2009-2010 Boston University Application Thread

Started by shemarty
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mdeast said:
So how many people were deferred then accepted? I'm curious.
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I was deferred in January (interviewed in October), then got in last week via email/snail mail. My online status, however, still says my application has been deferred until March, haha... 🙄

Hope to see some of you guys May 1 for second look!
 
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jturkel said:
boo for more payments lol....upload the tax returns? where? on the application home's action link? i'm guessing they won't take emails? lol
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I think you can upload it thru Boston's MyFAPP site. I just mailed everything in though.
 
So my one else is having an error screen pop up when they try to click on new alerts to accept their offer of admissions???!!
 
Mandiblespeaks said:
How would anyone know that as of it. We have to get our packages first. Right?
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No, not financial aid package... merit scholarships offered from the school with your acceptance. People were granted these in the Jan set of acceptances. I'm wondering if any of the April acceptances were awarded merit scholarships with their acceptances... I wasn't told anything over the phone or in the email. I'm hoping for something in the snail mail package.
 
hey. i seemed to have misplaced my financial aid letter with the acceptance package in the mail....i need the email address they said to contact if you had questions about the financial aid process. doesn anyone have that email addres for the OSFS handy? TIA!
 
Mandiblespeaks said:
How would anyone know that as of it. We have to get our packages first. Right?
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So... now that people have gotten their packets, any word on merit scholarships? :xf:
To any SDNers who were accepted in January and got scholarships: Did they come in the packet or did you hear about your offer at a later date?
 
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ACCEPTED!! wow.

(just found out, was not able to access email for a while).

Its a maybe for me, depends on financial aid. Speaking of Boston sports, I think I have room in my heart to adopt an American League baseball team.
 
so the coolest/nicest thing just happened.

An MSII from BUSM just called me from the medical center to congratulate me on my acceptance, to inform me about visiting weekend/second look on May 1st, and answered TONS of my questions. it was a 17 minute phone call! and he was telling me how he is a bit tired/stressed out from studying for the Step 1 but still wanted to call. SUPER nice gesture on part of BUSM and the student....not sure if it is required or not, but i really appreciated that touch.

Looking better and better BU 😍
 
jturkel said:
so the coolest/nicest thing just happened.

An MSII from BUSM just called me from the medical center to congratulate me on my acceptance, to inform me about visiting weekend/second look on May 1st, and answered TONS of my questions. it was a 17 minute phone call! and he was telling me how he is a bit tired/stressed out from studying for the Step 1 but still wanted to call. SUPER nice gesture on part of BUSM and the student....not sure if it is required or not, but i really appreciated that touch.

Looking better and better BU 😍
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Got that phone call too, but from a MSI. I was at work though, so I couldn't really talk.
 
just popping in to say that i got in on 1/8 and will likely withdraw this month if i don't get a ton of financial aid monies. so... i hope the WL moves this year for everyone's sake! :xf:
 
jturkel said:
so the coolest/nicest thing just happened.

An MSII from BUSM just called me from the medical center to congratulate me on my acceptance, to inform me about visiting weekend/second look on May 1st, and answered TONS of my questions. it was a 17 minute phone call! and he was telling me how he is a bit tired/stressed out from studying for the Step 1 but still wanted to call. SUPER nice gesture on part of BUSM and the student....not sure if it is required or not, but i really appreciated that touch.

Looking better and better BU 😍
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Same here, from an MS IV.

dw2158 said:
just popping in to say that i got in on 1/8 and will likely withdraw this month if i don't get a ton of financial aid monies. so... i hope the WL moves this year for everyone's sake! :xf:
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Welcome back. 🙂
 
Just wondering which workshops people are gonna be attending during the May 1st visit. I'm definitely gonna check out the research/international electives one. Still debating the MD/MPH path.
 
I'm pretty sure the dress for the second look weekend is casual because I'm almost positive that event at the end of the day takes place at a bar....

As for the seminars I'm going to attend the Financing a medical school education (duh, BU is expensive) and the international health and research electives one.

Looking forward to meeting future classmates!
 
JournalistMD said:
So... now that people have gotten their packets, any word on merit scholarships? :xf:
To any SDNers who were accepted in January and got scholarships: Did they come in the packet or did you hear about your offer at a later date?
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I heard about the scholarship at a later date... skimming through my e-mail, looks like it was 2 weeks (to the day) later, and I got both an e-mail and snail mail offering the scholarship. Hope that helps, and good luck! 🙂
 
LuLuLemon said:
According to Witzburg, no one off the waitlist got in last year. This really sucks
Got Waitlisted on Friday. Almost Threw up 🙁
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If there's been no one accepted off the BU WL in the past 2 years why have one? Are they just into torture? So far not accepted anywhere but am on a lot of WL ......is it common knowledge which schools have the best record for taking from their WL..if so which schools are they?
 
RedSHIFT said:
Definately attending BU! So pumped. Still going to hate the celtics... Lakers 4 the win.
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Don't worry there are tons of cali natives and non cali natives that are Lakers fans who will be in boston to support you. It seems like half of the school is often californians or western or midwestern people, another strong percent other NE people, and then the bostonians with a few southerners thrown in. hahaha.

Its just like there are tons of NY people who are all about Yankees and against the Red Sox. haha.
 
FutureDrSparkle said:
I heard about the scholarship at a later date... skimming through my e-mail, looks like it was 2 weeks (to the day) later, and I got both an e-mail and snail mail offering the scholarship. Hope that helps, and good luck! 🙂
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Thanks! 🙂 99 percent sure I'm going BU next year... but a little financial motivation still wouldn't hurt, haha.
 
its on the waitlist thread. i don't think it says much about odds tho, its kind of biased aka only active sdn people.
 
RedSHIFT said:
Definately attending BU! So pumped. Still going to hate the celtics... Lakers 4 the win.
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I'll one up you and say I'll likely be here in the fall and despise the Pats, the celtics, and the sox (albeit less then I hate the yankees).

Giants/Niners/Warriors FTW!
 
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Hey everyone, I have many questions about BU, but I'll take them one at a time.

First question that's been bugging me: Why does BU receive 10,000 applicants while Tufts receives only 7,000? Who are the extra 3,000 people who apply to BU?
 
Naijaba said:
Hey everyone, I have many questions about BU, but I'll take them one at a time.

First question that's been bugging me: Why does BU receive 10,000 applicants while Tufts receives only 7,000? Who are the extra 3,000 people who apply to BU?
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I was wondering that myself to be honest, they're really very similar schools in a lot of ways (though I prefer B.U.).
 
I am one of he extra 3000. BU has a better reputation outside of boston I think. Especially in the last couple years.
 
I was accepted to BU. Did not apply to Tufts.
Not to be rude at all but the question is a bit arbitrary. It's a personal choice. But since you asked...

For me, having actually worked with MDs in the hospitals of both BU and Tufts, I greatly prefer BU. BU is not only the main level 1 trauma center in Boston but it is one of the busiest in the nation. eg, MGH (though not Tufts but a good illustration) saw 40 something thousand patients last year while BMC saw over 100 thousand. The training is one of the best in my opinion. Moreover, whatever people may think rank does matter. It matters especially for people interested in research because one of the many criteria for the rankings is based on the funds/grants etc available at a particular school. Lastly, BU with its ethos of providing care to anyone who walks in the doors, well that you wont find anywhere. I am not talking about student run free clinic twice a week, like those at most other schools I was accepted too, but the actual main facilities/attendings/nurses etc being dedicated to providing excellent care to whomever needs it. This reputation is well earned and proven.

But again, that's just me.
 
Naijaba said:
Hey everyone, I have many questions about BU, but I'll take them one at a time.

First question that's been bugging me: Why does BU receive 10,000 applicants while Tufts receives only 7,000? Who are the extra 3,000 people who apply to BU?
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I think BU gets 10,000 applicants for several reasons in no particular order:

1. More reputed by a slight bit.
2. A lot of out of staters apply because they see the numbe rof people who BU has taken in the past.
3. I'm sure some people look at the range of grades and MCAT scores and apply not realizing the lower end is probably due to GMS kids getting in. But still people will see that and try even though its competitive.
4. Other reasons; many bostonians seem to either prefer Tufts to BU or prefer BU to Tufts. I've met a few in GMS who think BU is better then Tufts but a lot of ex classmates in Fl. had a wow factor over Tufts.

I will say that since coming here I'm impressed with the professors and how much they really seem to care.
 
Thanks for everyone who responded!

My next question is in regards to the clinical training. I know that Boston has 3 medical schools (BU, Harvard, and Tufts), and I'm just curious to know how they all pull from the same population for patients. What kind of cases go to BUMC as opposed to the hospitals affiliated with Harvard and Tufts?
 
Naijaba said:
Thanks for everyone who responded!

My next question is in regards to the clinical training. I know that Boston has 3 medical schools (BU, Harvard, and Tufts), and I'm just curious to know how they all pull from the same population for patients. What kind of cases go to BUMC as opposed to the hospitals affiliated with Harvard and Tufts?
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BUMC is the safety net hospital for all of the Boston area, meaning that BUMC treats many poor and underserved patients, which should make for great clinical exposure as well as more hands-on work from med students/interns. BU is also affiliated with the VA, with the associated veteran patient population. Tufts i'm not quite as sure about, but NEMC is located in chinatown, meaning they have a very large asian patient population. MGH/Brigam is more of a tertiary/quaternary referall center, meaning there will be wealthier patients from around the east coast which would provide very good exposure to more rare/advanced conditions, albeit possibly at the expense of med-student hands on work (people who travel 1000 miles to get treated at mass gen probably don't want a med student doing their H&P).

These are the impressions I've recieved, take them with a grain of salt as I haven't worked in these places.
 
DoctwoB said:
BUMC is the safety net hospital for all of the Boston area, meaning that BUMC treats many poor and underserved patients, which should make for great clinical exposure as well as more hands-on work from med students/interns. BU is also affiliated with the VA, with the associated veteran patient population. Tufts i'm not quite as sure about, but NEMC is located in chinatown, meaning they have a very large asian patient population. MGH/Brigam is more of a tertiary/quaternary referall center, meaning there will be wealthier patients from around the east coast which would provide very good exposure to more rare/advanced conditions, albeit possibly at the expense of med-student hands on work (people who travel 1000 miles to get treated at mass gen probably don't want a med student doing their H&P).

These are the impressions I've recieved, take them with a grain of salt as I haven't worked in these places.
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Not far off at all in your description based on what I've heard now that I live in boston. I've heard one classmate put it this way:

BUMC and Tufts are relatively mid tier schools with inner city hospitals. Harvard is more research focused hospitals.

I've heard a prominent neurologist and professor at BUSM put it this way when teaching a clinical lecture in biochem to us,

BUMC sees a lot more of the latin american/african american population, Tufts sees a lot more of the Asian population. i don't believe he said much about harvard demographic that I remember.

It is not that Harvard is the rich people hospitals but so much as it is the research focused and rare cases kind of hospitals. And it is not just one hospital but several. They too use the VA hospital like BUMC. They also have Boston Children's which is one of the most phenomenal and well known children's hospitals in the country as well as Dana Farber which is number 4 NCI designated cancer center. Other then that they have MGH, Brigham and women, Beth Israel Deaconess (sp??), and I'm sure I'm forgetting one or 2. But my point is, its different because they are very research focused and might get those kind of rare cases that you have at Hopkins Hospital more then at other schools. Don't know how that compares to BU and Tufts though.

Though I think the point my classmate made and that Dr. Bergethon made about patient basis at Bu vs. tufts stands to be true from what I can see and it makes sense if you look at the schools based on location. You'll see what I mean if you end up coming to boston.
 
Naijaba said:
Thanks for everyone who responded!

My next question is in regards to the clinical training. I know that Boston has 3 medical schools (BU, Harvard, and Tufts), and I'm just curious to know how they all pull from the same population for patients. What kind of cases go to BUMC as opposed to the hospitals affiliated with Harvard and Tufts?
Click to expand...

Also keep in mind that if you go to BU you will have access to the Harvard and Tufts medical libraries and also you will be able to do research in one of those other 2 schools if you want to do it there instead of BU. I know someone who did summer research at Harvard after first year of med school. Of course not sure how that works if you want to do MD/PhD i.e. like in that case if you'd have to do the research at BU. But just saying.

Harvard is beautiful. But their dental school looked like nothing to brag about. Their medical school and hospitals are gorgeous though. MGH is away and the VA is away, but most of the other harvard hospitals are near each other like a medical city of hospitals and research buildings one right next to another and marble looking buildings. I was wowed seeing it when I went to meet someone there.
 
gmotherwillow said:
what about URM at BU Med. What are their stats in terms of acceptances?

Anyone know?
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I don't know but I know some of the URMs enter BU med through a special early assurance program kind of deal. They take some classes with GMS kids the year before they officially start but have to maintain a certain GPA in them. But I'm not sure about the other URMs entering the normal way. I would imagine it would be about the averages and not like they are getting a free ticket seeing as it is BU and not easy to get in with 10,000 applicants.

Secondly, I have to agree that BU is one of the most diverse schools ever and not just racially but even in terms of talent. I was at a show for a few minutes last night that was hosted by the school and the talent of these kids is amazing with music and singing. Others who can dance very well performance wise and others who can do art very well. Not just book smart and academically diverse but also outside talent wise creative minds. I'm impressed.
 
so if i can't complete all the financial aid stuff by april 16th (CSS and the boston app), anyone know what happens? can we still qualify for financial aid and its a different amount? or do we get zero?
 
jturkel said:
so if i can't complete all the financial aid stuff by april 16th (CSS and the boston app), anyone know what happens? can we still qualify for financial aid and its a different amount? or do we get zero?
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My understanding was that you could still qualify but you wouldn't hear what your package was until after May 7th. If you finish it before april 16th then you're guaranteed to hear before then, leaving you time to make a decision before the May 15th deadline...
 
Reekneee said:
My understanding was that you could still qualify but you wouldn't hear what your package was until after May 7th. If you finish it before april 16th then you're guaranteed to hear before then, leaving you time to make a decision before the May 15th deadline...
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ok thx. and i'm guessing the boston app is required to get ANY aid from them...correct? only because my parents and i havent filed our income taxes yet. that's what is holding my financial aid apps back. all we have are estimates and they don't want that.
 
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jturkel said:
ok thx. and i'm guessing the boston app is required to get ANY aid from them...correct? only because my parents and i havent filed our income taxes yet. that's what is holding my financial aid apps back. all we have are estimates and they don't want that.
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did you file for an extension? 'cause the date's coming up really soon...
and yeah, i think the boston app is required for institutional aid.
 
jturkel said:
ok thx. and i'm guessing the boston app is required to get ANY aid from them...correct? only because my parents and i havent filed our income taxes yet. that's what is holding my financial aid apps back. all we have are estimates and they don't want that.
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Yea, they won't process your package until the FAFSA, CSS, and MyFAPP are all finished, and copies of all tax papers are sent to the school.
 
sorry for all the financial aid questions, but i have ONE more question....i promise....i'm new to all of this and a bit confused by all of this. i've never done financial aid stuff like this before 🙁

so if we complete the fafsa, css, and myfapp, what is all this stuff?:

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/osfs/webforms/ 😕

and do i need to apply for those things too? or am i automatically applied to those through submitting myfapp, fafsa, and css?

thanks in advance! 🙂
 
jturkel said:
sorry for all the financial aid questions, but i have ONE more question....i promise....i'm new to all of this and a bit confused by all of this. i've never done financial aid stuff like this before 🙁

so if we complete the fafsa, css, and myfapp, what is all this stuff?:

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/osfs/webforms/ 😕

and do i need to apply for those things too? or am i automatically applied to those through submitting myfapp, fafsa, and css?

thanks in advance! 🙂
Click to expand...

don't fill those out. i assume those are only done on an as-needed basis.
 
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