transcripts without the cover form?
 
doinmybest5840 said:
How did people send in transcripts without the cover form?
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You don't need the cover form to send in transcripts . . . it just helps your schools send them to AACOMAS by providing an organized format.
 
prionsRbad said:
You don't need the cover form to send in transcripts . . . it just helps your schools send them to AACOMAS by providing an organized format.
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Ugh I'm going to kill my pre-med advisor. She told me to wait to send it in until the app was up. DAMNIT!
 
DrVanNostran said:
Don't worry about it. Send them tomorrow or the day after. You will still be VERY early.
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Thanks, that makes me feel better. I really want to get into a good school, so I'm terrified of sending things in late, or doing something wrong on my application and having everything delayed. 🙁
 
Sorry I'm an idiot...but we have to get our transcripts sent from schools we took summer courses at, correct? Also do we put our actual grade for those courses or are they just pass/fail?
 
where do you guys list your hobbies etc.
For instance I have quite a few that i have been passionate about for years and do not really know what to do with them or if they are even listable:
-horseback riding
-hiking
-sailing
-painting/drawing
Do we just put them under ECs...if so how can I list the company/organization name???
GEEZ this AACOMAS is so confuzing😕😕😕
 
doinmybest5840 said:
Thanks, that makes me feel better. I really want to get into a good school, so I'm terrified of sending things in late, or doing something wrong on my application and having everything delayed. 🙁
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Don't worry buddy, this is SDN. You know you are late when you turn things in on time 😉

Once you get in your transcript this week, you will be more than early! :luck:
 
surferdoc said:
Sorry I'm an idiot...but we have to get our transcripts sent from schools we took summer courses at, correct? Also do we put our actual grade for those courses or are they just pass/fail?
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Anything that you recieved college credit for must be sent to AACOMAS, and I do believe that you have to put your ACTUAL grades online.
 
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