2015-2016 Boston University Application Thread

BU Medical Sciences
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tensticks said:
I haven't received a secondary yet and I've been verified since early June.
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I have been verified since June and decided to add Boston today. Within half an hour they sent me their secondary. However, I am reapplying, so it might just be that they need time to create everybody's file. My email said my file was already created from a previous year and I just needed to sign back in.
 
I attended BU's master's program this year and still haven't received a secondary from them, for what it's worth.
 
hrbird said:
I have been verified since June and decided to add Boston today. Within half an hour they sent me their secondary. However, I am reapplying, so it might just be that they need time to create everybody's file. My email said my file was already created from a previous year and I just needed to sign back in.
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Oh okay, I was just curious why I didn't get one…..I'm okay waiting lol plenty of other secondaries to worry about right now
 
I was sent the portal sign up and all that but my secondary doesn't seem to be available. Is this because I still have yet to be verified?
 
OH! I figured it out! Yeah this is a glitchy website.
 
So I interviewed here last cycle (technically still on their waitlist) and would say I was complete quite late, around September for various reasons beyond my control. Would my having interviewed here have a positive bearing on my chances this time around, provided a miracle doesn't happen in the next month or so? Complete and submitted as soon as possible this time, learned my lesson. If anyone can weigh in that would be great, thanks.
 
How detail should one be when talking about their gap year?
 
Also secondary received...but can't submit until I'm verified lol? What was the point of sending it pre-verification then lolz
 
1. Complete the Optional Essay to provide additional information that was not included in your AMCAS application or other sections of BUSM Supplemental application. Most applicants do not submit an Optional Essay. Most applicants leave this section blank.
2. Complete the Boston University School of Medicine or Boston Medical Center Connection only if you have a direct personal connection to one or both of these organizations. Most applicants do not complete the BUSM/BMC Connection.

Optional Essay:Use the space below to provide additional information you feel will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of your strengths as a candidate for a career in medicine.This should include only information NOT already included in your AMCAS or other sections of the BUSM Supplemental Application. Most applicants leave this blank. (3000 char)


----------------

The rest of the app is literally refilling in AMCAS information. What a drag.
 
How many characters does the optional essay allow? I haven't received the secondary yet.

Edit: Nevermind...
 
Yeah, still haven't gotten this secondary either.
 
For the following question: Should I mention that I was born and did my schooling till high school in a foreign country? How should I approach this question?

Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us. For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. (2000 Characters)
 
Received the secondary about 3 hours ago
 
Anyone who's applied to BU in the past, are they really picky about the letter formatting? Have they really returned letters that are not on official letterhead, etc.?
 
Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us.For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. (2000 Characters)

For this question, would talking about being homeschooled until middle school and how that made me a uniquely independent and curious learner be beneficial? Independent in the sense that I've always become interested in random things and then learned as much as possible about it (music producing, building PCs, there are tons of examples). I can also spin it into saying it made me good with working with people I barely knew. I would often go to group classes and such but wouldn't be in school everyday with the same kids. Thoughts?
 
Tankstah said:
Please provide a narrative or timeline to describe any features of your educational history that you think may be of particular interest to us.For example, have you lived in another country or experienced a culture unlike your own, or worked in a field that contributed to your understanding of people unlike yourself? Or, have you experienced advanced training in any area, including the fields of art, music, or sports? This is an opportunity to describe learning experiences that may not be covered in other areas of this application or your AMCAS application. It is not necessary to write anything in this section. (2000 Characters)

For this question, would talking about being homeschooled until middle school and how that made me a uniquely independent and curious learner be beneficial? Independent in the sense that I've always become interested in random things and then learned as much as possible about it (music producing, building PCs, there are tons of examples). I can also spin it into saying it made me good with working with people I barely knew. I would often go to group classes and such but wouldn't be in school everyday with the same kids. Thoughts?
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I think that is relevant and would likely be beneficial! Worst case scenario, it won't hurt you.
 
sunshine02 said:
Is anyone else having trouble saving? Especially in the "preferences" section, after you enter the information and press save, it says "Failed to save."
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Same, anybody have any suggestions?
 
Ok, so every time I try to log in on Chrome, it tells me that it's detected Auto fill for the password and I have to disable it before continuing. I've done so and it still doesn't work! Do I have to restart my browser and/or computer? This is just a bit obnoxious!
 
Also, did anyone see the pronoun preference thing? Excuse my ignorance, but I didn't know people actually went by ze/zer/zhis!
 
chocoholicsoxfan said:
Ok, so every time I try to log in on Chrome, it tells me that it's detected Auto fill for the password and I have to disable it before continuing. I've done so and it still doesn't work! Do I have to restart my browser and/or computer? This is just a bit obnoxious!
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Did you go back in and delete the saved pw? After I did that it worked for me!
 
is it recommended to fill out the personal narrative essay to try to get past the II screening since BU gets 10k+ apps? I can always add stuff but I'm pretty sure my main theme is apparent from my primary, though it may not be strung together as well.
 
suchbrio said:
Did you go back in and delete the saved pw? After I did that it worked for me!
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I did! It's currently listed under "Never For This Site" in my advanced settings. I've been using Firefox for this app only, so it's not a HUGE deal. Just moderately annoying.
 
G.NA said:
is it recommended to fill out the personal narrative essay to try to get past the II screening since BU gets 10k+ apps? I can always add stuff but I'm pretty sure my main theme is apparent from my primary, though it may not be strung together as well.
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It seems people have very different views on how to approach BU's optional essays so it's pretty tough to answer. Luckily(?) I haven't gotten the secondary yet so I can try to come up with something decent for those essays.
 
chocoholicsoxfan said:
I did! It's currently listed under "Never For This Site" in my advanced settings. I've been using Firefox for this app only, so it's not a HUGE deal. Just moderately annoying.
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I had the same issue. I ended up requesting a password change and that eventually worked for me.
 
Got this secondary super early this morning, and submitted it just now (I left both the educational history prompt and the optional prompt blank, because most of what I would've wanted to talk about is in my primary already... hope that doesn't end up being a decision I regret). Their secondary website is perhaps the most confusing one to navigate that I've seen thus far, haha. Best of luck to everyone!
 
sunshine02 said:
Is anyone else having trouble saving? Especially in the "preferences" section, after you enter the information and press save, it says "Failed to save."
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This is happening to me and is stressing me out...
 
Little confused about AP coursework. In the section on "Prerequisite Grid," if I did 2 quarters English and had 8 units of AP English/comp can I say 2 semesters of English (basically, can I count AP credits?)
 
Is it frowned upon to turn one of the optional essays into a why BU essay? I have specific interests that apply to this school and its kind of disheartening that I won't get a chance to talk about them unless I get an interview.
 
Tankstah said:
Is it frowned upon to turn one of the optional essays into a why BU essay? I have specific interests that apply to this school and its kind of disheartening that I won't get a chance to talk about them unless I get an interview.
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I feel like in general it may be frowned upon, but if you have very compelling reasons as to why you want to go to BU, I think that would be okay.
 
Tankstah said:
Is it frowned upon to turn one of the optional essays into a why BU essay? I have specific interests that apply to this school and its kind of disheartening that I won't get a chance to talk about them unless I get an interview.
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I thought the general perception was to follow directions and that the optional stuff is really for special stuff you wanna explain
 
Idiotic request: so I was looking around the site this morning and exited the screen, now I cannot find a link that will bring me back. Firefox wouldn't load (http://weblogin.bu.edu:791/buweb), and all of the links in the emails are to register. Could anyone just post the link please?
 
I received the secondary before being verified.
 
G.NA said:
I thought the general perception was to follow directions and that the optional stuff is really for special stuff you wanna explain
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So I really shouldn't do either of those essays if my AMCAS included everything? Even if only slightly? I can elaborate more on different strengths etc. but would they rather not have their time wasted? I don't see how they can set people apart from just the primary app.
 
Tankstah said:
So I really shouldn't do either of those essays if my AMCAS included everything? Even if only slightly? I can elaborate more on different strengths etc. but would they rather not have their time wasted? I don't see how they can set people apart from just the primary app.
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There are two camps on this...I am in the "only mention if you will feel violated if you don't write it" camp. Others are in the "I will write everything at the risk of being seen as not following directions" camp. You gotta choose.

and tbh if your primary wasn't unique, writing one secondary essay isn't going to magically make a special snowflake..
 
G.NA said:
There are two camps on this...I am in the "only mention if you will feel violated if you don't write it" camp. Others are in the "I will write everything at the risk of being seen as not following directions" camp. You gotta choose.

and tbh if your primary wasn't unique, writing one secondary essay isn't going to magically make a special snowflake..
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Gotcha. My issue is I feel like my app isn't unique unless I explain the common theme of all of my activities and my motivations for them, which I got into on the primary but only had so much space.
 
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