2009-2010 University of Pennsylvania Application Thread

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I never got the hold status. They have openings for the 3rd week of December and the beginning of January. That's not that far out, which indicates that they don't fill up the spots very far in advance. Don't lose hope because there are still plenty of openings. If they give out interview invites about two weeks before the openings that means that people could still be getting invites until the end of January. So, there are two months left and it's not as close to the end of invite season as some seem to think.
 
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allen5055 said:
I never got the hold status. They have openings for the 3rd week of December and the beginning of January. That's not that far out, which indicates that they don't fill up the spots very far in advance. Don't lose hope because there are still plenty of openings.
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👍
 
mdeast said:
Is it generally a good idea to update Penn post-interview, pre-decision? I'm resubmitting a a paper for publication and probably will be presenting my work at a few conferences over the next few months (two Penn conferences, one outside Penn). I also have been volunteering in a HIV clinic once a week since after I submitted my AMCAS, and I don't think I mentioned this in my interview... but I can't really think of anything super substantial to update them on. I'm not sure if it's really worth bothering them with an update, especially if they don't care too much about it. I also graduated a while ago, so I have no new grades to send.
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Well, there's no point updating them for minor things. If a paper you submitted was accepted, that's a good thing to update them with, but I don't know that you'd want to tell them every single thing you've been doing since you interviewed. But honestly, I don't really know for sure, I applied MD/PhD and the process is very different at Penn. All I know about Penn's MD process is about the student interviews.
 
sleepy425 said:
Well, there's no point updating them for minor things. If a paper you submitted was accepted, that's a good thing to update them with, but I don't know that you'd want to tell them every single thing you've been doing since you interviewed. But honestly, I don't really know for sure, I applied MD/PhD and the process is very different at Penn. All I know about Penn's MD process is about the student interviews.
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It might be best to wait with the letter until post-decision and then make it a LOI... if it's even necessary. You don't want to use all your ammunition right away. Best of luck MDeast!
 
ApoK said:
It might be best to wait with the letter until post-decision and then make it a LOI... if it's even necessary. You don't want to use all your ammunition right away. Best of luck MDeast!
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Yup. I think silent treatment is the best approach. At least until I get my wait-list letter.
 
premad said:
+1 Why was the interview day so fun? Or, rather, why do most other interview days pale in comparison?
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Gives you a better feel of what medical school there is actually like... you sit in on a class with students and try out some stuff in the sim lab.
 
pOrtEnt said:
Gives you a better feel of what medical school there is actually like... you sit in on a class with students and try out some stuff in the sim lab.
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:laugh: Sorry, rhetorical questions. I loved the day at Penn, it was great and I was just wondering aloud why it so so fun.
 
should a submitted paper, more shadowing (neurosurg), and kaplan mcat teacher interview process become a pre-interview update letter or should i hold out for a bit?
 
premad said:
:laugh: Sorry, rhetorical questions. I loved the day at Penn, it was great and I was just wondering aloud why it so so fun.
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Haha, considering you've interviewed basically everywhere now, what's your top choice or favorite school?
 
ElegantWeapon said:
should a submitted paper, more shadowing (neurosurg), and kaplan mcat teacher interview process become a pre-interview update letter or should i hold out for a bit?
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I think the submitted paper and shadowing (neurosurgery) would be a good update letter in a month or two (or possibly holding off for later if you get waitlisted). I don't think they'll be impressed by you interviewing for a mcat teacher position, but you could include it anyway if you're going to write about the other things.
 
ApoK said:
Haha, considering you've interviewed basically everywhere now, what's your top choice or favorite school?
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For this thread, Penn. 😉 Haha, I actually don't know, I think I'm really flexible and like lots of different things, so I basically love everywhere? Penn and Stanford have been my fav interview days/daze.
 
ElegantWeapon said:
thanks for the opinion mdeast! good luck on the rest of your cycle, etc
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No prob. You too. If you can wait until the reviewers accept your paper that'd be awesome. I just submitted a paper which was recently deferred for edits to be resubmitted again. Better than a rejection, but someone still in my old lab will have some work to do to make the reviewers happy by fulfilling their (at least what I would call) slightly anal requests. Anyway, point being...an accepted paper carries way more weight than a submitted paper (because it won't necessarily be accepted). It only takes usually between 4-8 weeks to get reviewed so I'd suggest holding off until you hear back to send the update.
 
really hoping to hear something from Penn! I'm still currently marked as complete (NOT deferred) since mid-august... if I haven't been deferred yet, does that say anything about my chances of landing an interview?
 
LAman10 said:
really hoping to hear something from Penn! I'm still currently marked as complete (NOT deferred) since mid-august... if I haven't been deferred yet, does that say anything about my chances of landing an interview?
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I'd say it's definitely a positive sign. Most people in your situation last year seemed to eventually get interviews...and I can't imagine no decision being "worse" than a deferred decision...especially since you've been complete for a while rather than just recently (i.e. they've definitely looked at your app by now). I think they'll be handing invites at least until early January. I have a Penn-Key because I work in the Penn Med system (meaning I have access to 'restricted' parts of the medical school website). From the student admissions volunteer page (where Penn Med students sign up for days to lead tours, conduct student interviews, etc.), it looks like there are 6 interview days in January, the last of which ends on January 22nd.

I'd assume December dates are filled up, leaving 6 days x 25 students/day = 150 interview slots left.

Good luck!
 
yeah I was differred/put on hold and now am under review again.
 
mdeast said:
I'd say it's definitely a positive sign. Most people in your situation last year seemed to eventually get interviews...and I can't imagine no decision being "worse" than a deferred decision...especially since you've been complete for a while rather than just recently (i.e. they've definitely looked at your app by now). I think they'll be handing invites at least until early January. I have a Penn-Key because I work in the Penn Med system (meaning I have access to 'restricted' parts of the medical school website). From the student admissions volunteer page (where Penn Med students sign up for days to lead tours, conduct student interviews, etc.), it looks like there are 6 interview days in January, the last of which ends on January 22nd.

I'd assume December dates are filled up, leaving 6 days x 25 students/day = 150 interview slots left.

Good luck!
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haha yeah I figured that no decision is better than a deferred decision, and being the neurotic pre-med I am, i went through last year's thread to see if non-deferred people eventually got interviews. in general, it seems like many, if not most of them did. it just seemed like many of them got their invites in early-december, so I was just wondering if maybe I was fooling myself into believing that I still had a shot. Well, 150 spots is an encouraging number; I will keep hoping 🙂
 
LAman10 said:
haha yeah I figured that no decision is better than a deferred decision, and being the neurotic pre-med I am, i went through last year's thread to see if non-deferred people eventually got interviews. in general, it seems like many, if not most of them did. it just seemed like many of them got their invites in early-december, so I was just wondering if maybe I was fooling myself into believing that I still had a shot. Well, 150 spots is an encouraging number; I will keep hoping 🙂
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I thought of this as well. I checked and saw that no invites were given out after mid-December.

Oh well...Let's hope that it will be little different this time.
 
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Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15.

is this what you guys have now? i had deferred but now its this
 
ElegantWeapon said:
Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15.

is this what you guys have now? i had deferred but now its this
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this is another version of the deferred status. the deferred status may have changed to "complete" again, and the paragraph explains that it's under review through several screenings.
 
Lots of people, including myself, have this message now. :xf:
 
ElegantWeapon said:
Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15.

is this what you guys have now? i had deferred but now its this
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yeah, i have this too. that's Penn's blue screen of death. alas.
 
My status switched to this:

"Your application is now in the screening process. Complete applications will go through a series of competitive screenings. Interviews will begin in September and continue into February, 2010. Applicants invited for interviews will be notified via email. The Committee on Admissions will make all final decisions in March, 2010."

from this:

"Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15."
 
SirSpicious said:
My status switched to this:

"Your application is now in the screening process. Complete applications will go through a series of competitive screenings. Interviews will begin in September and continue into February, 2010. Applicants invited for interviews will be notified via email. The Committee on Admissions will make all final decisions in March, 2010."

from this:

"Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15."
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Out of curiousity, when were you complete? Later in the cycle?
 
and of course, the day after I inquire about it, my status updates to the deferred status. sigh, I was holding out hope for this one 🙁

wonder why it took so long...
 
sad, sad day ....


Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15
 
masturhu said:
Complete - Application Update The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you.
ALL ADMISSIONS DECISIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MARCH 15
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+1, not that Penn is one of my top choices anyways
 
smmypnts said:
+1, not that Penn is one of my top choices anyways
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Well at least Penn is somewhat civil and let's you know that your app has been reviewed and looked at...as opposed to not telling you anything til March. I'd rather be in limbo and know it, then be left in the dark.

Good luck with everything else!
 
Ugh, Penn is not my first choice, but it sucks given my significant other just got into Wharton today... argh, if only schools did joint deals.
 
Has anyone considered the possibility that the change in the wording for the deferred status is more of a "pause button"? It comes on the heals of winter recess, and members of the admissions committee are probably on break as well. They most likely don't want to return in January with a flooded inbox with inquires about application statuses.
 
Interview offered: 12/18. Complete: 09/02!
 
yea I was never deferred. I am really looking forward to this one, especially the happy hour! thanks premad.
 
interview invitation after being deferred!

dates available in January.
I was complete sometime in AUGUST (it's been a long ride).
 
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