2011-2012 Brown University Application Thread

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allinblue said:
am i being super paranoid or is this something new that popped up on the status page today? does everyone see this?

"Dear Applicant to the Class of 2016, You may view the decision on your application online beginning the evening of December 13, 2011.
To do so, click on Fall 2012 to view your decision."


Does this mean they are done with interview invites for the cycle and we are just waiting to be rejected via status?
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Yea I see it. already?! but...but.. it's only December!
 
Actually, when I was at the interview, they will have two more "decision days," one of them being in mid-late january. the interviews are not all over yet.
 
heart raced like hell when I saw the link to "check my status" on my application page.

(no decision yet)
 
ialwayslose said:
heart raced like hell when I saw the link to "check my status" on my application page.

(no decision yet)
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Interesting. When I interviewed Barbara said we would here back on Dec 19. I hope this isn't some big tease!
 
tripledouble said:
Interesting. When I interviewed Barbara said we would here back on Dec 19. I hope this isn't some big tease!
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I interviewed early november and Barbara said the same thing to our interview group. She didn't specifically say December 19th, but did mention sometime during the 3rd week of December.
 
ru4real1666 said:
I interviewed early november and Barbara said the same thing to our interview group. She didn't specifically say December 19th, but did mention sometime during the 3rd week of December.
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I was told December 19th at noon as well.
 
Just a guess... but that status may have been for the undergrads who found out about Early Decision today. It seems like the Brown online status page is not specific to the med school.
 
Iorek, I hope you know I really appreciate the time you spent replying to me, and spending time with us on interview day! The match list looks very sharp to me, though I wish more schools released them so it were easier to compare : |

I'm definitely following your advice on the follow-up letter, I just hope I manage to convey my honesty, and that I don't seem like I'm just trying to wing in an acceptance!
 
TenderRender said:
Iorek, I hope you know I really appreciate the time you spent replying to me, and spending time with us on interview day! The match list looks very sharp to me, though I wish more schools released them so it were easier to compare : |

I'm definitely following your advice on the follow-up letter, I just hope I manage to convey my honesty, and that I don't seem like I'm just trying to wing in an acceptance!
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Haha, glad to help!

After you've been accepted to any school not providing an easily accessed list, I don't think you'd be out of line to e-mail the admissions rep and politely request a match list. They obviously don't need to give you names but it's always good to see where grads end up (true of any degree of course, not just the MD). The alternative is to use those contact lists of current students that they give you during your interview day and try to see if they can snag a copy of their most recent match list and send it to you under the radar.

And don't stress out about the letter. In truth, this is a competitive process and if you end up here or any other med school, it won't be because you won your spot through luck, boot-licking, or guile, but because you earned it. Just write the truth. A letter stating intent to matriculate can push you over the edge in certain cases but send it if your really mean it and then only send it to one school. They obviously aren't binding, and even when made, med school admissions officers will understand if issues outside your control, especially finances, keep you from following through on an acceptance. But medicine is still a field where integrity counts for something so you really don't want to give your word unless its something you feel you can honor. You can of course show your exuberance in any number of ways without explicitly promising to attend that school if accepted. And it's the truth after all. Anyone should really be thrilled to go to any number of med schools in the U.S. since in the words of my former pre-med adviser, "you really can't go wrong."

Otherwise, you know the routine. From the earnestness in what you wrote, I can already tell you're sincerely thankful. Just let some of that shine through and keep it conversational. Sell yourself a little more if you want but just remember, the hard part is over, now just comes the wait!
 
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Also, I don't know how late the process is going this year but just to give people an idea, I interviewed very late in January. I was accepted as soon as the next (and final) standard decision date rolled around. So based on last year, even if you interview in January, you are not simply interviewing for a waitlist spot. You still might be wait listed of course but hope springs eternal.

And my memory is fuzzy on this but I think Barbara mentioned that the admissions committee met (is meeting?) sometime this or last week, so you should indeed likely be receiving decisions soon. Keep in mind, those of you who interviewed quite recently are still going to have to wait for the next decision date since it takes a bit of time for the interviewers to submit their evals. Regardless, best of luck to all of you!
 
Iorek Byrnison said:
Also, I don't know how late the process is going this year but just to give people an idea, I interviewed very late in January. I was accepted as soon as the next (and final) standard decision date rolled around. So based on last year, even if you interview in January, you are not simply interviewing for a waitlist spot. You still might be wait listed of course but hope springs eternal.

And my memory is fuzzy on this but I think Barbara mentioned that the admissions committee met (is meeting?) sometime this or last week, so you should indeed likely be receiving decisions soon. Keep in mind, those of you who interviewed quite recently are still going to have to wait for the next decision date since it takes a bit of time for the interviewers to submit their evals. Regardless, best of luck to all of you!
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Would you give the same advice for an interview in mid-Feb? I got the II last week and the only date I could get is in mid-Feb. I figured that Brown wouldn't be interviewing for wait-list positions, but then again ... mid Feb is pretty late in the game, right?
 
EleanorAutumn said:
Would you give the same advice for an interview in mid-Feb? I got the II last week and the only date I could get is in mid-Feb. I figured that Brown wouldn't be interviewing for wait-list positions, but then again ... mid Feb is pretty late in the game, right?
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Of course I would give the same advice! It doesn't really matter if its late January or mid February. The only thing that matters is that there are still going to be open spots before the the final meeting of the admissions committee. Also, there are certain advantages to having an interview late in the season if you know how to use them. Use your winter break, if you have one, to do some more thorough research. E-mail professors here doing research in fields you have an interest or background in. Explain to them that you are interviewing and have a strong interest in Brown and ask them politely about their work. If there's a particularly good fit, see if you could perhaps meet with them briefly the day before your interview. It's very unlikely they will have any say in whether you get accepted but it will give you something more to talk with your interviewer about and show a devoted interest to the school.

On that note, I generally think interviewees should take advantage of student housing offers (Brown should have a list including general descriptions). Aside from the fact that its the cheapest way to spend a night anywhere, it gives you the chance to chat with students completely informally, and you can learn a lot about the school in a short time just from that.

Best of luck in February!
 
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Iorek Byrnison said:
Of course I would give the same advice! It doesn't really matter if its late January or mid February. The only thing that matters is that there are still going to be open spots before the the final meeting of the admissions committee. Also, there are certain advantages to having an interview late in the season if you know how to use them. Use your winter break, if you have one, to do some more thorough research. E-mail professors here doing research in fields you have an interest or background in. Explain to them that you are interviewing and have a strong interest in Brown and ask them politely about their work. If there's a particularly good fit, see if you could perhaps meet with them briefly the day before your interview. It's very unlikely they will have any say in whether you get accepted but it will give you something more to talk with your interviewer about and show a devoted interest to the school.

On that note, I generally think interviewees should take advantage of student housing offers (Brown should have a list including general descriptions). Aside from the fact that its the cheapest way to spend a night anywhere, it gives you the chance to chat with students completely informally, and you can learn a lot about the school in a short time just from that.

Best of luck in February!
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Thank you so much!!
 
On November 7th (when our group heard back) my status changed on the brown "check your app" website around 11:30am EST and I didn't get the email until around 12:30pm

Good luck everyone!
 
pherms said:
On November 7th (when our group heard back) my status changed on the brown "check your app" website around 11:30am EST and I didn't get the email until around 12:30pm

Good luck everyone!
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Much appreciated!
 
Waitlisted =( Thought I killed the interviews. Goes to show you never know.
 
I know this will seem like a vain question, but did everyone else's interviewer spend a ton of time talking about Brown and why you should come? I felt like at least one of my interviewers did this to such a degree that he spent more time talking than me. I thought that was a good sign that he thought liked me, but in hindsight I figure maybe every interviewer does this?
 
TenderRender said:
I know this will seem like a vain question, but did everyone else's interviewer spend a ton of time talking about Brown and why you should come? I felt like at least one of my interviewers did this to such a degree that he spent more time talking than me. I thought that was a good sign that he thought liked me, but in hindsight I figure maybe every interviewer does this?
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Yeah, I felt as though I had a good chance of getting in because of the way the interviewers "sold" Brown to me. Then again, this is all just speculation and maybe they do that to everyone. Furthermore, every school has it's own way of seeing the interviewee's reactions/motives so this might be Brown's.
 
I feel like they waitlist LOTS of people. Maybe they are trying to see who really wants to come..
 
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Does Brown reject anyone post-interview (not to be mean, but it's looking like they enjoy a healthy waitlist)? And does anyone know how mobile the waitlist is?
 
TenderRender said:
Does Brown reject anyone post-interview (not to be mean, but it's looking like they enjoy a healthy waitlist)? And does anyone know how mobile the waitlist is?
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No idea about the lack of outright rejections post interview but it would make sense since Brown tends to be more selective with its interview pool. As a result, they know that anyone who interviewed would be a good potential fit. The upside of the selective interview process is the waitlist has been quite mobile in past years.

Honestly, I would keep the faith and be sure to craft a well-written, post wait-list, interest letter.
 
Also waitlisted... Very frustrated. The process of applying to medical school hasn't been very rewarding thus far.
 
Iorek Byrnison said:
Glad you asked. They're actually going to take you to the sim center down the street and have you run a cardiac arrest from start to finish and evaluate your worthiness based on the results... (Oddly enough, you'll have the chance to do this as part of a team about a month and a half into school).

Joking aside, the interview is really going to depend on whoever is interviewing you. I'm fairly certain that Barbara and Melissa try their best to match you up with interviewers who would be able to talk with you along the same general lines as your interests and passions (for example, I was an EMT as an undergrad and so one of my interviewers was an EM doc). Its helpful because you can dive into specifics on projects and activities and the interviewer isn't 20 paces behind you trying to catch up. Aside from that, just stay current on the news because a lot of docs in general like to ask something akin to "what to you think the future of medicine will be like?" Politics aside, remember that you're exited to go into this field for a reason and just as with patient outcomes, you always hope for the best.

I don't remember getting any ethical questions though, my Brown interview was far more of a conversation than any of my interviews at other schools (the interviewers were far less scripted) so maybe it was slipped in there subtlety and I just didn't notice. I'm sure you know the deal with ethics questions though; they're looking for a thought process so even if you've written a PhD thesis on an ethics question and came to a definitive answer, take them through your thoughts and experiences that lead you to arrive at that point after considering the alternatives.

Best of luck in January!
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Do you mind sharing some info about the simulation center? Is that different than the clinical skills center that is in the med school building?
 
brooms said:
Do you mind sharing some info about the simulation center? Is that different than the clinical skills center that is in the med school building?
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Course! Its actually in a completely different building that's up Point St (Its about a 5 minute walk) and it's owned by the local hospital system, Lifespan, but Brown and Lifespan are pretty much inseparable. Whereas the clinical suites you saw are a collection of standard clinic rooms in which we see standardized patients, the sim center has several types of dummies for you to learn and practice how to do various procedures or what to do during a code (cardiac arrest). During the pre-clinical years we honestly don't make too much use out of it to be honest. Typically, about once per semester they arrange a night for interested 1st and 2nd years to go over there. I went last time and it was pretty cool. They taught us some stitching techniques, how to put in a central line with ultrasound guidance, to intubate with a mac or miller laryngoscope, and of course they ran us through a code on a SimMan (fortunately one of the members of my group is an EMT-P so we were golden).

It was a wicked fun experience but as far as clinical exposures go, I get a lot more from the actual patient interactions I have through the Doctoring course.
 
any SDNers accepted here yet?

I got in at another Ivy League school, but my interview here last week 10x more relaxed. you guys are doing a good job, Brown!
 
Has anyone here been complete since late August with no word? Brown is one of the two or three schools I would go to for an interview (I'm planning on withdrawing from a bunch after the holidays). I have no significant updates except possibly my Fall 2011 grades (3.9+), but they're on par with my grades thus far so I'm not really sure they're worth mentioning...
 
Dartmouth1230 said:
Has anyone here been complete since late August with no word? Brown is one of the two or three schools I would go to for an interview (I'm planning on withdrawing from a bunch after the holidays). I have no significant updates except possibly my Fall 2011 grades (3.9+), but they're on par with my grades thus far so I'm not really sure they're worth mentioning...
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Brown is really receptive to updates so even though you only have your fall grades, it wouldn't hurt writing a letter of interest to specify why you like Brown so much.
 
Dartmouth1230 said:
Has anyone here been complete since late August with no word? Brown is one of the two or three schools I would go to for an interview (I'm planning on withdrawing from a bunch after the holidays). I have no significant updates except possibly my Fall 2011 grades (3.9+), but they're on par with my grades thus far so I'm not really sure they're worth mentioning...
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Yep, same boat, late August. I thought I was very competitive at Brown. Sent them 2 in-the-area e-mails when I was interviewing out that way. Received an "add to file" reply on the first one, nothing on the second however. Updated my file in November via snail mail. Not heard a peep back since then.

Dartmouth 1230, realistically I think if they were interested there would have been an invite by now so I don't think it's in the cards. Then again, nothing to lose by sending an update/interest letter. Good luck to you.
 
Dartmouth1230 said:
Has anyone here been complete since late August with no word? Brown is one of the two or three schools I would go to for an interview (I'm planning on withdrawing from a bunch after the holidays). I have no significant updates except possibly my Fall 2011 grades (3.9+), but they're on par with my grades thus far so I'm not really sure they're worth mentioning...
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I'm going to second ru4real1666 and say just go for it and write a letter. Also, maintaining a 3.9+, especially senior year when you really need to try hard to resist the temptation to enter a slide, is no small feat so congrats. As for other things to write about, here's some random suggestions. If you have any clue what your summer plans are, that can always be something. Mention if you are submitting anything to be published. If you just started a thesis or final project, mention what it's on. If you've been keeping up with the medical news and sent a letter to your congressman before they finally approved the SGR fix (which is still broken in the long term (one thing progressives and conservatives can agree on)), say so! If you had an epiphany while on an EMT shift, bring it up! Honestly, just make it conversational and brief. You're not asking for an invitation to the royal court and a formal knighthood; you're just looking to get their attention.

I honestly have no clue if it'll have any effect but if you're on break and just want to give it a shoot, it certainly won't hurt. pdxjazz is probably right given the time of the year but schools do send out interview invites sometimes after the new year.
 
Does anyone know what time the interview day ends?
 
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If I recall correctly, the latest interviews end is by 4. The train station is very close to the Med school building (and they'll have a shuttle take you down there at 4), so you'll be at the station very shortly after 4.
 
Just wanted to share this In case any of you are looking for a cool (and incredibly geeky) way to procrastinate.

http://eterna.cmu.edu/eterna_page.php?page=me_tab

The gist is that you are using the basic principles of RNA folding to design increasingly complex RNA structures in a computer program. Your sequence can then be voted on to decide if they will attempt to sequence it in a lab and determine if it matches the desired folding pattern. The primary goal is to elucidate the subtleties of the RNA folding process over time. Regardless as to the scientific applications, it can be pretty fun if you enjoy puzzle games. This nytimes article does a pretty good job of explaining it too.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/science/11rna.html
 
Does anybody know when the next committee meeting will be? Any chance they will pull people off the waitlist at that point?
 
ZooeyGlass said:
Does anybody know when the next committee meeting will be? Any chance they will pull people off the waitlist at that point?
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From what I've been hearing, it looks like January 27th is the next decision release date (meaning the committee will be most likely meeting the week before that).

My bet is there won't be too much movement on the waitlist until after the May 15th student choice deadline simply because until then, everyone holds onto their acceptances and the school doesn't want to over-enroll next year's class (which I believe is going to be capped around 120).
 
Does anyone know if Brown will be sending out any more interview invites this cycle?:xf:
 
Bette said:
Does anyone know if Brown will be sending out any more interview invites this cycle?:xf:
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There's five more interview dates left. Not sure when they all fall, though I think they should all be done by mid-February. Anyone interviewing from this point on will get their decision sometime in March and as already noted, anyone who interviewed between now and the last decision date will get their decision on the 27th.


Best of luck ladies and gentlemen!
 
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