2009-2010 Duke Application Thread

[avo]

---

Members do not see this ad.

lol, not gonna lie, that went through my mind 😛. On top of it all, I found out about the problem like 10 minutes after the office closed, so I sent them an e-mail. We'll see what happens I guess.

All fixed.

 

[avo]

Not to change the subject... but this article speaks for itself.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/6849247/Women-worse-at-parking-than-men-study-shows.html

I love how that picture shows none of the cars even close to the space. Perfect 😀.

hahahahaha love how you are stayin true to your name hahhaa



Good! and good luck with the interview!

Thanks! That virtual interview stuff is going to be stressful, but we'll see.

 

[ghoulfrenzy]

i requested a regional interview two weeks ago but still have not heard back. Is anyone else having similar delay? should I call the office?

 

[MsTaco]

It takes a long time to sort out the regional interview thing--relax. It took about 3 weeks to get a confirmation that would be scheduling my regional interview, and about a month and a half before they gave me a final contact, with whom I was able to schedule the interview within 2 weeks. There's a very limited number of regional interviews. I don't know where you are coming from, but it can also depend on what region you've selected. California only has only one interviewer that periodically travels out here to conduct the interviews, so it depends on his schedule; they mentioned that Seattle has an interviewer for the northwest, and the northeast has multiple so it's a bit easier. Everywhere else has next to nothing, although they might be able to schedule something if someone on their regular adcom committee happens to be making a trip out there. Just be patient...it's not easy for them to coordinate these regional interviews, and there's only one woman that's in charge of it. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to contact their admissions office if you just want to make sure or see if you can speed things along...but since they are non-rolling, I took the relax-and-wait approach, and it worked out fine for me 🙂

 

[iCarly]

Richard Wallace's holiday message was actually kind of touching. It actually tells me a lot about this place, they care.

 

[futuredoctor10]

Richard Wallace's holiday message was actually kind of touching. It actually tells me a lot about this place, they care.

Agreed! Everyone at Duke is soo nice, and they're the only school I've interviewed at that has followed up with interviewees (for the holiday season, a survey about the interview day, etc). YAY Duke.

 

[AyCaramba]

I never got anything from Richard Wallace...?

 

[jla314]

what did it say? i didn't get one 😛

 

[the medicineman]

Seasons Greetings from the Office of Admissions!

The holidays come and go so quickly but it is nevertheless a time of magic and majesty. It's certainly my favorite time of the year; a time when we remember those who may be less fortunate, put forth a little extra effort to be kind to one another, and gather together to enjoy the company of those we love and those who love us!

Please permit me to wish you and your family great peace and joy as we prepare to celebrate a few weeks on the calendar when the world seems to come together as one.

Please be safe in your travels and enjoy a much deserved period of rest and relaxation.

Regards,

RW



-such a nice note!

 

[TheFreak]

yeah definitely very nice. for those of you worrying you might want to check your spam box. that's where mine went.

on an unrelated note, does anyone have any insider information on how important the interview is at duke?

 

[futuredoctor10]

on an unrelated note, does anyone have any insider information on how important the interview is at duke?

I am curious about this as well. At interview day, they said they no longer look at GPAs or MCAT scores in considering who to accept (that's only for the interview stage), so I am guessing the interview is very important.

Although, I can't imagine how hard it must be to distinguish the ~800 applicants they interview from just the interview? (or even the application as a whole, excluding GPA/MCAT, plus interview... still would be hard)

 

[AyCaramba]

yeah definitely very nice. for those of you worrying you might want to check your spam box. that's where mine went.

good call

 

[brooklynblunder]

I am curious about this as well. At interview day, they said they no longer look at GPAs or MCAT scores in considering who to accept (that's only for the interview stage), so I am guessing the interview is very important.

Although, I can't imagine how hard it must be to distinguish the ~800 applicants they interview from just the interview? (or even the application as a whole, excluding GPA/MCAT, plus interview... still would be hard)

they didn't say this at all in my day, i thought they said they look at everything

 

[AyCaramba]

they didn't say this at all in my day, i thought they said they look at everything

I feel like they probably said something more like "since you have an interview, your GPA and MCAT are good enough to get in" (which pretty much every school I've interviewed at has said in some form). So it's not that they don't look at MCAT/GPA, it's just that they shouldn't be the only thing that keeps you from getting accepted.

 

[MsTaco]

No love for me from Richard Wallace again this year...I hope that doesn't bode badly for my application 🙁

On another note...my understanding (and I think this has been discussed several times on this forum) is that your whole application is given a score, which takes into account everything...your numbers, your essays, your ecs, etc, and essentially reflects how much they want you. Then the scores are ranked and the top 100 or so (I'm sure its more than that but I'm guessing conservatively) are offered a place in the class, and the next ~100 or so are offered a position on the waitlist. I wish I could tell you exactly what they were scoring on, but I'm sure that much of what goes into that score comes from the interview. When they say that gpa/mcat don't matter, what I think they mean is, your GPA and MCAT are good enough to get you in--they will not be a prohibitive factor at this point, or they wouldn't have offered you an interview--but it just depends on how everything else adds up.

 

[hitsugaaya]

so i am in a dilemma, kinda. I got invited to a regional interview (yea!!) and got my contact name like a month later. Now my contact is very elusive. She initially emailed me with the week she would be available, but then after that has refused to respond to my emails or my phone calls as to where, and exactly when it would go down...its supposed to be in early january and thats around the corner...should i keep waiting and hope she responds? or should i call the admissions office and ask about it.Im im the atlanta area and only come here during breaks so its now or nothing....please HELP

 

[Question123]

Wait til after the new year, its a crazy time for everyone and I am sure she is not trying to ignore you. That being said, if by January 4th you haven't heard anything, call admissions. Worse case scenario you could tell them where you will be after the holidays and do a regional there.

 

[futuredoctor10]

No love for me from Richard Wallace again this year...I hope that doesn't bode badly for my application 🙁

On another note...my understanding (and I think this has been discussed several times on this forum) is that your whole application is given a score, which takes into account everything...your numbers, your essays, your ecs, etc, and essentially reflects how much they want you. Then the scores are ranked and the top 100 or so (I'm sure its more than that but I'm guessing conservatively) are offered a place in the class, and the next ~100 or so are offered a position on the waitlist. I wish I could tell you exactly what they were scoring on, but I'm sure that much of what goes into that score comes from the interview. When they say that gpa/mcat don't matter, what I think they mean is, your GPA and MCAT are good enough to get you in--they will not be a prohibitive factor at this point, or they wouldn't have offered you an interview--but it just depends on how everything else adds up.

I feel like they probably said something more like "since you have an interview, your GPA and MCAT are good enough to get in" (which pretty much every school I've interviewed at has said in some form). So it's not that they don't look at MCAT/GPA, it's just that they shouldn't be the only thing that keeps you from getting accepted.

Yeah this makes sense. I think I may have miswrote what I probably heard, which was something to the effect that "GPA/MCAT are good enough to get in and won't prevent you from doing so, since you've been invited to an interview". So they still look at your application as a whole at this point. everyone!

 

[KAULmeMD]

Hey guys, Hope you all have had a stress free holidays! 🙂
So..I've been waiting for a month and half for someone to contact me regarding the virtual interview.. How is it that this process takes so long! Should i contact them and switch to regional interview?? I know when i first received my interview invite, there were not any on-campus availabilities. I am intensely worried about the interview, and nervous from the start because its "virtual" Someone please help!!

 

[hitsugaaya]

Hey guys, Hope you all have had a stress free holidays! 🙂
So..I've been waiting for a month and half for someone to contact me regarding the virtual interview.. How is it that this process takes so long! Should i contact them and switch to regional interview?? I know when i first received my interview invite, there were not any on-campus availabilities. I am intensely worried about the interview, and nervous from the start because its "virtual" Someone please help!!

did they say they would contact you? it probably wont hurt to call to check on it after New Years

 

[KAULmeMD]

yup i've called a couple times and supposedly there is one lady who does these interviews and i'm on a queue. Just worried that my queue has been for a few months now.. eek

 

[hitsugaaya]

yup i've called a couple times and supposedly there is one lady who does these interviews and i'm on a queue. Just worried that my queue has been for a few months now.. eek

Have they contacted you yet? I had to switch from regional to virtual yesterday cos the alumni was refusing to respond to me and they have me set up for late January with a guy at a specific time. I hope they have contacted you already

 

[MBHockey]

Has anyone sent Duke an updated transcript which includes classes taken Fall '09? I took a couple of Bio classes this fall and want to send the transcript but I'm not sure how to go about it. Mail it directly to the admissions office? Go through AMCAS?

 

[mrmacey]

hey guys,

does anyone know the date duke will start letting everyone know?? i just remember 'march'.

 

[Tatastrophy]

Has anyone sent Duke an updated transcript which includes classes taken Fall '09? I took a couple of Bio classes this fall and want to send the transcript but I'm not sure how to go about it. Mail it directly to the admissions office? Go through AMCAS?

I called their admissions office a while back and they said that they don't need the fall grades until final transcript.

 

[MsTaco]

hey guys,

does anyone know the date duke will start letting everyone know?? i just remember 'march'.

Last year it was painful. I do remember it was exactly March 13...but that day came after about 2 straight weeks of "we'll let you know on X day," and then no news would come that day, leading to a stream of SDN freak-outs, someone calling, and getting a new predicted date. So I would assume mid-march, but even once they tell you a day, don't cling to it until people start getting emails.

Which, btw, was another brutal thing about last year...they decided to let all rejections/waitlists know by email, but all acceptances came via snail mail. While I love the idea of opening a big, shiny package from Duke, it was brutal sitting around for 2 weeks being terrified of your email...every time I got the "Gmail-Inbox (1)" message, my heart would sink...and then it'd be a false alarm. Some people had an even worse time, because when the rejections started coming out, most came in the same day...but a few people's servers delayed the email over the weekend, so those poor people were sitting there all weekend going, "omg, I didn't get an email...did I get accepted to Duke???" And then come Monday there was that ugly little email...It was very sad 🙁. I reeeaaally hope they don't do it that way again this year....

 

[hitsugaaya]

Last year it was painful. I do remember it was exactly March 13...but that day came after about 2 straight weeks of "we'll let you know on X day," and then no news would come that day, leading to a stream of SDN freak-outs, someone calling, and getting a new predicted date. So I would assume mid-march, but even once they tell you a day, don't cling to it until people start getting emails.

Which, btw, was another brutal thing about last year...they decided to let all rejections/waitlists know by email, but all acceptances came via snail mail. While I love the idea of opening a big, shiny package from Duke, it was brutal sitting around for 2 weeks being terrified of your email...every time I got the "Gmail-Inbox (1)" message, my heart would sink...and then it'd be a false alarm. Some people had an even worse time, because when the rejections started coming out, most came in the same day...but a few people's servers delayed the email over the weekend, so those poor people were sitting there all weekend going, "omg, I didn't get an email...did I get accepted to Duke???" And then come Monday there was that ugly little email...It was very sad 🙁. I reeeaaally hope they don't do it that way again this year....

Thanks alot. This response is very helpful because I was wondering the same thing. I have a question, looking back now what do you think Duke wants in students and what should I try to highlight in my interviews. Becausemy MCAT wasnt fabulous but my GPA is good so I am not sure what exactly I can do/say to help me stand out in my interview.
Also, do you think regional interviewees/virtual are at a disadvantage?

 

[MsTaco]

Thanks alot. This response is very helpful because I was wondering the same thing. I have a question, looking back now what do you think Duke wants in students and what should I try to highlight in my interviews. Becausemy MCAT wasnt fabulous but my GPA is good so I am not sure what exactly I can do/say to help me stand out in my interview.
Also, do you think regional interviewees/virtual are at a disadvantage?

I'm going completely against my cut-throat pre-med gunner instincts here...but since I actually asked this exact question of my interviewer, and he gave me a great answer, I will share 🙂

He responded that Duke wants students that think outside the box a little, that aren't afraid to take (calculated) risks, that want to move medicine forward. This is evidenced in their whole curriculum--they are the only school in the country that defies the "2 years of basic science, 2 years of rotations" model, and that is because they value innovation. Dr. Armstrong at my interview last year said that, while there is no formula, they are looking for brilliance in an applicant--something that makes them stand out, some extra spark. They want a diverse class, with diverse strengths--so you can't say Duke values research over community service, or numbers over life experiences, or vice versa--they want a class that has a complete mix of strengths, but with each person possessing their own special "spark." So my advice would be, decide what you think your "spark" is, and be bold about it.

Please keep in mind though, this question could probably be best answered by a current Duke student...I may very well be looking at 2 years straight of rejections from Duke, which certainly would not make me an authority. Oh and as for being at a disadvantage with other types of interviews...definitely not. I loved my regional interview, actually felt it put me at a slight advantage as I got to know my interviewer so well and he got to know me better. I wouldn't do a virtual interview, only because I have a weird fear of non-face-to-face interactions. But if you are comfortable with it, it would absolutely be just as good as a campus interview. And don't worry about your MCAT...if they gave you an interview, they are confident that you are smart enough to handle the curriculum. Just focus on highlighting what you think makes you special 🙂 And good luck!

 

[MsTaco]

Oh, and I it's really important to them to have a very collaborative, congenial class...Duke students have all remarked to me how relaxed and friendly their class is (not cut-throat and competitive), and I was asked in both interviews multiple questions about my ability to work with my peers. So make sure to tell them you're a team-player 🙂

 

[heyyouyouyou]

Yeah this makes sense. I think I may have miswrote what I probably heard, which was something to the effect that "GPA/MCAT are good enough to get in and won't prevent you from doing so, since you've been invited to an interview". So they still look at your application as a whole at this point. everyone!

sheesh... i remember these days....

High GPA & MCAT (>=36) seem to be the norm here @ Duke. So, if you scored well, and did a descent job on your interview, then you're probably sitting well (well, at least 'descent'). However, 99% of the students here are 'normal' students (i.e., not Olympic athletes, chess champions, you get it...). They just followed the standard bio (or similar major) or bio+engineering or post-bacc or liberal-arts+pre-med application & scored well, did some basic research, maybe took a year-off and worked in a lab, volunteered in a hospital, you get the picture...

However, if you scored ~30-34 on your MCAT, you are not out of the running, but I would think that your chances would be left more to chance &/or something that makes you unique & can add to the character of the class.

It's a really small program, so there are no guarantee's, even if you were a Duke undergrad.

 

[hitsugaaya]

Oh, and I it's really important to them to have a very collaborative, congenial class...Duke students have all remarked to me how relaxed and friendly their class is (not cut-throat and competitive), and I was asked in both interviews multiple questions about my ability to work with my peers. So make sure to tell them you're a team-player 🙂

Thanks for your honesty and your helpful advice. Did you interview for this application cycle already then?

 

[MsTaco]

sheesh... i remember these days....

High GPA & MCAT (>=36) seem to be the norm here @ Duke. So, if you scored well, and did a descent job on your interview, then you're probably sitting well (well, at least 'descent'). However, 99% of the students here are 'normal' students (i.e., not Olympic athletes, chess champions, you get it...). They just followed the standard bio (or similar major) or bio+engineering or post-bacc or liberal-arts+pre-med application & scored well, did some basic research, maybe took a year-off and worked in a lab, volunteered in a hospital, you get the picture...

However, if you scored ~30-34 on your MCAT, you are not out of the running, but I would think that your chances would be left more to chance &/or something that makes you unique & can add to the character of the class.

It's a really small program, so there are no guarantee's, even if you were a Duke undergrad.

Hmmm....well now we have 2 very different answers. Like I said, the question would be best answered by a current Duke student, but I was just quoting the 2 sources I asked on the matter. But, unfortunately, I have to admit the high MCAT/GPA trend makes a lot of sense to me...not so much because Duke is a top-tier school, but because of their notoriously difficult first year; they'd want people that have proven they can succeed at the highest academic level. Anyways thanks for the insight.

Thanks for your honesty and your helpful advice. Did you interview for this application cycle already then?

Yup, I've posted my impression of the regional interview earlier in this thread. The virtual interview might be a little similar--minus the bizarre mall setting.

 

[JOE Verghese]

What is the High GPA or what is a good GPA MCAT combination for Duke. Do they give any consideration to research where you have authored or co-authored since third year is a research year? Did Duke publish 2009 admission stats? Is GPA of 3.7- 3.8 and MCAT of 30-34 considered good combination for Duke. What about honor societies? I hope some Duke students comment on this.

 

[bigman225]

Oh, and I it's really important to them to have a very collaborative, congenial class...Duke students have all remarked to me how relaxed and friendly their class is (not cut-throat and competitive), and I was asked in both interviews multiple questions about my ability to work with my peers. So make sure to tell them you're a team-player 🙂

Ostensibly, every medical school I've been to has been full of congenial, collaborative team players.. I put more stock in seeing such behavior actually take place in front of me. I did think the students at Duke were pretty informal and friendly with each other, even if front of faculty, which was cool.

 

[heyyouyouyou]

What is the High GPA or what is a good GPA MCAT combination for Duke. Do they give any consideration to research where you have authored or co-authored since third year is a research year? Did Duke publish 2009 admission stats? Is GPA of 3.7- 3.8 and MCAT of 30-34 considered good combination for Duke. What about honor societies? I hope some Duke students comment on this.

those are good stats, but a really high mcat is golden ticket here (methinks, emphasis on the 'methinks'). i believe that the avg mcat here is 34, so you're right in the mix.

a fair amount of research is good, but they know that there isn't much you can do as an undergrad or 1st-year master's student. if you're a precocius undergrad or you've done some upper-level graduate or ph.d. research & first-authored a significant paper, that will definitely contribute! but if you're an undergrad assistant researcher, and buried deep in the co-authors of a paper, then you'll be just like everyone else.

 

[JOE Verghese]

those are good stats, but a really high mcat is golden ticket here (methinks, emphasis on the 'methinks'). i believe that the avg mcat here is 34, so you're right in the mix.

a fair amount of research is good, but they know that there isn't much you can do as an undergrad or 1st-year master's student. if you're a precocius undergrad or you've done some upper-level graduate or ph.d. research & first-authored a significant paper, that will definitely contribute! but if you're an undergrad assistant researcher, and buried deep in the co-authors of a paper, then you'll be just like everyone else.

Thank you for comment. Of course it is understood that it is your opinion. However, Duke students who interview students should have some good idea on what Duke is looking for and it would be nice to hear some comments from them. Duke interviewers are not necessarily from the admission committee so it is not clear whether or not they look at the application or it is a blind interview and they gvie you score based on how well you answer to their scripted questions.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

I'll be there in a few weeks and I was just wondering - what is the difference between the alpha and beta interviews? Are they going to be open file?

 

[neuronc]

I'll be there in a few weeks and I was just wondering - what is the difference between the alpha and beta interviews? Are they going to be open file?

Mine were very similar. The only difference was that one saw my file while the other had not.

 

[AyCaramba]

I'll be there in a few weeks and I was just wondering - what is the difference between the alpha and beta interviews? Are they going to be open file?

They are both open-file. My experience was that one was a student and she asked more fact-based experience/personality questions (eg what is your biggest weakness), whereas the other one, a faculty member, asked more situational and "deep"' questions (eg have you ever been in a situation where you helped someone else overcome an obstacle). I'm sure it depends on who you get though.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Mine were very similar. The only difference was that one saw my file while the other had not.

They are both open-file. My experience was that one was a student and she asked more fact-based experience/personality questions (eg what is your biggest weakness), whereas the other one, a faculty member, asked more situational and "deep"' questions (eg have you ever been in a situation where you helped someone else overcome an obstacle). I'm sure it depends on who you get though.

Great, thanks! Any particular reason why the open/closedness of the interviews are differing from person to person? Neuronc, for you was the faculty or student the closed file interview?

 

[TheFreak]

mine were both open

 

[neuronc]

Great, thanks! Any particular reason why the open/closedness of the interviews are differing from person to person? Neuronc, for you was the faculty or student the closed file interview?

One didn't have time to read it b/c they were last minute interview replacement. Sounds like both should be open.

 

[FemalesCANTDriv]

Since everyone keeps implying they want a current student to comment on what they look for at Duke, I thought I might give it a go. I think the whole "spark" thing is pretty true. Just pretend that Duke is a nicer version of Simon Cowell and you are on the med school version of X-factor. No one is really sure what they are looking for, including the judges. But, at the end of the day, some people who interview simply have what the admissions committee think is what Duke wants. To define this "spark" is impossible, so don't waste your time worrying about it too much. Just be yourself, and it'll happen for you if it's going to happen.

I know that sounds like garbage, but after having been a student and a regional interviewer, it's the truth.

 

[hitsugaaya]

Since everyone keeps implying they want a current student to comment on what they look for at Duke, I thought I might give it a go. I think the whole "spark" thing is pretty true. Just pretend that Duke is a nicer version of Simon Cowell and you are on the med school version of X-factor. No one is really sure what they are looking for, including the judges. But, at the end of the day, some people who interview simply have what the admissions committee think is what Duke wants. To define this "spark" is impossible, so don't waste your time worrying about it too much. Just be yourself, and it'll happen for you if it's going to happen.

I know that sounds like garbage, but after having been a student and a regional interviewer, it's the truth.

how do regional interviews work with this though in showing your 'spark' Do the interviewers mail in evaluations of you and the admissions commitee work with that?

 

[JOE Verghese]

Since everyone keeps implying they want a current student to comment on what they look for at Duke, I thought I might give it a go. I think the whole "spark" thing is pretty true. Just pretend that Duke is a nicer version of Simon Cowell and you are on the med school version of X-factor. No one is really sure what they are looking for, including the judges. But, at the end of the day, some people who interview simply have what the admissions committee think is what Duke wants. To define this "spark" is impossible, so don't waste your time worrying about it too much. Just be yourself, and it'll happen for you if it's going to happen.

I know that sounds like garbage, but after having been a student and a regional interviewer, it's the truth.

Thanks for your comments. Since Duke interviews too many people, can you comment on the GPA/MCAT combination that they desire or it does not matter once you are invited for interview. If the admission is a point system then it may play a big role. Some duke med students I met were very nerdy and did not see any spark in them and wonderered how they got in - I am sure you find them at every school.

 

[Tatastrophy]

Thanks for your comments. Since Duke interviews too many people, can you comment on the GPA/MCAT combination that they desire or it does not matter once you are invited for interview. If the admission is a point system then it may play a big role. Some duke med students I met were very nerdy and did not see any spark in them and wonderered how they got in - I am sure you find them at every school.

I don't know what students you met-I really thought every student I met had something really special to them and none would fit my strict definition of "nerdy", but from the looks of it all were very smart and capable.

 

[brooklynblunder]

i think it would depend on when you interviewed. would guess dates before exams wouldnt really bring out people all happy and stuff

but anyway, i guess that #s question pre and post interview thing. if you go on mdapps, i think you can see that theres a difference in the mcat/gpa of the interviewed and accepted applicants. also if you look at the accepted students number in the MSAR, it would be hard to really conclude that #s don't matter post-interview. they are a class of 100 people and interview 10x as much, you would think that gives them more than enough opportunities to pick people who give a spark, as well as sick stats.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

So I've been looking through the interview feedback and it seems that Duke has more challenging questions compared to many other schools. Some of the more insane ones are:

. .What is the capital of Mongolia? What do you suppose a rheumatologist does? Do you know which chromosome is trisomic in Down Syndrome?

Who was the reigning British monarch when India gained its independence, or what was the 48th state to join the United States, take your pick.

For those who have already interviewed, were they like this in any way or much more conversational? I'm hoping that was all a long time ago..

 

[MsTaco]

So I've been looking through the interview feedback and it seems that Duke has more challenging questions compared to many other schools. Some of the more insane ones are:

What is the capital of Mongolia? What do you suppose a rheumatologist does? Do you know which chromosome is trisomic in Down Syndrome?

Who was the reigning British monarch when India gained its independence, or what was the 48th state to join the United States, take your pick.

For those who have already interviewed, were they like this in any way or much more conversational? I'm hoping that was all a long time ago..

21. Do I get in???

 

[zayka]

So I've been looking through the interview feedback and it seems that Duke has more challenging questions compared to many other schools. Some of the more insane ones are:

What is the capital of Mongolia? What do you suppose a rheumatologist does? Do you know which chromosome is trisomic in Down Syndrome?

Who was the reigning British monarch when India gained its independence, or what was the 48th state to join the United States, take your pick.

For those who have already interviewed, were they like this in any way or much more conversational? I'm hoping that was all a long time ago..

And you better get them right - or else you're rejected for sure!! LOL .
The only one I'd be able to answer off the top of my head is trisomy 21.

Either the interviewer or the interview-feedback writer is messing with you.