2014-2015 Rutgers University - NJMS Application Thread

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Got my II earlier this week as well; have to interview within 2 weeks, yikes! I haven't prepared much.
I submitted my secondary July 21st but never got an email confirmation from NJMS or anything like that....only a receipt confirming payment of my secondary......how long did it take you to get an interview invite?
 
Wait did you get some kind of confirmation email or something? All I got was a receipt telling me I paid for the secondary.....Also what is a "II"...is that an interview invite or secondary?

Email them. I got a response after one day.
II = interview invite
 
Email them. I got a response after one day.
II = interview invite
would u mind giving me the email you used to contact them? is it just the admissions office email?

Also, when did you submit your secondary?
Thanks!
 
I submitted my secondary July 21st but never got an email confirmation from NJMS or anything like that....only a receipt confirming payment of my secondary......how long did it take you to get an interview invite?

I had all my materials in on the 21st as well. They don't send a "complete" email.
 
I asked if my low verbal score will hurt my chance, and Dr. Heinrich told me that they do not rank by scores. He said "we look at a composite applicant". I hope that's true... Avg MCAT of class of 2014 was 32.5... lol..

@DrMula

Yes. Their admissions office email.
 
I found NJMS' interview calendar on their site. I scheduled myself for an interview date that was not listed in their II email. I got an interview confirmation via email afterwards, but I'm hoping that I was allowed to do that...
 
I found NJMS' interview calendar on their site. I scheduled myself for an interview date that was not listed in their II email. I got an interview confirmation via email afterwards, but I'm hoping that I was allowed to do that...

They didn't give any dates in the actual invite email for me, I just picked in their calendar on their site.
 
I was kind of surprised that the student interview was optional. I decided to take it anyways since I figured it may reflect poorly to refuse it, and it would also be good practice.

Does anyone have any advice on whether or not to take the student interview?
 
I was kind of surprised that the student interview was optional. I decided to take it anyways since I figured it may reflect poorly to refuse it, and it would also be good practice.

Does anyone have any advice on whether or not to take the student interview?

That's separate from the interview from the admission?
 
I asked if my low verbal score will hurt my chance, and Dr. Heinrich told me that they do not rank by scores. He said "we look at a composite applicant". I hope that's true... Avg MCAT of class of 2014 was 32.5... lol..

@DrMula

Yes. Their admissions office email.

From my personal experience talking with him, I would say that is definitely false. I asked about my chances with 2 sub-30 mcat scores and he highly discouraged me from applying (all other stats and EC's were "good", I'm also in-state)
 
Had my interview this past week. I think mine was the exception to the usual. It was formal and slightly intimidating. Crossing my fingers that I was able to make a good impression!
@hred224
 
I was kind of surprised that the student interview was optional. I decided to take it anyways since I figured it may reflect poorly to refuse it, and it would also be good practice.

Does anyone have any advice on whether or not to take the student interview?

@cCalculus, do you mind if I ask when you submitted your secondary or when you were marked as complete by NJMS?
 
Does anyone know if they do silent rejections here? I've been done since July 1st, IS.
 
Does anyone know if they do silent rejections here? I've been done since July 1st, IS.

@Rieux, I'm not sure if they do silent rejections. But might I suggest shooting them an email to ask about whether or not you're complete with them. I emailed them earlier last week, and they were very nice about it - and prompt.
 
@Rieux, I'm not sure if they do silent rejections. But might I suggest shooting them an email to ask about whether or not you're complete with them. I emailed them earlier last week, and they were very nice about it - and prompt.

I actually called them a couple weeks before they started going through apps just to make sure that they had everything, and they said they did. But now I'm seeing people complete after me getting IIs. It likely just means those people had much better applications though, so I'll just be patient for now.

@Rieux, do you mind if I ask what your LizzyM is? Just wondering. As someone else mentioned earlier (I believe @brood910), NJMS's ADCOM says they look at each applicant holistically.

My lizzyM is a little weird. It's pretty low at a ~65 but I did well in an SMP which isn't factored into my lizzyM.
 
My interview certainly wasn't a stress interview but we went into my application in exceptional detail. There were some questions on scores, courses, etc. and some general "med school interview" type questions - What did I consider my greatest success/failure, what I feel like will be the hardest challenge for me in medical school, etc. Mostly you kind of get to direct the flow of conversation. My interviewer was really interested in my life outside of the bare bones grades/research/volunteer/etc so I got to talk a lot about activism, music, books, and my opinions on controversial subjects. We talked about how I deal with stress, what my expectations are for medical school/my future career in medicine, my transcripts, MCAT scores, etc. My interview lasted about an hour and a half and we almost actually ran out of time - there was more to talk about and discuss but then I was going to be late for the tour, lol. The adcom seems to care a lot about the make up of their classes and they really truly want well-rounded students.

Also something to note is that my interview was... emotional. My interviewer and I were both tearing up/straight up crying at some point LOL

I love the school and I can't wait to start. The whole community is just so real in every sense of the word.
 
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I actually called them a couple weeks before they started going through apps just to make sure that they had everything, and they said they did. But now I'm seeing people complete after me getting IIs. It likely just means those people had much better applications though, so I'll just be patient for now.



My LizzyM is a little weird. It's pretty low at a ~65 but I did well in an SMP which isn't factored into my lizzyM.

Oh I see. Don't lose hope. I'm in the same boat as you. Who knows though, perhaps they're going through the applications randomly. Fingers crossed for the both of us!
 
Anybody else waiting to hear back in ED application. I'm getting real nervous now :/
 
Same boat, I'm all in. I had my II 3 weeks ago and haven't heard anything back...
 
Congrats to those that had regular MD interviews!! I was wondering, how long do those take? Are they a whole day ordeal?
 
@anon12345678910, do you mind if I ask when you were complete/when you submitted?
No problem, my committee letter wasn't received until August 22nd or so, I assume my application didn't get a look at until then. Submitted the secondary prob a week or so before that - point being I was definitely not one who got their stuff in very early
 
Does NJMS send a letter/email for rejection or silence?
 
Does anyone know how many OOS matriculated last year? And how many interviewed? Sorry if already discussed.
 
got in last week, Dean Heinrich really knows how to make someone's day! Good luck to everyone
 
got in last week, Dean Heinrich really knows how to make someone's day! Good luck to everyone
Do you mind sharing stats and complete date? Are you regular decision applicant and IS?

And Congratulationsssss.
 
RD don't find out until October 15
really? where did you hear/read that? I've been completed since Mid July, RD, but I haven't heard anything yet, and I'm getting a little nervous haha
 
After interviews, the first acceptances will go out around October 15th and after.
 
Has anyone been rejected yet or denied an interview invite?
 
Hi! Do you mind me asking, what 3 things do you like and what 3 things do you dislike about NJMS?

Likes:
1.) The classes at NJMS are extremely close. Students in the classes above you are very helpful and will go out of their way to give advice, lend books, etc. Students within the classes share notes, tips, complaints, etc. The "gunner" mentality is highly frowned upon and your classmates really begin to feel like family. We go out together after all exams in huge groups to celebrate.

2.) Many many electives, groups, and initiatives to get involved in. There are interest groups for everything. There are many sports teams and active things that you can do to get away from the academic/medicine world. There are numerous opportunities to begin seeing patients as a first year student. Mentoring/tutoring opportunities, an active student council, and many community service projects for the local community also exist.

3.) Faculty and administration is pretty organized. It is easy to get in touch with whoever you need to reach - registrar, financial aid, cashier's office, ID office, parking office, security.

Some more likes: first two years are pass/fail, lectures are recorded and uploaded to iTunes U immediately after the lecture ends so you don't have to attend class, scribe notes services are available if you want them.

Dislikes:
1.) Medical school is hard. This probably will be the case anywhere you go however. There is just a massive amount of knowledge to gain and only so much time to do it, I can't imagine that many other schools can make it "easy". Sorry, but the hard part is NOT getting in. Some people do fail medical school. Not many but there are some who have to repeat a year.

2.) The lecture halls are cold in the summer and hot in the winter. >:[

3.) The student lounge was ugly and didn't have an AC but the student council has taken care of this and there is now construction and remodeling underway to improve it. Yay!
 
FYI besides being an NJMS student, I am also one of the student interviewers but I can't provide any information that is too specific about the admissions process here for obvious reasons.
 
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