2008-2009 UMass Secondary Application Thread

[Lacheln]

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Just checking in... I actually started this thread way back when. I interviewed on 10/15 and am still waiting. Totally in love with UMass like many others here. My fingers are sustaining permanent damage from being constantly crossed.

Hey bass, I remember you, what have you been up to?

A lot of people are suffering from RHI - repetitive hoping injury. 🙂

 

[BassPlease]

I have been trying to enjoy the last of my senior year... I go through periods where I push this whole med school thing out of my mind and other times where I am constantly obsessing!! My real hope is that I will know for sure where I'm going (PLEASE UMASS!) by graduation in late May. Not sure I will be so lucky, but we shall see!

 

[virusgirl]

Guys, way to keep this thread moving! Usually when I click on "School-Specific Discussions" Columbia's at the top, but we've been trouncing them today.

Clearly we're all going to get in this Friday as a result of ENTHUSIASM and SHEER FORCE OF WILL.

 

[scrubslover]

Guys, way to keep this thread moving! Usually when I click on "School-Specific Discussions" Columbia's at the top, but we've been trouncing them today.

Clearly we're all going to get in this Friday as a result of ENTHUSIASM and SHEER FORCE OF WILL.

The Columbia thread seems to be getting a bit hostile! Hooray for nice UMass-ers.

 

[envirodoc]

The Columbia thread seems to be getting a bit hostile! Hooray for nice UMass-ers.

we even kept it civil through an entire DO vs. MD discussion! Everyone here is meant to be classmates😀

I hadn't thought about Friday... but it would be great to get a status change in the middle of my presentation (11:30-12)... or maybe at 13:13...

 

[rowdy411]

I get pretty psycho about all this stuff too (if you read my previous posts you'll understand). But now, whenever I start to feel a bit antsy, I throw on some Firehouse and it's all good- particularly Shake and Tumble... I suggest you all try this!

 

[virusgirl]

we even kept it civil through an entire DO vs. MD discussion! Everyone here is meant to be classmates😀

I hadn't thought about Friday... but it would be great to get a status change in the middle of my presentation (11:30-12)... or maybe at 13:13...

That was seriously one of the most amazing things I have ever seen on SDN. I kept waiting for it to degenerate... 🙂

 

[thompa]

That was seriously one of the most amazing things I have ever seen on SDN. I kept waiting for it to degenerate... 🙂

See how awesome we are?! ACCEPT US!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MADocMaybe]

Congratulations!!! Ouch, that hurt, I celebrated a bit too much last night. 🙂 Coming to second look?

Oh, and btw - I'm a low gpa person too, 3.0 in undergrad, 3.95 in postbacc, for a whopping total of 3.35. Otherwise I have a reasonably strong app and some confounding factors, but it's definitely true that not every low gpa will keep you out of med school.

Hey Breeak... Thanks for the high-five, and sorry so late in replying. Since Friday, whenever I'm not crazy at work, I'm staring into space with a stupid grin on my face - so all in all, pretty busy here. 🙂

I didn't know anything about the second look weekend until I received my physical packet on Tuesday - and I definitely hope to come. Looking up tickets now (I'm currently living and working right outside DC).

Good luck this Friday everyone - I'm totally feeling it for you all. Friday the 13th has always been a luck day in my family - my grandmother was born Friday the 13, 1913, and I was born on her birthday, a Friday the 13. So - I'll spread the family luck around the UMass SDN thread for you all. 😀 I hope to meet you all this August!

 

[jka]

That was seriously one of the most amazing things I have ever seen on SDN. I kept waiting for it to degenerate... 🙂

Don't forget about the designer baby discussion as well!

 

[raraxavis]

(i'm currently living and working right outside dc).

nih?

 

[MADocMaybe]

nih?

Working at USUHS (main campus is on NNMC, right across from NIH). Are you down here as well?

 

[raraxavis]

Working at USUHS (main campus is on NNMC, right across from NIH). Are you down here as well?

Oh awesome! Yeah I work at the NIAAA - actually on the Rockville campus (lame) and live downtown in the U st. area, which is great.

 

[MADocMaybe]

Oh awesome! Yeah I work at the NIAAA - actually on the Rockville campus (lame) and live downtown in the U st. area, which is great.

Nice - I live in Silver Spring... it's been a nice little city. I get into the actual city shockingly infrequently... for someone who lives next door to a metro stop. Living and working in the same town keeps me close to home.

That being said - I can't wait to get back up north to good ole' Worcester this summer!

 

[Lacheln]

Hey Breeak... Thanks for the high-five, and sorry so late in replying. Since Friday, whenever I'm not crazy at work, I'm staring into space with a stupid grin on my face - so all in all, pretty busy

That sounds about right. 🙂

I have been trying to enjoy the last of my senior year... I go through periods where I push this whole med school thing out of my mind and other times where I am constantly obsessing!! My real hope is that I will know for sure where I'm going (PLEASE UMASS!) by graduation in late May. Not sure I will be so lucky, but we shall see!

Yep, it comes in waves...march is definitely high tide to me. 🙂

 

[umass_md]

Fridayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[raraxavis]

Nice - I live in Silver Spring... it's been a nice little city. I get into the actual city shockingly infrequently... for someone who lives next door to a metro stop. Living and working in the same town keeps me close to home.

That being said - I can't wait to get back up north to good ole' Worcester this summer!

Well PM me sometime if you ever want to venture into the city! There should be lots of exciting weekends coming up.

PS: Friday = vom.

 

[linguini]

Good luck guys!

Contrary to the advice posed in that article about Friday the 13th, I did venture out of the house today for work. Would've been nice to sleep in though...

 

[virusgirl]

Clearly we're all going to get in this Friday as a result of ENTHUSIASM and SHEER FORCE OF WILL.

Nothing. So much for my Jedi mind skills WILLING this to be the day!

 

[arcanamyth]

Nothing. So much for my Jedi mind skills WILLING this to be the day!

Okaaaaaaaaayyyyy, I am heading as far away from a computer as I can today. Good luck all and I'll check in after buissness hours are over.

- 😎

 

[envirodoc]

Good luck guys!

Contrary to the advice posed in that article about Friday the 13th, I did venture out of the house today for work. Would've been nice to sleep in though...

I ventured out also... I even tried to spite the gods by scheduling a presentation today...

Of course, they smote me in my cubicle. The "virtual round table" burst into flames due to "technical difficulties" at Verizon...

oh yeah, it is also a Full Moon..😱

obviously no news from umass too

 

[jka]

Okaaaaaaaaayyyyy, I am heading as far away from a computer as I can today. Good luck all and I'll check in after buissness hours are over.

- 😎

I think this is a healthy coping strategy that we should all consider. Starting tomorrow.

 

[rowdy411]

If you have not been directed to this page, your application is still under review and the decision regarding your acceptance has not yet been determined.

Not happenin' today folks.

 

[raraxavis]

If you have not been directed to this page, your application is still under review and the decision regarding your acceptance has not yet been determined.

Not happenin' today folks.

I think you're right. I'm not even sure we'll hear anything next Friday, but the Friday after that (the last in March) seems likely.

 

[envirodoc]

I think you're right. I'm not even sure we'll hear anything next Friday, but the Friday after that (the last in March) seems likely.

At this point, I think we'll be waiting until mid-April... which is not far away.

also, just wanted to point out that this is the 13th "thread page" for the class of 2013

 

[jka]

At this point, I think we'll be waiting until mid-April... which is not far away.

also, just wanted to point out that this is the 13th "thread page" for the class of 2013

good observation!

 

[skyline42]

I: 3/4 A: 3/13

Hope to see many of you this fall!

 

[umass_md]

I: 3/4 A: 3/13

Hope to see many of you this fall!

what? this is surprising. when/how did you find out today?

congrats!!!🙂

 

[thompa]

I'm curious, do we know if UMass has finished its interview season yet?

 

[raraxavis]

I: 3/4 A: 3/13

Hope to see many of you this fall!

a WEEK??? The injustice is unbearable! PS Congrats 🙂

 

[jka]

a WEEK??? The injustice is unbearable! PS Congrats 🙂

I know. It is getting a bit cruel.

 

[jka]

I'm curious, do we know if UMass has finished its interview season yet?

I think it ended on March 26th last year.

 

[reluctant2join]

I: 3/4 A: 3/13

Hope to see many of you this fall!

We interviewed on the same day. Hmmm... May I ask what your stats are?

 

[umass_md]

i know it's entirely premature and completely unfounded, but i'm already very hopeful for this friday. at this point, i'm surprised i can still be excited and optimistic. either that or i'm just up too late. whatever the case...

 

[HanginInThere]

i know it's entirely premature and completely unfounded, but i'm already very hopeful for this friday. at this point, i'm surprised i can still be excited and optimistic. either that or i'm just up too late. whatever the case...

We're actually on spring break this week. I have no idea whether the admissions office is working this week, and if they are whether they'll be meeting and making decisions, but if people don't hear anything this Friday that could be why.

 

[umass_md]

We're actually on spring break this week. I have no idea whether the admissions office is working this week, and if they are whether they'll be meeting and making decisions, but if people don't hear anything this Friday that could be why.

well, that sucks. nevermind.👎

EDIT: i just called the admissions office and they're open this week although the students are on vacation. i don't know what this means in terms of decisions.

 

[rowdy411]

UMass admissions isn't going to take off a week during the busiest time of year for their office! They're around... lurking... contemplating...

 

[umass_md]

UMass admissions isn't going to take off a week during the busiest time of year for their office! They're around... lurking... contemplating...

ok, so i'm back to being crazy and excited for friday way too early in the week. by the by, i've developed insomnia.

 

[rowdy411]

ok, so i'm back to being crazy and excited for friday way too early in the week. by the by, i've developed insomnia.

me too! damn I hate this stuff! went to bed last night at 11pm. Fell asleep this morning at 4:30am. I almost pulled my eyebrows off.

 

[umass_md]

me too! damn I hate this stuff! went to bed last night at 11pm. Fell asleep this morning at 4:30am. I almost pulled my eyebrows off.

haha. glad to hear i'm not alone and insomnia is probably a perfectly normal reaction to long-term stress 😴

 

[michaela]

Hey! Would you all be willing to give your opinions on UMASS pros and cons? I have made these lists several times, but they have become so biased by the same few people I have spoken to repeatedly. I'd love to hear from some well-informed new voices who know that UMASS med is in neither boston nor amherst 🙂

 

[virusgirl]

Hey! Would you all be willing to give your opinions on UMASS pros and cons? I have made these lists several times, but they have become so biased by the same few people I have spoken to repeatedly. I'd love to hear from some well-informed new voices who know that UMASS med is in neither boston nor amherst 🙂

Pros
- I used to do research at UMass, and I really liked all of the faculty that I met there. My interview confirmed this. Having a supportive and friendly community is important to me, and while every school will have its gunners, I thought the environment was, overall, very positive.
- Ditto for students. Nice people who I would like to have as friends.
- I envision myself ultimately practicing in the New England area, so the proximity to residency programs that could potentially interest me is a plus.
- The cost. None of the specialties I see myself going into are particularly lucrative, and every time I see Tulane's COA, it makes my soul shrivel.
- Nearby housing is very inexpensive.
- The medical center is very nice. It definitely isn't some dumpy gross place; it's a well-established and well-run facility.

Cons
- Worcester. I have family in Worcester, and I'm from Bolton myself, so I'm used to it by now. But it's definitely not on par with San Francisco or anything.
- Personally, I think the prestige of a med school has relatively little bearing on residency matching, but then again, I don't want to do derm. If you want to do rad onc at MGH, it's something to think about. It definitely doesn't have the wow-factor of Harvard.

 

[Lacheln]

- Personally, I think the prestige of a med school has relatively little bearing on residency matching, but then again, I don't want to do derm. If you want to do rad onc at MGH, it's something to think about. It definitely doesn't have the wow-factor of Harvard.

Just wanted to chime in on this - outide of the medical community I don't think UMass carries the national prestige that harv etc does, but within the med community, particularly the northeast, Umass does seem to carry a lot of prestige based on what I've heard from attendings and residents. I know tons of people who went to Umass and then went on to do very competitive and academic residencies, including many at Havard. So, basically, yeah - to the people who count, Umass is definitely respected and won't be a hurdle you have to overcome, quite the opposite. Of course this is secondhand.

For me the only real "con" to UMass is the lack of affiliation with an undergrad campus.

 

[raraxavis]

I'm enjoying my relative lack of preoccupation with this problem... Umass is the best, arguably the most well respected and the cheapest school I applied to 🙂

Best of luck with your decision, Michaela!

 

[scrubslover]

Here are some pros and cons I've been thinking of:

Pros:
Fantastic for domestic public health.
Many opportunities to work with the underserved.
Strong curriculum.
PRICE (x100000)
Solid faculty.
NOT Harvard (sorry, couldn't help myself -- the Harvard thread is sort of making me throw up a bit right now... the pretentiousness is overwhelming.)
Excellent hospital

Cons:
Worcester
Not sure how strong the match list is in terms of specializing
Not a systems-based curriculum (this is a con for me, at least)
Worcester 😛
Not a lot of emphasis on global health (if you are interested in this)
According to some current students, the campus is a bit "claustrophobic"


I forgot one more con... if one more person asks me if this is UMass Boston or Amherst, I am going to scream!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[envirodoc]

For those on the fence with multiple acceptances, please remember that this is the only in-state school for people in Massachusetts.

Since Massachusetts has no "contracts"(that I'm aware of) with other state/private schools (for instance, how some mid-west schools have a regional acceptance rate higher for neighboring state residents; and biases for nearby residents in Philly schools), this means that for people with "marginal" applications, UMass may be the only school that gives them an interview or a chance at acceptance.

So the person on the waiting list behind you at Tufts or Dartmouth probably has a few other schools they've been accepted to. The person behind you at UMass is more likely not to have multiple acceptances. Hence, the insanity on this forum with the wait time…

Just something to factor into your decision making, I know there many who would appreciate it! (myself included)😀

And I'm basing the above on my limited experience/impressions with how acceptances work and some little bit of digging around with acceptance/contract patterns. I think overall people from Massachusetts have more competition when it comes to getting in compared to those from other parts of the country.

What do you all think?

 

[raraxavis]

For those on the fence with multiple acceptances, please remember that this is the only in-state school for people in Massachusetts.

Since Massachusetts has no "contracts"(that I'm aware of) with other state/private schools (for instance, how some mid-west schools have a regional acceptance rate higher for neighboring state residents; and biases for nearby residents in Philly schools), this means that for people with "marginal" applications, UMass may be the only school that gives them an interview or a chance at acceptance.

So the person on the waiting list behind you at Tufts or Dartmouth probably has a few other schools they've been accepted to. The person behind you at UMass is more likely not to have multiple acceptances. Hence, the insanity on this forum with the wait time…

Just something to factor into your decision making, I know there many who would appreciate it! (myself included)😀

And I'm basing the above on my limited experience/impressions with how acceptances work and some little bit of digging around with acceptance/contract patterns. I think overall people from Massachusetts have more competition when it comes to getting in compared to those from other parts of the country.

What do you all think?

As someone sitting on exactly zero MD acceptances, of course my hope is always that people might choose other schools and open up spots for those of us for whom umass is an unequivocal top choice and possibly an only chance type of situation. However, I think this has not been on this thread much because it is difficult to talk about; deciding where to go to medical school is simply too important a decision to make based on aiding fellow SDNers.

All that being said, I think it does perhaps make the decision slightly more serious. We know that the privileged deciders would never simply choose to go to umass on a whim. Or we hope desperately that they don't. 🙂

 

[rowdy411]

For those on the fence with multiple acceptances, please remember that this is the only in-state school for people in Massachusetts.

Since Massachusetts has no "contracts"(that I'm aware of) with other state/private schools (for instance, how some mid-west schools have a regional acceptance rate higher for neighboring state residents; and biases for nearby residents in Philly schools), this means that for people with "marginal" applications, UMass may be the only school that gives them an interview or a chance at acceptance.

So the person on the waiting list behind you at Tufts or Dartmouth probably has a few other schools they've been accepted to. The person behind you at UMass is more likely not to have multiple acceptances. Hence, the insanity on this forum with the wait time…

Just something to factor into your decision making, I know there many who would appreciate it! (myself included)😀

And I'm basing the above on my limited experience/impressions with how acceptances work and some little bit of digging around with acceptance/contract patterns. I think overall people from Massachusetts have more competition when it comes to getting in compared to those from other parts of the country.

What do you all think?

I agree, although I won't say it as nicely: If you already have an acceptance at another school and you're not seriously considering UMass, then withdraw your application ASAP. Otherwise, you're just being an ass-hat to the rest of us who desperately want to go to UMass.

 

[virusgirl]

But here's the thing, rowdy -- I suspect many people are seriously considering UMass, if only for financial reasons. Yes, there are probably some people who are sitting on an acceptance just because they can, but with medical school costs being what they are, I can't imagine anyone not giving their state school significant consideration.

Envirodoc, you are so right about UMass being, relatively speaking, a tough state school to get into! I know one of the golden rules in med school applications is to apply to all schools in your state, but come on... we have one public school and three private schools, one of which is Harvard! It would definitely be nice to have more options!

 

[rowdy411]

that's why I said if you're not seriously considering UMass to drop out of the race. If you are seriously considering UMass than you of course have the right to hold onto an acceptance.