* * 2010 - 2011 * * Secondary Applications Thread

[StarStup]

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question about the VCOM secondary regarding the essay on health care. there is so much to write but did u guys just focus on one aspect? did u start with a general statement along the lines of "there is so many problems, but based on my experiences, i have found xxxx to be important in health care reform" and then just go on to talk about that?

Yup! That was exactly what I did. Just since they limit the response to one half page, there really isn't any room to talk about more than one challenge.

 

[noshie]

question about the VCOM secondary regarding the essay on health care. there is so much to write but did u guys just focus on one aspect? did u start with a general statement along the lines of "there is so many problems, but based on my experiences, i have found xxxx to be important in health care reform" and then just go on to talk about that?

I wrote about personal experience and also my opinion on healthcare in general. I can send you mine if you want to get a feel for what others wrote, I just submitted my app for VCOM...


On another note! I’m bating 10/20 on DO secondaries! I have submitted 10 secondaries as of today, making my completed percentage 50%. Well, only for DO applications that is... Texas=100% and AMCAS MD is another story... Good day all in all though. 🙂 You know, besides realizing the sickening amount of money I have spent in the last few weeks... Ugh.

 

[traitorman]

ahh aright sounds good. will do that too then.

@ noshie: yea i kno wut u mean moneywise, i just keep telling myself itll be worth it at the end. lets hope it is!

 

[traitorman]

ha i guess, i m asian so i guess i am a combination of races.. in the grander scheme of things..

http://anthro.palomar.edu/ethnicity/ethnic_1.htm

bottom of the page.. using that definition i m set 🙂 haha but if any of you call them tomorrow, do let the rest of us know. thanks!

hopeinternist

just called CCOM and they said that we cant manually change it. that information is taken from our AACOMAS. on my AACOMAS, i checked two boxes:

not hispanic/latino and Filipino.

on a side note, i was filling out VCOM's app and i was going to put that im not disadvantaged/underrepresented when i noticed under the underrepresented question, it had filipino as one of the options. didnt realize they considered us one

 

[traitorman]

o and in regards to the whole "two or more ethnicites," CCOM told me thats probably just how its categorized. so ill be sending that secondary out along with 4 other secondaries $$$

 

[noshie]

I feel like its about time for everyone to give a summary of the secondary apps they have received... Just to give us an idea of which schools have already started sending out secondaries and which have not. I feel like there are a few schools that I am waiting on that may have already contacted applicants.

Ill go first:

Noshie- AZCOM, KCOM, SOMA, CCOM, VCOM, LECOM, OSUCOM, RVUCOM, UMDNJ, UNECOM

 

[FutureDoc1988]

I feel like its about time for everyone to give a summary of the secondary apps they have received... Just to give us an idea of which schools have already started sending out secondaries and which have not. I feel like there are a few schools that I am waiting on that may have already contacted applicants.

Ill go first:

Noshie- AZCOM, KCOM, SOMA, CCOM, VCOM, LECOM, OSUCOM, RVUCOM, UMDNJ, UNECOM

azcom, ccom, kcom, vcom, lecom, unecom, lmu

 

[metalgirl14]

I feel like its about time for everyone to give a summary of the secondary apps they have received... Just to give us an idea of which schools have already started sending out secondaries and which have not. I feel like there are a few schools that I am waiting on that may have already contacted applicants.

Ill go first:

Noshie- AZCOM, KCOM, SOMA, CCOM, VCOM, LECOM, OSUCOM, RVUCOM, UMDNJ, UNECOM

So far for me-
DO: CCOM, KCOM,LMU-DCOM, VCOM (waiting on DMUCOM, PCOM, KCUMB)
MD: GWU, Medical College of Wisc. (waiting on at least 15+)

 

[traitorman]

in one of the secondaries, I have to put down a DO writing me an LOR and they ask what my relation is to this DO.

i met him when i was trying to learn more about a DO school he graduated from and hes been helpin me with the app process for that school

do i put my relationship to him as "friend"? does that look bad? any suggestions?

 

[traitorman]

only thing i ahve to add to the above list is MD: UMDNJ-NJMS

 

[melissaliss]

Yeah I thought about that, and it really probably would be faster, but there still is a chance my committee could send the letter sometime in July...just depends on where you are in the pecking order. October is more likely though.

I've got my fingers crossed

Yeah, I mean does the committee even know you? And aren't they writing a bunch of letters for people? I'd just be concerned that the letter will be really generic. That's the thing about a committee or adviser letter ... I saw a different major adviser every time (which was only the 2 or 3 times when I had mandatory advising or had to get something signed) and how can an adviser or a committee really know you very well unless you go to a really small school. At ASU, we basically had to advise ourselves because our major advisers were terrible. I would definitely send in the 2 science letters, given the preference.

 

[HockeyDr09]

Yeah, I mean does the committee even know you? And aren't they writing a bunch of letters for people? I'd just be concerned that the letter will be really generic. That's the thing about a committee or adviser letter ... I saw a different major adviser every time (which was only the 2 or 3 times when I had mandatory advising or had to get something signed) and how can an adviser or a committee really know you very well unless you go to a really small school. At ASU, we basically had to advise ourselves because our major advisers were terrible. I would definitely send in the 2 science letters, given the preference.

I went to school with 20K undergrads and the committee letter is not really a generic letter here. In order to even apply to the committee you must have all the letters required by medical schools and you have to fill out an application very similar to AACOMAS. You then have interviews with members of the committee (some are physicians, some are science professors who taught classes most of us have taken). After all that they write you a letter and give you a score (like recommended or strongly recommended), then they send that ALONG with all of your other letters to medical schools. I can see why schools would rather have a committee letter.

 

[vmorel1]

I went to school with 20K undergrads and the committee letter is not really a generic letter here. In order to even apply to the committee you must have all the letters required by medical schools and you have to fill out an application very similar to AACOMAS. You then have interviews with members of the committee (some are physicians, some are science professors who taught classes most of us have taken). After all that they write you a letter and give you a score (like recommended or strongly recommended), then they send that ALONG with all of your other letters to medical schools. I can see why schools would rather have a committee letter.

Yep that's very similar to how our committee is setup. It was basically like applying to another medical school, before being able to actually apply to med schools. I had to get 4 LOR's (2 from science profs, 1 non-science prof, and 1 other optional one) and had to fill out an application, turn in a resume, personal statement, MCAT grades, and 2 essay questions.

Then the committee reviews each student and ranks them, and I'm pretty sure they assign generic letters based on how good of an applicant they feel you are. They then send the letter written by the committee and all letters they received in a packet to the medical schools you apply to.

I just feel like I might as well wait since I went to all that trouble to get the committee letter. Not to mention, I do not have access to the letters I already got from science profs, so I would have to go back to them and ask them to re-write me a letter.

So here I sit, just playing the waiting game. It's out of my hands at this point

 

[seap3]

in one of the secondaries, I have to put down a DO writing me an LOR and they ask what my relation is to this DO.

i met him when i was trying to learn more about a DO school he graduated from and hes been helpin me with the app process for that school

do i put my relationship to him as "friend"? does that look bad? any suggestions?

How about mentor?

And my list of secondaries received so far is small: AZCOM & LMU-DCOM.
Waiting on: DMU, Touro-NV, and NSU.

 

[StarStup]

I put the DO as mentor as well

As far as secondaries:

received- LECOM, KCOM, UMDNJ, VCOM, LMU, CCOM, NYCOM, and OU-COM

sent in- LECOM, KCOM, UMDNJ, VCOM,and LMU

waiting for- PCOM, KCUMB, DMU, and PNWU

 

[traitorman]

thx. will be putting mentor then. man, im still waiting for secondaries from AZCOM and NYCOM. hope its because i only submitted my app beginning of last week.

and ur all getting those emails from deans from the schools right? i initially get excited but realize its probably just a mass email

 

[metalgirl14]

thx. will be putting mentor then. man, im still waiting for secondaries from AZCOM and NYCOM. hope its because i only submitted my app beginning of last week.

and ur all getting those emails from deans from the schools right? i initially get excited but realize its probably just a mass email

Haha. I literally just got one of those emails from LECOM saying that I should apply there, etc. I never intended on applying to LECOM so I was slightly confused at first. lol. They must just have a list of people who submitted AACOMAS or something.

 

[seap3]

and ur all getting those emails from deans from the schools right? i initially get excited but realize its probably just a mass email

Haha. I literally just got one of those emails from LECOM saying that I should apply there, etc. I never intended on applying to LECOM so I was slightly confused at first. lol. They must just have a list of people who submitted AACOMAS or something.

I feel left out now. I only got one email from lecom, but that was a while ago - before I even started filling out my aacomas app. I thought maybe they had a list of people who took the mcat. I can't apply there thought since they won't substitute biochem for org2. I did get a couple emails from the military, but that really wouldn't work for my family.

So I'm curious. What other schools have been courting you?

 

[noshie]

I put the DO as mentor as well

As far as secondaries:

received- LECOM, KCOM, UMDNJ, VCOM, LMU, CCOM, NYCOM, and OU-COM

sent in- LECOM, KCOM, UMDNJ, VCOM,and LMU

waiting for- PCOM, KCUMB, DMU, and PNWU

Did NYCOM send you an invite? Or did you just fill it out and submit? I filled mine out but I have no invite for it, so I was going to wait to submit...

 

[PeachyPhd]

I feel left out now.

Me too! I've had no solicitation, I mean, love. LOL. 😕

I think I will survive. I have some MAJOR inbox-anxiety though!!! 😱

 

[DbDan]

Did NYCOM send you an invite? Or did you just fill it out and submit? I filled mine out but I have no invite for it, so I was going to wait to submit...

Definitely wait to submit. They posted this on the website a couple days ago, "Please Do Not Submit Supplimental Applications For 2011 Fall Cycle At This Time."

So I think you're good. That said.

Rec'd: LECOM-E/B, CCOM, KCOM

Waiting: AZCOM, NSU-COM, PCOM, PCOM-GA, Touro-Ca, Touro-NV, Western, NYCOM

Submitted: LECOM-E/B, CCOM

I have AZCOM's completed but they still haven't sent me one -.- bastards.

 

[DrDre2001]

I feel like its about time for everyone to give a summary of the secondary apps they have received... Just to give us an idea of which schools have already started sending out secondaries and which have not. I feel like there are a few schools that I am waiting on that may have already contacted applicants.

Ill go first:

Noshie- AZCOM, KCOM, SOMA, CCOM, VCOM, LECOM, OSUCOM, RVUCOM, UMDNJ, UNECOM

How much time was there between the day you received KCOM's and the day you received SOMA's?

I received KCOM's 7 days ago. I still have not received SOMA's. I hope this is normal. I know branch campuses are basically different schools altogether as far as admissions go, but I would suppose they would have similar processes.

 

[StarStup]

Did NYCOM send you an invite? Or did you just fill it out and submit? I filled mine out but I have no invite for it, so I was going to wait to submit...

I just filled it out online and am waiting to submit it when they tell me to.

 

[IfeelYourPain]

Is anyone else using humor in their secondaries? I've been trying to escape the monotony of the secondary applications, and so far the only responses I have been able to formulate have been mostly humorous, though genuine. A part of me thinks adcoms will appreciate some freshness, but another part is afraid of not being taken seriously... Do you guys think this is appropriate or should I just put on my dull, serious hat?

 

[SNS]

I put the DO as mentor as well

As far as secondaries:

received- LECOM, KCOM, UMDNJ, VCOM, LMU, CCOM, NYCOM, and OU-COM

sent in- LECOM, KCOM, UMDNJ, VCOM,and LMU

waiting for- PCOM, KCUMB, DMU, and PNWU

does OUCOM have an essay? i can't wait to get the ball rolling with secondaries (i have yet to be verified).

 

[traitorman]

I feel left out now. I only got one email from lecom, but that was a while ago - before I even started filling out my aacomas app. I thought maybe they had a list of people who took the mcat. I can't apply there thought since they won't substitute biochem for org2. I did get a couple emails from the military, but that really wouldn't work for my family.

So I'm curious. What other schools have been courting you?

haha i wish they were courting me. but yea, its def mass emails. i got one from lecom and CCOM and a congratulations and encouragement to apply for a medical scholars program at University of Illinois. with my horrible stats, ill just pretend these schools want me and get my hopes up

 

[DrDre2001]

Is anyone else using humor in their secondaries? I've been trying to escape the monotony of the secondary applications, and so far the only responses I have been able to formulate have been mostly humorous, though genuine. A part of me thinks adcoms will appreciate some freshness, but another part is afraid of not being taken seriously... Do you guys think this is appropriate or should I just put on my dull, serious hat?

I put on the dull, serious hat.

I did want to spice it up, but I decided not too.

Also, sometimes it is hard to detect humor through text (especially without smilies or LOLs). So, It'd be terrible if I was just joking about something and they thought I was serious.

 

[traitorman]

Is anyone else using humor in their secondaries? I've been trying to escape the monotony of the secondary applications, and so far the only responses I have been able to formulate have been mostly humorous, though genuine. A part of me thinks adcoms will appreciate some freshness, but another part is afraid of not being taken seriously... Do you guys think this is appropriate or should I just put on my dull, serious hat?

i dunno wut to tell u, but ive been thinking along the same lines. i didnt use humor but i personalized some of my answers such as talking about a situation where a patient called me an a-hole and all but i dont kno if it would be appropriate. i was tryin to get a reader to feel waht im saying instead of just giving a general sounding response.

 

[traitorman]

I put on the dull, serious hat.

I did want to spice it up, but I decided not too.

Also, sometimes it is hard to detect humor through text (especially without smilies or LOLs). So, It'd be terrible if I was just joking about something and they thought I was serious.

too bad we cant put smiley faces and lols at the end of our responses

 

[judasreznor]

Is anyone else using humor in their secondaries? I've been trying to escape the monotony of the secondary applications, and so far the only responses I have been able to formulate have been mostly humorous, though genuine. A part of me thinks adcoms will appreciate some freshness, but another part is afraid of not being taken seriously... Do you guys think this is appropriate or should I just put on my dull, serious hat?

If it were me, I would not take the chance of being misunderstood. I would be as serious as possible. You can be friendly and jovial at the interview if the situation requires it.

 

[DbDan]

haha i wish they were courting me. but yea, its def mass emails. i got one from lecom and CCOM and a congratulations and encouragement to apply for a medical scholars program at University of Illinois. with my horrible stats, ill just pretend these schools want me and get my hopes up

I haven't gotten any courting e-mails from the DO schools 🙁 Last year I did get a letter telling me to apply to the MD/PhD program at UIC though based on my MCAT score. Silly UIC (although I did apply there this year lol). Rush has also been all over me about applying to every non-medical school program they offer since last year though, its getting pretty old. I get at least 5 e-mails from Rush a week saying its not too late to apply for fall 2010.

 

[IfeelYourPain]

I haven't gotten any courting e-mails from the DO schools 🙁 Last year I did get a letter telling me to apply to the MD/PhD program at UIC though based on my MCAT score. Silly UIC (although I did apply there this year lol). Rush has also been all over me about applying to every non-medical school program they offer since last year though, its getting pretty old. I get at least 5 e-mails from Rush a week saying its not too late to apply for fall 2010.

makes you think that those e-mails should come with "3 days grace- its never too late" playing in the background...

 

[azrk]

I have recieved

CCOM RVUCOM UNECOM SOMA

I am still waiting for AZCOM 🙁

 

[DbDan]

I have recieved

CCOM RVUCOM UNECOM SOMA

I am still waiting for AZCOM 🙁

At least I'm not the only one, have it ready to send. Its the same as CCOM's.

 

[Maica]

just called CCOM and they said that we cant manually change it. that information is taken from our AACOMAS. on my AACOMAS, i checked two boxes:

not hispanic/latino and Filipino.

on a side note, i was filling out VCOM's app and i was going to put that im not disadvantaged/underrepresented when i noticed under the underrepresented question, it had filipino as one of the options. didnt realize they considered us one

yeah i was wondering that too. i never put being filipino as disadvantaged or an underrepresented minority. would you fill that spot in? i figured it wouldn't hurt.

 

[traitorman]

At least I'm not the only one, have it ready to send. Its the same as CCOM's.

awesome! since I did CCOM's already, then my AZCOM will be pretty much ready.. when i get the invite tho. how long have you been waiting for the AZCOM secondary since submitting?

 

[traitorman]

yeah i was wondering that too. i never put being filipino as disadvantaged or an underrepresented minority. would you fill that spot in? i figured it wouldn't hurt.

i called them and they told me that to their school, filipinos are an unrepresented minority. so yes i filled that spot in. as long as it also says so on your AACOMAS

 

[DbDan]

awesome! since I did CCOM's already, then my AZCOM will be pretty much ready.. when i get the invite tho. how long have you been waiting for the AZCOM secondary since submitting?

My stuff was just verified and sent out last week. Hopefully I'll get AZCOM this week. You can literally change CCOM to AZCOM and you have AZCOM's essays. The 2nd essay (what do you bring) can be directly copied over (make sure you change any CCOM to AZCOM lol) and the first essay can mostly be used if you talked about cirriculum, location stuff you'd have to change, etc. My two are fairly similar.

 

[sedaniel]

My stuff was just verified and sent out last week. Hopefully I'll get AZCOM this week. You can literally change CCOM to AZCOM and you have AZCOM's essays. The 2nd essay (what do you bring) can be directly copied over (make sure you change any CCOM to AZCOM lol) and the first essay can mostly be used if you talked about cirriculum, location stuff you'd have to change, etc. My two are fairly similar.

Yeah, that is pretty much what I did too... I want AZCOM's secondary lol, I know they started sending them out already

 

[noshie]

How much time was there between the day you received KCOM's and the day you received SOMA's?

I received KCOM's 7 days ago. I still have not received SOMA's. I hope this is normal. I know branch campuses are basically different schools altogether as far as admissions go, but I would suppose they would have similar processes.

It took 3 days... But I bet it could take longer now that they are getting slammed with applications.

Ok I need some advice... I still have not received the LMU invite, but I already have the secondary ready, check and all... I don't want to send it in without the invite, but I am wondering if they forgot to send me one because everyone and their dog that applied seems to have received it. 🙂 Plus I heard it was going into the junk box, and maybe my work email lost it somehow. Should I call and just ask if they received my primary application and then mention something about when they will be sending out secondaries. Or maybe I could tell them that I think my email was misplacing emails the last few days and just ask if they meant to send me one. Too direct??

 

[BigBoosting]

Should I call and just ask if they received my primary application and then mention something about when they will be sending out secondaries. Or maybe I could tell them that I think my email was misplacing emails the last few days and just ask if they meant to send me one. Too direct??

I'd go with the "I sent in my primary a few weeks ago, when will you be sending secondaries" route. Less direct, more polite sounding in my opinion.

 

[KyMDHopeful]

Do all of the secondaries have essays? I've seen pikeville's secondary pdf online but there were no essays with it.

 

[BigBoosting]

LECOM-Bradenton did not. I don't think the other LECOMs did either

 

[noshie]

I'd go with the "I sent in my primary a few weeks ago, when will you be sending secondaries" route. Less direct, more polite sounding in my opinion.

I called LMU and used your advice on how to approach it. When I asked when secondaries may be sent out she told me that they wont be sent until after July 1st... Hahahahaha. Love that she lied to me. They must really not want me!!! Ouch. Ok ok, LMU, I get the hint already!

 

[BigBoosting]

I called LMU and used your advice on how to approach it. When I asked when secondaries may be sent out she told me that they wont be sent until after July 1st... Hahahahaha. Love that she lied to me. They must really not want me!!! Ouch. Ok ok, LMU, I get the hint already!

Ha Ouch. Do they have a history of screening? You could call back and ask if they screen to see if your stats are above/below. Did you give them your name the first time you called?

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I called LMU and used your advice on how to approach it. When I asked when secondaries may be sent out she told me that they wont be sent until after July 1st... Hahahahaha. Love that she lied to me. They must really not want me!!! Ouch. Ok ok, LMU, I get the hint already!

I'm confused (must admit I didn't read the whole thread) but I didn't think LMU even screened

After submission of the AACOMAS application, the applicant should then immediately complete the LMU-DCOM Supplemental Applicationand submit it to the Office of Admissions by mailing to LMU-DCOM, Attn: Admissions, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752.

 

[judasreznor]

I'm confused (must admit I didn't read the whole thread) but I didn't think LMU even screened

Historically I don't think they have screened. However, they did send out an email this year inviting people to complete the secondary. Apparently Noshie didn't get the email. Is that what happened?

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Historically I don't think they have screened. However, they did send out an email this year inviting people to complete the secondary. Apparently Noshie didn't get the email. Is that what happened?

Bah, I wouldn't wait for the email Noshie...it probably got lost in the junk mail or accidentally deleted.

 

[noshie]

Ha Ouch. Do they have a history of screening? You could call back and ask if they screen to see if your stats are above/below. Did you give them your name the first time you called?

I'm confused (must admit I didn't read the whole thread) but I didn't think LMU even screened

I didn't think they screened applications either... And I saw their thing online that just said to submit after July 1st. But everyone has been getting invites, and I don’t want to turn mine in if they don't want me! I did give them my name... She looked me up and everything! She actually sounded kind of like timid when she looked my name up, maybe she knows that I have been screened out or something. I cant imagine why they would screen me out, besides my low ugrad GPA, my grad GPA is great... Well, as is life...

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

I didn't think they screened applications either... And I saw their thing online that just said to submit after July 1st. But everyone has been getting invites, and I don't want to turn mine in if they don't want me! I did give them my name... She looked me up and everything! She actually sounded kind of like timid when she looked my name up, maybe she knows that I have been screened out or something. I cant imagine why they would screen me out, besides my low ugrad GPA, my grad GPA is great... Well, as is life...

Unless you're tight for money and the $50 is going to make that big of a diff, I'd send it.

The likelihood of her being timid because she knows something about you being screened is probably equal to the likelihood that she didn't know the answer and would rather provide you with an incorrect answer than ask someone else, imo.