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2012-2013 Drexel University Application Thread

Started by gettheleadout
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The secondary is very small and should be quick to fill out since the information you need is in your primary. When you get an interview, there will be an ethics essay that you have to write in a 30 minute period. It is mainly common sense (i.e. don't stress about it), but follow the directions of the essay. They are really simple instructions that I saw a few people on my interview day not following. With so many applicants and so many interviews, everything counts. Good luck everybody and let me know if you have questions about the interview process.
 
The secondary seems to come out in batches, I am guessing so as not to overwhelm the system. Keep calm and carry on, guys.

Good luck, and also feel free to send me questions. I'm a second year in the PIL curriculum.
 
courtnes said:
The secondary seems to come out in batches, I am guessing so as not to overwhelm the system. Keep calm and carry on, guys.

Good luck, and also feel free to send me questions. I'm a second year in the PIL curriculum.
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Would you be able to explain how you get the basic science background to make sense of the cases in the PIL curriculum? My understanding of it is that you focus your attention on a bunch of cases, then have focus groups that research different aspects of the cases.
 
courtnes said:
The secondary seems to come out in batches, I am guessing so as not to overwhelm the system. Keep calm and carry on, guys.

Good luck, and also feel free to send me questions. I'm a second year in the PIL curriculum.
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That's the impression I'm getting from most schools. Having a server crash in one day is going to make for a really bad application cycle. :scared:
 
ceasefire said:
Would you be able to explain how you get the basic science background to make sense of the cases in the PIL curriculum? My understanding of it is that you focus your attention on a bunch of cases, then have focus groups that research different aspects of the cases.
Click to expand...
courtnes said:
We do meet in small groups to talk about paper cases. The cases talk about interactions with the patient, their history and test results, and occasionally their outcomes. We try to figure out what in the case is important, develop a list of possible diagnoses for the patient, and reevaluate as we get new information. The cases are an engine for us to figure out what basic science we need to know, and everyone gets learning issues which they prepare and present to the group during the next session. We have resource sessions, which are basically lectures where we're encouraged to ask questions, that supplement our learning in small group. I really like how Drexel does PBL, we have about 20 hours of lecture/lab per week as opposed to other PBL schools that have 5-6 hours of lecture - it's more support and fewer ridiculous requirements. Resource sessions are not mandatory, but a large contingent of us attend lecture regularly.

Small group is 3-3hr sessions first year and 2-3hr sessions second year.



PBL = Problem Based Learning

PIL is just Drexel's curriculum that uses problem based learning. IFM is the lecture-based curriculum, which is based around modules for specific problems or symptoms. IFM is around 200 people, PIL is 60-70.
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This is how I've described it before. The resource sessions are lectures for the whole PIL class that basically cover most of the learning issues that are developed in small group.

And I realized one person asked about exams - we DO have exams in PIL, generally 2 per course. The number/length of exams depends on if classes are being caught concurrently or separately. Supposedly the formatting of the blocks is changing so I don't want to say specifically it will be one way. IFM has a lot more exams than we do first year, second year the two have about the same number. Also, we have exams at the end of second and third block that test our ability to analyze the cases individually where we read a case/present to faculty on the following day.
 
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hey to everyone (or someone?) who got the secondary already-

for the lapse in edu question, can you post the exact question and how many words/characters it was?

Thanks!
 
starstarie said:
hey to everyone (or someone?) who got the secondary already-

for the lapse in edu question, can you post the exact question and how many words/characters it was?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Here:

Please give details about any interruption or time away from your education, which includes the time since graduation. Detail your activities for each year away from school.

I don't believe there is a character limit. I submitted a lengthy essay that was over 4,000 characters 😳 But that's because I graduated in 2005, so I've done quite a bit since then.
 
Just received + submitted. Not so bad, but a little annoying seeing as it was full of information they already had. Whatevs. Show me some love now, Drexel. :luck:
 
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still waiting as well... my parents both did their undergrad here so maybe they will help me out? sure hope so!
 
I submitted my primary here a while back and didn't even get an acknowledgment email... should I be calling them about this or is this standard procedure?
 
EnginrTheFuture said:
I submitted my primary here a while back and didn't even get an acknowledgment email... should I be calling them about this or is this standard procedure?
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It looks like they are sending secondaries out in batches. Most schools don't tell you they received your primary until they are actually sending you their secondary. If you don't get a secondary in a couple weeks, give them a call.
 
kuntash said:
I was verified 6/5 and I don't have this secondary yet 🙁
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Same. I'm really not concerned. This has happened to me with several schools. There is obviously a delay with these automated emails, and who knows what they sort by. It's obviously not verification date or submission date. It could be anything from alphabetical to SSN to random.
 
anyone have three individual letters with all three being from science faculty? on the secondary they ask for three individual letters if you're not using a committee, but in the spaces for the professors' names, they have 2 science and 1 non-science and i only have letters from science professors 🙁
 
palbar1 said:
anyone have three individual letters with all three being from science faculty? on the secondary they ask for three individual letters if you're not using a committee, but in the spaces for the professors' names, they have 2 science and 1 non-science and i only have letters from science professors 🙁
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Well, I'm non-trad so I'm coming in with one science prof, one research prof, my current employer letter, shadowing letter, and volunteering letter.

Most schools that have "required" two science or two science/one non-science have been fairly open about accepting my set of letters. It's usually stated somewhere in the instructions or you can contact the school via email or phone. Granted, I graduated 2009 so I have a reason for not having access to anymore meaningful faculty letters.

let us know what you find out! I'm still waiting on the secondary....
 
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Is my self-reported cumulative GPA my GPA calculated by my school, or that verified by AMCAS (they are slightly different)?
 
just got this. for checking the boxes if u only held the position "during breaks from school" are these breaks like breaks in education or vacations? 😕

and if i am still doing the activity should i put the anticipated end date? or should i just put present
 
if someone has a relative (grandparents, parent or sibling) that went to drexel but did NOT get their M.D. there (went for undergrad) if there any way to include this in the app??
 
OrangeJuice11 said:
Same. I'm really not concerned. This has happened to me with several schools. There is obviously a delay with these automated emails, and who knows what they sort by. It's obviously not verification date or submission date. It could be anything from alphabetical to SSN to random.
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maybe the ADCOM secretly convenes to decide how long they should make each applicant wait
 
imcanadaian said:
Well, I'm non-trad so I'm coming in with one science prof, one research prof, my current employer letter, shadowing letter, and volunteering letter.

Most schools that have "required" two science or two science/one non-science have been fairly open about accepting my set of letters. It's usually stated somewhere in the instructions or you can contact the school via email or phone. Granted, I graduated 2009 so I have a reason for not having access to anymore meaningful faculty letters.

let us know what you find out! I'm still waiting on the secondary....
Click to expand...

+1 on just about everything you said, but my letters are:

2 science both in biology, my major (one was also my premed advisor and TA superviser)
1 research lab PI in cell biology
2 MDs from current job as medical assistant

absolutely every school I wanted to apply to has allowed me to use these except Albert Einstein and maybe Penn State (still waiting to hear back)

also graduated in '09
 
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Can't be by last name. Mine starts with an S and I received it a week ago, but my amcas was processed june 25.
 
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