2015-2016 Pennsylvania State University Application Thread

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Meow72 said:
Have anyone else got their financial aid package yet?
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I received an email yesterday that my financial aid package is posted, but I can't get access to Lionpath to see the details. Emailed the IT Help desk hours ago...
 
InterviewI said:
Week 11 of post-interview silence. I don't know what this means. Anyone get good news after waiting this long?
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I promise time to decision does not make a difference. I waited 12 weeks and received acceptance. Be patient and keep it off your mind as best you can!
 
Got my pre-interview / post-hold rejection earlier today. Was a PSU undergrad too. Oh well.
 
Hey guys, for those accepted
1. CONGRATS!!!!!!
2. Any advice you can give to a overly stressed out, pre med.
Planing on applying here next cycle. Any advice will help!
 
WE OUT said:
Hey guys, for those accepted
1. CONGRATS!!!!!!
2. Any advice you can give to a overly stressed out, pre med.
Planing on applying here next cycle. Any advice will help!
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1. Take the MCAT
2. Don't come back to SDN
3. Purchase MSAR
4. Make a realistic list of schools + some dream schools
5. Pre-write secondaries
6. Write your personal statement
7. Think about activities that were/are meaningful to you and why
8. Apply early, but don't go crazy thinking you HAVE to return secondaries within 2 weeks (unless the schools states otherwise)

That's all I got lol
 
LASquad51 said:
Post-II hold, interviewed Dec 9. I would really love to go here. Unsure about waitlist rankings.
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Same interview date here! Also on post-interview hold list. Trying to figure out who you are... 😵 lol jk. I'm hoping we both get off wait list!!
 
Interviewed mid March with a post interview hold today. Is this common or are we still seeing acceptances. I just don't know how to read this decision so late in April.
 
AlphaEta251 said:
Interviewed mid March with a post interview hold today. Is this common or are we still seeing acceptances. I just don't know how to read this decision so late in April.
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I also was put on post-interview hold and interviewed March 9th. Someone else from March 9th also posted saying they got put on hold as well.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
 
I interviewed 2 months ago and have heard nothing since. anyone else in same boat? Near ready to withdraw.
 
congrats, were you by chance put on the hold category at all or was this the first contact since?
 
member1111111 said:
To anyone who attended second look, or who knows about the curriculum. Is Step 1 taken after 2nd year, or did they change it to 3rd year?
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Hi! On interview day, we were informed that our class will indeed be taking our Step 1 after third year. How do you guys feel about this? I have not personally looked at the score differences between taking STEP 1 after M2 vs. M3, but it makes sense that you would do better with more clinical exposure. The major con, in my opinion, is not knowing your score before you get to the specialty exploration period. If you choose a difficult specialty such as ortho but then end up doing poorly on Step 1 after M3, you have little time to switch over to something else. Yes, I understand you should not choose a specialty just based on board score but it is a major factor.
 
kubb_champ said:
Hi! On interview day, we were informed that our class will indeed be taking our Step 1 after third year. How do you guys feel about this? I have not personally looked at the score differences between taking STEP 1 after M2 vs. M3, but it makes sense that you would do better with more clinical exposure. The major con, in my opinion, is not knowing your score before you get to the specialty exploration period. If you choose a difficult specialty such as ortho but then end up doing poorly on Step 1 after M3, you have little time to switch over to something else. Yes, I understand you should not choose a specialty just based on board score but it is a major factor.
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Data suggests there is little advantage to no difference in score for those who take Step after 3rd yr.

If I find that data info, I'll post it here
 
Mansamusa said:
Data suggests there is little advantage to no difference in score for those who take Step after 3rd yr.

If I find that data info, I'll post it here
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Yeah. I agree.


This is data from one medical school, comparing between M1 vs. M3/M4. I don't know why they wouldn't just compare M2 vs. M3/M4 but some preliminary data out there.

Another study investigated the performance of students from Years 1, 3, and 4 of medical school on sample USMLE questions to advise about the optimal time to take these tests (4). Approximately 50% of students from the first, third, and fourth years volunteered to take Step 1 and Step 2 CK sample questions without preparation. Passing on both tests was 58% correct. For Step 1, significantly more fourth- than first- and third-year students passed. Expectedly for Step 2 CK, significantly higher proportions of thirdand fourth-year students passed than first-year students; however, fourth-year students did not score higher than third-year students. Fourth-year students did best on both tests. These results suggest that clinical experience will likely improve performance on Step 1, and an additional clinical year may improve performance on Step 2 CK. This study was limited by its small number of subjects and use of sample questions rather than a true, high stakes USMLE test.

Source: https://meded.ucsf.edu/sites/meded....dges-curriculum/140605summary-timing-step.pdf
 
Hi guys! This is my first post! I interviewed at Penn State March 30th, I just got put on hold.
 
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livers789 said:
Hi guys! This is my first post! I interviewed at Penn State March 30th, I just got put on hold, BUT the subject line was: "Penn State College of Medicine: Committee VIP Hold". Does anyone know what this means? I can't seem to find anything out to tell me. Does everyone get this in their subject line? And if not, does anyone either in this cycle or a current Penn State student know what this means for my prospects of getting in?
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I could only imagine that their use of VIP means you are a Very Important Person. That seems like very positive news. On the bright side, it could mean that you could be among the first people offered an acceptance from the waitlist. I have nothing to base this on besides my knowledge of the acronym VIP.
 
livers789 said:
Yeah I looked everywhere and I couldn't figure out what that meant (aside from the obvious Very Important Person part. They wrote in the email: "We would be pleased to review and discuss your application by phone. Please contact the Office of Student Admissions if you would like to arrange a time for us to call you."
Do they say that to everyone who gets put on hold? I'm only asking because I really love this school and I just want to know how much I have to prepare myself for rejection.
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I hope someone on hold can chime in. Personally, I think this seems like a unique situation.
 
livers789 said:
Yeah I looked everywhere and I couldn't figure out what that meant (aside from the obvious Very Important Person part. They wrote in the email: "We would be pleased to review and discuss your application by phone. Please contact the Office of Student Admissions if you would like to arrange a time for us to call you."
Do they say that to everyone who gets put on hold? I'm only asking because I really love this school and I just want to know how much I have to prepare myself for rejection.
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I interviewed March 9th, got put on hold two weeks ago with no "VIP" in the title, so it's not normal.

I'd say it's probably a good thing for you! Definitely arrange that phone call and see where things go. Best of luck!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
 
babolat91 said:
I interviewed March 9th, got put on hold two weeks ago with no "VIP" in the title, so it's not normal.

I'd say it's probably a good thing for you! Definitely arrange that phone call and see where things go. Best of luck!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
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Same to you guys!
 
livers789 said:
Yeah I looked everywhere and I couldn't figure out what that meant (aside from the obvious Very Important Person part. They wrote in the email: "We would be pleased to review and discuss your application by phone. Please contact the Office of Student Admissions if you would like to arrange a time for us to call you."
Do they say that to everyone who gets put on hold? I'm only asking because I really love this school and I just want to know how much I have to prepare myself for rejection.
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Yea I'm pretty sure my hold email specifically said not to contact and ask about my application so that's gotta be a good thing
 
Long time lurker. Made an account to post.

Accepted yesterday! Interviewed 2/10/16 with nothing but silence since. Stay positive!

Sent a short but strong letter of interest along with a grade update two weeks ago via e-mail. Good luck to those who are still waiting!
 
RhodedendronMan said:
Long time lurker. Made an account to post.

Accepted yesterday! Interviewed 2/10/16 with nothing but silence since. Stay positive!

Sent a short but strong letter of interest along with a grade update two weeks ago via e-mail. Good luck to those who are still waiting!
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Congrats! I'm on hold now, and just got an "A" in biochem so I want to update them -- would you mind telling me how you went about sending the letter of intent? (i.e. whom you sent it to; whether you sent an official transcript)
 
Withdrew my acceptance last night. So sad because I loved this school but it just doesn't make sense financially compared to my state school. Hope my spot goes to someone who really wants to go here!
 
RhodedendronMan said:
Long time lurker. Made an account to post.

Accepted yesterday! Interviewed 2/10/16 with nothing but silence since. Stay positive!

Sent a short but strong letter of interest along with a grade update two weeks ago via e-mail. Good luck to those who are still waiting!
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Congratulations! Did they send you a reply when you sent your letter of intent? I thought Penn State didn't accept any updates except for official transcripts.
 
Is it normal not to receive a response after sending thank you emails? I contacted some students whom I spoke with during my interview day to ask questions but I have not heard back.

Also, waiting continues...
 
Dr. Acula_1990 said:
Congrats! I'm on hold now, and just got an "A" in biochem so I want to update them -- would you mind telling me how you went about sending the letter of intent? (i.e. whom you sent it to; whether you sent an official transcript)
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penguins66 said:
Congratulations! Did they send you a reply when you sent your letter of intent? I thought Penn State didn't accept any updates except for official transcripts.
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I sent a pdf of my official transcript as to [email protected]. They said on interview day that they only really accept official transcripts as updates so I kind of used the grade update e-mail as an opportunity to throw in a short letter of interest blurb. Nothing too crazy. They responded with an e-mail that they had added it to my file.
 
Finally contacted the office after 13 weeks of waiting...got placed on hold the next day. I guess I was on hold the whole time...
 
Warrior12 said:
Interviewed in Early March, Put on Hold on April 30, and accepted today! So excited!
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Congrats! Quick turn around for ya!

IS or OOS, if you don't mind me asking?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
 
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