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2013-2014 University of Massachusetts Application Thread
- Thread starter JJMrK
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Did you sent it to the Director of Admissions? Email or snail mail?
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I interviewed on 9/11... and it seems like its going to be a long wait!
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I am a re-applicant. Complete late September and haven't heard back from UMass yet. A colleague of mine was complete in July (is also a re-app) and has an ii for December 4.
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Congrats to those getting in! The wait is brutal, I'm glad at least some of us are hearing good news. I interviewed before the 22nd so that's a bit dispiriting, but what can you do?
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I am thinking about sending an update letter. Should this be addressed to the Director of Admissions rather than the Dean? Also, is it better to send letter snail mail or as an e-mail attachment to admissions? Not sure if anyone had done this before. Thanks.
I wrote one and addressed it to the Admissions Committee. I emailed them a PDF and quickly received an email confirming that it had been added to my file.
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I'm in the same boat, MD/PhD interviewing this thursday/friday. Good luck!
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*Grumbles in frustration, drawing weird looks from coworkers.*
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The timeframe I get from med students and residents who went to UMass (I work at a UMass affiliated hospital) is that a majority of matriculants receive their acceptance sometime between the beginning of February and the middle of March, with some coming off the waitlist anywhere between April and the first day of class. Between now and February, the only thing we can really is find our happy place.
That sounds accurate. I was accepted near the end of March, a few weeks post-interview. Hopefully you guys will get news sooner than later, I know the wait is brutal. Even the MCAT only forces you to wait 1 month 😛
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MSTP invite today for Feb 13-15.
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Deleted.
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Congrats! When were you complete?
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Interview invite today for 1/9! Not sure when I was complete, but I submitted before the end of July.
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December 5 I believe
Did I read my II correctly, is the MD portion MMI?
Did I read my II correctly, is the MD portion MMI?
Yes, MD on the first day is MMI.
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Accepted less than a month after interviewing!
I went in to this interview with a "well, it's my state school" and left with "WOW please accept me"
The new buildings are so amazing and beautiful, the students seemed so genuine and the new research building is going to put Umass even more on the research map.
I liked the MMI alright, I thought I bombed it!
I wish they would have talked a little more about the curriculum and assessment though.
The financial aid presentation was the best- short and sweet!
I went in to this interview with a "well, it's my state school" and left with "WOW please accept me"
The new buildings are so amazing and beautiful, the students seemed so genuine and the new research building is going to put Umass even more on the research map.
I liked the MMI alright, I thought I bombed it!
I wish they would have talked a little more about the curriculum and assessment though.
The financial aid presentation was the best- short and sweet!
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Congrats!! I have been watching UMass for a while, as I went to school in Worcester. Such a wonderful program. Can't wait to start next August!
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Congrats! When were you accepted?
Now a content med student elsewhere, but wanted to share my experience applying to UMMS during the previous cycle. Received an interview invite for October. I know this is a great school. My own family doctors were UMMS graduates. I've had their students at my own doctor appointments and family hospital treatments.
Fairly awful interview day at UMMS. Their own scheduling conflicts caused my interview to be held during the school tour, so I had to peel off at the beginning of the tour and go back to interview. Interview was basically a 30-min complaint session by interviewer about current UMMS students who were struggling for various reasons (that was their version of "why medicine/why doctor"???). Almost no questions for me or about me as a student candidate. It seemed surreal, disheartening, and disrespectful of my time, after having prepared for this day for most of my life; not at all what I expected upon arriving in that seat, not at all what I experienced at other schools, and not what most other candidates experienced at UMASS. Since this was my first interview as an applicant, there was no basis from which to compare and contrast other interviews, so I just accepted it without complaint. Only after other school interviews did it become apparent that it was rather a shortcoming of the school.
One other SDN poster on here who interviewed the same day as me shared the same experience on SDN; I think that candidate ended up requesting a second interview after recounting their experience to administration. It seemed a bold move.
I did not complain/report/inquire. I continued to update my credentials and interest as the year progressed. After my interview, no response (no acceptance, no rejection, no waitlist) at all from UMASS until mid-May at the absolute deadline for response, upon which a rejection was received. The whole experience was completely disheartening. It seems ludicrous for a school to not respond -at all- for seven months.
Takeaway? If you do not feel that you've been given a fair shake, advocate for yourself (reasonably) to the source that matters. Wish I'd had an MMI format -- be grateful.
Fairly awful interview day at UMMS. Their own scheduling conflicts caused my interview to be held during the school tour, so I had to peel off at the beginning of the tour and go back to interview. Interview was basically a 30-min complaint session by interviewer about current UMMS students who were struggling for various reasons (that was their version of "why medicine/why doctor"???). Almost no questions for me or about me as a student candidate. It seemed surreal, disheartening, and disrespectful of my time, after having prepared for this day for most of my life; not at all what I expected upon arriving in that seat, not at all what I experienced at other schools, and not what most other candidates experienced at UMASS. Since this was my first interview as an applicant, there was no basis from which to compare and contrast other interviews, so I just accepted it without complaint. Only after other school interviews did it become apparent that it was rather a shortcoming of the school.
One other SDN poster on here who interviewed the same day as me shared the same experience on SDN; I think that candidate ended up requesting a second interview after recounting their experience to administration. It seemed a bold move.
I did not complain/report/inquire. I continued to update my credentials and interest as the year progressed. After my interview, no response (no acceptance, no rejection, no waitlist) at all from UMASS until mid-May at the absolute deadline for response, upon which a rejection was received. The whole experience was completely disheartening. It seems ludicrous for a school to not respond -at all- for seven months.
Takeaway? If you do not feel that you've been given a fair shake, advocate for yourself (reasonably) to the source that matters. Wish I'd had an MMI format -- be grateful.
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I'm going to agree with the previous poster. While I am very happy to be a student here, the admissions process was BY FAR the worst out of the 8 schools I interviewed at. The ladies in the admissions office are very nice, but I feel 1. they unnecessarily string along most applicants and 2. they make some very curious acceptance decisions. Anecdotal, but my roomate got a full ride at a higher ranked medical school last year but rejected from UMass post-interview.
I had a good interview experience, but unfortunately subjectivity is a component of any interview.
I had a good interview experience, but unfortunately subjectivity is a component of any interview.
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Perhaps the lack of continuity in accepted students led to the implementation of the MMI?
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Was ist das? As in they had a hard time retaining accepted students? Possibly. Though, I always figured one of the things that soured people on the school was the very long wait, especially if they already have other acceptances that are offering decent financial aid, or have been accepted to more "prestigious" schools. My theory has always been that UMass intentionally waits this long to see who really wants to go to their school.
That doesn't account for why they wait until late April to send mass post-interview rejections. I think this is EXTREMELY unfair to applicants. If non-rolling schools are able to get all decisions out by March, I see no reason why UMass is unable to do so.
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Sorry if I was unclear. I was commenting on Bruits' observation about his own acceptance vs. his roommate's lack of an offer, despite the qualifications.
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Later decisions = later rejections. How would it not be taken into account?
I agree it is a bit unfair, but that's what happens when the supply of pre-meds far exceeds the number of seats available. UMass isn't unique in this respect, either. I suppose an alternative is to turn the process into something like the residency match.
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I have been on quite a few interviews and I must say, UMMS was AMAZING. The brand new, 400 million dollar medical school / research building is just going to push UMASS higher in the research ranking. Everything about the school fits what I was looking for: P/F, Level I trauma center, positive and enthusiastic student body, low cost tuition/fees, great facilities.
I would love to hear from some current students about their experiences at UMMS!
I would love to hear from some current students about their experiences at UMMS!
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Glad to hear UMMS is getting some love. As a current student, I can definitely say it's a great place to be! Best of luck to you all - yes the admissions process is long, but I can tell you that the committee takes their time to make sure that every interviewed applicant's file gets a good look.
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Itsame, can you tell us more about your experience at UMMS? I want to hear the good, bad, and ugly.
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The good, bad AND ugly? That might take a while, but I'll do my best.
I should start with the fact that I am super happy I'm at UMass. Looking back, I know I made the right decision for me and I have absolutely no regrets about turning down schools like WashU and Vandy to attend. UMass was the right fit for me.
I like the community feel of the school. Very collaborative, really cool group of people - students and faculty. We help each other - no one is out to get you. People share study guides and exam prep tips. 3rd and 4th years give advice to 1st and 2nd years. Faculty like working with students and trying to lure them into their various specialties. The learning community program and school mentoring are great.
Like any school, the teachers can be a mixed bag, but I feel like the really great professors and clinical mentors here make the occasional bad apple easy to deal with.
I also like the primary care emphasis since that's what I'm into. We spend a lot of time learning how to talk to patients and be good, human doctors. At times, it's almost like we're being hit over the head with it, but I think it's important all the same. We get plenty of early patient exposure with out preceptorship programs, and lots of hands-on training with standardized patients. I've heard over and over again how prepared students feel for 3rd year - especially when they are on away rotations and can compare their comfort level and skill with students from other schools.
(Not to say that you can't do specialties from here - lots of people do, so it's not like the primary care emphasis is a barrier)
Generally speaking, administration listens to students. The post-class surveys for every block and program do get annoying after while but they really do change things that don't work. The chancellor invites students to have lunch with him. The deans hold open dialogues for students to raise concerns and suggestions.
So the bad/ugly? Let me see what I can come up with. Full disclaimer, I've always been a roll with the punches kind of gal and not too much really bothers me, so keep asking around for the bad/ugly so that you can get a well-rounded perspective.
UMass is not the most diverse med school out there. It's the state school for Massachusetts and rather unsurprisingly there are a lot of white, middle class students. I can't speak from the perspective of students in various minority groups, but I wish there were more diversity because the more perspectives you hear the better you'll be able to serve patients with different backgrounds from your own. That being said, Worcester is a pretty diverse place over all for clinical years. Full spectrum of SES and cultures - there are lots of immigrant groups here too.
Worcester is cold man! Snowiest city in America last year (over 100,000 people). It gets a little wearing in the winter, but I'm from around here so I deal. The city itself is pretty cool- it's no Boston, so don't expect that, but there's plenty to do and the cost of living is very nice. It's a good place to live and study at this point in my life. It's also nice being pretty close to home (compared to my undergrad).
I could go on and on for the good and the bad, but if you give me more specific questions I'll do my best to answer!
Sorry, that was a bit scattered, but I hope it was helpful. In conclusion, UMMS is awesome and I give it two thumbs up.
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Thanks a lot for the great information! I'm really glad you are having such a positive experience. What areas of Worcester do most current students live?
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Most students live within a 1/2 mile radius of the university campus, at least for the first two years. There are a couple of popular apartment complexes up north on Plantations St and a bunch of house-style apartments in the neighborhoods just north of North Rd which runs behind the hospital. Some people also live in the neighborhoods and apartment complexes just south of Rt 9.
It's not hard at all to find a place nearby. Because UMass is a teaching hospital there is always lots of turn over from students and residents moving in and out.
The further you go from the hospital, the more you can get for your money.
In the neighborhood around UMass a 2/3 bedroom house-apartment will run between 1200 and 1600 or so (generally not including utilities). In the managed complexes, a 2 bedroom will run probably 1000-1400 per month I think.
Some people commute in from all over. All the lectures (except for those without patient speakers or small groups or labs) are recorded so there are days where it's not necessary to come in at all. I've heard parking can be a pain in the morning depending on what time classes start. All students can buy parking passes, but first years have to park in a garage up plantation street (there's a shuttle that'll bring you to the hospital) on weekdays. There is free parking for all students on nights and weekends in designated garages.
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Do you have a morning or afternoon interview? I had a morning interview, and I was on the road by 2-2:30. Not sure when the afternoon interviews finish up though.
I'm supposed to get there by 9, and the website says the day should end approximately at 5pm, so I don't know...
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Mine said to arrive by 9 AM as well, and I was done mid-afternoon. Those who had later interviews had a later start time. I would just give the admissions office a call to confirm, they're helpful about this sort of thing.
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I had an afternoon interview and we were out at 3:30ish, maybe 3:45. Definitely wasn't there until 5PM.
