2011-2012 Ohio State Application Thread

[xATB]

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Anyone else unable to log into their applicant portal page with their new OSU ID and temp password?

If you're talking about the status page, don't use the temp password. There is a password formula that you should use instead. It can be found at: http://medicine.osu.edu/students/admissions/requirements/pages/applicationstatus.aspx. Hope that helps, I had the same issue and it took me a while to find that link.

If you're talking about the page to complete the secondary, then I have no idea because my password worked fine.

 

[cal2012]

Wow, this password business with OSU is confusing...first, they send me an email saying that they got my secondary. I use the temp ID and password in that email-->NOTHING. Then it turns out I need to go through their "Account management system", use my temp ID and password there, get a new password...then it turns out that I can't check my status with this log-in! Turns out you need to go directly to the status page through their admissions website, and use your AAMC# and then (First letter of your first name)+(Last 4 numbers of your AAMC#)+(Last letter of your last name)+(first 2 numbers of your AAMC#). So I do so, only to discover that they haven't gotten my secondary yet.

WHY.

 

[equinsu ocha]

Wow, this password business with OSU is confusing...first, they send me an email saying that they got my secondary. I use the temp ID and password in that email-->NOTHING. Then it turns out I need to go through their "Account management system", use my temp ID and password there, get a new password...then it turns out that I can't check my status with this log-in! Turns out you need to go directly to the status page through their admissions website, and use your AAMC# and then (First letter of your first name)+(Last 4 numbers of your AAMC#)+(Last letter of your last name)+(first 2 numbers of your AAMC#). So I do so, only to discover that they haven't gotten my secondary yet.

WHY.

There are two areas you can look, the one where you actually filled out the secondary and the status page. The secondary page will tell you when you completed it, paid the fee, and whether it was received and confirmed. After that it takes some time for your status page to update. Two systems, two passwords, and they take some time to communicate...relax.

 

[lucky220]

Is anyone else having difficulty with this altruism essay? I've had this secondary for 2 weeks now and still can't think of something unique to write for this..

 

[equinsu ocha]

Is anyone else having difficulty with this altruism essay? I've had this secondary for 2 weeks now and still can't think of something unique to write for this..

Do you have volunteering work that you have done? You probably listed it on your amcas but try to expand on it or talk about it from a different angle. Then of course discuss how your experience coincides with your definition of altruism. Good luck.

 

[wasabid]

Is anyone else having difficulty with this altruism essay? I've had this secondary for 2 weeks now and still can't think of something unique to write for this..

I found that the essay was a lot easier to write when I had made a good definition of what altruism was....makes it easier to find something that fits the definition. I wrote about witnessing a wreck at an intersection a few weeks ago and pulling over to see if the drivers were alright and to give the police a statement. I think the assumption is that people need something earth-shatteringly significant like fixing cleft palates in third world countries or pulling children out of a burning house. The reality is that not everyone is going to have those experiences, as much as they wish they did. If you can find something that matches the definition you've given then that should be sufficient, right?

Then again, I haven't gotten an interview offer yet, so what do I know.

 

[osumc2014]

We are very service oriented, so as long as your altruism essay includes some volunteering experiences with an anecdote then you ll be good! 🙂

 

[byuhusker]

I'm really hoping for some love from Ohio state! I think it's so awesome Dr. Capers calls those invited for interviews. Hoping for a call myself

 

[thenthdegree]

Man, I just finished my first year of medical school, but reading this thread again is making me nervous all over again remembering the application cycle! AHHH!! Osumc2014, I am still wondering who you are! One day... one day I will know...

I'm an out-of-state student who ended up buying a house when I moved to Columbus for school. If anyone has questions about either of those things, feel more than free to ask.

 

[vb1]

Anyone know when they are planning on sending out interview invites this year?

 

[osumc2014]

Man, I just finished my first year of medical school, but reading this thread again is making me nervous all over again remembering the application cycle! AHHH!! Osumc2014, I am still wondering who you are! One day... one day I will know...

I'm an out-of-state student who ended up buying a house when I moved to Columbus for school. If anyone has questions about either of those things, feel more than free to ask.

haha one day you will! I'll give ya a hint, I went to school here for undergrad, haha that narrows it down to like 60 peeps 😎

 

[outdoorfanatic]

Anyone know when they are planning on sending out interview invites this year?

Looks like they were already handing out interviews by this time last year...not sure what changed.

 

[titilaya]

Any advice on question #2

 

[lzane1243]

Any advice on question #2

I just described a scenario that I encountered during one of my ec's and what i learned from it. I didn't do a typical different ethnicity/socioeconomic status, though. I tried to relate it to qualities I see fit for a doctor.

 

[thestrokes14]

Are people writing close to 600 words? It seems so much longer than the typical essay on a secondary. Usually 300 words is the maximum that I have encountered. Little shocked.

 

[zqx]

Are people writing close to 600 words? It seems so much longer than the typical essay on a secondary. Usually 300 words is the maximum that I have encountered. Little shocked.

Both of my essays were pretty close to the full 600 words.

 

[chitown22]

Are people writing close to 600 words? It seems so much longer than the typical essay on a secondary. Usually 300 words is the maximum that I have encountered. Little shocked.

Both of my essays were around 450 words. As long as you are confident that you got your message across, the word limit doesn't matter too much. Don't try to force writing more just to fill up space and you should be fine.

 

[equinsu ocha]

Are people writing close to 600 words? It seems so much longer than the typical essay on a secondary. Usually 300 words is the maximum that I have encountered. Little shocked.

Both of mine were around 300. Quality, not quantity.

 

[thestrokes14]

Yeah, I understand the whole cliche of quality over quantity. It's just that I could feasibly write 600 words on each of the essays, but it just seems like such a long essay for the ADCOM to read.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

 

[fizzgig]

mine were about 600 as well, but it's up to the adcoms i guess to decide if my extra words make it flow all purty or if i don't know when to shut up. it has to do with writing style to some degree. i think if you get your point across in 400 words they'll probably be thankful, because they're stuck reading longer stories from folks like me 🙂

 

[osumc2014]

quite honestly, adcoms read these so fast, bc think about how many they have to get through in a day, an essay's not gonna make or break ya!

 

[LeoGer]

quite honestly, adcoms read these so fast, bc think about how many they have to get through in a day, an essay's not gonna make or break ya!

Approaching every application with that attitude will encourage lots of rejections.

 

[equinsu ocha]

Yeah, I understand the whole cliche of quality over quantity. It's just that I could feasibly write 600 words on each of the essays, but it just seems like such a long essay for the ADCOM to read.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

Exactly. I want to give myself the best chance to have my essay read thoroughly, so I keep it short.

 

[osumc2014]

Approaching every application with that attitude will encourage lots of rejections.

From what do you base that statement on? It's much better to turn in a secondary early than to toil over how to make the secondary essay absolutely perfect.

 

[IDFsoldierboy]

That's just not true. Ive talked to several of the adcom members about this - all applications are read thoroughly. The essays are very important.

It may seem like a lot of applications, but there are a lot of screeners that go through the app's. Definitely spend time on these essays - this is a chance to show another side of yourself that isn't shown through your application. If the adcom didn't want to read these essays, they wouldnt make you write them.

I truly think it depends on which med school....I can't possibly imagine a school that gets 10,000 apps a year can possibly read everything (I have heard some med schools will spend like 10 minutes per app when deciding interviews but I could be wrong) but other schools that pre-screen for the secondary like the UC schools and only have to deal with around 2000 apps will probably read every last word you write.

 

[LeoGer]

From what do you base that statement on? It's much better to turn in a secondary early than to toil over how to make the secondary essay absolutely perfect.

"Absolutely perfect" isn't the same as doing a very good job. You can work on an essay for three days and that will make no difference to your chance of acceptance. They won't thoroughly read all 6,000 students' essays, but when they get down to a pool of ~800, there has to be something that separates the crowd. A half-assed response won't help.

 

[Illinois2012]

Sooooo excited. Got a call from Dr. Capers about an interview invite a little bit ago. Feeling on top of the world right now. Good luck to everyone else. Hopefully I'll be meeting a few of you there when I go.

 

[onecountry]

Wow.. I too received the phone call from the Dean. Thank you OSU!

 

[Illinois2012]

Wow.. I too received the phone call from the Dean. Thank you OSU!

Congrats! In hindsight, I hope I didn't sound too stupid on the phone. I was caught off guard cuz it was a restricted number, and once he told me I was so excited I can't even remember anything I said. Seems real nice though. It's really cool that he calls everyone invited for interviews.

 

[MacNCheesy]

Congrats! In hindsight, I hope I didn't sound too stupid on the phone. I was caught off guard cuz it was a restricted number, and once he told me I was so excited I can't even remember anything I said. Seems real nice though. It's really cool that he calls everyone invited for interviews.

Congrats to you both! I got the call too! So so excited!! I agree about being caught off guard. I thought it was my undergrad asking for money because they tend to call from restricted numbers, but for some reason I answered it anyways! It was a great surprise that it was Dr Capers instead!

 

[SBAKSHI]

Congrats! In hindsight, I hope I didn't sound too stupid on the phone. I was caught off guard cuz it was a restricted number, and once he told me I was so excited I can't even remember anything I said. Seems real nice though. It's really cool that he calls everyone invited for interviews.

Dr. Capers is one hack of a guy. You will love him..of course as an undergraduate, I have had a lot less chance to interact with him..but congratulations to the interviewees..can you post your stats and/or the dates you submitted? really appreciate this!

 

[Illinois2012]

Dr. Capers is one hack of a guy. You will love him..of course as an undergraduate, I have had a lot less chance to interact with him..but congratulations to the interviewees..can you post your stats and/or the dates you submitted? really appreciate this!

37Q
3.97 cGPA and sGPA
Submitted my secondary on Jun 28th

Hope the info helps

 

[SBAKSHI]

37Q
3.97 cGPA and sGPA
Submitted my secondary on Jun 28th

Hope the info helps

it surely does help! thanks a lot. Wish you all the best and I really hope to see you next year at OSU! Good luck with the interview!

 

[soccerboy90]

Sooooo excited. Got a call from Dr. Capers about an interview invite a little bit ago. Feeling on top of the world right now. Good luck to everyone else. Hopefully I'll be meeting a few of you there when I go.

Hey, congrats on the interview invite!! Just wondering, when were you complete?

 

[Illinois2012]

Hey, congrats on the interview invite!! Just wondering, when were you complete?

Thanks!

Complete on June 28th

 

[cal2012]

NOOO I didnt pick up my phone yesterday b/c I let my friend borrow it, she was going on about this restricted number that called me.

But I got the invite email this morning, so oh well.

Hope that didn't seem rude. I had no idea schools actually call for interview invites.

 

[FutureDoc001]

Congrats on all of the interview invites! I don't think Dr. Capers calls everyone for interview invites - last year my boyfriend did not get a call but I did. (Maybe he just missed it, though?) He definitely calls everyone for acceptances, though. Anyway, I hope to see some of you at OSUCOM next year and good luck to all!

 

[soccerboy90]

Wow haha apparently I did get a call. I just wasn't home to pick up. I checked my voicemail this morning and there's Dean Capers message Good luck to all of you other interviewees! What date are you guys going to be there?

 

[Illinois2012]

Anybody else going on September 7th?

In the words of Bart Scott, "CAN'T WAIT!"

 

[soccerboy90]

Anybody else going on September 7th?

In the words of Bart Scott, "CAN'T WAIT!"

I'm going Sept. 7th as well 👍

 

[Anranius]

Didn't get a call (or a voicemail), but did get an email! First interview!

Interviewing on the 14th.

Also, others might like to know that I submitted my secondary on 7/4. And my letters of recommendation are NOT submitted to AMCAS yet. I don't see myself as a knockout candidate, so maybe this happens fairly often for OSU?

At any rate, hope to see some of you all on the 14th!

 

[Didierdrogba]

Can the people invited to interview please share their completion dates?

Please please please~~~~~

 

[xATB]

It came today via status update! (but I haven't received the call yet). See my mdapps for stats and complete date.

 

[Donnie1310]

It came today via status update! (but I haven't received the call yet). See my mdapps for stats and complete date.

Just so I'm aware of where to look, where did this show up? Is it in application status > show more information on status?

 

[MonkfishSushi]

Hey everyone. Got the interview invite today for 9/14 🙂

Does anyone have advice on switching interviews? I would like to combine this one with another one in the area.

 

[xATB]

Just so I'm aware of where to look, where did this show up? Is it in application status > show more information on status?

They send you an email that your status page has been updated, so you don't need to keep checking. But it will show up on the main page. My "AMCAS submitted" status was changed to "Interview Invitation"

 

[xATB]

Hey everyone. Got the interview invite today for 9/14 🙂

Does anyone have advice on switching interviews? I would like to combine this one with another one in the area.

Go to your status page, click confirm interview, and then you'll have the option to confirm your date, reschedule, or withdraw.

 

[Donnie1310]

They send you an email that your status page has been updated, so you don't need to keep checking. But it will show up on the main page. My "application complete" was changed to "Interview Invite"

Thanks for the info, and congrats!

 

[ohio12]

Secondary was submitted on 6/27. Still no call for an interview invite or a rejection letter. 🙁 36O 3.46 IS Congratz to all the other interview invites already!

 

[MMPman]

I had a quick question. On the application status page, I have a AMCAS submitted and a secondary received status. Are we also supposed to have an application complete status?

Also, I just set up my account management page. Is this required for the application to be complete?

Thanks for the help!