2009 Non-Trad Applicants' Progress Thread

[CultureDoc]

Well, here we are: a new progress thread for the new application cycle!

I'm still finding it a little hard to believe that it's time to hit "submit" on that 2009 AMCAS primary next week. And so the ride begins . . .

I'm happy to start off the progress report:

- AMCAS nearly filled out (thank everything holy that they keep all that info in there for re-apps like myself! )
- still re-working the PS a bit, but I need to finish that up pronto!
- MCAT re-take planned for early July (but need FAP decision before I can register)
- contesting automatic FAP denial (they really need to have a system in place for financially independent folks - like most non-trads I know - whose parental income is completely irrelevant )


So, I'm already feeling quite overwhelmed! And suddenly very nervous about retaking the MCAT (and having secondaries start flooding in while I'm in hard core study-mode).

How's everyone else doing??

to all!

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[French MD]

I am feeling the same way except I am taking my MCATs 5/31 for the 1st time....

so I may be retaking it... hopefully NOT!

I am already scared and discouraged that all this work will be for nothing...
but I want this more than anything!

 

[pingouin]

Stickying for y'all...

to all the '09ers!!!!!!

 

[QofQuimica]

Goodness, class of 2013 app cycle.

I just want to wish all of the nontrad applicants best of luck also. Make sure you submit your apps early and often.

 

[Lshapley]

Good luck all! Knock 'em dead, culturedoc!

 

[CultureDoc]

Good luck all! Knock 'em dead, culturedoc!

Thanks! I'm getting pumped! (and seriously nervous, but that's how it goes!)

There must be more non-trad 2009 applicants out there. Come on out and commiserate! We need to support each other to make it through this crazy process.

 

[CultureDoc]

I am feeling the same way except I am taking my MCATs 5/31 for the 1st time....

so I may be retaking it... hopefully NOT!

I am already scared and discouraged that all this work will be for nothing...
but I want this more than anything!

Lots of luck on the beast this Saturday!!

Enjoy some R&R afterward too - you'll have earned it!

 

[Quix]

Good luck to you all. It can be done!

 

[drimpossible]

Let's go, hopeful Class of 2013! Show the hopeful class of 2014 how it's done!

 

[Lacheln]

Hey peeps - this is exciting!! I can't believe it's here already either. Good luck with your mcat studying, I'm glad I'm not doing that.

So I've got my AMCAS all filled out, finishing up the PS. One of my letter writers just sent an email making me wonder if she's going to be on time with that, but otherwise everything's on track.

 

[French MD]

Thanks Culture Doc, I am planning on drowning the left over brain cells with German beer on the beach! Counting down the hours...

 

[p30doc]

how many schools is everyone planning on applying to?

 

[Lacheln]

how many schools is everyone planning on applying to?

I'm doing 15. I've heard it's a bold move, so we'll see. You?

 

[French MD]

I am applying to 30, to compansate for my low GPA... Apply early and broadly is the chant I have been hearing from everyone... Plus my cowerker applied for 08 (she had a 3.6 GPA both science and overall, 37 P mcat only appllied to 15 schools). She is on the waitlist for 4 no acceptances as of yet...

 

[dazed1980]

Hey guys! Glad to know i'm not the only pumped up but nervous nontrad out here.
I am taking the mcat for the first time on July 18. I barely just took my first practise aamc test. Will study for the next six weeks as much as i can with a 9-5 job. Might have to retake in September but hope not.

am applying to 16 schools b/c all the others are UNAFFORDABLE!!!

Who's studying with examkrackers? Any pearls of wisdom?

Goodluck to all out there!!

 

[French MD]

Hey Dazed 180,

I thought MCAT bio for princeton review, and am going to teach mcat for brekeley review. I have a friend who had a bad experience with exam crakers the class in san diego... All in all they all are ok, but practice makes perfect...Just do all the AMCAS ones and any other ones that you can get your hands on be it through exam crakers etc... At least that is my experience...

 

[dazed1980]

Hey Dazed 180,

I thought MCAT bio for princeton review, and am going to teach mcat for brekeley review. I have a friend who had a bad experience with exam crakers the class in san diego... All in all they all are ok, but practice makes perfect...Just do all the AMCAS ones and any other ones that you can get your hands on be it through exam crakers etc... At least that is my experience...

thanks french MD. I will make sure i take one AAMC test each weekend for the next six weeks. I will keep my fingers crossed and bite the bullet after that.

 

[p30doc]

I'm doing 15. I've heard it's a bold move, so we'll see. You?

Trying to finalize the number this weekend, I wanted to be at 30 or less, right now I have 35 MD schools in consideration plus 7 DOs.

 

[Lacheln]

Hey guys! Glad to know i'm not the only pumped up but nervous nontrad out here.
I am taking the mcat for the first time on July 18. I barely just took my first practise aamc test. Will study for the next six weeks as much as i can with a 9-5 job. Might have to retake in September but hope not.

am applying to 16 schools b/c all the others are UNAFFORDABLE!!!

Who's studying with examkrackers? Any pearls of wisdom?

Goodluck to all out there!!

I just used the kaplan review books and aamc practice exams. The practice exams were pretty key I think. Use them to find your weaknesses and focus on those.

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

I tend to be pretty level headed and secretly optimistic, so I'm not freaking out... yet

-AMCAS nearly complete (I plan on submitting mid-late June).
-Transcripts sent a week and a half ago... not received by AMCAS yet?
-PS in good shape, on draft five
-Chugging away at reviewing for MCAT. Upward trend in practice exams. I'm on track to do roughly as well as I did five years ago.

For personal reasons, I'm applying early decision to KU Med. If I get moved to regular decision... or rejected outright... I'll have to make a decision between waiting a year or expanding the list. I am avoiding thinking about that possibility until I am forced to. Hooray for secret optimism.

My big reservation is my lack of recent clinical experience, and that my past clinical experiences were not tremendously "significant." I have what I feel are good reasons for this (namely dedication to my federal service job the past few years), but I realize it is a major weakness in my application. I've lately ratcheted back the work somewhat so I can study and find time to volunteer at a local hospital, but I think the volunteering could be considered by a grumpy ADCOM as too little too late.

I figure, though, that I'll go ahead and apply and see what happens. I've had enough clinical & shadowing experience to KNOW that medicine is truly right for me, but whether or not ADCOMS will be convinced that I am convinced is the real issue. This is where the PS comes in, and I think it gets the message across well. Hopefully I'm right.

All right. I'm off to bake a coffee cake for the office and then play with my PS flashcards. Woooooo!

 

[Lacheln]

I tend to be pretty level headed and secretly optimistic, so I'm not freaking out... yet

-AMCAS nearly complete (I plan on submitting mid-late June).
-Transcripts sent a week and a half ago... not received by AMCAS yet?
-PS in good shape, on draft five
-Chugging away at reviewing for MCAT. Upward trend in practice exams. I'm on track to do roughly as well as I did five years ago.

For personal reasons, I'm applying early decision to KU Med. If I get moved to regular decision... or rejected outright... I'll have to make a decision between waiting a year or expanding the list. I am avoiding thinking about that possibility until I am forced to. Hooray for secret optimism.

My big reservation is my lack of recent clinical experience, and that my past clinical experiences were not tremendously "significant." I have what I feel are good reasons for this (namely dedication to my federal service job the past few years), but I realize it is a major weakness in my application. I've lately ratcheted back the work somewhat so I can study and find time to volunteer at a local hospital, but I think the volunteering could be considered by a grumpy ADCOM as too little too late.

I figure, though, that I'll go ahead and apply and see what happens. I've had enough clinical & shadowing experience to KNOW that medicine is truly right for me, but whether or not ADCOMS will be convinced that I am convinced is the real issue. This is where the PS comes in, and I think it gets the message across well. Hopefully I'm right.

All right. I'm off to bake a coffee cake for the office and then play with my PS flashcards. Woooooo!

Congrats on your progress on your PS...it was pretty painful for me. Does anyone enjoy that sort of self-reflection?

I've got my fingers crossed for you on your secret optimism...how awesome would it be to have it nailed down early?!! Just keep your eye on the MCAT prize.

As for me, I'm done with my PS and am all twitchy to submit on Wed. I'm feeling pretty good about the cycle now that I'm done with my PS, and am ready to send my baby out into the world to see how she does.

Everybody else? What's up peeps?

 

[p30doc]

Everybody else? What's up peeps?

Finished PS, going to enter EC's either tomorrow or tuesday so I can submitt on the 4th. Starting to freak out because I have 3 science LORs and 0 nonscience ones. I am applying to ~40 schools and not sure how feasible it will be to contact each one regarding the lack of nonscience LOR. Just sent an email to professor of the one nonscience course I took during my post-bacc. explaining my situation. Hopefully he is understanding, it was an online class though, we never even met. Oh and I submitted AACOMAS today. =P

 

[Lacheln]

Finished PS, going to enter EC's either tomorrow or tuesday so I can submitt on the 4th. Starting to freak out because I have 3 science LORs and 0 nonscience ones. I am applying to ~40 schools and not sure how feasible it will be to contact each one regarding the lack of nonscience LOR. Just sent an email to professor of the one nonscience course I took during my post-bacc. explaining my situation. Hopefully he is understanding, it was an online class though, we never even met. Oh and I submitted AACOMAS today. =P

40?! How are you going to be able to do all those secondaries?! If you don't mind my asking, why so many? Your numbers are not awful - your GPA is similar to mine and I'm sure a lot of the less competitive schools will be fine with it. As far as LOR goes, what about a letter from your clinical volunteering?

 

[mayson4]

you are not alone cultureDoc.
I am a re-applicant and non-trad 2009 as well...took the mcat May23 and waiting for the result..planning to send primary end of june early july.
~20 schools this time and broadly..have trouble with LOR( lots of non-science and none science)..working on that these days..
changed PS and added some shadowing..other than application is the same..
lets hope for the best this time!

Thanks! I'm getting pumped! (and seriously nervous, but that's how it goes!)

There must be more non-trad 2009 applicants out there. Come on out and commiserate! We need to support each other to make it through this crazy process.

 

[xeulee]

I'm a re-ap too so just having to update the AMCAS was nice. I rewrote my PS too but kept the same theme and just updated the activities. I'm applying to about 15 schools, broadly (I can't afford anymore) but still most are in TX.

-submitted TX application
-finished AMCAS & AACOMAS
-need to turn in AACOMAS
- have to work on getting the DO/MD letter

 

[p30doc]

40?! How are you going to be able to do all those secondaries?! If you don't mind my asking, why so many? Your numbers are not awful - your GPA is similar to mine and I'm sure a lot of the less competitive schools will be fine with it. As far as LOR goes, what about a letter from your clinical volunteering?

I guess filling out secondaries will be my full-time job for now. I hope the essays will essentially repeat after awhile. I went through each school on my list and made sure I had some reason to apply to it. This is my first application cycle and I really want to ensure it is my last. I am paranoid about the randomness of this whole process. I really hope for a early acceptance so I can delete a chunk of schools off my list which I would not choose over the acceptance.

I thought non-science LORs had to be from a professor. I guess it depends on the school. Maybe I could use my MD letter in its place, medicine is an art as well as a science afterall =).

 

[pingouin]

for the record, I applied to 29 and filled out secondaries for 26. it's mostly doable because a lot of your essays can be recycled (or tweaked and recycled).

word of caution: make sure if you're including the name of the school in an essay that you CHANGE THE NAME of the school before you reuse it for a different school. I didn't actually send one in like that, but I had a couple of near-heart-attack close calls.

 

[p30doc]

for the record, I applied to 29 and filled out secondaries for 26. it's mostly doable because a lot of your essays can be recycled (or tweaked and recycled).

word of caution: make sure if you're including the name of the school in an essay that you CHANGE THE NAME of the school before you reuse it for a different school. I didn't actually send one in like that, but I had a couple of near-heart-attack close calls.

Excellent advise on the name change, I will make sure to keep that in mind =). And it is a relief to read about someone else who successfully navigated a large number of secondaries!

 

[Empi]

This is the cycle in which I would have been applying but I have decided to slow down and apply next cycle.

I'll be lurking and learning from your successes (no mistakes!)

Good luck to the class of 2013!

 

[Lacheln]

Pingouin - When you applied how much time would you guess was taken up with the secondaries and interviewing? Part of the reason I'm limiting my list is because of $$, but the other part is that I don't see with working full-time how I'd be able to finish additional secondaries and travel for interviews?

Redrumi - sorry I was all "OMG", I am paranoid too, so I understand.

 

[pingouin]

Ooooh, time's hard for me to gauge. I was working 3 part-time jobs (equivalent to 1 FT job) and studying for the MCAT while doing secondaries last year. I applied very broadly due to knowing my GPA and MCAT weren't cream of the crop. Got 3 interviews for a total of 2 missed days of work (one was on a Friday which is an off day for me) plus travel time- would go the night before, spend the night at a hotel (or one time with a friend), leave to come home after the interview.

Again, you can definitely save a lot of time by recycling well-written secondaries. Pre-Allo has at least one thread devoted to what last year's were for each school, and they don't seem to change much from year to year.

 

[aunt ethel]

Hi and good luck everyone! I am only applying to a scant 13 schools, and I am very happy with that decision. We want to stay in a certain area of the country for family reasons, and I would rather reapply next year than end up somewhere far, far away. Everyone's got their own priorities, though.

Can't wait to find out my MCAT score. (only 26 days to go!) I think it went ok, but who knows??

 

[Jacka1776]

Hello,

Non-Trad applicant here as well. Just felt extremely bad that I have not progressed my study for the MCAT at all. I have been working a lot lately and perhaps this is what caused my poor preparation for this exam. I am going to take it on August and hopefully get this application going smoothly by then. What do you guys think of applying this late? Do you think I should submit the application now and then send them the score later (that is if I take it on August, I will get the score on September) or I should wait for the score to get in and then apply? Baa its driving me banana! Good luck to those who are applying on 2009 cycle.

 

[Lacheln]

Ooooh, time's hard for me to gauge. I was working 3 part-time jobs (equivalent to 1 FT job) and studying for the MCAT while doing secondaries last year. I applied very broadly due to knowing my GPA and MCAT weren't cream of the crop. Got 3 interviews for a total of 2 missed days of work (one was on a Friday which is an off day for me) plus travel time- would go the night before, spend the night at a hotel (or one time with a friend), leave to come home after the interview.

Again, you can definitely save a lot of time by recycling well-written secondaries. Pre-Allo has at least one thread devoted to what last year's were for each school, and they don't seem to change much from year to year.

Hmm, ok, thanks for the info. It still seems like a slimmer list is the way to go in my case. Cross your fingers for me!!

 

[NakiraJ]

Hello All. I am applying yet again and decided I should apply to more schools this time. I pray to God I get in this time.

 

[Stillwaters]

I finally hit the submit button after tweking my app for the past two weeks. I decided it was time to stop fiddling and hit the buton. I applied to only 15 schools because of the expense, and I hope that is enough. I am so worried. My number are only average. Haven't lined up all my LOR's yet. I thought they weren't due until the secondaries? Does anyone know how long it takes to be confirmed by AAMCAS? Good luck to everyone else applying this year. As far as the MCAT goes, I did pretty well with just Examcrackers , and its been ten years since I took some of those classes. I am sure you all will do fine. Hopefully we will get a strong showing of nontrads matriculating next year!

 

[Pacman51]

Hey Everyone,

I am just about to finish my personal statement and I noticed that AMCAS doesn't recommend copy and pasting it into the text box. I have Microsoft office on windows XP and was wondering if anyone did just copy and paste. My second question for everyone has to do with the spacing in your essays/work experience. How many spaces do you use for paragraph indentions? What about double spacing between paragraphs. I think I'm cracking up!!! I just want to hit submit and go deeper into debt! Godd luck and thanks to everyone who has given their input!

 

[Pacman51]

I meant to say Good luck

 

[CultureDoc]

Hey guys! Good to see this thread gaining some momentum! I have been trying to stay off of SDN at night to get work done . . . and my job has been crazy busy lately, so logging on at work has been a bit dicey!

Progress made:
- list narrowed down to 26 schools (a few of which I may hold off on adding until after getting MCAT retake scores back)
- still circling around with AAMC and my FAP decision . . . grrr!
- MCAT studying . . . woof.
- PS . . . stalled a bit. Must finish!
- set with transcripts
- requested final LOR
- saw the Sex and the City movie on Saturday! Ok, so this is not technically med school application progress, but I was thinking about applying to New York schools, so I decided to conduct some additional "research" on the city. (HA! ) and the verdict is . . . I do not have enough money to live there!

Haven't lined up all my LOR's yet. I thought they weren't due until the secondaries? Does anyone know how long it takes to be confirmed by AAMCAS?

Correct - you do not need to submit LORs until you submit your secondaries, but it is a good idea to request them now. Since you've already submitted your AMCAS app, you'll be getting those secondaries pretty soon (verification should only take a day or two this early in the game) . . . I gave all of my recommenders about a month to send in their LORs to Interfolio (if you did the same, that would mean early July would be the earliest your secondaries could be complete, which is where you want to be). A month is probably generous, but I didn't want to be rude to the people writing letters for me.

 

[coffeebeanjenn]

Hey Everyone,

I am just about to finish my personal statement and I noticed that AMCAS doesn't recommend copy and pasting it into the text box. I have Microsoft office on windows XP and was wondering if anyone did just copy and paste. My second question for everyone has to do with the spacing in your essays/work experience. How many spaces do you use for paragraph indentions? What about double spacing between paragraphs. I think I'm cracking up!!! I just want to hit submit and go deeper into debt! Godd luck and thanks to everyone who has given their input!

Hey Pacman

I copied & pasted mine and nothing terrible happened. I am double spacing between the paragraphs because I think it makes it easier to read. You can view what the PS looks like in MCAT by printing your application. That way, you can see if anything crazy happened in the cutting & pasting process.

 

[Lacheln]

Hey Pacman

I copied & pasted mine and nothing terrible happened. I am double spacing between the paragraphs because I think it makes it easier to read. You can view what the PS looks like in MCAT by printing your application. That way, you can see if anything crazy happened in the cutting & pasting process.

I too cut and pasted, and used double returns between paragraphs. The reason they say not to cut and paste is because of possible character encoding differences between your browser and your word program.* It can cause errors in saving and printing, so if you cut and paste, save, and print and have no problems you're good to go. Otherwise you can try a different word program or take a look at your encoding settings.

*Based on my experience developing web applications, not word from AMCAS.

 

[Pacman51]

Cool, thanks a lot everyone. Did you guys worry about paragraph indentations? I have read that 5 or ten spaces are the regular amounts, but that adds up pretty quick with a few paragraphs. On the summary it doesn't show indentations, but on the printed version it does. Thanks again!

 

[Lacheln]

Cool, thanks a lot everyone. Did you guys worry about paragraph indentations? I have read that 5 or ten spaces are the regular amounts, but that adds up pretty quick with a few paragraphs. On the summary it doesn't show indentations, but on the printed version it does. Thanks again!

I didn't do indentations, just double returns.

 

[miniwangja]

no more money for applications. applying to 4 schools.

 

[Lydiafaith]

so I'm reading this awesome thread...feeling a little more energized...but i think i might be missing something.

I keep reading that some of you are submiting primaries in early june...and taking the mcat june/july? how does this work...i was under the impression that you had to have an mcat score in order to submit the application? am i wrong? If so...i might not feel so bad retesting august 5th.

 

[NakiraJ]

My Progress:
Completed PS on Sunday
Added grad school grades in AMCAS
-waiting on snail mail of transcripts from undergrad mailed today with official transcripts requests
Mailed AMCAS transcript request today
Have my LOR writers lined up and writing
Still studying away for the MCAT

Not Completed
Final School list I am at 15 solid and am contemplating adding 3 more.

 

[CultureDoc]

so I'm reading this awesome thread...feeling a little more energized...but i think i might be missing something.

I keep reading that some of you are submiting primaries in early june...and taking the mcat june/july? how does this work...i was under the impression that you had to have an mcat score in order to submit the application? am i wrong? If so...i might not feel so bad retesting august 5th.

Hello and welcome!


I am retaking in July, so I already have a score recorded on my app (and there's a section where you can indicate whether you're retaking and the date of the retake). If you're retaking it's better to get your primary in sooner than later (you'll get verified with your current score and when the new score is available, it will get released to AMCAS, and AMCAS will inform your schools.).

Here's what the AMCAS "help" has to say about MCAT scores: "Medical schools prefer that applicants receive and review their MCAT scores prior to certifying and submitting the AMCAS application." But I don't think that means you absolutely have to have a score before submitting. Anyone know for sure? I do know that your scores are automatically released to AMCAS as soon as they are available, so presumably you would just indicate your test date on your AMCAS form and be able to submit. I think won't get verified by AMCAS until you have a score recorded, though (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[Lacheln]

Hello and welcome!


I am retaking in July, so I already have a score recorded on my app (and there's a section where you can indicate whether you're retaking and the date of the retake). If you're retaking it's better to get your primary in sooner than later (you'll get verified with your current score and when the new score is available, it will get released to AMCAS, and AMCAS will inform your schools.).

Here's what the AMCAS "help" has to say about MCAT scores: "Medical schools prefer that applicants receive and review their MCAT scores prior to certifying and submitting the AMCAS application." But I don't think that means you absolutely have to have a score before submitting. Anyone know for sure? I do know that your scores are automatically released to AMCAS as soon as they are available, so presumably you would just indicate your test date on your AMCAS form and be able to submit. I think won't get verified by AMCAS until you have a score recorded, though (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Yup, I think you won't be verified until your scores come in (I thought that included if you had checked the retake option).

 

[Lacheln]

Yup, I think you won't be verified until your scores come in (I thought that included if you had checked the retake option).

Whoops, not true. If you already have a score they don't wait for the retake to come in before verifying you.

 

[French MD]

Amcas almost ( txn are in, EC are done, LORs are in the works) done just waiting on my personal statement to be done... I gave myself a june 15th deadline... same for the AACOMAS.

My strategy until I get my dreaded MCAT scores is to apply to about 10 MD and 8 DO schools.. start the secondaries I get (fingers crossed) and then apply to more when I know what my score is.