2014-2015 Vanderbilt University Application Thread

[gettheleadout]

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Autobiography

Write a brief autobiography. As completely and precisely as possible, give a picture of yourself, your family, and events you consider important to you. In doing so, identify the values that are of greatest importance to you. If you have completed your undergraduate education, please comment on what you have done or have been doing since graduation.

Challenge

Please discuss a challenging situation or obstacle you have faced in the past. Why was it challenging? How did you handle it? Knowing what you know now, would you do anything differently? What did you learn?

Good luck to everyone applying!

 

[sunflower18]

i would loooove to attend vandy! here's to hoping! 🙂

 

[No Limits]

Applying to Vandy too, hoping to get some love! Good luck to all!

 

[Endure]

Good luck everyone! If anyone has any questions about the application process at Vanderbilt, I'll be a MS1 here in July.

 

[Person0715]

I saw on the MSAR that Vandy screens for secondaries. Any applicants from the past cycle know how rigorous this screen is, that is how many secondaries do they send out?

 

[gettheleadout]

I saw on the MSAR that Vandy screens for secondaries. Any applicants from the past cycle know how rigorous this screen is, that is how many secondaries do they send out?

I can't answer your question, but as a point of note I believe last cycle was the first time secondaries were offered independently; in the past Vandy only sent secondaries to applicants who would be interviewed.

 

[Person0715]

I can't answer your question, but as a point of note I believe last cycle was the first time secondaries were offered independently; in the past Vandy only sent secondaries to applicants who would be interviewed.

Ah, I see. I'm glad that Vandy has started screening. I'd appreciate it if more schools let us know if we'd be better off dropping a Benjamin down the toilet than submitting a secondary!

 

[Amba]

I can't answer your question, but as a point of note I believe last cycle was the first time secondaries were offered independently; in the past Vandy only sent secondaries to applicants who would be interviewed.

Actually it was the second time, I believe. I think it's roughly 1000 secondaries and 500 interviews.

 

[gettheleadout]

Actually it was the second time, I believe. I think it's roughly 1000 secondaries and 500 interviews.

Ah yeah you're right, I see it was discussed in last year's thread.

 

[CroatoanVaccine]

Applying here! Good luck everyone!

 

[aspirantmed]

I can't answer your question, but as a point of note I believe last cycle was the first time secondaries were offered independently; in the past Vandy only sent secondaries to applicants who would be interviewed.

Honestly, if you're in the range of being competitive for top schools and if you can reasonably see yourself attending and liking Vanderbilt, it's in your best interest to apply. No school-specific fees (apart from AMCAS) until you get a secondary, and then you have about a 50% chance of receiving an interview. And if I remember right, I think they tend to accept a pretty high percentage (45-50%) post-interview as well.

Someone correct me, but I seem to remember they interviewed closer to 400, not 500. Can someone with the MSAR for this year either verify that or correct me?

 

[gettheleadout]

Honestly, if you're in the range of being competitive for top schools and if you can reasonably see yourself attending and liking Vanderbilt, it's in your best interest to apply. No school-specific fees (apart from AMCAS) until you get a secondary, and then you have about a 50% chance of receiving an interview. And if I remember right, I think they tend to accept a pretty high percentage (45-50%) post-interview as well.

Someone correct me, but I seem to remember they interviewed closer to 400, not 500. Can someone with the MSAR for this year either verify that or correct me?

516 interviews offered last cycle, and ~ 57% post-interview acceptance rate (same for overall and OOS).

 

[islandfighter]

Anyone know if they screen just based on stats? Or if they look at ECs and PS before deciding who gets a secondary?

 

[acquiescing]

Anyone know if they screen just based on stats? Or if they look at ECs and PS before deciding who gets a secondary?

As far as I have been told, it is a comprehensive look pre-secondary.

 

[Nymphicus]

As far as I have been told, it is a comprehensive look pre-secondary.

Anyone know if they screen just based on stats? Or if they look at ECs and PS before deciding who gets a secondary?

It's a fairly comprehensive review by a committee separate from the interview granting committee.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

I'm applying here. It's a super-reach, but I would love to attend Vanderbilt. Also, I don't mind gambling $36.

Edit: Plus they invited me to consider them and fill out their information form. They must love me!

 

[sunflower18]

I'm applying here. It's a super-reach, but I would love to attend Vanderbilt. Also, I don't mind gambling $36.

Edit: Plus they invited me to consider them and fill out their information form. They must love me!

Omg I got that email too!!!! They must already have us down on their acceptance list 😉

 

[Leslie_Knope]

Omg I got that email too!!!! They must already have us down on their acceptance list 😉

Exactly! See you next year!

 

[CroatoanVaccine]

Exactly! See you next year!

Knope 2015! Councilwoman to MD!

 

[Copernicium]

Omg I got that email too!!!! They must already have us down on their acceptance list 😉

Same here! I got a couple e-mails back in February and have been deciding since whether or not to give into the propaganda and throw an application here 😛

 

[childish93]

Plus they invited me to consider them and fill out their information form. They must love me!

Gahhh all I get are Ross U solicitations via e-mail!

 

[gettheleadout]

Gahhh all I get are Ross U solicitations via e-mail!

Am I the only one that gets podiatry school emails?

 

[Leslie_Knope]

Am I the only one that gets podiatry school emails?

I got one but it was in my spam folder. Gmail knows what's up.

 

[sunflower18]

Am I the only one that gets podiatry school emails?

I get tons, especially from Temple. And some Carib schools I think.

 

[Person0715]

I get tons, especially from Temple. And some Carib schools I think.

I get solicitations from Vanderbilt and the military. @sunflower18, you are so popular.

 

[hellanutella]

Vandy has been very persistent... and their persistence paid off. The only med school to send anything in the mail so far has been WashU, who sent a huge, glossy pamphlet way back in March.

However, I get at least 3 podiatry e-mails for every med e-mail. Lots of stuff from Duke-NUS as well.

@Person0715 Ahhhh I got an e-mail from a military recruiter as well. Definitely not my cup of tea, though.

 

[Laureatebarrel]

I get a lot from Ross, at least five emails. Have to unsubscribe.

Sent from my BNTV600 using Tapatalk

 

[Heday]

Am I the only one that gets podiatry school emails?

I get strictly podiatry and occasional Caribbean med schools.

 

[ascott189]

I would love to go to Vandy! I have heard great things about the school. Fingers crossed.

 

[DermViser]

Thought this was interesting: https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/ume/md-curriculum

Their "Class of 2015" and "Hybrid" curriculum looked better IMHO for Step 1 studying, instead of cramming it all into 1 year with "Curriculum 2.0". Seems like they're trying to take after Duke.

It looks like they switched from Basic Science: P/F, then H/P/F, and then H/HP/P/F for clerkships to all of Basic Science being P/F. So class rank is more dependent on subjective evaluations on clerkships than objective basic science grades.

 

[Nymphicus]

Thought this was interesting: https://medschool.vanderbilt.edu/ume/md-curriculum

Their "Class of 2015" and "Hybrid" curriculum looked better IMHO for Step 1 studying, instead of cramming it all into 1 year with "Curriculum 2.0". Seems like they're trying to take after Duke.

Don't forget the year of rotations before step 1 in addition to the preclinical first year.

 

[DermViser]

Don't forget the year of rotations before step 1 in addition to the preclinical first year.

I was going to say there's always been a year of rotations (like at all med schools) but I guess they now have people take Step 1 AFTER clinicals.

Kind of silly bc their average Step 1 score has always been high. In their case, it's nice to get it out of the way and concentrate on the clinical shelf exams only. Of course if your entire basic science curriculum is crunched into 1 year, then maybe you need a longer time to cover things they didn't get to.

Seems like they changed a their lecture based curriculum to PBL also: 👎

 

[AspiringDoc2015]

Definitely my top choice. I graduated undergrad here in 2012 and it is an AMAZING school. I absolutely loved my time there and miss it everyday.

 

[No Limits]

This is definitely one of my dream schools, so excited to be applying! I'm hoping my 10 on the physics section (37 overall) of the MCAT doesn't hurt me... Fingers crossed.

lol, I doubt it will hurt you.

 

[sunflower18]

I'm torn as to whether I should start prewriting the autobiography secondary for Vandy.... It seems like a tough prompt, but I don't want to spend a bunch of time on a essay if I don't get a secondary! I really hope I do get a shot though. This school looks pretty much perfect.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

I'm torn as to whether I should start prewriting the autobiography secondary for Vandy.... It seems like a tough prompt, but I don't want to spend a bunch of time on a essay if I don't get a secondary! I really hope I do get a shot though. This school looks pretty much perfect.

I'd do it.

 

[Heday]

I know there is no character limit, but what's a reasonable length for the "brief" autobiography? I imagine we should all keep it concise and refrain from verbiage/"novelesque" writing? In short, keep it straight forward and simple? Don't try to do anything different?

 

[acquiescing]

I know there is no character limit, but what's a reasonable length for the "brief" autobiography? I imagine we should all keep it concise and refrain from verbiage/"novelesque" writing? In short, keep it straight forward and simple? Don't try to do anything different?

In prior years they asked for a 1200 word limit if that gives you any idea, but people had autobiographies as short as 700 words and received IIs.

 

[YamNMangos]

In prior years they asked for a 1200 word limit if that gives you any idea, but people had autobiographies as short as 700 words and received IIs.

Huh that's funny - I didn't know that, and I wrote very close to 1200 words - seemed like the right amount for a short autobiography 😉. However, even though there is no word limit, don't be verbose - treat the quality of your writing the same as you would for your PS, without the character restrictions (you can be a bit fancier with your vocab).

 

[YamNMangos]

I'm torn as to whether I should start prewriting the autobiography secondary for Vandy.... It seems like a tough prompt, but I don't want to spend a bunch of time on a essay if I don't get a secondary! I really hope I do get a shot though. This school looks pretty much perfect.

DO IT. At the very least, brainstorm the structure of your essay and jot down all the ideas that you can. If you do get a secondary, all you have to do then is organize your thoughts, which at least for me takes much less effort and time. If you don't, that's still okay, as just by laying out your thoughts, this can prove to be invaluable in an interview. I was so glad after an interview that I had written this long essay, as for the entire 30 minutes of my interview, my interviewer (just so happens to be from the school where I will be attending) asked me to tell her my life story, and I remembered everything I wrote on this essay (plus all the ideas that I had thought of that I didn't include). Even if this doesn't happen to you, you can take away these ideas and reflections on your personality and apply them to other secondaries. It's actually quite interesting how much more you learn about yourself from this entire process.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

DO IT. At the very least, brainstorm the structure of your essay and jot down all the ideas that you can. If you do get a secondary, all you have to do then is organize your thoughts, which at least for me takes much less effort and time. If you don't, that's still okay, as just by laying out your thoughts, this can prove to be invaluable in an interview. I was so glad after an interview that I had written this long essay, as for the entire 30 minutes of my interview, my interviewer (just so happens to be from the school where I will be attending) asked me to tell her my life story, and I remembered everything I wrote on this essay (plus all the ideas that I had thought of that I didn't include). Even if this doesn't happen to you, you can take away these ideas and reflections on your personality and apply them to other secondaries. It's actually quite interesting how much more you learn about yourself from this entire process.

This is excellent advice!!

 

[juliuspepperwood]

App received email today

 

[Person0715]

Just got secondary invite. Guess I can't put off the autobiography essay forever.

 

[sunflower18]

Just got secondary invite. Guess I can't put off the autobiography essay forever.

Wow, that was a fast screening process! I just got the email saying they've received my app like an hour ago. Still waiting for secondary.. Fingers crossed!

 

[No Limits]

Edit: Nothing yet... this must be one tough screen.

 

[hellanutella]

Secondary invite at 7:34 pst!
I was holding off on pre-writing due to their screen, but it looks like I'm going to have to do some some serious writing...

Edit: there was a time when I thought $50 app fees were extreme, but after paying $100+ on some secondaries, Vandy looks like a bargain. Thank you again and again for your low(er) cost secondary and screen!

 

[Person0715]

Does anyone know how many secondaries they send out? How rigorous is the screen?

 

[No Limits]

Does anyone know how many secondaries they send out? How rigorous is the screen?

I think it's roughly 1000 secondaries and 500 interviews.

 

[slopes23]

Their website indicates roughly 1/5 of all applicants will receive a secondary.

 

[DoTheTrick]

Wooooooooooow 🤔