2009-2010 Case Western Reserve University Application Thread

[CCLCMer]

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Kid: perfectly fine. Long story. He was faking it. School policy is to not take an actual objective temperature. They neglected to tell me that before I drove an hour back home to pick him up. "Well, he feels just a little warm" 🙄

Right after I posted that, I measured his temp. 4 times over two hours, in fact. Perfectly normal. We had a blast playing hooky. Thanks for asking!

Nice! I like your kid.

So when people find out you are going to med school, is it a rule that they must start telling you their long and really, really rather personal health histories?

Next time you see this person in public, make sure to say, in a loud, clear voice, "Hey, Joe, how ya doing? Did your gonorrhea clear up ok?"

Problem solved.

 

[brooklynblunder]

im gonna be here soon. i like my entrance carpet dark red thanx

 

[Myuu]

im gonna be here soon. i like my entrance carpet dark red thanx

Oh, ok. I'll get right on that.

Blood-splattered carpet: check!

 

[brooklynblunder]

blood from an extinct species please, preferably from a rare extinct cactus

 

[brooklynblunder]

or eggplant

 

[Myuu]

blood from an extinct species please, preferably from a rare extinct cactus

it's a pity you're coming by only now. I had two of those selfsame cactus species last week. Today, they satiate some hungry scavenger.


But I will make do. Yes, I will have to make do.

 

[buffywannabe]

Case western on the second page!!! Am I in the twilight zone?

 

[vc7777]

Case western on the second page!!! Am I in the twilight zone?

Buffy! Long time no post! I was thinking the same thing...slackers are prolly studying instead of posting today.

 

[ethen]

For the applicants who still look at this "pre-med" thread, I got an interview invite today. Complete August 22! 38/3.6/normal ECs.

One interview day is left in December, many in January.

 

[housemd?]

For the applicants who still look at this "pre-med" thread, I got an interview invite today. Complete August 22! 38/3.6/normal ECs.

One interview day is left in December, many in January.

Congrats bro. thanks for keeping us in touch.

 

[buffywannabe]

Buffy! Long time no post! I was thinking the same thing...slackers are prolly studying instead of posting today.

I try really hard not to look at threads for schools that rejected me (or in this case the hold) it just depresses me to see everyone excited and talking about attending. I will probably stay away unless I get accepted...

 

[spyderracing32]

Myuu, I was reading through this thread a bit, and I noticed way back that you posted a list of the form:

• A
• B
• ????
• Profit

Now, you wouldn't happen to be a 2p2er would you? Sorry if this is common forum vernacular, I've just never seen it outside of 2p2.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Myuu, I was reading through this thread a bit, and I noticed way back that you posted a list of the form:

• A
• B
• ????
• Profit

Now, you wouldn't happen to be a 2p2er would you? Sorry if this is common forum vernacular, I've just never seen it outside of 2p2.

AFAIK the ??? Profit pattern is also very common on Slashdot.

 

[spyderracing32]

Ahhh good to know. I always get psyched when I recognize something that I think of as a 2p2ism. Lots of smart folks of there, and lots of smart folks over here, so it's not unreasonable that they would possibly overlap. Although 2p2 being a poker forum is generally male dominated, so it would be a really rare coincidence that Myuu were on both (being female and all).

'Nuff about that though. Interviewed at the CT on the 25th and the UP on the 26th, and LOVED the UP. Everyone seems to toss a ton of love the CT's way when they do both, and don't get me wrong the CT is REALLY cool, but wow that was a stressful interview day. Both of my faculty interviewers were tough guys and threw the book at me as far as ethical and hypothetical Q's go. UP interview was super laid-back, and all of the students were great and really helpful (even if it was exam day!). One student even took 45 mins out of her day to talk to 2 other students and myself about the school. Case really won me over this week 😎.

 

[st0w]

AFAIK the ??? Profit pattern is also very common on Slashdot.

South Park?

Phase 1: Collect underpants.
Phase 2: ????
Phase 3: Profit.

 

[spyderracing32]

No way, this was in the underpants gnomes episode????

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Both programs were very impressive, and it's clear they really make an effort to make you feel welcome and as relaxed as possible. I really hope they'll like me as much as I like them. Counting down the days to 11/2...

 

[spyderracing32]

I heard early next week we'd hear back, but Monday is the day?

 

[FluffyRabbit]

I heard early next week we'd hear back, but Monday is the day?

If memory serves, that's the day the adcom meets. Whether we'll actually find out then isn't exactly clear, but hey, that's the day I am going to start really obsessively checking my email.

 

[CCLCMer]

'Nuff about that though. Interviewed at the CT on the 25th and the UP on the 26th, and LOVED the UP. Everyone seems to toss a ton of love the CT's way when they do both, and don't get me wrong the CT is REALLY cool, but wow that was a stressful interview day. Both of my faculty interviewers were tough guys and threw the book at me as far as ethical and hypothetical Q's go. UP interview was super laid-back, and all of the students were great and really helpful (even if it was exam day!). One student even took 45 mins out of her day to talk to 2 other students and myself about the school. Case really won me over this week 😎.

Ha, if you had one MD and one PhD, I bet I can guess who both of your interviewers were.

Seriously though, most people are surprisingly bad at gauging how well they did in interviews. It's like Lake Wobegon where everyone thinks they're an above-average interviewee, except for some people like you who feel like it didn't go very well because the questions were hard. What I'm trying to say is that you may have done a lot better than you think you did. But I'm sorry you felt stressed out, and I hope you let them know in your survey at the end of the day. I'm also glad you enjoyed visiting the UP.

Both programs were very impressive, and it's clear they really make an effort to make you feel welcome and as relaxed as possible. I really hope they'll like me as much as I like them. Counting down the days to 11/2...

 

[vc7777]

I love the picture vc!

Thanks! I see Ohio is showing you some love too! 😍

Sorry I missed your post. I've been doing a gorilla-warfare sort of checking...way early in the morning, mid morning, and late evening. Sort of a staccato-style.

Both of my faculty interviewers were tough guys and threw the book at me as far as ethical and hypothetical Q's go.

What I'm trying to say is that you may have done a lot better than you think you did. But I'm sorry you felt stressed out, and I hope you let them know in your survey at the end of the day. I'm also glad you enjoyed visiting the UP.

Oh yeah, the survey my group never did...oops! 😳 Nobody mentioned anything about it at the end of the day (...or the minority session, come to think of it), and we all were sort of running on fumes anyways and dispersed.

I think there is a lot of truth to CCLCMer's statement. Not to get (too) philosophical, but I liken the 'easy' interviews to the sort of "Jay Leno" interviews I am not fond of watching. If Leno (or anyone for that matter) has a vapid flavor-of-the-week guest who is un-interesting beyond their surface, the questions often are shallow and lighthearted (some may say all of his guests fall into this category). In the same manner, I don't think medical school interview questions get too difficult when the interviewer doesn't think you can handle them. Nobody likes to watch a train wreck.

On the other hand, if the person had depth of character or knowledge/talent, I think what is refreshing and stimulating is more difficult and thought provoking lines of questioning.

I've done a fair share of technical interviews (sometimes as panel or 2-on-1, or 1-on-1, much like med school). Even a couple of times interviewing people with much higher credentials than myself, how strange!

I know I've pulled punches during a few interviews because I saw that it would not lead to an offer. I don't suppose it is any different here.

So in short, the tougher questions the stronger the candidate. Unless your interviewer hates you.

 

[vc7777]

Ha, if you had one MD and one PhD, I bet I can guess who both of your interviewers were.

Is it always the same line-up? Hmmm...then you know my interviewers as well, I guess? 🙂

 

[CCLCMer]

Is it always the same line-up? Hmmm...then you know my interviewers as well, I guess? 🙂

I told you when you were here that I knew your interviewers.

By the way, I like your new avatar also. I should have you design one for me, something that has to do with the school but is more creative than just the CCLCM logo. Can you do it?

 

[housemd?]

.

 

[iceman77_7]

So AMCAS screws up & gives me a 33M & on recoring 33N (I think they still have it wrong. I should sue them to really give me the right score). Anyway, the question is, should I call up every program I am applying to, to make sure they see my new shiny score or will the programs automatically consider my new score.
Any experiences/suggestions?

If the difference is a 33M versus 33N, I don't think it's worth it. Most schools don't really take the letter score into consideration especially if the verbal score is fine.

 

[housemd?]

If the difference is a 33M versus 33N, I don't think it's worth it. Most schools don't really take the letter score into consideration especially if the verbal score is fine.

Thanks iceman. what I am really wondering is, will the adcom know that I have new albeit rescored score, or will they still have my old score.

 

[iceman77_7]

Thanks iceman. what I am really wondering is, will the adcom know that I have new albeit rescored score, or will they still have my old score.

No idea and I doubt anyone on here will know. Sorry.

 

[CCLCMer]

Thanks iceman. what I am really wondering is, will the adcom know that I have new albeit rescored score, or will they still have my old score.

Even if they do have the new score, I agree with iceman77_7 that they wouldn't care. Now if you rescored and got like a 38 or something, yeah, sure, you'd want to make sure all of your schools know about that! Why did you have your MCAT rescored anyway? Just for the essay? 33 is a good score.

 

[housemd?]

Even if they do have the new score, I agree with iceman77_7 that they wouldn't care. Now if you rescored and got like a 38 or something, yeah, sure, you'd want to make sure all of your schools know about that! Why did you have your MCAT rescored anyway? Just for the essay? 33 is a good score.

One has the option to rescore just the numeric part, or just the written part or both. Written part score was like a slap in the face (one would imagine, being a professor, I would know how to write two damn essays). So even though I realize, that the written score is not that important, I wanted it checked out.
Also with the competitive environment today, I didn't want my written score to be held against me. My Kaplan professors always said -- in genereal a good written score doesn't help, but a bad score can be harmful. So wanted to take care of that.

 

[Myuu]

Myuu, I was reading through this thread a bit, and I noticed way back that you posted a list of the form:

• A
• B
• ????
• Profit

Now, you wouldn't happen to be a 2p2er would you? Sorry if this is common forum vernacular, I've just never seen it outside of 2p2.

Outside of where? 😳

AFAIK the ??? Profit pattern is also very common on Slashdot.

We have a winner!

I'm afraid I don't know the first thing about poker. 🙁

Thanks! I see Ohio is showing you some love too! 😍

Sorry I missed your post. I've been doing a gorilla-warfare sort of checking...way early in the morning, mid morning, and late evening. Sort of a staccato-style.





Oh yeah, the survey my group never did...oops! 😳 Nobody mentioned anything about it at the end of the day (...or the minority session, come to think of it), and we all were sort of running on fumes anyways and dispersed.

I think there is a lot of truth to CCLCMer's statement. Not to get (too) philosophical, but I liken the 'easy' interviews to the sort of "Jay Leno" interviews I am not fond of watching. If Leno (or anyone for that matter) has a vapid flavor-of-the-week guest who is un-interesting beyond their surface, the questions often are shallow and lighthearted (some may say all of his guests fall into this category). In the same manner, I don't think medical school interview questions get too difficult when the interviewer doesn't think you can handle them. Nobody likes to watch a train wreck.

On the other hand, if the person had depth of character or knowledge/talent, I think what is refreshing and stimulating is more difficult and thought provoking lines of questioning.

I've done a fair share of technical interviews (sometimes as panel or 2-on-1, or 1-on-1, much like med school). Even a couple of times interviewing people with much higher credentials than myself, how strange!

I know I've pulled punches during a few interviews because I saw that it would not lead to an offer. I don't suppose it is any different here.

So in short, the tougher questions the stronger the candidate. Unless your interviewer hates you.

Hmm. I don't think I got any hard questions at my Case interview... Then again, what's "hard" is largely up to the interviewee... That interview
was also my shortest of the season...

 

[CCLCMer]

One has the option to rescore just the numeric part, or just the written part or both. Written part score was like a slap in the face (one would imagine, being a professor, I would know how to write two damn essays). So even though I realize, that the written score is not that important, I wanted it checked out.
Also with the competitive environment today, I didn't want my written score to be held against me. My Kaplan professors always said -- in genereal a good written score doesn't help, but a bad score can be harmful. So wanted to take care of that.

Hopefully you weren't an English composition professor. 😛

Seriously though, you could have written brilliant essays and just not given them the kind of essay that they wanted. They had pretty specific directions you had to follow. Anyway, I don't think it's a big deal. I've never heard of someone being passed over for interview or acceptance because their essay score was too low! Well maybe if your PS and secondary essays are poorly written, then it might matter that you got a low essay score. But if your application essays were so awful, you'd probably know that yourself because whoever you asked to read them would have told you.

 

[vc7777]

Well, had to vent somewhere just a little bit, I apologize in advance:

Just got screened at the last of the the medical schools I applied to in the state of Michigan (which schools? It's not quite anonymous, but hey...🙄). They sat on my completed application for a week shy of 4 months!?! Grrrr...Very confusing and frustrating, but not unexpected (doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if they don't call you for 4 months, they are probably not interested...I learned that lesson a long time ago dating)...0 for 3 in Michigan for interiews, with a slight outside chance of an interview late in the game...So...State of Ohio...ready or not! Here I come!

 

[st0w]

0 for 3 in Michigan for interiews, with a slight outside chance of an interview late in the game...So...State of Ohio...ready or not! Here I come!

Sooo... you're saying that Ohio is your second-best to Michigan? Now I'm not from this area, but them sounds like fightin' words!

 

[housemd?]

Well, had to vent somewhere just a little bit, I apologize in advance:

Just got screened at the last of the the medical schools I applied to in the state of Michigan (which schools? It's not quite anonymous, but hey...🙄). They sat on my completed application for a week shy of 4 months!?! Grrrr...Very confusing and frustrating, but not unexpected (doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if they don't call you for 4 months, they are probably not interested...I learned that lesson a long time ago dating)...0 for 3 in Michigan for interiews, with a slight outside chance of an interview late in the game...So...State of Ohio...ready or not! Here I come!

Hey vc7777 sorry to hear that man. You got excellent scores too. Maybe Ohio will bring good fortune.

 

[CCLCMer]

Very confusing and frustrating, but not unexpected (doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if they don't call you for 4 months, they are probably not interested...I learned that lesson a long time ago dating)

Sorry, but that is absolutely hilarious.

You know what, vc7777, as Madonna would say: don't cry for me, Michigan Schools. 🙂

Sooo... you're saying that Ohio is your second-best to Michigan? Now I'm not from this area, but them sounds like fightin' words!

He already admitted upthread that Ohio >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Michigan. 😀

Hey vc7777 sorry to hear that man. You got excellent scores too. Maybe Ohio will bring good fortune.

Don't go feeling all sorry for him. Check out his mdapps. The man has been accepted to every Ohio school he's heard back from post-interview!

 

[vc7777]

Sooo... you're saying that Ohio is your second-best to Michigan? Now I'm not from this area, but them sounds like fightin' words!

No. This isn't a slam against Ohio at all...I just was born near Detroit, raised here, undergrad at Univ. Michigan, worked here for 12 years, have 3 kids, a house worth almost $80k less than my mortgage, and a lawyer-wife with a stable career. Not to mention family and friends here...There are seriously many, many barriers to my move.

Anyone who has followed my posts in the threads of the Michigan schools knows I believe in the State (in the long run). I will likely try and return to Michigan after school. It is still like being betrayed by your own mother...it sucks.

I'm no "spring chicken" who has to only worry about whether my GF gets the dog or me when I move...For better or worse, I am HERE. WE are HERE.

I would have like to say I have "chosen" to leave...not be "forced" to leave. My family has and will continue to support my moving, and we actively are looking at Cleveland, Cincy, and Columbus as we speak.

My point of venting is more to the point that I haven't even been given a second look in-state...very disappointing...

I am very happy with my acceptances so far. My success so far has been beyond my expectations, but you have to understand my frustration and confusion.

 

[adqnn]

I setup an interview in early February yesterday. Submitted August 31st. just fyi. 👍 Good luck Everyone.

 

[PowerButton]

Wow, missing a week of this thread = takes 20 minutes to catch up.

Anyway just wanted to say congrats to vc; you deserve it man! Even though you made me change my avatar.

And CCLCMer/Myuu, you guys have been so helpful; can't stress it enough. Case is lucky to have you guys giving them such a good image.

Just FYI, for those of you who are on a post-interview hold like me, Mr. Essman is very accessible and friendly to communicate with. I haven't contacted Dr. Mehta directly but I think writing through Mr. Essman is good enough.

 

[vc7777]

Wow, missing a week of this thread = takes 20 minutes to catch up.

Anyway just wanted to say congrats to vc; you deserve it man! Even though you made me change my avatar.

And CCLCMer/Myuu, you guys have been so helpful; can't stress it enough. Case is lucky to have you guys giving them such a good image.

Just FYI, for those of you who are on a post-interview hold like me, Mr. Essman is very accessible and friendly to communicate with. I haven't contacted Dr. Mehta directly but I think writing through Mr. Essman is good enough.

PB! We missed you and your shenanigans (sp?)!

 

[st0w]

Let's see, here's that oldie but goodie trick question for endocrine that always shows up on tests: what's the most common cause of Cushing's syndrome? It's not Cushing's disease. It's exogenous administration of steroids. Ditto for the repro part: what's the most common reason for secondary amenorrhea? Pregnancy. Even for Step 2, the answer to every question about what to do first with a nonmenstruating woman between the ages of 10 and 50 is to measure her hCG. Lordy.

You did it again! We took our NBME content exam this morning, 120 questions on material we've covered, and (I know I have to be careful about discussing the content, even thought it wasn't a true exam) one of the questions related to a woman with eight-month amenorrhea and weight gain (and I'll leave out the other details).

From now on, I am always going to talk to you before I take any exam.

 

[Latetotheparty]

Well, had to vent somewhere just a little bit, I apologize in advance:

Just got screened at the last of the the medical schools I applied to in the state of Michigan (which schools? It's not quite anonymous, but hey...🙄). They sat on my completed application for a week shy of 4 months!?! Grrrr...Very confusing and frustrating, but not unexpected (doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if they don't call you for 4 months, they are probably not interested...I learned that lesson a long time ago dating)...0 for 3 in Michigan for interiews, with a slight outside chance of an interview late in the game...So...State of Ohio...ready or not! Here I come!

Sorry to hear that VC, but Michigan's loss is Ohio's gain, IMO.

 

[st0w]

No. This isn't a slam against Ohio at all...

I know it wasn't. I was just poking fun at the Ohio-Michigan rivalry, that's all. 🙂 I didn't mean to come off as serious, by any means.

 

[CCLCMer]

You did it again! We took our NBME content exam this morning, 120 questions on material we've covered, and (I know I have to be careful about discussing the content, even thought it wasn't a true exam) one of the questions related to a woman with eight-month amenorrhea and weight gain (and I'll leave out the other details).

From now on, I am always going to talk to you before I take any exam.

Awesome! 😀

So, what's your next block? Come on, come on, I have plenty of pent-up anger about all those times I got tricked. I'll spill all their secrets.

 

[spyderracing32]

Well, had to vent somewhere just a little bit, I apologize in advance:

Just got screened at the last of the the medical schools I applied to in the state of Michigan (which schools? It's not quite anonymous, but hey...🙄). They sat on my completed application for a week shy of 4 months!?! Grrrr...Very confusing and frustrating, but not unexpected (doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if they don't call you for 4 months, they are probably not interested...I learned that lesson a long time ago dating)...0 for 3 in Michigan for interiews, with a slight outside chance of an interview late in the game...So...State of Ohio...ready or not! Here I come!

I feel ya on this one man. I'm 1 for 3, but coming from U of M, they give their undergrads no love, and State gets weird about their applicants (I'm still not reviewed here after having applied WAY early). No worries though man, Case is awesome and I hope to be able to say I'll be making the migration south with ya next week! They have a pretty tight UM coalition down there too. I was called out by name at least 3 times on interview day for the sheer fact that I was from U of M. No reason to end those football saturdays (even if they'll be scaled down a bit) 👍.

 

[st0w]

So, what's your next block? Come on, come on, I have plenty of pent-up anger about all those times I got tricked. I'll spill all their secrets.

hahahahaha Block three starts Monday: biochem, GI, nutrition.

 

[CCLCMer]

hahahahaha Block three starts Monday: biochem, GI, nutrition.

CCLCMer's Case First Year Exam Crystal Ball says:

Biochem: make sure you memorize all those storage diseases right before you take the test.

Nutrition: surprisingly not a very heavily emphasized subject in med school. Focus on the vitamins.

GI: Time for a par-tee that went a little too far. Alcoholics unify everything in your whole block: they're malnutritioned, they have every GI disease known to medicine, and they have metabolic issues related to biochem. You can't go wrong with hepatitis viruses either.

 

[spyderracing32]

Btw CCLCMer, my interviewers were an MD and an MD/PhD. I'll entertain guesses as to who they were by pm haha.

 

[vc7777]

I know it wasn't. I was just poking fun at the Ohio-Michigan rivalry, that's all. 🙂 I didn't mean to come off as serious, by any means.

No problem! I just thought you had a good point, that I came off a little rough on the Case thread of all places! I felt a clarification was due. I apologize for that original post.

Thanks folks! I appreciate all of the positive support!
Chin up! Onward! Upward!

🙂

 

[KMFDM]

...

 

[Homoochan]

Just FYI, for those of you who are on a post-interview hold like me, Mr. Essman is very accessible and friendly to communicate with. I haven't contacted Dr. Mehta directly but I think writing through Mr. Essman is good enough.

I've sent Mr. Essman a question through e-mail like 1.5 week ago but haven't heard back