2010-2011 Boston University Application Thread

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I have a quick question for the people who interviewed at BU.

What is their curriculum like? Is it a block schedule where you take one or 2 "blocks" at a time? I looked on their website, but I just ended up being very confused 😕

I'm asking because I have an interview here in January, but I'm not sure if I should go.
 
Gsobes said:
Anyone else interview with Dr. Peggy Johnson? If so, how did it go?
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I interviewed with Dr. Johnson and it was the best interview I had this season, out of 8 total. Dr. Johnson is really kind and really funny, and although she did ask me some serious questions, none were hostile or trying to trick, they were just questions about my application and experiences. She didn't have any set questions, it was very conversational and based off my application, which she knew very well.

Why do you ask?
 
gujuDoc said:
I've heard from my friends a lot of the interviewers are like this. Dr. Balady is like this too and that's who a lot of my friends interviewed with. They said that he just made them feel real comfortable and tried to get to know them and application aspects rather then ask scripted questions.

Good luck everyone. You all have 1 week before it officially hits january. 🙂. So close to finding out.
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what happens in january?
 
bobow98 said:
100 people get in ?
lol
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About 40 for the regular ugrad -> MD stream actually. This makes up 1/3 of the 120 spots allotted for 4 year ugrad -> MD. The rest will be given out in March ( + more to accommodate applicants who will opt to go elsewhere).

Happy holidays people! Not holding my breath for a January acceptance, will be content with a hold for this first batch of decisions considering the quality of the interviewees. 🙂
 
Goshua said:
About 40 for the regular ugrad -> MD stream actually. This makes up 1/3 of the 120 spots allotted for 4 year ugrad -> MD. The rest will be given out in March ( + more to accommodate applicants who will opt to go elsewhere).

Happy holidays people! Not holding my breath for a January acceptance, will be content with a hold for this first batch of decisions considering the quality of the interviewees. 🙂
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Where do these numbers come from exactly? I'm aware that BU has several other tracks into their MD program, but I doubt they make up 2/3rd of the entering class.
 
PartyHouse001 said:
Just curious, did everyone get an ethical question during your interview?
I heard it is a required element for your interview score.

However, I didn't get one. Hope that doesn't mean I was already evaluated as unfit for the school during the interview.
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BU was the only school I interviewed at that actually asked me an ethical question, lol.

But mine was not a stereotypical "what are your views on euthanasia" type question - I work in a hospital in a position with patient contact so he worked in an ethical/moral scenario that I may contact in the hospital due to my work. Actually, I've already encountered something very similar to his dilemma before so it was a breeze to answer the question.

Also, I don't think you have to worry because several of my friends interviewed at BU and there were 2 I can remember that didn't get an ethical question either. I highly doubt that means you're "screened out" - I think it most likely means your interviewer forgot or didn't care to ask one =p
 
karayraisu said:
BU was the only school I interviewed at that actually asked me an ethical question, lol.

But mine was not a stereotypical "what are your views on euthanasia" type question - I work in a hospital in a position with patient contact so he worked in an ethical/moral scenario that I may contact in the hospital due to my work. Actually, I've already encountered something very similar to his dilemma before so it was a breeze to answer the question.

Also, I don't think you have to worry because several of my friends interviewed at BU and there were 2 I can remember that didn't get an ethical question either. I highly doubt that means you're "screened out" - I think it most likely means your interviewer forgot or didn't care to ask one =p
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i had the exact same expeirience
 
I got asked an ethical question. My interviewer said they were told to ask one... Anyways I wish he didn't ask one cause my interview went downhill from there. Not really expecting an acceptance after that but I'll try to be optimistic -.-.
 
Dang...probably not looking good for me then, since I wasn't asked an ethical question.
 
Honestly I have to agree. I didn't get an ethical question either and from what it seems like, neither did a lot of people. I find it hard to believe that the interviewers themselves would be "screening out" so many people mid-interview if any.
 
Tomatogirl said:
I interviewed with Dr. Johnson and it was the best interview I had this season, out of 8 total. Dr. Johnson is really kind and really funny, and although she did ask me some serious questions, none were hostile or trying to trick, they were just questions about my application and experiences. She didn't have any set questions, it was very conversational and based off my application, which she knew very well.

Why do you ask?
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On a similar note...did anyone else who interviewed with Dr. Johnson not get an ethical question?
 
So does anyone know the actual date that we hear? For some reason I thought it was closer to Jan. 15 than Jan. 4...although it'd be nice for the latter to be true.

And to all of you nervous about not getting an ethical question or not...come on. You probably just wowed them so much that they forgot to ask 👍

On a different note, I think some of the emoticons are ridiculous (slash awesome!), and I can't believe they have a roflcopter one! lol. Here's something to lighten the anxiety a bit:

:highfive::soexcited::roflcopter::diebanana::beat::poke:+pissed+:lock:
 
AffableHipster said:
So does anyone know the actual date that we hear? For some reason I thought it was closer to Jan. 15 than Jan. 4...although it'd be nice for the latter to be true.

And to all of you nervous about not getting an ethical question or not...come on. You probably just wowed them so much that they forgot to ask 👍

On a different note, I think some of the emoticons are ridiculous (slash awesome!), and I can't believe they have a roflcopter one! lol. Here's something to lighten the anxiety a bit:

:highfive::soexcited::roflcopter::diebanana::beat::poke:+pissed+:lock:
Click to expand...

I actually just checked last year's application thread. It seems as though all accepted individuals were notified either by email or phone over Jan. 7-11. A few people were notified in the following days regarding deferrals or rejections (Jan. 12-13). Of course this may not at all be indicative of how things will work this year but just thought I'd share...
 
First full week of January, after winter break, are when phone calls are made. They are not all made on the same day though. I got my call last year on Thursday, some heard earlier, some later. Usually happens during the evening hours EST. Not everyone who gets accepted gets a phone call though, this is purely up to the interviewer as a courtesy.

Email acceptance notifications arrive a week after the phone calls go out, and a physical packet arrives a week or so after that. So just b/c you don't get a phone call, doesn't mean you were not accepted.

After having survived first semester of med school, I can definitely say I'm glad I came to BU. Good luck everyone.

edit: obviously these are just estimates based on last year's activity. but if you don't hear by Friday, feel free to log onto SDN so your fingers can freak out all over your keyboard.
 
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FuSoYa said:
After having survived first semester of med school, I can definitely say I'm glad I came to BU. Good luck everyone.
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If you don't mind, how have you enjoyed it so far? And what schools were you choosing between or was BU your top choice from the start of the app cycle?

Thanks for any insight! I really loved this school interviewing there but am now trying to separate exactly how much of it was the brilliance of Dr. Witzburg :luck:.
 
FuSoYa said:
First full week of January, after winter break, are when phone calls are made. They are not all made on the same day though. I got my call last year on Thursday, some heard earlier, some later. Usually happens during the evening hours EST. Not everyone who gets accepted gets a phone call though, this is purely up to the interviewer as a courtesy.

Email acceptance notifications arrive a week after the phone calls go out, and a physical packet arrives a week or so after that. So just b/c you don't get a phone call, doesn't mean you were not accepted.

After having survived first semester of med school, I can definitely say I'm glad I came to BU. Good luck everyone.

edit: obviously these are just estimates based on last year's activity. but if you don't hear by Friday, feel free to log onto SDN so your fingers can freak out all over your keyboard.
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For the neurotic BU hopefuls, I am hoping that you can humor us a bit more. How was your "stats"? Very curious to know the bar for the first round admittance at BU.

Thank you in advance!!!
 
I hope this isn't silly but I uploaded unofficial transcripts to BU after my interview and since then I've only been checking the status page. Today, I checked the upload documents page and it shows no uploaded documents. Does anyone who uploaded still see the uploaded document or has it disappeared?
 
I still see my unofficial transcript. Though I brought it to them and they uploaded it for me. I think your just being over paranoid 😛
 
Hah said:
I still see my unofficial transcript. Though I brought it to them and they uploaded it for me. I think your just being over paranoid 😛
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Well, now I think I need to call. This could be bad for the decisions about to be released. They probably (and with good reason) think I didn't even care enough to turn in the transcripts. I loved BU!😡
 
Beta Cell said:
Well, now I think I need to call. This could be bad for the decisions about to be released. They probably (and with good reason) think I didn't even care enough to turn in the transcripts. I loved BU!😡
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Well they told me I could bring them or you could upload them by yourself. Don't overthink it 😎
 
Beta Cell said:
Well, now I think I need to call. This could be bad for the decisions about to be released. They probably (and with good reason) think I didn't even care enough to turn in the transcripts. I loved BU!😡
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I see my uploaded document too. However, I am confused by this as well.

If your transcript is successfully uploaded, it just means that the option for "delete" or "edit" is unavailable. Is there anything I am missing?
 
rejected pre-interview!!! 🙁 AHHH what can I say it IS BUSM 👍

3.4 cGPA 3.7 sGPA 27Q
 
PartyHouse001 said:
For the neurotic BU hopefuls, I am hoping that you can humor us a bit more. How was your "stats"? Very curious to know the bar for the first round admittance at BU.

Thank you in advance!!!
Click to expand...

it's pretty much like everyone has already said, you don't need killer stats to get into BU. They already have a lot of smarties via their 7-year program, and the 6+ other tracks one can take to get in. I think with the traditional applicants BU tries to round out the class with different backgrounds and experience.
 
Just called BU. They told me my transcripts hadn't posted and to just email it to them. Aaahhh, I hope this doesn't hurt.
 
Beta Cell said:
Just called BU. They told me my transcripts hadn't posted and to just email it to them. Aaahhh, I hope this doesn't hurt.
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They said they'd appreciate it. I don't think its going to get you in or keep you out...hopefully, since I'm in the same boat
 
I just got a call from a 617 number and almost peed my pants. Turns out it was CVS telling me that my prescription was ready to be picked up.

It's gonna be a looooong 2 weeks.
 
gujuDoc said:
Remember 617 is followed by 638. Don't know the last 4 digits but if it is BU

Its always first 6 digits = 617-638

That should help reduce the anxiety.
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lemme throw another log onto the fire, my interviewer called from a cell phone that had a completely different area code.
 
gujuDoc said:
Oh so they do use personal cell phones? I was discussing that with one of the friends waiting for a decision today. But she wasn't sure where they call from.

You know this happened when I got my UCF invite. The director of admissions called me from an unrecognizable Tampa area code number for a school in Orlando so I was surprised when I got the call and not expecting it to be him. lol.

Well I guess that changes the game. But at any rate. GOOD LUCK GUYS!!!!!!!!!
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This thread is way too funny...everyone's so nervous. Everyone just needs to relax and wait and see what happens. I'm also waiting to hear within the next few weeks, so I know what it feels like. But you're going to be miserable if you just sit by your phone. If it's meant to be, it will be. C'est la vie, right?
And this is my top choice. But I'm keeping my mind off it all by doing other things.

Good luck to all of us!
 
DocTraveler said:
This thread is way too funny...everyone's so nervous. Everyone just needs to relax and wait and see what happens. I'm also waiting to hear within the next few weeks, so I know what it feels like. But you're going to be miserable if you just sit by your phone. If it's meant to be, it will be. C'est la vie, right?
And this is my top choice. But I'm keeping my mind off it all by doing other things.

Good luck to all of us!
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Just curious, wasn't Pitt your number one choice?
 
PartyHouse001 said:
Just curious, wasn't Pitt your number one choice?
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You're such a stalker! Just kidding. It was momentarily, but after much thought, BU def is. I have an excellent support system in Boston and BU has a safety net hospital. I would be able to help the people I want to work with, which is underserved populations. I can't pass that up. But Pitt is my #2. My heart is simply in Boston.
 
DocTraveler said:
You're such a stalker! Just kidding. It was momentarily, but after much thought, BU def is. I have an excellent support system in Boston and BU has a safety net hospital. I would be able to help the people I want to work with, which is underserved populations. I can't pass that up. But Pitt is my #2. My heart is simply in Boston.
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Ugh the housing is soooooo expensive in Boston... It's just as bad as NYC :X



PS: sorry if thats random but that was one of the things that shocked me when I interviewed :O
 
DocTraveler said:
You're such a stalker! Just kidding. It was momentarily, but after much thought, BU def is. I have an excellent support system in Boston and BU has a safety net hospital. I would be able to help the people I want to work with, which is underserved populations. I can't pass that up. But Pitt is my #2. My heart is simply in Boston.
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Haha, I will take that as a compliment. I was following Pitt thread somewhat carefully before being placed on the wait-list. Thus, I recalled your post.

Hope, we can get both!
 
Hah said:
Ugh the housing is soooooo expensive in Boston... It's just as bad as NYC :X



PS: sorry if thats random but that was one of the things that shocked me when I interviewed :O
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If you're willing to live further from the medical campus, housing ain't too bad. I lived near the main campus for like 500...I know alotta med students (M1/M2) that do the same for around the same price. Just gotta get up earlier...or stay home and stream it online which alotta people do. There isn't that much to do in the South End either where the medschool's at anywayss.
 
PartyHouse001 said:
Haha, I will take that as a compliment. I was following Pitt thread somewhat carefully before being placed on the wait-list. Thus, I recalled your post.

Hope, we can get both!
Click to expand...

Maybe I should be the one taking it as a compliment lol, j/k. But yeah I won't hear from Pitt til mid February and from what I gather, most people are wait-listed, so I expect that. It'd be a privilege to go to any of these two schools so I'm just hoping and waiting. I hope we both get in!
 
high5 said:
If you're willing to live further from the medical campus, housing ain't too bad. I lived near the main campus for like 500...I know alotta med students (M1/M2) that do the same for around the same price. Just gotta get up earlier...or stay home and stream it online which alotta people do. There isn't that much to do in the South End either where the medschool's at anywayss.
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For $500/mo, you'll be stuck in the student slums in Allston/Brighton. Maybe you could swing $500/mo closer to the medical school with 4+ roommates and/or a shady neighborhood.

If you want a decent apartment in Boston/kenmore/the south end, expect to pay >$800/mo with multiple roomates or >$1400/mo solo.

The commute is definitely doable from the greater Boston area (Quincy, Southie, Newton, Brookline, Allston etc..) but it won't be long before you despise the MBTA. I'd rather just ante up and live near the school. Boston rush hours are miserable.
 
So if students go to BU and live in Harrison court does the budget look like this?

tuition: 45k/year
rent: 2bed room split - 1250/month x 10 months = 12.5k/year
board: assume 15 dollars/day on avg (which is living cheap assuming not going out much) - 450/month x 10 months = 4500/year
insurance + fees = 3k/year

so that's a minimum of ... 65k a year?

Is this a decent estimate?
 
BU is my top choice and I am anxiously waiting to hear something. For those that were wondering before, they said that they send acceptances to about 300 students out of the 1000 that they interview, for 120 spots. 1/3 of these acceptances should be sent out soon, and the the rest will be after the second round of interviews.

Also, I am thinking about possibly doing the HPSP scholarship through the Air Force to help reduce the debts I am going to be incurring. Anyone else thinking of this option or have any details about it?
 
Also, this is the only interview I have gotten, with 2 rejections. I applied to about 12 schools, so there is 9 I still havent heard anything from. Is anyone else in this same position?

Sorry about all the q's!
 
chaplineo said:
Also, this is the only interview I have gotten, with 2 rejections. I applied to about 12 schools, so there is 9 I still havent heard anything from. Is anyone else in this same position?

Sorry about all the q's!
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Hey chap,
I'm active duty military and doing (have to) the HPSP. Send me a PM and I can let you know alllll about it
 
9/27- application complete, 10/27- 30 day e-mail, 12/16- contact info verification e-mail, 01/05 Interview invite for 01/07!

I live in Cambridge so it is all good but this is very short notice!
 
ACCEPTED!! Phone call from my interviewer; she said that acceptances went out in the mail this morning!!

Interviewed 11/4, IS
 
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