2010-2011 Florida State University Application Thread

[locus000]

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All of mine where in paragraphs. Plus I went wayyyy over on some of the questions like the one about parents and practice vision. I actually didnt see the 500 words limit 😀. I called FSUCOM and they said it was fine.

It did say limit and not restricted to 500 words. So dont feel restricted by the format, you can go over. I did and it worked out fine 👍

 

[MossPoh]

Bottom line: Don't Overanalyze

It isn't like a background check where if you check something wrong red flags go up. If anything, the application is interview fuel.

 

[LetsGo352]

Bottom line: Don't Overanalyze

It isn't like a background check where if you check something wrong red flags go up. If anything, the application is interview fuel.

So, I shouldn't go into too much detail? For example, for my hobbies and interests section, I wrote about 450 words in paragraph form. I also included a sentence or two or why I liked a sport and gave an example of a book I liked and why. Is this too much?

Thanks!

 

[eablackwell]

I think the reason all these short little blurbs bother me is because I'm always wanting to make everything into a cohesive essay. There's no way I can do that with as many things as they ask for in the parent question and only 500 words 😉 Or my travel experiences, considering I have a lot from when I was an amateur & pro athlete... I will fit it all in as best I can.

I find some of the secondary stuff a little redundant. Like a self-critical essay, putting in the classes and schools, writing about extra-curriculars. Didn't I spend a month doing all that on AMCAS?

 

[Tapepsi]

Okay so I received a secondary application yesterday but here's the thing:

1) My GPA is a 3.93 but they haven't even received my MCAT score yet.
2) I am not a Florida resident (I'm from PA) although I do have family there and love Florida and have always wanted to go to FSU.
3) I received an email from one out of state med school which stated that it automatically send out secondaries to out of state applicants (although this was never indicated by FSU). Could this be the case as well?

I really hope I have a shot! Hoping those scores posted in late July will be good!

 

[MossPoh]

So, I shouldn't go into too much detail? For example, for my hobbies and interests section, I wrote about 450 words in paragraph form. I also included a sentence or two or why I liked a sport and gave an example of a book I liked and why. Is this too much?

Thanks!

Only go into as much detail as can give them a good picture of what it was. You can put the why in there, but it doesn't need to be tremendously long. Think about it from their perspective. Imagine you read 20 of those in one day. What kind of detail would you be looking for in the 21st?

 

[MossPoh]

Okay so I received a secondary application yesterday but here's the thing:

1) My GPA is a 3.93 but they haven't even received my MCAT score yet.
2) I am not a Florida resident (I'm from PA) although I do have family there and love Florida and have always wanted to go to FSU.
3) I received an email from one out of state med school which stated that it automatically send out secondaries to out of state applicants (although this was never indicated by FSU). Could this be the case as well?

I really hope I have a shot! Hoping those scores posted in late July will be good!

Your gpa is fine and we def. have OOS students here, but they are relatively few and pay an insane tuition. After room and board, they are taking out near 70k a year usually. If you have previous debt, that is an insane amount to tack on in a 4 year span.

 

[Tapepsi]

Your gpa is fine and we def. have OOS students here, but they are relatively few and pay an insane tuition. After room and board, they are taking out near 70k a year usually. If you have previous debt, that is an insane amount to tack on in a 4 year span.

Oh wow that is an insane amount!!! 😱 I guess my best bet would be to try and get into penn state or pitt then.

 

[MossPoh]

Oh wow that is an insane amount!!! 😱 I guess my best bet would be to try and get into penn state or pitt then.

Yea, it sucks to be a PA resident because they have all those schools but none of them really show instate preference. PCOM probably shows more than any other school. (I went to PSU for undergrad)

I love FSU but if I were accepted to two places as an OOS, it'd be pretty hard for me to want to come here unless I was dead set on HPSP. It is very intentional that they do that though. If a person is OOS and comes here it tends to be because they REALLY wanted to come here....also, OOS people don't pay taxes and since it is a state supported school....well, you get it.


I'd also look into UMDNJ up there. I've heard you can get NJ residency for tuition fairly easily.

 

[eablackwell]

You know, I just got UCF's secondary. I like FSU's better 😉

 

[Tapepsi]

Yea, it sucks to be a PA resident because they have all those schools but none of them really show instate preference. PCOM probably shows more than any other school. (I went to PSU for undergrad)

I love FSU but if I were accepted to two places as an OOS, it'd be pretty hard for me to want to come here unless I was dead set on HPSP. It is very intentional that they do that though. If a person is OOS and comes here it tends to be because they REALLY wanted to come here....also, OOS people don't pay taxes and since it is a state supported school....well, you get it.


I'd also look into UMDNJ up there. I've heard you can get NJ residency for tuition fairly easily.

Thank you so much!! Yeah it does suck that there are a decent number of med schools in my state but none of them really give preference to PA residents. I'm really keeping my that I get into PSU. I just recently visited the campus and it's awesome. Of course that's the one school that I haven't received a secondary in yet. 🙁

 

[MossPoh]

Thank you so much!! Yeah it does suck that there are a decent number of med schools in my state but none of them really give preference to PA residents. I'm really keeping my that I get into PSU. I just recently visited the campus and it's awesome. Of course that's the one school that I haven't received a secondary in yet. 🙁

They took a while for me and then never gave an interview to me, which really kind of crushed me. A bunch of my friends were accepted there and still decided to go to FSU or other places.

Anyway, FSU's secondary is pretty nice. I never felt really stressed with it and found it more of a "get to know you" type thing than anything else.

 

[LetsGo352]

For the secondary section where it asks to enter the course work, should we check the "Taken" box even if we haven't taken the course yet? It's an odd question, but the instructions tell us to check it even if its a current/future course.

 

[eablackwell]

Just submitted my secondary. Now it's hurry up and wait time.

 

[MossPoh]

For the secondary section where it asks to enter the course work, should we check the "Taken" box even if we haven't taken the course yet? It's an odd question, but the instructions tell us to check it even if its a current/future course.

If that is what the instructions say then do it. I have no access to the secondary to see what you mean. It SOUNDS like they want you to include classes you're going to take in the fall or are taking during the summer. I'm not sure though.

 

[locus000]

For the secondary section where it asks to enter the course work, should we check the "Taken" box even if we haven't taken the course yet? It's an odd question, but the instructions tell us to check it even if its a current/future course.

Yep put it down! Future courses and all 😀. I did the same thing, they want to see what classes you will take in the fall. This is important for those that hasnt fulfill the pre-req classes

 

[eablackwell]

I checked everything but biochemistry, but I still wrote something in the biochemistry box. It's the only class I haven't taken, and I wrote that I would be taking it in the Fall or Spring semester depending on which meshed with my work schedule.

 

[eablackwell]

I have a question about this application. I submitted it about a week ago, but it just gives the option "Release to FSU." I checked today and I can actually still go in and change things, which I found odd. Also, when I checked the status it just has the LORs received and secondary requested. It doesn't say anywhere that I submitted the secondary. Is this normal?

It just feels unfinished.

 

[hemostat5]

I would call the office to double check that they received the secondary. The same scenario happened to me and it turned out that my submission did not go through.

MAKE SURE you submit with Internet Explorer. It did not work for me initially due to using Firefox. You should get a confirmation page after submitting, which will make your application unchangeable post submission.

Hope that helps.

 

[LetsGo352]

I have a question about this application. I submitted it about a week ago, but it just gives the option "Release to FSU." I checked today and I can actually still go in and change things, which I found odd. Also, when I checked the status it just has the LORs received and secondary requested. It doesn't say anywhere that I submitted the secondary. Is this normal?

It just feels unfinished.

No, it under "review status" it should say "Secondary Application Received"

I would just call and find out what's going on.

 

[eablackwell]

This seems to be my problem, the internet explorer thing. I own macs and I use firefox. I just got an email from them stating that it did not go through. I am out of town at a wedding this weekend so I figured I'd submit in their business center. Well, it turns out that due to security issues they've disabled internet explorer and only firefox usable. I tried submitting it again, and same problem. I guess I'll have to find a public library just to submit. This is a pain.

 

[godsdoc2b]

This is my top choice medical school! Applying ED! I interviewed here last cycle...and love this school plus I'm a local!

 

[yidao]

My status showed "Secondary Application Received".

However, I still can revise it and release it to FSU again and again.

Is it normal?

 

[MossPoh]

This seems to be my problem, the internet explorer thing. I own macs and I use firefox. I just got an email from them stating that it did not go through. I am out of town at a wedding this weekend so I figured I'd submit in their business center. Well, it turns out that due to security issues they've disabled internet explorer and only firefox usable. I tried submitting it again, and same problem. I guess I'll have to find a public library just to submit. This is a pain.

I had a mac. I downloaded an old version of internet explorer for mac online for a lot of apps. As I recall, amcas didn't even support firefox or safari when I was applying.

It really isn't a big deal. I submitted early because I was neurotic, but there doesn't seem to be any difference between someone who applied early and someone who applied around August.

 

[savedawrldnsurf]

MossPoh, I just submitted my secondary. Do you know how long it generally takes for interviews to be sent out for ED?
​

 

[MossPoh]

MossPoh, I just submitted my secondary. Do you know how long it generally takes for interviews to be sent out for ED?
​

No clue. I wasn't EDP and I got my interview invite way later than most people who submitted their app at the same time as me, i not later. Sorry I couldn't be more help. 😉

 

[savedawrldnsurf]

No worries. Thanks though. I check my FSU secondary status more than I check my facebook. Haha. I feel like a nervous wreck.

Who does the interviews? I have heard generally it is one student and one faculty member. Are interviews normally done by a MD or can they be PhD faculty members as well?

 

[MossPoh]

No worries. Thanks though. I check my FSU secondary status more than I check my facebook. Haha. I feel like a nervous wreck.

Who does the interviews? I have heard generally it is one student and one faculty member. Are interviews normally done by a MD or can they be PhD faculty members as well?

You have 2 one-on-one interviews. Usually one is by an MD/DO and the other is by a phd. I had a rural fp physician and a pharm phd.

 

[Sammich117]

I'm a first year at FSU now. I don't check this thread super often, but if any of you have any questions, feel free to PM me - I'd be happy to help 🙂

This really is an amazing med school. I love it here.

 

[savedawrldnsurf]

You have 2 one-on-one interviews. Usually one is by an MD/DO and the other is by a phd. I had a rural fp physician and a pharm phd.

Ok. Thanks MossPoh. If I do get an interview, will I get a chance to find out who the interviewers are before the day of?

 

[MossPoh]

Ok. Thanks MossPoh. If I do get an interview, will I get a chance to find out who the interviewers are before the day of?

I called and asked and was able to find out a few days before. I don't know whether that is still the standard or if you're able to do that. Keep in mind, I interviewed almost two years ago now. Time friggin flies.

 

[MossPoh]

I'm a first year at FSU now. I don't check this thread super often, but if any of you have any questions, feel free to PM me - I'd be happy to help 🙂

This really is an amazing med school. I love it here.

Now get back to studying.

 

[Sammich117]

I called and asked and was able to find out a few days before. I don't know whether that is still the standard or if you're able to do that. Keep in mind, I interviewed almost two years ago now. Time friggin flies.

I didn't even know this was an option. For us, we just got a schedule the morning of that told us what room to go to.

Now get back to studying.

I am!

 

[MossPoh]

I didn't even know this was an option. For us, we just got a schedule the morning of that told us what room to go to.



I am!

Yea, I bet you are...sipping from your moderator mug.

Anyway, most people don't know that. I was told by someone else who called and asked a few days beforehand. It didn't really HELP anything. It kind of made it worse for me since I found out one of my interviewers was higher up in the decision process. I was terrified I was going to screw up.

 

[locus000]

I'm a first year at FSU now. I don't check this thread super often, but if any of you have any questions, feel free to PM me - I'd be happy to help 🙂

This really is an amazing med school. I love it here.

I second this!!!

 

[locus000]

You can always ask the medstudents giving you the tour and at lunch about the professors/md that will interview you. That is what I did. Again it DIDNT help since one of the MD no one knew since he's a MD for the Tallahassee regional campus.

 

[shinny04]

What's the GPA/MCAT stats? I finished undergrad in Florida but no longer live there anymore. I have high GPA but low MCAT score. What are my chances of getting in?

 

[MossPoh]

What's the GPA/MCAT stats? I finished undergrad in Florida but no longer live there anymore. I have high GPA but low MCAT score. What are my chances of getting in?

That's way too vague for any real answer. Out of state resident doesn't help anything though.

 

[locus000]

What's the GPA/MCAT stats? I finished undergrad in Florida but no longer live there anymore. I have high GPA but low MCAT score. What are my chances of getting in?

Well depending on how "low" your MCAT is that will determine your chance, Mid to high 20s you will be fine. Im not sure about not being a FL resident will make your chances any better. Most of the people in my class have family in FL or live in southern AL or GA.

But it doesnt hurt to try right, send in a secondary and see what happen 😀

 

[godsdoc2b]

I so love FSUCOM....can't wait until my application is complete for them!😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀😀

Good luck everyone else with your applications.

To previous poster, I was interviewed by two MDs last cycle...one a faculty member...and the other was a MD affliated with FSUCOM through the preceptor sites.

 

[savedawrldnsurf]

I so love FSUCOM....can't wait until my application is complete for them!😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀😀

Good luck everyone else with your applications.

To previous poster, I was interviewed by two MDs last cycle...one a faculty member...and the other was a MD affliated with FSUCOM through the preceptor sites.

Sweet. Thanks. What were the interviews like, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[godsdoc2b]

Well the interviews generally are laid-back and very low-stress.

However, I got a very "peculiar" interviewer who did a blind-interview where she did not look at my file at all before the interview and thus...the way she questioned and acted kind of caught me totally off guard. It was very weird. Another student that was accepted into the FSUCOM Bridge program said the same thing after being interviewed by her so I knew it wasn't just me.

However, my second interviewer was a local pediatrician and he was pretty cool but I was so mentally "off" from the first interview....I still did well with him...I just disliked the entire interview day and wanted to go home.

However, since FSUCOM is such an amazing school...lol...I still love it.

I think that the interviews usually are great....and they mostly ask you some of the same questions that are on this SDN site on the Interview part.

Make sure you can answer those, be honest, and be yourself and you will do great!

 

[godsdoc2b]

You can always ask the medstudents giving you the tour and at lunch about the professors/md that will interview you. That is what I did. Again it DIDNT help since one of the MD no one knew since he's a MD for the Tallahassee regional campus.

If you are an afternoon interviewer you may get a chance to ask and learn more about your interviewer but in the morning....once you check in and have a small intro session in the library...the med students usually whisk you off to your interviews first.

I preferred the morning interviews because it gives you a chance to go ahead and get your interview out of the way...then you have the tour, lunch, and some afternoon info sessions and meetings with deans and etc.

 

[Bama589]

I received my secondary app from FSU last week and am working on sending it in. I noticed someone said that they accept a very small percentage of OOS applicants? I'm from Alabama, so would that help since it's bordering? Also I'm applying for the Air Force HPSP. Should I mention that in my essay and would that help my chances? MCAT 30, BCPM GPA 3.85, AO GPA 3.94 plus lots of shadowing experience and other ECs.

Thanks!!

 

[bmlax13]

Does anyone know when they start e-mailing out interview invites?

 

[eablackwell]

Does anyone know when they start e-mailing out interview invites?

Regular MD invites started beginning of September last year. EDP was much earlier.

 

[MossPoh]

I received my secondary app from FSU last week and am working on sending it in. I noticed someone said that they accept a very small percentage of OOS applicants? I'm from Alabama, so would that help since it's bordering? Also I'm applying for the Air Force HPSP. Should I mention that in my essay and would that help my chances? MCAT 30, BCPM GPA 3.85, AO GPA 3.94 plus lots of shadowing experience and other ECs.

Thanks!!

You're rock solid in about every area. If there is an essay talking about how you will fund your education or whatever then I'd put HPSP there. Also, whether you are north or south alabama may have an impact. Coming from Dothan would be much more favorable.

They used to not accept ANY OOS. They do accept them now, but the odds are stacked against you a bit.

 

[MossPoh]

If you are an afternoon interviewer you may get a chance to ask and learn more about your interviewer but in the morning....once you check in and have a small intro session in the library...the med students usually whisk you off to your interviews first.

I preferred the morning interviews because it gives you a chance to go ahead and get your interview out of the way...then you have the tour, lunch, and some afternoon info sessions and meetings with deans and etc.

You can also request student housing. They usually send an email out to us asking if anyone can keep a pet pre-med. I'd recommend trying if you get a chance. During my interviews, the place I did that always came off much better to me. They told you everything about the school and gave a personalized tour. You also get the chance to see how much of the happiness is a front, which at FSU usually isn't...unless it is a test week.

 

[MossPoh]

Lets keep this thread at the top now. Stop slacking.

 

[locus000]

You can also request student housing. They usually send an email out to us asking if anyone can keep a pet pre-med. I'd recommend trying if you get a chance. During my interviews, the place I did that always came off much better to me. They told you everything about the school and gave a personalized tour. You also get the chance to see how much of the happiness is a front, which at FSU usually isn't...unless it is a test week.

The happiness is real, we all love it here!!