2016-2017 University of Kansas Application Thread

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1. Describe your health care experiences that involved direct exposure to physicians' clinical duties and how they have shaped your desire to apply to medical school.
2. Describe examples of leadership experience in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
3. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge.
4. Give an example of what you have done to make your community a better place to live.
5. Describe how you relate to someone who is very different from you. Examples of differences may be cultural, racial, religious, economic, gender/sexual orientation, lifestyle.
6. If you are not a Kansas resident, what is your specific interest in applying to the University of Kansas School of Medicine?
7. If necessary, update the information contained in your AMCAS application. Indicate grades earned, alterations in your proposed course work or graduation time, additions to your extracurricular activities, or other pertinent information.
8. If there are discrepancies in your application that have not been explained in your personal statement, use this space to clarify. Examples may include unexplained gaps in time, multiple undergraduate institutions attended, multiple course withdrawals, inconsistent academic performance, inconsistency between academic performance and MCAT scores.
9. If you are currently enrolled, or plan to be enrolled during the next academic year, in a graduate or professional degree program, please describe your status within the program and your intention to complete the program. You must also request a letter from your graduate program advisor or from the dean of your professional school. This letter must include acknowledgement of your application to medical school and a description of your status in the program.
10. If you are no longer a full-time student, briefly describe your current employment, community, medical, and/or educational activities.
11. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant academic experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.
12. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant employment and personal experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.
13. For Combined MD/PhD Program Applicants: Do you also want to be considered as an "MD-only" applicant?
*14. Have you ever been convicted for violation of a regulation or law relating to controlled substances (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved.
*15. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved.

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Re-applicant checking in! KS resident, average stats, alternate listed last cycle, most likely applying ED (again). Let's go!
 
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Just submitted my AMCAS! Applying EDP w/ below average GPA and above average MCAT. Good luck everyone!
 
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Finished my application 6/10! KS resident applying regular decision-- can't wait to go through this process with you guys! :)
 
Anyone else looking to start on their secondary application early?
 
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Anyone else looking to start on their secondary application early?

Yep, I've written most of my secondary essays already. Fingers crossed that none of them have changed since the last few years...

Also hoping that KU has some love for low GPA applicants. I have pretty good ECs and a good MCAT (34Q/513) but my GPA is hovering around a 3.4 :( This is my third application cycle, but my first applying to KU. Ok, done talking about myself!
 
Yep, I've written most of my secondary essays already. Fingers crossed that none of them have changed since the last few years...

Also hoping that KU has some love for low GPA applicants. I have pretty good ECs and a good MCAT (34Q/513) but my GPA is hovering around a 3.4 :( This is my third application cycle, but my first applying to KU. Ok, done talking about myself!
I'm right there with ya with hoping they haven't changed.... That would be significantly upsetting.:nailbiting:
 
Yep, I've written most of my secondary essays already. Fingers crossed that none of them have changed since the last few years...

Also hoping that KU has some love for low GPA applicants. I have pretty good ECs and a good MCAT (34Q/513) but my GPA is hovering around a 3.4 :( This is my third application cycle, but my first applying to KU. Ok, done talking about myself!
Was a 3.2. Now an M1.
 
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Yep, I've written most of my secondary essays already. Fingers crossed that none of them have changed since the last few years...

Also hoping that KU has some love for low GPA applicants. I have pretty good ECs and a good MCAT (34Q/513) but my GPA is hovering around a 3.4 :( This is my third application cycle, but my first applying to KU. Ok, done talking about myself!
Are you OOS then?
 
I interviewed in September last cycle and was told the committee was discussing changes to the secondary for this year. They were hoping to reduce the total number of questions which makes sense since most secondaries (from my experience) have 1-5 questions while this one has like 18 :cat:
 
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Was a 3.2. Now an M1.

I wish I could like this more! That's really inspiring. I love KU and I really hope they give me a chance :nailbiting:

Are you OOS then?

I'm a legal resident of KS now, but I grew up in Indiana and I lived on the Missouri side for two years before coming to KS for the last year and a half. So I'm still worried that I haven't shown enough dedication to practice in the state, even though it's where I'd like to end up.

On another note, how about that false alarm just now on the secondary application? I was halfway through filling it out when they said to ignore it!
 
I wish I could like this more! That's really inspiring. I love KU and I really hope they give me a chance :nailbiting:



I'm a legal resident of KS now, but I grew up in Indiana and I lived on the Missouri side for two years before coming to KS for the last year and a half. So I'm still worried that I haven't shown enough dedication to practice in the state, even though it's where I'd like to end up.

On another note, how about that false alarm just now on the secondary application? I was halfway through filling it out when they said to ignore it!
I really do hope they remove some questions as some are basically asking about what you described in your work/activities section.
 
Did anyone get a secondary today, followed by another email that said, "Pre-mature email" and stated, "A welcome email was unintentionally sent out today through an automated process that includes last year’s information. We apologize for the mistake. Please disregard the email for now. We will send you another email in a couple of weeks with accurate information. Also, please refrain from attempting to fill out the Supplemental Application online until you receive the new email from us. Again, we apologize for the “false alarm,” and we look forward to beginning the full application process with you in a few weeks."
 
I did, the questions have been the same for the past two years so I'm guessing they are not gonna change so i guess we could technically write the essays and just wait till you get the actual secondary


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I did, the questions have been the same for the past two years so I'm guessing they are not gonna change so i guess we could technically write the essays and just wait till you get the actual secondary


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I think the only question they've removed over the last 2 years is "What do you do for fun?"
 
Is anyone else having trouble logging into the secondary?


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Is anyone else having trouble logging into the secondary?


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I don't think they've sent out the updated secondary yet. The invitation they sent out initially was supposed to have information from last year. Their follow up email said it would be a couple weeks before the updated invitations are sent out.


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Last year the earliest secondary invitations were sent on June 9th, so it's almost time to dig right in!
 
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Early Decision secondaries have been officially unleashed! Questions are down from 18 to 15 this year and it seems they've combined and rephrased a few.
 
Secondaries are out for regular decision as well!
 
Odd... my secondary has carried over information from my application last year. I changed my LORs for Kansas but it still says its waiting for my letter assignments from last year...
 
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Odd... my secondary has carried over information from my application last year.
I believe that just indicates your file will contain everything from previous applications. They should get around to uploading letters for this year soon. If that doesn't happen by the end of the month I'd probably e-mail or call.
 
Hey everyone, I have a question regarding the grad rec. letter. I'm starting an SMP in August however I see it states that I need a letter from the dean/advisor from the program. How would that work out if I technically haven't even met them yet? Or is it more of a letter just stating I'm in the program and acknowledging the fact that I'm applying to Medical Schools. Also, should this be done though AMCAS or specifically sent to KU?

Thanks
 
I'm looking for guidance. I'm looking at the "how do you relate to someone different than you" question, and all I can think of is that I went to a boarding high school and some of my closest friends are from different countries (people I still keep in touch with). Is it appropriate to use these examples, or should I not since they ARE from high school?
 
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The example isn't as important as how it answers the question.
 
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Does anyone have experience with sending in 6 letters of rec (with their maximum of 5). Do they just not read the last one and read the first 5, or is it random? Or should I not send the last one (it is from KU-SOM facility).
 
I don't have any experience with this, but my intuition would say you probably should limit it to 5!
 
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Does anyone have experience with sending in 6 letters of rec (with their maximum of 5). Do they just not read the last one and read the first 5, or is it random? Or should I not send the last one (it is from KU-SOM facility).

If you think the faculty letter is strong, substitute it, but from my experience you should absolutely not exceed the 5 letter limit. I've heard from multiple sources (advisors, former admissions officers) that committee members in general will thoroughly read 3 letters, then they skim or ignore everything else. Of course it varies by which committee member is assigned your file; some will read everything; some will skim everything; but most will physically toss a letter if you exceed the limit. And it is random, so you risk them tossing your best letter if you give them too many.
 
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If you think the faculty letter is strong, substitute it, but from my experience you should absolutely not exceed the 5 letter limit. I've heard from multiple sources (advisors, former admissions officers) that committee members in general will thoroughly read 3 letters, then they skim or ignore everything else. Of course it varies by which committee member is assigned your file; some will read everything; some will skim everything; but most will physically toss a letter if you exceed the limit. And it is random, so you risk them tossing your best letter if you give them too many.
I've already assigned and submitted my primary app so I can't substitute it :/ but thanks for the input guys! I think i'll assign this letter to another school instead.
 
You could e-mail the admissions manager to see if you can switch out a letter, but that could involve re-submitting your entire AMCAS. In terms of KU I wouldn't worry about it. You are super on the ball in terms of timeliness and KU places a very, very strong emphasis on interviews. As long as none of your writers say anything bad and the rest of your app is solid, you'll get an early interview, and that exciting/horrifying day is where you'll determine if you get a seat.
 
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Stick to five. Always submit your best.
 
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Does anyone know if KU does combined MCAT scores, highest score on each section, or take the highest overall MCAT score?
 
In the past an overall score within the 50% percentile was considered the minimum standard. It used to be advertised that if you were a Kansas resident or strongly tied with a 50% composite, you were almost guaranteed an interview. However they've strayed away from that in recent years and the committee now claims to look at the whole of an applicant.
It's another one of those things that depends on who is assigned your file, but I will say the dean of admissions has told people that they shouldn't waste their time re-taking the MCAT if they are focused on improving a single section - they look at trends more so than the numbers themselves.
 
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In the past an overall score within the 50% percentile was considered the minimum standard. It used to be advertised that if you were a Kansas resident or strongly tied with a 50% composite, you were almost guaranteed an interview. However they've strayed away from that in recent years and the committee now claims to look at the whole of an applicant.
It's another one of those things that depends on who is assigned your file, but I will say the dean of admissions has told people that they shouldn't waste their time re-taking the MCAT if they are focused on improving a single section - they look at trends more so than the numbers themselves.
Thank you for your responses!
 
Does anyone know if KU actually waits until 2-3 weeks before the first set of Regular MD interviews to send out interview invites? Concerned because, while I am a Kansas resident, I go to school in SC and tickets are not cheap!
 
Does anyone know if KU actually waits until 2-3 weeks before the first set of Regular MD interviews to send out interview invites? Concerned because, while I am a Kansas resident, I go to school in SC and tickets are not cheap!
Yes, that's pretty much how it works.

With the MCAT they look at your best scores, but any more than 2-3 takes is going to look bad especially if either nothing changed or, more importantly, your science dropped.
 
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Has anyone heard of any differences/advantages/disadvantages to different interview sites? I'm starting the secondary now, and my inclination is to input the Wichita campus (I was born there, my father and half of my family live there) and it would be great to have the opportunity to visit if I get an interview, but I don't want to handicap myself.
 
That's pretty much the only advantage.
 
Another advantage is the tour entails less walking since the Wichita campus is much, much smaller. I have interviewed both in KC and Wichita; I found Wichita to be more relaxing (I live there so I'm kind of biased). There were only 4 med students in the lecture hall we peeked into since most of them podcast, but I felt the med students were much friendlier in Wichita. You eat lunch with med students on interview day, but a lot of the Wichita students stayed around afterwards and gave encouragement whereas KC students peace-d out after getting their free food haha. There is a lot of down time where you're just sitting in a room with other applicants, but the students and staff in Wichita made chit chat to lighten the mood. They seemed genuinely excited, but there is only like 1 week of interview held in Wichita so it makes sense.
All of this is of course unimportant in the grand scheme. The thing that matters - interviews - remain the same.
 
1. Describe your health care experiences that involved direct exposure to physicians' clinical duties and how they have shaped your desire to apply to medical school.
2. Describe examples of leadership experience in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
3. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to address this challenge.
4. Give an example of what you have done to make your community a better place to live.
5. Describe how you relate to someone who is very different from you. Examples of differences may be cultural, racial, religious, economic, gender/sexual orientation, lifestyle.
6. If you are not a Kansas resident, what is your specific interest in applying to the University of Kansas School of Medicine?
7. If necessary, update the information contained in your AMCAS application. Indicate grades earned, alterations in your proposed course work or graduation time, additions to your extracurricular activities, or other pertinent information.
8. If there are discrepancies in your application that have not been explained in your personal statement, use this space to clarify. Examples may include unexplained gaps in time, multiple undergraduate institutions attended, multiple course withdrawals, inconsistent academic performance, inconsistency between academic performance and MCAT scores.
9. If you are currently enrolled, or plan to be enrolled during the next academic year, in a graduate or professional degree program, please describe your status within the program and your intention to complete the program. You must also request a letter from your graduate program advisor or from the dean of your professional school. This letter must include acknowledgement of your application to medical school and a description of your status in the program.
10. If you are no longer a full-time student, briefly describe your current employment, community, medical, and/or educational activities.
11. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant academic experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.
12. For Repeat Applicants Only: Since your last application, note any relevant employment and personal experiences that enhance your ability to be a better physician.
13. For Combined MD/PhD Program Applicants: Do you also want to be considered as an "MD-only" applicant?
*14. Have you ever been convicted for violation of a regulation or law relating to controlled substances (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved.
*15. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony (answer YES or NO)? If yes, provide appropriate explanation(s), including the date(s) of conviction, case number(s), and the jurisdictional court(s) involved.
@WedgeDawg
 
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Another advantage is the tour entails less walking since the Wichita campus is much, much smaller. I have interviewed both in KC and Wichita; I found Wichita to be more relaxing (I live there so I'm kind of biased). There were only 4 med students in the lecture hall we peeked into since most of them podcast, but I felt the med students were much friendlier in Wichita. You eat lunch with med students on interview day, but a lot of the Wichita students stayed around afterwards and gave encouragement whereas KC students peace-d out after getting their free food haha. There is a lot of down time where you're just sitting in a room with other applicants, but the students and staff in Wichita made chit chat to lighten the mood. They seemed genuinely excited, but there is only like 1 week of interview held in Wichita so it makes sense.
All of this is of course unimportant in the grand scheme. The thing that matters - interviews - remain the same.

Thanks! I found the 2016 interview calendar and think I may be better off with more options at the KC campus (fingers crossed for an II). I'm working full time and will be more than likely taking a course this semester to get back into the study mode (graduated w/ pre-reqs a few years ago).
 
Submitted my supplemental app! This one took a while even with the removal of some questions.
 
Anyone have any stats for EDP applicants? It looks like in past years about ~130 applied EDP, ~70 interviewed, and ~35 got accepted. Those seem like suspiciously good odds, but maybe EDP is just a more self-selective group.

Edit: That might have come off conceited... not trying to say I'm part of that self-selective group :)
 
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Anyone have any stats for EDP applicants? It looks like in past years about ~130 applied EDP, ~70 interviewed, and ~35 got accepted. Those seem like suspiciously good odds, but maybe EDP is just a more self-selective group.

Edit: That might have come off conceited... not trying to say I'm part of that self-selective group :)

I'm not Early Decision but I don't think it necessarily means your conceited. I think conversations like this can always lead to either camraderie or trying to one up each other. Here's to the former!
 
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Edit: I posted my stats and then I wondered if it was a very good idea. One might be more identifiable that way. Which is fine, I just think I should be more careful.
 
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