2015-2016 University of South Carolina Application Thread

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I can see how you might think that from what I wrote above, but I am IS. I'm stationed in TX right now on active duty orders.

Day started with a brief overview about the school, during this time the 8 of us were told that our interviews were going to be with 2 people, not the 1 on 1 I had read about. This is also going to be the case for all of you who go to interviews this cycle, just a heads up! The reason for this is because ADCOMs only serve 3 year terms, I'm guessing in order to ensure there is a lack of subjectivity year to year. After this, we had lunch with our M2 tour guides. After lunch was a quick meeting with Dr. Thornhill, and after this our interviews started.

1st interview started off...interesting, and kind of threw me off for the rest of it. Wasn't expecting to talk about growing up without much food and my experiences dealing with death in my personal life. In the end I asked him if I had if I was at the very least clear in explaining my long path to medicine, and he said yes. I suppose I'll take that small win. When I spoke with some current students about who I interviewed with, every one of them winced and said "Ohh". My other interviewer was the only M4 I got to speak with during the entire day. I hope all of you get what I'm subtly saying. He asked me some standard questions, and it was off to the next 30 min interview. Also, the M2s or M4s on the ADCOM are full voting members.

2nd interview was great. Standardized common interview questions coupled with both interviewers wanting some clarification about my academic journey and experiences. Even got both of them to laugh, score!

After this, we got to meet some of the current M1 and M2s during a cookie break. Not really a big sweets person, but saw one white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie left, and went to town. It was also a great time to gauge personalities of the students and what USC was looking for. Oh yes, immediately after you're done with interviews for the day, the committee meets to decide who gets in. So when you're leaving for the day after the financial aid briefing and the school tour, and accidentally run into your interviewers on the way out...

Backtracking a bit. The facilities are a bit older, there isn't a lot of file sharing when it comes to prepping for tests, and we didn't get to visit any of the hospitals because previous interviewees had critiqued this part of the tour so poorly (direct quote from one of my tour guides); but the physicians I saw teaching really had a passion for what they were doing, which was inspiring. Additionally, depending on how your tests go at the end of your second year, you could have up to 8 weeks to prep for Step 1 (tour guide quote again).

Overall everyone was nice, and my tour guides were passionate about the school. I really didn't get a lot of inside information about when future IIs would be given out or anything, which is unfortunate. But I did the math from some info I found, and if you get an II, you have a 46.3% chance of acceptance if you're IS.

I gave some more detail about that first interview in the "Worst Interview Answers" thread if you guys would like to read it, best of luck to everyone applying at this school!
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They have quick turnaround. Admissions will discuss all applicants and the day they are interviewed. First acceptances go out Oct 15th. I interviewed after that date and was told that I would hear something within two weeks. That could potentially be a call saying congrats, you got in; a letter saying we haven't decided yet, but we'll let you know; or a letter saying sorry, not this year. I received the second option and was then later notified I got accepted.

I assume they follow the same approach for those students that interview before Oct 15th in that they will let you know "something" around Oct 15th.
 
calisurfer19 said:
we didn't get to visit any of the hospitals because previous interviewees had critiqued this part of the tour so poorly
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I can elaborate a bit on this. The interview day used to start off with a tour of the hospital. It got critiqued poorly for several reasons. You can't see much of interest from the areas the tour group is allowed to travel through, so you just wind up being herded through the hospital like a bunch of lost sheep in ill-fitting formal attire. So from that sense, there wasn't much to be gained from viewing the hospital.

The biggest problem, however, was that the hospital is approximately 20 minutes by car from the main medical school campus where you interview. So pretty much every interview day would start with someone getting lost on their way from the hospital, showing up to their interview late, and being extremely frazzled. For this reason, it was decided that the hospital tour is probably superfluous.

All that is to say, I hope you don't feel like you missed out too much by not seeing the hospital. I'm one of the students who did see the hospital on his interview day and I recommended that part of the tour be removed. It's a very nice hospital with excellent facilities that are constantly expanding. The main hospital is attached to a dedicated children's hospital (peds is definitely a strong suit at our school). The children's hospital is decorated in an underwater theme with lots of fish tanks embedded in the walls and such. There is also a dedicated "heart hospital" for cardiac care. A lot of our docs choose cardiology as a specialty because of the excellent opportunities they have as medical students and residents to care for patients with cardiovascular issues at the heart hospital.
 
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Interviewed here yesterday and figured I'd give a little recap. Much of the same as calisurfer19 posted above. There were 7 of us who interviewed yesterday. All were instate residents. Dr. Thornhill said that in a week or two they will expand to about 18 interviewees every Wednesday, but they wanted to keep numbers small while they are training the new ADCOMs. There were some 2 on 1 interviews again for this group but my understanding is that in a week or two once the new ADCOMs feel comfortable all interviews will be the standard 1 on 1.

Both of my interviews were pretty relaxed, and I think they went well. They asked basic questions like why this school, why medicine, could elaborate on this EC, elaborate on this statement from your app etc. Nothing much else to say here.

Dr. Thornhill said that all of us will hear from them on Oct. 15 or 16 per the AAMC traffic rules. He said that we will either be accepted or told that they're still thinking about it. Doesn't sound like anyone will be out right rejected this early.

Good luck to those of you who will be interviewing. I'd imagine more IIs will be going out soon since they're expanding the number of interviewees in the coming weeks.
 
Hi everyone,

This was asked earlier but wasn't answered, so my apologies if I'm being repetitive. I applied to Greenville OOS with no real ties to the state, because I heard very great things about the school from physicians I work with. However, I'm not sure whether I should submit the secondary since I am OOS. Basically, I am asking - is there any hope for an OOS candidate with minimal ties to the state?
 
Best of luck to everyone who interviewed already! Tomorrow could be the day!!
 
xxabi said:
Hi everyone,

This was asked earlier but wasn't answered, so my apologies if I'm being repetitive. I applied to Greenville OOS with no real ties to the state, because I heard very great things about the school from physicians I work with. However, I'm not sure whether I should submit the secondary since I am OOS. Basically, I am asking - is there any hope for an OOS candidate with minimal ties to the state?
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So first off, I just want to clarify that USC SoM and USC SoM-Greenville are entirely separate. They don't have anything to do with each other in admissions or any other aspect of administration/organization/teaching.

Every one of my classmates (I'm an M2 at USC SoM) that is OOS has ties to SC. Some people went to undergrad here, others have family in the area, some have SOs with jobs in the area. That said, "significant ties" is a subjective term that can be interpreted differently be whomever happens to be reading your application. If you don't have any ties to the area, but really want to go to the school, find something, no matter how small, that ties you to the school and play that up big.

Finally, if you haven't already applied, it's quite late at this point. Perhaps consider next year, as earlier applications are more favorable. They started making acceptances today.
 
@Bigwill6709 do you know if USC looks favorably on update letters/letters of interest pre interview? I'm OOS only 3 hours away but no actual ties to SC and really interested in the school.
 
Anyone here from these guys over the past two weeks?
 
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Got my "hold" letter today. Also got my acceptance to MUSC though, which is what I wanted!!!! Good luck everyone.
 
docrunner23 said:
@Bigwill6709 do you know if USC looks favorably on update letters/letters of interest pre interview? I'm OOS only 3 hours away but no actual ties to SC and really interested in the school.
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I don't know for sure, but in general I think it's pretty hard to piss off the admissions staff unless you just contact them incessantly. If you really are that interested, I don't think there's anything wrong with making that known at every step of the way. But that's simply my opinion and is based on little actual knowledge of the admissions staff's process.
 
I got a letter in the mail for being "continuing to be evaluated" maybe call them if you didn't see anything? I didn't find mine until this morning from when my roommate checked the mail last week.
 
They'll call you within a day or two of your interview usually if you've been accepted. They wait list the vast majority of people they interview as the season rolls on so if you haven't heard anything within a week assume you're sitting on the wait list for now.
 
Does anyone know if USC School of Medicine accepts updates? I know Greenville attached a form to update them with, thanks for any help and congrats to those accepted already 🙂
 
EAGLESK93 said:
Does anyone know if USC School of Medicine accepts updates? I know Greenville attached a form to update them with, thanks for any help and congrats to those accepted already 🙂
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I think that you can e-mail them a word document with updates. They don't have the online form like Greenville does.
 
I interview here 2/3. Those who have been accepted thus far have any pointers for me?
 
The Mockingjay said:
I interview here 2/3. Those who have been accepted thus far have any pointers for me?
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My interviewers were really awesome and easy to talk to! One of my interviewers was actually a M2 student so that was really nice. But as for pointers, USC is really proud of the fact they train their students with ultrasound technology so that would be a good point to make if they as you the "Why did you apply to this medical school" question.
 
prettyinpink0503 said:
My interviewers were really awesome and easy to talk to! One of my interviewers was actually a M2 student so that was really nice. Bust as for pointers, USC is really proud of the fact they train their students with ultrasound technology so that would be a good point to make if they as you the "Why did you apply to this medical school" question.
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Cool. Thank you so much!
 
I also have my interview coming up. What kinds of medical ethics questions were asked during the interviews?
 
cma1224 said:
I also have my interview coming up. What kinds of medical ethics questions were asked during the interviews?
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No medical ethics questions were asked in my interview here. They really want to get to know you.


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Why is this thread so quiet! No one has heard anything?!


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The Mockingjay said:
Why is this thread so quiet! No one has heard anything?!


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I interviewed on 1/13/16 and heard back on 1/22/16 and a friend of mine who interviewed the same day did as well. I don't know how many they accept at once.

Is there a facebook page for the incoming class?
 
I don't know anyone from our current class that's made a Facebook group as of yet but maybe one of the accepted have.
 
SelfCareHate said:
I interviewed on 1/13/16 and heard back on 1/22/16 and a friend of mine who interviewed the same day did as well. I don't know how many they accept at once.

Is there a facebook page for the incoming class?
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Mind sharing stats? I interview here in a couple weeks!
 
I think the more important thing to remember for this school is they want to know who you are deep down


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So I got my hold letter last week, were there any acceptances last week?
 
@Bigwill6709 I interviewed in January, and shortly received my holding letter. I applied last year and received a letter, and they both say about the same thing, except this years says that I was "highly rated by the admissions committee." One of my friends also received a letter, but his did not say this, so I know they send out different letters at least this year. Am I reading too much into this or is there anything to it? Thank you.
 
woodca3 said:
Congrats! Mind sharing details about your interview experience? I interview here soon!
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Both of my interviewers were really nice. No trick questions, just be prepared to discuss your application in further detail.
 
Every interviewer is different so there's no preset list of questions they'll ask, just go in being yourself.
 
Ditto. Mine were really laid back and both were essentially a rundown of my application. I was not asked any ethical questions or anything outrageous/difficult.


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Thanks everyone! I think I'm just so nervous since it's so late in the cycle. But I guess if they are still interviewing, there are still spots open! Good luck to everyone else as well if you haven't been accepted yet, or congrats if you have 🙂
 
Flyfisher1993 said:
@Bigwill6709 I interviewed in January, and shortly received my holding letter. I applied last year and received a letter, and they both say about the same thing, except this years says that I was "highly rated by the admissions committee." One of my friends also received a letter, but his did not say this, so I know they send out different letters at least this year. Am I reading too much into this or is there anything to it? Thank you.
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Sorry, I've never heard of different letters. I'm not saying they don't exist, but simply that I didn't get one and that I haven't heard of it from others until now. I can't say one way or the other regarding the meaning of a "highly rated" statement.

As terrible as it is, they are always shuffling acceptances as people that were accepted to multiple schools choose to attend other places, or defer, or things like that. My class had at least one student get the call the week before classes started notifying him of his acceptance. Just keep chuggin'! (That late-admitted student is a really stellar classmate of mine. So don't by any means think it means you're an inferior candidate if you get a late admittance here or elsewhere.)
 
Do you think it would be worth it to send an update at this point? USC Greenville was still sending out IIs last week but I wasn't sure about the Columbia campus.
 
If you're still looking for an ii at this point in the game I don't think it would do much to help, but on the other hand it also certainly won't hurt you.
 
You guys that got an acceptance phone call - did it come up as SC on caller ID or did they block the number? I interviewed recently and just missed a call from a blocked number........... Not sure if it was USC or a Nigerian prince. Also, relevant username.
 
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