2009-2010 University of Pennsylvania Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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HOLY...!!! Just got an MD/PhD interview invite!!! I can't believe they even LOOKED at my application. Oh my goodness! I love you Penn!!!
 
I got a big envelope in the mail from Penn today. When my roommate told me, I assumed a rejection letter until I saw the size. I didn't think they would give an interview invite by mail but the thought of course crossed my mind. I open it up and it's just a brochure for their curriculum! nothing even addressing me or acknowledging the fact that I've applied there. Cruel.
 
Man, that's so harsh! I got that one, too, but a week or two before I submitted my secondary so it couldn't possibly have been an interview... I probably would have cried if they had sent it now that I've turned it in and am sitting here holding my breath, waiting to hear...
 
MCATBear said:
I got a big envelope in the mail from Penn today. When my roommate told me, I assumed a rejection letter until I saw the size. I didn't think they would give an interview invite by mail but the thought of course crossed my mind. I open it up and it's just a brochure for their curriculum! nothing even addressing me or acknowledging the fact that I've applied there. Cruel.
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Haha, i got the same thing last week. I was 100% expecting it to be a rejection letter.
 
MBHockey said:
Haha, i got the same thing last week. I was 100% expecting it to be a rejection letter.
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I got that the day after I got an interview invite, I didn't relize everyone got it.
 
Interview Invite. Got all 4 Philly med schools. Gotta love my hometown. SO EXCITED!!!!
 
mdeast said:
Interview Invite. Got all 4 Philly med schools. Gotta love my hometown. SO EXCITED!!!!
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How much of a look to the Philly schools really give to residency? I know Penn doesn't, at least. I'm desperate to go to medical school in Philadelphia but haven't heard a peep from any of the four schools.
 
I'm getting really down because I think the top tier schools aren't as keen on how many APs I have and it was tough for me to get extra upper-level sciences because I was a social sciences major. I don't blame the schools for the requirements, I just wish I would have known about AP credit early in college and I still can't decide whether I want to live with hope of getting an interview at UPenn or for them to tell me that I just failed to meet the requirements. 🙁

Holding out hope. 😳
 
aero four said:
How much of a look to the Philly schools really give to residency? I know Penn doesn't, at least. I'm desperate to go to medical school in Philadelphia but haven't heard a peep from any of the four schools.
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They all do to an extent. Read MSAR, it even mentions that Penn gives slight preference to in-state applicants. Temple is partially state-funded so I wouldn't be surprised if they do too. Easiest way to tell is compare the % interviewed in-state vs. % interviewed out of state...but this is pretty much the case for every med school. Since most people go to school near where they grew up (their home-state)...they're much more likely to enroll than OOS applicants. Good luck!
 
mdeast said:
They all do to an extent. Read MSAR, it even mentions that Penn gives slight preference to in-state applicants. Temple is partially state-funded so I wouldn't be surprised if they do too. Easiest way to tell is compare the % interviewed in-state vs. % interviewed out of state...but this is pretty much the case for every med school. Since most people go to school near where they grew up (their home-state)...they're much more likely to enroll than OOS applicants. Good luck!
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I am eligible for in-state residency, having lived in Pennsylvania five years, but have not pursued it officially. Looking back, this seems to be a huge mistake.
 
aero four said:
I am eligible for in-state residency, having lived in Pennsylvania five years, but have not pursued it officially. Looking back, this seems to be a huge mistake.
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For Penn? Not a "huge" mistake. Not even a small one. Penn is a Top 5 research school - instate residency is not a plus for anyone less than a freaking superstar applicant.

What state are you an official resident of? Unless you have a super hardon for Penn STATE, you are probably better of being a resident in some state other than Pennsylvania for med school residency purposes.
 
flip26 said:
For Penn? Not a "huge" mistake. Not even a small one. Penn is a Top 5 research school - instate residency is not a plus for anyone less than a freaking superstar applicant.

What state are you an official resident of? Unless you have a super hardon for Penn STATE, you are probably better of being a resident in some state other than Pennsylvania for med school residency purposes.
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I am officially a Maryland resident. I didn't apply to Penn State because I couldn't stomach the thought of four years in Hershey.

Jefferson is my #1 choice - I don't think they'll show me any love, but I find solace in the fact that they're selective for Delaware, not Pennsylvania.
 
aero four said:
I am officially a Maryland resident. I didn't apply to Penn State because I couldn't stomach the thought of four years in Hershey.

Jefferson is my #1 choice - I don't think they'll show me any love, but I find solace in the fact that they're selective for Delaware, not Pennsylvania.
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Yeah, Maryland sorta sucks for instate, but there are worse states.

Good ones in the mid-atlantic? Virginia is excellent, NC is OK...MD is definitely a few notches below these. The northeast, in general, is really tough for instate applicants because all of the east coast schools get swamped with apps from all over but especially from people who want to stay in the DC - Phila - NYC - Boston corridor.

I am a VA resident and wouldn't trade it for any state east of the Mississippi...and probably would trade only for Texas otherwise.
 
flip26 said:
Yeah, Maryland sorta sucks for instate, but there are worse states.

Good ones in the mid-atlantic? Virginia is excellent, NC is OK...MD is definitely a few notches below these. The northeast, in general, is really tough for instate applicants because all of the east coast schools get swamped with apps from all over but especially from people who want to stay in the DC - Phila - NYC - Boston corridor.

I am a VA resident and wouldn't trade it for any state east of the Mississippi...and probably would trade only for Texas otherwise.
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I am one of those people who wanted to remain in that corridor - all of the schools I applied to are in NYC/Philadelphia/DC, with one each in Pittsburgh, Baltimore and...New Orleans. "Too late" to add schools anyway, right?

I interview with Maryland on Monday, and while I like the program, I'd rather be in Philadelphia. I don't understand why I haven't heard anything at all from even one of the schools - perhaps I will make an MDApp today so that reality can be dropped on me.
 
Interview Invite! Complete 8/14

I'm so ecstatic! :biglove:

Hang in there everyone! I've got :xf: for you!
 
aero four said:
I am one of those people who wanted to remain in that corridor - all of the schools I applied to are in NYC/Philadelphia/DC, with one each in Pittsburgh, Baltimore and...New Orleans. "Too late" to add schools anyway, right?

I interview with Maryland on Monday, and while I like the program, I'd rather be in Philadelphia. I don't understand why I haven't heard anything at all from even one of the schools - perhaps I will make an MDApp today so that reality can be dropped on me.
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I think you'll definitely get interview invites from Jeff, Temple and Drexel...just be patient. Possibly Penn, only thing holding you back might be your science GPA which is below their bottom 10%. Good luck and I hope Philly loves you back.
 
mdeast said:
I think you'll definitely get interview invites from Jeff, Temple and Drexel...just be patient. Possibly Penn, only thing holding you back might be your science GPA which is below their bottom 10%. Good luck and I hope Philly loves you back.
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Actually, I think I just figured out the reason for the silence. My science GPA overall is a 3.48, but my BCPM is a 3.23. It is only the core classes they are really looking at, right?
 
sexyscrubs said:
Interview Invite! Complete 8/14

I'm so ecstatic! :biglove:

Hang in there everyone! I've got :xf: for you!
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ahhhh. my complete date, too!! come on, Penn!! PLEASE

congrats though. good luck.
 
Got an interview invite yesterday (9/17/09). Looks like next interview dates are in october - although there's some wait list options this month too. (Check my MDApps for stats)

Whoo! I'm actually seriously considering the MD/MBA from Penn Med; seems interesting.

Either way... whooooo!
 
aero four said:
Actually, I think I just figured out the reason for the silence. My science GPA overall is a 3.48, but my BCPM is a 3.23. It is only the core classes they are really looking at, right?
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Your BCPM GPA and Science GPA are the same thing. They include all the pre-req classes plus any other courses you've taken in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, Statistics, etc. (i.e. science subjects)...whether they were intro or upper level. Your AMCAS lists your BCPM GPA and that's what is used by medical schools in making decisions. I.e. my cGPA and sGPA were both higher than the respective grades on my official college transcript because of how AMCAS calculates GPA and the fact that they included my study abroad grades. Look at those numbers and get back to us.
 
Beta Cell said:
Awesome! Is Penn your first choice?
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I don't have a "first choice" just because it's so hard to predict where you will end up after this whole process. I think every med school offers its own merit.

I have to say, however, that PENN IS AWESOME. This invite was the most exciting email I have received all year. I have a good friend who is a MS1 at Penn and I have heard some amazing things about the place.
 
Thanks, that said, if granted an interview is it smart to apply for the earliest spot available even if the school is NOT rolling? Is there any advantage to being early in that case?
 
PhiAlpha said:
Thanks, that said, if granted an interview is it smart to apply for the earliest spot available even if the school is NOT rolling? Is there any advantage to being early in that case?
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Nope. No disadvantage really. I scheduled mine for the last available day offered, just because I already had interviews most of the other days I was given and I'd prefer to have more interview practice before going to Penn (it's one of my top choices).

Good luck!
 
How do we know when were complete? The only letter I ever got from them was an invite to do the supplemental. My status says "complete" but I'm not sure when that happened. Is the date on the update page or did you all get an email?
 
This school is goin to be the death of me!!:scared:
 
Interview Invite! Complete 8/28
 
MBHockey said:
I was complete a couple of days after you. How did they inform you? Email? Status update online?
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It's via email and status page update. You even get to pick if you want a kosher meal. I got my invite a few weeks ago and pretty much all of October was open, so I imagine they haven't sent out too many invites yet. Good luck!
 
mdeast said:
It's via email and status page update. You even get to pick if you want a kosher meal. I got my invite a few weeks ago and pretty much all of October was open, so I imagine they haven't sent out too many invites yet. Good luck!
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Yep. They were available starting October 21.
 
interviewing here on the 14th!!!

i'm actually arriving the weekend before since it's our school's fall break...any suggestions of what to do in the Philly area?
 
gflip88 said:
interviewing here on the 14th!!!

i'm actually arriving the weekend before since it's our school's fall break...any suggestions of what to do in the Philly area?
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I just visited a few weeks ago. I am no expert (i spent less than two hours in the city). I would strongly suggest that you make sure to be outside during midmorning (9/10am) in the main part of the city (bethween 15th and 6th) because all the little kids (4/5) from all over the city come and play outside. It was so adorable and made me fall in love with the city instantly.
 
Complete since ~09/04.

Any September completes hear back from Penn yet??

:luck:
 
Got my interview invite today. Just wondering if anyone knows the numbers for interviews and acceptances for Penn in the past. 160 or so matriculants I see.
 
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