2009-2010 University of Oklahoma Application Thread

[medapplicant88]

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This was from the Oklahoma 2013 thread Bravofriendly

1. If you receive a letter of deferral instead of an acceptance during the early interviews, something was problematic in your application and/or interview. This statement is a verbatim quote from my undergrad advisor and I personally know two specific cases of this happening - both for very different reasons which I'm not going to state here. Let's say in that both cases, the individuals understood the reasoning and the admissions process was very fair to them both. Let's also say that this is the exception, most people this far along in the process are going to make sure that every t is crossed and every i dotted to prevent such a thing from happening.

2. Waitlist - during your interview, each interviewer assigns you a "grade"
A - accept
D - defer
R - reject

So, when you walk out of your interview, they each make a decision and your file now has 3 of 5 (potential) votes. They interviewers then immediately go to a meeting and break up into small groups where your file is presented and they issue your file its 4th vote as a group: A/D/R. At the final board meeting (if you haven't already been accepted/rejected) all deferred files are presented to the entire admissions board and as a group they cast the 5th (and final) vote for your file.

The last of the initial admission invites are assigned and the those remaining are place on the waitlist. You WILL NOT be told your place on the waitlist, but there is an order to the organization of the list and it is as follows:

Primary Organization (from top of list to bottom) is by votes:
Top: AAAAA
Next tier: AAAAD
Next tier: AAADD
Next tier: AADDD
....you get the idea, right?

Secondary Organization (again, from top to bottom) is by interview scores (IS):
Within Ax5 group: top of group is highest IS, last is lowest IS
This is carried out withing each tier. You can see how an early interviewee with ROCKSTAR stats but a single "D" vote during the interview gets dropped down on the waitlist past people who had less impressive numbers but had a good interview.

3. Spring Reapplicant Workshop - If you don't have an admission invite in your hand on the day it is happening, GO TO IT!!! They don't generally tell you what your actual votes were (though some of the small group leaders, like mine, did) but they take note of who comes and the information they provide is actually very helpful.

Thanks, this really helps. Such an intricate process. I wish I had gotten an earlier interview. Do you think they put much thought if the GPA significantly improved as I progressed? I hope they say well we're really getting a 3.7 rather than a 3.6 student.

 

[just one]

Thanks, this really helps. Such an intricate process. I wish I had gotten an earlier interview. Do you think they put much thought if the GPA significantly improved as I progressed? I hope they say well we're really getting a 3.7 rather than a 3.6 student.

That's what I'm hoping for. For them to say this guy is really a 3.9 over the last four years instead of a 3.6 over twelve years.

 

[medapplicant88]

That's what I'm hoping for. For them to say this guy is really a 3.9 over the last four years instead of a 3.6 over twelve years.

Do you think that people interviewing in January and February have a little higher chance than those who might've been deferred in October and November?

 

[just one]

October, maybe. From what I've heard if you interview in october and not accepted, something is wrong. November, nope. I think they are in the same boat or might have a slight better chance due to having slightly higher stats. That's just my opinion. Let's be honest, nobody knows how this really works and will play out.

 

[jr87]

Does anyone know what happens to your chances with the school of community medicine if you get put on the waitlist?

 

[just one]

Is there no one that interviewed on Feb 4, 5 on here?

 

[bellakk]

Is there no one that interviewed on Feb 4, 5 on here?

I interviewed on the 5th

 

[just one]

Any tough questions? Some people have said the later tend to be tougher, what do you think? What was your overall impression?

 

[bellakk]

Any tough questions? Some people have said the later tend to be tougher, what do you think? What was your overall impression?

I had interviewed the day before at OSU so thats all I have to compare.
I didnt feel like there were any specifically tough questions, they were all about me, nothing on healthcare, politics, prescription meds, etc. At OSU I interviewed first and at OU I was last, so I had more time to get nervous.
I guess my biggest problem with the interview was the lack of talking? It seemed like they would ask a question and I would answer and then they would just look around at each other for what felt like 10 minutes (in reality probably less than 1). I didnt know how to react, did they want me to talk more?
I hate people who just talk for the sake of talking and didnt want to start now. It was really discouraging b/c it seemed like I was just boring them and that they had already made up their mind and didnt even want to keep going, like I was just wasting their time. Also, I had started my interview like 20 min late b/c the person ahead of me stayed late and they talked about her for a while before asking me to come in so I thought "oh, they must be a talkative bunch". I was only in there for like 25 min before the asked me to step out for the second part and then I was only in for the second part for less than 15 minutes. At lunch I found out that the same thing happened to a couple people with different itnerviewers so that made me feel a little bit better.
When I was talking to my mom about it later she said that the long pause is a common interview tactic (she is director of all the clinic staff for a 17-doc orthopedic practice, so she interviews people all the time). She said some people get "mouth diarrhea" during a long pause so its a good way to find out stuff you wouldnt otherwise learn. That made me feel better though the interview definately wasnt like a "conversation" as I was expecting.
Did anything like this happen to anyone else?

 

[just one]

I wouldn't read into it. Did they say you would hear back first week of March? I don't know about everyone else, but the last week of Feb will be nerve racking for me. Knowing that the decision is made on the 21st but taking a week or two to find out sucks. I wish they called like OSU.

 

[jr87]

I interviewed on the 4th and I thinked I really lucked out, my interview was fairly short and very laid back. There was a few tough questions on health care reform, ethics, etc but they asked them in a very relaxed manner. The group of students that were there were not very talkative but you could tell by the looks on their faces that some of them got grilled hard. I think I just happened to get a group of interviewers that preferred a different style of questioning. All in all I really enjoyed the whole day, except for being in the last interview group for both interviews. Waiting til March is really gonna suck, but I guess its not as bad as being deferred in November or January and having to wait.

 

[marshds]

Did anything like this happen to anyone else?

I interviewed January 8th. Your experience sounds almost identical to mine as far as interview tactics go. I had tough healthcare questions though. I did my best to resist further commentary during awkward silences. I don’t think it was anything personal though, like you said, I think it was merely an interview style. Also, I did not have a student in mine, just three docs.

 

[bellakk]

Did they say you would hear back first week of March?

Yeah they said deferr/reapply letters would be sent out, I believe, this week after the AdCom meets, but acceptances wont go out until March.

I did have a 4th year in my interview which actually helped, at least he smiled encouragingly at appropiate times.

Is there just two more rounds of interviews to go? End of this week and end of next?

 

[just one]

As far as I know, feb 5 was the last date. That comes from a list my premed advisor gave me in September

 

[bellakk]

just one, where've you been accepted, I see you on the OU and OSU threads...

 

[just one]

I only applied to OSU and OU. I interviewed at osu in October and ou on Jan 14

 

[DRMRL]

my friend interviewed February 4th, and said everyone was really, really weird...

 

[just one]

I don't even know what to think about that??? Sounds like everyone else that interviewed that day has one less competitor to worry about

 

[jr87]

I think that maybe the stress level was a little higher than normal causing most of the applicants to either talk too much or not enough. Every applicant I spoke with said that was the only school they applied to and interviewing that late they might have known their chances were slim, adding to the already nerve racking day.

 

[bellakk]

I agree! I talked to a lot of people who only applied to OU! I was very suprised...

 

[medapplicant88]

Yeah they said deferr/reapply letters would be sent out, I believe, this week after the AdCom meets, but acceptances wont go out until March.

I did have a 4th year in my interview which actually helped, at least he smiled encouragingly at appropiate times.

Is there just two more rounds of interviews to go? End of this week and end of next?

Did they say sometime in March or was it Early March like the first week or so?

 

[just one]

They told us first week of march

 

[jr87]

I was told by Dr. Baker that all letters (accept, waitlist, denied) would go out first week of March, at least for our interview date. I guess in the past if you were denied you would receive your letter sooner but she said they were going to wait and send them all at once.

 

[jr87]

I agree! I talked to a lot of people who only applied to OU! I was very suprised...

It really suprised me too, I would have thought that they'd at least apply to OSU as well.

 

[just one]

It really suprised me too, I would have thought that they'd at least apply to OSU as well.

No joke: I've been told by a student accepted to OU that they didn't apply because they wanted to practice real medicine, DO is too touchy feely, and OSU let's in people with too low of stats and they don't want to be associated with that

 

[jr87]

No joke: I've been told by a student accepted to OU that they didn't apply because they wanted to practice real medicine, DO is too touchy feely, and OSU let's in people with too low of stats and they don't want to be associated with that

Wow, unbelievable. Both of the doctors that interviewed me said they had a lot of respect for OSU, one of them had a DO as his boss and said he was the most knowledgeable physician he knew. They also asked me why I was interviewing with them if I already had the "golden ticket" to OSU. They also made many other comments about how now-a-days there is no real difference between the two. It was very nice to hear that from people who would know, instead of a bunch of pre-med people bickering at each other about it.

 

[just one]

For sure my instance was from an ignorant recently accepted medical student, just pointing out that those still exist. I didn't get asked about osu in the interview, but I made no secret that I held an acceptance to OSU to my student tour guides (I knew the ones I was telling but I'm sure some of the ones I didn't know heard)


I've only had one doctor that I have spoken to tell me not to apply DO, obviously I didn't listen

 

[DRMRL]

Yeah, it doesn't matter what route we take. I like both allopathic and osteopathic. But Dr. Baker said they will send you a reject within two weeks if you didn't pass the second meeting after your initial interview.

 

[bellakk]

No joke: I've been told by a student accepted to OU that they didn't apply because they wanted to practice real medicine, DO is too touchy feely, and OSU let's in people with too low of stats and they don't want to be associated with that

Ugh the fact that people like that get accepted to medical school make me sick. High scores dont mean you'll be a good doctor. Part of being a physician is being able to relate to all kinds of people. As a doctor you dont spend all your time talking to other smart physicians. You spend your time talking with patients who didnt graduate high school and dont care how much complex jargon you can spit out.

 

[jr87]

So if you get waitlisted, what happens with your chances in the school of community medicine? Does anyone know how much movement there is with the waitlist? I assuming not very much since the waitlist isn't set until march.

 

[bellakk]

So if you get waitlisted, what happens with your chances in the school of community medicine? Does anyone know how much movement there is with the waitlist? I assuming not very much since the waitlist isn't set until march.

I dont really think it has much to do with your chances at the SoCM, it is entirely possible to be rejected from OU but accepted to SoCM (though you have to be accepted at OU to be a part of SoCM). I believe that the community med part doesnt even really start until 3rd year anyway, you take your first two years at OKC. I think since its so new, basically if you want to be com med, you can be.

 

[medapplicant88]

So if you get waitlisted, what happens with your chances in the school of community medicine? Does anyone know how much movement there is with the waitlist? I assuming not very much since the waitlist isn't set until march.

Does anyone know how many people are waitlisted in a typical year? and about how many people off that list are accepted?

 

[Plus 20]

i believe it's ~50. there is definitely movement, it just varies year to year. there was a girl accepted off the wait list last year a week before classes started in august....

Does anyone know how many people are waitlisted in a typical year? and about how many people off that list are accepted?

 

[DRMRL]

They'll never tell you where you stand on the wait list either. Sorry, cats 😉

 

[just one]

Just think, this time tomorrow the decisions will be made. Any bets on when letters get mailed? My money is on a week from Monday.

 

[medapplicant88]

Just think, this time tomorrow the decisions will be made. Any bets on when letters get mailed? My money is on a week from Monday.

do you know what the process is?

Do they compare applications and just basically choose the best 40 applicants or is there a process where they eliminate based on MCAT scores, then maybe GPA (hopefully Strength of the classes), and then extracurricular.

approx 300 people apply. 120 have been accepted 180 remaining for either 40 spots, or if they offer 190 seats, than 70.

I think they'll offer fewer because the Oklahoma budget has taken a huge hit and there are cuts happening at every level.

 

[just one]

The class size is always around 165, where are you getting the 190 from? As far as the cuts, no seats are cut due to the budget this year.

Edit: are you getting the 190 by taking the amount of offers including the ones that turn down OU?

 

[medapplicant88]

The class size is always around 165, where are you getting the 190 from? As far as the cuts, no seats are cut due to budget.

I have a princeton review book that says that one year they offered 221 spots of whic 164 accepted the offer. This was the 2007-2008 class

So I think they offer more spots than the class size because many of the of staters usually end up going somewhere else and a few in staters also go to different medical schools because they want a new experience or would live to leave Oklahoma.

And I'm sort of sure that Dr. Baker told us there would be more than 160 seats offered. I had asked that earlier in the forum I didn't remember for sure.

Also, it's great if they don't cut seats but since the state pays for some of the tuition and right now the state is hurting pretty badly (as are many states across the US due to less taxes and money paid by taxpayers) I'm only guessing they might consider trying to find budget cuts whereever possible.

 

[just one]

Of course, almost no med schools fills a class without at least one offer being rejected

 

[medapplicant88]

Of course, almost no med schools fills a class without at least one offer being rejected

You don't think they'll offer 190?

 

[just one]

I think at least 190

 

[medapplicant88]

I think st lest 190

I thought about delivering donuts and coffee to them this morning lol. I wanted to send another letter but ended up not sending them anything. I didn't want to sound desperate or redundant.

The premed advisor at OU described today as a bloodbath. Which honestly wasn't too comforting.

i wish they had accepted January folks like the October and November folks. I wouldn't mind an email rather than waiting on the mail, possibly having it lost and placed in another house's box.

 

[just one]

Have you heard back from your other schools?

 

[medapplicant88]

Have you heard back from your other schools?

no ;(, Although I regretfully applied super super late. I took the MCAT, spring of 2009 didn't do as well, and then took it in well into August. I should've applied earlier however I wasn't sure how well I'd do on the test, and with a subpar GPA (3.6) and 28 I didn't think I would've had a shot at any school.

Especially because the 28 was following a previous MCAT test in August of 2008 which was a 26 (or 25) So I thought well not much improvement, it won't look that good.

OU would also be economically beneficial. It's pretty financially beneficial to remain in state.

 

[just one]

Agree about the instate, that's one of the reasons I olny applied instate.

 

[medapplicant88]

Agree about the instate, that's one of the reasons I olny applied instate.

Do you know if OU in the future will be raising their MCAT standard?

 

[just one]

I haven't heard anything, why would they need to? They don't let anyone in with a 21 so it's not like the minimum really means anything

 

[medapplicant88]

I haven't heard anything, why would they need to? They don't let anyone in with a 21 so it's not like the minimum really means anything

I'm hoping for the best, although my luck with any sort of admissions has never been the best.

They have raised the GPA. My princeton review book had an average of 3.69 but the MSAR books of recent years have a 3.8 GPA.

 

[just one]

That's not them raising the GPA minimum, just a different pool of applicants.

 

[bellakk]

I'm hoping for the best, although my luck with any sort of admissions has never been the best.

They have raised the GPA. My princeton review book had an average of 3.69 but the MSAR books of recent years have a 3.8 GPA.

That's also just an average I know multiple people who have gotten in with below a 3.4