2012-2013 George Washington University Application Thread

[MaxAir]

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There are rumors abound that submitting a secondary before your primary can result in auto-rejection. Could be just a rumor, but why risk it.

Oh ok. So I'm guessing that the 2 day turn around rule doesnt apply if you are still being verified? Also, does this apply to all schools or just GWU?

 

[CsHead]

Also Pitt, and maybe UVA

UVA starts first week of Sep I believe

 

[HoyaDoc25]

HoyaDoc25, if you see this -

I'm not sure if these two pieces of advice are contradictory or if they apply in different circumstances (e.g. after the interview). Do you recommend writing a letter of intent at some point to get off the pre-interview hold list, or do you recommend just waiting for them to re-evaluate? I realize that I don't need to send a letter right now, but eventually maybe?

I don't see how it is contradictory. If you didn't get a invite right away relax and take a deep breath... and if you feel its necessary write a letter saying why you want to interview/attend GW. What I'm saying is don't go calling them just because you are put on hold or are undergoing some other neurotic episode.

I'll break down what I did for you since reading is a difficult skill.

1. Applied
2. Got put on hold
3. Wrote a letter
4. Received and interview invite in mid october
5. Was accepted mid November

 

[espagueti]

I don't see how it is contradictory. If you didn't get a invite right away relax and take a deep breath... and if you feel its necessary write a letter saying why you want to interview/attend GW. What I'm saying is don't go calling them just because you are put on hold or are undergoing some other neurotic episode.

I'll break down what I did for you since reading is a difficult skill.

1. Applied
2. Got put on hold
3. Wrote a letter
4. Received and interview invite in mid october
5. Was accepted mid November

thanks for your input, but there's no reason to be a jerk. red7 wasn't calling you out.

 

[sros16]

thanks for your input, but there's no reason to be a jerk. red7 wasn't calling you out.

+1👍

 

[Bumbl3b33]

but there's no reason to be a jerk. red7 wasn't calling you out.

👍

 

[DCSB6]

thanks for your input, but there's no reason to be a jerk. red7 wasn't calling you out.

👍

 

[typicalindian]

Damn it 🙁

Your application to The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences is complete and has been reviewed by the Admissions Committee. To date, no final decision has been made and the Admissions Committee has placed your application on hold for re-review at a later date. Files are re-reviewed by the committee periodically and there is no set schedule for decisions. We do interview from September through March. You are welcome to update your file via [email protected]. If we require any further documentation or if your status changes, we will contact you immediately. We do sincerely appreciate your interest in our program. Thank you for your patience.

 

[imcanadaian]

Damn it 🙁

ha. no worries man I'm in the same boat. Definitely sounds like GW's pretty cavalier with assigning status changes so this may not mean anything. I'm convinced I just have to leave them be and not mindlessly check on my app status.

 

[sjagan1]

I still have this status

"Your file is now complete. At this point we have received all the necessary credentials including your secondary application and your letters of recommendation in order for your application to be reviewed."



Man I hope I can get an interview, it's so early and we all are already freaking out

We all hope so 🙂. good luck pal. It is fantastic that there is an email that gives us joy.

 

[MedPR]

Oh ok. So I'm guessing that the 2 day turn around rule doesnt apply if you are still being verified? Also, does this apply to all schools or just GWU?

Never heard of a 2 day turnaround rule. Where did you get that from?

Damn it 🙁

Mine is

Your file is now complete. At this point we have received all the necessary credentials including your secondary application and your letters of recommendation in order for your application to be reviewed. While the committee does its best to review applications in a timely manner, please be aware that in order to do a thorough review of your file it may be several weeks until you hear from us again. We greatly appreciate your patience during the application process.

I don't remember if that's what it said last week or not though...

 

[BecksTriad]

if my status goes back to hold im gonna freak out. i'd rather just get a rejection

 

[sjagan1]

if my status goes back to hold im gonna freak out. i'd rather just get a rejection

don't worry pal. do you have other secondaries to do? How about you work on those and get them out of the way? Use time wisely.

 

[sjagan1]

ha. no worries man I'm in the same boat. Definitely sounds like GW's pretty cavalier with assigning status changes so this may not mean anything. I'm convinced I just have to leave them be and not mindlessly check on my app status.

when did GW receive your completed file? I think they are moving rather quickly to sort out priority of their interviews. It looks like they are looking for a particular kind of candidate not necessarily based on pure MCAT score and academics.

 

[1289]

when did GW receive your completed file? I think they are moving rather quickly to sort out priority of their interviews. It looks like they are looking for a particular kind of candidate not necessarily based on pure MCAT score and academics.

Ouch

 

[imcanadaian]

when did GW receive your completed file? I think they are moving rather quickly to sort out priority of their interviews. It looks like they are looking for a particular kind of candidate not necessarily based on pure MCAT score and academics.

I got everything in on 7/8, but I don't think my letters were fully assigned 7/12. Hopefully they ARE looking at more than GPA and MCAT's--I'm non-trad 3 years out of school so hopefully they find me interesting!

 

[sjagan1]

Yes. I have spoken with a top admissions officer. She told me they look at the big picture, both supplemental and primary etc. They want to look at the "complete" file. Furthermore, George Washington does not screen. Sure, there are applications they definitely do not look at. They cannot look at every single application. However, I think not screening shows a bigger weight to "big picture" and "particular person"

 

[Bumbl3b33]

Question---and I apologize for the inherent selfish, neurotic and overly privilidged tone of this question, but....if we got invited for interviews this early, are we likely to get in? and, more importantly, should I expect to get other interviews too, or is this possibly a fluke?

 

[BecksTriad]

Yes. I have spoken with a top admissions officer. She told me they look at the big picture, both supplemental and primary etc. They want to look at the "complete" file. Furthermore, George Washington does not screen. Sure, there are applications they definitely do not look at. They cannot look at every single application. However, I think not screening shows a bigger weight to "big picture" and "particular person"

this seems like a contradiction to me....

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

Question---and I apologize for the inherent selfish, neurotic and overly privilidged tone of this question, but....if we got invited for interviews this early, are we likely to get in? and, more importantly, should I expect to get other interviews too, or is this possibly a fluke?

I wouldn't expect to get in. They offer around 1000 interviews every year for I think 300 acceptances? So take that as you will. You should feel proud though you got an interview at gW regardless!

 

[sjagan1]

this seems like a contradiction to me....

George washington explicitly says they do not screen. If you click on the link that talks about directions to complete your secondary and pay the fee, they say it at some point down the website.

Even if they do not screen academically, I think there are applications they look at briefly and then do not look again in-depth. They cannot look in depth at every single application.

I apologize for the confusion. I should have put "in-depth" at the end of the second clause you bolded. Does that make more sense?

 

[MedPR]

George washington explicitly says they do not screen. If you click on the link that talks about directions to complete your secondary and pay the fee, they say it at some point down the website.

Even if they do not screen academically, I think there are applications they look at briefly and then do not look again in-depth. They cannot look in depth at every single application.

I apologize for the confusion. I should have put "in-depth" at the end of the second clause you bolded. Does that make more sense?

Every school screens. Some just screen pre-secondary. If schools didn't screen, everyone would get accepted everywhere they applied.

 

[duyvtr]

So my AMCAS application has not been verified just yet. Should I still submit a secondary application even before my AMCAS is verified or should I just wait until then to submit one?

 

[MaxAir]

Never heard of a 2 day turnaround rule. Where did you get that from?

I meant that it is recommended that you submit your secondaries about 2 days after receiving them to show schools that you are interested. So yes, back to my original question, should I submit my secondary before my amcas is fully verified?

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

That's false. Two days is very quick. The "rule" is two weeks

 

[msamp]

Im a non trad, post bacc taking MCATs in Aug.....

Question: the secondary asks about achievements outside the classroom, I was an educator in NYC for 5 yrs and held important leadership positions... You guys think this still counts as in the classroom?? Just want you guy's 2 cents

 

[weezynation]

I meant that it is recommended that you submit your secondaries about 2 days after receiving them to show schools that you are interested. So yes, back to my original question, should I submit my secondary before my amcas is fully verified?

Yeah I dont know where you heard that one.

 

[weezynation]

That's false. Two days is very quick. The "rule" is two weeks

This.

 

[BecksTriad]

This.

i don't know if there are any "rules". submitting a lousy essay just to be early doesn't make any sense and neither does waiting two weeks just to make sure your not rushing anything.

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

i don't know if there are any "rules". submitting a lousy essay just to be early doesn't make any sense and neither does waiting two weeks just to make sure your not rushing anything.

Yeah I meant that people generally say try to put out a quality essay and submit the secondary within two weeks. Not to wait for 14 days on the dot.......

 

[081479058]

INTERVIEW INVITE!!!!!!!!!!!!


august 28th. I am so relieved!

Congrats to those with invites! Very awesome! I'm still keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[MedPR]

I meant that it is recommended that you submit your secondaries about 2 days after receiving them to show schools that you are interested. So yes, back to my original question, should I submit my secondary before my amcas is fully verified?

2 weeks. 7 days in a week, so 14 days, not 2 days.

Back to my original answer. No.

 

[1289]

Congrats to those with invites! Very awesome! I'm still keeping my fingers crossed!

Thanks and good luck to you!

 

[Maria123]

hello everyone,

I have a very hard time coming up with an answer to the question "What is your most significant achievement outside the classroom". I don't want to talk about research/volunteer work because its already mentioned in my application.
I really can't think of something for this question.😕
Everything I think of goes back to schooling. For example, I was able to finish high school 2 years earlier and was taking classes at community college while in high school. I want to talk about this but I have already mentioned something similar in my primary application. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[1289]

hello everyone,

I have a very hard time coming up with an answer to the question "What is your most significant achievement outside the classroom". I don't want to talk about research/volunteer work because its already mentioned in my application.
I really can't think of something for this question.😕
Everything I think of goes back to schooling. For example, I was able to finish high school 2 years earlier and was taking classes at community college while in high school. I want to talk about this but I have already mentioned something similar in my primary application. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

ummmmm really? did you do sports as a child? run a marathon ever? it doesn't have to be groundbreaking but whatever it is you should try bringing it back to the whole "how will this help me in medical school.." theme. i.e. overcoming injuries, obstacles, perseverance, yadda. yadda.

 

[red7]

I don't see how it is contradictory. If you didn't get a invite right away relax and take a deep breath... and if you feel its necessary write a letter saying why you want to interview/attend GW. What I'm saying is don't go calling them just because you are put on hold or are undergoing some other neurotic episode.

Thanks for the clarification

 

[MedPR]

hello everyone,

I have a very hard time coming up with an answer to the question "What is your most significant achievement outside the classroom". I don't want to talk about research/volunteer work because its already mentioned in my application.
I really can't think of something for this question.😕
Everything I think of goes back to schooling. For example, I was able to finish high school 2 years earlier and was taking classes at community college while in high school. I want to talk about this but I have already mentioned something similar in my primary application. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

Be a normal person. Not a nerd.

 

[syt]

I think it may have been asked but left unanswered, but I was wondering for those of you that received official interview invites, when did you submit your secondaries? Thanks, and congrats 🙂

 

[Bumbl3b33]

I submitted 7/6

 

[1289]

i think it may have been asked but left unanswered, but i was wondering for those of you that received official interview invites, when did you submit your secondaries? Thanks, and congrats 🙂

7/9

 

[1289]

Be a normal person. Not a nerd.

No offense dude but weren't you the one on here that wanted to write in that essay about studying for the mcat? 🙂

 

[BecksTriad]

No offense dude but weren't you the one on here that wanted to write in that essay about studying for the mcat? 🙂

hahahahahahaha!

 

[MedPR]

No offense dude but weren't you the one on here that wanted to write in that essay about studying for the mcat? 🙂

hahahahahahaha!

True. I was trying to be a nerd 😉

 

[Maria123]

so can I just talk about how coming to this country and adapting to the new environment/culture and sucessfully bringing myself to the position I am in now as my biggest achievement? Thank you for the the help!

 

[Bumbl3b33]

so can I just talk about how coming to this country and adapting to the new environment/culture and sucessfully bringing myself to the position I am in now as my biggest achievement? Thank you for the the help!

Why not? go for it!

 

[Arbor Vitae]

Why shouldn't we submit the secondary if we arent complete yet?

There is no reason to as they will not be able to review and it may annoy the adcoms if they see you trying to jump the gun. Do you think it will somehow give you a head start? Just prewrite and wait until they contact you. Relax.

 

[BecksTriad]

There is no reason to as they will not be able to review and it may annoy the adcoms if they see you trying to jump the gun. Do you think it will somehow give you a head start? Just prewrite and wait until they contact you. Relax.

The application won't be complete until you finish the secondary........

 

[lifes a beeachh]

Hey y'all

new to this site. anyone having issues getting to the online payment gateway? i used the link given in the instructions but i'm getting a runtime error. tried chrome, safari, and internet explorer

 

[Arbor Vitae]

The application won't be complete until you finish the secondary........

I may have misread. I thought they wanted to submit with out having their primary received.

 

[shootingstr]

I know someone mentioned this already. But I came here from another country, so what are some opinions on that being a good "achievement" as far as adjusting to a new lifestyle and such. Also, for that question, are we just being really direct, or would it help to make it like a story?

For the last questions about GW specifically, are we supposed to be specific about certain GW programs we're interested in? Or general stuff?