2011-2012 Mayo Application Thread

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Snuke said:
In the effort to avoid bad karma at my interview in a few days, I am fulfilling my erstwhile promise made long ago. Please try not to flame me too hard.


Not ketchup, mustard, nor tasty topping,
The healing school of Mayo, shielded thrice.
He offers wisdom, knowledge, compassion
For all the applicants he might entice.

Before the sun arises, there are moans,
Because at half past one, he sends a fright,
Depending on recipients’ time zone,
Request for letters, fees, perhaps invite.

Go forth young pre-med to the icy north
Where Mayo sits, the frozen wellness prince.
Inside the Gonda building, prove your worth,
And touch patients after you wash and rinse.

Here Charles and Will do leave their legacy,
And may their spirit live through you and me.

😍

<3
Click to expand...

I'm so touched I'm in tears. If accepted, this poem will be framed next to my diploma.
 
Rejected.

LOR request last year... but not this year.... I wonder what this could mean..
 
LeoGer said:
I'm so touched I'm in tears. If accepted, this poem will be framed next to my diploma.
Click to expand...

Hey, don't mess with karma - I suggest that you print out the poem right now, just in case. You don't want to get screwed on Match day because you broke a vow.

And I'm sure the tears are of laughter/hysteria, but that's alright with me.

CaliforniaAppli said:
Rejected.

LOR request last year... but not this year.... I wonder what this could mean..
Click to expand...

Could mean that there's some reapplicant bias, unless you improved your app with something they wanted to see. Or it could mean that this group of applicants is more competitive. :shrug: No way of knowing. Sorry about the bad news - good luck with your other applications.
 
Just got an interview invite! Very honored.

I looked at the scheduling...it seems like all the times are taken up but a few in November. I registered for one, but how do I get to find out about my host? or do I stay at a hotel?
 
Rejectamundo here! It was fun waiting, at least. LOR 7/6...just recent got lor received email.
 
omg I got an interview invite! Lol and it was at 1am on a tuesday.I was sure they would laugh at my 31mcat 3.83gpa and toss my app.
 
EvilSponge said:
Just got an interview invite! Very honored.

I looked at the scheduling...it seems like all the times are taken up but a few in November. I registered for one, but how do I get to find out about my host? or do I stay at a hotel?
Click to expand...

Mayo will send a few emails. Congrats!
 
crazyasian said:
omg I got an interview invite! Lol and it was at 1am on a tuesday.I was sure they would laugh at my 31mcat 3.83gpa and toss my app.
Click to expand...

Seriously wow! I thought mayo wouldn't take a second look at me. Nov is a bit late but I'll take what I can get!!😍
 
premed67783 said:
love the humility, but with your stats (esp the MCAT) It'd be surprising if you DIDNT get an interview. gratz though!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Just FYI, I got the LOR request way back on 7/13. There is still hope for those still waiting!
 
Interview Invite this morning!!!!!!!!! (1:35 am). SO excited, this is one of my top top choices (and now I can finally say that out loud!) :soexcited:😍
Also booked for November, which was the earliest available. Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
eleventwelve said:
Interview Invite this morning!!!!!!!!! (1:35 am). SO excited, this is one of my top top choices (and now I can finally say that out loud!) :soexcited:😍
Also booked for November, which was the earliest available. Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Congrats!!
 
The waiting game is soooo nerve wrecking, and it has only been three weeks for me. : /
Its going to be a really long year.
 
Checking in from the shuttle as we meander our way towards the Clinic. 😍

Interview is tomorrow. I'm sure I'll post a long-winded essay of love after my interview - complete with pictures (I brought my camera!!) - and let everyone know how it goes.
 
Snuke said:
Checking in from the shuttle as we meander our way towards the Clinic. 😍

Interview is tomorrow. I'm sure I'll post a long-winded essay of love after my interview - complete with pictures (I brought my camera!!) - and let everyone know how it goes.
Click to expand...

Good luck Snuke!! I've been quiet on here b/c I'm too nervous to imagine myself at Mayo . . .

Have fun and tell us all the details 🙂
 
Royalclones said:
The waiting game is soooo nerve wrecking, and it has only been three weeks for me. : /
Its going to be a really long year.
Click to expand...

Didn't the "LOR received" email say that the review takes "up to three weeks"? From people who have heard back about an interview.... does this hold true, or should I not expect a reply at 3 weeks?
 
EvilSponge said:
Just got an interview invite! Very honored.

I looked at the scheduling...it seems like all the times are taken up but a few in November. I registered for one, but how do I get to find out about my host? or do I stay at a hotel?
Click to expand...

Gina and the class reps will be in touch with you regarding hosting. We have a pretty good network of hosts and will do everything possible to accomodate your visit.

One idea--stay a night in a hotel downtown (Kahler or you could easily find somewhere a bit cheaper; PM me if you are willing to walk a few more blocks or stay in a more motel-style place) for one night and then with a host another night. It will give you some time on your own to explore and then a bit of time with a host to get a feel for student life.

Congrats!
 
A question for anyone familiar with the area:

The email from the admissions office says that the interview day ends at 3, but then says not to schedule a flight out of Rochester for earlier than 6 pm or a flight of of MSP earlier than 7. I'm coming from pretty far away, and the latest flight I could find out of Rochester (that would allow me to also take a connecting flight back home) is at 5 pm. Do you think this would be a problem? It seems to me that if the day ends at 3, I could easily be at the Rochester airport by 3:30 with plenty of time to catch a 5 pm flight out...but just wanted to doublecheck since the email says 6.
 
premed67783 said:
Didn't the "LOR received" email say that the review takes "up to three weeks"? From people who have heard back about an interview.... does this hold true, or should I not expect a reply at 3 weeks?
Click to expand...

Also wondering about this. Anyone wait >3 weeks post LOR-received for an invite or rejection?
 
I got a LOR received and am 2 weeks post right now. If that means rejection, then sad-panda.jpg but I guess we'll see.
 
ICanHazChBurger said:
Gina and the class reps will be in touch with you regarding hosting. We have a pretty good network of hosts and will do everything possible to accomodate your visit.

One idea--stay a night in a hotel downtown (Kahler or you could easily find somewhere a bit cheaper; PM me if you are willing to walk a few more blocks or stay in a more motel-style place) for one night and then with a host another night. It will give you some time on your own to explore and then a bit of time with a host to get a feel for student life.

Congrats!
Click to expand...

Thanks, I got the e-mail today. The thing is, I already bought my ticket, so I'd be getting in Sunday afternoon (I will be hopefully staying with a host that night) so I probably won't have much time to explore Rochester. What is your opinion of the city? I'm more of a city person, I like to go out and have fun too.
 
LeoGer said:
Hurry with the update, Snuke!
Click to expand...

I hear you, and come running!

Oh man, where to start. Really, I just had an amazing incredible experience.

The interview day is long, but it seriously feels short. Everyone is incredibly nice, from admin people to MDs to students to random people on the street. All the students are blissfully happy (not just my hosts or the people running the tours. I think we met almost half the class, and not a single one - when pressed - could think of a major shortcoming to the school), and many of them turned down big names to go to Mayo. Amongst them: Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, UCSF, Wash U.

The interview day starts in the student center/admissions office. It's a small building across from the Gonda, rather out of place with the rest of the Mayo buildings because it's a renovated library. Very handsome inside, too. Gina is incredibly nice, and she did the orientation, which was largely the same video posted earlier and on the website. Then we met with the assistant dean of Academic and Student Affairs, then the Director of the Office of Diversity. Each of the talks were pretty short, which was nice. Then half of us had a 30 minute interview, the other half 30 minutes of down-time, then we switched. The ice was pretty much broken already because we'd met with our student hosts the night before to have dinner (and some of us helped the Birthday Baking Committee bake cupcakes!).

Then we had a tour of the Medical School. The Plummer building (library) is gorgeous, and we traipsed through the pedestrian subway, which is also very nice, and visited a few floors of the Gonda building. The Gonda building/Mayo Clinic is really quite majestic on the inside - marble and comfortable chairs everywhere, and someone was usually playing the grand piano. The peds floor is amazing - almost makes me want to be a pediatrician - and is designed for kids and to be very kid-friendly with curves and colors and low furniture everywhere.

Then lunch, then another interview/break, in which a few of us walked to the gym (which is a-MAZING and humongous) and had a tour (you get free membership your first two years). Then it was a short meeting with The Associate dean of Academic Affairs and a Dr. on the Admissions Committee chair.

Overall, in every possible aspect, it was incredible. Like I said, everyone is blissfully happy. One of my student hosts compared Mayo to a utopia, and it truly is of a kind. They make their own little world here, and they run it immaculately. Everything is literally for the patient.

And that's the key. Mayo-wear (what they call professional suit attire for when with patients) is to reduce the boundaries between patient and doctor. Everything is set up to make the patient more comfortable/for the patient's benefit.

The class size is, well, intimate. Everyone knows everyone and everyone's business, so if you aren't comfortable with that, that could be a problem. The small size, however, allows for opportunities that you can't have otherwise. In gross anatomy, they have a radiologist (because they CT the cadavers first), two surgeons expert in the field of whatever you're dissecting, and enough TAs to cover the rest of the tables. If you want to shadow someone, all you do is email them and set it up. There are a few set selectives, but people make up their own based on their interests, or if they want to travel somewhere, they do the hours of serving the underserved the first week and enjoy themselves the second week.

Some advice: Yes, Rochester really is small. Downtown takes up about a street. You're going to have to either get over it or don't interview. Really, it's small, and it takes about 90 minutes to get there from Minneapolis.

While the weather was great when I was here, it does get to -40 F.

When people are talking to you, pay attention. I had the Director of Diversity for my first interview, and I was able to use some of his key words and points as we talked.

The interviews are really really low stress. The only stress is what you put on yourself. Both of my interviews started with 'tell me about yourself,' and you get to pretty much direct it from there.

Any questions? I could keep going, but I'd rather answer specific questions.

Needless to say, I feel this is my first choice. I still need to visit other schools, but I was blown away by the feel of the school and the Clinic.
 
So... what you're saying is they paid you in cookies to sell this school to me? Because I'm really excited about October now!!

congrats 🙂 sounds like you had a ridiculously good experience
 
fizzgig said:
So... what you're saying is they paid you in cookies to sell this school to me? Because I'm really excited about October now!!

congrats 🙂 sounds like you had a ridiculously good experience
Click to expand...

Pretty much!

oh, they did give us numbers (and you all know how much I love numbers).

They are anticipating 4000 applications for the 42 MD spots. They will give out 1200-1300 LOR, 250-280+ interviews, and 60-70 acceptances.

The last interview day is December 12th, and the first day they will look at interviewers and rank them is September 20th.
 
Snuke said:
Pretty much!

oh, they did give us numbers (and you all know how much I love numbers).

They are anticipating 4000 applications for the 42 MD spots. They will give out 1200-1300 LOR, 250-280+ interviews, and 60-70 acceptances.

The last interview day is December 12th, and the first day they will look at interviewers and rank them is September 20th.
Click to expand...

Lets hope its 250 interviews and 70 acceptances to give us the highest probability.
 
Snuke said:
Needless to say, I feel this is my first choice. I still need to visit other schools, but I was blown away by the feel of the school and the Clinic.
Click to expand...

Oh man. And I thought I couldn't get any more excited/nervous for my visit next week. They should at least be forced to interview everybody between December and March so we don't get quite so jealous of the folks who get accepted. :laugh:
 
Frazier said:
Thanks for the update Snuke. It sounds like a great place - look forward to checking it out myself. 250 invites+70 acceptances would be nice: closer to 1 out of 3 instead of 1 out of 5. 😉

Did you get any indication of which interviewer you were going to have beforehand - or was it more like "mystery prize behind door #1"?
Click to expand...

Gina said it would be more like just over 280 interviews this year. The 250-270 is a general amount the past few years, but this one will be a bit more.

We had no indication until we walked into the room and found our name cards with a Mayo folder that contained our itinerary for the day (along with some lovely resources).

I had one good interviewer, and one amazing, but pretty much everyone was very happy with who interviewed them. From what Gina was saying, some people fight to be scheduled to do interviews - especially the Director of Diversity, even though he has so much to do anyway, apparently.

And really, I just had this experience as I was eating out with my hosts - their friends would come up, see that we were prospectives, and the first thing out of their mouth was, 'you know, they treat us so well here.' It's delightfully amazing.
 
Snuke said:
Gina said it would be more like just over 280 interviews this year. The 250-270 is a general amount the past few years, but this one will be a bit more.

We had no indication until we walked into the room and found our name cards with a Mayo folder that contained our itinerary for the day (along with some lovely resources).

I had one good interviewer, and one amazing, but pretty much everyone was very happy with who interviewed them. From what Gina was saying, some people fight to be scheduled to do interviews - especially the Director of Diversity, even though he has so much to do anyway, apparently.

And really, I just had this experience as I was eating out with my hosts - their friends would come up, see that we were prospectives, and the first thing out of their mouth was, 'you know, they treat us so well here.' It's delightfully amazing.
Click to expand...


70/280 is about 1 in 4 chances. Not too bad....
 
raltima07 said:
70/280 is about 1 in 4 chances. Not too bad....
Click to expand...

It's not as bad as it could be. Even if they go 60 acceptances and 280+ interviews, that's still somewhere between a fifth and a fourth. I'm slightly optimistic, but still expecting a waitlist/rejection. I can't let myself get too attached, just in case.

I shall take some lovely photos - it's beautiful right now - of various places tomorrow morning before my shuttle. I love it here. 😍
 
Hi everyone,

first time poster here. I have a question: I received my MCAT scores on Aug 30th, and I still haven't received any notification from Mayo. My school, however, did send my LORs to Mayo and all the other schools. Do you think they won't send an LOR request if they wanted them?
 
Yraqi said:
Hi everyone,

first time poster here. I have a question: I received my MCAT scores on Aug 30th, and I still haven't received any notification from Mayo. My school, however, did send my LORs to Mayo and all the other schools. Do you think they won't send an LOR request if they wanted them?
Click to expand...

Mayo will only send LOR requests if you move on to that step. That you have not received that email means only that: you have not moved on. If your primary is verified and your LORs sent out on the 30th, you have several weeks before you start to worry about if you're rejected, and even then - I know LeoGer waited 7 weeks between LOR request and interview.

Earlier, about 2-3 weeks was normal between fee request and LOR request. Now, later in the season, it might take even longer, as they have just started interviewing.

So yes, you will get a LOR request if Mayo wants to see them. Until they send that email, they're just looking at your stats and ECs, not even your PS.
 
Snuke said:
I hear you, and come running!

Oh man, where to start. Really, I just had an amazing incredible experience.

The interview day is long, but it seriously feels short. Everyone is incredibly nice, from admin people to MDs to students to random people on the street. All the students are blissfully happy (not just my hosts or the people running the tours. I think we met almost half the class, and not a single one - when pressed - could think of a major shortcoming to the school), and many of them turned down big names to go to Mayo. Amongst them: Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, UCSF, Wash U.

The interview day starts in the student center/admissions office. It's a small building across from the Gonda, rather out of place with the rest of the Mayo buildings because it's a renovated library. Very handsome inside, too. Gina is incredibly nice, and she did the orientation, which was largely the same video posted earlier and on the website. Then we met with the assistant dean of Academic and Student Affairs, then the Director of the Office of Diversity. Each of the talks were pretty short, which was nice. Then half of us had a 30 minute interview, the other half 30 minutes of down-time, then we switched. The ice was pretty much broken already because we'd met with our student hosts the night before to have dinner (and some of us helped the Birthday Baking Committee bake cupcakes!).

Then we had a tour of the Medical School. The Plummer building (library) is gorgeous, and we traipsed through the pedestrian subway, which is also very nice, and visited a few floors of the Gonda building. The Gonda building/Mayo Clinic is really quite majestic on the inside - marble and comfortable chairs everywhere, and someone was usually playing the grand piano. The peds floor is amazing - almost makes me want to be a pediatrician - and is designed for kids and to be very kid-friendly with curves and colors and low furniture everywhere.

Then lunch, then another interview/break, in which a few of us walked to the gym (which is a-MAZING and humongous) and had a tour (you get free membership your first two years). Then it was a short meeting with The Associate dean of Academic Affairs and a Dr. on the Admissions Committee chair.

Overall, in every possible aspect, it was incredible. Like I said, everyone is blissfully happy. One of my student hosts compared Mayo to a utopia, and it truly is of a kind. They make their own little world here, and they run it immaculately. Everything is literally for the patient.

And that's the key. Mayo-wear (what they call professional suit attire for when with patients) is to reduce the boundaries between patient and doctor. Everything is set up to make the patient more comfortable/for the patient's benefit.

The class size is, well, intimate. Everyone knows everyone and everyone's business, so if you aren't comfortable with that, that could be a problem. The small size, however, allows for opportunities that you can't have otherwise. In gross anatomy, they have a radiologist (because they CT the cadavers first), two surgeons expert in the field of whatever you're dissecting, and enough TAs to cover the rest of the tables. If you want to shadow someone, all you do is email them and set it up. There are a few set selectives, but people make up their own based on their interests, or if they want to travel somewhere, they do the hours of serving the underserved the first week and enjoy themselves the second week.

Some advice: Yes, Rochester really is small. Downtown takes up about a street. You're going to have to either get over it or don't interview. Really, it's small, and it takes about 90 minutes to get there from Minneapolis.

While the weather was great when I was here, it does get to -40 F.

When people are talking to you, pay attention. I had the Director of Diversity for my first interview, and I was able to use some of his key words and points as we talked.

The interviews are really really low stress. The only stress is what you put on yourself. Both of my interviews started with 'tell me about yourself,' and you get to pretty much direct it from there.

Any questions? I could keep going, but I'd rather answer specific questions.

Needless to say, I feel this is my first choice. I still need to visit other schools, but I was blown away by the feel of the school and the Clinic.
Click to expand...

I agree with all of this. I think I was slightly less bit by the Mayo bug, but it's a really cool, different vibe. Good luck to all those interviewing! It really was just a pleasant conversation.
 
Does anyone know how the admissions committee determines acceptance after the interview? Is it based on the whole app or just the interview at that point. Basically what im saying is that my stats are average, but if i do a great interview, i hope i dont get thrown out just because of average stats compared to everyone else interviewing
 
SDapplicant said:
Does anyone know how the admissions committee determines acceptance after the interview? Is it based on the whole app or just the interview at that point. Basically what im saying is that my stats are average, but if i do a great interview, i hope i dont get thrown out just because of average stats compared to everyone else interviewing
Click to expand...

I'm sure they'll still review your application as a whole, but if they decided to offer you an interview, then they must have seen something worthwhile in your written application.

Can you really imagine the adcom thinking, "Meh.. this guy has unimpressive stats, but let's offer him an interview on the off-chance that he might blow us away with his conversation"?
 
SDapplicant said:
Does anyone know how the admissions committee determines acceptance after the interview? Is it based on the whole app or just the interview at that point. Basically what im saying is that my stats are average, but if i do a great interview, i hope i dont get thrown out just because of average stats compared to everyone else interviewing
Click to expand...

Their mcat averages are pretty low for such a selective school. This makes me think that they may place more emphasis on other factors when it comes to making the final selection. Who knows though...
 
Has anyone heard anything from student hosts? I filled out the questionnaire several weeks ago and have heard nothing... My interview is set for Sept 19th.

Thanks!
 
Snuke said:
Mayo will only send LOR requests if you move on to that step. That you have not received that email means only that: you have not moved on. If your primary is verified and your LORs sent out on the 30th, you have several weeks before you start to worry about if you're rejected, and even then - I know LeoGer waited 7 weeks between LOR request and interview.

Earlier, about 2-3 weeks was normal between fee request and LOR request. Now, later in the season, it might take even longer, as they have just started interviewing.

So yes, you will get a LOR request if Mayo wants to see them. Until they send that email, they're just looking at your stats and ECs, not even your PS.
Click to expand...

Thanks Snuke. It's weird that they don't go over the PS. We'll see how this goes.
 
MelMelisqueen said:
I agree with all of this. I think I was slightly less bit by the Mayo bug, but it's a really cool, different vibe. Good luck to all those interviewing! It really was just a pleasant conversation.
Click to expand...

I'm not quite sure that it's possible to be bit more than me. :laugh: It was great seeing you there! Good luck on your other interviews.

SDapplicant said:
Does anyone know how the admissions committee determines acceptance after the interview? Is it based on the whole app or just the interview at that point. Basically what im saying is that my stats are average, but if i do a great interview, i hope i dont get thrown out just because of average stats compared to everyone else interviewing
Click to expand...

From what I saw and heard, a lot of the decision lies on the interviews, less on stats. It seemed that grades are more the litmus test, but it's your personality that they truly want to discover. That was my take, the take of some fellow interviewees, and the opinion of a wayward M1 who popped into the waiting room to tell us hello.

They want you to be happy, and they have to be selective because their class size is so small. (They also strive for a lot of diversity). If you got an interview cheer! You're one of few, so just go in, be enthusiastic, and do your best. There's nothing else you can do, and nothing else you can change.
 
Bruin2011 said:
Has anyone heard anything from student hosts? I filled out the questionnaire several weeks ago and have heard nothing... My interview is set for Sept 19th.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

It's probably your hosts that are taking longer. Some responded quicker. I'd give it a day or two, because mine emailed me with under a week left, but then email again. They have a histo test on Friday, so they might be rather overwhelmed.
 
Bruin2011 said:
Has anyone heard anything from student hosts? I filled out the questionnaire several weeks ago and have heard nothing... My interview is set for Sept 19th.

Thanks!
Click to expand...


I pm'd you some information.
 
Does anyone know where Mayo's residency match list can be found? I searched through Mayo's website and SDN with no luck...

Thanks!

Nevermind, found it here: Mayo's 2011 Match List
 
Last edited:
If there is anyone - interviewee or student - who would like to hang out this Thursday please drop me a PM. I'm going to be in town Thur/Fri/Sat and I would love to have some company. Can anyone suggest stuff to do? I would love to get into some activity - museums/music/history/whatever!

Unfortunately, I am never able to stay with student hosts because I talk in my sleep, and I don't want to put anyone through that. :laugh: If I can lure one of our awesome 'Mayo Insiders' out for a late lunch or dinner on Thursday the chow will be on me! I know you have a test on Friday, so if you want to hang out later after your exam I'll help you quench your thirst as well. I would love to learn more about the school off the record. 🙂

Thank you for all your postings Snuke - you are a asset to the SDN community. 👍

Edit: I'm really excited to just get the chance to interview here. What a blessing! 😀
 
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