2009-2010 Johns Hopkins Application Thread

[dw2158]

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i'm kind of taking a risk with the minority question... i'm talking about what may come off as a trivial situation that taught me important lessons. it has to do with baseball. i'm kind of worried that they'll just laugh at me.

 

[CUSEguy88]

boy, it's amazing the euphoria you get just by submitting these things, even knowing full well it might amount to nothing...

 

[LAman10]

would publications and poster presentations be considered "academic honors"?

 

[CUSEguy88]

would publications and poster presentations be considered "academic honors"?

I didn't think they did so I didn't include mine in that section,
I figured they would see them on the AMCAS application

 

[LAman10]

I didn't think they did so I didn't include mine in that section,
I figured they would see them on the AMCAS application

crap, I submitted an app for a different school where I listed those as honors as well.

 

[ksmi117]

crap, I submitted an app for a different school where I listed those as honors as well.

I'm sure it's not a big deal. No worries.

 

[LAman10]

I'm sure it's not a big deal. No worries.

haha ok last question (I promise!) - My school's career center doesn't write a pre-medical committee letter or anythign, but they collect our LORs and submit them in a packet to AMCAS. Do I still mark down "committee letter" on the app?

 

[amikhchi]

Just got the confirmation email that they received my secondary, not sure if that means i'm complete yet though, i suppose it only means they received the hard-copy?

 

[ksmi117]

Just got the confirmation email that they received my secondary, not sure if that means i'm complete yet though, i suppose it only means they received the hard-copy?

This one?

Dear ksmi117:

We have received your secondary application. You will be notified if any items are needed to complete your application. We will send an e-mail when your application is complete and ready for review by the Committee on Admission.

Thank you.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Office of Admission

 

[amikhchi]

Yup, that's the one

 

[ksmi117]

Yup, that's the one

Yeah, I got that a few days ago. Still waiting on my complete email.

 

[yakattack145]

Ugh, I'm having some difficulty with this adversity question. The only things that come to mind are being a minority or woman (slew of possibilities here), athlete (breaking a body part but eventually competing), or experiencing an illness/death (mom battles with cancer).

Well, none of these apply to me. For those privledged, white males out there, what are some of your ideas?

 

[Snurping]

Ugh, I'm having some difficulty with this adversity question. The only things that come to mind are being a minority or woman (slew of possibilities here), athlete (breaking a body part but eventually competing), or experiencing an illness/death (mom battles with cancer).

Well, none of these apply to me. For those privledged, white males out there, what are some of your ideas?

I just came on here to vent about this essay, too! I imagine the most important thing that you can do for yourself in this essay is make sure the the lessons learned and reflections on how it will affect your future career are deep, rather than search for a REALLY hard situation (at least that's what I'm telling myself...).

I'm not a white male, but I was thinking about writing something regarding leadership experiences (having to pick up after other people's poor job, etc.), knee surgery or maybe something about overcoming fears despite being insecure in a new experience (like a new job, or unfamiliar discipline).

Anyway, I would just focus on what you got out of the experience, rather than the situation itself, and definitely do something that is particular to your personal experience. Hope that helps!

 

[Schwann]

What type of experiences are they looking for in the adversity question? Does a situation regarding an ethical dilemma count as an adversity question?

 

[275779]

haha ok last question (I promise!) - My school's career center doesn't write a pre-medical committee letter or anythign, but they collect our LORs and submit them in a packet to AMCAS. Do I still mark down "committee letter" on the app?

No, that's a cover letter, not committee packet. You might have to explain somewhere in the process that your school doesn't have a committee packet.

 

[trueBelief]

What type of experiences are they looking for in the adversity question? Does a situation regarding an ethical dilemma count as an adversity question?

I don't think an ethical dilemma counts as an adversity. I kind of talked about something personal which taught me how to balance my life.

 

[Schwann]

If we are still continuing an activity do we just put the date we started and leave the end date blank?

 

[JasonE]

If we are still continuing an activity do we just put the date we started and leave the end date blank?

i left the end date blank for continuing activities

 

[Nafis64]

."List any academic honors or awards you have received since entering college?"
Is that only academics for both honors and awards or can it be other related awards.
I feel like I don't have a real academic honors... but I don't think I have a shot at getting in there anyway. What kind of awards do people mention here?

Scholarships count?
.

 

[ksmi117]

."List any academic honors or awards you have received since entering college?"
Is that only academics for both honors and awards or can it be other related awards.
I feel like I don't have a real academic honors... but I don't think I have a shot at getting in there anyway. What kind of awards do people mention here?

Scholarships count?
.

Yes, I'd think that scholarships count.

 

[camaras2480]

yes, i'd think that scholarships count.

+1

 

[Nafis64]

What about honors that are outside academia for like organizations?

 

[ksmi117]

What about honors that are outside academia for like organizations?

If they are related to academics at all, yes. If not, no. It says academic honors.

 

[camaras2480]

What about honors that are outside academia for like organizations?

Anything academic. If the NIH gave you an award, it is not from your institute per se, but surely still counts.

 

[camaras2480]

If they are related to academics at all, yes. If not, no. It says academic honors.

 

[Postal Blowfish]

"Have you ever discontinued attendance at or been dismissed from any school or college?"

Does this apply if you transferred schools?

I'm assuming No...

(I completed every semester, nothing shady)

 

[camaras2480]

"Have you ever discontinued attendance at or been dismissed from any school or college?"

Does this apply if you transferred schools?

I'm assuming No...

(I completed every semester, nothing shady)

lol actually some people do indicate they discontinued attendance at the previous school to transfer into the new one...thanks for clearing up "nothing shady" 😀

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Committee/Advisor (Required if you have attended a college with a Committee or Advisor)
Faculty Member (Required if the college you have attended does not have a Pre Medical Committee or Advisor)

My school has a premed adviser whom I am getting a letter from, although we do not actually have the practice of writing every applicant a letter - I am actually still sending a bunch of individual letters. Which option should I mark?

Also, for "Other Experiences and Interests", is it just for listing "unpaid community service and volunteer activities" or should I just rewrite most of my AMCAS information including leadership, shadowing, other activities, etc?

Thanks!

 

[ksmi117]

Dear JHU,

Please send me a "your application is complete... woo hoo!" email this week. I submitted 24 days ago. Pretty please.

Sincerely,
ksmi117

P.S. Please accept me too.

 

[dw2158]

Dear JHU,

Please send me a "your application is complete... woo hoo!" email this week. I submitted 24 days ago. Pretty please.

Sincerely,
ksmi117

P.S. Please accept me too.

cosigned,
dw2158

 

[BerlinDude]

i'm kind of taking a risk with the minority question... i'm talking about what may come off as a trivial situation that taught me important lessons. it has to do with baseball. i'm kind of worried that they'll just laugh at me.

In your defense, you are answering an incredibly bizarre question.

I'm talking about the time all my friends wanted a plain pizza, but I wanted onions on mine. It was a tough situation, I could've starved to death, but because of my intelligence and quick-thinking we ordered onions on HALF the pizza, and the other half plain. Everyone got what they wanted, and it turned out OK! This ingenuity is actually the kind of trait physicians need.

I am soooooo in this school.

 

[LAman10]

In your defense, you are answering an incredibly bizarre question.

I'm talking about the time all my friends wanted a plain pizza, but I wanted onions on mine. It was a tough situation, I could've starved to death, but because of my intelligence and quick-thinking we ordered onions on HALF the pizza, and the other half plain. Everyone got what they wanted, and it turned out OK! This ingenuity is actually the kind of trait physicians need.

I am soooooo in this school.

This is the type of response I gave them when I applied to JHU undergrad (anyone remember the "what would you do with $10?" question?). and I got in. I wonder if the med school has the same mentality as the undergrad...

 

[trueBelief]

This is the type of response I gave them when I applied to JHU undergrad (anyone remember the "what would you do with $10?" question?). and I got in. I wonder if the med school has the same mentality as the undergrad...

All of us at Hopkins sit and chit-chat about the crappy $10 essays we wrote and we are here. I think they only use that essay to weed out people so if you something semi-sensible then you would be ok.

I hope BerlinDude was sarcastic when he mentioned the pizza essay, if not, I would be curious to find out if they actually liked it.

 

[Nafis64]

All of us at Hopkins sit and chit-chat about the crappy $10 essays we wrote and we are here. I think they only use that essay to weed out people so if you something semi-sensible then you would be ok.

I hope BerlinDude was sarcastic when he mentioned the pizza essay, if not, I would be curious to find out if they actually liked it.

yea I'm curious too, lol.

Guys, I am having the hardest time with LORs. Every school mentions they want Committee OR Faculty. What if I have both because I did a post-bac as well in addition to the packet from my undergrad with various letters. I wanted to email them like other schools, but I could not find an email and I tried to call but no answer. Can I just fill everything out? I think I just am, but stop me if its bad.

 

[BerlinDude]

All of us at Hopkins sit and chit-chat about the crappy $10 essays we wrote and we are here. I think they only use that essay to weed out people so if you something semi-sensible then you would be ok.

I hope BerlinDude was sarcastic when he mentioned the pizza essay, if not, I would be curious to find out if they actually liked it.

Haha, OK, I'm not an idiot - it was a joke. Besides, Johns Hopkins is a school I might actually have a shot at, I'm not going to blow it on a pizza essay (as hilarious as that would be).

What's funny is that every time I get one of these essays, I immediately realize my own situations are totally inappropriate and I write something else completely different. After all, the AdComs don't actually like minority positions, they just want you to write about being in the minority superficially.

 

[CyclistOK]

Haha, OK, I'm not an idiot - it was a joke. Besides, Johns Hopkins is a school I might actually have a shot at, I'm not going to blow it on a pizza essay (as hilarious as that would be).

What's funny is that every time I get one of these essays, I immediately realize my own situations are totally inappropriate and I write something else completely different. After all, the AdComs don't actually like minority positions, they just want you to write about being in the minority superficially.

I wrote about one of several decisions made within the student organization I founded where I was in the minority. I think it came off very well actually, and actually enjoyed writing that essay...

 

[BerlinDude]

I wrote about one of several decisions made within the student organization I founded where I was in the minority. I think it came off very well actually, and actually enjoyed writing that essay...

I thought about that, but then I think you seem really disagreeable. Unless you say that you gave up and went with the majority, after which you seem lazy and unprincipled. What's more, if you're in the minority and others disagree, you're implying that either you are incredibly stupid not to agree with the group or everyone else is stupid not to agree with you.

I'm not sure how to pull off that scenario.

 

[SportingMD54]

I thought about that, but then I think you seem really disagreeable. Unless you say that you gave up and went with the majority, after which you seem lazy and unprincipled. What's more, if you're in the minority and others disagree, you're implying that either you are incredibly stupid not to agree with the group or everyone else is stupid not to agree with you.

I'm not sure how to pull off that scenario.

I don't think it shows any of those things. The whole point of a democracy is so that you get a wide range of viewpoints. The government might as well just be one person if everyone agrees all the time. I think it shows strength in your beliefs. You are not saying that you are in the minority every time just that you have found yourself in the minority before. Honestly, if you haven't, you are probably too scared to voice your opinion or you have never worked in any kind of organization where there are debates on by-laws.

 

[BerlinDude]

I don't think it shows any of those things. The whole point of a democracy is so that you get a wide range of viewpoints. The government might as well just be one person if everyone agrees all the time. I think it shows strength in your beliefs. You are not saying that you are in the minority every time just that you have found yourself in the minority before. Honestly, if you haven't, you are probably too scared to voice your opinion or you have never worked in any kind of organization where there are debates on by-laws.

Sure, you voice your opinion. Others might agree with you, but usually people won't go from the majority to the minority. Then you can go with the flow or you can insist on your point and have a lengthy and pointless argument. I don't think either scenario says anything positive about you.

 

[SportingMD54]

Sure, you voice your opinion. Others might agree with you, but usually people won't go from the majority to the minority. Then you can go with the flow or you can insist on your point and have a lengthy and pointless argument. I don't think either scenario says anything positive about you.

Okay so extreme example, you are in a fraternity and the majority of your chapter is for hazing the pledges. Do you voice your opinion and fight this, or do you sit around and watch it happen. Seems like standing up to those people says something big about you. Sitting there and watching people get hazed is the wrong choice.

More realistic example, you are a member of the residential hall association at your school. The majority of people here want to not give non-voting members speaking privileges even though they pay for all of the programs that RHA puts on. Basically, the majority is telling the people in the halls that they can't suggest where their own money should go. Standing up to this is important, and it helps to show that you care about others opinions and want to listen.

Basically, you are right sometimes. If it is some generic example like you don't like some motion passed about parking lot procedures, it is pretty pointless to have an hour long debate. It probably won't affect anyone much and won't really have any negative effect, but some things are worth fighting for, and I think that is what this type of essay can show. Where do your principles lie on some of these issues and how strong are they.

 

[bigman225]

Ugh, I'm having some difficulty with this adversity question. The only things that come to mind are being a minority or woman (slew of possibilities here), athlete (breaking a body part but eventually competing), or experiencing an illness/death (mom battles with cancer).

Well, none of these apply to me. For those privledged, white males out there, what are some of your ideas?

It says if applicable. For me, anything I wrote would be such a pathetic reach that I left it blank. I'm guessing they don't want to hear about videogames or high school sports. White, upper middle class male from a physician family. I'm the overdog. I saw several people who left it blank in last year's thread got interviews. I doubt this essay carries tremendous weight compared to other aspects of the application (MCAT, GPA, LOR, PS) . I guess I'm taking a risk though--we'll see how it works out.

 

[SportingMD54]

It says if applicable. For me, anything I wrote would be such a pathetic reach that I left it blank. I'm guessing they don't want to hear about videogames or high school sports. White, upper middle class male from a physician family. I'm the overdog. I saw several people who left it blank in last year's thread got interviews. I doubt this essay carries tremendous weight compared to other aspects of the application (MCAT, GPA, LOR, PS) . I guess I'm taking a risk though--we'll see how it works out.

True statement it is way less weight than the things you mentioned.

 

[ksmi117]

Okay so extreme example, you are in a fraternity and the majority of your chapter is for hazing the pledges. Do you voice your opinion and fight this, or do you sit around and watch it happen. Seems like standing up to those people says something big about you. Sitting there and watching people get hazed is the wrong choice.

More realistic example, you are a member of the residential hall association at your school. The majority of people here want to not give non-voting members speaking privileges even though they pay for all of the programs that RHA puts on. Basically, the majority is telling the people in the halls that they can't suggest where their own money should go. Standing up to this is important, and it helps to show that you care about others opinions and want to listen.

Basically, you are right sometimes. If it is some generic example like you don't like some motion passed about parking lot procedures, it is pretty pointless to have an hour long debate. It probably won't affect anyone much and won't really have any negative effect, but some things are worth fighting for, and I think that is what this type of essay can show. Where do your principles lie on some of these issues and how strong are they.

Hearts for RHA.

Ok, back to the topic at hand, I agree with SportingMD. Being in the minority of a student org decision does not make you seem controversial at all. Unless your argument is something stupid and only meant to be controversial.

 

[Nafis64]

hey guys,

for the essay question on the areas of medicine that interests you, do you think they are asking for a career path (like academic medicine, private practice) or a specific area of medicine (like cardiology or pediatrics)

Thanks!

bump, I'm wondering this too...

 

[pharaoh88]

bump, I'm wondering this too...

I think you would be fine answering with either. They are probably more interested in why you chose the area that you chose.

 

[LAman10]

I thought about that, but then I think you seem really disagreeable. Unless you say that you gave up and went with the majority, after which you seem lazy and unprincipled. What's more, if you're in the minority and others disagree, you're implying that either you are incredibly stupid not to agree with the group or everyone else is stupid not to agree with you.

I'm not sure how to pull off that scenario.

I wrote about this, and then said how I eventually went with the majority. I played it off as not being lazy/unprincipled, but as being open-minded, recognizing and being able to accept when my idea isn't necessarily the best one (it was still a good idea though). there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Nafis64]

Does JHU have an email for questions/correspondence? I looked everywhere and I can't find it. And they don't answer their phone.

 

[SportingMD54]

I wrote about this, and then said how I eventually went with the majority. I played it off as not being lazy/unprincipled, but as being open-minded, recognizing and being able to accept when my idea isn't necessarily the best one (it was still a good idea though). there's nothing wrong with that.

Definitely see how that can work. Honestly, I don't think they matter a ton, but it is a good way to say something about yourself like you can understand when you are wrong, stand up for what you think, ect.

 

[SportingMD54]

Does JHU have an email for questions/correspondence? I looked everywhere and I can't find it. And they don't answer their phone.

I just sent it back to the email address that sent me my complete email. They answered eventually...

 

[ksmi117]

Ok, JHU, I still haven't gotten a complete email and I submitted on the 4th of July. Should I call? I hate to be that annoying kid. But this is kinda bothersome/worrisome.