2012-2013 University of Southern California (Keck) Application Thread

[Ohms]

---

Members do not see this ad.

anyone else got a call today from dr arias saying you got waitlisted? found it strange bc i was expecting all communication via email.

anyway, super sad but keeping my head up...

I got it too. Maybe I'm being optimistic but I got the vibe that rather than being a default waitlist it was more of a "we can't officially accept you yet but we will once that spot opens up." I can't imagine every person waiting to hear back received a call, but maybe I'm wrong. I think they would have just emailed us for the standard wait list?

 

[surfinscientist]

I got the call too. She was very nice and also sounded like she would extend an acceptance when given the chance.

 

[prado]

Yeh I'm pretty sure those of you that got the call are going to be the first pulled off the wait list. That has to be it, because no way would the dean call someone to give them bad news if there wasn't an upside. I mean, that's like applicant cruelty and borderline illegal 😎

Hopefully you guys hear good news soon!

 

[APrioriAporia]

Ya I think you guys got the thumbs up.. I was emailed about being waitlisted instead, on Monday.

Best of luck to everyone.

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using SDN Mobile

 

[LiveLoveLearn]

I got it too. Maybe I'm being optimistic but I got the vibe that rather than being a default waitlist it was more of a "we can't officially accept you yet but we will once that spot opens up." I can't imagine every person waiting to hear back received a call, but maybe I'm wrong. I think they would have just emailed us for the standard wait list?

Sorry - a little late to the game.

I also received this call, but understood it to be more of a "the admissions committee approved you for admissions, we expect to have a seat open up in the near future, but I didn't want to keep you waiting without an update" kind of message. There are a lot of other schools that are sending out decisions this week, so hopefully those seats will open up sooner rather than later

 

[Ilean]

That's how I understood it as well. Hopefully we're right!!

Sorry - a little late to the game.

I also received this call, but understood it to be more of a "the admissions committee approved you for admissions, we expect to have a seat open up in the near future, but I didn't want to keep you waiting without an update" kind of message. There are a lot of other schools that are sending out decisions this week, so hopefully those seats will open up sooner rather than later

 

[earf]

Here is the match list they posted in the facebook group.

Out of 157 students matched in 2013:

Anesthesiology (7)
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-CA
Stanford Univ Progs-CA
U Arizona Affil Hospitals
U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California

Dermatology (4)
Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD
Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles-CA
U Colorado SOM-Denver
U Southern California

Emergency Medicine (29)
Case Western/MetroHealth Med Ctr-OH
Drexel Univ COM/Hahnemann Univ
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
lincoln Medical Ctr-NY
Loma Linda University-CA
Maricopa Med Ctr-AZ
NYP Hosp-Columbia & Cornell-NY
SAUSHEC
SIU SOM & Affil Hosps-Il
St luke's-Roosevelt-NY
SUNY HSC Brooklyn-NY
SUNY HSC Brooklyn-NY
SUNY HSC Brooklyn-NY
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA
U Illinois COM-Chicago
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Utah Affil Hospitals
U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
U Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
UC Irvine Med Ctr-CA
UC Irvine Med Ctr-CA
UC San Diego Med Ctr-CA
UC San Francisco-Fresno-CA
UCLA Medical Center-CA
Univ of MO-KC Programs
Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr-TN
Washington Hospital Ctr-DC

Family Medicine (9)
Banner Good Samaritan Med Ctr-AZ
Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY
Glendale Adventist Med Ctr-CA
John Peter Smith Hosp-TX
Natividad Med Ctr-CA
Santa Monica/UCLA Medical Center-CA
UC San Diego Med Ctr-CA
UC San Francisco-CA
UC San Francisco-CA

Internal Medicine (30)
Boston Univ Med Ctr-MA
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-CA
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-CA
Eisenhower Medical Center-CA
Loyola Univ Med Ctr-IL
SAUSHEC-Brooke Army Medical Center
U Colorado SOM-Denver
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
UC Davis Med Ctr-CA
UC Davis Med Ctr-CA
UCLA Medical Center-CA

Medicine-Preliminary (13)
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-CA
Eisenhower Medical Center-CA
Huntington Memorial Hosp-CA
Huntington Memorial Hosp-CA
Huntington Memorial Hosp-CA
Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles-CA
Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles-CA
Olive View-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
Olive View-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr-CA
Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr-CA
UC San Francisco-Fresno-CA
White Mem Med Ctr-LA-CA

Neurology (2)
Stanford Univ Progs-CA
U Southern California

Child Neurology (1)
UC Irvine Med Ctr-CA

Obstetrics-Gynecology (11)
Baylor Coli Med-Houston-TX
Drexel Univ COM/Hahnemann Univ
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
Kaiser Permanente-los Angeles-CA
Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr-CA
Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA
U Colorado SOM-Denver
U Kansas SOM-Kansas City
U Southern California
U Southern California
UCLA Medical Center-CA

Ophthalmology (2)
U Southern California
U Southern California

Otolaryngology (7)
Northwestern McGaw/NMH/VA-ll
U Iowa Hosps and Clinics
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Tennessee COM-Memphis
UC Davis Med Ctr-CA
UC Davis Med Ctr-CA

Pathology (5)
Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California

Medicine-Pediatrics (4)
Baylor Coli Med-Houston-TX
St louis Univ SOM-MO
U Southern California
U Southern California

Pediatrics (9)
Baylor Coli Med-Houston-TX
Children's Hospital-LA-CA
Children's Hospital-LA-CA
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
U Southern California
UC Irvine Med Ctr/CHOC-CA
UC Irvine Med Ctr/CHOC-CA
UC San Diego Med Ctr-CA
UCLA Medical Center-CA

Pediatrics-Preliminary (1)
Children's Hospital-LA-CA

Psychiatry (6)
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
U Southern California
UC Davis Med Ctr-CA
UC San Francisco-CA
University of Hawaii

Radiation Oncology (1)
U Southern California

Radiology-Diagnostic (11)
Barnes-Jewish Hosp-MO
Baylor Coli Med-Houston-TX
Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA
Loma Linda University-CA
Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr-CA
U Minnesota Med School
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Southern California
U Texas Med Sch-Houston
UC San Diego Med Ctr-CA

General Surgery (7)
Cooper University Hospital-NJ
Huntington Memorial Hosp-CA
Madigan Army Medical Center
St Josephs Hospital-AZ
SUNY HSC Brooklyn-NY
U Washington Affil Hosps
UMDNJ-New Jersey Med-Newark

Surg-Prelim/OMS (2)
U Southern California
U Southern California

Surgery-Preliminary (9)
B I Deaconess Med Ctr-MA
Huntington Memorial Hosp-CA
Huntington Memorial Hosp-CA
Kaiser Permanente-Los Angeles-CA
NYMC-Metropolitan Hosp Ctr-NY
U Southern California
U Southern California
UC Irvine Med Ctr-CA
UC San Francisco-CA

Orthopaedic Surgery (11)
Beaumont Health System-MI
Hosp of the Univ of PA
St Mary's Medical Ctr-SF-CA
Stanford Univ Progs-CA
U Southern California
U Texas HSC-San Antonio
U Washington Affil Hosps
UC Irvine Med Ctr-CA
UC San Francisco-Fresno-CA
UCLA Medical Center-CA
University of Toledo-OH

Plastic Surgery (2)
Stanford Univ Progs-CA
U Washington Affil Hosps

Transitional (4)
Madigan Army Medical Center-WA
Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr-CA
Scripps Mercy Hosp-San Diego-CA
Scripps Mercy Hosp-San Diego-CA

Urology (1)
U Southern California

 

[colin601c]

So, I got the "hold on and wait" phone call form Dr. Arias last Tuesday, no other e-mails or anything were received on the matter. I checked my status online today, just for kicks, and there was a new tab titled "Alternate List". I'm glad I found it since it states that you have ten days "from receipt of the notice" to respond if you want to be on the alternate list or not.
Does everyone else who got the call from Dr. Arias have this in their online portal?

 

[Ilean]

So, I got the "hold on and wait" phone call form Dr. Arias last Tuesday, no other e-mails or anything were received on the matter. I checked my status online today, just for kicks, and there was a new tab titled "Alternate List". I'm glad I found it since it states that you have ten days "from receipt of the notice" to respond if you want to be on the alternate list or not.
Does everyone else who got the call from Dr. Arias have this in their online portal?

Yeah that tab appeared on my page too. Good catch! I wonder if we needed to respond though since we never received written "notice" and Dr. Arias didnt mention it. I did it anyway but that's strange...

 

[Helloyoung]

I also got this in page. I'm a bit confused about it because I thought we weren't wait listed and didn't receive an email about it. I'm unsure about how to go about it.

 

[lilminime1089]

Wow! You saved my life; I would have missed this as well.

I put myself on the "alternate list"; is this different from the "waitlist"? It says:

"Every year, applicants from the alternate list are ultimately accepted to the Keck School of Medicine of USC. If you wish to update your application, you may submit additional information via email beginning May 15, 2013. No additional updates are needed at this time."

 

[matanpucla]

I was put on the wait list back in December, but was emailed about it, not called by Dr. Arias. I haven't heard of people being called to be put on the wait list since you guys mentioned it, it might mean something but then again it might not.

Are those of you who are on the wait list going to send any sort of letters of intent/interest? Cause I've been wanting to, but I remember Dr. Arias saying not to send anything till May 15th.

 

[Auggie17]

I was put on the wait list too back in October (interviewed in September) and I was also notified by email. Maybe the personal phone call is a "front of the line" type thing. I'm dying to get into USC. Fingers crossed that tons of spots open up!

 

[CriticalCond]

Does anyone know if USC rejects applicants post-interview? I've only seen acceptances and wait list/alternate list on the thread.

 

[bollywoodlover]

Someone here made it seem like they don't but that seems unreasonable/illogical considering how many competitive applicants there are. I also thought I read somewhere that 70 percent get accepted after getting interviewed. So they reject 30 percent of interviewees it seems.

 

[Em2U]

Is there a difference between the wait list and the alternate list????

Sorry I am new.
Primary: 09/25/12
Secondary:11/26/12
Interviewed:01/15/13
Alternate Listed: 01/30/13

 

[Helloyoung]

Is there a difference between the wait list and the alternate list????

Sorry I am new.
Primary: 09/25/12
Secondary:11/26/12
Interviewed:01/15/13
Alternate Listed: 01/30/13

They are the same thing. People usually use those terms interchangeably.

 

[earf]

They are the same thing. People usually use those terms interchangeably.

From the previous messages in this thread, it sounds like the alternate status and waitlist are not the same thing. Alternate status seems like it means you'll be accepted once they have spots open up, kind of like a top ranked waitlist.

 

[brackybrack]

From the previous messages in this thread, it sounds like the alternate status and waitlist are not the same thing. Alternate status seems like it means you'll be accepted once they have spots open up, kind of like a top ranked waitlist.

Okay, thanks for the clarification. Are all people invited from the alternate list first before people on the wait list? Or are these two separate lists more or less independent of each other.

 

[matanpucla]

Okay, thanks for the clarification. Are all people invited from the alternate list first before people on the wait list? Or are these two separate lists more or less independent of each other.

i think there is just one alternate list, i haven't seen anyone that said the phrase "wait list" was used with them. although i may be wrong, cause it seems that Dr. Arias has recently called some people personally about the alternate list, rather than having them emailed.

 

[LiveLoveLearn]

Okay, thanks for the clarification. Are all people invited from the alternate list first before people on the wait list? Or are these two separate lists more or less independent of each other.

My understanding is that there is not a real difference between the actual terms of alternate or waitlist. I'm sure that the verbiage on the on-line portal for people that were waitlisted during the cycle is identical to that for those that received the call from Dr. Arias.

The difference is more in how each individual was added to the list. Those that received the call from Dr. Arias were actually accepted by the adcom - there just aren't seats yet available to give out. As soon as those seats are available (prior to May 15, even), a spot will be offered to those individuals without further review of their files (the decision to accept has already been made).

Those that received an email to inform them that they have been added to the waitlist/alternate list (w/out a call from Dr. Arias) were given that status, rather than an acceptance, by the adcom. Therefore, no formal decision on whether or not each of those individual will be accepted, at the time that seats open up, has been made. Since they don't take updates until after May 15, I'm guessing that they don't start to make these decisions until that time.

I could be wrong, but that seems to be the situation to me.

 

[Helloyoung]

My understanding is that there is not a real difference between the actual terms of alternate or waitlist. I'm sure that the verbiage on the on-line portal for people that were waitlisted during the cycle is identical to that for those that received the call from Dr. Arias.

The difference is more in how each individual was added to the list. Those that received the call from Dr. Arias were actually accepted by the adcom - there just aren't seats yet available to give out. As soon as those seats are available (prior to May 15, even), a spot will be offered to those individuals without further review of their files (the decision to accept has already been made).

Those that received an email to inform them that they have been added to the waitlist/alternate list (w/out a call from Dr. Arias) were given that status, rather than an acceptance, by the adcom. Therefore, no formal decision on whether or not each of those individual will be accepted, at the time that seats open up, has been made. Since they don't take updates until after May 15, I'm guessing that they don't start to make these decisions until that time.

I could be wrong, but that seems to be the situation to me.

Thank you for the thought out explanation. What you have said makes sense to me. The difference in the terms alternate list and wait list seem synonymous to me. Do you guys agree or disagree with the explanation?

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

I agree with that description-- did all people who received that call interview recently?

 

[APrioriAporia]

Yeah, that's how I interpretted things as well.

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using SDN Mobile

 

[LiveLoveLearn]

I agree with that description-- did all people who received that call interview recently?

Yep - I interviewed at the end of February.

 

[Ohms]

[/PHP][/PHP]

I agree with that description-- did all people who received that call interview recently?

Yes interviewed in mid/late Feb as well. It seems like the class was already (or nearly) full by the time they even reviewed our files, so calling us and telling us to hang on a while longer was really the only good news we had a realistic chance of getting.

 

[colin601c]

I agree with that description-- did all people who received that call interview recently?

Yep, end of February.

 

[Auggie17]

Yeah, there can't be any difference between alternate list and waitlist because my email said Alternate List (same on the online portal) and like I said before I was emailed back in October. It's interesting that all the "call waitlists" came later in the cycle though.

 

[byaaaaaaah23]

It sounds like since the class was already full by the time these people interviewed, then the percentage that would have normally been accepted were given a sort of unofficial "high-priority alternate list" status, designated by the phone calls, and will be accepted when space is available, as LiveLoveLearn said. Everyone else from those interview days was alternate-listed by email, as were the alternate listers from earlier interview days.

 

[Em2U]

Hey you guys I called USC recently and they said that there wait list/alternate list is not numbered. And other schools like GU use a demographic based wait list in which the people are taken off if they meet some of the demographic of the person who decided not to take their seat. like Tim (Caucasian from Columbus, Ohio didn't show) so they accept Bob (Caucasian from Cleveland, OH) (demographics, age range, sex, kind of undergrad, and race usually only things taken into consideration).

So if people wouldn't mind sharing that information that would be cool.🙂

I am:
from Bakersfield, CA
traditional (20-23)
a Male
I am about to graduate from Hampton University (a small private HBCU in VA)
African-American/Nigerian

 

[earf]

Hey you guys I called USC recently and they said that there wait list/alternate list is not numbered. And other schools like GU use a demographic based wait list in which the people are taken off if they meet some of the demographic of the person who decided not to take their seat. like Tim (Caucasian from Columbus, Ohio didn't show) so they accept Bob (Caucasian from Cleveland, OH) (demographics, age range, sex, kind of undergrad, and race usually only things taken into consideration).

So if people wouldn't mind sharing that information that would be cool.🙂

I am:
from Bakersfield, CA
traditional (20-23)
a Male
I am about to graduate from Hampton University (a small private HBCU in VA)
African-American/Nigerian

Wait did you ask if they take people off the waitlist based on demographics? Or did they just say their waitlist was unranked.

 

[Em2U]

Wait did you ask if they take people off the waitlist based on demographics? Or did they just say their waitlist was unranked.

They said it was unranked. So I assumed it was by demographics and not just random. 😕

Have you heard of other ways admissions take people off of the wait list?

 

[skais595]

They said it was unranked. So I assumed it was by demographics and not just random. 😕

Have you heard of other ways admissions take people off of the wait list?

I believe it's similar to what you said, but includes more med-relevant info, like girl who is into research decides not to come, so they find another girl who was into research. That's also when things can come into play like LOIs and whatever else. They don't want to pull people off the waitlist in July, so they want the waitlist people to want USC.

I wasn't at the parent's day, but how was it for people who went? I understand they've admitted ~330 people, and something like 130 of them went to USC undergrad?!

 

[Helloyoung]

I hope someone in this thread can answer your question. Also, I'm interested, where did you hear that USC has admitted about 330 people?

 

[gmoneytalks]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if any current students or Angelinos know whether living in Sherman Oaks is a bad idea for commuting to Keck?

 

[BKN89]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if any current students or Angelinos know whether living in Sherman Oaks is a bad idea for commuting to Keck?

its a rough drive in rush hour traffic. Could take 45+ minutes. Closer to an hour on some days.

 

[gmoneytalks]

its a rough drive in rush hour traffic. Could take 45+ minutes. Closer to an hour on some days.

thanks 👍

 

[skais595]

I hope someone in this thread can answer your question. Also, I'm interested, where did you hear that USC has admitted about 330 people?

My parents were at the Parents' Association event.

Hi guys,

I was wondering if any current students or Angelinos know whether living in Sherman Oaks is a bad idea for commuting to Keck?

Terrible idea 🙁

 

[gmoneytalks]

My parents were at the Parents' Association event.



Terrible idea 🙁

Hahahah. Would the westside also be a terrible idea? Due to my family situation, living east like in Silverlake or Pasadena isn't gonna work. Might be able to live more central like West Hollywood / Grove area but my wife will have to commute to UCLA everyday so... I don't mind rolling out early in the morning, but I don't think I can regularly avoid coming back home in the suck. Any advice on balancing our commutes to UCLA and USC?

 

[anguisette]

Hahahah. Would the westside also be a terrible idea? Due to my family situation, living east like in Silverlake or Pasadena isn't gonna work. Might be able to live more central like West Hollywood / Grove area but my wife will have to commute to UCLA everyday so... I don't mind rolling out early in the morning, but I don't think I can regularly avoid coming back home in the suck. Any advice on balancing our commutes to UCLA and USC?

Westside would be a horrible commute. But you do what you gotta do (speaking as someone who commutes from LA to OC). Have you seen the places to live pdf on the facebook page? There's a blurb written about Hollywood/West Hollywood and another one on West LA by current students.

Some things to note: Keck does have webcasted lectures... so you don't HAVE to be in class all the time. You can certainly avoid the worst rush hours with a flexible driving schedule. Also, I'm not familiar with the metro, but Keck does have a stop nearby and maybe there's something that goes through the westside too? A motorcycle might not be a bad idea either if you're going to be driving in during rush hour 🙂.

 

[Ohms]

My parents were at the Parents' Association event.

I don't think USC has already admitted 330 people, I think your parents may have misheard them saying they accept 330 people a year (after waitlist admissions). Admitting 330 people by early april for a class size of about 200 is a bold move as it can easily result in an entering class that is too large to be accommodated by the school of medicine. That's my take anyways.

 

[frenchvanilla]

Has anyone heard anything about the accelerated, 4-year md/mph? Are they still doing that?

 

[Jazzy88MD]

Has anyone heard anything about the accelerated, 4-year md/mph? Are they still doing that?

I called them on Friday to ask and the person/people who were supposed to know about it were not there, so they said someone should be able to call me back early this week to let me know...

 

[colin601c]

I don't think USC has already admitted 330 people, I think your parents may have misheard them saying they accept 330 people a year (after waitlist admissions). Admitting 330 people by early april for a class size of about 200 is a bold move as it can easily result in an entering class that is too large to be accommodated by the school of medicine. That's my take anyways.

+1
They accepted 334 people last year (including those pulled off the waitlist), so accepting 330 outright does seem like quite a leap.

 

[Helloyoung]

-1 It's possible that 330 people have been accepted. That's a matriculation rate of around 55% which is in line with what the rate has been in the past

 

[colin601c]

-1 It's possible that 330 people have been accepted. That's a matriculation rate of around 55% which is in line with what the rate has been in the past

It was ~55% last year AFTER ALL ACCEPTANCES (334): this number includes outright acceptances and waitlist/alternate acceptances. Dr. Arias also said that there is SUBSTANTIAL waitlist movement, so accepting 330 outright(i.e. NONE FROM THE WAITLIST) would not really allow for that. If 330 were accepted outright, should we only expect about 4 people to get pulled off the waitlist? Not very "substantial".
Another possibility is that those 330 acceptances included the people that Dr. Arias called.

I think either scenario is more likely than that they already accepted 330 outright(i.e. 330 people got the "accepted" e-mail). Obviously, this is all speculation and if any current Keck students want to chime in, please do🙂

 

[DocG]

There was an accepted students event at Keck this past Friday at which they presented some admissions numbers. They said something like they've given out 180 acceptances to females and 150 acceptances to males. I'm not sure if this is what they've already offered, or plan to offer by the end of the cycle, but it is what it is.

 

[Xzman]

There was an accepted students event at Keck this past Friday at which they presented some admissions numbers. They said something like they've given out 180 acceptances to females and 150 acceptances to males. I'm not sure if this is what they've already offered, or plan to offer by the end of the cycle, but it is what it is.

yes many will go to other schools but still the numbers seems too high. and accepting 130 USC undergrads seems a bit too high although USC is always the number one feeder to keck, that's not a surprise for obvious reason

 

[matanpucla]

There was an accepted students event at Keck this past Friday at which they presented some admissions numbers. They said something like they've given out 180 acceptances to females and 150 acceptances to males. I'm not sure if this is what they've already offered, or plan to offer by the end of the cycle, but it is what it is.

damn, if this is the case and theyve given out all these acceptances, it seems that my chances to get off the waitlist are pretty damn low.

 

[Em2U]

I am not sure of my strategy but i assumed the amount of people they have accepted is close to the number of people added in the facebook group for the class of 2017 which is 194 including the admin.