2015-2016 University of Minnesota Application Thread

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Don't have MDApps because that's a lot of work for me at this stage in the game, so FWIW:

OOS student with familial ties to the state.

Primary was sent out with first batch on July 1st.
Took me a while to get a secondary (end of August).
Complete on August 28th.
Interview invite today (October 30th)

507, 4.0

2100+ hours research
(Future first author pub and pub as contributing author, several poster presentations, a couple first place finishes, and a future presentation at a national conference)
2000 hours working on a farm
350 hours observing/volunteering local (rural) hospital
~1000 hours volunteering mostly through cancer related organizations

I am a very strong and sincere believer that every applicant is unique and can bring something to the table. Not trying to bolster what I have done bc I for one find it difficult to compare people's experiences. It's also not about hours but what you have gained upon reflection of your hours and experiences.

I like being transparent and want to give people the basics about my app and stats in order to help them assess their chances at U of M--especially for OOS students. Several people had asked about stats so here's everything.

Good luck everyone, I hope everyone's interview seasons have been as fruitful as they had hoped. Can't wait to work alongside so many of you great people! Also remember it took me 2 months to get an II, so try to be patient--although when you want something so bad it can be extremely hard to be!
 
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have there been any pre-interview rejections from Duluth lately?
 
MicrogliaMan said:
Don't have MDApps because that's a lot of work for me at this stage in the game, so FWIW:

OOS student with familial ties to the state.

Primary was sent out with first batch on July 1st.
Took me a while to get a secondary (end of August).
Complete on August 28th.
Interview invite today (October 30th)

507, 4.0

2100+ hours research
(Future first author pub and pub as contributing author, several poster presentations, a couple first place finishes, and a future presentation at a national conference)
2000 hours working on a farm
350 hours observing/volunteering local (rural) hospital
~1000 hours volunteering mostly through cancer related organizations

I am a very strong and sincere believer that every applicant is unique and can bring something to the table. Not trying to bolster what I have done bc I for one find it difficult to compare people's experiences. It's also not about hours but what you have gained upon reflection of your hours and experiences.

I like being transparent and want to give people the basics about my app and stats in order to help them assess their chances at U of M--especially for OOS students. Several people had asked about stats so here's everything.

Good luck everyone, I hope everyone's interview seasons have been as fruitful as they had hoped. Can't wait to work alongside so many of you great people! Also remember it took me 2 months to get an II, so try to be patient--although when you want something so bad it can be extremely hard to be!
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I don't understand what this is. You don't have MDApps, but you got an II?

Edit: Farm work? Seriously, what is this?
 
bioboi33 said:
I don't understand what this is. You don't have MDApps, but you got an II?

Edit: Farm work? Seriously, what is this?
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MDApps isn't the same as the MD application, it's just a site where people can post detailed info about their stats, schools that they applied to, interview offers, etc. It's totally separate from AMCAS, and most people apply to med schools without setting up an MDApps profile.

As for the farm work, it's a unique extracurricular that sets the applicant apart from his/her fellow applicants, and it is obviously something that they devoted a lot of time to... which is probably why they mentioned it as one of their ECs.
 
limeindacoconut said:
MDApps isn't the same as the MD application, it's just a site where people can post detailed info about their stats, schools that they applied to, interview offers, etc. It's totally separate from AMCAS, and most people apply to med schools without setting up an MDApps profile.

As for the farm work, it's a unique extracurricular that sets the applicant apart from his/her fellow applicants, and it is obviously something that they devoted a lot of time to... which is probably why they mentioned it as one of their ECs.
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Thanks for the insight yo. I don't know how I haven't heard of that website before. Sorry @MicrogliaMan if I insulted you. Do you (or others) consider your research experience to be impressive? I honestly have no idea the value of the work I've done in the lab. So I have my name on a few papers, big deal. IMO
 
bioboi33 said:
Thanks for the insight yo. I don't know how I haven't heard of that website before. Sorry @MicrogliaMan if I insulted you. Do you (or others) consider your research experience to be impressive? I honestly have no idea the value of the work I've done in the lab. So I have my name on a few papers, big deal. IMO
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You didn't insult me! No worries. I don't necessarily consider my research impressive in so far as I think it makes me elite, I think it demonstrates longevity with a project, teamwork, understanding of difficult concepts, critical problem solving, etc. i.e. many things that are essential for a career in medicine. It also appeals to schools that do a lot of research, because you are able to bring a repertoire of skills, insight, and innovation to their scientific community. Schools aren't always worried about number of publications, more so your level of involvement with a project. I am essentially independently researching my project at this point so it shows I have a firm grasp on the sciences. So it's more about what you get from your experiences. Most medical schools have a very high percentage of matriculants (>85%) that have done research, so it is important.

In response to the farming comment, yes, it is a unique extra curricular and unique perspective I can bring to a school potentially. Taught me to appreciate life regardless of social status, creative problem solving, dedication and hard work. Furthermore, demonstrates I was able to maintain lab work, service, and grades while putting myself through college. Most med schools want to see that you can bring something unique--not just "member of pre med club".
 
Congrats! I'm headed there for an interview at the end of the month. Any feedback or tips?
 
Study the typical questions like "why should we choose you over other people with your stats?" And "tell me about yourself" they only ask you like 4 of these but it gets pretty intimidating if you're not prepared.
 
Got an II earlier today for the Twin Cities Campus!
In state. Applied 9/10. Got II exactly 8 weeks after applying.
 
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I'll be interviewing at Duluth soon. 🙂 It sounds like I'll meet one-on-one with two members of the admissions committee, but could anyone comment on the interview style? Is it still open file? Any curveball questions? There isn't much recent feedback in the schools section, so I thought I'd ask here. Thanks...
 
Wanted to check in and see if anyone has found any stats about number of acceptances versus number of matriculants? I've done some poking around and cannot find anything. Common wisdom says that schools accept 2-3x as many students as seats available. I think for state schools, however, it's a bit closer to a 1:1 ratio, especially for state schools that are as well regarded as U of Minnesota. For instance, University of Washington accepts 290 students for 240 seats.
 
timsk said:
Wanted to check in and see if anyone has found any stats about number of acceptances versus number of matriculants? I've done some poking around and cannot find anything. Common wisdom says that schools accept 2-3x as many students as seats available. I think for state schools, however, it's a bit closer to a 1:1 ratio, especially for state schools that are as well regarded as U of Minnesota. For instance, University of Washington accepts 290 students for 240 seats.
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Don't overthink it. You got the II which is vastly more difficult (assuming your OOS) statistically. You seem to be having a successful cycle, so go in, be yourself and don't stress.
 
Thanks for your reply. And i am, admittedly, being neurotic. But i'm also a stats and math kind of guy, so just like i am manipulating distance, calories, burn rate etc in my head while running to make the time pass quicker, i am also computing and fact seeking while waiting on interviews, IIs, acceptances. And luckily the stress has more or dissipated by this point in the cycle.

But i do think we all need to be reminded from time to time to calm down and not overthink. So thank you 🙂
 
timsk said:
Thanks for your reply. And i am, admittedly, being neurotic. But i'm also a stats and math kind of guy, so just like i am manipulating distance, calories, burn rate etc in my head while running to make the time pass quicker, i am also computing and fact seeking while waiting on interviews, IIs, acceptances. And luckily the stress has more or dissipated by this point in the cycle.

But i do think we all need to be reminded from time to time to calm down and not overthink. So thank you 🙂
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I do the same exact thing. I applied last year, interviewed with 4 schools and was waitlisted at 4 schools. Statistically, the odds of not getting in were less than the odds of getting in a wreck on my motorcycle. I managed not to do either. So this year I'm taking the Han Solo approach and prefer never being told the odds.
 
secondary request email 9/21, supplementary received 11/10
 
Old Ham said:
I'll be interviewing at Duluth soon. 🙂 It sounds like I'll meet one-on-one with two members of the admissions committee, but could anyone comment on the interview style? Is it still open file? Any curveball questions? There isn't much recent feedback in the schools section, so I thought I'd ask here. Thanks...
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It's a pretty relaxed one-on-one interview. Yes, it's open file but they didn't really touch on my GPA or MCAT. My second interviewer asked a couple tougher ethical questions but other than that it was mostly just a conversation to see if you fit. It probably wouldn't hurt to make sure that you're familiar with all the different programs such as RPAP... one of my interviewers was the head of the RPAP program and was very pleased to hear me mention my interest. Any more questions, let me know! Good luck and enjoy yourself!
 
Interview Invite today. I submitted almost exactly two months ago, so don't be discouraged if you haven't heard back yet. I am OOS, but my hometown where I spent all 18 years before undergrad is only 30 minutes from the Twin Cities and campus. So needless to say I'm ecstatic about getting this interview! 🙂
 
GucciKitty said:
Interview Invite today. I submitted almost exactly two months ago, so don't be discouraged if you haven't heard back yet. I am OOS, but my hometown where I spent all 18 years before undergrad is only 30 minutes from the Twin Cities and campus. So needless to say I'm ecstatic about getting this interview! 🙂
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When you said, "I submitted almost exactly two months ago", do you mean your application or your secondary? I am still waiting for my II and I submitted my secondary about a month ago.
 
rulingsince1993 said:
When you said, "I submitted almost exactly two months ago", do you mean your application or your secondary? I am still waiting for my II and I submitted my secondary about a month ago.
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I meant my secondary. My secondary was sent in 9/16, which coincidentally makes today two months. Good luck, and I hope you get your II!
 
Has anyone on the waitlist been accepted/rejected/moved to the alternative ranked list?
 
I was really, REALLY surprised that I got a secondary from the U of MN - Twin Cities, given that I submitted my primary application REALLY late (did not start until late September), and my stats aren't too great. This is my second application and I was rejected the first time I applied two years ago. BUT, I have made many improvements and added experiences to my resume since then. I am a current resident/native of MN and have lived in the Twin Cities all 24 years of my life. I am also a non-traditional student and first generation college student. Ethnicity is Asian.

My primary application was completed & reviewed by 11/4/15
Received secondary on 11/19/15!!!
Undergrad degree: Neuroscience
GPA: 2.8, but I took an additional 5 science classes after I graduated. Will have to recalculate my GPA, though it will be under 3.0 even with the A's/B's I got.
Old MCAT: 14? lol, took it once in 2013
New MCAT: 484, took it August 2015 - still low
Extracurriculars - Medical/chief scribe with 5,000+ hours, undergrad laboratory research with presentation at a conference (working towards paper publication), ER research, volunteering at two hospitals, CNA license, worked as a biology TA, service hours officer for lacrosse club. Passionate about serving the underserved, working at county hospital with same mission goals 🙂
LORs from 1 MD, 2 DOs, research professor, and theology professor.

So we'll see how it goes!
 
What is the link to check your application status? I have a link for secondary status but I don't believe I have another link. Is the status updated on the secondary link? Thanks!
 
carfan said:
What is the link to check your application status? I have a link for secondary status but I don't believe I have another link. Is the status updated on the secondary link? Thanks!
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There is NOT a separate site to check status. They do not post status updates. The only updates you receive are via email aside from the secondary complete page. So basically, after you complete your secondary, you wait for an email from them.
 
Can anyone attest to how the day went as well as your interview? What types of questions they asked, etc. maybe what you thought would be helpful to know? If something like this was already posted I apologize. Always interested to hear people's impressions.
 
MicrogliaMan said:
Can anyone attest to how the day went as well as your interview? What types of questions they asked, etc. maybe what you thought would be helpful to know? If something like this was already posted I apologize. Always interested to hear people's impressions.
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Well as far as questions asked- they were very typical interview questions...nothing weird,nothing too hard to answer. Overall pretty low stress day. One interview with a faculty or md and one interview with a student. You don't really need to know anything except how to answer typical questions about yourself and activities/motivations.
 
just called the Admissions Office today, and they told me it takes about 4-5 weeks post-secondary submission to hear back. Hope this helps y'all
 
I am OOS and it took me somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks to get my interview. So there is definitely hope of getting an II even if it's been more than 5 weeks. That's rather optimistic of the admissions office! 🙂
 
timsk said:
I am OOS and it took me somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks to get my interview. So there is definitely hope of getting an II even if it's been more than 5 weeks. That's rather optimistic of the admissions office! 🙂
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I think what admissions meant to say was "it takes about 4-5 weeks post-secondary submission to hear back if we really like you, 8-12 otherwise."
 
lol hopefully she was implying that they're through the majority of applications and can get back to later applicants sooner. I'm waiting at 9+ weeks on most other schools so I'll take it as a grain of salt..
 
Help--I am OOS, applied here in late August to only the Twin Cities campus. I told them that I was only interested in the Twin Cities campus via the portal that they provide. I then got an email saying that they screen before their secondary, but have not heard anything since. Is the concerning??? I am not to the point where I feel like I need to bother them about it, but this does seems a bit strange to me...
 
passivelynonaggressive said:
Help--I am OOS, applied here in late August to only the Twin Cities campus. I told them that I was only interested in the Twin Cities campus via the portal that they provide. I then got an email saying that they screen before their secondary, but have not heard anything since. Is the concerning??? I am not to the point where I feel like I need to bother them about it, but this does seems a bit strange to me...
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It took 2.5 months from acknowledgement of primary to get the secondary. No need to worry yet.
 
passivelynonaggressive said:
Help--I am OOS, applied here in late August to only the Twin Cities campus. I told them that I was only interested in the Twin Cities campus via the portal that they provide. I then got an email saying that they screen before their secondary, but have not heard anything since. Is the concerning??? I am not to the point where I feel like I need to bother them about it, but this does seems a bit strange to me...
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According to UMN website there is no screen for people who took the 2015 MCAT. If your only MCAT score is from previous years, then a 24+ is required to get a secondary. So, unless you only took the old MCAT and 23 or below, you should receive a secondary. Three months is a long time... I received the secondary in 7 days, though I am IS.
 
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It took me exactly 8 weeks to get my secondary invite. 8 weeks to the day. I am In State.
They seem to have an "8 week" trend. It took me 8 weeks to get my secondary... 8 weeks to get my interview invite and from speaking with numerous students it takes ~8 weeks to hear back after interview.
 
robin911 said:
It took me exactly 8 weeks to get my secondary invite. 8 weeks to the day. I am In State.
They seem to have an "8 week" trend. It took me 8 weeks to get my secondary... 8 weeks to get my interview invite and from speaking with numerous students it takes ~8 weeks to hear back after interview.
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Thanks for the insight! IDK, at this rate, I don't know how many more 8-week periods will be left until A) next cycle starts or B) I fall over dead after checking my inbox for the 100000000th time in a day! JKJK, but seriously!
 
Anyone else here interviewing on Monday? I'm flying out on Friday and a wee bit nervous that my mild-temperature seattle clothes won't be a match for oh-so-cold minnesota.
 
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