2016-2017 University of Pennsylvania (Perelman) Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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generotti21 said:
Can anyone speak about the grading system and class rank here?
Click to expand...

1st semester = P/F
2nd-3rd semester = H/P/F
Clinical years = H/HP/P/F

There aren't any real numbered rankings, but in the MSPE (for residency), it will have qualifiers or "codewords" such as "excellent" or "outstanding" signifying which percentage of the class you fall into. Many schools do this. Basically 98%-99% of a class will not have to worry, especially coming from Penn. If you actually try in class and are an actual person/teamplayer during clinicals, you will do fine. For the other 1 or 2 people per class, med school probably wasn't the right path for them.

As for preclinicals, the MSPE will have pretty much one sentence about he fact that you passed. All that work for just once sentence! Clinics, as for every school, are far more importnat. During the H/P/F part of preclinicals, everybody could get Honors, or everybody could get a Pass; you're not competing against others. But by all means, if you want to see if you can get all honors in everything throughout your entire med school carreer, then do it. I find most people here do well because of intrinsic drive. We want to do well because we want to be good doctors, not because we want to be better than others. However, you'll find that because Penn attracts some of the best and brightest (in many different qualities, not just academics), performance will be very high accross the board - whether that be on exams, in clinics, or in other acivities. It's not stressful because of a competetive nature, but it can be stressful because you are surrounded by a highly concentrated number of gifted people in all domains of life. You even might think you're really good at procrastination (which is me right now writing this instead of studying for our exams tomorrow), but there's probably someone better!

Sorry for a little rambling, but to sum up, the fact that only the 2nd and 3rd semesters are not P/F is not a reason to not choose this school. When transitioning from 1st semester to 2nd semester, people don't really study differently or try any harder. Like I said, people try their best for their own satisfaction of doing well, and remember, Honors vs Pass is not based on other's performance. So I'd say it's pretty chill if you take a step back for a moment, but I'd also say it's stressful because you want to do well, and med school will definitely challange that.
 
bromo said:
1st semester = P/F
2nd-3rd semester = H/P/F
Clinical years = H/HP/P/F

There aren't any real numbered rankings, but in the MSPE (for residency), it will have qualifiers or "codewords" such as "excellent" or "outstanding" signifying which percentage of the class you fall into. Many schools do this. Basically 98%-99% of a class will not have to worry, especially coming from Penn. If you actually try in class and are an actual person/teamplayer during clinicals, you will do fine. For the other 1 or 2 people per class, med school probably wasn't the right path for them.

As for preclinicals, the MSPE will have pretty much one sentence about he fact that you passed. All that work for just once sentence! Clinics, as for every school, are far more importnat. During the H/P/F part of preclinicals, everybody could get Honors, or everybody could get a Pass; you're not competing against others. But by all means, if you want to see if you can get all honors in everything throughout your entire med school carreer, then do it. I find most people here do well because of intrinsic drive. We want to do well because we want to be good doctors, not because we want to be better than others. However, you'll find that because Penn attracts some of the best and brightest (in many different qualities, not just academics), performance will be very high accross the board - whether that be on exams, in clinics, or in other acivities. It's not stressful because of a competetive nature, but it can be stressful because you are surrounded by a highly concentrated number of gifted people in all domains of life. You even might think you're really good at procrastination (which is me right now writing this instead of studying for our exams tomorrow), but there's probably someone better!

Sorry for a little rambling, but to sum up, the fact that only the 2nd and 3rd semesters are not P/F is not a reason to not choose this school. When transitioning from 1st semester to 2nd semester, people don't really study differently or try any harder. Like I said, people try their best for their own satisfaction of doing well, and remember, Honors vs Pass is not based on other's performance. So I'd say it's pretty chill if you take a step back for a moment, but I'd also say it's stressful because you want to do well, and med school will definitely challange that.
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough response! It was really helpful, and makes things more clear
 
Also, I think I said this earlier in the thread way back, but dress code doesn't matter. And I mean it. During interview training, the student and faculty interviewrs were explicitly told that if we write about dress in the evaluation, it will be ignored by the admissions commitee. It's funny though, some interview days pretty much nobody wears a suit, and then other interview days, everyone is in full interview attire.

But because of the fuzzy interpretation of "business casual," the admissions commitee will probably revert back to normal interview dress code for next year. They were trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere with "business casual," but it back fired. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

generotti21 said:
Thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough response! It was really helpful, and makes things more clear
Click to expand...

No problem!
 
bromo said:
Also, I think I said this earlier in the thread way back, but dress code doesn't matter. And I mean it. During interview training, the student and faculty interviewrs were explicitly told that if we write about dress in the evaluation, it will be ignored by the admissions commitee. It's funny though, some interview days pretty much nobody wears a suit, and then other interview days, everyone is in full interview attire.

But because of the fuzzy interpretation of "business casual," the admissions commitee will probably revert back to normal interview dress code for next year. They were trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere with "business casual," but it back fired. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯



No problem!
Click to expand...
The student interviewing me was wearing a hoodie/jeans (compared to at other schools where the students have at least dressed up a bit). Definitely casual. Hah.
 
Have the interviews ended past 4pm for you guys? If I schedule a 5 pm Amtrak, do you think I should have plenty of time to make it?
 
Yorick said:
Have the interviews ended past 4pm for you guys? If I schedule a 5 pm Amtrak, do you think I should have plenty of time to make it?
Click to expand...
I was in the last group to interview, and I was done by 4, so you should be fine. The Amtrak station is a 15-20min walk, or a quick uber/taxi ride

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Got the SOD, oh well another silent rejection added to the pile. Good luck to all of you still in the game.
 
Does anyone know how long the interview cycle at U.Penn is?
 
I've just checked and I still do not have a status of death, but it's getting near the end of the road it seems. I'm trying to manage expectations here, are there many others with no SOD and no II yet?
 
eff1745 said:
I've just checked and I still do not have a status of death, but it's getting near the end of the road it seems. I'm trying to manage expectations here, are there many others with no SOD and no II yet?
Click to expand...

I'm in the same spot, still holding out hope haha.
 
Hello! I apologize if this is a silly question, but does anyone know where the happy hour takes place the night before the interview? I can only find that it's from 5-7pm. Should I receive an email about this closer to my interview date, or am I missing it on the portal? Thank you very much 🙂
 
The happy hour is the night before the interview. When I interviewed we got an email a few days before and met at the piano in the lobby of the Perelman Center.


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Recommend leaving plenty early for the happy hour. Depending on which way you walk, you go past like 5 different buildings all with "Perelman Center" in the name, all with pianos in their lobbies 😛
 
How do we send updates to Penn? What email address should I use? Thanks!
 
Question -- I just interviewed on Friday, and my student interviewer said not to send a thank you note?? But he gave me his email address. Am I supposed to send one anyway? 🤔 Did any of you guys have a similar experience?
 
What did female interviewees tend to wear... A nice blouse/sweater? Or do most people still wear a suit? Sorry to be neurotic.
 
i assume Penn is done sending II to applicants if they end interview season at the end of January?
 
sleepyturtle said:
Question -- I just interviewed on Friday, and my student interviewer said not to send a thank you note?? But he gave me his email address. Am I supposed to send one anyway? 🤔 Did any of you guys have a similar experience?
Click to expand...
I sent thank you notes to my interviewers (through the portal), and got a nice reply from one of them. Maybe your student interviewer just meant that you really don't need to send one (ie- they don't help or hurt). I don't think it hurts to send a brief thank you, unless your interviewer seemed very adamant that (s)he didn't want a thank you.

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swimmer45 said:
What did female interviewees tend to wear... A nice blouse/sweater? Or do most people still wear a suit? Sorry to be neurotic.
Click to expand...
I just wore a nice long sleeved blouse with my interview bottoms (no jacket). At my interview, about 75% wore traditional interview apparel, and the other 25% wore their suit bottoms and a nice top.

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Karabo said:
I sent thank you notes to my interviewers (through the portal), and got a nice reply from one of them. Maybe your student interviewer just meant that you really don't need to send one (ie- they don't help or hurt). I don't think it hurts to send a brief thank you, unless your interviewer seemed very adamant that (s)he didn't want a thank you.

Sent from my SM-N900T using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
Ok cool! I think I'll do that. Thanks!
 
II today. Probably interviewing for a wait list spot at this point. Still happy! LizzyM 80. Good research, bad extra curriculars. Secondary submitted end of September.
 
Is this status essentially a SOD at this point?

"Your application continues to be reviewed but there is no change in your status. Reviews will continue."
 
If you have the SOD, is it certain you're going to be rejected come March?
"The Committee on Admissions reviewed your application but has not invited you for an interview at this time. Additional reviews will occur and any change in your status will be communicated to you."
 
olderbrooklyndoc said:
Is this status essentially a SOD at this point?

"Your application continues to be reviewed but there is no change in your status. Reviews will continue."
Click to expand...
I had the SOD for a few weeks and recently saw that it changed from SOD to this. Think this means anything/theres any reason to take any stock in this?
 
aprilfools said:
I had the SOD for a few weeks and recently saw that it changed from SOD to this. Think this means anything/theres any reason to take any stock in this?
Click to expand...

I had the same change. Not sure if this means anything.


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aprilfools said:
I had the SOD for a few weeks and recently saw that it changed from SOD to this. Think this means anything/theres any reason to take any stock in this?
Click to expand...

+1

My status changed to this about a week ago. I still hope it's a good sign.


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aprilfools said:
I had the SOD for a few weeks and recently saw that it changed from SOD to this. Think this means anything/theres any reason to take any stock in this?
Click to expand...

I'm wondering this as well. I was on SOD for months and just checked and it switched to this. I don't think it means anything - they probably change SOD to this if they have another committee meeting and decide again not to offer an interview. Just my guess though.
 
HopefulHardWorker said:
I'm wondering this as well. I was on SOD for months and just checked and it switched to this. I don't think it means anything - they probably change SOD to this if they have another committee meeting and decide again not to offer an interview. Just my guess though.
Click to expand...

Yeah this sounds about right


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Does anyone know the last interview date?
Is it the end of January?
Are they done sending out II's?
 
Casper7 said:
Does anyone know the last interview date?
Is it the end of January?
Are they done sending out II's?
Click to expand...

I was told they don't have a definite deadline and they will consider applications as long as necessary.


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"Your application is now in the screening process. Complete applications will go through a series of competitive screenings. Interviews will begin in September and continue into January, 2017."

I've had this status since the beginning of time :dead:
 
My screen of death was also converted to "Your application continues to be reviewed but there is no change in your status. Reviews will continue."

Did this happen to everyone with the screen of death?
 
Interviews finish this Friday 1/27, according to staff when I interviewed earlier this month.
 
Anyone have a sense of how many ppl they interviewed this year? A current student told me they might have cut it down to like 600 instead of the 900 or whatever it used to be, but they weren't sure...


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