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2015-2016 Tulane University Application Thread
Started by Ismet
Any current students out there willing to answer a specific question by PM?
Pre-writing secondary based on last year's prompts:
Thanks!
- Briefly describe the reasons for your interest in Tulane University School of Medicine (150 Words):
- Have you graduated? What have you been pursuing since you graduated? (150 Words)
- Are you participating or have you participated in a study abroad program at your university? Please give a short description (100 Words):
- List any leadership positions, in clubs or organizations, you may have held during college (100 words):
- Please list your hobbies and major non-academic interests (150 words):
Thanks!
I don't hold any authority at the admissions department here, but for your first question I would just leave it at No.
For your second question, I think every medical school is going to want to see some demonstration of leadership. Doctors practicing medicine isn't a "following" type of profession. Surely you can come up with something that you led in the last 4 years, if you stretch the word "organization" enough?
Like I said, I am not associated with Tulane admissions, but geez leaving leadership empty kind of sounds like leaving volunteering empty or shadowing empty. I personally would figure out something to put in there.
For your second question, I think every medical school is going to want to see some demonstration of leadership. Doctors practicing medicine isn't a "following" type of profession. Surely you can come up with something that you led in the last 4 years, if you stretch the word "organization" enough?
Like I said, I am not associated with Tulane admissions, but geez leaving leadership empty kind of sounds like leaving volunteering empty or shadowing empty. I personally would figure out something to put in there.
I wasn't involved in many organizations in college, and I certainly not in leadership capacity, unfortunately. Could I say I led my research projects, even if it just involved me and a grad student?
How about writing about leadership-like roles after college? For example, leading an application team at my tech job? I know the question specifically asks about in college, but I'm a non-trad. Maybe I can write about things after college?
As a non-trad myself, I would have talked about recent leadership experience and hoped they let that slide.
Thanks! It's my only option, really, so I'm going to go for it!
Is Tulane completely pass/fail for the first 2 years? On exams do you still get the % you scored? Are grades recorded at all for AOA/residency letters?
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Got into one of their one year Masters' programs but decided to go somewhere else. So looking forward to applying here!
Tulane is pass fail the first two years. On exams the first two years you still get back your %. Your grades the first two years are a small part of your overall evaluation for dean's letter.
Hey! If you're grades are not as important, what are the other things that Tulane values?
The issue isn't what Tulane values, the issue is what the residency programs value. While there are some slight variations from specialty to specialty, the Step 1 score and the performance / comments on third year rotations are always ranked very high.
But first you have to get into a medical school. Good luck!
In what form are the grades reported on the Dean's letter? For ex: individual class letter grades, an overall GPA, a percentile?
I believe clerkship grades are reported, and performance in the first two years is summed up in a vague quartile with a descriptor like "excellent," "outstanding," "strong". General consensus is that deans letters don't matter anyway, they usually come out after programs have downloaded all your application and so they are unlikely to ever see them. All the info in a deans letter would be double covered by other parts of the application: grades, extracurriculars, honors, research, time off, disciplinary action, etc.
ohh okay, thanks! What form are grades reported on the residency application?
@sazerac I'm asking all these questions more out of curiosity about the system. A lot of schools are proud of being "Pass / Fail for the first 2 years" and say it makes their students more collaborative (which is what I'm hoping for!!!!!) but my impression is the grades end up being reported to residencies anyway... in that case does it really matter whether a P or F, A or C comes up on the medical school's student portal ?
You have a med school transcript that gets uploaded. Grades on the transcript are P/F for the first two years, H/HP/P/F for core rotations. Some rotations are also just P/F.
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So they want three letters... two from science profs. Trying to decide if my third letter should be from my PI or my French professor. What would you all choose if you were me?
Definitely the stronger letter!
Hmm ok I've known my PI for 3 years and my French professor for a semester, so I think I'm gonna go with the PI's! It's so weird for a school to have a max of 3 AND require 2 science letters.
I have not actually participated in a study abroad of my own, but my roommate one year was study abroad student so I had a lot of interaction with another culture through him. Could I write about this in the study abroad slot or too big of a stretch?
Stretched well beyond the fracture point in my opinion.
Do not write about this. The question from last year is worded as: "Are you participating or have you participated in a study abroad program at your university? Please give a short description." The answer for you is no, you have not participated in a study abroad program. There isn't any dispute about whether or not you personally have participated in a study abroad program, so the only reasonable answer is no.
For this question, as well as all others that are optional, I think it is extremely important to answer the question if and only if you have an answer that actually answers the exact question asked. I think it makes applicants come off badly when they respond with anything other than what has been asked for. While it is tempting to try to take advantage of any extra space you have been given to write about additional personal attributes, providing answers that have twisted the question that was asked will likely be viewed negatively.
Questions por favor
- Briefly describe the reasons for your interest in Tulane University School of Medicine (150 words):
- Have you graduated? (Y/N)
- If yes: What have you been pursuing since you graduated? (150 words)
- Are you currently working or have worked for one of the following organizations? (Americorps, Peace Corps, Teach for America) (Y/N)
- If yes: Please describe your work if you have worked or currently working with one of the organizations (100 words):
- Are you participating or have you participated in a study abroad program at your university? (Y/N)
- If yes: Please give a short description (100 words):
- Are you currently volunteering abroad or have you volunteered abroad? (Y/N)
- If yes: Please give a short description (100 words):
- List any leadership positions, in clubs or organizations, you may have held during college (100 words):
- Please list your hobbies and major non-academic interests (150 words):
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What have you been pursuing since you graduated?
I'm a non-trad and just completed a post-bacc. Should I write what I have been doing since graduating from undergrad (4 yrs ago) or just since I completed my post-bacc?
I'm a non-trad and just completed a post-bacc. Should I write what I have been doing since graduating from undergrad (4 yrs ago) or just since I completed my post-bacc?
Edit: someone already posted questions
Doing anything abroad requires a big financial commitment.. Don't be so hard on yourself.
Neither did I and I'll be matriculating here this fall.
I'm in the same boat as you! It's easy to pick apart all of the things we don't have...try and remember all of the great things we do have! Positive vibes
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Thank you so much guys, I feel much better.I'm in the same boat as you! It's easy to pick apart all of the things we don't have...try and remember all of the great things we do have! Positive vibes
In my experience, "science" is considering biology, chemistry, physics, or math. However, compared to certain schools I have seen, Tulane isn't as strict with portraying that. So you could email someone on admissions and ask, I think that would be your best bet!
This is actually not altogether true. I'm a third year at Tulane, and I lived abroad for a year after graduation since I didn't have the time/money to do it while in school. I had a job that paid me enough to break even at the end of the year (lived in the international student dorms and traveled a LOT on my vacation days). Going abroad isn't just for the 1%, but you have to put some effort into finding a way to make it work.
Finally, I did write about this under the question about study abroad when I applied. I specifically said I did NOT study abroad, but I lived abroad on my own, and described my experience and why I thought it was relevant to my application. A friend/roommate abroad or a short mission trip would not have counted, but obviously they weren't turned off by my answer, just fyi.
how do you like your school. can you please tell me why you specifically chose Tulane.
For the study abroad question: I didn't do an actual program but I spent 3 months in Europe while studying for the MCAT. Do you guys think it would be okay to write about that?
Edit: nvm just saw what reviliver said above I guess I will write about it!
Edit: nvm just saw what reviliver said above I guess I will write about it!
Just got secondary invite
D
deleted703353
Does tutoring and teaching positions count as leadership positions of a club/organization? I definitely consider it to be leadership, but not necessarily of a club.....
The question says clubs or organizations, so I wouldn't list it.
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