2008-2009 Penn State College of Medicine Secondary Application Thread

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geez, just like everyone else, i sent in my materials in the beginning of august...and still not complete. Has anyone tried calling? are they helpful?
 
happygirl said:
geez, just like everyone else, i sent in my materials in the beginning of august...and still not complete. Has anyone tried calling? are they helpful?
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Idk if they are helpful..but the lady I talked to when scheduling my interview was extremely nice...probably the nicest admissions office ive dealt with so far. So, I say, shoot them an email or give them a call.
 
happygirl said:
geez, just like everyone else, i sent in my materials in the beginning of august...and still not complete. Has anyone tried calling? are they helpful?
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The admissions people at Penn State are extremely nice...I called a week ago about the same thing. Our applications aren't marked as "complete" until they are actually being reviewed by people on the admissions committee. Until then, they're just sitting in the pile, with the same "Our records indicate..." message.
 
ChubbyChaser said:
Idk if they are helpful..but the lady I talked to when scheduling my interview was extremely nice...probably the nicest admissions office ive dealt with so far. So, I say, shoot them an email or give them a call.
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k thanks for the advice =)

jab719 said:
The admissions people at Penn State are extremely nice...I called a week ago about the same thing. Our applications aren't marked as "complete" until they are actually being reviewed by people on the admissions committee. Until then, they're just sitting in the pile, with the same "Our records indicate..." message.
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phew, that's good to know. i'll probably still call just for sake of mind 😳
 
jab719 said:
The admissions people at Penn State are extremely nice...I called a week ago about the same thing. Our applications aren't marked as "complete" until they are actually being reviewed by people on the admissions committee. Until then, they're just sitting in the pile, with the same "Our records indicate..." message.
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ok, i was told the same thing =) Not that I didn't trust you, but just needed to hear it for myself. She was extremely nice!
 
Got my first invite today from Penn State! WOOO so excited! 🙂 Go Joe Pa!
 
jab719 said:
The admissions people at Penn State are extremely nice...I called a week ago about the same thing. Our applications aren't marked as "complete" until they are actually being reviewed by people on the admissions committee. Until then, they're just sitting in the pile, with the same "Our records indicate..." message.
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I called to check on the status of my LOR, not my application. The lady I spoke with told me that the school does not have to resources to check status...I was told to wait and use the AMCAS form to verify if the letter has been sent. I did what she said, but it didn't let me see if PSU has received my LORs...

Argh!!
 
While people are getting interview invites, I got a letter saying my app will be put in a "continue to review" category. Anyone else suffering the same fate in this interview round?
 
Immaculate MD said:
While people are getting interview invites, I got a letter saying my app will be put in a "continue to review" category. Anyone else suffering the same fate in this interview round?
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ugh, me 👎thumbdown👎meanie::meanie::meanie:
 
Maybe it's where I'm flying from, but it seems expensive to fly into Harrisburg. I'm super excited about the interview, it's just going to be a really pricey trip for me (it kills me that they don't offer student hosts as well). Anyone else think this is going to be an expensive trip?
 
Gators239 said:
Maybe it's where I'm flying from, but it seems expensive to fly into Harrisburg. I'm super excited about the interview, it's just going to be a really pricey trip for me (it kills me that they don't offer student hosts as well). Anyone else think this is going to be an expensive trip?
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Mine wasn't too bad actually, between the hotel and the flight....I can't complain, cheaper than flying to Boston!
 
Is it too early to send a letter of intent if I've been put on hold?
 
Just as a note - from the Philly airport you can hop on SEPTA and then Amtrak to get to Hershey very easily. It will be much cheaper than driving from Philly. I think SEPTA is about $3 to Penn Station and then Amtrak is no more than $20-25 depending upon the time you go. Once you get the Harrisburg it is not that far to Hershey.
 
Been doing a little bit of reading on the PSU COM website. I am wondering what is required to be considered a Pennsylvania resident. I'll have been working for 12+ months in Philadelphia by next summer, though I do not own a domicile or house in the state of Pennsylvania... rather, I'm just renting while I work here. Somehow I doubt that this would fly, but it's something I should look into as its a $10,000/year difference. Does anyone know how that would work, or have heard of anyone who did something like this?

Despite the relative paucity of hard information on Penn State, I'm starting to fall in love with what it has to offer. I've been to Harrisburg and Hershey both, and I don't think I would mind living out in Hershey at all, despite having lived in suburban/urban areas for... my entire life. My only issue so far would be the insanely high tuition, and that is why I was considering the above situation.
 
How do we know when PSU receives our letters from AMCAS? I assigned them and saved them, does that automatically mean they received them? I have not got any kind of response from them saying one way or the other. Any thoughts?
 
I called AMCAS and PSU, both said that as long as you designated it for receipt, then its okay.

As far as them downloading it...only PSU would know. And the lady I spoke to refuses to tell me anything. She told me to check with AMCAS and check online.. but it tells me nothing...
 
It took them months to tell me that my app had been completed. The way I see it is, if you havent had any problems with your other schools receiving your letters of rec, then assume PSU has received them. I wouldn't normally say that, except I know in PSU's case they just dont let you go.
 
Hi Kappa09-

When were you complete?? (or at least when did YOU finish everything, not necessarily when they said (or if they did) say you were complete?).. Haven't heard from them at all.....

TX!
 
i received a "complete" email from them about 6 weeks after I submitted my secondary. during that time i had the "it hasn't been determined whether you are complete yet" message on their status website. An email inquiry yielded a generic response, so my advice would be to just wait it out and eventually they will contact you.
 
What is their secondary application fee? I cannot find it.
 
I got the hold mail today too... Any thoughts on how many ppl get off the hold list? Is this just a really polite rejection?
 
hoya09 said:
I got the hold mail today too... Any thoughts on how many ppl get off the hold list? Is this just a really polite rejection?
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Yea seriously. I got their little envelope the same time I got UCSF's little envelope. 🙁 Sad day
 
hoya09 said:
I got the hold mail today too... Any thoughts on how many ppl get off the hold list? Is this just a really polite rejection?
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so, is the "hold" letter the same as the "continue to review" letter? meaning, are people (sdners, not penn state) just using different terminology or are they actually different letters?
 
Was just looking over my secondary essay responses - I still cannot imagine how this helps them decide who to interview, outside of the stuff on AMCAS.
 
I'm finally complete after a lil over a month.
 
ChubbyChaser said:
So I really really liked this school.
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i bet i would really really like it too ..

if they would INTERVIEW ME !

haha sorry, that was a bitter thing to say 😛

what did you like about it !?
 
nellia said:
i bet i would really really like it too ..

if they would INTERVIEW ME !

haha sorry, that was a bitter thing to say 😛

what did you like about it !?
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A fairly unique curriculum, the location(yes im weird), and it was amazing how many random ppl came up to the interviewees just to start casual conversation.
 
happygirl said:
so, is the "hold" letter the same as the "continue to review" letter? meaning, are people (sdners, not penn state) just using different terminology or are they actually different letters?
Click to expand...

So... are there two letters a "hold" and a "continue to review" or are people are just calling the "continue to review" letter as a hold?

Any idea on how the "continue to review" plays out?


Also, it doesn't look like anyone got rejected from Penn State yet (yes, someone put down they were reject, but it is only one person... I wonder if they misinterpreted the letter). Are they just putting everyone into the "continue to review" category for now?
 
ChubbyChaser said:
A fairly unique curriculum, the location(yes im weird), and it was amazing how many random ppl came up to the interviewees just to start casual conversation.
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I just interviewed as well and I really liked this school. I agree on Chubbs' points here. There were a lot of smiling faces, and I was really struck by the strong feeling that this was a GREAT place to study medicine and to really focus on learning. I also felt like it would make me a very well-rounded physician with the humanities component and the patient project and what not.
 
Damn, MDapplicants won't let me update my profile. It always gives me an error and it is functioning very slowly. I posted a new entry in the interview feedback if anyone is interested. I'll have more in depth thoughts posted on my MDapps when it lets me.

Chubbs, I know you have 20938420934 interviews but don't forget to post interview feedback too, if you haven't already.
 
How long after submitting your secondary application to Penn State did it take for the school to mark you as complete?
 
Submitted 7/22, but my LORs didn't go out to AMCAS until 8/8, letters processed by AMCAS on 8/18. I was complete 8/20, offered an interview 8/29. So they were quite quick in my case.
 
Complete 9/16 (one of my letter writers took 2 months extra...), invite:10/2

By the way, have any of you been to Hershey Land? I have a day between interviews, and cannot come back to CA unless I wanna waste time, so I am thinking about going there. Do you guys know anything?

Never mind, it will be closed🙁
 
I only went to Chocolate World; if you have a chance, go on the tour! It's pretty interesting (but a little goofy).

The school is just fantastic, and the interviews were REALLY laid back, like, almost too much. My interviewers and I had great conversations, but I don't feel like they asked me enough of those typical questions. The interviews were only 1/2 hour too.

Still, I would love to go to Penn State! 😀
 
Got the "continue to review" letter today 🙁. Last year didn't they not give out any rejections until like march? I might be remembering wrong but i think this letter is the pre-rejection pile 🙁
 
Chemist0157 said:
I only went to Chocolate World; if you have a chance, go on the tour! It's pretty interesting (but a little goofy).

The school is just fantastic, and the interviews were REALLY laid back, like, almost too much. My interviewers and I had great conversations, but I don't feel like they asked me enough of those typical questions. The interviews were only 1/2 hour too.

Still, I would love to go to Penn State! 😀
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Thanks, I think I will check it out!
 
So...ummm...secondary submitted 9/2...letters assigned through AMCAS 9/11...any thoughts on when I should be complete?
 
JackInTheBox said:
It took them almost two months to mark me complete.
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nice, I suppose I have better things to do than worry about getting into med. school...like watching paint dry or maybe even studying for classes...
 
Premed Worrier said:
nice, I suppose I have better things to do than worry about getting into med. school...like watching paint dry or maybe even studying for classes...
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I guess you aren't the Premed Worrier for nothing! :meanie:😉

Just keep tight, I think. They are definitely busy with the interviewees coming in three times a day and whatnot. At the very worst, I'd call them and ask how their office is doing with applications. The people there are very friendly for the most part.
 
"sigh", just got my "will be reviewed periodically" hold letter by mail...sucks to be a PA resident, no love from PA schools. 🙁
 
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