2015-2016 Northwestern University (Feinberg) Application Thread

[Xenith]

does FSM give merit scholarships? If so, when?

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[heebeejeebies]

Ahhh crap was I like the only one deferred this round? I didn't think I was awful at interviews but maybe...

 

[RiverSpirit]

Ahhh crap was I like the only one deferred this round? I didn't think I was awful at interviews but maybe...

I was deferred as well. I have heard that they defer between 50-75% of their applicants so we probably weren't the only ones. They accept 75% of the people they interview so if they defer 50% then you still have the same shot at getting in later if not a better shot so I wouldn't worry too much. The waiting sucks though lol.

 

[RiverSpirit]

I hate to be that guy asking for citations, but how do you know that they accept 75% of interviewees? Is this data available on their website?

I am not sure how accurate it is but US News says that last year they gave around 630 interviews and they accepted around 490 of those people.

 

[RiverSpirit]

I see. Do you have access to this page without paying? I have searched on US News for acceptance/interview data and I can't find it for any school.

You need to buy the medical school compass in order to see it. It's behind the locked admissions information link. I think some previous sdn threads might have some of the older stats though.

 

[Lannister]

Someone told me that that ridiculously high (75% ish) post-interview acceptance rate is due to their HPME program. I think they said that the actual percentage is like 40-45%.

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

Someone told me that that ridiculously high (75% ish) post-interview acceptance rate is due to their HPME program. I think they said that the actual percentage is like 40-45%.

How many seats do they fill with the HPME program?

 

[Glazedonutlove]

yes it's ~50% post interview acceptance

 

[Xenith]

If you do the calculations, approximately 90 people will be accepted immediately.

 

[DiDoc]

does FSM give merit scholarships? If so, when?

I was also wondering...

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

If you do the calculations, approximately 90 people will be accepted immediately.

So they fill half of each class with BS/MD track students?

 

[after_the_flood]

How do you all feel about the large number of BS/MD students? How does the class compare to one filled completely by normal applicants?

 

[Pastamahn]

I haven't been following this thread too closely, but are most of the interviews probably sent out by now? I applied on a whim when I was told my secondary fee would be waived, but was a fairly late submission date.

 

[bunchesonothing]

I haven't been following this thread too closely, but are most of the interviews probably sent out by now? I applied on a whim when I was told my secondary fee would be waived, but was a fairly late submission date.

They are interviewing through February. I'd imagine that there are still a reasonable number of interview spots available between now and then.

 

[Smoove]

So they fill half of each class with BS/MD track students?

No, 25% of the class is filled with NU undergraduates but this includes their HPME program, NUPS (early decision for NU undergrads), and regular applicants.

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

How do you all feel about the large number of BS/MD students? How does the class compare to one filled completely by normal applicants?

I'm pretty confused because MSAR says that they only filled 23 seats for BS/MD last year

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

No, 25% of the class is filled with NU undergraduates but this includes their HPME program, NUPS (early decision for NU undergrads), and regular applicants.

Yeah I see that, so where did someone get the 75% acceptance number because it can't be attributed to that. (At least not last year)

 

[RiverSpirit]

Yeah I see that, so where did someone get the 75% acceptance number because it can't be attributed to that. (At least not last year)

I got it from US News' premium medical school compass admissions information. The exact numbers were 495 accepted and 630 people interviewed. Seemed reasonably accurate for most of the other schools I have checked but Northwestern was a lot higher than I expected, which might indicate an error with their data.

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

I got it from US News' premium medical school compass admissions information. The exact numbers were 495 accepted and 630 people interviewed. Seemed reasonably accurate for most of the other schools I have checked but Northwestern was a lot higher than I expected, which might indicate an error with their data.

I see what your saying, but the question came from when someone said that the number is inflated due to the BS/MD program. The more I think about it, the more I realize that would have little to do with it.

And I'm having trouble understanding what you just said; when you said it seemed reasonable for most of the other schools you looked at, do you mean other schools numbers are comparable to this?

 

[RiverSpirit]

I see what your saying, but the question came from when someone said that the number is inflated due to the BS/MD program. The more I think about it, the more I realize that would have little to do with it.

And I'm having trouble understanding what you just said; when you said it seemed reasonable for most of the other schools you looked at, do you mean other schools numbers are comparable to this?

So most other schools were around the 50% range with the more competitive ones being around the 30% range. What I meant by reasonable was that these numbers generally matched up with sdn or what the admissions committee members would tell us at the interview. Northwestern was probably the highest post interview acceptance rate I have ever seen from US News so I thought that there might be some error with the data. I am not sure exactly what year this data came from but when I checked a previous post (2006) that cited post interview acceptance rates from US News, Northwestern was listed at a 55%.

 

[bunchesonothing]

Did everyone here receive an update within 4-8 weeks of completion on the interview decision?

 

[Xenith]

Around 2 weeks for me

 

[bunchesonothing]

Around 2 weeks for me

When were you complete?

 

[trackaddict123]

Did everyone here receive an update within 4-8 weeks of completion on the interview decision?

2 weeks for me too. submitted early october, heard back mid october

 

[DiDoc]

Any current FSM students able to explain the typical week / distribution of the curriculum material?
(i.e. how much time spent in small groups vs. lectures and how much of the necessary material is learned from lectures and textbooks vs. your own PBL research.)

 

[Xenith]

When were you complete?

I'm sorry misunderstood the question. I got an II about a 4-5 weeks after completion in mid august. I got accepted 2 weeks after my interview.

 

[heebeejeebies]

Looks like they meet as an adcom every other Wednesday to decide post-interview status.

Waiting till March is going to be torture.

 

[bunchesonothing]

I'm sorry misunderstood the question. I got an II about a 4-5 weeks after completion in mid august. I got accepted 2 weeks after my interview.

I'm sorry, I realize that my question wasn't clear.

Thank you both!

 

[PolarBearMD]

Anyone else think it's actually cruel that Northwestern keeps sending "newsletters for prospective students" to applicants they haven't invited to interview? It's like "look at all the stuff you could enjoy if we wanted you!"

 

[d.r.256]

...another newsletter. thanks for getting my hopes up once again! its great to see how awesome your school is that hasnt given me an II or any update since july.

time to go overeat at lunch. jk. maybe not.

 

[Lannister]

I didn't get a newsletter...am I no longer a prospective student?

 

[Pastamahn]

Anyone else think it's actually cruel that Northwestern keeps sending "newsletters for prospective students" to applicants they haven't invited to interview? It's like "look at all the stuff you could enjoy if we wanted you!"

I came here to post the same thing. Give us without interviews here a break!

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

*unsubscribe*

 

[limeindacoconut]

Anyone else think it's actually cruel that Northwestern keeps sending "newsletters for prospective students" to applicants they haven't invited to interview? It's like "look at all the stuff you could enjoy if we wanted you!"

I haven't gotten a single newsletter from them...

 

[Ochemphd]

My spam filter started removing these without me asking, saves my heart from skipping a beat. thank you, work spam filter.

 

[sunshine02]

Omg. When I saw Feinberg in my inbox again for the second time today, my heart stopped. I thought, this time it's for real! But no.. only a survey...why Feinberg? That's twice in a day!

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

Omg. When I saw Feinberg in my inbox again for the second time today, my heart stopped. I thought, this time it's for real! But no.. only a survey...why Feinberg? That's twice in a day!

It's seriously ridiculous. I feel like, at this point, they owe us an explanation. At least tell us that if we're getting these we still have a chance. If any of us that have been pushed aside are still getting these, I think its inconsiderate at the very least to keep sending them. They've already sent 3 irrelevant emails and another email telling me that I could apply for free, all after I submitted my application.

 

[doc_mcd94]

This is too much

 

[salsa112230]

Seriously.... A survey ?? -___-

 

[limeindacoconut]

Man, I haven't gotten any of these emails! No survey, no newsletter, nothing. Not sure whether that's good or bad...

 

[rukia013]

Man, I haven't gotten any of these emails! No survey, no newsletter, nothing. Not sure whether that's good or bad...

+1 it's like they took my money then threw my app into the void

 

[sunshine02]

It's seriously ridiculous. I feel like, at this point, they owe us an explanation. At least tell us that if we're getting these we still have a chance. If any of us that have been pushed aside are still getting these, I think its inconsiderate at the very least to keep sending them. They've already sent 3 irrelevant emails and another email telling me that I could apply for free, all after I submitted my application.

Can't agree more.

 

[Xenith]

Guys if you haven't noticed, this is a monthly news letter that goes to all email addresses in their database. You have the right to unsubscribe at any time. Just scroll to the bottom of the email and click the unsubscribe link. I understand the angst and annoyance, but it's just a newsletter that you can block.

 

[limeindacoconut]

Guys if you haven't noticed, this is a monthly news letter that goes to all email addresses in their database. You have the right to unsubscribe at any time. Just scroll to the bottom of the email and click the unsubscribe link. I understand the angst and annoyance, but it's just a newsletter that you can block.

... Does this mean that my email isn't in their database? Because I never got any newsletters, and I definitely never clicked any "unsubscribe" link.

 

[Xenith]

I really wouldn't care much about the newsletter if I were you. It could be automatically filtered by your email client into spam or the trash or something like that.

 

[Hera A]

is the survey anonymous? Does it really matter if I don' want to spend the time filling it out for a school that I haven't gotten an interview from...

 

[Pastamahn]

I really wouldn't care much about the newsletter if I were you. It could be automatically filtered by your email client into spam or the trash or something like that.

I think the point is more that it was sent out in the first place to people who are in limbo. Yes, it's easy to unsubscribe, but kinda adds insult to injury when you get that email when waiting anxiously hoping for an interview.

 

[emma77677]

They are interviewing through February. I'd imagine that there are still a reasonable number of interview spots available between now and then.

My secondary application was complete on 8/22 and I still haven't heard anything about an interview. How long did it take other people to hear back after their secondary was sent in?

 

[Hera A]

My secondary application was complete on 8/22 and I still haven't heard anything about an interview. How long did it take other people to hear back after their secondary was sent in?

I was complete sometime mid-late July and I've heard absolutely nothing...

 

[:))]

Any current FSM students able to explain the typical week / distribution of the curriculum material?
(i.e. how much time spent in small groups vs. lectures and how much of the necessary material is learned from lectures and textbooks vs. your own PBL research.)

A typical M1 has science lectures for 2-3 hours 3-4 days a week in the morning, none of which are mandatory and all of which are recorded. We also have 2 hours of health & society each week (1 lecture, 1 small group) which is public health, global health, diet & exercise counseling- whatever else. Ethics is once a week, 1 lecture and 1 small group. We also have a class called medical decision making, which is basically applied biostats. Thats an hour each week, rotating between a lecture and a small group. Clinical skills are taught for 2 hours in the skills lab/practice clinic every other week, and then those are practiced in your preceptorship the other week. PBL is 2 hours each twice a week when we have it (PBL usually dies down in the weeks leading up to an exam to give us more time to study).

Pretty much all of my learning is in lecture/from lecture guides. Use textbooks very rarely besides consulting First Aid once in awhile. I think that will change when we start CV in a few weeks, I heard there are some good textbooks for that. In terms of PBL research- yes I do learn a good amount from that but typically I don't spend more than an hour on a PBL presentation so there's only so much learning that can be done during an hour. Let me know if you guys have any other questions!