2014-2015 Pennsylvania State University Application Thread

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sundancing said:
I just checked my credit card and I got charged 3 times when submitting the application. I clicked the link to pay twice because the first time it malfunctioned (as others have experienced) but I don't understand how I got charged 3 times!! Is there anything I can do about this? Should I just call the school tomorrow?
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Called having a similar issue I got charged but it isnt reflected on their end. They forwarded my complaint to IT. Kinda pissed because I worked so hard to get my app in early and now this may take a while to correct. I say give them a call
 
kl0117 said:
Called having a similar issue I got charged but it isnt reflected on their end. They forwarded my complaint to IT. Kinda pissed because I worked so hard to get my app in early and now this may take a while to correct. I say give them a call
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I called my credit card company and they said it was already corrected by the merchant and just to keep an eye on my statement. Hopefully yours is solved soon too.
 
Would coming from another country and learning a new language suffice as solving a complex problem? I really have no idea of what I should be talking about.
 
Submitted had a payment issue they fixed it quick! If you having similar issues call, Linda in the office is a sweetheart!
 
For the last essay question, does the "complex system" experience have to be something from undergrad or something recent?

I have a really good situation in mind, but it happened during the end of my senior year of high school.
 
stigus said:
For the last essay question, does the "complex system" experience have to be something from undergrad or something recent?

I have a really good situation in mind, but it happened during the end of my senior year of high school.
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I think It could be from whenever as long as your story matches the question
 
lilypond147 said:
Do we have to give both SAT and ACT scores? I took both tests and did a lot better on my ACT, so I'd like to only give that one 😛
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I'm sure the only thing they're using your undergrad admissions scores for is some statistical nonsense. I honestly can't see how they could justify using them any other way.
 
is PSUCOM the appropriate acronym?

EDIT: Im only asking because the secondary refers as Penn Stat College of Medicine (theres no university)….Just want to make sure i use the appropriate shorthand throughout my secondary.

Also this 75 word limit is a killer...
 
Last edited:
I'm not sure how to answer question 9 on this secondary. I took the MCAT a few weeks ago and my score won't be back until August. I don't want the processing of my application to be held up, so should I answer "Yes, wait on my MCAT score", "NO, begin processing my application immediately", or "I do not plan to take the MCAT after I submit my Secondary Application"?
 
Applicant6231 said:
I'm not sure how to answer question 9 on this secondary. I took the MCAT a few weeks ago and my score won't be back until August. I don't want the processing of my application to be held up, so should I answer "Yes, wait on my MCAT score", "NO, begin processing my application immediately", or "I do not plan to take the MCAT after I submit my Secondary Application"?
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The second one
 
dedicated1989 said:
is PSUCOM the appropriate acronym?

EDIT: Im only asking because the secondary refers as Penn Stat College of Medicine (theres no university)….Just want to make sure i use the appropriate shorthand throughout my secondary.

Also this 75 word limit is a killer...
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Yep. PSUCOM or PSCOM are both ok
 
classic payment issues. I submitted Monday night and called Tuesday when application payment failed (but my card was charged), they said wait a day to be sure. Called again today when payment still hadn't gone through, they said email them... looks like my secondary won't be submitted for a while :sour:
 
AMCAS was verified on 7/15, no secondary yet! 🙄 Ideas?
 
Does anyone know when Penn State first starts giving out IIs? Also, if there is an interview tracker or something similar like at other schools?

Ninja Edit: Just submitted Secondary today! OSS 3.73/38 🙂
 
So I just updated my application to add my non-science letter but Penn State's recommendation section is technically complete for me. If I submitted my secondary, would they automatically update the letter section to include the new letter?

kl0117 said:
I think It could be from whenever as long as your story matches the question
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Thanks. I went ahead and wrote for that experience
 
StephBee said:
Hey guys, I'm a Third year so some of my experiences will be different as we are undergoing a curriculum change so i"m not much help for that last question but I can give a quick rundown of the new one. Anatomy used to be a solid 6-8 week course but is now split up and spread out over the first 2 years so you'll disect say the abdomen then do the organ systems involved (GI, etc). When you start as a first year you will do a basic science and physio course. You then move to organ systems towards the second half of your first semester. You have the summer off between first and second yaer and this is when a decent number of people do research (myself included).
We're a big hospital with a lot of labs so pretty much anything youre interest in, you can find a lab that is working on it. You can also choose to do a research rotation during 3rd and 4th year. You are required to do a medical student research project to graduate (MSR project) which I liked because it will give you a small leg up when it comes to applying for residency. Best part of the new curriculum is that first an second year are pass fail too!

All of the faculty members I've talked to have been absolutely wonderful. I did my research in the lab of the wife one of my anatomy profs. Everyone here is super nice (which is actually one of the reasons I chose penn state) and always receptive to questions and interactions with students.

One of the perks to penn state is we have early patient contact. You're assigned an advisor your first year and you spend a day every couple of weeks in clinic with them learning how to talk to patients, do a physical exam, practice writing notes etc. My advisor was amazing and the program gets better every year. We also have a interest group for basically every specialty and these groups will arrange lunch lectures by faculty and shadowing opportunities (yes, shadowing doesn't end when you apply to med school but tis way better when you're a medical student). Even so, most people don't decide what they want to go into until third year (I still don't know!) but you at least get a small taste of everything before you're unleashed on the wards.

I hope that answers some of the questions. I'm sure Ash and some other studuents will come along and answer the parts I missed out on.


If anyone else has questions about PSUCOM, lemme know!
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Thank you for this insight! I'm particularly interested in the 3rd/4th year research rotation options. How long do these last? what role does the medical student play? Are they research in an area of choice or are they pre-determined?
 
Hey guys, anyone else still waiting on a secondary? I was verified early June and I feel like my stats are good enough to get one... my friends with similar or even lower stats have gotten theirs.
 
CrimsonChin16 said:
Hey guys, anyone else still waiting on a secondary? I was verified early June and I feel like my stats are good enough to get one... my friends with similar or even lower stats have gotten theirs.
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everybody gets a secondary. let them know you haven't gotten one yet.
 
CrimsonChin16 said:
Hey guys, anyone else still waiting on a secondary? I was verified early June and I feel like my stats are good enough to get one... my friends with similar or even lower stats have gotten theirs.
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I added Penn State almost 2 weeks ago and still haven't gotten one either...
 
CrimsonChin16 said:
Hey guys, anyone else still waiting on a secondary? I was verified early June and I feel like my stats are good enough to get one... my friends with similar or even lower stats have gotten theirs.
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Also haven't received a secondary yet-- I was verified on the first day. I thought perhaps they were just sending them in batches, but I suppose I'll try calling on Monday.. Good luck everyone!
 
kjw1024 said:
Also haven't received a secondary yet-- I was verified on the first day. I thought perhaps they were just sending them in batches, but I suppose I'll try calling on Monday.. Good luck everyone!
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Please post back and let everyone know what they tell you. It's a bit frustrating
 
Anyone else notice that the option stating "I certify that I have not taken any of the above exams" becomes check marked even if you input SAT/ ACT scores?
 
halfwaycrooks said:
Think about the last time you had to learn something new or you had no idea what you were doing. Maybe you were by yourself in a foreign country, your first day in a research lab, getting your letter accepting you to hogwarts etc...
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Do you think learning and becoming fluent in a foreign language (Spanish), would work well for that prompt?
 
Bbroush said:
Do you think learning and becoming fluent in a foreign language (Spanish), would work well for that prompt?
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Depends on how you spin it, if you've done medical missions using that language, I think that would be a kickass answer.
 
CrimsonChin16 said:
Please post back and let everyone know what they tell you. It's a bit frustrating
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I actually received the secondary application this morning, so I wouldn't worry about it if you haven't recieved one yet-- they're coming!
 
sunflower18 said:
II this morning!!! I actually got a duplicate email about it, each 30 minutes apart.. I hope it wasn't a system glitch or something. But I'm really excited if not!!
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Congratulations!!! I just received my secondary this morning, and I was verified the first day haha. When did you submit?
 
JingleChips said:
II as well! submitted secondary a few hours after receiving it on 7/18. super pumped!
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NervousNerd said:
II this morning!! OOS so very excited for this one
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Yep, same submission date here too. Congrats guys!!!

This school is honestly a super great fit for me for a variety of reasons, which gives me a lot of confidence that maybe this process isn't so random after all, and that fit is a major factor. I'm stoked!!
 
sunflower18 said:
Yep, same submission date here too. Congrats guys!!!

This school is honestly a super great fit for me for a variety of reasons, which gives me a lot of confidence that maybe this process isn't so random after all, and that fit is a major factor. I'm stoked!!
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As am I! Can't wait to potentially meet some of you guys!!!!
 
sunflower18 said:
You didn't ask me but I forgot to say earlier: OOS, 33, >3.9.


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What date is your interview for? Congrats I know it probably feels great to have an II lined up!
 
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