2015-2016 University of Maryland Application Thread

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Ismet

Ismet

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Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying! :luck:
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Thinking of applying here OOS from PA - my stats are on the low-end though (3.5 cgpa, 3.3 sgpa, 30 (9,11,10) mcat), so not sure if I'd be wasting my money.

I'm wondering if I have a chance since I am in a neighboring state AND one of my parents has lived here most of my life aka it's like my second home.

Any thoughts?? :)
 
PSiloveU2013 said:
Thinking of applying here OOS from PA - my stats are on the low-end though (3.5 cgpa, 3.3 sgpa, 30 (9,11,10) mcat), so not sure if I'd be wasting my money.

I'm wondering if I have a chance since I am in a neighboring state AND one of my parents has lived here most of my life aka it's like my second home.

Any thoughts?? :)
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Are you planning to take the MCAT again? You should carefully select the list of schools that you would apply to. I have known folks with 30 MCAT get in ..but with the new MCAT format, I am not sure how the scores were overall. Also do make sure to spend time on the Primary and Secondary essays (though you might hear that secondary doesnt really matter..which isnt true). You have time to put in time on research, volunteering etc ...dont give that up. You can always send schools updates later if needed. best of luck.
 
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Just FYI for everyone applying here - I went to their open house and Dean Foxwell, concerning the comparison of new and old MCAT scores, said that they would look at percentile rankings closely this year since they are accepting both versions. He also said that most schools in the DMV area are probably going to do the same. Something to think about when deciding where to apply.
 
PSiloveU2013 said:
Thinking of applying here OOS from PA - my stats are on the low-end though (3.5 cgpa, 3.3 sgpa, 30 (9,11,10) mcat), so not sure if I'd be wasting my money.

I'm wondering if I have a chance since I am in a neighboring state AND one of my parents has lived here most of my life aka it's like my second home.

Any thoughts?? :)
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Depends on the other things in your app. If you can make up for the relatively low MCAT score and GPA ( in comparison with what MSAR says) with stellar activities/volunteering/shadowing/research, then I'd go for it. Personally, if I were you, I would take the MCAT again before applying to this particular school. I did the same thing a few years back when I last applied since I had the same combined score as you. Take the time to make your app. great before you go through the pains of spending so much money on the process. Good luck!
 
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Anyone receive a secondary yet? If so, please share the prompts.
 
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Any secondary yet? Fingers crossed that the prompts are the same as last year! In-state, hoping for some love, and excited to get the process rolling with UMD!
 
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I got it too!! Number 1 choice, waitlisted last year
 
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Same questions and word limits (all 1500 characters)

19.) Briefly describe your most important exposure to clinical medicine.
20.) Briefly describe your most satisfying experience related to community service.
21.) What does it mean to you to enter into a profession?
 
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When it says "explain any poor grades", is it worth it to explain a C+? it was my only C in college and it was this past fall semester
 
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woooo got mine! IS, 3.94/30, think I have a shot?
 
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agoron said:
woooo got mine! IS, 3.94/30, think I have a shot?
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I think so. One of my close friends was a NJ resident, great EC leadership, minimal research, 32/3.7 and he got in. Your stats are really similar to his, you're GPA is definitely much better and his MCAT is only marginally better than yours (i.e. its within the +/- 2 confidence band). Good luck!!!!

P.s. I'm IS as well. just out of curiosity, are you from the DMV area?
 
BrothaX said:
I think so. One of my close friends was a NJ resident, great EC leadership, minimal research, 32/3.7 and he got in. Your stats are really similar to his, you're GPA is definitely much better and his MCAT is only marginally better than yours (i.e. its within the +/- 2 confidence band). Good luck!!!!

P.s. I'm IS as well. just out of curiosity, are you from the DMV area?
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Yessir! I'm from central MD, about 45 minutes outside of DC and I actually work in the city, so that's fun!
 
Interesting. I like like 15 min outside of DC working at Medical Center on the Red Line this summer. Good luck w/ everything.
 
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it is so weird when it comes to writing the most important clinical exposure to medicine. Generally schools look for candidates who have volunteered at a hospital and have had patient contact, but my most important clinical exposure has been shadowing a doctor. I have such a good relationship with my doctor that I have had the opportunity to watch PAs doing stuff like central line, watched how ventilators work, observed patient suffering from various kind medical issues that i have learnt about, learnt to read the X-rays, a little bit of CT scan too. my question for those who are admitted who might be on here or those who might know more- for the question where it asks about clinical exposure- what do you guys write about? the most important in terms of medical education, or does the "most important clinical exposure" is where you write about the "most satisfying" experience you have had with patients?
 
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IS applicant, this is my top choice, REALLY hoping I get in. Question about the secondary....how are you guys interpreting the independent research question (#9)? Maybe I'm overthinking it, but do summer research internships count? I've also been doing research full time for over a year and I'm assuming that counts as well...I guess the "independent" part is throwing me off.
 
LucyG said:
IS applicant, this is my top choice, REALLY hoping I get in. Question about the secondary....how are you guys interpreting the independent research question (#9)? Maybe I'm overthinking it, but do summer research internships count? I've also been doing research full time for over a year and I'm assuming that counts as well...I guess the "independent" part is throwing me off.
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They both count as long as you were doing stuff firsthand
 
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LucyG said:
IS applicant, this is my top choice, REALLY hoping I get in. Question about the secondary....how are you guys interpreting the independent research question (#9)? Maybe I'm overthinking it, but do summer research internships count? I've also been doing research full time for over a year and I'm assuming that counts as well...I guess the "independent" part is throwing me off.
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I think they just don't want "research" in a required lab course from school. I think anything where you are working in an actual research lab, doing a project or something, counts. Pretty sure independent doesn't mean did you start up your own lab lol
 
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Good luck to everyone applying!

I'm applying from OOS (Pennsylvania), with 3.8+ GPA and 33+ MCAT. Besides UMD being a strong mid-tier medical school, my main reason applying here is that my brother just started his residency at UMD, and it'd be nice for me to live with him (or very close, at least). However, I can't find an easy way to mention this in the secondary without it being terribly out of place. Is this something I should e-mail the school after I'm complete? Thoughts?
 
Clockwork Biology said:
Same questions and word limits (all 1500 characters)

19.) Briefly describe your most important exposure to clinical medicine.
20.) Briefly describe your most satisfying experience related to community service.
21.) What does it mean to you to enter into a profession?
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I was hoping you or anyone else could list all the other questions associated with UMD's secondary. In other words, what questions come before "19.)" and after "20.)", and are there further character limits associated with these questions?

Clearly, I haven't received the secondary yet :) My application is still being verified. Le sigh. But let's stay positive y'all :)
 
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Most of the other "questions" (1-18) are all just general information input. The only other ones include: 8.) Please describe and explain below any academic problems which you might have had while in college and/or graduate or professional school. Please include withdrawals, incompletes, poor grades, etc. (If you feel that you have not had any academic problems please state that) ; 9.) Have you done independent research or study? (We are looking for research that you did outside of the course/classroom requirement); and 11a.) Please indicate what you plan to do during the coming year. (if you have already graduated)
 
Thanks @hopeful 1st doc ! An important question for me is "8.) Please describe and explain below any academic problem..." What is the character limit on this question?

Edit: Does the the 1500 character limit include spaces (like the personal statement does)?
 
xerei said:
Good luck to everyone applying!

I'm applying from OOS (Pennsylvania), with 3.8+ GPA and 33+ MCAT. Besides UMD being a strong mid-tier medical school, my main reason applying here is that my brother just started his residency at UMD, and it'd be nice for me to live with him (or very close, at least). However, I can't find an easy way to mention this in the secondary without it being terribly out of place. Is this something I should e-mail the school after I'm complete? Thoughts?
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lol don't force it if it doesn't fit your application. If you do not receive an invitation to interview in following few months, I would include this information in an update letter later in the application cycle (along with other significant academic or extra-curric updates). You have an outstanding GPA and MCAT.
 
the4thlion said:
Thanks @hopeful 1st doc ! An important question for me is "8.) Please describe and explain below any academic problem..." What is the character limit on this question?

Edit: Does the the 1500 character limit include spaces (like the personal statement does)?
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1000 characters max. It appears that spaces are included in the character limit- I just typed a random sentence in and checked lol
 
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itsogre said:
lol don't force it if it doesn't fit your application. If you do not receive an invitation to interview in following few months, I would include this information in an update letter later in the application cycle (along with other significant academic or extra-curric updates). You have an outstanding GPA and MCAT.
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Okay, thanks for the input. I mean, I guess I ask just because it suddenly makes a lot more sense for me to apply to UMD for that reason. Otherwise, I'm a little worried I'll be tossed aside as an OOSer who just applied everywhere and has no interest in the school, you know?
 
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Submitted! Hopefully complete soon, my committee packet was uploaded to AMCAS on Thursday, so it shouldn't be long before schools start receiving it :banana:
 
xerei said:
Okay, thanks for the input. I mean, I guess I ask just because it suddenly makes a lot more sense for me to apply to UMD for that reason. Otherwise, I'm a little worried I'll be tossed aside as an OOSer who just applied everywhere and has no interest in the school, you know?
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If you're a good fit, you will get invited to interview! you stats won't keep you out for sure.
 
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Woooo letters received, complete today! Fingers crossed folks.
 
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Ahh just submitted!! Beyond anxious for this one
 
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Has anyone received a "complete e-mail" yet from UMD? According to my portal everything has been complete on 7/18, but I haven't received any email saying that my application is ready for review. Just wondering.
 
bio_master_2020 said:
Has anyone received a "complete e-mail" yet from UMD? According to my portal everything has been complete on 7/18, but I haven't received any email saying that my application is ready for review. Just wondering.
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Nope. Same, everything has been in since 7/21 for me, so I guess maybe they just don't send a ready for review email
 
hopeful 1st doc said:
Ahh just submitted!! Beyond anxious for this one
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Good luck! Your avatar is too funny to not get an interview.

Best of luck to everyone applying to UMAB and hope to meet some of you next year! If anyone needs advice about interviewing or anything, hit me up. Disclaimer: I'll be an MS1 & haven't started classes yet.
 
itsogre said:
Good luck! Your avatar is too funny to not get an interview.

Best of luck to everyone applying to UMAB and hope to meet some of you next year! If anyone needs advice about interviewing or anything, hit me up. Disclaimer: I'll be an MS1 & haven't started classes yet.
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Haha thanks! I'm so jealous- I'm still on the waitlist from last year. Good luck, enjoy!! Hopefully, I'll interview again this year and will definitely ask for pointers, as I'm not really sure what went wrong last time
 
When they say a "community service experience"... does that imply volunteer work outside of a clinical setting? I've done extensive clinical volunteering I def want to write about, but idk if that would count as clinical experiences or community service experiences. And if extensive shadowing is good to write about for clinical experience
 
waitlisted here as well... reapplying! best of luck
 
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Completed my secondary application, but realized my fee wasn't waived (I have AMCAS FAP award). Called the office and they said they do not respect the AMCAS Fee Waiver.
Sighhhh, time that could have been spent on another secondary...
 
"19.) Briefly describe your most important exposure to clinical medicine. "
^Are they talking about one experience as in describing your time working at X, or do they mean one specific situation or one specific day at X that was important for you.

Also, what if I already wrote extensively about my most important exposure in my AMCAS?
 
heywhatsuphello said:
When they say a "community service experience"... does that imply volunteer work outside of a clinical setting? I've done extensive clinical volunteering I def want to write about, but idk if that would count as clinical experiences or community service experiences. And if extensive shadowing is good to write about for clinical experience
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I think if your experience had a valuable lesson it taught you, you should write about it in community box even if it was performed in clinical surroundings. Also I believe if you write eloquently and earnestly about it, it shouldn't matter if it was a single hour you spent in a library reading to kids or 4 year long volunteering at a community clinic.

I also think the adcoms might be looking at your interpretation of these question as equally well as the content. That's why some of these secondaries are so vague... at least imo
 
Nblufire12 said:
waitlisted here as well... reapplying! best of luck
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Good luck!!

223sarahsmith said:
Completed my secondary application, but realized my fee wasn't waived (I have AMCAS FAP award). Called the office and they said they do not respect the AMCAS Fee Waiver.
Sighhhh, time that could have been spent on another secondary...
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Sorry about that :( best of luck with your apps and interviews. I also was on a tight budget last year, but fortunately student hosts for interviews saved me tons, and were loads of fun. Those secondary fees tho...
 
223sarahsmith said:
Completed my secondary application, but realized my fee wasn't waived (I have AMCAS FAP award). Called the office and they said they do not respect the AMCAS Fee Waiver.
Sighhhh, time that could have been spent on another secondary...
Click to expand...

It's pretty shameful when med schools don't accept the fee waiver imo. Like way to turn a blind eye to the need for socioeconomic diversity in the medical field. That's how I see it at least.
 
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Number 1 choice, a bit of a reach though. Would love to go to school 15 mins from home!
 
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To anyone who heard back from UMd, when were you complete? Thanks :)
 
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