2014-2015 Case Western Reserve University Application Thread

[nightfury414]

Ha ha CitrusJ you and me both! I was getting worried...

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[toostressful]

It says "Optional Scholarly Essay" for University Track for me.

Oh really? That's interesting... Are you applying to the college track? Maybe that's where the difference comes.

 

[CWRU_iApply_Dev]

Hi all. A few quick notes for the most common posts.

1) Check your spam folder. Add [email protected] to your contacts list. I know it's been said plenty of times before, but this is still necessary. There isn't a lot I can do on my end to avoid this. You'll also get any further updates from the same email, so even if you've already gotten your invite, you should still add it to your contact list for the future.

2) The questions you see vary based on which tracks you're applying to. There are 3 different 'research' questions, as each tracks values research somewhat differently, but you should only see one based on the track combination you selected.

3) We are still sending out invites. If you haven't checked your spam folder, look there. If your primary application has been processed and you still haven't gotten an invite to our secondary by Tuesday 7/29, you should email someone. Look at our Contact Us page and send the most appropriate people an email asking about it.

Finally, while we do read this thread to keep tabs on things, we won't answer private messages sent through the forum. Emails sent to the appropriate address will get answered.

 

[Lamel]

Oh really? That's interesting... Are you applying to the college track? Maybe that's where the difference comes.

Nope, just University.

I added the college track just to see the difference and you guys have way more questions haha.

 

[10KDoc]

Does anyone know how to complete the affiliations section if you do not have any affiliations with the school? I did not check any of the boxes and when I save the section it still displays as No Answer. Don't want to submit an incomplete app.

 

[CitrusJ]

Does anyone know how to complete the affiliations section if you do not have any affiliations with the school? I did not check any of the boxes and when I save the section it still displays as No Answer. Don't want to submit an incomplete app.

I think it's fine to just leave it blank, it said "not answered" which is technically true in that case

 

[gg2015]

Anybody know if it's actually okay to go over their 'suggested' character limits? Having trouble trimming down my research essay.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Anybody know if it's actually okay to go over their 'suggested' character limits? Having trouble trimming down my research essay.

To put it bluntly, it is not okay. This applies not just to Case/CCLCM, but to the application process in general. It would be unlikely that your writing is so succinct that it cannot fit into the character limits despite your best efforts. If that really is the case, you're probably going into too much detail. The last thing you want to do is start off by giving the reviewer(s) the impression that you don't pay attention to instructions.

Not to mention, at some schools, your essay will simply be cut off at the character limit - which would probably not work in your favor, either.

 

[gg2015]

To put it bluntly, it is not okay. This applies not just to Case/CCLCM, but to the application process in general. It would be unlikely that your writing is so succinct that it cannot fit into the character limits despite your best efforts. If that really is the case, you're probably going into too much detail. The last thing you want to do is start off by giving the reviewer(s) the impression that you don't pay attention to instructions.

Not to mention, at some schools, your essay will simply be cut off at the character limit - which would probably not work in your favor, either.

Thanks! I'll keep trying to cut it down.

 

[10KDoc]

I think it's fine to just leave it blank, it said "not answered" which is technically true in that case

Just saw this on the secondary "If you have no affiliations with us, it is safe to leave this question unanswered."

Thanks for the help

 

[tuhtles]

I am having trouble uploading a photo...
It's in the right extension and also under 100 kb
Anyone else having trouble with this??

 

[Lamel]

To put it bluntly, it is not okay. This applies not just to Case/CCLCM, but to the application process in general. It would be unlikely that your writing is so succinct that it cannot fit into the character limits despite your best efforts. If that really is the case, you're probably going into too much detail. The last thing you want to do is start off by giving the reviewer(s) the impression that you don't pay attention to instructions.

Not to mention, at some schools, your essay will simply be cut off at the character limit - which would probably not work in your favor, either.

Case's secondary says "about 3500" so I don't think it is a hard cutoff, and the shorter essay 300-1000 characters is a "recommendation", not a limit. I think you'll be okay if it is +10% or so. Don't go too far over.

 

[kjj17]

Case's secondary says "about 3500" so I don't think it is a hard cutoff, and the shorter essay 300-1000 characters is a "recommendation", not a limit. I think you'll be okay if it is +10% or so. Don't go too far over.

agreed, I don't think it's a big deal to go over by a few if it makes your essay better! I'm sure there's a reason case doesn't do the cutoff-box, after all.

 

[strongside24]

still didn't get a secondary yet and not in the spam folder. verified first week of June... i know case does not screen and everyone gets it but starting to get worried

 

[starlight15]

agreed, I don't think it's a big deal to go over by a few if it makes your essay better! I'm sure there's a reason case doesn't do the cutoff-box, after all.

Yep. If it's suggested it's okay to go over by a little bit! Worked out last year. Of course, use common sense when determining how much is too much.

 

[hellanutella]

Finally submitted – really excited about both programs and crossing my fingers for good news. +1 gold star to Case for having a two-for-one secondary which still cost significantly less than some single program secondaries.

Anyone love how when you submit the payment the confirmation page says "CONGRATULATIONS!!! *SMILEY FACE*" ? I have never seen a school so thrilled to receive my money. Anything for you, Case.

 

[CCLCM_Case]

I would strongly, strongly recommend staying within the word limits. While it may have worked for one of you (good job), this is not the time to be risky. Case and CCLCM take professionalism seriously and one of the markers of good professionalism is following instructions. The last thing you want either institution to think is that you cannot follow instructions. The character limits are there for a reason. You are there to demonstrate that you can write clearly and concisely, which is a crucial skill to have regardless of whether you attend Case, CCLCM or another school.

Most of the people in the admissions committee are volunteering hundreds of hours to read your essays and application. If each person wrote just 10% more, this translates to extra time for the admissions committees. You do not want to give the admissions committee any reason to be annoyed, because yes, they are human too, and more importantly, as I mentioned, it's good practice to follow instructions to a T for something as important and as costly as medical school applications (and who knows? Maybe this is your first choice!). They have these secondary essays in order to gain insight into your character and see whether you fit into the unique culture of either school, not to torment you, and to give you a sufficient opportunity to describe the research you have performed, not write a master's thesis.

tl;dr Please stick to the word limits.

Ok, now that I've said that, I promise we're not mean people who don't have fun. If anyone has additional questions about the city or the program (especially CCLCM), let 'em loose!

 

[jibblesNbits]

I assume we'll have opportunities to discuss our research significantly more in depth in interviews? 3,500 characters is not enough to do years of work justice. I'm also not certain how detailed to go with explanations of highly field-specific rationales or hypotheses? I know the people reading these are better educated than me (otherwise this whole application process would be worthless haha), but most of what I do is pretty far removed from anything you would learn unless you specialized in it...

 

[CannedPineapple]

Literally just received my secondary, even though I had submitted my primary within the first week. To all those who haven't received theirs yet, hopefully yours will come soon too .

 

[heymeg]

.

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

Does anyone know how the screening is for the secondary application?

 

[ConsultantMD]

Does anyone know how the screening is for the secondary application?

I think it is non existent. Check your spam or just sit tight!

 

[CWRU_iApply_Dev]

I think it is non existent. Check your spam or just sit tight!

This is correct. Check your spam folder again, looking for [email protected] as the sender.

If you don't have anything in your spam folder, you should get your secondary invite by Tuesday afternoon if my math works out.

At that point, if you haven't seen anything from us and you should have, send an email to the support email listed on the front page for the secondary application.

 

[INOHELP]

For CCLCM, would a quarter of biochemistry work in place of the semester of biochemistry?

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

This is correct. Check your spam folder again, looking for [email protected] as the sender.

If you don't have anything in your spam folder, you should get your secondary invite by Tuesday afternoon if my math works out.

At that point, if you haven't seen anything from us and you should have, send an email to the support email listed on the front page for the secondary application.

I received it, I was just wondering if Case did an initial screening of applicants before sending out a secondary

 

[georgeag]

I'm a recent grad. I'll be following and can answer any questions that might come up.

Hi,
Working on my secondary now. I am applying with a recent Masters degree in Biological Sciences and additional undergraduate post bacc coursework. I have had significant basic research experience as part of my graduate program. Would you advise that I consider the College Track or the University Track, given that I would want practice clinical medicine and research, without necessarily get a PhD?
Thanks!

 

[CCLCM_Case]

For CCLCM, would a quarter of biochemistry work in place of the semester of biochemistry?

My understanding is that in the past, online courses were an acceptable way to meet the requirement, especially for those who had already been accepted and needed a way to fulfill the last requirement. Online courses are also quarter- or semester-long, so I would imagine that a quarter of biochemistry would also work. I would advise calling the admissions office. You would do your fellow applicants a big favor, and also allow the admissions staff to do their job more quickly (like putting together interview invitations!) if you posted the answer here.

Hi,
Working on my secondary now. I am applying with a recent Masters degree in Biological Sciences and additional undergraduate post bacc coursework. I have had significant basic research experience as part of my graduate program. Would you advise that I consider the College Track or the University Track, given that I would want practice clinical medicine and research, without necessarily get a PhD?
Thanks!

It sounds like you are interested in academic medicine. Both tracks are great for that. The University Program ("UP") has 4 months of required research, and the College Program ("CP") has 12 months of required research (and 2 summers of basic and clinical research). As a result, CP is a 5 year program, while UP is a 4 year program. Twelve months of research may give you a slight advantage in certain specialties (with the premise that you're more likely to publish in that field) or give you more time to figure out what you want to do specialty-wise, but strong applicants will get into competitive specialties and/or competitive locations in a traditional 4-year medical school. Don't forget that all residency programs require a "scholarly project" which usually means research, and research fellowships and post-docs are fairly common. Basically, there are plenty of ways to get involved after medical school.

For OP, I'd encourage you to explore the websites more to find out more differences between the programs. And as some have already mentioned here, it's 2 applications for the price of one, so if I were you, I would throw my hat in both since both are great programs. Also, @CCLCMer has a blog at http://cclcmstudent.blogspot.com/ which will make you salivate and dream about coming here. What a shame there isn't something similar from UP, hinthint.

 

[vc7777]

Dr. Esselstyn fan, here. Anyone else?

He's a nice guy.

 

[DermViser]

I would strongly, strongly recommend staying within the word limits. While it may have worked for one of you (good job), this is not the time to be risky. Case and CCLCM take professionalism seriously and one of the markers of good professionalism is following instructions.

 

[vc7777]

Anybody know if it's actually okay to go over their 'suggested' character limits? Having trouble trimming down my research essay.

No. Following directions is a highly desirable trait in medical school applicants.

To put it bluntly, it is not okay. This applies not just to Case/CCLCM, but to the application process in general. It would be unlikely that your writing is so succinct that it cannot fit into the character limits despite your best efforts. If that really is the case, you're probably going into too much detail. The last thing you want to do is start off by giving the reviewer(s) the impression that you don't pay attention to instructions.

Not to mention, at some schools, your essay will simply be cut off at the character limit - which would probably not work in your favor, either.

Hey Fluff... time flies, huh? Remember when we were applying on this thread? Scary that we are the most senior medical students now... I'm on an away... see you soon when I return?

 

[vc7777]

Case's secondary says "about 3500" so I don't think it is a hard cutoff, and the shorter essay 300-1000 characters is a "recommendation", not a limit. I think you'll be okay if it is +10% or so. Don't go too far over.

You will not endear anyone by going over the limits. Imagine I tell you, as a screener for our school, that everyone went 10% over the limit? Not cool. Unless you are the next William Shakespeare - you have no reason to exceed them. Also... that is a MORE than generous limit. Cut the bloat and fat out of your essay if you haven't already submitted it.

 

[vc7777]

agreed, I don't think it's a big deal to go over by a few if it makes your essay better! I'm sure there's a reason case doesn't do the cutoff-box, after all.

Sigh...folks...These limits are like stop signs: "if they REALLY wanted us to stop they would put up a concrete barrier, right? Those stop signs must be just suggestions" .... Sure! That means you can all blow through them...what bad could happen if everyone did?

 

[vc7777]

still didn't get a secondary yet and not in the spam folder. verified first week of June... i know case does not screen and everyone gets it but starting to get worried

We pull data from AMCAS in chunks. We only request as much as we can handle. So even though it might be ready at AMCAS - we may not be. Have some patience.

 

[vc7777]

I assume we'll have opportunities to discuss our research significantly more in depth in interviews? 3,500 characters is not enough to do years of work justice. I'm also not certain how detailed to go with explanations of highly field-specific rationales or hypotheses? I know the people reading these are better educated than me (otherwise this whole application process would be worthless haha), but most of what I do is pretty far removed from anything you would learn unless you specialized in it...

You cannot assume your audience has specific knowledge about your research topic. This is not a conference abstract, either. Do your best in the space allotted.

For CCLCM, would a quarter of biochemistry work in place of the semester of biochemistry?

You should call the office, but I suspect you will have to complete at least a quarter more of biochem ahead of matriculation at the latest - whether that is online or not I don't think matters. But it is especially important since CCLCM begins the first summer with this material.

 

[vc7777]

Lame, huh?

Who do you think give administrators more grief: Students who follow rules (even when politely offered as "suggestions"), or the ones who bend them? Given two applicants who are essentially the same - which do you think they'd prefer?

Follow the rules. Your essay is guaranteed to be bloated if it is larger than that, anyways.

Brevity is the soul of wit (cclcmer used to say). It's also the soul of a good essay.

 

[parsimony]

@vc7777 and @CCLCM_Case, thanks for all your advice so far! I'm applying UP, but hopefully you guys can still weigh in. For the research question, I have two projects I could write about: one produced statistically significant results, the other didn't, but it was a lot more interesting to me and I learned a lot from it despite it not really producing great results. Is this a situation where I can concentrate more on the learning experience?

 

[vc7777]

@vc7777 and @CCLCM_Case, thanks for all your advice so far! I'm applying UP, but hopefully you guys can still weigh in. For the research question, I have two projects I could write about: one produced statistically significant results, the other didn't, but it was a lot more interesting to me and I learned a lot from it despite it not really producing great results. Is this a situation where I can concentrate more on the learning experience?

Exactly. Go with the more meaningful and personally interesting project for your essay.

A smaller p-value will NOT increase your chances of acceptance.

 

[vc7777]

Not applying here this year, but a long standing member of the fan club. From far back in the Eggplant days.

I feel like you deserve a bachelor's in medicine or something by now...

 

[vc7777]

Oh, I'm vc7777. Sometimes contributor over the past five or six years. Occasional researcher. Full-time father. Fifth year medical student at CCLCM. Incorrigible rakehell.

It was pointed out to me that I'm the oldest in the entire CCLCM school currently. Thanks, classmate! Now come sit on my lap and I'll tell you all about what college was like before cellphones and how we made social plans days-even weeks-in advance and how we actual met when we agreed to...

Currently en route to another healthcare system (wouldn't call it a "hospital" because it isn't) for a month-long "acting internship" in one of my chosen fields of interest...

 

[Lamel]

You will not endear anyone by going over the limits. Imagine I tell you, as a screener for our school, that everyone went 10% over the limit? Not cool. Unless you are the next William Shakespeare - you have no reason to exceed them. Also... that is a MORE than generous limit. Cut the bloat and fat out of your essay if you haven't already submitted it.

Haha I did not go over the limit, I thought it was more than enough as well. I just feel that if it is really that important to adcoms to stay within the limit, just make it a hard cutoff (like most schools do). Otherwise it always leaves room for interpretation with "suggested limits" and "your essay will still be saved if you go over the character limit", which are stated right on the secondary.

 

[vc7777]

Haha I did not go over the limit, I thought it was more than enough as well. I just feel that if it is really that important to adcoms to stay within the limit, just make it a hard cutoff (like most schools do). Otherwise it always leaves room for interpretation with "suggested limits" and "your essay will still be saved if you go over the character limit", which are stated right on the secondary.

Well, some people need the space so they can work on their essays . In fact, it's really a courtesy to you guys that we don't set a hard limit. Again, to reiterate, you guys are trying to become professionals so we're going to treat you like grown ups. It's a perennial problem we have every year: people seem too hyper interpret everything they see or hear or are told even in the most casual manner. So for those extra needy of you need a limit let me set it for you right now: these are limits. Do not go past them.

 

[Lamel]

Well, some people need the space so they can work on their essays . In fact, it's really a courtesy to you guys that we don't set a hard limit. Again, to reiterate, you guys are trying to become professionals so we're going to treat you like grown ups. It's a perennial problem we have every year: people seem too hyper interpret everything they see or hear or are told even in the most casual manner. So for those extra needy of you need a limit let me set it for you right now: these are limits. Do not go past them.

Yeah, that's the med school application game in general, especially on this website.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I feel like you deserve a bachelor's in medicine or something by now...

I hope you're not posting while driving...

 

[vc7777]

I hope you're not posting while driving...

Google Voice hands free for the win!

 

[DielsAlder]

We are allowed to apply to both the college and university tracks right? My first choice is definitely the cleveland clinic track, although I would definitely be happy with the university track.

 

[wholeheartedly]

We are allowed to apply to both the college and university tracks right? My first choice is definitely the cleveland clinic track, although I would definitely be happy with the university track.

Yup, you can apply to both.

 

[georgeag]

My understanding is that in the past, online courses were an acceptable way to meet the requirement, especially for those who had already been accepted and needed a way to fulfill the last requirement. Online courses are also quarter- or semester-long, so I would imagine that a quarter of biochemistry would also work. I would advise calling the admissions office. You would do your fellow applicants a big favor, and also allow the admissions staff to do their job more quickly (like putting together interview invitations!) if you posted the answer here.



It sounds like you are interested in academic medicine. Both tracks are great for that. The University Program ("UP") has 4 months of required research, and the College Program ("CP") has 12 months of required research (and 2 summers of basic and clinical research). As a result, CP is a 5 year program, while UP is a 4 year program. Twelve months of research may give you a slight advantage in certain specialties (with the premise that you're more likely to publish in that field) or give you more time to figure out what you want to do specialty-wise, but strong applicants will get into competitive specialties and/or competitive locations in a traditional 4-year medical school. Don't forget that all residency programs require a "scholarly project" which usually means research, and research fellowships and post-docs are fairly common. Basically, there are plenty of ways to get involved after medical school.

For OP, I'd encourage you to explore the websites more to find out more differences between the programs. And as some have already mentioned here, it's 2 applications for the price of one, so if I were you, I would throw my hat in both since both are great programs. Also, @CCLCMer has a blog at http://cclcmstudent.blogspot.com/ which will make you salivate and dream about coming here. What a shame there isn't something similar from UP, hinthint.

Thank you very much for the insight. I will definitely consider applying for both!

 

[legendarg]

Does anyone know how in-depth the science discussion should be for the scholarly project essay?

 

[CluelessInformer]

Hi all! Was wondering whether applying to the College track hurts one's chances for the University track?

I understand that there is a slight delay in getting an interview if one applies to both, but are there any effects beyond that? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[CluelessInformer]

Does anyone know how in-depth the science discussion should be for the scholarly project essay?

Am of the understanding that it should be understandable by an individual of college-level education outside of your field of specialty. Probably not too in-depth, and avoid technicalities.
Hope it helps!