2010-2011 Boston University Application Thread

[slowbutsteady]

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Rejected 🙁 No more lurking on this thread for me!
Complete July 27th. Glad first rejection was from Boston though, if there had to be any.
Good luck to everyone else!!

Why do so many people on there way off a thread after a rejection feel the need to leave with a cheap shot at the school?

Not classy.

 

[CougarMD]

CA resident rejected and it hurts 🙁 3.65/33

My first rejection and already losing hope zzz.

I did not live in any other state besides CA.

Thanks for actually answering my question!🙂 I am wondering how much Boston (and other schools) are weeding out Californians based on this idea that we won't really like living somewhere else unless we've demonstrated it before.

Why do so many people on there way off a thread after a rejection feel the need to leave with a cheap shot at the school?

Not classy.

It may not necessarily be a cheap shot....I know that if my first rejection were from somewhere like Harvard I'd say the same thing🙂 To get rejected from a good school that was maybe a long shot for you is not necessarily a horrible thing. It would feel way worse to get rejected from a school that you have high stats for, is next door to your house and you have been an employee at for the last 10 years🙂

 

[pkhat24]

I know this was addressed before... but I feel like my situation is a little weird. I was planning on writing the optional essays on the discrepancy in my grades. These are my stats:

freshman year= 3.0
sophomore year= 3.0
junior year= 3.85
senior year= 3.95

The first two years I had pretty much all Bs.. (2 Cs and 1 D+)... junior and senior year I had all As...

I feel like my grades look a little strange, and I'm scared to not address the issue. Nothing really happened to change my grades so drastically.. more of a maturity, re-commitment to medicine kind of thing.

Any input appreciated...

Maybe instead of explaining your grades, tell your story of the factors that led to your maturation, and your improving grades reflect your maturation. I feel like schools are more interested in your story rather than the explanations.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Why do so many people on there way off a thread after a rejection feel the need to leave with a cheap shot at the school?

Not classy.

i don't think it's a cheap shot as much as it is a statement on the ridiculous volume BU gets and the concordantly huge number of rejections that go out.. pretty much everyone expects to get rejected from bu

 

[phantompanda]

Have they sent a rejection letter to anyone who did their UG in the Boston area?

I'm doing my UG at BU, completed late july. Still waiting to hear...which I guess is a good thing looking at other posters.

 

[Doodl3s]

i don't think it's a cheap shot as much as it is a statement on the ridiculous volume BU gets and the concordantly huge number of rejections that go out.. pretty much everyone expects to get rejected from bu

I'm sorry, but is there a reason this school gets an EXCEPTIONALLY larger volume than any other school that is both highly rated and located in an urban area that may seem "fun" to go to? (i.e. similar ranked schools such as NYU)

 

[slowbutsteady]

I'm sorry, but is there a reason this school gets an EXCEPTIONALLY larger volume than any other school that is both highly rated and located in an urban area that may seem "fun" to go to? (i.e. similar ranked schools such as NYU)

Excellent question.

I think BU is perceived as a good school with solid rankings in a great urban area. People look at their own stats and BU's average stats and think one of three things:

1. this is a reach but "reachable"
2. this is a "safety" but one I would love to attend
3. this is a school that my stats "fit" and I have a good chance

I also think that BU has great "word of mouth." BU Medical Center is an exciting hospital serving a diverse population. Students at BU love it and communicate that. Dean Witzberg is amazing and creates a positive vibe that is infectious about the school.

Also, people from other parts of the country who are not from big cities may be a bit intimidated by NYC, Chicago, DC, etc, but think Boston is more livable. They are right!!

 

[runawayclock]

How is Boston U for OOS/International applicants?? I know they accept them but do they heavily favour IS students?

 

[Slack3r]

Rejected, complete 7/29.

Feels good to finally get a concrete rejection email rather than this silent rejection nonsense.

 

[Scarletblack]

For the optional essay, I wrote about an experience that had a huge impact on me. Then, I stated how it better prepared me for medical school.

I'm starting to think that it was not the best idea. >_<

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

I dont wanna get too excited but I think I may have survived this first rejection train (complete 7/27).. having 0 rejections so far is the only thing keeping me happy with my 0 interviews haha

 

[texas72]

Rejected! Complete 8/2. Great school, no hard feelings.

Best of luck to everyone else!

 

[Scarletblack]

Rejected today. >_<

GL to everyone else

 

[Evergrey]

Rejected, 3.75/35. Complete 8/2

 

[ThatDude]

3.63 cGPA, 3.70 sciGPA, 39 MCAT ---rejected lol....

whatever that gives me one more reason to hate the city of boston....BUCK FOSTON

 

[jusgeo89]

it is raining down rejections. when were you complete ThatDude?


- and what does it say in your online app after a rejection? where does it say your rejected? in application status?

 

[Evergrey]

it is raining down rejections. when were you complete ThatDude?


- and what does it say in your online app after a rejection? where does it say your rejected? in application status?

It shows in the header as well as status page.

 

[texas72]

I thought their rejection letter is kindly-worded, at least. 🙂

Dear Texas72,

The Committee on Admissions of Boston University School of Medicine has completed its review of your application. It is with great regret that I inform you that we will be unable to offer an interview this year. This is a disappointment, as much for those who are responsible for the decision as it may be for you, the candidate who is turned away.

Most of the candidates we are considering this year are qualified to attend medical school and are likely to make important contributions to our profession and to society. Sadly, with more than 100 applicants for every seat in the class, we are forced to deny many exceptional people.

We acknowledge and respect your accomplishments and recognize that our inability to offer you an opportunity to complete the admissions process is a loss for Boston University. Please accept our best wishes for all your future endeavors.

Sincerely,


Robert A. Witzburg, M.D.
Associate Dean and Director of Admissions
Boston University School of Medicine

Top of home page:

Regretfully, we are unable to offer you an interview. - 8/23/2010

 

[runawayclock]

Awwww, the BU rejection letter is so nice. When I get mine, it'll be like getting rejected by the impossibly nice and good looking boy in high school who still genuinely wants to be friends.

But Gujudoc, What was the FIU letter like, just out of curiosity? 😕 Med school apps take so much of our money... i think the least they could do is be polite.

 

[Encephalectomy]

Thanks for actually answering my question!🙂 I am wondering how much Boston (and other schools) are weeding out Californians based on this idea that we won't really like living somewhere else unless we've demonstrated it before.

I don't know about other schools, but BU definitely doesn't screen out California applicants who've never lived outside the state. There are probably 5-10 of my classmates who fit into that category (I think that CA is the largest state of origin/residence for my class). In general, I think that med school adcoms can do the math for how many people apply from ca vs how many med school spots there are in california and know that there are a lot of really great applicants who for one reason or another won't get into school in CA and/or want to come out to beantown for med school. Good luck to you all!

 

[dramaqueen14]

I got rejected last week. I was complete 7/27. Very sad :cry:, I'm from MA and BU was one of my top choices.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

I don't know about other schools, but BU definitely doesn't screen out California applicants who've never lived outside the state. There are probably 5-10 of my classmates who fit into that category (I think that CA is the largest state of origin/residence for my class). In general, I think that med school adcoms can do the math for how many people apply from ca vs how many med school spots there are in california and know that there are a lot of really great applicants who for one reason or another won't get into school in CA and/or want to come out to beantown for med school. Good luck to you all!

i see what you mean. Im a CA resident whos still hanging in there (~3.65/34S).. I should be getting a 30 days complete email this thursday if I dont get rejected till then haha

 

[T1R3KO]

Rejected. Oh well. Not heartbroken.

Complete 8/4. OOS, 3.7/35.

 

[tr0gd0r]

Rejected. Oh well. Not heartbroken.

Complete 8/4. OOS, 3.7/35.

🙁

Yikes, I was complete 8/5...looks like I should be expecting my rejection email tomorrow 😛

 

[AffableHipster]

.

 

[AffableHipster]

Who is the new dean??????

I believe Dean Antman.

 

[slowbutsteady]

I will say this: I did the GMS program at BU and from what I've been told, the new dean (or president) is very numbers oriented. That's not to say they don't look at extracurriculars, but they look at MCAT/GPA very heavily. Good luck everyone!

Geez, I hope that's not true!! If you're right, that will change the whole vibe of the place which is why it is such a special med school.

No offense top stat folks, but there is more to medicine than numbers (once you meet a certain threshhold) and BU looks (or used to look) for that in its applicants.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

woo! lived to see the 30 day email haha hopefully an interview is around the corner

 

[AffableHipster]

.

 

[Rich4ryS]

I just received this e-mail,




It has been 30 days since we sent you a notice indicating that your application was complete and had been referred to our Committee on Admissions for review. While our Committee is accustomed to reviewing a very large volume of applications, this year we have seen an unprecedented number of applications that have been completed early in the cycle. It appears that we will be able to interview only about 10% of our applicants this year, so these reviews are quite challenging. As a result, we are running several weeks behind.

I regret the fact that we have not been able to take action on your application as yet, but I want to assure you that we are moving as quickly as we can and that there will be no penalty for the delay in our processing. Applicants who are selected for interview are invited in chronological order by date of application completion, not by date of review. If our Committee on Admissions concludes that we can invite you for an interview and campus visit, we will get it done!

Please accept our apology for any inconvenience caused by our extended review of your file. We expect to complete our evaluation quite soon, and wish you success with all your applications.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Witzburg, M.D.
Associate Dean and Director of Admissions Boston University School of Medicine

 

[jusgeo89]

I got that e-mail too. What does it mean? Does it mean you passed the first screen or that they didn't even look at your application yet?

 

[Coug]

I think it means (from stalking last year's thread), that you passed the first round of rejections. Looks like there might be one more, then interview invite!

 

[psychicoctopus]

resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved resolved

 

[obgyny]

Rejected 8/27 🙁.

Complete 8/6. OOS, 3.99cGPA, 4.0sGPA, 28M (9-9-10).

I'm pretty bummed, I really liked Boston U, but oh well. Good luck everyone else!

 

[AceXIII]

Rejected today 🙁 I don't feel so bad about it seeing how many great applicants are turned away, but I definitely liked the school. Oh well, good luck to the rest of you!!

Complete 8/9

 

[NYYk9005]

BU must be taking this Red Sox season pretty badly...

 

[boggvir]

Rejected today 🙁 I don't feel so bad about it seeing how many great applicants are turned away, but I definitely liked the school. Oh well, good luck to the rest of you!!

Complete 8/9

Did you get an email or was it status reject?

 

[rhesuspieces]

from reading their website it looks like they do a round of preliminary cuts--from (12,000 down to 7,500!) then go back through everyone who made the cut, assigning interviews from there. I might be misinterpreting this, but this seems to indicate that those who received the 30 day e-mail are part of that smaller group. So I guess no news is good news from BU right now?

 

[AceXIII]

Did you get an email or was it status reject?

email

 

[Coug]

from reading their website it looks like they do a round of preliminary cuts--from (12,000 down to 7,500!) then go back through everyone who made the cut, assigning interviews from there. I might be misinterpreting this, but this seems to indicate that those who received the 30 day e-mail are part of that smaller group. So I guess no news is good news from BU right now?

Where'd you get the info, rhesus? That seems like a pretty minor cut...

 

[rhesuspieces]

I found the info here. I just found it interesting that they do a full round of cuts first, then offer interviews in the next round. Probably more efficient that way! That also explains why we've been seeing so many rejections.

 

[anfleisch]

From interviewing last year, they do seem to have it down to a science more than some others. They have had the same adcoms going through 12,000 apps a year for many years already.

 

[superjenny]

Does anyone know if for the prerequisite grid you're suppose to list all courses taken in each field or only the ones that are required?

 

[DrNerd]

Invite!
Complete 7/2

 

[hemostat5]

Yahoo!!! Interview Invite.

Complete 7/2

 

[rhesuspieces]

hey, congrats on the interviews guys! do you mind me asking your stats? also were you invited via e-mail or status update?

 

[Fewchurdoc]

Interview Invite!!!

33 3.9

yippppeeeee

 

[hemostat5]

Invite!
Complete 7/2

hey, congrats on the interviews guys! do you mind me asking your stats? also were you invited via e-mail or status update?

33R/3.61 (bioengineering)/OOS non-trad (master's degree and work experience)

They sent an e-mail invite, but it also appeared on the website. I did the scheduling (October 6th) all online.

 

[imyahuckleberry]

Seems like a lot of people are getting rejected exactly 3 weeks after being complete. I'm a day past that mark, so right on.

 

[boggvir]

They could just be messing with you.