2009-2010 University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) Application Thread

[Tutmos]

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Accepted yesterday!

Complete 11/24/09, Interview 2/05/10, Accepted 2/19/10

I'm almost certainly going to be a Gopher if I get in-state tuition or better. Anyone in the area got advice on where to live?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!

Wow, that's pretty amazing. An OOS non-traditional and you got in within 2 weeks of interviewing. Congratulations! You give me hope. My wife was just mentioning to me this morning that her friend at the hospital said the U really likes non-traditionals. Of course it's what I want to hear as a fellow 30 something applying late in the year.

I'm IS with the same MCAT as you, if you swap P and B that also lived overseas. If you give me long enough I'll convince myself that I am, in fact, you and have also already gotten in. 😉 Congratulations!

 

[Untraditional]

Wow, that's pretty amazing. An OOS non-traditional and you got in within 2 weeks of interviewing. Congratulations! You give me hope. My wife was just mentioning to me this morning that her friend at the hospital said the U really likes non-traditionals. Of course it's what I want to hear as a fellow 30 something applying late in the year.

I'm IS with the same MCAT as you, if you swap P and B that also lived overseas. If you give me long enough I'll convince myself that I am, in fact, you and have also already gotten in. 😉 Congratulations!

Thanks and good luck to you. I bet my application was helped immensely by my clinical experience at one of the top children's hospitals in the country and the fact that my fiancee is from MN and we both would like to relocate there permanently.

 

[Tutmos]

Thanks and good luck to you. I bet my application was helped immensely by my clinical experience at one of the top children's hospitals in the country and the fact that my fiancee is from MN and we both would like to relocate there permanently.

Your Native American background is a big plus here as well. Did you apply as a URM? You've got a lot of different qualities they list as part of their mission statement. Congrats again.

Edit: I didn't mean to be insulting or anything with the URM question. I just wanted to slap myself back in line for getting my hopes up over your acceptance. Minnesota has a pretty large Native American population that lives on reservations and really lack appropriate health care so one of the mission statements of the Medical School is to help meet that need.

Congratulations again.

 

[betheltim]

Congratulations everyone who was accepted!

However, this isn't very encouraging for me, as I interviewed on 12/21 and did not get a call... It certainly doesn't sound good after hearing that people who interviewed before and after me received calls this week... 🙁

 

[Tutmos]

Congratulations everyone who was accepted!

However, this isn't very encouraging for me, as I interviewed on 12/21 and did not get a call... It certainly doesn't sound good after hearing that people who interviewed before and after me received calls this week... 🙁

Don't assume anything by the dates. If you go back to the previous page you'll find a good description of how the process really works.

 

[lixxx669]

As far as hearing back from the committee, I agree with Paragozardelsol. Your interviewer will write a report and a lot of the timing depends on how long they take to write it. The report then is added to the file and goes on to two reviewers. If they both give it a thumbs up it is an automatic acceptance. If there is a disagreement it goes to the committee that only meets once a week and only gets through 10-12 applicants at a time. So I think that is where the backlog occurs. At that point the committee decides on acceptance, rejection, or waitlist status and you are either called (if accepted) or get the letter in the mail. I know they only call for acceptances and send everything else out. Hope that helps! And congrats to everyone else who was accepted at the U!!! I hope to see you in August.

Accepted yesterday!

Complete 11/24/09, Interview 2/05/10, Accepted 2/19/10

I'm almost certainly going to be a Gopher if I get in-state tuition or better. Anyone in the area got advice on where to live?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!

I bet you are the one who got two thumbs up 👍👍

 

[Tutmos]

Now that we have the mechanics of the process pretty well established I find myself wondering what Dean White's place in the whole process is. He seemed like an exceedingly nice guy and very personable but how does he fit in?

I thought he mentioned that he reads through every application and secondary during his interview day presentation. Does he decide who gets to the interview stage? I know he personally calls everyone that's accepted, or at least attempts to. Is he a voting member on the committee? I know he also has a lot of duties in the actual functioning of the medical school itself but I'm only curious about the admissions process at this point.

In the grand scheme of things it really shouldn't matter since you should treat everyone you encounter in the process equally well but I can't help but want to know everything about every process I'm a part of. I don't like the whole flying blind bit.

 

[betheltim]

Don't assume anything by the dates. If you go back to the previous page you'll find a good description of how the process really works.

Yeah, I guess I'm not sure why I assumed that now as "my turn" has or is coming up... I've been following this thread for a while now, so I suppose I should have known better, haha. I'm just getting overly anxious.

 

[betheltim]

I bet you are the one who got two thumbs up 👍👍

That would actually make a lot of sense. I would guess that the vast majority of people get sent off to committee, because I assume that if there is any question about the applicant whatsoever they send them to committee. Just a guess though.

 

[lixxx669]

Accepted yesterday!

Complete 11/24/09, Interview 2/05/10, Accepted 2/19/10

I'm almost certainly going to be a Gopher if I get in-state tuition or better. Anyone in the area got advice on where to live?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!

Oh, btw, if you want to get in-state tuition, try to find a graduate assistant job in UMN, then your OOS tuition will be reduced to IS tuition.

 

[sassilysweet]

Umm...South Minneapolis?? Rough?? True south minneapolis is one of the nicest places to live in Minneapolis. I lived on the light rail at 46th and Hiawatha for 2 years and absolutely loved it. I currently live on Lake Nokomis at 51st and Cedar. South Mpls is the only way to go! If you are referring to streets between like 20th and 38th, then perhaps it isn't the best, but again it depends on which avenue you live on...and that's not S. Mpls, that's Midtown. Sorry for the rant...but I love living in S. Mpls and was very surprised to read that. Go for the light rail! It's awesome!

I know! We looked at some houses today and I think we found one 🙂
Congrats to all those accepted! Looking forward to seeing you this August!
P.s. Don't forget to join the facebook group

 

[housefish26]

I also (finally) got the call on Friday. I would've posted earlier but I felt kind of embarrassed after my months of bitching and moaning. Oops. 😳

 

[Rach83]

I also (finally) got the call on Friday. I would've posted earlier but I felt kind of embarrassed after my months of bitching and moaning. Oops. 😳

Congrats housefish. 🙂

 

[sassilysweet]

I also (finally) got the call on Friday. I would've posted earlier but I felt kind of embarrassed after my months of bitching and moaning. Oops. 😳

YAY! Congrats ^_^
We all felt the same, it was a very frustrating process. But now you get to move forward and make plans!! 😀

 

[Tutmos]

I also (finally) got the call on Friday. I would've posted earlier but I felt kind of embarrassed after my months of bitching and moaning. Oops. 😳

Grats! Don't feel embarrassed. This is a pretty anxiety laden process, especially when you don't know exactly how a major portion of your life is being decided. It's only natural to get a bit agitated. Let's just hope I don't pick up where you left off as an applicant complete in December.

I think Dean White and the Admissions Committee gets treated unfairly here because people don't understand how the process works at this school. People know they run later in the season than other schools but the reasons why ebb and flow. Not knowing what's going on creates a lot of anxiety, with assumptions that people are just being lazy, leaving my application in a pile etc. Now that the process is pretty well fleshed out and we know, I'd suggest someone put it together in a nice post that can be stickied at the top of the U of M thread every year, perhaps with a link to the various school specific resources that have been tracked down, like the med school student council minutes. If the school has some reason to not want that information public I'm sure it can be taken down.

Like the old PSA spots on TV used to say, knowing is half the battle. If people know from the start I'm sure the process would be much more pleasant experience for everyone, applicants and the people at the school who have to keep answering phone calls about what's happening with Joe Blow's application. This has been my first act of healing! 😛 May there be many more. Now nurse write that sticky post for me!

 

[akaVonk]

So does anyone have some sense of how many more interviews will take place before the waitlist starts moving? I recall seeing some numbers a few pages back about 120 some acceptances so far, and it's a bit nerve-wracking pondering the odds of getting off the waitlist. May 15th is still quite a way down the road, and while they say that they'll let you know "no later than" that date, I'm inclined to expect a longer wait after hearing so much about the U's slower app processing.

 

[Tutmos]

So does anyone have some sense of how many more interviews will take place before the waitlist starts moving? I recall seeing some numbers a few pages back about 120 some acceptances so far, and it's a bit nerve-wracking pondering the odds of getting off the waitlist. May 15th is still quite a way down the road, and while they say that they'll let you know "no later than" that date, I'm inclined to expect a longer wait after hearing so much about the U's slower app processing.

It's very possible that 120 acceptances was a combination of both Dulth and Twin Cities.

 

[renegade0097]

It's very possible that 120 acceptances was a combination of both Duluth and Twin Cities.

I agree that it may be both TC and Duluth (especially since I was the one who proposed that idea in the first place), but I remain uncertain about that issue. According to AAMC "traffic rules," schools are supposed to issue a number of acceptances equal to the number of students they want in their incoming class by March 15. We all know that the U has been very slow so far, but if they abide by that suggestion, then 120 (out of ~170) through Feb 3 could be accurate for the Twin Cities campus alone. The bottom line is that I think there can be a case made for both sides of the argument.

With regard to waitlist movement, I was waitlisted, so I am hopeful that there will be plenty of movement like previous years. Considering how expensive in-state tuition has become, how it seems more people are increasingly concerned about med school debt, and how it seems people are upset about how their application has been handled this year, I can see the retention rate for accepted applicants being such that 30-40 people move off the waitlist again this year.

 

[PoniNo1]

For those of us who have been doomed to waiting indefinitely, is there any sort of deadline by which we can be guaranteed to hear something? I thought, for some reason, march 15 or may 15 were significant dates. Any info out there?

 

[sassilysweet]

For those of us who have been doomed to waiting indefinitely, is there any sort of deadline by which we can be guaranteed to hear something? I thought, for some reason, march 15 or may 15 were significant dates. Any info out there?

I believe that March 15 is when schools you are accepted to get to see where you are holding acceptances at and also is associated with financial aid

May 15 is when anyone holding multiple acceptances has to drop all but one. Deadline to get the deposit back. This is typically when schools see what their actual enrollment will be and then start taking from the waitlist

 

[sassilysweet]

I believe that March 15 is when schools you are accepted to get to see where you are holding acceptances at and also is associated with financial aid

May 15 is when anyone holding multiple acceptances has to drop all but one. Deadline to get the deposit back. This is typically when schools see what their actual enrollment will be and then start taking from the waitlist

To add to this, I don't think you should really expect to hear anything before the May 15 date. They can accept up until the day classes start from what I have heard

 

[Golf Shoes]

To add to this, I don't think you should really expect to hear anything before the May 15 date. They can accept up until the day classes start from what I have heard

I agree with Sassilysweet. I expect all candidates to receive the committee's decision on their application by May 15th. Those on waitlist likely won't hear back until around June 1st.

 

[PoniNo1]

I believe that March 15 is when schools you are accepted to get to see where you are holding acceptances at and also is associated with financial aid

May 15 is when anyone holding multiple acceptances has to drop all but one. Deadline to get the deposit back. This is typically when schools see what their actual enrollment will be and then start taking from the waitlist

but I'm not waitlisted...I'm still waiting to hear back from my interview. If may 15 is still right, that's awful that I will miss financial aid deadlines. 🙁

 

[Untraditional]

I believe that March 15 is when schools you are accepted to get to see where you are holding acceptances at and also is associated with financial aid

Do you have a reference for this? I've never seen it mentioned anywhere official that schools get to see your list of acceptances.

 

[Tutmos]

Do you have a reference for this? I've never seen it mentioned anywhere official that schools get to see your list of acceptances.

Only if they've also accepted you. It's mainly for the school to try and establish who is likely to really attend. For example if they see someone they accepted is also accepted to Mayo they'll probably write that person off as a not likely. I suppose they could use it to check if someone was fibbing to them, though I doubt it.

 

[Untraditional]

Only if they've also accepted you. It's mainly for the school to try and establish who is likely to really attend. For example if they see someone they accepted is also accepted to Mayo they'll probably write that person off as a not likely. I suppose they could use it to check if someone was fibbing to them, though I doubt it.

While I can see how its conceivable they might do that, I'm wondering where it was specifically disclosed that they in fact do that.

If this was widely held knowledge I could see how people would attend all interviews and try for every acceptance possible, in order to encourage aid offers. In practice, this isn't the case. Candidates withdraw apps when they get their favorite schools.

To wit, I recently withdrew from a school where I might have had a shot. Had I known that their acceptance would affect my aid offers I'd have made the trip and interviewed, if only to inflate my acceptance list. This wouldn't have been the most ethical thing to do but it wouldn't have been against the rules, in fact it almost seems like it'd be incentivized.

 

[skakaiser]

I think Dean White and the Admissions Committee gets treated unfairly here because people don't understand how the process works at this school. People know they run later in the season than other schools but the reasons why ebb and flow. Not knowing what's going on creates a lot of anxiety, with assumptions that people are just being lazy, leaving my application in a pile etc. Now that the process is pretty well fleshed out and we know, I'd suggest someone put it together in a nice post that can be stickied at the top of the U of M thread every year, perhaps with a link to the various school specific resources that have been tracked down, like the med school student council minutes. If the school has some reason to not want that information public I'm sure it can be taken down.

Really though, they need to change something. Its horribly frustrating when they don't get back to you until a month after the latest possible date they say they will. If I didn't have strong ties to MN I'd be a bit wary of this school for not living up to their word. They need to make changes to have a more streamlined, and open system. The opaqueness (mainly no website that keeps you updated on where you stand) really helps no one. The U is a great school, but their admissions dept needs to work on a lot to make this system smoother and more friendly to the applicants.

 

[Tutmos]

While I can see how its conceivable they might do that, I'm wondering where it was specifically disclosed that they in fact do that.

If this was widely held knowledge I could see how people would attend all interviews and try for every acceptance possible, in order to encourage aid offers. In practice, this isn't the case. Candidates withdraw apps when they get their favorite schools.

To wit, I recently withdrew from a school where I might have had a shot. Had I known that their acceptance would affect my aid offers I'd have made the trip and interviewed, if only to inflate my acceptance list. This wouldn't have been the most ethical thing to do but it wouldn't have been against the rules, in fact it almost seems like it'd be incentivized.

Honestly, you or I are pretty middle of the road applicants. It's pretty unlikely, no matter how many acceptances we have, that they'd be desperately offering big handouts to keep us. They have a glut of applicants so it's a buyers market and we're trying to sell ourselves.

 

[Untraditional]

Honestly, you or I are pretty middle of the road applicants. It's pretty unlikely, no matter how many acceptances we have, that they'd be desperately offering big handouts to keep us. They have a glut of applicants so it's a buyers market and we're trying to sell ourselves.

I just don't get what use this info would be to a committee, short of as you said selecting "likely" matriculants. But don't schools want the best applicants? I wonder how this factors into their math.

Anyway, can anyone verify that schools really see your acceptance list?

 

[betheltim]

Anyone know if Dr. White makes all his calls at once for a given committee review? If he does, it doesn't bode well for me, as "I should hear back within the week."

🙁

Maybe he rations his calls each day... I'm trying to be positive!

 

[libster]

I'm in the same boat - please say that the phone calls are split up! (Interviewed 12/7)

 

[cbear]

Anyone know if Dr. White makes all his calls at once for a given committee review? If he does, it doesn't bode well for me, as "I should hear back within the week."

🙁

Maybe he rations his calls each day... I'm trying to be positive!

Keep your chin up. They told me exactly this when I called in December, and Dean White hit my cell literally about 2 hours later!

 

[Vincent Freeman]

Hello friends

Do the phone calls occur for acceptances only? or do they call you to tell you are waitlisted. How does someone know if they are rejected or waitlisted? My interview was in early December as well.

 

[KingDamascus]

Really though, they need to change something. Its horribly frustrating when they don't get back to you until a month after the latest possible date they say they will. If I didn't have strong ties to MN I'd be a bit wary of this school for not living up to their word. They need to make changes to have a more streamlined, and open system. The opaqueness (mainly no website that keeps you updated on where you stand) really helps no one. The U is a great school, but their admissions dept needs to work on a lot to make this system smoother and more friendly to the applicants.

Agreed

 

[lixxx669]

Hello friends

Do the phone calls occur for acceptances only? or do they call you to tell you are waitlisted. How does someone know if they are rejected or waitlisted? My interview was in early December as well.

They only make acceptance calls. Waitlists and rejects are going by snail mail.

 

[betheltim]

Well, unfortunately I got the waitlist letter today... But i'm still holding out hope for May! The U was definitely my top choice, so hopefully it moves significantly this year!👍

 

[Tutmos]

Well, unfortunately I got the waitlist letter today... But i'm still holding out hope for May! The U was definitely my top choice, so hopefully it moves significantly this year!👍

Hey Tim, sorry to hear about the WL, it just means you have to wait longer. You've still got a good chance.

Did you have volunteering and research? Your 31 3.7 seems pretty good to get a waitlist.

 

[betheltim]

Hey Tim, sorry to hear about the WL, it just means you have to wait longer. You've still got a good chance.

Did you have volunteering and research? Your 31 3.7 seems pretty good to get a waitlist.

Thanks for the encouragement!

As for my non-academic demographics, I did two years of research (albeit at a small, private university with no federal or state funding... But it was still a good experience) on two different projects. I volunteered for a semester at a hospital on an oncology floor (four hours per week), and have tutored for four years... So I figure I've had some good experiences.

I think part of the reason I was placed on the waitlist has to do with my limited (specific) clinical experience and my rough start to college (my first year I had a 3.01 GPA and didn't really take school seriously). But like I said, I'm still hopeful!

 

[lietuvaite]

After months of waiting (interviewed on Nov. 12th) I received my wait list letter today..so sad 🙁 I sent an update and everything.

 

[Tutmos]

After months of waiting (interviewed on Nov. 12th) I received my wait list letter today..so sad 🙁 I sent an update and everything.

Any chance you could post your stats? I'm wondering when it's my turn to get one.

 

[Tutmos]

Thanks for the encouragement!

As for my non-academic demographics, I did two years of research (albeit at a small, private university with no federal or state funding... But it was still a good experience) on two different projects. I volunteered for a semester at a hospital on an oncology floor (four hours per week), and have tutored for four years... So I figure I've had some good experiences.

I think part of the reason I was placed on the waitlist has to do with my limited (specific) clinical experience and my rough start to college (my first year I had a 3.01 GPA and didn't really take school seriously). But like I said, I'm still hopeful!

That's actually pretty amazing to recover from a 3.01 at the end of your first year to a 3.70. I didn't even know it was possible. Well I guess I should have looked at a calculator, 104 credits at 3.9 to recover. You deserved that spot sheesh. Grats on the hard work.

 

[Depumcrc]

FYI Dean Cerra retired today, effective at the end of the year

 

[sassilysweet]

Poni-Sorry, I took the "waiting indefinitely" to mean waitlist, my mistake. I don't know what the real deadline is for acceptances, but I agree with Golf that it is entirely possible for them to wait until May 15th to let all people know where they stand.
Do they finish interviews in March or April? If they are still 8+ weeks behind by then, those interviewees might be pushed back even later. I'm just kind of generalizing here though and don't haev any real facts.

As to the thing about schools seeing your acceptances, I have heard this from multiple sources but have never seen a disclosure on it. Is this maybe when the information is released to AMCAS and the schools get the information from there? I know for sure that all the schools you are accepted at are filed on AMCAS because if people reapply anywhere this info comes up (see multiple SDN threads about this). So I am assuming that schools don't have any sort official list mailed to them but can access this info on AMCAS.

Re: Acceptance calls, I think the week I was accepted some people were called on Thursday and some on Friday. Beyond that I don't know. It might depend on how many were reviewed that week.

And on a personal note, we bought a house!!
Found it the first day we went out, I asked to be kept updated if they received offers on it, got a call the next day saying an offer was going in, so we decided to submit one also. Ends up FIVE offers came in and we got it!! 😱😀

 

[betheltim]

That's actually pretty amazing to recover from a 3.01 at the end of your first year to a 3.70. I didn't even know it was possible. Well I guess I should have looked at a calculator, 104 credits at 3.9 to recover. You deserved that spot sheesh. Grats on the hard work.

Thank you, I appreciate your kind words! If I may talk about it a bit: it was definitely very challenging to bring it back up. I had to sacrifice a good amount to fix my own mistakes. Fortunately, however, I have been blessed to be at a great school with really great staff and faculty, etc.

But anyway, I just wish I would have decided on medicine the same time I started taking academics and other things more seriously... I could've had a substantially greater amount of shadowing, clinical experience, etc. All things said, I'm grateful that I made it onto the waitlist, and I just hope that there's a spot waiting for me to fill it. If not, I know there's a greater plan and other opportunities that will present themselves this year in preparation for another shot next year!

 

[mpls]

So, I'm looking for advice. I interviewed at the U on 11/9 and I've still not heard back. Last I called, I was on the schedule to be reviewed on 2/17. Given that I live within a few miles of the school, I would have thought my waitlist letter would have been here by now.

I sent an "update" letter in the fall including a new research presentation and new job. Should I send a letter of interest explaining that the U is my 1st choice? Call again? Continue holding tight? I don't want to be menacing to the admissions office, but, at least judging by the interview dates of people hearing back on this thread, it feels like I somehow fell through the cracks. It's coming up on 4 months with no word.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

So, I'm looking for advice. I interviewed at the U on 11/9 and I've still not heard back. Last I called, I was on the schedule to be reviewed on 2/17. Given that I live within a few miles of the school, I would have thought my waitlist letter would have been here by now.

I sent an "update" letter in the fall including a new research presentation and new job. Should I send a letter of interest explaining that the U is my 1st choice? Call again? Continue holding tight? I don't want to be menacing to the admissions office, but, at least judging by the interview dates of people hearing back on this thread, it feels like I somehow fell through the cracks. It's coming up on 4 months with no word.

During my interview day, Dean White explained that they don't want any updates or letters after the interview. He said they have enough information to make a decision.

 

[mpls]

During my interview day, Dean White explained that they don't want any updates or letters after the interview. He said they have enough information to make a decision.

Thanks. He had jury duty during my interview, and the woman doing the presentations didn't mention that.

 

[lixxx669]

So, I'm looking for advice. I interviewed at the U on 11/9 and I've still not heard back. Last I called, I was on the schedule to be reviewed on 2/17. Given that I live within a few miles of the school, I would have thought my waitlist letter would have been here by now.

I sent an "update" letter in the fall including a new research presentation and new job. Should I send a letter of interest explaining that the U is my 1st choice? Call again? Continue holding tight? I don't want to be menacing to the admissions office, but, at least judging by the interview dates of people hearing back on this thread, it feels like I somehow fell through the cracks. It's coming up on 4 months with no word.

I would just call and ask whether the file get reviewed or not (or if you prefer, just drop by the office and ask). The admission staff are really nice and it won't take them too much time to check your status.

 

[lixxx669]

For those who got accepted, how long did it take to get the acceptance letters/materials by mail? Do you need to send a letter/email saying that you accept the offer?

 

[skakaiser]

For those who got accepted, how long did it take to get the acceptance letters/materials by mail? Do you need to send a letter/email saying that you accept the offer?

They said they'd be mailing it out by tomorrow.