2008-2009 Northwestern (Feinberg) Secondary Application Thread

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chad5871

chad5871

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Just received the email today. They set a deadline for me of August 1. Wow, that's a fast turnaround...

Essays:

 Describe the personal characteristics that distinguish you from other applicants and tell us how they predict success as a Feinberg School of Medicine medical student and as a future physician. (Limit your response to about 400 words)

Describe how you coped when confronted with a difficult personal (non-academic) situation. (Limit your response to this space or about 400 words.)

Describe your experiences away from traditional educational pursuits, such as travel or time spent in the work force (other than summer or part-time employment). Specify the time frame. If you have been in school continuously, then describe a non-academic activity which has been formative. (Limit your response to about 400 words.)
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If your college's pre-health advisory office participates in Virtual Evals, the electronic submission service for letters of recommendation, then you should ask them to transmit your letters through Virtual Evals to the Feinberg School of Medicine as soon as possible. If your school does not participate in Virtual Evals, then your letters of recommendation must be written on letterhead stationery and mailed directly to the Office of Admissions by the school's pre-medical advising office or the author(s). Your letters may be written by your college's pre-medical advisory committee, or they may come from three faculty members, at least two of whom are science faculty members, who have taught you. Please be advised that if individual letters are sent, it will be assumed that the first 3 letters received in our Offices meet the qualifications specified above. Applicants are advised to send no more than a Committee packet or the 3 required letters prior to interview invitation. Once you receive an interview invitation, you are welcome to submit additional letters on interview day, via Virtual Evals or in the mail. Non-traditional applicants, those who completed undergraduate study at least 2 years ago, may submit the 3rd (non-science) letter from a supervisor directly involved in their current (or recent) professional activities. The Feinberg supplemental application and processing fee must be transmitted to our Offices no later than the due date assigned by the Office of Admissions. Letters of recommendation should be submitted as soon as possible with a final receipt date in our offices no later than November 1, 2008. The Feinberg School of Medicine is not participating in AMCAS's letters of evaluation pilot program.
 
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I am unhappy with their letter policy. I emailed them asking about interfolio. I do not think one of my writers will be able to get university letter head... he is out of the country! (I wish I had gone to a school with a committee that uses VirtualEvals)
 
this is my worst secondary... what a beast
 
Northwestern has a 2 week turnaround time for their secondaries so they can receive and review them in smaller groupings. I remember when I filled out this secondary last year, I barely got it in on time (and I really mean barely). I ended up getting in though :)
 
i dont like their letter requirements. I applied last year and didnt get in and this year have some new LORs that relate to what ive been doing since last application. I graduated last year so havent had any additional schooling so no new letters from faculty, but i dont qualify as a non-trad. Seems like they would want to see what has changed and made my app stronger but instead ill have to submit the exact same letters. Dumb policy IMO. Just my .02.
 
Dear *****,

Thank you for your e-mail. Recommendations may be sent via Interfolio,
however we will only accept them from Interfolio in paper version. We
only accept recommendations electronically via Virtual Evals.

Sincerely,

Northwestern University's
Feinberg School of Medicine
Office of Admissions
 
Do they screen? I didn't get anything....:(
 
No worries. I didn't get anything else yet either. Maybe we'll be in the next batch of secondaries?...or maybe it's b/c we're from Utah. lol
 
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waterlilly said:
No worries. I didn't get anything else yet either. Maybe we'll be in the next batch of secondaries?...or maybe it's b/c we're from Utah. lol
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im not from utah and i didnt get it either :( :(
 
well, i'm from chicago and i dont have mine, no stressing yet!
 
just to clarify..is it the same essay questions for everyone? just different due dates?

thanks
 
also is there an optional essay or any optional space?
 
2 weeks? Crap and I thought UConn's 3 weeks was bad.

In that case, I hope I don't get the secondary for a while longer!
 
i take it if we have no received it yet, then our deadline will not be august 1?
 
What did everyone else write for the last question regarding non-traditional academic stuff? especially, if you are someone like me who hasn't really done anything in college other than travel. it seems like it is asking for a lot, but only if you have a lot to say.
 
What is non-academic defined as...is it something not related to classes or something not at all related to school? Would I be able to talk about being associate editor of a journal?
 
What about something I put on my AMCAS application, like a school mentoring club for middle-school students/ It's somewhat related to school, but it's not academic... it also doesn't seem to fit in the same category as work-experience or travel.
 
Just got the secondary e-mail. Due date is August 5th. Same questions.
 
Keep up the effort guys!

Of all the secondary apps I filled out last year (top 20 schools), Northwestern's apps had the tightest deadlines. I think they do this for very good reasons, and I want to encourage everyone to get theirs in. Yes, it's a pain and a bit intimidating, but well worth it. Northwestern became my top choice after visiting 7 med schools - it has everything.
:thumbup:
 
anyone else STILL not get this one? i was verified day 1... is it time for a call?
 
aixoise said:
anyone else STILL not get this one? i was verified day 1... is it time for a call?
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i havent gotten it either :( verified 7/3 or something...then again i have 2 secondaries still in my pile so maybe its a good thing... its also not a top choice for me so not as worried as i would be if it were NYU or Cornell or something
 
ok i feel a bit silly now, i just got it, and it's due aug. 6
 
Does anyone have problems trying to submit this thing?
 
ar2388 said:
i havent gotten it either :( verified 7/3 or something...then again i have 2 secondaries still in my pile so maybe its a good thing... its also not a top choice for me so not as worried as i would be if it were NYU or Cornell or something
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Ha, I have 9 secondaries sitting in my pile. Northwestern can take their pretty time with me.
 
i was verified before the 6/24 send-out date, so my AMCAS should have been sent out in the first batch.... still haven't gotten the secondary. anyone else in my boat?... is it worth e-mailing or calling at this point?
 
I'm in the same boat as you but no worries. Northwestern gives everyone a secondary so who cares if we get our a little late. I'd say, give it one more week.
 
got the secondary today.due date August 8th..........submitting is taking a long time..might be a prob with the server
 
Wow is that really it for their essays?

Much, much better than last year... with their: describe FOUR of your personal traits... jeez
 
where's the link to pay the app fee? i cant believe i cant find it. is it right after you submit?
 
hmm i think i may be withdrawing from northwestern if i get an interview invite before i receive this secondary... that is if i get the secondary in like mid sept! lol but seriously, their secondary is the worst one i have! and chicago is so far from nyc and to go there for an interview would mean missing at least 2 -3 days of classes and stuff....
 
Vadd0 said:
Vadd0: Received: 7/18 ; Submitted: 7/21; Complete: 7/25
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impressive turnaround.. i just got the secondary and i really don't want to do it. lol
 
quick question,

when they say 3 letters of rec, 2 science, so can the third one be from ur research professor or a professor who has seen u do like a lot of EC? or does it have to come from someone who has taught you?
 
For the "coping" question, I'm guessing they want something more akin to "what is your greatest weakness and how have you dealt with it?" Because I have a really great moral dilemma essay that I wrote for Pitt, but it has to deal with something academic (I preceptered genetics and one of the students tried to bribe me for extra points on assignments). I'm guessing that wouldn't work since it's an "academic" situation?
 
so um.. i am withdrawing my app from northwestern and adding UPenn instead... its closer to NYC (so less hassle for an interview) and the secondary is easier... i mean, jesus, northwestern's is a beast.
 
chad5871 said:
For the "coping" question, I'm guessing they want something more akin to "what is your greatest weakness and how have you dealt with it?" Because I have a really great moral dilemma essay that I wrote for Pitt, but it has to deal with something academic (I preceptered genetics and one of the students tried to bribe me for extra points on assignments). I'm guessing that wouldn't work since it's an "academic" situation?
Click to expand...

I'm having the same problem. I'm writing a standard essay for my moral/ethical dilemma and challenging situation essays, but it's in an academic setting. It deals with a lab member who was charging the lab for hours he didn't show up. So, does anyone know if these kinds of essays would be ok or not?
 
gasdf1234567 said:
I'm having the same problem. I'm writing a standard essay for my moral/ethical dilemma and challenging situation essays, but it's in an academic setting. It deals with a lab member who was charging the lab for hours he didn't show up. So, does anyone know if these kinds of essays would be ok or not?
Click to expand...

Hmm, I think that means the topic I was gonna write about is out too. I'm a volunteer piano teacher for a kid with some behavioral issues and learning disabilities. His mom is a nurse where I work. She gives in to her son all the time for everything, so she'll do things like try to move piano lessons around because he doesn't want to do them that day or she'll tell some story about how bad he is and how she said something horribly inappropriate to him. It's been hard to preserve a professional relationship with her at work because of the piano lessons and the way she treats me in that role. Does this count as a personal situation?
 
:( I still haven't recieved a secondary...I WANT IT!!!!
 
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