2009-2010 Boston University Application Thread

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I took a glance at the CSS/Profile for financial aid here:wow:....like 1000000x more scut work than filing taxes or the FAFSA.....👎thumbdown👎thumbdown👎
 
smmypnts said:
Yeah, I'm pretty mad about the lack of news...kinda shows BU doesn't care.

I worked hard at BU undergrad (not to mention all the money I spent going there) and I happen to think I'm pretty well qualified to get into BU so I don't understand the lack of alma mater love. I think BU may actually discriminate against their own, despite what Zamansky (pre-med office director) told me.

Anyone else who is a BU alum (not 7 yr med) get snubbed?
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I'm really sorry to hear that 🙁. But I have a friend who did an MPH there, who's a med student there right now.. so maybe you can send some nudges with letter of interest (and lots of love??)? Sorry.. I was deferred 🙁 so I'm not much help either.. But you're still in the running, because I think BU aren't shy about rejecting people, esp pre-interview.. (well, since I can't speak about my fate of post-interveiw 🙁) so I'm pretty sure they're on the verge of deciding.. maybe you just have to push them over the edge with a lot of love 😀. But good luck with everything! 🙂
 
I wish my LOI would just write itself! i loved BU and there is so much I wanna say but i cant get it the way i want..

what are you deffered people doing? writing one? wrote one? not going to?
 
OneMCATAway said:
I wish my LOI would just write itself! i loved BU and there is so much I wanna say but i cant get it the way i want..

what are you deffered people doing? writing one? wrote one? not going to?
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Deferred...not writing one. They already have all the updates they need and if all I'm going to do is write a fluff piece about how I'm interested in BU...well, they can get the information from the check box I clicked saying I was still interested in BU when they deferred me. Not sure how much more information they are going to glean from an LOI, from me at least.
 
oze said:
Deferred...not writing one. They already have all the updates they need and if all I'm going to do is write a fluff piece about how I'm interested in BU...well, they can get the information from the check box I clicked saying I was still interested in BU when they deferred me. Not sure how much more information they are going to glean from an LOI, from me at least.
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That makes sense, I dont think it is that big a deal either.. if they like you enough they'll accept you either way 🙂

have you sent in any update letters?
 
^ Boston likes LOIs alot.

Just to give you guys the heads up. That was re-emphasized during my interview.
 
bannie22 said:
^ Boston likes LOIs alot.

Just to give you guys the heads up. That was re-emphasized during my interview.
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agree wholeheartedly!!!!! never underestimate the power of a strong, heartfelt, believable letter of intent.
 
slowbutsteady said:
agree wholeheartedly!!!!! never underestimate the power of a strong, heartfelt, believable letter of intent.
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That being said, when I was there Witzburg went on a little tirade against premature LOIs and people who send letters of interest or intent to every school.

So while if B.U. is truly your number one choice and you can express that in a heartfelt way, then send a LOI, but otherwise, no letter is better than an insincere letter.
 
DoctwoB said:
That being said, when I was there Witzburg went on a little tirade against premature LOIs and people who send letters of interest or intent to every school.

So while if B.U. is truly your number one choice and you can express that in a heartfelt way, then send a LOI, but otherwise, no letter is better than an insincere letter.
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Of course =p

But no right-minded premed is going to write an insincere letter 😛

Remember that its post-interview too!
 
He sees 10k+ applications per year. He can easily sniff out an insincere LOI.

It's like the boy who cried fox. LOIs hardly mean anything anymore.
 
It doesn't hurt if you mean it. But you better have specific reasons why. The last thing you want is to regret not telling the adcom how strong your interest really was.

I would also be careful sending insincere letters, especially to a school with such a large hospital system and residency program. You don't want to hurt your reputation for the future.
 
deferred here as well. i've got the same job, activities, interest level in BU as i did when i interviewed. nothing special to write so not going to...we shall what happens.
 
Does anyone know the rates of acceptance of students who get deferred (from the first round of interviews) compared to those who interview in the second round?
 
In a letter of intent, should I address my low MCAT scores (27) and try to "defend" myself by telling them why I believe the test did not reflect my full potential?

(I was working full time while studying and didn't take an MCAT class?)

FYI, I'm not trying to make excuses for the low MCAT score. I do believe I could have studied harder. However, I took the test twice within 3 months and got the same overall score, but fluctuated considerably in the individual sections. I could have gotten a 31 if I had scored my best section scores in one test, which obviously is a much better overall score!

So should I mention it?
 
VBaller12 said:
In a letter of intent, should I address my low MCAT scores (27) and try to "defend" myself by telling them why I believe the test did not reflect my full potential?

(I was working full time while studying and didn't take an MCAT class?)

FYI, I'm not trying to make excuses for the low MCAT score. I do believe I could have studied harder. However, I took the test twice within 3 months and got the same overall score, but fluctuated considerably in the individual sections. I could have gotten a 31 if I had scored my best section scores in one test, which obviously is a much better overall score!

So should I mention it?
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I say definitely not.

Wait for other opinions.

Anyone that gives me that I was working crap so I couldnt do well crap will never get into my med school.

The proper answer is that I suck because I cannot manage my time properly. But thats just me.

This not directly intended at you! Just throwing it out there.
There are better things to say like how much you liked the school, and also if you and the school share the same vision... stuff like that.
 
I'd say no too. That is for your personal statement or something to mention at the interview. Write stuff specific to that school and how you fit in there. If you got an interview, they already saw the scores and still decided to give you a shot.
 
bannie22 said:
I say definitely not.

Wait for other opinions.

Anyone that gives me that I was working crap so I couldnt do well crap will never get into my med school.

The proper answer is that I suck because I cannot manage my time properly. But thats just me.

This not directly intended at you! Just throwing it out there.
There are better things to say like how much you liked the school, and also if you and the school share the same vision... stuff like that.
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I probably deserved this because I did have trouble forcing myself to study after a long day at work.

However, I think you should try to be more diplomatic. It will help you in the future. You have no idea what my situation or anyone else's situation is on this thread. There are some things you should think and not say.

Thank you, anfleisch, for politely answering my question. It was very helpful.
 
bannie22 said:
I say definitely not.

Wait for other opinions.

Anyone that gives me that I was working crap so I couldnt do well crap will never get into my med school.

The proper answer is that I suck because I cannot manage my time properly. But thats just me.

This not directly intended at you! Just throwing it out there.
There are better things to say like how much you liked the school, and also if you and the school share the same vision... stuff like that.
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I have mixed views with respect to this. I was (and am) working full-time in a high stress job and I managed to study for, and do well on, the MCAT. However, I worked hard as an undergrad and I think if I was working while going to school my grades and content knowledge would have suffered.
 
There are plenty of students that work full time, don't take an MCAT class and still do well.

The best thing to do is write about how great you are and why they should accept you rather than defend your shortcomings.
 
DoctwoB said:
That being said, when I was there Witzburg went on a little tirade against premature LOIs and people who send letters of interest or intent to every school.

So while if B.U. is truly your number one choice and you can express that in a heartfelt way, then send a LOI, but otherwise, no letter is better than an insincere letter.
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You have to time it perfectly. Like 10 days before the March decisions. And if you aren't prepared to lay it on the line, you're right, don't do it.
 
I think 10 days is a little late. It may take about a week to be officially added to your file. That most likely will be after your decision has been made. They will be re-reviewing files at least for the final few weeks, so I would make sure they have it by then.
 
my gut impression is to keep the letter focused on the positives. tell them your strengths and why you would make a fantastic BU student. i personally wouldn't backtrack to cover for a weakness - otherwise this weakness is the last thing on their mind when they make a decision about you.
 
VBaller12 said:
I probably deserved this because I did have trouble forcing myself to study after a long day at work.

However, I think you should try to be more diplomatic. It will help you in the future. You have no idea what my situation or anyone else's situation is on this thread. There are some things you should think and not say.

Thank you, anfleisch, for politely answering my question. It was very helpful.
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Yeah.. I did say it was my opinion and not directed towards you in anyway.

When we become doctors (as most of us here will become), we will have EVEN MORE things on our plate, and there is NO EXCUSE for substandard performance when we are with our patients.

We have even greater responsibilities then. So now is the time to train yourself for that.

And what i am trying to emphasize is that that reason should never go onto a letter, more so, a letter of such importance.

There is no reason to do badly on ANYTHING.

If you want to become a doctor, one day your patient might pass away, and it might very well be your fault, are you going to let that affect the rest of your patients?

But once again, its not you I'm talking about. I'm just saying, dont put it on the letter.
 
slowbutsteady said:
You have to time it perfectly. Like 10 days before the March decisions. And if you aren't prepared to lay it on the line, you're right, don't do it.
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I'm not sure but wouldnt that be abittt late, since the decisions would more or less be finalized. 😳
 
anfleisch said:
I think 10 days is a little late. It may take about a week to be officially added to your file. That most likely will be after your decision has been made. They will be re-reviewing files at least for the final few weeks, so I would make sure they have it by then.
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OK, you know best!!!🙄
 
dw2158 said:
and you do? this is the blind leading the blind here; we're all just offering opinions.
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Why would you think I am "blind" on this topic? Hey guys, do what you want, just trying to help.

BU is a tremendous school! Good luck to all of you whether you come to BU or anywhere you end up.

Medical school has surpassed any dream I ever had about it. I work constantly and love it!!! The subject matter, the faculty, the students, the patients, the research opportunities, everything!!!!!!!!

You are going to LOVE medical school!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
slowbutsteady said:
Why would you think I am "blind" on this topic? Hey guys, do what you want, just trying to help.

BU is a tremendous school! Good luck to all of you whether you come to BU or anywhere you end up.

Medical school has surpassed any dream I ever had about it. I work constantly and love it!!! The subject matter, the faculty, the students, the patients, the research opportunities, everything!!!!!!!!

You are going to LOVE medical school!!!!!!!!!!!!
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sorry, didn't meant to insult. i just meant that since none of us are actually on the adcom, we're all "trying to help" by offering our own opinions. i didn't think it was necessary for you to make a snide, eye-rolling comment directed at someone who tried to give advice.
 
I was sifting through the old BUSM threads and did not find any indication for or against acceptances being offered to students who were deferred the first round.

I was wondering if anyone know if anyone over the last few years was accepted AFTER being deferred first?

:luck:
 
According to what the adcom said, more people are accepted later than earlier.
 
Mandiblespeaks said:
I was sifting through the old BUSM threads and did not find any indication for or against acceptances being offered to students who were deferred the first round.

I was wondering if anyone know if anyone over the last few years was accepted AFTER being deferred first?

:luck:
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Most of the class is made up of people who were deferred first, i think!!!
 
I think Dr. Witzburg said that a smaller percentage of the class is accepted in January. The large majority of acceptances go out in March.
 
Anyone know when the last of the invites are set to go out?
 
FuSoYa said:
I think Dr. Witzburg said that a smaller percentage of the class is accepted in January. The large majority of acceptances go out in March.
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I remm that too. So we are safe to assume that a large majority of that majority are deferred applicants?
 
i interviewed here last week. I think it would be awesome to go here.

Also there was this other interviewee there from Montreal, Canada. She is now part of why I want to go to BostonU 😍
 
docforsure said:
i interviewed here last week. I think it would be awesome to go here.

Also there was this other interviewee there from Montreal, Canada. She is now part of why I want to go to BostonU 😍
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lool. wait till she ditches BU for sunnier horizons 😛
and you will be stuck there on ya own
 
Mandiblespeaks said:
I remm that too. So we are safe to assume that a large majority of that majority are deferred applicants?
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hm... that's harder to say. Depends on how many are in the "deferred" pool and how many are in the "recent interviewee" pool, and how each group stacks up. I'd guess that everyone waiting for March has an equal shot. I would not assume that the deferred people are given any sort of preference. Just my thoughts.
 
Mandiblespeaks said:
I remm that too. So we are safe to assume that a large majority of that majority are deferred applicants?
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Yes, for 4 reasons:

1. the "stronger" applicants are interviewed before January (in theory)

2. 60% of interviews happen before January

3. only like 10-15% of the class is filled in January

4. deferred applicants have already made the cut; lots of people were already rejected in January

I have absolutely NO inside information on any of this, just personal experience and observation.
 
slowbutsteady said:
Yes, for 4 reasons:

1. the "stronger" applicants are interviewed before January (in theory)

2. 60% of interviews happen before January

3. only like 10-15% of the class is filled in January

4. deferred applicants have already made the cut; lots of people were already rejected in January

I have absolutely NO inside information on any of this, just personal experience and observation.
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Insightfull, Thank you.
 
i am not sure I agree with point 1 because adcom is more picky with the later applicants than the earlier ones so the standard for getting an interview would be raised for people who applied later (which is the whole reasoning for why people should apply earlier). Average this with people who adcom is unsure about and didn't decided to interview until late, and that pretty much evens the playing field. So strnegth of intervees should be the same on average between the two groups.
 
I don't think there are as many late applicants as you think, especially high quality ones. The rising standards seem to happen more with rolling admissions from what I have seen, since they have more of their class filled at this point, not just their interview spots.
 
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