2014-2015 Pennsylvania State University Application Thread

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Hey guys, should we make a Facebook for the accepted Penn State Medical Class of 2019?
 
Was just offered an interview yesterday. Anyone else interviewing soon? Anyone who already has, any advice?
 
AAPPGG said:
Was just offered an interview yesterday. Anyone else interviewing soon? Anyone who already has, any advice?
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Wear comfortable shoes. The tour takes you around the school and the hospital attached to it. And bring a book. You will have a period of 45 minutes before/between or after your two interviews.
 
noman1006 said:
Skip the book, talk to your fellow interviewees, you can learn a lot from them and make some connections.
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TxC said:
Talking to fellow interviewees and lunch are the two best things about interviewing lol.
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I agree with you both but I was speaking from my interview experience where I had 45 minutes sitting by myself In between my interviews. I was just saying to be prepared.
 
TrustMeImDoctorWho said:
I agree with you both but I was speaking from my interview experience where I had 45 minutes sitting by myself In between my interviews. I was just saying to be prepared.
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During my day, I had to wait about 45 minutes between interviews as well and there was only one other person with me for like 15 minutes of it.

That said, bringing a book would be awkward and may come off as being disinterested to a lot of people. There was a brochure and some random humanities pamphlets to keep me occupied though!
 
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TrustMeImDoctorWho said:
I agree with you both but I was speaking from my interview experience where I had 45 minutes sitting by myself In between my interviews. I was just saying to be prepared.
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Other people may have their own opinions, but I would reflect more fondly on someone who maybe got up and looked around at the different information in the area than someone who sat reading a book. Not to say there's anything wrong with reading your own book, but it cuts you off from anyone who may walk by you and say "hi". Remember that with med schools the whole day is an interview, not just the 45 minutes you're with faculty.

To clarify, this isn't a "make it or break it" thing, it's just another opportunity to learn more about whichever school you are interviewing at.
 
Hey everyone. I understand that the interview is two one-on-one interviews? How long are each of the interviews - 45 minutes for both?

AAPPGG said:
Was just offered an interview yesterday. Anyone else interviewing soon? Anyone who already has, any advice?
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Same here. Huge surprise at this point in the cycle. Do you mind sharing when you applied? I don't think I was complete until Sep/Oct, which I assume is why we're hearing so late. My MCAT is also a bit below average, around a 30.
 
ineededathrowaway said:
Hey everyone. I understand that the interview is two one-on-one interviews? How long are each of the interviews - 45 minutes for both?


Same here. Huge surprise at this point in the cycle. Do you mind sharing when you applied? I don't think I was complete until Sep/Oct, which I assume is why we're hearing so late. My MCAT is also a bit below average, around a 30.
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I was not complete until November and my MCAT is way lower than that so I have NO clue how I got an interview haha. I'm just hoping it wasn't a mistake!
 
Pre-Interview Hold as of this morning. I interviewed at Penn State last year, and it went really well. Never got off the wait list. OOS, but PSU alumn. Interviewing at my state school a week from today, but hoping to hear good news from Penn State soon.
 
ineededathrowaway said:
Hey everyone. I understand that the interview is two one-on-one interviews? How long are each of the interviews - 45 minutes for both?


Same here. Huge surprise at this point in the cycle. Do you mind sharing when you applied? I don't think I was complete until Sep/Oct, which I assume is why we're hearing so late. My MCAT is also a bit below average, around a 30.
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I would say 20-30 minutes per interview. You could have some downtime before or inbetween your interviews.
 
Received a pre-Interview hold a week ago... wondering how many people are able to even come off the hold for an II
 
AAPPGG said:
I was not complete until November and my MCAT is way lower than that so I have NO clue how I got an interview haha. I'm just hoping it wasn't a mistake!
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Lol, I guess you never know what's going to happen. Good luck!


keevwu said:
I would say 20-30 minutes per interview. You could have some downtime before or inbetween your interviews.
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Thanks!
 
So Im on the hold list too, is that a death sentence or do people actually come off it?
 
MedBrah 19 said:
So Im on the hold list too, is that a death sentence or do people actually come off it?
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From past years threads it looks like ~10-15% of the incoming class is pulled from the hold list. That said, PSU's hold list seems to be pretty extensive and shrouded in mystery so who knows.
 
Is anyone else who interviewed on December 17th still waiting to hear? It's been almost 10 weeks. I'm not sure what to make of that...
 
So I am updating my status. I interviewed December 17th and received my packet February 14th. Post marked the 9th. I am so happy to be accepted! PennState looks at each person. Each applicant is judged by what they have to offer not all about the numbers. I'm being completely honest when I post my stats, I never believed I would have had a chance but I worked incredibly hard to even get myself to a spot worth considering. I have worked full time for PennState as a researcher for 4 years. I'm 32 and have a family and children. I published with PennState infectious disease and I put a few thousand hours into building a bio repository for research in the medical ICU. Because I am not right out of school I scored low on my MCATS but I applied anyway hoping for a chance. My MCAT was a 25 GPA 3.7. Just about DO average. So it was not my scores that got me in, it was my dedication to the field of medicine and science. I wish everyone the best of luck and I hope I can encourage people who didn't make it to remember it's not always about numbers. It's about what you are capable of. Your committee will see you as a whole person not just an application. Good luck to everyone!
 
RMRwlnds said:
Is anyone else who interviewed on December 17th still waiting to hear? It's been almost 10 weeks. I'm not sure what to make of that...
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If you have not gotten an email saying you are on hold then hang in there. Can take about 11 weeks in some cases.
 
11 weeks is a long wait... Does anyone know if they reject through email or post? Is it just acceptence a that come post? Thanks
 
Pre-interview hold still! I've already put in a deposit elsewhere, but just got the e-mail a week ago about the hold.
 
Hey everyone, I was accepted here and am just digging for some more information on the school before I make a final decision! I understand that grading is Pass/Fail, but is it true P/F (i.e., you only know if you pass or if you fail; there are no percentages)? Thanks for your help!
 
RMRwlnds said:
Is anyone else who interviewed on December 17th still waiting to hear? It's been almost 10 weeks. I'm not sure what to make of that...
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Yup, haven't heard anything yet...hoping for some good news soon!
 
CKP7175 said:
Hey everyone, I was accepted here and am just digging for some more information on the school before I make a final decision! I understand that grading is Pass/Fail, but is it true P/F (i.e., you only know if you pass or if you fail; there are no percentages)? Thanks for your help!
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Yep. True pass fail. No grades or ranking.
 
RMRwlnds said:
Do you happened to know what makes some take longer?
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Sometime you are just on the borderline so ADCOM keeps you on their list for the following month. This usually only happens once (meaning there is a 1 month delay) but in rare cases it could happen more than once. So this could add 4-8 weeks to your regular follow up time of 6-8wks.
 
RMRwlnds said:
11 weeks is a long wait... Does anyone know if they reject through email or post? Is it just acceptence a that come post? Thanks
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email for rejection, hold could be email or regular mail, acceptance is mostly a nice fat package in the mail.
 
ash83plus said:
Yep. True pass fail. No grades or ranking.
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I think it may be different for your class. We are told what the pass fail cut off is, but we are also told what our exact grade is (82.58%, for example).

We are not told what the average is, and according to the dean preclinical grades and ranking is not reported in our dean's letter.
 
ash83plus said:
Sometime you are just on the borderline so ADCOM keeps you on their list for the following month. This usually only happens once (meaning there is a 1 month delay) but in rare cases it could happen more than once. So this could add 4-8 weeks to your regular follow up time of 6-8wks.
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Well that's a sobering reality. I was hoping this long of a wait meant more than likely an acceptance--*sigh*
 
RMRwlnds said:
Well that's a sobering reality. I was hoping this long of a wait meant more than likely an acceptance--*sigh*
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It is actually not a bad sign. That means you are ranked a little higher than hold and closer to acceptance 🙂
 
awared2 said:
I think it may be different for your class. We are told what the pass fail cut off is, but we are also told what our exact grade is (82.58%, for example).

We are not told what the average is, and according to the dean preclinical grades and ranking is not reported in our dean's letter.
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It's the same for us too. You do get a grade but it doesn't count for anything. The only thing that goes on your transcript is P or F.
 
awared2 said:
I think it may be different for your class. We are told what the pass fail cut off is, but we are also told what our exact grade is (82.58%, for example).

We are not told what the average is, and according to the dean preclinical grades and ranking is not reported in our dean's letter.
Click to expand...

ash83plus said:
It's the same for us too. You do get a grade but it doesn't count for anything. The only thing that goes on your transcript is P or F.
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Thanks for the replies! Do you feel that receiving a percentage grade fosters a more competitive environment than, say, a school where you are blind to your percentage score and only know if you pass or fail?
 
I'm interviewing here on Wednesday. Anyone who has already interviewed have any tips?
 
CKP7175 said:
Thanks for the replies! Do you feel that receiving a percentage grade fosters a more competitive environment than, say, a school where you are blind to your percentage score and only know if you pass or fail?
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Not at all. I think I would be annoyed if I did not know how well I was doing. How can you try to do better if you don't know how you are doing? We use examsoft for taking exams on our computers. After almost every test you are able to review the questions that you got right and questions that you got wrong.

The only competition I have is between friends to see who does better.
 
are post-interview rejections/holds through e-mail or snail mail?
 
I don't suppose anyone knows how the hold list works? Is it like the wait list in that there is no movement until summer?
 
TxC said:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/325214431015097/
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I looked at this facebook group and it looks like many of the members have already started med school at Penn State last year in 2014. Is this the right group for the people who just got accepted and will be starting in July 2015? I thought those of us entering med school in 2015 are the Class of 2019?

Also, it looks like the only option for on campus housing are 1 or 2 bedrooms (the 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom apartments are reserved for people with families and short-term residents), so how did any previously accepted students find roommates? I assume you would live by yourself in a 1 bedroom or could you share it with others? I guess it's the luck of the draw, but what if you end up living with a roommate you don't get along with in a 2 bedroom apartment? How do you get groceries without a car? How did you get furniture?
 
tealstar said:
I looked at this facebook group and it looks like many of the member have already started med school at Penn State last year in 2014. Is this the right group for the people who just got accepted and will be starting in July 2015? I thought those of us entering med school in 2015 are the Class of 2019?

Also, it looks like the only option for on campus housing are 1 or 2 bedrooms (the 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom apartments are reserved for people with families and short-term residents), so how did any previously accepted students find roommates? I assume you would live by yourself in a 1 bedroom or could you share it with others? I guess it's the luck of the draw, but what if you end up living with a roommate you don't get along with in a 2 bedroom apartment? How do you get groceries without a car? How did you get furniture?
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Most Facebook groups will also allow current students to be members in order for the newbies to ask questions.
 
tealstar said:
I looked at this facebook group and it looks like many of the members have already started med school at Penn State last year in 2014. Is this the right group for the people who just got accepted and will be starting in July 2015? I thought those of us entering med school in 2015 are the Class of 2019?

Also, it looks like the only option for on campus housing are 1 or 2 bedrooms (the 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom apartments are reserved for people with families and short-term residents), so how did any previously accepted students find roommates? I assume you would live by yourself in a 1 bedroom or could you share it with others? I guess it's the luck of the draw, but what if you end up living with a roommate you don't get along with in a 2 bedroom apartment? How do you get groceries without a car? How did you get furniture?
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Yes, that is the right group. I made it and then a lot of current students joined.

I think a good amount of people will have cars, so you can probably find a grocery buddy haha.
 
anyone completed mid november or after that already rejected (pre interview reject)?? trying to see if i still stand any chance here at all!Thanks
 
anyone accepted received the certiphi background check for this school? just got one today, trying to figure out if it's psu or somewhere i was waitlisted at. Thanks!
 
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