2012-2013 Johns Hopkins University Application Thread

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Is anyone here familiar with Hopkins' student health insurance? It's pretty pricey versus other schools, but other schools just have hospital insurance, so how is this one? Does it have a prescription plan? Doe sit cover doctor visits? Anyone know? Thanks.
 
Is anyone here familiar with Hopkins' student health insurance? It's pretty pricey versus other schools, but other schools just have hospital insurance, so how is this one? Does it have a prescription plan? Doe sit cover doctor visits? Anyone know? Thanks.

I'm not super familiar with the insurance here, but you could try looking here: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/StudentInsurance/Index.html

A lot of my classmates have alternative coverage under their parents or elsewhere. You can opt out of the university health plan but not of the health service fee (which was ~$450 this past year if I recall correctly). Instructions for opting out can also be found at the link I provided.
 
I'm not super familiar with the insurance here, but you could try looking here: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/StudentInsurance/Index.html

A lot of my classmates have alternative coverage under their parents or elsewhere. You can opt out of the university health plan but not of the health service fee (which was ~$450 this past year if I recall correctly). Instructions for opting out can also be found at the link I provided.
Thanks! Hey, I've got another question (surprise!). How much would you estimate that you spend on food per week or month? I'm trying to estimate a budget.
 
We get a ton of free food, it's pretty amazing. I'd say in a given week AT LEAST 1-2 free dinners and 1-2 free lunchs if you don't mind being adventurous.

I'd say probably $80 of food could last 2 weeks, but I tend to go on a pretty frugal budget. No more than $200 a month if you don't eat out a ton in my opinion. Baltimore is a very cheap city, one of the perks of being here. If you get your financial aid and it seems like the COA is high, that's because...it is! They really blow up the cost of living here in the estimates but I've personally saved ~$12k right off the top through very normal decisions. If you're spending $14k a year on rent in baltimore, you're doing it way wrong, same with the food estimate.
 
We get a ton of free food, it's pretty amazing. I'd say in a given week AT LEAST 1-2 free dinners and 1-2 free lunchs if you don't mind being adventurous.

I'd say probably $80 of food could last 2 weeks, but I tend to go on a pretty frugal budget. No more than $200 a month if you don't eat out a ton in my opinion. Baltimore is a very cheap city, one of the perks of being here. If you get your financial aid and it seems like the COA is high, that's because...it is! They really blow up the cost of living here in the estimates but I've personally saved ~$12k right off the top through very normal decisions. If you're spending $14k a year on rent in baltimore, you're doing it way wrong, same with the food estimate.
Thanks. Let me ask, if you lived at 929 this past year, was there a grocery store nearby that you generally went to, or did you go somewhere else? Thanks.
 
Just a wild guess but I would guess this will be a "normal" year with about 40-50 offers off the WL.
 
When do we start interacting with patients/ get our white coats?

You'll interview (and write up) patients basically every week during the first semester through the Clinical Foundations of Medicine course. Looking through my own write-ups, it seems we interviewed (by ourselves!) our first standardized patient the first week of class and our first inpatient (oncology) the second week.

You won't get your white coat until late September-ish, so you'll see your first patients without it.
 
Can any current students comment on computer requirements? I'm looking to buy a new laptop, and was wondering if we are required to get a certain type (Mac vs. PC), or if we need certain features (optical drive, etc)? Thanks in advance.
 
Is anyone else having trouble logging into ISIS? It keeps saying that I'm not an "authorized payer". I'm using the login ID that Hopkins gave me months ago to check out my financial aid award.

EDIT: According to the original e-mail that they sent us, we're supposed to be getting our permanent student ID's for ISIS this month, so maybe they disabled the old ones. Has anyone received their's?
 
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There was an email yesterday saying ISIS was down while they transition our IDs to permanent ones. The email also said that the registration packets which were mailed yesterday would have information about creating permanent IDs.
 
There was an email yesterday saying ISIS was down while they transition our IDs to permanent ones. The email also said that the registration packets which were mailed yesterday would have information about creating permanent IDs.
Just saw it. Thanks!
 
To any whose gotten the packet, on the JHMI ID request card, there is a portion that says "Department:"

Does anyone know what we should put down for that? Thanks.

EDIT: And are we considered degree candidates or postdoctoral?
 
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To any whose gotten the packet, on the JHMI ID request card, there is a portion that says "Department:"

Does anyone know what we should put down for that? Thanks.

EDIT: And are we considered degree candidates or postdoctoral?

Has anyone else not gotten the packet? Starting to feel anxious....
 
Current student, former admissions committee member. Happy to answer questions.

As a former adcom member, how much forgiveness does the school have for a low MCAT (27)? The rest of my app is pretty solid with 3.87s and 3.78. I used to be a military special operations medic and have had a decent amount of volunteer work since starting school again and had some pretty trying times as a kid (I think I would be able to identify well with the population JH serves). I didn't think I stood a chance, but applied after my advisor recommended it. Thanks
 
As a former adcom member, how much forgiveness does the school have for a low MCAT (27)? The rest of my app is pretty solid with 3.87s and 3.78. I used to be a military special operations medic and have had a decent amount of volunteer work since starting school again and had some pretty trying times as a kid (I think I would be able to identify well with the population JH serves). I didn't think I stood a chance, but applied after my advisor recommended it. Thanks

Wouldn't fill out the secondary if I were you
 
Was also on admissions. I would agree with your title that it's a long shot but not impossible. It is unlikely that you will make it through the screening process for interviews but you seem to have a compelling background so that may put you through. If you get an interview, it will likely be late in the season. I do know that we have accepted people with 27 MCAT scores previously.
 
Was also on admissions. I would agree with your title that it's a long shot but not impossible. It is unlikely that you will make it through the screening process for interviews but you seem to have a compelling background so that may put you through. If you get an interview, it will likely be late in the season. I do know that we have accepted people with 27 MCAT scores previously.

Thank you for the input. I'll go ahead and give t my best shot. It won't cost anything with FAP and the pay off would be incredible.
 
Has anyone else not gotten the packet? Starting to feel anxious....

I live in California and I got mine Monday. I assume we'd be one of the last to get it based on geography, so if you still haven't gotten it yet maybe you should contact the admissions office?
 
I live in California and I got mine Monday. I assume we'd be one of the last to get it based on geography, so if you still haven't gotten it yet maybe you should contact the admissions office?

Is there anything in it that is time sensitive? I will call today.
 
Hey, I just wanted to ask current 929 residents. Where do you go for groceries?
 
Hey, I just wanted to ask current 929 residents. Where do you go for groceries?

You'll need a car to get to Safeway.

There is also the free Charm City Circulator that takes you from Hopkins to Harbor East where there is a Whole Foods.
 
You'll need a car to get to Safeway.

There is also the free Charm City Circulator that takes you from Hopkins to Harbor East where there is a Whole Foods.
Does the circulator stop by 929? No, right?

EDIT: Has anyone ever gone to the broadway market? Whole Foods is really expensive, honestly.
 
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Wow, it feels like it was yesterday when I was posting in a similar JHUSOM thread....

If I could go back to med school, I would definitely choose Hopkins all over again. Being a medical student there was a truly remarkable and special experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. 😍

I was waitlisted at yale and Penn and rejected by Cornell. If you get rejected or waitlisted somewhere doesn't necessarily mean that you won't get into another great medical school.

Anyway, I wanted to wish all of you best of luck in the application process, wherever you may end up. If you have any questions about Hopkins, feel free to PM me. I check this site once every week or two.. :luck:
 
Hi all! If you could forgive me for intruding into you discussion, I would like to inquire what the earliest date JHU looks at LOR's was in the past cycle. Did this occur as soon as AMCAS transmitted primary app's on the first day last year, as soon as the JHU secondary was open, or some other date?

I am trying very hard to have my application marked as "Complete" as soon as possible in order to maximize chances of an early interview invite, as after August I will have a very constraining work schedule and will not be able to take much time off for interviews. However, my University has a LOR electronic collection system (veCollect), and they said they will not forward LOR until sometime in mid-July.

Thank you kindly for your time and help!
 
Apparently, two assaults on students happened in front of 929 N Wolfe St this past Sunday (one during the day, one during the night). Is there no security in front of the building?
 
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