2010-2011 Johns Hopkins Application Thread

[Ignatius M.D.]

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It's good that Johns Hopkins and UPenn are your top choices and I don't want to dissuade you from applying, especially since I don't know your life story or extracurriculars at all. But at the same time, I want to point out certain numbers so you don't have completely unrealistic expectations going into the application cycle.

The national averages for students who were accepted to all medical schools are something like 3.66 GPA and I think around a 32 MCAT score. You're standing at a 3.3-3.4 GPA and a 33 MCAT. GPA-wise, you're a quite a bit below the national average for ALL medical schools including much much lower ranked medical schools, and a bit above for the MCAT. Even with a 35-36 MCAT score, numbers-wise, you would be around average among applicants who got into medical school.

Now Johns Hopkins has an average of 3.9 and 36, meaning that roughly half the student score higher than that, give or take a few % points since we're talking about mean and not median. A 36 MCAT, while a really great MCAT score, is barely average for this school and that's not even taking your GPA into account. And according to MSAR, last year, person with the lowest GPA (but got accepted into Hopkins) was sitting around a 3.65 - it's likely that this person had a really high MCAT (maybe 40+) or had amazing extracurricular activities/life story.

And for Johns Hopkins, 94% of applicants accepted have research experience, 91% have medically related work, and 78% have volunteer/community service work. Research, small bits of service here and there, and shadowing/volunteering in a hospital don't really make you unique.

I don't know what you mean by "decent" chance, but one of my classmates who had 3.97 sGPA, 40+ MCAT, 3 years of patient care volunteering, and a couple publications got rejected from Hopkins a while back. It's possible that she completely bombed her interview and it's entirely possible that she lied to me about her scores, but I think it speaks more about the caliber of students applying to Johns Hopkins. There are thousands of students with 3.85+ and 35+.

Of course, if you can have really crazy ECs, letters of recs, and life story, then you might be one of the few exceptions who get in without amazing numbers so if you think you have a compelling story, go for it! But numbers-wise, things are not looking peachy for you if you're looking specifically to get into Johns Hopkins.

And yes, the same would apply for UPenn as well.

Apply to Hopkins, and Upenn, and wherever else you want to go to, but make sure to apply broadly...to schools that have numbers closer to your own and if you get that 36, to schools with lower scores as well.

I appreciate the advice. I transferred from a state school in Florida, and it is much harder at Vanderbilt to get the same grades. It's not something that I'm trying to be arrogant about, but it is true, and it's something that I was hoping would be taken into account with adcoms. Then again, I suppose they will just compare my GPA with GPAs from my particular school. I can live without those top schools, I just want to go somewhere in a big city that I feel like I will fit in as far as my potential fellow students go. I'm just biased towards my two top undergrad choices that also have great medical schools. I'm not as familiar as I'd like to be with the personality of the med students at these top schools though.

 

[IDreamtIChased]

Interview Invite 🙂

Complete November 8.

Jesus Christ! What kind of stats do you need to get an interview after 2 weeks???

Anyone complete in mid-Sept get an interview?

 

[peri0829]

Jesus Christ! What kind of stats do you need to get an interview after 2 weeks???

Anyone complete in mid-Sept get an interview?

haha I don't think my stats are that great 34 and 3.8 sci and overall, I probably just had a reviewer who works really quickly. I worked really hard on those essays though. Right now they are scheduling interviews in early January if anyone is interested.

 

[ArkAngel]

haha I don't think my stats are that great 34 and 3.8 sci and overall, I probably just had a reviewer who works really quickly. I worked really hard on those essays though. Right now they are scheduling interviews in early January if anyone is interested.

Yea I scheduled mine for January too. I remember it took me so long to do the secondary for Hopkins because there were just sooo many questions. I would start, lose hope and move on to another one . Got it done eventually though

 

[massivefacepalm]

haha I don't think my stats are that great 34 and 3.8 sci and overall, I probably just had a reviewer who works really quickly. I worked really hard on those essays though. Right now they are scheduling interviews in early January if anyone is interested.

I think they ARE moving faster now...than at the beginning of September. It took forever to hear back early one -_-

 

[4ksibe]

I think they ARE moving faster now...than at the beginning of September. It took forever to hear back early one -_-

Nope took me a week after being complete in september!!! It just means they made the decision as soon as they saw your apps. Didnt have to think twice or have more people look at it 🙂

 

[massivefacepalm]

Nope took me a week after being complete in september!!! It just means they made the decision as soon as they saw your apps. Didnt have to think twice or have more people look at it 🙂

AFTER I was complete, I heard back in a week. But it took like 7 weeks for me to get that complete email...

I just realized that the previous poster talked about after he was "complete." I had thought that he heard back two weeks after he submitted...

 

[Kodiak10]

I just received an acceptance at JH. I LOVED the school and the people when I visited, and I want to cancel my remaining interviews. However being female, I'm quite concerned about safety living and working around the medical school.

To current students and friends of current students:

- Where to people live? (I heard there are not dorms at the medical school but they are building one....do most people live in apartments far from campus?)

- How safe do people feel, especially walking alone or waiting for the shuttle alone in the evenings? Obviously you would want to avoid such situations, but they will arise over the course of several years as medical school students are going to be working long hours, particularly on rotations.

- Do most people drive or take the shuttle to campus? The shuttle runs every 30 min, which doesn't seem frequent enough. Do people feel safe in the parking garages?

I want to cancel ALL my remaining interviews but I'm tempted to keep Harvard (NP and HST). Is is possible to just cancel one of these? Can people comment on the safety around the HMS/Longwood Area (vs JH)?

 

[Dr Ackula]

I just received an acceptance at JH. I LOVED the school and the people when I visited, and I want to cancel my remaining interviews. However being female, I'm quite concerned about safety living and working around the medical school.

To current students and friends of current students:

- Where to people live? (I heard there are not dorms at the medical school but they are building one....do most people live in apartments far from campus?)

- How safe do people feel, especially walking alone or waiting for the shuttle alone in the evenings? Obviously you would want to avoid such situations, but they will arise over the course of several years as medical school students are going to be working long hours, particularly on rotations.

- Do most people drive or take the shuttle to campus? The shuttle runs every 30 min, which doesn't seem frequent enough. Do people feel safe in the parking garages?

I want to cancel ALL my remaining interviews but I'm tempted to keep Harvard (NP and HST). Is is possible to just cancel one of these? Can people comment on the safety around the HMS/Longwood Area (vs JH)?

Wait wait wait, how "JUST" are you talking about? Today!? When did you interview??????

 

[GCode86atl]

I just received an acceptance at JH. I LOVED the school and the people when I visited, and I want to cancel my remaining interviews. However being female, I'm quite concerned about safety living and working around the medical school.

To current students and friends of current students:

- Where to people live? (I heard there are not dorms at the medical school but they are building one....do most people live in apartments far from campus?)

- How safe do people feel, especially walking alone or waiting for the shuttle alone in the evenings? Obviously you would want to avoid such situations, but they will arise over the course of several years as medical school students are going to be working long hours, particularly on rotations.

- Do most people drive or take the shuttle to campus? The shuttle runs every 30 min, which doesn't seem frequent enough. Do people feel safe in the parking garages?

I want to cancel ALL my remaining interviews but I'm tempted to keep Harvard (NP and HST). Is is possible to just cancel one of these? Can people comment on the safety around the HMS/Longwood Area (vs JH)?

Hey!
Congrats on the acceptance! I spent summers doing research at both HMS and Hopkins. The longwood area is definitely safe as it comes due to the fact that it is pretty isolated. However, although Hopkins seems pretty shady, it is actually pretty safe. Very few people actually are victims of assault and as long as you practice common sense you should be fine. Good luck with your choice!

 

[4ksibe]

I just received an acceptance at JH. I LOVED the school and the people when I visited, and I want to cancel my remaining

- Do most people drive or take the shuttle to campus? The shuttle runs every 30 min, which doesn't seem frequent enough. Do people feel safe in the parking garages?

I want to cancel ALL my remaining interviews but I'm tempted to keep Harvard (NP and HST). Is is possible to just cancel one of these? Can people comment on the safety around the HMS/Longwood Area (vs JH)?

for the record there IS a dorm. A newer one is being built but the Reed hall will b open next year. And if I were you I would go to the Harvard interviews. I got accepted here after my harvard interview but I would have gone eitherway. I cancelled all others

 

[rjdmmfl]

I just received an acceptance at JH. I LOVED the school and the people when I visited, and I want to cancel my remaining interviews. However being female, I'm quite concerned about safety living and working around the medical school.

To current students and friends of current students:

- Where to people live? (I heard there are not dorms at the medical school but they are building one....do most people live in apartments far from campus?)

- How safe do people feel, especially walking alone or waiting for the shuttle alone in the evenings? Obviously you would want to avoid such situations, but they will arise over the course of several years as medical school students are going to be working long hours, particularly on rotations.

- Do most people drive or take the shuttle to campus? The shuttle runs every 30 min, which doesn't seem frequent enough. Do people feel safe in the parking garages?

I want to cancel ALL my remaining interviews but I'm tempted to keep Harvard (NP and HST). Is is possible to just cancel one of these? Can people comment on the safety around the HMS/Longwood Area (vs JH)?

1st, Congratulations on your acceptance!

SAFETY: I usually suggest that folks practice the same common sense safety habits in Baltimore that they would in any large city (New York, Chicago, etc) This means I wouldn't go jogging in nearby Patterson park at 11pm by myself. But the school is very good about keeping us updated of any and all incidents on campus (very rare) or near campus in the form of security emails.

LIVING: I have lived as close as 4 blocks from the hospital and as far away as 20 miles (currently). There are a number of options that are very affordable nearby including renting homes in Canton or Fells point. These are best for roommate situations, and my during my first three years, I stayed in a three story 2br condo w/ washer and dryer, huge den w/fireplace, and off street parking for $975 (shared w/ roommate) and this place was on the shuttle route and only 2 miles from campus.


PARKING: Some students drive, some take the shuttle. The shuttle stops are all in pretty safe areas either immediately on campus, or at local commuting parking lots, or in nearby Canton and Mt. Vernon. 1st and 2nd year students can park on the street near campus during the day, or in the garages for free after 4pm and all weekend long. After March of the 2nd year, each student is assigned to one parking garage for free parking during the day, and yet maintains access to all garages after 4pm for free as well.

OTHER SCHOOLS: If Hopkins is one of your top choices, then perhaps you can temper the number of schools that you continue to interview at. However, how often do you get to travel the country and visit institutions first hand? The medical world is much bigger than just Hopkins, UPENN, and Harvard. There are plenty of phenomenal medical schools out there they may really impress you once you visit, even if they aren't one of the "so-called" top tier institutions. So I say continue interviewing but at the end, of course we would love to have you here at Hopkins! Congratulations once again!

 

[BrainBuff]

1st, Congratulations on your acceptance!

OTHER SCHOOLS: If Hopkins is one of your top choices, then perhaps you can temper the number of schools that you continue to interview at. However, how often do you get to travel the country and visit institutions first hand? The medical world is much bigger than just Hopkins, UPENN, and Harvard. There are plenty of phenomenal medical schools out there they may really impress you once you visit, even if they aren't one of the "so-called" top tier institutions. So I say continue interviewing but at the end, of course we would love to have you here at Hopkins! Congratulations once again!

My thoughts exactly.

 

[massivefacepalm]

OTHER SCHOOLS: If Hopkins is one of your top choices, then perhaps you can temper the number of schools that you continue to interview at. However, how often do you get to travel the country and visit institutions first hand? The medical world is much bigger than just Hopkins, UPENN, and Harvard. There are plenty of phenomenal medical schools out there they may really impress you once you visit, even if they aren't one of the "so-called" top tier institutions. So I say continue interviewing but at the end, of course we would love to have you here at Hopkins! Congratulations once again!

👍

wish more premeds would actually understand that...

 

[Kodiak10]

Thank you for your replies! I really appreciate it.

About the on campus housing:
How nice is Reed Hall? How soon will the new dorm open? I seem to recall from my visit that it wasn't going to open for a couple years.

And generally, do most students have cars? It seems like Baltimore is the type of city that you want to have a car if you are living there.

 

[zizi31]

I interviewed on October 22nd, and I called the admissions office a while ago and they told me that the admissions committee was meeting today (Nov 30th) to review files from my interview day. Has anyone gotten an acceptance phone call today?

I think that phone calls go out over several days - so it's possible to get a phone call tomorrow? What about Thursday? Or is it a rejection if we don't get a call by the end of the day tomorrow? People who got phone calls already - what time of day was it when you got the call? I've heard of people receiving calls as late as 9pm, which sounds very weird to me because most people are done with work at that time of night, so why would the be making phone calls?

I heard that they sometimes make calls on the same day as the committee meeting, so I spent all day staring at my phone, but no dice. 🙁

 

[alks14]

thats actually contrary to what i heard. at my oct 15 jhu iview they said decisions would come out early december, and if you back a page in posts we discussed the issue and thought 12/10/10 would be the next decision release date. i believe they consider all thurs interviewees in a batch all at once, and friday ones separate. that said, this is for MD only iviews (idk if youre md/phd). also, i havent called to ask, so i will do that tomorrow

that said, has anyone from oct 15 heard back yet?

 

[zizi31]

The lady that I spoke with told me "early December" as well for decisions - I assumed that meant this week (the 10th is really more toward the middle of December). If the committee met on Nov 30th, they would probably make acceptance phone calls over the next couple of days (from previous threads, I gathered that they make these calls very quickly), and rejection letters should probably arrive by Friday or Saturday by my estimation.

So I wouldn't be surprised if people were already getting acceptance calls.

 

[Dr Ackula]

The lady that I spoke with told me "early December" as well for decisions - I assumed that meant this week (the 10th is really more toward the middle of December). If the committee met on Nov 30th, they would probably make acceptance phone calls over the next couple of days (from previous threads, I gathered that they make these calls very quickly), and rejection letters should probably arrive by Friday or Saturday by my estimation.

So I wouldn't be surprised if people were already getting acceptance calls.

Interviewed on the 22nd as well and haven't heard anything for what its worth. When did you call in to ask about the review date? It seems early since based on when people from the last round of acceptances, which was only three weeks ago, and I think they interview a months worth at a time.

Either way, fingers crossed for my fellow oct. 22nd interviewees!!

 

[bluedevils]

I also interviewed on the 22nd! I called yesterday and the woman on the phone said they were meeting sometime later in the week and that we probably wouldn't hear anything until next week. But she wasn't entirely sure. Maybe people will start hearing things this week?

 

[4ksibe]

I also interviewed on the 22nd! I called yesterday and the woman on the phone said they were meeting sometime later in the week and that we probably wouldn't hear anything until next week. But she wasn't entirely sure. Maybe people will start hearing things this week?

I will say next week should be a safe bet. For our round of acceptance, the lady said the committee was gonna meet sometime that week and we got calls the next monday so if you dont hear anything this week dont freak out. I know i did once saturday came around and she had said they were meeting that week but the call came through on Monday.

 

[zizi31]

Interviewed on the 22nd as well and haven't heard anything for what its worth. When did you call in to ask about the review date? It seems early since based on when people from the last round of acceptances, which was only three weeks ago, and I think they interview a months worth at a time.

Either way, fingers crossed for my fellow oct. 22nd interviewees!!

I don't remember exactly, but I called a couple of weeks ago. Maybe the lady I spoke with wasn't sure. Either way, it seems like people who've called have gotten contradictory information.

 

[zizi31]

I also interviewed on the 22nd! I called yesterday and the woman on the phone said they were meeting sometime later in the week and that we probably wouldn't hear anything until next week. But she wasn't entirely sure. Maybe people will start hearing things this week?

Thanks. Since you called more recently, this is probably more accurate. I can relax a bit now. 🙂

 

[alks14]

for anyone else waiting on an oct 15 interview decision, apparently the committee met last night on our applications. decisions should be coming out over the next few days

good luck to everyone!

 

[zizi31]

I called and asked about Oct 22nd interviewees - the committee did meet yesterday for that date as well, but I was told that they need to compile the information, so we probably won't hear anything till next week.

 

[alks14]

good luck to both of us especially then!

im a bit nervous
*deep breath*

and will be leaving SDN for a few hours to calm my nerves since staring at my phone isn't helping lol

 

[zizi31]

good luck to both of us especially then!

im a bit nervous
*deep breath*

and will be leaving SDN for a few hours to calm my nerves since staring at my phone isn't helping lol

Yes, good luck to you too. 🙂 Staring at the phone definitely doesn't help - for some reason I thought that they might call yesterday, and I stressed myself out so much that I had a splitting headache by the end of the day. I'm going to assume that I won't hear anything till next Monday or Tuesday; that way I'll be able to relax.

 

[bluedevils]

well this is going to be a long weekend ...

 

[datongnoodles]

anyone who interview oct. 8th hear back yet?

 

[alks14]

all quiet on the hopkins front?

 

[ArkAngel]

Hey guys. I'm trying to buy my ticket to hopkins and was wondering if everyone went to BWI? If so, how far is it from the school and is there a bus to the school or is a cab ride the best? I received an SNMA dinner invite which goes till 6:30 but the flight I was looking at is scheduled to leave at 7:55 so I'm trying to plan my time.

 

[zizi31]

Hey guys. I'm trying to buy my ticket to hopkins and was wondering if everyone went to BWI? If so, how far is it from the school and is there a bus to the school or is a cab ride the best? I received an SNMA dinner invite which goes till 6:30 but the flight I was looking at is scheduled to leave at 7:55 so I'm trying to plan my time.

BWI is very close to the school - 20 minutes, or maybe 40 max if there's bad traffic. Once you get to the airport, go down to the luggage pickup area, and you will see a counter for Blue Van. You don't need a reservation ahead of time - just go to the counter, and you can buy a ticket for about $25. But it may take you 1 hour to get to where you're going, since other people on the van may get dropped off before you. A cab will run you around $50.

Edit: I just realized that you want to get TO the airport. In that case, you want to call Blue Van and schedule a pickup a day ahead of time. But they have a policy that they're not responsible if you're late because you're cutting it close. Also, they sometimes pick up other people on the way to the airport. I think you'll want to get a taxi, since your time is really limited.

 

[4ksibe]

Hey guys. I'm trying to buy my ticket to hopkins and was wondering if everyone went to BWI? If so, how far is it from the school and is there a bus to the school or is a cab ride the best? I received an SNMA dinner invite which goes till 6:30 but the flight I was looking at is scheduled to leave at 7:55 so I'm trying to plan my time.

The snma diner ain't that serious. It's probably gonna b only u and one or two jhu snma student. You can tell them u got a plane to catch and will b leaving at 5-5:30 that's plenty of time to chat with the student. There is bad traffic in bmore at rush hour so u might wanna be picked up latest around 6. Don't worry bout the diner u will not b tgere till 6:30. My student had a class and the other members couldn't make it so she left me at 5:15.

 

[ArkAngel]

The snma diner ain't that serious. It's probably gonna b only u and one or two jhu snma student. You can tell them u got a plane to catch and will b leaving at 5-5:30 that's plenty of time to chat with the student. There is bad traffic in bmore at rush hour so u might wanna be picked up latest around 6. Don't worry bout the diner u will not b tgere till 6:30. My student had a class and the other members couldn't make it so she left me at 5:15.

Alright. What time was your day done at hopkins excluding the snma thing? Also, is there a transit but from the airport to the school and back cos 25 bucks for the blue van is 😱. I'm a cheapo lol.

 

[Dr Ackula]

Anyone else feel that the wait is 10x worse knowing that they already know if you are accepted or not, they just aren't telling you hahaa? I mean I was anxious when it was all hypothetical, but somewhere right now in that building is a list that's got my name in who knows what column!

Do you think breaking into hopkins would be a red flag, or a indication of my interest in attending 😛

 

[alks14]

i fully support that plan of action.. so long as you tell me where my name is 😉

 

[4ksibe]

Alright. What time was your day done at hopkins excluding the snma thing? Also, is there a transit but from the airport to the school and back cos 25 bucks for the blue van is 😱. I'm a cheapo lol.

My day was done at 4:40ish and thats when the SNMA girl picked me up. I had the latest interview so you can be done before or at that time and they will pick you up from there. Diner was same place where we had lunch so its same building. Again nothing too formal. She ordered chinese and we were left with 3 boxes of chinese food cuz the other members didnt show up lol (I had all the fortune cookies MY FAV!!!)

 

[alks14]

no word for ANY sdn'ers?

 

[maniacmath13]

Interview Invite! 37, 3.9, OOS. Being a hopkins undergrad probably helped.

Anyone else going to be there on January 21st?

 

[smad4]

Does JHU allow update letters?

 

[maniacmath13]

Does JHU allow update letters?

Pre-interview I was specifically told by my adviser at JHU not to send update letters. I'm sure post-interview is fine though.

 

[Dookie2010]

Interview Invite! 37, 3.9, OOS. Being a hopkins undergrad probably helped.

Anyone else going to be there on January 21st?

congrats! 👍 when were you complete?

 

[maniacmath13]

congrats! 👍 when were you complete?

Submitted 9/29. Complete 11/3. Invited 12/3.

 

[David_Rune]

Does anyone know if there's an accepted students facebook group?

 

[HopkinsMeds]

We are starting to plan the revisit weekend so look out for it soon!

 

[Champaigne]

Congrats to everyone with an acceptance, and good luck to those with an interview!!!

I'm pretty sure hopkins has rejected me w/o sending a rejection...Do they actually reject pre-interview or do they just kinda loose your contact information while tossing your file in the trash? I called the office and the woman said my application is complete and under review by the Adcom. I am skeptical b/c my file has been complete & under review since mid-August.

 

[alks14]

Called Hopkins today and apparently all accepted interviewees have been called for anyone from the oct 15th interview date. Not sure if that also includes other dates that the committee met for last Tuesday

 

[Adventuring]

For real 🙁 That sucks.

 

[pe0ny]

I just called the Admissions Office, and the lady on the phone said that interviewees from Oct 22nd will be notified of their status by the end of this week.

 

[zizi31]

I just called the Admissions Office, and the lady on the phone said that interviewees from Oct 22nd will be notified of their status by the end of this week.

I wonder when that will be. I hope that all accepted people haven't been notified yet. 🙁