2011 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

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Congrats to everyone who's getting secondaries! I've submitted my application and currently preparing for my Aug 19th mcat. I know it's late, but I'm hoping I get in-state somewhere with some luck. Is it possible to do all TBR chem/physics/orgo passages and 8 full-lengths in three weeks? Right now I'm freaking out and wondering if I should move my test to September 3rd (what is 2 more weeks going to do???). What do you think?
 
SunChip said:
Congrats to everyone who's getting secondaries! I've submitted my application and currently preparing for my Aug 19th mcat. I know it's late, but I'm hoping I get in-state somewhere with some luck. Is it possible to do all TBR chem/physics/orgo passages and 8 full-lengths in three weeks? Right now I'm freaking out and wondering if I should move my test to September 3rd (what is 2 more weeks going to do???). What do you think?
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Have you taken a diagnostic exam, like aamc practice exam 3?

It really depends on how close you think you are to getting the score you want. I scored a 30 and I studied for 4 months and took ~25 FULL length practice exams with an average score over the last 8 exams of 34.

Whatever you do, don't take the MCAT until you are ready. Scoring really low WILL be the kiss of death for this app cycle while applying a little later COULD only disadvantage you.

Good luck!
 
OneTyme said:
Have you taken a diagnostic exam, like aamc practice exam 3?

It really depends on how close you think you are to getting the score you want. I scored a 30 and I studied for 4 months and took ~25 FULL length practice exams with an average score over the last 8 exams of 34.

Whatever you do, don't take the MCAT until you are ready. Scoring really low WILL be the kiss of death for this app cycle while applying a little later COULD only disadvantage you.

Good luck!
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Also...... 4/10 for life!!!!
 
StarStup said:
Just ACCEPTED to LECOM!!!!! Yeah!!! Class of 2015! Soooo excited!
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WTG! :biglove:

eablackwell said:
LoL an MCAT test date... And oh so much more.

UPDATE: small pooled at UCF. I am now in the eligible for interview status. 👍
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👍 and :luck:

I start my away rotation on Monday. Nervous and excited at the same time. It's in a city I've never even been to, but the rotation sounds awesome, and I'm prepared to work my butt off to get an honors grade and a strong LOR. This will be the final piece of my app--I already have three other LORs. (ERAS limits you to four letters total that you can submit to any one program, so there's not much point in continuing to ask people to write more.) I can finally submit ERAS on Sept. 1, but since I'm going to be out of town for the whole month of August, I think I'm going to wait until right after Labor Day so that I can meet with the deans and have them review my app before I submit. I have appointments with them for the Tuesday after Labor Day, and I'll probably submit that night. :wow:
 
SunChip said:
What is 4/10?
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What is 4/10?!?!? Are you kidding me?? It was a veritable modern day wild west thriller, like young guns. Or, a laughable heroic comedy like Goonies. We laughed, we cried, and most importantly of all......... We defeated the beast.

It was our MCAT test date.

4/10 for life was our group motto. We all even got matching 4/10 tattoos.
 
Yeah, I should've gotten the tattoo is a less conspicuous place. All my students always ask "Shouldn't that reduce to 2/5?"
 
AMCAS just received all of my letters, finally! I am still waiting on verification. If I am lucky I might get verified by the end of the week, but I am guessing that it'll be sometime at the beginning of the following week.
 
This morning I submitted my AMCAS Application and received the 3 e-mails. I applied to three schools. I hope to get secondaries before MCAT, one school said they did that for in-staters. Now the up-to six week wait for verification. They already have my LOR's and transcripts, and will get my MCAT by 9/13. :xf: :xf: :xf:
 
QofQuimica said:
I start my away rotation on Monday. Nervous and excited at the same time. It's in a city I've never even been to, but the rotation sounds awesome, and I'm prepared to work my butt off to get an honors grade and a strong LOR. This will be the final piece of my app--I already have three other LORs. (ERAS limits you to four letters total that you can submit to any one program, so there's not much point in continuing to ask people to write more.) I can finally submit ERAS on Sept. 1, but since I'm going to be out of town for the whole month of August, I think I'm going to wait until right after Labor Day so that I can meet with the deans and have them review my app before I submit. I have appointments with them for the Tuesday after Labor Day, and I'll probably submit that night.
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Good luck Q! Your going to do great! 🙂
 
eablackwell said:
Good luck Q! I hope your rotation goes great! 👍
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ChemMed said:
Good luck Q! Your going to do great! 🙂
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Thanks. I found the place I'm staying with no problem, and went shopping for some food and a new lunch box since I left mine at home in the fridge when I left this morning. 🙄 Fortunately, I did remember to bring my stethoscope; that would be a lot harder to replace on a Sunday afternoon. :meanie:

Orientation in the morning. This is going to be an intense week! Hope things are going well for the rest of you too. 🙂
 
First rejection. 🙁 UF sent me a "you would have very little chance here. Thank you for your secondary fee. Please don't bother filling one out," note. I guess graduating summa cum laude from their school didn't help. :laugh:
 
SunChip said:
Is it possible to do all TBR chem/physics/orgo passages and 8 full-lengths in three weeks?
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No.

Plus, where is the bio? The most important subject on the MCAT. BS is weighed the most AND ochem has been watered down of late.

Right now I'm freaking out and wondering if I should move my test to September 3rd (what is 2 more weeks going to do???). What do you think?
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no one can tell you. The MCAT depends on your test taking skills, your success or familiarity in the sciences, speed on the exam, etc.

But best advice is to take when you are prepared, not before.
 
eablackwell said:
First rejection. 🙁 UF sent me a "you would have very little chance here. Thank you for your secondary fee. Please don't bother filling one out," note. I guess graduating summa cum laude from their school didn't help. :laugh:
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Bummer. Keep your chin up, though--it's way early in the process.
 
drold2012 said:
What is the "Pre-Screen"? 😕
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The majority of med schools give all applicants the opportunity to submit a secondary application. Even if there's no way in hell they'd consider you, they'll gladly take your secondary fee. :meanie:

Some schools are much more competitive/selective and they only send out a limited number of invites to complete secondary applications. This is what people are referring to with being screened out (not getting secondary) or screened in (getting a screened secondary).
 
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eablackwell said:
First rejection. 🙁 UF sent me a "you would have very little chance here. Thank you for your secondary fee. Please don't bother filling one out," note. I guess graduating summa cum laude from their school didn't help. :laugh:
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Sorry, eab. 🙁 But you already got secondaries from some of the other state schools, right? Maybe you already said this, but did you get USF? I really liked USF, and Tampa>>>>>>>>Gainesville. 😛

In my case, I have officially survived day #2 of this away rotation, and so far I am really enjoying it. The intensity is about to get mega cranked up tomorrow though. Also, I found out today that I am officially accepted for a second away rotation that was kind of iffy for a while. It's a completely unnecessary research elective, but I met the rotation director at a conference and he suggested coming for a month. It sounds like fun and I'm interested in his program, so....Just for the record, everyone should have at least one boondoggle rotation during their fourth year. 🙂

Edit: eab, are you getting random calls from politicians? I'm still registered in FL, and I have been getting multiple calls today. If this is what it's like in August, what is it going to be like in October!
 
lmarina1 said:
EdLonshanks: I'm not one to offer unsolicited advice, but from what I've read on this thread (you're applying to very few MD schools for various personal reasons), if you have a DO school near you that you are interested in, if I were you, I would go ahead and throw my hat in that ring. It's not too late, and considering that I believe you mentioned you got screened in at Mayo, I'm sure you'll be an extremely competitive DO applicant...if nothing else, doing so might take a little pressure off of you for this long slog. Just thought I'd give my 0.02 in case you were on the fence...
I'll mind my own business now..

Good luck to everyone.
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I am planning on doing so. I don't mind unsolicited advice.
 
I agree with marina on the do advice, Ed. This is exactly what I am doing. I just have to find a DO to shadow. The only person I know in my area applying DO has a relative up north that is a DO, so she had no problems with her insta-letter. 😛

Good luck with mayo!

Q: I haven't gotten any calls yet. Hopefully I won't get any. 😉 As for being screened in at other schools, I am complete at FIU, FSU, and UCF. I have already been "small pooled" at ucf, which is actually my first choice. UM and USF have yet to release secondaries. USF is my 2nd choice becausey husband just moved to Orlando this week (he was transferred) so UCF or USF would mean we could live together while I'm in med school. 🙂
 
I just got the AZCOM interview invite. 😀 This ones west and I so want to move back to my western states. I've missed them. That's two now for my books. I'm so happy.

Good luck everybody. I know its tough, but I'm rooting for all the non-trads. Your awesome! 👍
 
ChemMed said:
I just got the AZCOM interview invite. 😀 This ones west and I so want to move back to my western states. I've missed them. That's two now for my books. I'm so happy.
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Way to go Interview Rock-Star! I'm sure you'll represent us Non-Trads well! 😀
 
Whoohoo! Second interview invite!

Pitt rocks, this is going better than I ever hoped.

...knock on wood?
 
I have around 12 secondaries to do, my least favorite part. Planning to complete late mid to late August.

Good luck to all.👍

Can't wait for interviews but I think I'll be waiting until October-December for mine.
 
I'm not a secondary fan either. I just received Meharry's and USF should be coming any day now. USF's is a beast this year! 8 essays! When someone posted them yesterday I almost cried.
 
eablackwell said:
USF's is a beast this year! 8 essays! When someone posted them yesterday I almost cried.
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😱

I'm still slaving away on OHSU's, which is two 4000 char essays and a boatload of personal/background info.
 
Hey everyone. I submitted AMCAS on Saturday, could someone tell me if they e-mail you when it has been reviewed/under review, or do I need to check AMCAS periodically?
 
lmarina1 said:
They will send you an email when processing is complete, no need to keep checking and driving yourself nuts. You'll have plenty of that after you send your secondaries.

I just received my first interview invite!!

Pitt: Complete 8/3 Invite 8/5
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Thank you and congrats on your interview. In case you don't know about it (I just found it 2 days ago), there is an SDN site that has interview questions/feedback for each school. http://www.studentdoctor.net/schools/
 
Hi everyone,

I finally got my AMCAS application submitted yesterday... now I wait for verification and the official secondary essay topic (not out yet) for my state school.

So jealous of everyone getting interviews already...It's going to be a long season!

Good luck to all my fellow non-trads!
 
Congrats to everyone getting interviews!! 🙂

My AACOMAS was verified! YAY!!
 
Today I shall be a secondary writing machine!

Got two more in my inbox this morning, which makes the stats officially:

3 secondaries left to write
5 possible secondaries still haven't received
2 rejections 🙁
16 secondaries submitted.....and waiting on... :xf:

Phew. Onto more coffee!
 
ChicagoSL said:
Today I shall be a secondary writing machine!

Got two more in my inbox this morning, which makes the stats officially:

3 secondaries left to write
5 possible secondaries still haven't received
2 rejections 🙁
16 secondaries submitted.....and waiting on... :xf:

Phew. Onto more coffee!
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Good luck with all of those secondaries! I do not envy you though. It's horrible they took your secondary fee and did not even offer an interview, shameless.
 
.
 
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I'm knocking out Case tomorrow. 2-3 (2.5) secondaries a day should be a good pace.
 
Congrats on all the interviews, everyone. :clap:

Today I got home three hours after I was supposed to because of trouble with dispo-ing a patient. (That means getting everything necessary done in order to send them home from the hospital.) After I got tired of waiting on the necessary labs, I started calling various departments around the hospital and politely harassing them, and that finally got things moving. Sigh. They call this an acting internship, but it doesn't much feel like I'm acting. :d

That being said, I have to tell you that it's pretty fun even though the hours are long. It feels like being a real doctor. Like, I get to write my own orders, including prescriptions for opioid pain meds (which of course have to be released by the attending). The first few times when I asked if I could do X or Y, the attending said, "These are your patients. You put in the orders you think they need." 😀

For apps, I now have four LORs, but I think I'm going to get one more from this rotation too because some of the others I might not want to use everywhere. I need to get going with uploading the rest of my app. This month is really flying!
 
22 secondaries done.
Working on two.
Waiting on two.
Starting filling out an AACOMAS app.
One rejection (BU, not surprising)
One interview invite on friday!

So, I'm really excited. I'll be glad when all the apps are done. I'm really starting to burn out and I still have the OHSU beast to do!
 
Secondaries done: 15
Secondaries in progress: 1
Schools that have issues getting me complete: 2
Waiting on secondaries: 7
Rejections: 0 👍
Interview invites:0 :scared:

Last but not least, states driven across to get to my new home while attempting to complete secondaries via whatever crappy wifi connection I can pick up: 9 🙄
 
Schools applied to: 7
Secondaries done: 7
Verified as complete: 5
Interviews: 3 🙂
LECOM-E
LECOM-B
AZCOM

Acceptances: I hope so!! :xf:
 
Wow! I started a trend! Yay!!! I love seeing the stats! It's great seeing all the awesome progress we're making!

I'm holding my breath today: it's Rejection Monday. The last two Mondays in a row I've gotten a rejection email. Monday is half way over, here's hoping for no more emails today! (Unless there's good news 😛)

Congrats ChemMed and catswym! Don't worry TeddyBearDoc, you and I will get interviews soon!
 
Has anyone procrastinated the secondaries? I have. Same with the personal statement. I always had to force myself to do it.

Secondaries: ~2/20

Goal: 3-5 interviews.
 
Schools applied to: 3
Secondaries done: 0
Verified as complete: 0
Interviews: 0
Rejections: 0
Acceptances: 0

Subjective: Just getting started
 
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