2010-2011 University of Washington Application Thread

[TFS]

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weird..the secondary page is still down.

 

[KPCOFGS]

back up now!

I have a question: for the "additional letters" section, you can enter a date when you want the app to be considered complete. I left it at the default, 1/17/2011, but I also didn't add any additional letters. does that mean they'll look at my application as soon as everything is in? I don't want them to let it sit there for five months...

 

[chrisoc13]

Maybe I'm wrong but I think two of the essays changed places, which makes more sense now. The "where you have lived in rural communities" is only in the trust area now (I swear it was in the statements area earlier). Anyone else notice this or am I going crazy?

 

[chrisoc13]

back up now!

I have a question: for the "additional letters" section, you can enter a date when you want the app to be considered complete. I left it at the default, 1/17/2011, but I also didn't add any additional letters. does that mean they'll look at my application as soon as everything is in? I don't want them to let it sit there for five months...

As soon as I get everything in I am probably going to change the date to whenever that is just in case.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Secondary today. OOS.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

Secondary today. OOS. No ties to Washington whatsoeva.

hopefully ill hear from them soon! no news is good news in this case (i hope!)

 

[chrisoc13]

Secondary today. OOS. No ties to Washington whatsoeva.

Congrats and good luck!

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

im sure this is my paranoia kicking in, but do you guys think that if us oos-ers were screened out they would tell us?

 

[hemostat5]

im sure this is my paranoia kicking in, but do you guys think that if us oos-ers were screened out they would tell us?

I was screened out yesterday OOS. 3.6 GPA , 33R. Plenty of research, publications, leadership, grad degree, several volunteering and shadowing experiences.

Not exactly sure what meets the "OOS requirements" as they mentioned in my rejection e-mail.

Good luck to all of you! Seattle rocks!

 

[catswym]

im sure this is my paranoia kicking in, but do you guys think that if us oos-ers were screened out they would tell us?

I'm fairly sure they would. I haven't heard anything since the first "wait and see" email. Hopefully soon. And hopefully good news.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Seems like cut-off is not based on GPA/MCAT, seems several friends who have both higher GPA AND MCAT didn't get 2ndary.

Application Verified 06/04. A year of research, but nothing really came of that. Almost embarrassed to mention it in my app.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Trying to submit it today. Just need my responses to be proofread. Then I'll keep my fingers crossed. I think they respond pretty promptly to completed apps.

 

[chrisoc13]

Trying to submit it today. Just need my responses to be proofread. Then I'll keep my fingers crossed. I think they respond pretty promptly to completed apps.

Let us know how quick it is for OOS, I'm curious.
As a WWAMI applicant I need my state to certify me. Montana starts certification in August so it should be soon enough. But since all MT residents (as each WWAMI state) are only compared to each other it doesn't really matter to me when they start certifying.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

I just hit submit a moment ago. 🙂

Crossing my fingers for an interview. They don't seem to offer too many of those to OOS.

 

[TFS]

"What obstacles have you overcome in your life to get to the point of applying for medical school?"

what kind of obstacles are other people putting down?

 

[chrisoc13]

"What obstacles have you overcome in your life to get to the point of applying for medical school?"

what kind of obstacles are other people putting down?

Yeah I'm having the same trouble with that one. I don't know what to write about. Does it mean specifically in getting to the point of applying to medical school or does it mean in life in general? I have the whole application done but this essay and certification (which is out of my hands anyways.)

 

[kitanai]

Could somebody please post all the secondary essay questions for UW? Kindly please indicate if the questions are the main questions or for TRUST applicants only. I am seeing 5 prompts now in this forum and not sure if all of them are the main questions. It seems like they changed and added a lot of questions compared last year.

 

[TFS]

Could somebody please post all the secondary essay questions for UW? Kindly please indicate if the questions are the main questions or for TRUST applicants only. I am seeing 5 prompts now in this forum and not sure if all of them are the main questions. It seems like they changed and added a lot of questions compared last year.

in addition to the autobiography and preparation for physician, there seem to be 2 more essays for non-trust under "state questionnaire" for WA and MT residents.

8. How do you imagine your personal and professional lives intersecting ten years from now? (Describe a "day in my life" if you wish.)

9. What obstacles have you overcome in your life to get to the point of applying for medical school?

 

[kitanai]

in addition to the autobiography and preparation for physician, there seem to be 2 more essays for non-trust under "state questionnaire" for WA and MT residents.

8. How do you imagine your personal and professional lives intersecting ten years from now? (Describe a "day in my life" if you wish.)

9. What obstacles have you overcome in your life to get to the point of applying for medical school?

Thanks TFS. I got uneasy about the essay regarding service to rural and underserved areas. Whew!

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Why didn't I see these questions?

Are there less questions for OOS?

I'm FREAKING OUT now because I hit submit with the possibility that I didn't answer a crapload of questions. WTF?!?!

 

[kitanai]

Why didn't I see these questions?

Are there less questions for OOS?

I'm FREAKING OUT now because I hit submit with the possibility that I didn't answer a crapload of questions. WTF?!?!

You are doing OK. The last two questions seems to be specific for WA and MT residents.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

I had only 3 questions. The 2nd one seems optional... since I don't have any publications.

1st question is to write autobiography, without repeating any info from PS.

3rd question is "how did you exp prepare you to be a physician?"


Are there only these 3 Questions for OOS?

 

[OneTyme]

I had only 3 questions. The 2nd one seems optional... since I don't have any publications.

1st question is to write autobiography, without repeating any info from PS.

3rd question is "how did you exp prepare you to be a physician?"


Are there only these 3 Questions for OOS?

I'm from a WWAMI state, AK, and those are the only three questions I have on my scondary.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

I'm from a WWAMI state, AK, and those are the only three questions I have on my scondary.

Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[chrisoc13]

1

 

[tomh98]

Ha ha... I don't know about "everybody," but I for one have lived a comfortable, middle-class life in suburbia, so I will be leaving that question blank. I don't know why this is relevant to just WA and MT residents, but I do not appreciate it. (Especially since I have zero interest in rural medicine.) Oh well, such is life.

THEY LOVE RURAL MEDICINE. Don't tell them you have no interest in it, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot!

 

[tomh98]

Seems like cut-off is not based on GPA/MCAT, seems several friends who have both higher GPA AND MCAT didn't get 2ndary.

My stats is 3.7, 33R. Application Verified 06/04. Goal to go into primary care. Extensive clinical experience (full-time med assistant since 01/09). For 10 months, I worked in a clinic that served an underserved pop. I guess that was my ticket in.

A year of research, but nothing really came of that. Almost embarrassed to mention it in my app.

If you check their website, there is an insta-cutoff based on MCAT and GPA, with each year of undergrad having increasing weight. If your total score is above their magic number, you'll get reviewed (I think?) and then sent a secondary if they are interested.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

If you check their website, there is an insta-cutoff based on MCAT and GPA, with each year of undergrad having increasing weight. If your total score is above their magic number, you'll get reviewed (I think?) and then sent a secondary if they are interested.

I guess I must have barely made their cutoff, number-wise.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

there is an insta-cutoff, which isnt dramatically high, but for OOS-ers they want more too

I still havent heard back from them.. but they did tell me 4-6 weeks so ill be patient lol

 

[BullDog4Eva]

there is an insta-cutoff, which isnt dramatically high, but for OOS-ers they want more too

I still havent heard back from them.. but they did tell me 4-6 weeks so ill be patient lol

I find it ironic that OOS don't have to write as much as IS. I'm not complaining. Haha. I would imagine they want to torture OOS as much as possible to discourage them from applying.

It's interesting how schools that screens primaries set a 2 to 4 wks deadline on getting the 2ndaries submitted.

 

[benjorb]

It's interesting how schools that screens primaries set a 2 to 4 wks deadline on getting the 2ndaries submitted.

Are you talking about this application? I don't see anything about a 2 to 4 week deadline for the secondary. (I hope there's not one😱)

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Are you talking about this application? I don't see anything about a 2 to 4 week deadline for the secondary. (I hope there's not one😱)

Sorry. I am confusing U Wash with some other school. I just checked my e-mail and there's no deadline after all (well, 01/17/2011). You SHOULD set a personal deadline of 2-4 wks in any case. LOL.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

have any other OOS-ers who got the initial "we will review you" email heard from UWash? Should I call them or do you guys think its still a bit soon? I know im being impatient haha but I really love this school!

 

[BullDog4Eva]

have any other OOS-ers who got the initial "we will review you" email heard from UWash? Should I call them or do you guys think its still a bit soon? I know im being impatient haha but I really love this school!

If you've been reading up on the posts on this thread... some OOS applicants have already gotten rejections... so no news is better than bad news. Good news could be just around the corner.

I am OOS and submitted primaries 06/01 so I got their secondaries about a week ago. They may still be reviewing your file.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

"What obstacles have you overcome in your life to get to the point of applying for medical school?"

what kind of obstacles are other people putting down?

My obstacle is this essay prompt, which I have not overcome yet. LOL.

 

[Med1221]

Any idea how long the "brief" autobiographical statement should be?

 

[TFS]

.

 

[chrisoc13]

there's no limit, but mine is around 2400 characters. it was more like an addendum.


what did people do for the 2nd question on publications? i'm a co-author on submitted manuscripts, and on accepted abstracts, but i'm hesitant to write about something that hasn't been accepted, and the including an abstract only seems relevant for published papers. anyone just write brief descriptions for the grants they've worked on?

I'm debating that one as well. I don't believe I will include the abstracts of the papers currently in process but not yet accepted. I have thought about putting some grant information on there but I may forgo it all together since it is already in my application and honestly with the publication accepted yet my body of work doesn't seem impressive enough to write an essay for.

 

[tomh98]

Ok so here is the official cutoff information from the UW website:

The undergraduate GPA is weighted to give credit to applicants whose records show improvement as they progress through their undergraduate studies. Only the first three years are included in this calculation as most applicants have just begun their senior year. The weighted GPA is calculated on a standard 4-point scale with 4.00 representing an “A” average.
CUM. Freshman GPA x 1 = A
CUM. Sophomore GPA x 2 = B
CUM. Junior GPA x 3 = C

(A+B+C)/6 = Weighted GPA
An initial automated screening is done of all applications. The WGPA is added to the mean MCAT score converted to a 4.0 scale so that the maximal “Combined score” =8. If this combined score is less than 5, the application is automatically screened out. If your application falls into this category, but you have subsequently taken additional coursework and have a stronger subsequent GPA, please contact our office.

I suspect there is additional screening, since some people have posted high stats and got screened out. Maybe it has to do with OOS status.

 

[tomh98]

Ok so here is the official cutoff information from the UW website:



I suspect there is additional screening, since some people have posted high stats and got screened out. Maybe it has to do with OOS status.

Oh BTW, your senior year doesn't weigh in!! So for all of you who shined in your last year, tough luck I guess. My senior year is my best but I still make the cutoff, mostly thanks to my MCAT.

 

[TFS]

I'm debating that one as well. I don't believe I will include the abstracts of the papers currently in process but not yet accepted. I have thought about putting some grant information on there but I may forgo it all together since it is already in my application and honestly with the publication accepted yet my body of work doesn't seem impressive enough to write an essay for.

yeah, i described the grants in my primary so it seems kind of redundant to rehash it in the secondary. i don't feel like the manuscripts and abstracts are "mine" enough to elaborate on them like i wrote them. and the way the question phrased "your work" makes me inclined to just leave this blank until something that i wrote gets completed or published.

 

[chrisoc13]

yeah, i described the grants in my primary so it seems kind of redundant to rehash it in the secondary. i don't feel like the manuscripts and abstracts are "mine" enough to elaborate on them like i wrote them. and the way the question phrased "your work" makes me inclined to just leave this blank until something that i wrote gets completed or published.

Me too. My professor will be the primary author anyways, I will simply be much later on the paper. Not enough my work to put anything in there like I'm special haha

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Any idea how long the "brief" autobiographical statement should be?

I called admissions office and they say to try to keep it one page single space.

 

[OneTyme]

Are y'all writing extra biographical information or having the committee refer to you amcas personal statement?

 

[BullDog4Eva]

Are y'all writing extra biographical information or having the committee refer to you amcas personal statement?

I wrote extra stuff. Referring to your PS won't harm you but won't help you either. I had very worthwhile things to add so I did.

Hopefully they like it enough to extend me an interview. 🙂

 

[TFS]

Are y'all writing extra biographical information or having the committee refer to you amcas personal statement?

my PS didn't cover everything they asked in the question, so i wrote more. if your PS covers everything, then there is no need to write more imo.

 

[catswym]

have any other OOS-ers who got the initial "we will review you" email heard from UWash? Should I call them or do you guys think its still a bit soon? I know im being impatient haha but I really love this school!

I got the initial email and have not yet heard anything. I submitted my AMCAS 6/10 but was verified before the 25th. The email said 4-6 weeks for review so I wouldn't call just yet.

 

[BullDog4Eva]

I got the initial email and have not yet heard anything. I submitted my AMCAS 6/10 but was verified before the 25th. The email said 4-6 weeks for review so I wouldn't call just yet.

"4-6 weeks" seems grossly exaggerated. I was verified 06/04, received initial e-mail 07/06, and received 2ndary 07/13.

It seems that they really scrutinize your PS, on top of making sure you pass the GPA/MCAT threshold. I guess that's good because you know whether they like you or not early on and not have to waste money on 2ndaries.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

I GOT A SECONDARY!!!! 😀😀

not only am I really happy because its UDubb, but the fact that they heavily scrutinize us OOS-ers means I am at least doing SOMETHING right haha

 

[BullDog4Eva]

I GOT A SECONDARY!!!! 😀😀

not only am I really happy because its UDubb, but the fact that they heavily scrutinize us OOS-ers means I am at least doing SOMETHING right haha

CONGRATS. Now get them in ASAP and be on top of the pile.

Let's both hope for an interview. 🙂