2015-2016 Pennsylvania State University Application Thread

[TxC]

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Secondary prompts for 2015-2016 app cycle:

If not currently enrolled in a full-time academic program, please summate your activities from the time of graduation from your baccalaureate program through the time of this application, as well as your plans between now and your matriculation to medical school. (Maximum 75 words)

Is there a unique aspect of your application that should be considered by the admissions committee? (Maximum 75 words)

Explain why you decided to apply to Penn State College of Medicine. (Maximum 75 words)

Please write a short paragraph describing a significant experience you have had working in a team setting. (Maximum 250 words)

Briefly describe an experience where you had to navigate a complex system (e.g. personal experience, group activity, or development of a project) to achieve an end. Reflect on the qualities and attributes required by you to achieve success in this experience. (Maximum 250 words)



Good luck, everyone! WE ARE...PENN STATE!

 

[ciestar]

MY UNDERGRAD GIVE ME SOME LOVE!

Committee interview in a week, so I get to relive my "youth" for 24 hours. 😆

 

[VitalBeansprout]

Reapplying! Last cycle I was complete in December >.>...Got waitlisted for an interview. Maybe better luck this time 😀

 

[socalrulez]

worth applying if MCAT > 90%tile?

 

[TxC]

worth applying if MCAT > 90%tile?

I'd say go for it; the med school application process is way too unpredictable.

 

[toffee_bloom]

Applying here OOS! Super excited, good luck to everyone else!

 

[mk2015]

Applying here IS. One of my top choices.

 

[Yolanda]

worth applying if MCAT > 90%tile?

Do they normally frown upon high MCAT scores b/c they think the applicants won't go there?

 

[SallySue1202]

Do they normally frown upon high MCAT scores b/c they think the applicants won't go there?

Probably. I've heard it is inadvisable to apply with stats <10th%tile and >90th%tile unless you have a really compelling to go to that school.

Penn State's 90th%tile MCAT is a 35. The way I see it, (IN GENERAL) someone with a 36 and good everything else is going to end up in a top 20, not Penn State, so why would they waste their time and money recruiting that person?

 

[Yolanda]

Thanks for the response!

Definitely good to keep in mind moving forward. I'm applying IS with a 93% MCAT but my GPA will be around 3.55 after verification so the discrepancy puts me in a bit of a strange but fortunate spot as I'm looking at schools.

 

[SallySue1202]

Thanks for the response!

Definitely good to keep in mind moving forward. I'm applying IS with a 93% MCAT but my GPA will be around 3.55 after verification so the discrepancy puts me in a bit of a strange but fortunate spot as I'm looking at schools.

A 93% MCAT is probably ~33-34 old MCAT. Sounds like Penn State is a good match!

 

[Liz1234]

Good luck everyone!!! Does anyone have the questions for the secondaries

 

[doc_mcd94]

Good luck everyone!!! Does anyone have the questions for the secondaries

You can find last years prompts here http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-state-university-application-thread.1074030/

But they won't release this secondary until mid July according to MSAR so no guarantee on this years prompts.

 

[grey_wind]

You can find last years prompts here http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...-state-university-application-thread.1074030/

But they won't release this secondary until mid July according to MSAR so no guarantee on this years prompts.

where in the MSAR is this info?

 

[doc_mcd94]

where in the MSAR is this info?

Sorry I actually misled you on that. Most schools do have the date they send out the secondary in the MSAR under the tab "Application Deadlines and Requirements" but PSU just says "Based on email invitation. I wrote down mid July based on looking at the 2014-15 thread where the first person posted that they received a secondary on 7/15. But someone earlier posted that the previous year (2013), the secondary came out august 6. So it seems like this will not be something we should expect in the week.

 

[taco152]

For LOR, I don't have a premed committee or a chemistry LOR. Would this be a problem? Also, does anyone know if we could submit more?

 

[TxC]

For LOR, I don't have a premed committee or a chemistry LOR. Would this be a problem? Also, does anyone know if we could submit more?

Not having a premed committee letter is fine (but if your school has a committee you should use it).

Not having a chem LOR is also fine.

You can submit more: last year's secondary app says AT LEAST two science LOR, AT LEAST one non-science LOR, and AT LEAST one other LOR.

 

[NovMSScr]

For the LOR requirements, what is considered non-science? I'm of the assumption that anything not BCPM would be classified as non-science. Is that true?

 

[anononononymous]

Probably. I've heard it is inadvisable to apply with stats <10th%tile and >90th%tile unless you have a really compelling to go to that school.

Penn State's 90th%tile MCAT is a 35. The way I see it, (IN GENERAL) someone with a 36 and good everything else is going to end up in a top 20, not Penn State, so why would they waste their time and money recruiting that person?

What about people who have MCATs >90th and GPA <10th? I know there is no way such a combo will "cancel out" and give you odds similar to somebody who's smack at the median, but are your odds at least reasonable or still lottery level?

 

[TxC]

For the LOR requirements, what is considered non-science? I'm of the assumption that anything not BCPM would be classified as non-science. Is that true?

I think that's a pretty safe assumption. Economics, philosophy, art history......

BTW people here are great. First day of orientation was today and we got an awesome group of students, staff, and faculty members.

 

[thenewed]

Do you guys know if the secondary application questions will be different from last year?

 

[emraldragon]

Do you guys know if the secondary application questions will be different from last year?

Nobody knows I'm afraid. Its probably not a bad idea to prep last year's questions though.

 

[hopeful 1st doc]

Probably. I've heard it is inadvisable to apply with stats <10th%tile and >90th%tile unless you have a really compelling to go to that school.

Penn State's 90th%tile MCAT is a 35. The way I see it, (IN GENERAL) someone with a 36 and good everything else is going to end up in a top 20, not Penn State, so why would they waste their time and money recruiting that person?

If the 90th percentile is a 35, whats the 10th? Do you think a high GPA can make up for a little bit lower MCAT?

 

[mk2015]

If the 90th percentile is a 35, whats the 10th? Do you think a high GPA can make up for a little bit lower MCAT?

I think 10th was a 28 or 29. I haven't looked at MSAR in a while.

 

[hopeful 1st doc]

Perfect, thanks @mk2015 !

 

[thenewed]

I checked the MSAR it's 28, for the 2015 class entry.

 

[LloydChristmas90]

Has anybody received a secondary yet? The suspense is killing me.

 

[ellocarter]

Has anybody received a secondary yet? The suspense is killing me.

No. Most likely will be the last of mine to be received.

 

[knew]

I am anxiously awaiting the secondary as well! I love the school and Hershey!

 

[agoron]

Any idea when this secondary will come out? I'm just waiting on here and Drexel, so it's kind of nice to have a break after the deluge of secondaries I got from July 1st until now.

 

[runs4chocolate]

Secondary received this morning. Same questions as last year.

 

[azzeh123]

.

 

[ellocarter]

Do they screen?

 

[NorthOfBroad]

Do they screen?

I do not believe. Don't worry they're coming. IS, PSU undergrad, ~80 LizzyM and I haven't gotten one yet.

 

[thenewed]

Could you please post the questions? 🙂

 

[bshap000]

I just called the admissions office, they said we should be getting secondaries sometime this week, FYI

 

[LloydChristmas90]

Thanks for making that call. I've been sweatin' it.

 

[bshap000]

Thanks for making that call. I've been sweatin' it.

Not a problem, I think we've all been a bit anxious 😛

 

[runs4chocolate]

Could you please post the questions? 🙂

*Space reserved for secondary prompts*

If not currently enrolled in a full-time academic program, please summate your activities from the time of graduation from your baccalaureate program through the time of this application, as well as your plans between now and your matriculation to medical school. (Maximum 75 words)

Is there a unique aspect of your application that should be considered by the admissions committee? (Maximum 75 words)

Explain why you decided to apply to Penn State College of Medicine. (Maximum 75 words)

Please write a short paragraph describing a significant experience you have had working in a team setting. (Maximum 250 words)

Briefly describe an experience where you had to navigate a complex system (e.g. personal experience, group activity, or development of a project) to achieve an end. Reflect on the qualities and attributes required by you to achieve success in this experience. (Maximum 250 words)

 

[Olive12]

Can anyone clarify what they mean by "navigate a complex system" in the last question? I'm not exactly sure what they mean

 

[BrainGuy1845]

Can anyone clarify what they mean by "navigate a complex system" in the last question? I'm not exactly sure what they mean

I talked about how for my regional human anatomy class our cadaver had a very anatomically variant brachial plexus so when dissecting it out it required patience, good communication between group members, diligence/perseverance etc to make sure it was a good dissection. I think they just want you to talk about any experience of your choosing that was difficult and reflect on the skills needed to see it through.

 

[emraldragon]

I talked about jumping through bureaucratic hoops in a foreign country where I wasn't completely fluent in the language

 

[Olive12]

I talked about how for my regional human anatomy class our cadaver had a very anatomically variant brachial plexus so when dissecting it out it required patience, good communication between group members, diligence/perseverance etc to make sure it was a good dissection. I think they just want you to talk about any experience of your choosing that was difficult and reflect on the skills needed to see it through.

I talked about jumping through bureaucratic hoops in a foreign country where I wasn't completely fluent in the language

Thank you! It makes more sense now 🙂

 

[agoron]

75 words, so little! But yeah, for the complex system question I was also planning on talking about dissecting an entire cat in anatomy lab, which took much patience and meticulousness, but it paid off, I was one of the TAs the next year 🙂

 

[idkididk]

Is there a unique aspect of your application that should be considered by the admissions committee?

Can we say No?

 

[hopeful 1st doc]

Just got the secondary!!

 

[Spector1]

oos, just got secondary too!

 

[MrBen14]

OOS just received the secondary this morning as well!

 

[hopeful 1st doc]

75 words is torture.

 

[golfman7]

No secondary yet, but the word limits will be a challenge .