2011-2012 University of Maryland Application Thread

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The application process to Maryland left a lot to be desired. As an out-of-state applicant, the interview day felt almost disciminatory. After showing up on time for my interview, I was left waiting for half an hour for an oncologist. He finally called me in, sat me down, and ranted about why facebook sucks. Then he pulled out my AMCAS and asked me about specific grades I had gotten. Never once asked why I like medicine or even that school. I don't know if it was representative or not, and I've heard a lot of good things about the school itself, but be wary of the application process!

Hahaha. It sounds like that doctor had a lot of fun with you.
 
so i'm having trouble coming up with anything even close to the 1500 character limit on community service experience? i have like 800 characters right now, but I could expand the "experience" if i made it more than 1 "event" in one of my organizations (i hope this makes sense) -- how literally did everyone take the "an comm service event"? how long were yours? just wondering if it would be cheating to expand mine. it's funny cuz i have WAY TOO MUCH on the clinical experience one before that, haha.
 
The application process to Maryland left a lot to be desired. As an out-of-state applicant, the interview day felt almost disciminatory. After showing up on time for my interview, I was left waiting for half an hour for an oncologist. He finally called me in, sat me down, and ranted about why facebook sucks. Then he pulled out my AMCAS and asked me about specific grades I had gotten. Never once asked why I like medicine or even that school. I don't know if it was representative or not, and I've heard a lot of good things about the school itself, but be wary of the application process!

He didn't ask me what i prepared for! this application process is bs!

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

and btw, the process is discriminatory. 80% in state
 
Hahaha. It sounds like that doctor had a lot of fun with you.
That's just it. He was like grumpy-annoyed the entire time. He ended the interview with the point that facebook would never make money, and that it's just a fad for young people.
 
so i'm having trouble coming up with anything even close to the 1500 character limit on community service experience? i have like 800 characters right now, but I could expand the "experience" if i made it more than 1 "event" in one of my organizations (i hope this makes sense) -- how literally did everyone take the "an comm service event"? how long were yours? just wondering if it would be cheating to expand mine. it's funny cuz i have WAY TOO MUCH on the clinical experience one before that, haha.

Don't be too worried. Don't write sentences just to fill in space unless they are important to your paragraph. It's better to be on the brief side and truly talk about what matters, than to stretch it out and dilute your response to the question.
 
anybody else just get an email? the language is weird but it seems like a notification that our application is complete "We have received your second stage application and begun to process it."

..anybody else in the same boat?
 
anybody else just get an email? the language is weird but it seems like a notification that our application is complete "We have received your second stage application and begun to process it."

..anybody else in the same boat?
ya, got that two weeks ago after submitting. It just sounds weird but nothing wrong with the grammar
 
After looking at them again, I guess only a couple are nontrad-specific. Nevertheless, pretty much all of these things were on AMCAS already...

Please describe and explain below any academic problems which you might have had while in college and/or graduate or professional school. Please include withdrawals, incompletes, poor grades, etc.

Have you done independent research or study? Explain.

Has your education to date been continuous other than vacations? Explain.

If you are a recent graduate (2011), please indicate what you plan to do during the coming year. Explain.

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense, or are there any criminal charges pending against you? Explain.

THANKS Frazier! I don't know how i just got this. lost in my own little world i guess... are these also 1500 characters?

Also, for the "What does it meant to enter into a profession" q, I think i'm talking only about medical profession. I am afraid I'm not answering the q though b/c wouldnt they just ask "what does it mean to enter the MEDICAL profession" if they wanted? It's actually really hard for me to write these open ended philosophical q's and once i did, i had to pare it down to 1500 and now it sounds awkward and choppy -- UNLESS i just leave it to the medical profession.
 
THANKS Frazier! I don't know how i just got this. lost in my own little world i guess... are these also 1500 characters?

Also, for the "What does it meant to enter into a profession" q, I think i'm talking only about medical profession. I am afraid I'm not answering the q though b/c wouldnt they just ask "what does it mean to enter the MEDICAL profession" if they wanted? It's actually really hard for me to write these open ended philosophical q's and once i did, i had to pare it down to 1500 and now it sounds awkward and choppy -- UNLESS i just leave it to the medical profession.

If it flows better and answers the question by just writing about the medical profession specifically, then go with it. 🙂
 
also, why would they ask this q:
Have you previously met with a University of Maryland School of Medicine Admissions staff member at an Open House, College Fair, Conference, School visit, etc.?

i mean...I met and made a good impression on the md/phd director (not sure she's the admissions director though) but i'm not applying md/phd anymore (not sure she would remember me either). I also met a guy on the md adcom but I don't remember his name and it wasn't significant.
 
also, why would they ask this q:
Have you previously met with a University of Maryland School of Medicine Admissions staff member at an Open House, College Fair, Conference, School visit, etc.?

i mean...I met and made a good impression on the md/phd director (not sure she's the admissions director though) but i'm not applying md/phd anymore (not sure she would remember me either). I also met a guy on the md adcom but I don't remember his name and it wasn't significant.

Maybe they look favorably upon demonstrated interest in the school? List it anyway!!! It can only help.
 
thanks xATB!

Do you guys know if the correct nickname/shorthand for this school is "UMD"?
 
Is anyone having trouble with how slow this website is?! I'm trying to submit my secondary, and it keeps giving me error messages when I type in an answer.

Making me nervous.... 🙁
 
It won't save anything I type. I tried on two different computers because I thought the first time the issue was bc I wasn't using internet explorer. It always says error timed out and won't save anything. Is that the same problem everyone else is having?
 
It won't save anything I type. I tried on two different computers because I thought the first time the issue was bc I wasn't using internet explorer. It always says error timed out and won't save anything. Is that the same problem everyone else is having?

Yeah, that sounds about right. I tried two different computers, and probably all browsers imaginable..

Maybe I'll give them a call tomorrow about this issue and see when it's gonna get fixed
 
I went to UMD. We call it UMD

It's actually UMB, university of maryland at bmore, or more recently, theyve been calling it university of maryland, the founding campus. This reflects the school's rxn to the recent ideas floating around the maryland legislature to combine college park with the professional school campus in bmore.
 
I submitted primary 6/15 (wasn't verified til like 8/1 though), and I have yet to hear anything from UMD... Should I call to make sure they even got my app? Weirddd, and I'm IS.
 
UMDSOM is my first choice, but I've been sitting on the secondary....forever! i have done every other secondary I have gotten before this one...just because I feel like I would have to really make an impression with the secondary considering my lame MCAT scores ...🙁


Good luck everyone 😍
 
UMDSOM is my first choice, but I've been sitting on the secondary....forever! i have done every other secondary I have gotten before this one...just because I feel like I would have to really make an impression with the secondary considering my lame MCAT scores ...🙁


Good luck everyone 😍

Hey kebede! Just keep in mind what you own quote says: "You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith."

Stay positive, and get that secondary done! Because with rolling admissions... the sooner, the better!
 
Hey kebede! Just keep in mind what you own quote says: "You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith."

Stay positive, and get that secondary done! Because with rolling admissions... the sooner, the better!

+1 to that 👍
 
UMDSOM is my first choice, but I've been sitting on the secondary....forever! i have done every other secondary I have gotten before this one...just because I feel like I would have to really make an impression with the secondary considering my lame MCAT scores ...🙁


Good luck everyone 😍

I'm considering applying here. 3.83, 30M (boo, idk what happened on test day), OOS. Is it worth a shot with a 30 OOS?
 
I'm considering applying here. 3.83, 30M (boo, idk what happened on test day), OOS. Is it worth a shot with a 30 OOS?

#1: This question should be in the "what's my chances" section.

#2: MSAR MSAR MSAR. Go check the stats. I am not helpful enough to go do that research for you. ^^ Your GPA and MCAT are solid enough that you could apply to a wide range of schools. Good luck!
 
this might be pretty obvious but for the first question about clinical medicine, would any research experience in translational research area count? I would prefer to write about the research rather than my exposure through hospital volunteering.
 
this might be pretty obvious but for the first question about clinical medicine, would any research experience in translational research area count? I would prefer to write about the research rather than my exposure through hospital volunteering.

That's what I did. I wrote about my clinical research.
 
this might be pretty obvious but for the first question about clinical medicine, would any research experience in translational research area count? I would prefer to write about the research rather than my exposure through hospital volunteering.

As LizzyM shares: "If you can smell patients, it's a clinical experience"
 
You don't get a "complete" email for Maryland right? Basically if you have a green check next to all the items, you're set and "in review" any day?
 
You don't get a "complete" email for Maryland right? Basically if you have a green check next to all the items, you're set and "in review" any day?

I received an email saying that had received my app and a reminder to forward my LORs.
 
I received an email saying that had received my app and a reminder to forward my LORs.

Hm... my LORs had already been submitted long beforehand. Maybe that's why? I have all the green boxes checked so I'm not sure why there would be a significant delay before they send a "complete" email (if they do)
 
Hm... my LORs had already been submitted long beforehand. Maybe that's why? I have all the green boxes checked so I'm not sure why there would be a significant delay before they send a "complete" email (if they do)

I sent my LORs in on 6/1. I got that email on 7/20.

All my boxes were checked when I got that email too.
 
You don't get a "complete" email for Maryland right? Basically if you have a green check next to all the items, you're set and "in review" any day?

I got an email a few days after submitting (with all boxes checked, including LORs) with the subject title: "University of Maryland School of Medicine -- Secondary Application Received" . Hope this helps answer your question.
 
Hm... I submitted mine 9 days ago with all boxes checked (and when I log in, it says the application was certified properly). I haven't gotten any emails. 🙁
 
luckyducky - by "complete" email you mean the "we received your 2ndary and please send your letters" right? i have the same situation as therunner.
 
I believe so. Email titled "University of Marylan School of Medicine -- Secondary Application Received" right? I guess I assumed that was the "complete" email since... it took them so long to acknowledge it that I figured it can't simply be "your electronic submission was really went through" Oh well, in any case, my letters should have been received so I won't worry!

------------------------------
Dear Applicant,
We have received your second stage application and begun to process it. If you have not had your letters of recommendation forwarded to AMCAS please do so as soon as possible. ..
 
Hey kebede! Just keep in mind what you own quote says: "You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith."

Stay positive, and get that secondary done! Because with rolling admissions... the sooner, the better!

Thanks Fishah for the encouragement, will be sending it out tmr...it's the last one of them all.:xf:
 
I was verified 8/23 and have yet to hear that they even received my AMCAS... how long before I'm concerned? Do they screen OOS for secondaries?
 
I was verified 8/23 and have yet to hear that they even received my AMCAS... how long before I'm concerned? Do they screen OOS for secondaries?

According to MSAR, they don't screen at all, and this doesn't exactly answer your question, but if it makes you feel better, I was verified around the same time and I haven't received a secondary either. It could be that they download apps every two weeks (or maybe even every month) or something, so I'd give it another week before I call 🙂
 
According to MSAR, they don't screen at all, and this doesn't exactly answer your question, but if it makes you feel better, I was verified around the same time and I haven't received a secondary either. It could be that they download apps every two weeks (or maybe even every month) or something, so I'd give it another week before I call 🙂

makes me feel better 🙂 maybe I'll take a break and get off the forums and enjoy the lull ha. good luck to you!
 
Looks like invites started going out the Friday before Labor Day last year...let's hope we start seeing some soon. Good luck everyone.

Go Terps!
 
Looks like invites started going out the Friday before Labor Day last year...let's hope we start seeing some soon. Good luck everyone.

Go Terps!

So there won't be any invites going out tomorrow as far as I know. The school is closed and even classes are canceled due to the Grand Prix (read: Formula 1 race) which is taking place on the streets of B-more this weekend. You will all have to wait till after labor day to get your invites if you haven't gotten them already.

I stopped by the admissions office this week and they are definitely processing your applications, so do not fret! I know how incredibly stressful this whole process can be (I was in your shoes only a few months ago), but have some faith, patience, and perseverance - they are all skills that will pay off in spades next year.

Feel free to DM me, I am current M1 at UMDSOM
 
Is it just me or is the secondary site REALLY slow? :/
It's taking 5+ minutes to load one page incompletely. 🙁
 
So I got the "secondary received" message and based on previous posts in the thread, it sounds like this is basically Maryland's version of "complete" (or is this inaccurate?). I was wondering if any of your guys' status pages showed your letters of recommendation as "not received"? Mine were uploaded to AMCAS two months ago and the other schools have already received them. Does anyone else have this issue and do you think it would be a good idea to email admissions about it?

Thanks!!! 🙂
 
I was wondering if any of your guys' status pages showed your letters of recommendation as "not received"? Mine were uploaded to AMCAS two months ago and the other schools have already received them. Does anyone else have this issue and do you think it would be a good idea to email admissions about it?

I'm having the same issue. Out of 25 schools, this is the only one that hasn't uploaded my letters (at least according to my status page). Maybe they're just behind?
 
So I got the "secondary received" message and based on previous posts in the thread, it sounds like this is basically Maryland's version of "complete" (or is this inaccurate?). I was wondering if any of your guys' status pages showed your letters of recommendation as "not received"? Mine were uploaded to AMCAS two months ago and the other schools have already received them. Does anyone else have this issue and do you think it would be a good idea to email admissions about it?

Thanks!!! 🙂

I'm having the same issue. Out of 25 schools, this is the only one that hasn't uploaded my letters (at least according to my status page). Maybe they're just behind?

I actually had this same problem: two of my letters were marked as "not received", even though I submitted them to AMCAS two months earlier. I called Admissions, and for some reason they were there, just not processed as received (?). If you think they should have them, I would give them a call.
 
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