2014-2015 University of Alabama Application Thread

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LeeroyJenkins4 said:
This may be a dumb question.. But how are those people declining their acceptances? Just wondering because I haven't received any official letter or had to send a letter of intent or anything like that. Are they just emailing UAB back?
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I never got the official letter either, but it's not needed. You can just hit "Withdraw" on the portal, for any school.
 
Any ideas when the committee will meet again? I'm expecting to get on the waitlist, but maybe they liked me more this year and I can go ahead and get accepted.
 
Zippy92 said:
So you were accepted in November but haven't received your official acceptance letter yet? I was under the impression that they would send that once they made the campus assignment. Have you called admissions? I got my campus assignment through my portal on Monday and I feel like I'll probably start to get paranoid if it's not here in two weeks or so
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Yes, I was accepted in November. I haven't received an official letter, only the email. I found out about my campus assignment through the online portal not too long ago. Just randomly saw that my status changed. And a couple of days ago UAB emailed me a checklist of things to complete before orientation and the beginning of classes.
 
Did anyone who has interviewed but is still awaiting acceptance receive the very detailed email about the rural scholars programs? Ive asked around to some people I know who have interviewed back around when I interviewed (late October) and no one I have talked to has received it. My first thought was that everyone received it, but now I have two other thoughts since no one else I know has received the email...A) Im getting denied/waitlisted for regular admission so they wanted to make me aware of other options, or B) I said something in my app or during my interviews that made them think id be interested in the programs...


Anyone else receive the email or have any thoughts on the matter??
 
Dinkyman706 said:
Did anyone who has interviewed but is still awaiting acceptance receive the very detailed email about the rural scholars programs? Ive asked around to some people I know who have interviewed back around when I interviewed (late October) and no one I have talked to has received it. My first thought was that everyone received it, but now I have two other thoughts since no one else I know has received the email...A) Im getting denied/waitlisted for regular admission so they wanted to make me aware of other options, or B) I said something in my app or during my interviews that made them think id be interested in the programs...
Anyone else receive the email or have any thoughts on the matter??
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I got the same email around 3:30 this afternoon. My first thought was if I should take this as a subtle warning. My second thought is that they may be trying to remind/recruit people for the program since they may have a lack of applicants thus far.

I imagine they just ran a query and sent the email to every unaccepted applicant that was raised in the backwoods of Alabama.

The next email from UAB needs to begin with "Congratulations!"
 
aldoctorgirl said:
@UABme what are the odds, do you think, that the committee will meet this week with it being match week?
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Honestly, I have no clue if that would interfere with the admissions process. In my opinion, I doubt it would affect it much, as all of the fourth years are finished and just waiting to hear.
 
Chandlr said:
I got the same email around 3:30 this afternoon. My first thought was if I should take this as a subtle warning. My second thought is that they may be trying to remind/recruit people for the program since they may have a lack of applicants thus far.

I imagine they just ran a query and sent the email to every unaccepted applicant that was raised in the backwoods of Alabama.

The next email from UAB needs to begin with "Congratulations!"
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very true on all accounts.. I think I am going to ask admissions about the nature of the message tomorrow.

The real issue with applying if there is a lack of applicants thus far is the way they handle the waitlist if accepted to rural. You could apply rural, get waitlisted to regular admissions (possibly upper third), then get accepted to rural and atomically removed from the wait list in spite of the (almost) fact that you would get accepted to the regular admissions due to your location on the waitlist..

All that has done for me is now make my head spin even mores than before the email came in.
 
Dinkyman706 said:
very true on all accounts.. I think I am going to ask admissions about the nature of the message tomorrow.

The real issue with applying if there is a lack of applicants thus far is the way they handle the waitlist if accepted to rural. You could apply rural, get waitlisted to regular admissions (possibly upper third), then get accepted to rural and atomically removed from the wait list in spite of the (almost) fact that you would get accepted to the regular admissions due to your location on the waitlist..

All that has done for me is now make my head spin even mores than before the email came in.
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Please share if you do decide to check on the nature of the email.
 
Dinkyman706 said:
very true on all accounts.. I think I am going to ask admissions about the nature of the message tomorrow.

The real issue with applying if there is a lack of applicants thus far is the way they handle the waitlist if accepted to rural. You could apply rural, get waitlisted to regular admissions (possibly upper third), then get accepted to rural and atomically removed from the wait list in spite of the (almost) fact that you would get accepted to the regular admissions due to your location on the waitlist..

All that has done for me is now make my head spin even mores than before the email came in.
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Another thing to consider....rural health scholars are NOT assigned to the Birmingham campus for years 3 & 4, since the other 3 campuses have more of a primary care and community medicine focus.
 
TigerMD2017 said:
Another thing to consider....rural health scholars are NOT assigned to the Birmingham campus for years 3 & 4, since the other 3 campuses have more of a primary care and community medicine focus.
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Its a great program for people who know they want to do primary care in a rural area of Alabama.
 
Dinkyman706 said:
Its a great program for people who know they want to do primary care in a rural area of Alabama.
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Agree. You just need to understand what you are signing up for and that it is not a shortcut for getting admitted into the UAB class starting in July. This is from the Tuscaloosa program's website (Auburn also has a program):

"...the Rural Medical Scholars Program, a highly selective five-year medical education program of The University of Alabama and the University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM). If selected, a Rural Medical Scholar is enrolled at The University of Alabama in the year prior to entry into medical school (UASOM), takes coursework each semester related to rural health or the practice of primary care in rural areas, and participates in special seminars, community service projects and field trips that enrich his or her knowledge of what a career in rural medicine entails. Provided the student meets the entrance requirements for admission to UASOM, he or she has a reserved slot in the following year’s class. After two years of study in Birmingham, where UASOM is headquartered, Rural Medical Scholars return to the College of Community Health Sciences, which also functions as the Tuscaloosa Regional Campus for UASOM, for their third and fourth years of clinical education."
 
TigerMD2017 said:
PROS: fewer residents and fellows in Montgomery so med students may get to do more on rotations; more of a community-based an primary care enviroment (could be a con for you) can still do electives in Birmingham; 90 minutes closer to the Gulf Coast;.......Biggest pro: You're going to medical school!!!
CONS: Specialty and subspecialty exposure not nearly as broad as Birmingham; the Montgomery campus has been open < a year, so there is no track record as far as USMLE performance for those students; less to do in Montgomery than in Birmingham.

How soon after your acceptance did you get your campus assignment?
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One more PRO a UAB friend of mine pointed out: The Montgomery hospitals where students do clinicals (Baptist) run the same electronic patient chart program used in Birmingham, so you won't have to learn a new system when moving between the two campuses.
 
Zippy92 said:
So you were accepted in November but haven't received your official acceptance letter yet? I was under the impression that they would send that once they made the campus assignment. Have you called admissions? I got my campus assignment through my portal on Monday and I feel like I'll probably start to get paranoid if it's not here in two weeks or so
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Just got back in town today, checked mail and official letter came in.
 
Is anyone going to the Dean's Medical Student Weekend in April?/Does anyone know what all will happen at it? The email invitation is pretty vague.
 
REBELBEARS said:
Is anyone going to the Dean's Medical Student Weekend in April?/Does anyone know what all will happen at it? The email invitation is pretty vague.
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If they have it scheduled for April, and we're talking about UAB, will it really not be held until May?
 
According to UAB's website today is the last interview date, so more acceptances could be sent between now and April 1. [DISCLAIMER: dates and dealines published by UAB have only a 31% chance of being accurate 😉]
 
TigerMD2017 said:
According to UAB's website today is the last interview date, so more acceptances could be sent between now and April 1. [DISCLAIMER: dates and dealines published by UAB have only a 31% chance of being accurate 😉]
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Not to mention the fact April 1 is April Fool's Day. Cue the false acceptances (it's happened to people I know).
 
Anyone who interviewed today know if they are meeting tonight? Last round of acceptances before the wait list is released could be sent out tomorrow.
 
Interviewed today. They're meeting next week and then the Thursday the following week. They told us our data won't be ready for the evaluation next week and that our decision should come in 2 weeks.
 
rugger4 said:
Interviewed today. They're meeting next week and then the Thursday the following week. They told us our data won't be ready for the evaluation next week and that our decision should come in 2 weeks.
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So I guess that means everyone who interviewed on the last two dates will be on the waitlist? Since they said they'd put it out April 1st, although I doubt they actually will.
 
letmeinanywhere said:
So I guess that means everyone who interviewed on the last two dates will be on the waitlist? Since they said they'd put it out April 1st, although I doubt they actually will.
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I suspect it may mean no more acceptances will be sent out before they meet next week, and the meeting 2 weeks from today may be to determine the waitlist rankings.
 
There is still like 75 spots left. The last two interviews will not go on automatic waitlist. If you have noticed anything so far about UAB it is that they never usually sticks with their schedule.
 
On to April. Thinking more acceptances should come out Friday since the committee is meeting tomorrow.
 
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Silverstien_Rocks said:
I called the admission office a little while ago and the guy told me that they did not meet yesterday... So I'm not sure what's going on...
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whhatttttt... that's crazy. I guess we wait until next Thursday...
 
TigerMD2017 said:
...or the Thursday after that. No sense rushing. It's not like any of us have life plans to make. It makes you wonder if UAB has the same complete disregard for its students as it does for applicants.
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lol they do take their time. In my interview on 3/26 they told me they would be meeting next thursday (yesterday) and then the Thursday after that would be the last meeting. Hopefully next week is still the last day so we can find out some decisions.
 
Called admissions today. According to the person I talked to, the plan is for everyone to know waitlist spots by April 30...
 
How are you guys finding roommates? I guess it would be too late to wait until orientation, right?
 
justdjoking said:
Called admissions today. According to the person I talked to, the plan is for everyone to know waitlist spots by April 30...
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Does that mean that everyone still waiting to hear is going on the wait list, or are they still sending out acceptances?
 
Westen37 said:
Does that mean that everyone still waiting to hear is going on the wait list, or are they still sending out acceptances?
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I'm pretty sure they still have acceptances to give out. Especially since the last two interview dates hadn't been reviewed (or even occurred) when they last sent out acceptances.
 
Are there any non-traditional students out there looking for a roommate and wanting to live downtown? I went looking at apartments last week and realized living alone may not be financially feasible.
 
phoenix915 said:
Are there any non-traditional students out there looking for a roommate and wanting to live downtown? I went looking at apartments last week and realized living alone may not be financially feasible.
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Hey! I've lived in Birmingham for the last 4 years and there are some great places that are within 2 or 3 miles of the school for real cheap and you could possibly live by yourself.
Check out h2 real estate, especially the Avondale, Southside, and Highlands areas.
Also check out historic highlands apts.
 
hopeful_MD123 said:
I'm pretty sure they still have acceptances to give out. Especially since the last two interview dates hadn't been reviewed (or even occurred) when they last sent out acceptances.
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So does that mean there will be no more acceptances until the April 30th deadline when they meet? Has anybody heard any news this month?
 
RexNova said:
So does that mean there will be no more acceptances until the April 30th deadline when they meet? Has anybody heard any news this month?
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Someone told me that by April 15, all of the acceptances will be sent out. But who knows if UAB will stick to that.
 
hopeful_MD123 said:
Someone told me that by April 15, all of the acceptances will be sent out. But who knows if UAB will stick to that.
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What I was told in my interview was that the committee was suppose to meet tomorrow (4/9) so yeah April 15 sounds pretty consistent with that. Of course, they were suppose to meet last week too and that didn't happen 😵
 
rugger4 said:
What I was told in my interview was that the committee was suppose to meet tomorrow (4/9) so yeah April 15 sounds pretty consistent with that. Of course, they were suppose to meet last week too and that didn't happen 😵
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If they can't manage to meet generally accepted deadlines -- or even their own -- for the admission process it makes me wonder how frustrating it will be to be a student there and trying to get them to meet deadlines for other menial tasks like sending transcripts, USMLE applications, and the match. By contrast, South Alabama has had their waiting list out for a week, has had a FB page for accepted applicants for over a month, and overall has their act together much better.
 
TigerMD2017 said:
If they can't manage to meet generally accepted deadlines -- or even their own -- for the admission process it makes me wonder how frustrating it will be to be a student there and trying to get them to meet deadlines for other menial tasks like sending transcripts, USMLE applications, and the match. By contrast, South Alabama has had their waiting list out for a week, has had a FB page for accepted applicants for over a month, and overall has their act together much better.
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They are much kinder to their students. Part of the reason, based on what I've heard, that they're slow this cycle more than usual is b/c they changed the process and it's new for everyone. By no means is this a reflection of how they treat you once you're an accepted applicant or an enrolled student.
 
bookworm30 said:
They are much kinder to their students. Part of the reason, based on what I've heard, that they're slow this cycle more than usual is b/c they changed the process and it's new for everyone. By no means is this a reflection of how they treat you once you're an accepted applicant or an enrolled student.
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If you really believe this you should look at the late March and early April posts from the UAB forum from two years ago:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-of-alabama-application-thread.895330/page-13

You'll see similar posts from last year's forum. Every year there's a different explanation for why it "only seems like" UAB treats applicants so poorly.
 
TigerMD2017 said:
If you really believe this you should look at the late March and early April posts from the UAB forum from two years ago:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-of-alabama-application-thread.895330/page-13

You'll see similar posts from last year's forum. Every year there's a different explanation for why it "only seems like" UAB treats applicants so poorly.
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If i remember correctly the wait list last year came out the last week in April, so I would expect nothing different this year. Their scoring this year is different, and I assume everyone is extremely close so it probably does take a long time to make decisions. I have several friends who go there now and have no problems with the administration. The process just sucks, but they'll get everything done soon enough.
 
Westen37 said:
Does that mean that everyone still waiting to hear is going on the wait list, or are they still sending out acceptances?
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They didn't say when the committee was meeting next, but then again I didn't ask specifically. I feel like the admissions committee meeting or not meeting A) has not been that helpful as far as determining when acceptances come out and B) has not been accurately predicted by talking to people at admissions. So why bother asking? I'm not as interested in the committee's meeting habits as I am in their notification habits, to sum up my thoughts. Anyway, they said that all acceptances have by no means been handed out, but they were not at liberty to give me accurate figures or broad-stroke estimates. The general message was "sit tight until you hear from us, it'll be around the end of the month." I'm totally happy to do that because I really want to go here, but I understand the frustration.
 
From my experience, UAB has been very helpful answering any questions and letting us know the information that they know. They use an app to keep accepted applicants informed and any question has been answered within the hour from someone who works at UAB. I sent an email asking a specific question and it was answered the next day. I would speculate that they don't have solid dates on when they'll be sending out acceptances because they may not know, themselves. We do know that April 30th is the tentative date set by AAMC. Hang in there, guys. I highly doubt they are making people anxiously wait on purpose. 🙂
 
Zippy92 said:
From my experience, UAB has been very helpful answering any questions and letting us know the information that they know. They use an app to keep accepted applicants informed and any question has been answered within the hour from someone who works at UAB. I sent an email asking a specific question and it was answered the next day. I would speculate that they don't have solid dates on when they'll be sending out acceptances because they may not know, themselves. We do know that April 30th is the tentative date set by AAMC. Hang in there, guys. I highly doubt they are making people anxiously wait on purpose. 🙂
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An app? What is this app of which you speak?
 
WhatsApp, I recieved an email once I was accepted to send a specified person my phone number and I would be added to the group. Essentially it is like groupme and there are 2 people that I know of that work for UAB who are in the conversation.
 
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