2009-2010 University of Pennsylvania Application Thread

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Sorry to all who were deferred. There really is an element of randomness in this process.
 
I also wanted to say sorry and good luck to everyone who was deferred. It looks like a lot of you make really strong applicants, and it makes me wonder how I managed to get an interview. It's all so random.
 
Is 'deferred' the same thing as 'rejected'? If so, I am rejected.

You know what Penn? 'Defer' you!
 
what does ur status page say?
 
AL24 said:
deferred + rejected = dejected

🙁
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That just hurts... Getting dejected sounds worse than getting a plain rejection....🙁

I can see one coming pretty soon in my directon by the way things are going.

I wanted to visit Penn for the first time of my life!
 
bannie22 said:
thats interesting. i read that upenn doesnt consider international students?


mine still reads "complete"
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Penn does take International students but not a lot because of the limited financial aid.
 
Once deferred, is there any hope of an interview invite? Should we send updates or just cut our losses?
 
Question123 said:
Once deferred, is there any hope of an interview invite? Should we send updates or just cut our losses?
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I would definitely send an update! After the interview, they give you a packet with additional information on the school (stats on interviews vs. acceptances) and they tell you specifically to stay in touch. Send an update, even if you have not interviewed yet!
 
What sort of format should this update take? And what sort of information?
 
So can someone clarify how this works. If you were complete before September and are still complete what exactly does that mean, if it means anything?
 
iCarly said:
So can someone clarify how this works. If you were complete before September and are still complete what exactly does that mean, if it means anything?
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You are still in the running for an interview, but...they stop interviewing in mid January, and there aren't very many slots left for anyone.

Put it this way: you are in MUCH better shape than the poor slobs with a deferred status, but your chances still look pretty slim at this late date.
 
Snurping said:
I would definitely send an update! After the interview, they give you a packet with additional information on the school (stats on interviews vs. acceptances) and they tell you specifically to stay in touch. Send an update, even if you have not interviewed yet!
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If you're deferred I can't imagine sending an update would hurt you, you might as well if you have something good to say in it. If you've already had an interview, only send an update if you have something significant to say (i.e. you have new grades, published a paper, traveled to a foreign country....something significantly cool that you didn't mention at your interview or your AMCAS). I know there's a fair amount of debate, but I was always told by my pre-med adviser that less communication is often better. They have almost everything they need to evaluate your application (and they know you want to attend), so don't bother them too much and seem too antsy for a decision.
 
where do you send the update letters? I have found a couple of different email addresses, but it isn't really clear which one to use...

Or should I mail it?

or should i just walk it across the street (i'm a penn student)?
 
MDmaybe said:
where do you send the update letters? I have found a couple of different email addresses, but it isn't really clear which one to use...

Or should I mail it?

or should i just walk it across the street (i'm a penn student)?
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walk across the street maybe?
 
flip26 said:
You are still in the running for an interview, but...they stop interviewing in mid January, and there aren't very many slots left for anyone.

Put it this way: you are in MUCH better shape than the poor slobs with a deferred status, but your chances still look pretty slim at this late date.
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poor slobs, like me. 🙁
 
BBender716 said:
poor slobs, like me. 🙁
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Hell, me too.

Not that great a blow to me - they get a ton of qualified applicants, and only interview a small portion...it was a real reach for me, so I wasn't counting on anything.

There are only 2 more schools I hope to hear from, and I am not holding my breath for them, either...my cycle is pretty much over, and I actually will be glad to move past this drama of med school admissions and focus on bigger and better things to come.
 
flip26 said:
Hell, me too.

Not that great a blow to me - they get a ton of qualified applicants, and only interview a small portion...it was a real reach for me, so I wasn't counting on anything.

There are only 2 more schools I hope to hear from, and I am not holding my breath for them, either...my cycle is pretty much over, and I actually will be glad to move past this drama of med school admissions and focus on bigger and better things to come.
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I concur. I'm still waiting on 5, but don't really expect to hear from any of them. It'd be awesome, but I think I'm just happy enough to have gotten the invites I already did get. I'm pretty much feeling like my cycle is over sans waiting for decisions and then making one of my own.

Good luck!
 
flip26 said:
Hell, me too.

Not that great a blow to me - they get a ton of qualified applicants, and only interview a small portion...it was a real reach for me, so I wasn't counting on anything.

There are only 2 more schools I hope to hear from, and I am not holding my breath for them, either...my cycle is pretty much over, and I actually will be glad to move past this drama of med school admissions and focus on bigger and better things to come.
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Same here. 2 schools waiting on for invites, the rest is history.
 
this is definitely random, but does anyone else who attended the pre-interview happy hour now have "Penn Med" on your gmail chat list? I'm always secretly tempted to IM them just to see what happens. Or, slightly terrified by the recognizing the fact that they're coordinating happy hours for the all the great applicants who will be getting an acceptance over me.
 
mdeast said:
this is definitely random, but does anyone else who attended the pre-interview happy hour now have "Penn Med" on your gmail chat list? I'm always secretly tempted to IM them just to see what happens. Or, slightly terrified by the recognizing the fact that they're coordinating happy hours for the all the great applicants who will be getting an acceptance over me.
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Haha, I haven't noticed that. Funny thought though.

Man, it's gonna be rough until March. I hope we can be classmates next year! haha
 
For people who are complete but haven't received interview invites (I'm in the same position) - Penn might be doing it by region or by school, or at least is some arbitrary way like that. If I'm not mistaken, Penn isn't rolling (am I mistaken? I don't remember). The data behind my hypothesis (har har) is that neither I nor another similar applicant from my university have received interview invites, yet I've interviewed at almost all the other "Top 10" schools I applied to, and I've already received an acceptance or two. Because this process is pretty random, it's possible that Penn just hasn't considered us leftover people for interviews yet, but I have a feeling that the people still listed as "complete" shouldn't worry too, too much. If you haven't been deferred, you're probably in a good place.
 
Nerday Shortay said:
For people who are complete but haven't received interview invites (I'm in the same position) - Penn might be doing it by region or by school, or at least is some arbitrary way like that. If I'm not mistaken, Penn isn't rolling (am I mistaken? I don't remember). The data behind my hypothesis (har har) is that neither I nor another similar applicant from my university have received interview invites, yet I've interviewed at almost all the other "Top 10" schools I applied to, and I've already received an acceptance or two. Because this process is pretty random, it's possible that Penn just hasn't considered us leftover people for interviews yet, but I have a feeling that the people still listed as "complete" shouldn't worry too, too much. If you haven't been deferred, you're probably in a good place.
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Possibly...But, two of my fellow postbac folks got early, early invites at Penn (both in NYC area, from undergrads in different regions) and I got one just a week ago. Just to add more data to your working hypothesis. 😉However, I think that the "do not worry 🙂" thing is the most important part of your hypothesis.
 
Nerday Shortay said:
For people who are complete but haven't received interview invites (I'm in the same position) - Penn might be doing it by region or by school, or at least is some arbitrary way like that. If I'm not mistaken, Penn isn't rolling (am I mistaken? I don't remember). The data behind my hypothesis (har har) is that neither I nor another similar applicant from my university have received interview invites, yet I've interviewed at almost all the other "Top 10" schools I applied to, and I've already received an acceptance or two. Because this process is pretty random, it's possible that Penn just hasn't considered us leftover people for interviews yet, but I have a feeling that the people still listed as "complete" shouldn't worry too, too much. If you haven't been deferred, you're probably in a good place.
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May I ask when you were complete?
 
rockymhs said:
May I ask when you were complete?
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I don't know the exact date, but it was early. Early August, probably (I received the supplemental app July 15th). It was one of the last ones I did - maybe they are reciprocating haha. But anyway, yes, nobody should worry. If you are applying to schools like UPenn then there is an extremely high probability that you will be a quality doc someday, regardless of where you go to school.
 
Nerday Shortay said:
For people who are complete but haven't received interview invites (I'm in the same position) - Penn might be doing it by region or by school, or at least is some arbitrary way like that. If I'm not mistaken, Penn isn't rolling (am I mistaken? I don't remember). The data behind my hypothesis (har har) is that neither I nor another similar applicant from my university have received interview invites, yet I've interviewed at almost all the other "Top 10" schools I applied to, and I've already received an acceptance or two. Because this process is pretty random, it's possible that Penn just hasn't considered us leftover people for interviews yet, but I have a feeling that the people still listed as "complete" shouldn't worry too, too much. If you haven't been deferred, you're probably in a good place.
Click to expand...

I would say this is probably unlikely, if for nothing else, judging from the geographical diversity of the people I interviewed with. I wouldn't be surprised if they compare candidates from similar regions/undergraduate institutions but I think this is done as applications are received rather than in one large batch (i.e. we've already given X candidate from Y school an interview, is this Z candidate from Y school also worthy?). If they want to interview you, you will get an invite. If they don't have enough spots, you won't. There's no formula to the process, and to be honest, I think there are many candidates to the all the Top 10 schools who absolutely deserve interviews but don't get them. Good luck though!
 
premad said:
Possibly...But, two of my fellow postbac folks got early, early invites at Penn (both in NYC area, from undergrads in different regions) and I got one just a week ago. Just to add more data to your working hypothesis. 😉However, I think that the "do not worry 🙂" thing is the most important part of your hypothesis.
Click to expand...


Alright, alright. It was worth a shot. I won't get the Nobel Prize for insight this time, but maybe next time...

Other possibilities:
1. Penn doesn't like short chicks.
2. Penn doesn't think it's cool that I send daily hate mail.
3. This is a somewhat random process and I lost this round.

For anyone who has trouble catching cyber humor, 1 and 2 were jokes... 😉

I'll stop hypothesizing - good luck to everyone!
 
Nerday Shortay said:
Alright, alright. It was worth a shot. I won't get the Nobel Prize for insight this time, but maybe next time...

Other possibilities:
1. Penn doesn't like short chicks.
2. Penn doesn't think it's cool that I send daily hate mail.
3. This is a somewhat random process and I lost this round.

For anyone who has trouble catching cyber humor, 1 and 2 were jokes... 😉

I'll stop hypothesizing - good luck to everyone!
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Hmm, I'm short too. You might be on to something here. 😉
 
ooh! i'm wicked short! that MUST be why they're ignoring me.
 
Hmmm my status still reads complete. But judging from the people who got deferred I feel like this may just mean "ignored" in admissions language lol.
 
eeeeee said:
I believe Columbia and Hopkins also have shortened pre-clinical curricula. At Columbia, you start rotations in January. At Hopkins, you start in April. At most other schools, you start July 1.

I think at Tufts you start rotating a tiny bit earlier as well.
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I know this is kinda old, but ah well. UVA is coming out with a new curriculum where you start in March/April with your rotations. University of Colorado has that curriculum set up already. So, it's more than just the Ivies that have the shortened pre-clinical curriculum.
 
Amadelphous said:
Hmmm my status still reads complete. But judging from the people who got deferred I feel like this may just mean "ignored" in admissions language lol.
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Same ignored boat that your on😡
 
Amadelphous said:
Hmmm my status still reads complete. But judging from the people who got deferred I feel like this may just mean "ignored" in admissions language lol.
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I didn't go to an Ivy League for undergrad - I wonder if that has something to do with why I have been ignored thus far? Is it true that Penn is one of the most Ivy-heavy in terms of invites?
 
smmypnts said:
I didn't go to an Ivy League for undergrad - I wonder if that has something to do with why I have been ignored thus far? Is it true that Penn is one of the most Ivy-heavy in terms of invites?
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I was invited to the very first weekend of interviews. Though there were a considerable number from the Ivies (and similar schools like JHU and MIT), there were defiiately a considerable number of non-Ivy (like me) and non-trad students. I'm sure it is as Ivy-heavy as the next school but I didn't feel out of place.
 
Ivys tend to favor Ivys--HMS, Yale, Penn --all are vey Ivy-centric.
 
I'm so excited I have to share this...a study I worked on got accepted for publication really recently so I thought I'd take a long shot and let Penn know. So I did...and they sent me an interview invitation!! I'm so ecstatic and shocked right now. I'm so excited to interview here. :-D
 
Amadelphous said:
I'm so excited I have to share this...a study I worked on got accepted for publication really recently so I thought I'd take a long shot and let Penn know. So I did...and they sent me an interview invitation!! I'm so ecstatic and shocked right now. I'm so excited to interview here. :-D
Click to expand...

Way to be proactive! Congrats!
 
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