2007 Non-Trad Applicants' Progress Thread

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Y_Marker said:
Fridays would be ideal. FWIW, UTSW interviews on Saturdays , but their 35 MCAT avg just blows we away. Since this is a new job, they won't let me take a week off - a day or so here and there might work. I'm worried about my 29Q, and on one hand think I should apply to more places on the other.... heck someone in TX will love me, maybe? 😍
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Well, you never know--I didn't have an amazing MCAT score or GPA, but I did much better than I ever dreamed this past cycle. Many interviews went quite smoothly because as a non-trad, I was "interesting" and they had lots of questions about my background. I feel this gave me the opportunity to explain my indirect path to medicine and have the interviewers get to know me instead of resorting to their back-up questions like "what was your favorite class in college?" 😉 From what I hear, if you're a TX resident, you've got a decent shot of getting in in-state. 👍 Lots of luck to you this cycle, and here's to Friday interviews (I was lucky enough to get mostly Friday interviews for the further-away schools)! :luck:
 
Okay, so I have 2 more secondaries then I'm all caught up (for now). 40 is way too many schools to apply to. I spent most of the 4th of July working on them.

Can anyone believe interview season is starting already. I need to go find me one of those bioethics book for those ethics questions.
 
Y_Marker said:
Okay, so I have 2 more secondaries then I'm all caught up (for now). 40 is way too many schools to apply to. I spent most of the 4th of July working on them.

Can anyone believe interview season is starting already. I need to go find me one of those bioethics book for those ethics questions.
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Some websites that might be useful, whether you agree with the sites' conclusions or not:

Bioethics: http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/index.html
Topics in Healthcare: http://www.kff.org/
Daily News Updates on Healthcare Topics: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/
AMA Ethics (especially "Current Opinions" and the FAQ): http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2498.html

Also, I was advised to keep up-to-date on current events, not just within healthcare. While I never encountered any such questions on the interview trail, it might not hurt to glance through the New York Times or CNN websites periodically. Good luck! :luck:
 
OK, I am done with all of my secondaries (granted, I am only applying to the 7 in-state allopathic schools) but I AM DONE WITH APPLICATIONS! That gives me some time to chill out, brush up on current medical events (and ethical issues like were mentioned above) while I wait for (hopefully) interviews.

Good Luck to Everyone!

Jota
 
7 secondaries done, 13 to go. I am in a lull but I hear Temple is releasing theirs tomorrow. woohoo. I am thinking of cutting a few more schools from my list because our bank account is in very bad shape. i wish I knew how much interview season would cost. two of my sisters have agreed to go suit shopping with me. I've never bought a suit before, never worn one. Should be interesting...
 
Stupid question....

Where exactly do you put the shadowing stuff on the AACOMAS application?

And, in the directions, it specifically says not to put an MCAT date for any test not taken or if you haven't received scores...but then it allows you to put the August 2006 date in and select "planned" in that section...what to do....what to do....

And, when I registered for the MCAT, I don't recall specifically saying to release to AACOMAS or to AAMCAS, but there was one box to click to release to organizations? Can someone help out here?
 
MJB said:
Stupid question....

Where exactly do you put the shadowing stuff on the AACOMAS application?

And, in the directions, it specifically says not to put an MCAT date for any test not taken or if you haven't received scores...but then it allows you to put the August 2006 date in and select "planned" in that section...what to do....what to do....

And, when I registered for the MCAT, I don't recall specifically saying to release to AACOMAS or to AAMCAS, but there was one box to click to release to organizations? Can someone help out here?
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Not sure about your questions RE: AACOMAS.

HOWEVER, your MCAT scores are AUTOMATICALLY released to AMCAS. For other application services (AACOMAS and TMDSAS, for example) you need to have your MCAT scores sent to them. You can do this online from the page where you checked your scores.
 
Hey everyone. I could have *sworn* I posted this. Sigh! This process is making me more tired than I thought. My laptop crapped out so I am using that as an excuse to not do secondaries right now...I am at a friend's house. I have been updating my MDApps, I have done 4 secondaries, 12 to go. Good :luck: to all.
 
Okay, finally pressed "send" on my AMCAS today! Good luck to everyone!
 
Hi
Just a question from one non trad to another. IS there a limit on the number of schools to apply to? Also is there a magic number b/c 25 sounds like a lot.

MiesVanDerMom said:
Is it time to start one of these yet? Did someone already do it? I'm all done with my AAMC and ready to go. I have one more person looking over my PS this weekend but I really like it at this point. Now, I'm just dying to get my MCAT scores and get this show on the road! Oh, the other thing I'm still not decided on (for my app) is my schools. I have 25 right now and I'm not sure if I should cut a few. Anyone else out there want to share?? 🙂
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Another silly question....

I've got the apps completed I think...ready to submit...but I'm wondering if I can choose to go in an add schools to apply to later if I want to...or do I have to decide now on all of them?
 
mich79 said:
Hi
Just a question from one non trad to another. IS there a limit on the number of schools to apply to? Also is there a magic number b/c 25 sounds like a lot.
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You are limited only by your budget.

AND, 25 schools is not unreasonable, considering that this process has some degree of randomness to it. If applying to Medical School were truly a random process, with each school having about a 5% acceptance rate (give or take,) 20 schools would, on average, give you a 100% chance of acceptance to a single school.

Yes, I know that this is not a random process, etc, etc which is why, depending upon your stats, you would want to apply to more schools or fewer schools.
 
mich79 said:
Hi
Just a question from one non trad to another. IS there a limit on the number of schools to apply to? Also is there a magic number b/c 25 sounds like a lot.
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haha, funny you should say that because I am now only applying to 15 🙂 25-30 is a normal number for someone with a weak app. My app is not the strongest but I honestly couldn't afford all those secondaries so I just chose my 15 carefully. An average/strong candidate, they say, should do about a dozen. It depends on if your state has public med schools, etc. etc. Some non-trads are limited by geography/spousal obligations etc. and do less.
 
I'm so impressed with everyone on this forum. I haven't even recieved any secondaries yet.

After multiple revisions to the personal statment... I'm all submitted...... and waiting to be verified..
 
Hey which of you Non-Trads out there have already gotten interviews? I know there are a couple of you 😉

Congrats 😀


I'm still doing all secondarys that I can while I'm still waiting to be verified.
 
ClosetNerd said:
Hey which of you Non-Trads out there have already gotten interviews? I know there are a couple of you 😉

Congrats 😀


I'm still doing all secondarys that I can while I'm still waiting to be verified.
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I have two interviews so far and I'm procrastinating on my secondaries. Flying to work every week is getting old...ahh the joys of being a consultant right?
 
This is killing me - I'm behind in the application process (I will be submitting my AMCAS information this week), but I've been following the schedule recommended to me by my pre-health advisor (all except for the August MCATs). All this talk about already having interviews scheduled makes me wonder if my application for 2007 will simply be a waste of time.
 
Congrats Jota and Y! I was physically ill all week and having violent nightmares, both from the stress of seeing all the SDNers getting interviews. But I saw my family today and they calmed me down. They're also finally accepting that I will probably have to move. I've been working on a back-up plan in case I don't get in anywhere: I need something to keep me busy while I wait for interview invite season to really begin (all you over-achievers getting early invites don't count! 😛 ) All I have left are the Drexel and Penn State secondaries I'm waiting on... :luck: to everyone
 
I'm complete at: MCW, OSU, Pritzker, NYU and UPitt.

I'm waiting on file complete at: Columbia, Wright State, Rush, Mt. Sinai and UIC.
I'm working on the following secondary: Temple
I'm waiting on the following secondaries: Drexel, Rosalind Frank, Loyola, OHSU, Albany, SIU, Northwestern.

:sigh: This has only just begun.
 
jota_jota said:
You are limited only by your budget.

AND, 25 schools is not unreasonable, considering that this process has some degree of randomness to it. If applying to Medical School were truly a random process, with each school having about a 5% acceptance rate (give or take,) 20 schools would, on average, give you a 100% chance of acceptance to a single school.
....
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Actually, that is not quite correct. Sorry to nitpick the math. But, if you assume all schools have a 5% acceptance rate, and you have an equal chance of getting accepted at any of the schools, you need the following formula to determine the chance of getting REJECTED at all of the schools:

(1 - 0.05)^25 =~ 28%.

Which gives you a 72% chance of getting in somewhere after applying to 25 schools.

Of course, the real world is not quite so neat. Some schools have a higher acceptance rate. And you have the in-state vs. out-of-state thingy going on, and other factors that give you a better shot at some schools than others.

Apply early and often!
 
Urgh... by those numbers I have about a 54% chance of being accepted (assuming nothing else in my history or experience matters).
 
Just got an invite to complete the George Washington secondary. Is that a normal turn-around time (since I submitted my AMCAS application yesterday)?
 
Quix said:
Just got an invite to complete the George Washington secondary. Is that a normal turn-around time (since I submitted my AMCAS application yesterday)?
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I got it too.

So far AMCAS waiting for one more transcript and I have 7 secondaries to fill out. I apply to 20+ schools plus 1DO.

I am just kind of freaking out but I hopefully I will make it. I will post list of my schools later.
 
I'm complete at: MCW, OSU, Pritzker, NYU, UPitt, Rush, UIC, and Mt. Sinai. (8 schools, hurrah!)

I'm waiting on file complete at: Columbia, Wright State, NYMC and Temple.
I'm working on the following secondary: Loyola
I'm waiting on the following secondaries: Drexel, Rosalind Frank, OHSU, Albany, SIU (been acknowledged anyway), Northwestern.

Trying to stay in good spirits. I feel good about being complete at 8 schools in July! I am expecting to be complete at nine of my schools, really.

My last LOR was sent to NYMC on 7-24 so I should show complete there either today or tomorrow. Yay!

GO non-trads, Go! 👍
 
Quix said:
Just got an invite to complete the George Washington secondary. Is that a normal turn-around time (since I submitted my AMCAS application yesterday)?
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I got my GW 2ndry about a week after I submitted. I think it just depends when they download your data from the AMCAS.



I'm still waiting to be verified so I can't really be complete anywhere yet, and I have only received 2 secondary invites so far. I know it’s early but I feel stressed I'm not verified yet. It will probably be another 2 weeks. I want to get some interviews.

I'm trying to do all that I can in the mean time, everything else is in place. I have submitted apps to:

Downstate
Albert Einstein
GW
Rochester

I'm so grateful people have posted secondary essay questions. I almost have my Temple essay done and it makes me feel like I'm at least doing something to help the process along.
 
ClosetNerd said:
I got my GW 2ndry about a week after I submitted. I think it just depends when they download your data from the AMCAS.



I'm still waiting to be verified so I can't really be complete anywhere yet, and I have only received 2 secondary invites so far. I know it’s early but I feel stressed I'm not verified yet. It will probably be another 2 weeks. I want to get some interviews.

I'm trying to do all that I can in the mean time, everything else is in place. I have submitted apps to:

Downstate
Albert Einstein
GW
Rochester

I'm so grateful people have posted secondary essay questions. I almost have my Temple essay done and it makes me feel like I'm at least doing something to help the process along.
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I applied to Downstate too but they did not send me anything 🙁
 
Taty said:
I applied to Downstate too but they did not send me anything 🙁
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Don't sweat it. They didn't send me anything either. I downloaded it from their website. I called and the secretary and she said that I could send it in now. She told me it was very advantageous to have everything in as early as possible and that if you send it in now they will just file, so when you become complete it is ready to roll. 👍

http://sls.downstate.edu/admissions/medicine/adm1stYear/overview.html


Thats also how I got Albert Einstein and UR.
 
ClosetNerd said:
Don't sweat it. They didn't send me anything either. I downloaded it from their website. I called and the secretary and she said that I could send it in now. She told me it was very advantageous to have everything in as early as possible and that if you send it in now they will just file, so when you become complete it is ready to roll. 👍

http://sls.downstate.edu/admissions/medicine/adm1stYear/overview.html


Thats also how I got Albert Einstein and UR.
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Completing the Pritzker secondary now. Yee-hah, MCAT in three weeks. 😱
 
i just need the Drexel secondary and I'm done! I'm feeling less nervouse because I came up with a back-up plan if i get rejected across the board: pharmacy. I don't know why they'd want me more than med schools, but you never know. It keeps my mind quiter anyway to think of it as my backup plan. :luck: all. I think I will faint when and if I get an actual interview invite 😱
 
I'm waiting on Drexel, too; I'd love to go there - the program director for their psychiatry residency program was on my dissertation committee and wrote me a letter of recommendation. Plus, half of my family lives in the Philadelphia area.
 
Just got the PSU secondary. Spent an hour last night photocopying the chapter summaries from my Gen. Chem, O. Chem, Physics, Biology, and Physiology textbooks to put together a review packet. Eighteen days until the Beast.
 
I'm joining this thread, even though I'm only 1-year removed from being a "trad"!

AMCAS: submitted 7/4, verified 7/22
Submitted secondaries (incl MSTP): Jefferson, U of Pittsburgh, and U of Rochester
Working on secondaries: Baylor, Case, Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Stony Brook, U of Colorado, UIC, U of Pennsylvania, USF
Waiting on secondaries: Drexel, Duke, Emory, Stanford, U of Alabama, UC San Diego, UNC, U of Washington

Yes, it's a long list of those still to complete, but I'm hoping to submit a bunch more as soon as I can! Also waiting for my committee letter to be written and sent out via VirtualEval.

Good :luck: to those taking the MCAT very soon!! 🙂
 
MiesVanDerMom said:
i just need the Drexel secondary and I'm done! I'm feeling less nervouse because I came up with a back-up plan if i get rejected across the board: pharmacy. I don't know why they'd want me more than med schools, but you never know. It keeps my mind quiter anyway to think of it as my backup plan. :luck: all. I think I will faint when and if I get an actual interview invite 😱
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Do they screen? I haven't heard anything from them yet (not even a "we got your AMCAS and will soon let you know if we want more money from you" kind of e-mail).
 
scentimint said:
Do they screen? I haven't heard anything from them yet (not even a "we got your AMCAS and will soon let you know if we want more money from you" kind of e-mail).
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No, I guess they're just slooooow. I was surprised to see you posting in non-trad land. I had no idea you were one of us :meanie: :luck: to you :luck:
 
I'm applying EDP - waiting on my secondary that should be ready the middle of the month.

I'm ready to get this show on the road already!!
 
oxeye: good luck! I was wondering the other day how your EDP was going. I remember from the MCAT thread you were going that route. :luck:

scentimint: word on the street is that Drexel is coming out next week


I am going suit shopping with two of my sisters tomorrow. I am afraid! It's almost as bad as the MCATs :laugh: Wish me luck... On the other hand, I'm terrified I won't get any interviews and therefore will never need to wear said suit 😱 hmm, now suit shopping is looking a whole lot more appealing 🙂 Have a good weekend everyone! 👍
 
MiesVanDerMom said:
oxeye: good luck! I was wondering the other day how your EDP was going. I remember from the MCAT thread you were going that route. :luck:

scentimint: word on the street is that Drexel is coming out next week


I am going suit shopping with two of my sisters tomorrow. I am afraid! It's almost as bad as the MCATs :laugh: Wish me luck... On the other hand, I'm terrified I won't get any interviews and therefore will never need to wear said suit 😱 hmm, now suit shopping is looking a whole lot more appealing 🙂 Have a good weekend everyone! 👍
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awesome, thanks for the update! i'll keep an eye out for drexel. good luck with the suit shopping! 🙂
 
the good news: suit shopping went great! my sisters are suit-shopping gods and I'm actually now really excited about dressing up for interviews. I got one grey suit with pink pinstripes, one brown plaid type suit, and also a winter suit on clearance that was black and white patterned. I also got all the shoes/bras/blouses/handbags crap too. Last week I was buying my fall wardrobe at Goodwill for $2 a shirt and this week silk blouses for $70! I sure hope I get in somewhere!

the bad news: I got a rejection letter from vanderbilt today. I didn't have much of a shot there with my stats. but it still hurts! 1 decision down, 14 to go... Still awaiting Albany and Drexel's secondaries...

hope everyone is doing well. hang in there! 🙂
 
donks - did you go OCS or ROTC for CEC? I was OCS class 14-02
 
Ten days and counting until the beast. 😱

I'm convinced that I know nothing about the sciences, so I suppose I'm right on schedule.
 
Quix said:
Ten days and counting until the beast. 😱

I'm convinced that I know nothing about the sciences, so I suppose I'm right on schedule.
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That is how everyone goes into it feeling. Your not alone. Just stay positive.
 
Are there others with a lot of secondaries still to complete? I feel like everyont is just popping them out, but mine take 3 days or so each with work and all. Maybe that is just me? Some are closing in on a month old, now...
 
MaiPenRai said:
Are there others with a lot of secondaries still to complete? I feel like everyont is just popping them out, but mine take 3 days or so each with work and all. Maybe that is just me? Some are closing in on a month old, now...
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yeah, i've got a ton. i am only completely done with 4 of them. :wow:
 
good :luck: to quix and others who are taking the Mkitten soon! 😀
 
MaiPenRai said:
Are there others with a lot of secondaries still to complete? I feel like everyont is just popping them out, but mine take 3 days or so each with work and all. Maybe that is just me? Some are closing in on a month old, now...
Click to expand...


I am in the same boat. Now that I am verified they have been pouring in.

I have 9 of the little suckers waiting for me and I haven't even gotten them all yet. I struggle with the essays.

Just keep on keepin' on.
 
I feel sooo behind too.
 
Last edited:
5 interviews - all from Texas schools.

I'm complete at all the Texas schools (including Baylor) and USUHS - so that makes 9 complete.

Waiting on Emory secondary (automatic but still not out yet) and deciding if I should complete the U of South Alabama secondary (I'm OOS and they only take like 5 a year).

Still waiting on screened secondaries from Med College of GA and U of Alabama (I'm OOS at these).

And we won't talk about getting a suit. I don't think they make suit pants with elastic waists, so I'm going to end up buying one now and HOPEFULLY one in a couple of months after some of the baby puff goes down. I had to resched all of my interviews into Sept. So much for thinking having a baby in Aug would be early enough. Looks like I might have to resched one of my rescheds too if baby doesn't get here soon!!

OK - midnight snack time is over... night all! :luck: :luck: Good luck to those of you interviewing soon! :luck: :luck:
 
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