2011-2012 Saint Louis University Application Thread

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Just a heads-up, in case you hadn't noticed. SLU's reviews and acceptances aren't in order of interview date, as much as they are in order of when the forms are turned in post-interview. Some interviewers are slower than others, so you may have longer to wait than someone else who interviewed on the same day (or even after you).

Keep your head up and be patient (I apparently also need this advice). 🙂

herp derp :banana:
 
Just a heads-up, in case you hadn't noticed. SLU's reviews and acceptances aren't in order of interview date, as much as they are in order of when the forms are turned in post-interview. Some interviewers are slower than others, so you may have longer to wait than someone else who interviewed on the same day (or even after you).

Keep your head up and be patient (I apparently also need this advice). 🙂


Now that you mention, that is excellent advice. Thank you, don't know why I didn't think of that. I just hope Dr. Shoemaker is on top of his game and got the review in early! He certainly seemed like he was, so we'll see! This wait is worse than after taking the MCAT. Oh the joys of being a pre-medical, SOON to be medical student.
 
Yeah, I saw that, but some schools (I've seen it with either Cornell or NYU) accept advanced coursework as a replacement for fundamental prerequisites.
Hi, recently accepted. I should be really happy except:

After contacting the admissions office, I learned that "AP credit is not considered by the committee" and they only take chemistry classes from the chemistry department?? Can any current student confirm this?!

I am an engineering major and I had to take biochemistry and thermodynamics classes through the engineering department. And it is too late to take the first semester Gen Chem and lab! Do they actually retract admission offers if we cannot fulfill the inorganic chemistry 8 hr requirement?? Should I go ahead and sign up for 8 hrs of inorganic chemistry in the chemistry department next semester (I have AP credit so I can skip ahead to take Gen Chem 2 and its lab)?

p.s. the biochemistry and lab (4 hr) and thermodynamics (4 hr) are classified as CHEM in the AMCAS.

Thanks and hopefully there is an easier solution to this.
 
Does anyone know if SLU has a second look?

I called this afternoon about a second look weekend. SLU doesn't have one! But the admissions attendant told me that we are welcome to visit again any time we would like to. I'm going to contact my interview day host in a few months to see if he can try to set up something semi-formally. He is in charge of the student-run hosting program.

If all else fails, we just all coordinate a trip to STL and walk around on our own!
 
First scheduled II! I scheduled for 12/12 at St. Mary's since my family lives about an hour south of STL. This is definitely great news after being forced to lie in a bed for a week straight after surgery haha.


OOS
Submitted application 10/22 (not sure exact date of "completion")
II Invite 11/22
 
First scheduled II! I scheduled for 12/12 at St. Mary's since my family lives about an hour south of STL. This is definitely great news after being forced to lie in a bed for a week straight after surgery haha.


OOS
Submitted application 10/22 (not sure exact date of "completion")
II Invite 11/22

Is Saint Louis open to in area request?
 
Is Saint Louis open to in area request?

No. At least that's what the SLU adcom member I asked about it (after being accepted) told me. (I asked his opinion on the issue overall and he was pretty negative on it -- apparently some adcom members find this inappropriate behavior.)
 
Hi, recently accepted. I should be really happy except:

After contacting the admissions office, I learned that "AP credit is not considered by the committee" and they only take chemistry classes from the chemistry department?? Can any current student confirm this?!

I am an engineering major and I had to take biochemistry and thermodynamics classes through the engineering department. And it is too late to take the first semester Gen Chem and lab! Do they actually retract admission offers if we cannot fulfill the inorganic chemistry 8 hr requirement?? Should I go ahead and sign up for 8 hrs of inorganic chemistry in the chemistry department next semester (I have AP credit so I can skip ahead to take Gen Chem 2 and its lab)?

p.s. the biochemistry and lab (4 hr) and thermodynamics (4 hr) are classified as CHEM in the AMCAS.

Thanks and hopefully there is an easier solution to this.

Yeah, this might be a problem for me as well -- I did engineering for undergrad.

Do you already have english?

I have no english.

I have 1 semester of general chemistry with lab and 1 semester of orgo with lab from the department of chemical engineering (CHE department code).

I also have IB (kind of like AP) general chem, which shows up on my university transcript (I got transfer credit from my college). Do you think I'd be able to use this for the 2nd general chem semester?
 
Anyone here know approximately how full the class is at present? I'm on the waitlist and hoping to hear sooner than later. Thanks!
 
Is anyone out in st Louis tonight for the interview tomorrow?
 
Has anyone heard back from SLU after their interview? If so, when did you interview?
 
I interviewed 10/25 and heard back a little under 3 weeks, but it depends on your interviewer not the date.
 
Has anyone heard back from SLU after their interview? If so, when did you interview?

I interviewed on Halloween and I haven't heard back yet. I really hoping to hear soon! Good luck! I keep checking here relatively often to see if people are hearing from the school or not ha.
 
I interviewed on Halloween and I haven't heard back yet. I really hoping to hear soon! Good luck! I keep checking here relatively often to see if people are hearing from the school or not ha.

we interviewed on the same day! i'm hoping this week..
 
we interviewed on the same day! i'm hoping this week..

I also interviewed on 10/31. I'm obsessively checking my email for any news. :xf:hoping for the best for all of us 🙂
 
Accepted Class of 2016! My first acceptance, so I am bouncing off of the walls right now! 👍:laugh:👍:laugh:🙂🙂🙂

I interviewed on 10/31! If anybody has any questions about me as an applicant or SLU interviews, just PM me!

Also, I am new to this. They are asking to hear from me within two weeks of my intent. I have 3 other schools to interview at and 7 left to hear from. Correct me if I am wrong, but I can hold my acceptance at SLU and if I change my mind before May 15th, I can rescind it? The wording is kind of vague, so if anybody could help clarify, I would be very appreciative!
 
per their website
Tuition Deposit
Accepted applicants to the first year class are required to make an advance tuition payment of $100 to hold their places. Such payments are applied to the first semester charges and will not be refunded unless written notification of a change in plans is received prior to May 15.
http://www.slu.edu/x46046.xml
 
ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Interviewed 10/31.
 
Oh man. Hopefully I'll hear today. Thanks for the updates.
 
interview 11/1, accepted today!!!

not sure if it helped, but i did send in a letter of interest a week after my interview. i was not expecting admission. good luck to all!
 
Way to go buddy! I'm sure I'd recognize you if I saw you ha. Maybe see you in the fall of '12?👍

Congrats guys!!! I hope Saint Louis grants my In area request and gives me an interview!! lol
 
Do they e-mail out rejections and wait-lists with the acceptances, or are you stuck waiting for snail mail?
 
So, on my interview day, I really liked many things about SLU! Wonderful place! I was wondering if any current students wouldn't mind sharing their insight about both the good/great and the bad? Thank you very much in advance!
 
I received my first medical school acceptance this morning to SLU! I interviewed October 17 and am an in state applicant. My stats are:
GPA:3.70 sGPA:3.48 MCAT:32R
for those wondering how they stack up...


Good luck to all others applying!
 
3.85s,c, 32R but I think its my clinical experience/stories that got me in...

Anyone know the USMLE pass rates btw?
 
3.85s,c, 32R but I think its my clinical experience/stories that got me in...

Anyone know the USMLE pass rates btw?

They say that they're "above average" just like all medical schools. I don't know the official rate, but you should judge USMLE pass rates by the students who attend the school, not the school itself. That would be like saying Harvard is a great school to go to to get a great MCAT score for your undergrad. It doesn't make sense. Your step scores are what you put into them. Nearly all U.S. (I think all, but I can't be sure) will give you the tools to do well.
 
so they stated in the acceptance letter that they would appreciate it if i sent in my intent in 2 weeks. is this standard? i'm concerned that they are calling me on my letter of interest (not intent) i sent after my interview. while it's true it's one of my top choices because of how they stress taking care of their students, it was my first interview and i have more coming in january and beyond. Being a CA resident, getting into a cali school would trump anything else just by the savings in tuition alone.
 
so they stated in the acceptance letter that they would appreciate it if i sent in my intent in 2 weeks. is this standard? i'm concerned that they are calling me on my letter of interest (not intent) i sent after my interview. while it's true it's one of my top choices because of how they stress taking care of their students, it was my first interview and i have more coming in january and beyond. Being a CA resident, getting into a cali school would trump anything else just by the savings in tuition alone.

Yes, it's standard. You're $100 deposit is fully refundable up to May 15, so don't panic.
 
Does SLU only send decisions on certain days of the week? I was hoping to hear back yesterday..
 
So, on my interview day, I really liked many things about SLU! Wonderful place! I was wondering if any current students wouldn't mind sharing their insight about both the good/great and the bad? Thank you very much in advance!

I'm pretty sure I answered this question in detail somewhere in this forum, but I can't find it right now.
The best part of SLU is the people. The administration is always willing to jump through hoops for students. They genuinely care about us and emphasize student wellness and being a person first and foremost. It's common for students to go plop down in one of the dean's offices to deal with various problems, help in planning weddings around school/step 1/rotations, etc. A few students had major crises during our first year (deaths in the family, etc.), and Student Affairs organized sympathy cards and helped the students reschedule tests and such as the students needed. They also make us fill out so many surveys so they can find out and fix any problems that exist (and they take them into account.... the second year class is the first to be on straight pass-fail without a curve and that was student-initiated with support from one of the deans). If they see students falling behind, they do everything possible to assist them. As far as classmates go, I feel like everyone is so willing to help one another. Students commonly send out their study tables/pictures/web-sites they found helpful/etc. and during anatomy, it was common to see students stay after to help one another with the material (probably attributable to being on pass/fail curriculum). I think it says a lot that out of a class of ~175, there's few I don't know or enjoy talking with. We have awesome social chairs who plan things like med school prom, bar nights (a large portion of our class goes out together after every test), laser tag, Sky Zone, sports games, etc.

My only complaints about the school are the temperature of the rooms since they're cold in summer and hot in winter, and it's noisy when they do construction on the library. Really, I don't have any thing I really dislike about the school. I'm happy here, I have more of a social life than in undergrad or high school, and I've made some of the best friends of my life. I love Saint Louis (and the crime statistics are majorly blown out of proportion), and I couldn't imagine being happier at any other school.

3.85s,c, 32R but I think its my clinical experience/stories that got me in...

Anyone know the USMLE pass rates btw?

I've already responded to similar questions in pm's from other applicants. Really, STOP WORRYING ABOUT STEP 1 AND MATCH RATES! If I had to apply all over again, I'd re-evaluate which questions really matter when picking a med school.
That said, the step 1 scores are indeed "above average," and here's my answer to someone asking about time off for step 1 and how well we're prepared for it:

We get off on May 4, and we start third year on July 9. We can schedule our step 1 any time in there. I've heard most tend to study 4-6 weeks straight before taking it and that it's plenty adequate. Really, though, our classes are taught to Step 1. Classes are divided more or less like First Aid (most of us use First Aid as our last minute review or simplification of our classes), and our teachers constantly tell us "This is a big topic for step 1" (many of them have sat for step 1 and many write questions for it). Our tests are like 80% clinically vignette-based. Curricular Affairs provides a ton of resources and sample schedules and such to study for step 1 as well.

Honestly though, if you want a tip about selecting med schools, focus on every day life stuff. Any US med school should adequately prepare you for the step 1 and should have a good match rate (and anyway, these things are really just dependent on student motivation). Things that actually matter are things most interviewees fail to ask about: whether the class gets along/interacts much, what a typical day is like (hours of lecture, small groups, labs, hours of studying, where students eat lunch/if it's good food), how classes are structured (pass/fail vs. grades, block vs. longitudinal classes, PBL vs. lecture), if attendance is required/if lectures are recorded, stress level, if the students are genuinely happy, if the administration is good/listen to student input, etc.. These are the things that are actually going to matter to you when classes start, and they're the things that are going to determine whether you spend the next four years happy or miserable.
 
Does SLU only send decisions on certain days of the week? I was hoping to hear back yesterday..

Also answered above, but the adcom meets on Wed. at lunch; so, the decisions go out Thurs. and Fri. usually.
 
If your interviewer gave you their card, and you had some questions regarding the school, is it inappropriate to contact them prior to a decision being made?
 
This was extremely helpful thank you!

I'm pretty sure I answered this question in detail somewhere in this forum, but I can't find it right now.
The best part of SLU is the people. The administration is always willing to jump through hoops for students. They genuinely care about us and emphasize student wellness and being a person first and foremost. It's common for students to go plop down in one of the dean's offices to deal with various problems, help in planning weddings around school/step 1/rotations, etc. A few students had major crises during our first year (deaths in the family, etc.), and Student Affairs organized sympathy cards and helped the students reschedule tests and such as the students needed. They also make us fill out so many surveys so they can find out and fix any problems that exist (and they take them into account.... the second year class is the first to be on straight pass-fail without a curve and that was student-initiated with support from one of the deans). If they see students falling behind, they do everything possible to assist them. As far as classmates go, I feel like everyone is so willing to help one another. Students commonly send out their study tables/pictures/web-sites they found helpful/etc. and during anatomy, it was common to see students stay after to help one another with the material (probably attributable to being on pass/fail curriculum). I think it says a lot that out of a class of ~175, there's few I don't know or enjoy talking with. We have awesome social chairs who plan things like med school prom, bar nights (a large portion of our class goes out together after every test), laser tag, Sky Zone, sports games, etc.

My only complaints about the school are the temperature of the rooms since they're cold in summer and hot in winter, and it's noisy when they do construction on the library. Really, I don't have any thing I really dislike about the school. I'm happy here, I have more of a social life than in undergrad or high school, and I've made some of the best friends of my life. I love Saint Louis (and the crime statistics are majorly blown out of proportion), and I couldn't imagine being happier at any other school.



I've already responded to similar questions in pm's from other applicants. Really, STOP WORRYING ABOUT STEP 1 AND MATCH RATES! If I had to apply all over again, I'd re-evaluate which questions really matter when picking a med school.
That said, the step 1 scores are indeed "above average," and here's my answer to someone asking about time off for step 1 and how well we're prepared for it:

We get off on May 4, and we start third year on July 9. We can schedule our step 1 any time in there. I've heard most tend to study 4-6 weeks straight before taking it and that it's plenty adequate. Really, though, our classes are taught to Step 1. Classes are divided more or less like First Aid (most of us use First Aid as our last minute review or simplification of our classes), and our teachers constantly tell us "This is a big topic for step 1" (many of them have sat for step 1 and many write questions for it). Our tests are like 80% clinically vignette-based. Curricular Affairs provides a ton of resources and sample schedules and such to study for step 1 as well.

Honestly though, if you want a tip about selecting med schools, focus on every day life stuff. Any US med school should adequately prepare you for the step 1 and should have a good match rate (and anyway, these things are really just dependent on student motivation). Things that actually matter are things most interviewees fail to ask about: whether the class gets along/interacts much, what a typical day is like (hours of lecture, small groups, labs, hours of studying, where students eat lunch/if it's good food), how classes are structured (pass/fail vs. grades, block vs. longitudinal classes, PBL vs. lecture), if attendance is required/if lectures are recorded, stress level, if the students are genuinely happy, if the administration is good/listen to student input, etc.. These are the things that are actually going to matter to you when classes start, and they're the things that are going to determine whether you spend the next four years happy or miserable.
 
Depends on why you are contacting them...
Not regarding my status or application, but questions about research opportunities and programs at the school we had discussed during the interview. Im just afraid it could be construed in a negative light.
 
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