2016 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

BU Medical Sciences
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Spriteling said:
Looks like I've been deferred from my top choice, and probably the only school I really had a shot at. :/ Feeling pretty crappy at the moment.
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Oh no...that is rough. But at least (small comfort I know) it's a deferral and not a rejection, so there's still a chance. Hang in there.
 
Eccesignum said:
I dunno about the rest of the board but I still love seeing people's new interview/etc news, even ones already accepted.
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I know I was super excited to see your Mayo invite. 🙂

For everyone else who's still waiting for the first bits of good news, we're all still here! rooting for each other! maybe not able to move away from the computer chair because of cats, but still! It's a long road.

ImageUploadedBySDN Mobile1445633141.895011.jpg
 
Spriteling said:
Looks like I've been deferred from my top choice, and probably the only school I really had a shot at. :/ Feeling pretty crappy at the moment.
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Deferred now probably isn't the same as getting deferred in March I imagine. There is a lot of time left on the clock.

tetley said:
this really sucks, I really don't want to have to apply again

sorry for being a debbie downer, I'm just really frustrated
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Definitely get it. We have a lot of time left, though. It's Friday, don't be afraid to let yourself down a beer/whiskey/beverage-of-your-choice.
 
pharm midterm monday and neuro midterm thursday 🙁 🙁
 
tetley said:
this really sucks, I really don't want to have to apply again

sorry for being a debbie downer, I'm just really frustrated
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I know it's frustrating but we're not done yet. I have a feeling movement will resume now with people withdrawing from interviews/acceptances they know they won't go to.
 
Question: How common is it to fall head over heels in love with a medical school after an interview?

I had my second interview this week and I LOVE the school, the surrounding community, etc. I wish I could go here, do residency, and live here. I also feel this way about the school that is near where I live already. Which has me wondering whether it is common to find most schools appealing or have I just gotten exceptionally lucky with my first two interviews being at schools that just "get me!" and "fit with me!" ?

Thoughts?
 
I'm not sure, but if it's anything like dating, don't wait to tell them how you feel. Heck, even call them
I knew I was in love with my SO the first day we met and it's been a pretty successful 5 years

but seriously, I have heard this before. It was actually my SO - When she was interviewing for residencies, she went to a bunch of places she liked. But when she interviewed at the program she ended up attending, the call I got that night was "I can't go anywhere else, this is perfect". So she wrote some really nice post interview thank you letters and made sure that they knew she was as invested in the program and a long term working relationship

ThinkReallyFast said:
Question: How common is it to fall head over heels in love with a medical school after an interview?

I had my second interview this week and I LOVE the school, the surrounding community, etc. I wish I could go here, do residency, and live here. I also feel this way about the school that is near where I live already. Which has me wondering whether it is common to find most schools appealing or have I just gotten exceptionally lucky with my first two interviews being at schools that just "get me!" and "fit with me!" ?

Thoughts?
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ThinkReallyFast said:
Question: How common is it to fall head over heels in love with a medical school after an interview?
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I loved the first. Didn't like the second. Loved the third. Accepted at all.

If you love where you interviewed, I say: lucky you. awesome 🙂
 
ThinkReallyFast said:
Question: How common is it to fall head over heels in love with a medical school after an interview?

I had my second interview this week and I LOVE the school, the surrounding community, etc. I wish I could go here, do residency, and live here. I also feel this way about the school that is near where I live already. Which has me wondering whether it is common to find most schools appealing or have I just gotten exceptionally lucky with my first two interviews being at schools that just "get me!" and "fit with me!" ?

Thoughts?
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While I really liked and would be happy at CCOM, UNSOM blew me away. I know for a fact that my family would be happy in Reno (both of us lived there previously) and the facilities seemed amazing. So, for me, only one really felt like that. Congrats on having two choices you would absolutely love!

What does everyone think about a thank you that mentions this? "I've interviewed at other schools, but have felt most at home at ____." Also, how does one go about sending thank you notes after an MMI? They don't give us the names of the individuals afterwords.
 
VegasPreMed said:
While I really liked and would be happy at CCOM, UNSOM blew me away. I know for a fact that my family would be happy in Reno (both of us lived there previously) and the facilities seemed amazing. So, for me, only one really felt like that. Congrats on having two choices you would absolutely love!

What does everyone think about a thank you that mentions this? "I've interviewed at other schools, but have felt most at home at ____." Also, how does one go about sending thank you notes after an MMI? They don't give us the names of the individuals afterwords.
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By the time a thank-you note/email gets to your interviewer (unless you're bringing cards and whipping them out like right there) they've probably already made a decision and submitted their opinion to the committee. Notes don't influence anything.

That sounds like more content for a letter of intent or an update.
 
VegasPreMed said:
While I really liked and would be happy at CCOM, UNSOM blew me away. I know for a fact that my family would be happy in Reno (both of us lived there previously) and the facilities seemed amazing. So, for me, only one really felt like that. Congrats on having two choices you would absolutely love!

What does everyone think about a thank you that mentions this? "I've interviewed at other schools, but have felt most at home at ____." Also, how does one go about sending thank you notes after an MMI? They don't give us the names of the individuals afterwords.
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Re MMI: Not sure. You could ask the admissions office how to go about it, I'd think. Haven't run into this one myself.
 
Eccesignum said:
By the time a thank-you note/email gets to your interviewer (unless you're bringing cards and whipping them out like right there) they've probably already made a decision and submitted their opinion to the committee. Notes don't influence anything.

That sounds like more content for a letter of intent or an update.

Re MMI: Not sure. You could ask the admissions office how to go about it, I'd think. Haven't run into this one myself.
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Awesome, thank you. Hmmm. Well, we have a contact person. Maybe I could send a letter of interest/how do I thank my interviewers email...casually dropping how much I would love to attend. 😉

Also, thoughts on my first MMI: after station three, I felt like I started to get completely comfortable. While these may give a more realistic view of an applicant, I think I prefer traditional interviews. I like getting to know the people I'm speaking with. Some of the scenarios were entertaining though!
 
ThinkReallyFast said:
Question: How common is it to fall head over heels in love with a medical school after an interview?

I had my second interview this week and I LOVE the school, the surrounding community, etc. I wish I could go here, do residency, and live here. I also feel this way about the school that is near where I live already. Which has me wondering whether it is common to find most schools appealing or have I just gotten exceptionally lucky with my first two interviews being at schools that just "get me!" and "fit with me!" ?

Thoughts?
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Having run the gamut now from 'plz can i go home now' to 'Okay, cool place but I'm kind of ambivalent' to 'OH MY GAWD I'M IN LOVE CAN I START TODAY'...I think it can happen 🙂 I was honestly pretty naive at the start and didn't realize how darn different schools really can be from one another, but they are. Sometimes that elusive "fit" feeling just kicks you in the face.
 
Goddamnit guys. I was auto-disqualified from the Army health scholarship because I cited for possession 6 years ago!! It was dropped! I'm not even guilty! AND!!! That makes me ineligible for the National Health Service Corps too! WTF. Cited and dropped does not equal guilty.....

my credit isn't great either, was kinda banking on one of those scholarships. Oh well. Perhaps getting into med school will have to be the high point of my life. The man says I'm too broke and on drugs to actually go.
 
ThinkReallyFast said:
Question: How common is it to fall head over heels in love with a medical school after an interview?

I had my second interview this week and I LOVE the school, the surrounding community, etc. I wish I could go here, do residency, and live here. I also feel this way about the school that is near where I live already. Which has me wondering whether it is common to find most schools appealing or have I just gotten exceptionally lucky with my first two interviews being at schools that just "get me!" and "fit with me!" ?

Thoughts?
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A combination of lucky and my favorite untranslatable word: cynefin. It's Welsh. "A place where a person or even an animal feels it ought to live. It is where nature around you feels right and welcoming."
 
PopeChaChaStix said:
Goddamnit guys. I was auto-disqualified from the Army health scholarship because I cited for possession 6 years ago!! It was dropped! I'm not even guilty! AND!!! That makes me ineligible for the National Health Service Corps too! WTF. Cited and dropped does not equal guilty.....

my credit isn't great either, was kinda banking on one of those scholarships. Oh well. Perhaps getting into med school will have to be the high point of my life. The man says I'm too broke and on drugs to actually go.
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Any options for appeals?
 
wholeheartedly said:
Any options for appeals?
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There's waivers for up to "5 admitted experimental uses" but they refuse to touch a citation that puts you and pot in the same place.
I think it's just a maddening area of our legal/professional system that causes a lot of frustration to think about.
 
^^that is outrageous. The so-called drug war is such a giant disgrace. I'm sorry this is happening to you.
 
PopeChaChaStix said:
Goddamnit guys. I was auto-disqualified from the Army health scholarship because I cited for possession 6 years ago!! It was dropped! I'm not even guilty! AND!!! That makes me ineligible for the National Health Service Corps too! WTF. Cited and dropped does not equal guilty.....

my credit isn't great either, was kinda banking on one of those scholarships. Oh well. Perhaps getting into med school will have to be the high point of my life. The man says I'm too broke and on drugs to actually go.
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Oh wow. Do you have anyone at all that might be able to co-sign for loans? That should help out even if your credit's not good.
 
tetley said:
pharm midterm monday and neuro midterm thursday 🙁 🙁
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Ewwww... I enrolled in a Biochemistry course this fall in the event I was not accepted this cycle. Suffice to say, S/P my acceptance I have not been able to concentrate on studying (so freaking excited!). This honeymoon phase is quite surreal!
 
gmbz said:
Ewwww... I enrolled in a Biochemistry course this fall in the event I was not accepted this cycle. Suffice to say, S/P my acceptance I have not been able to concentrate on studying (so freaking excited!). This honeymoon phase is quite surreal!
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Seriously, the senioritis is real. And I have classes next semester too aauuugh.
 
PopeChaChaStix said:
Goddamnit guys. I was auto-disqualified from the Army health scholarship because I cited for possession 6 years ago!! It was dropped! I'm not even guilty! AND!!! That makes me ineligible for the National Health Service Corps too! WTF. Cited and dropped does not equal guilty.....

my credit isn't great either, was kinda banking on one of those scholarships. Oh well. Perhaps getting into med school will have to be the high point of my life. The man says I'm too broke and on drugs to actually go.
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Heya Pope. Not sure what your experience with the military in general is but I will say there is a waiver for literally EVERYTHING. Shoot me a pm if you want but I know of people who were ruled out from military service and successfully got approved afterwards for various medical things that weren't real. "Criminal" should go the same way. What you will probably end up needing is copies of the citation and dismissal as well as a really well worded letter by yourself and potentially supervisors now and at the time if you can. I say keep fighting for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
gmbz said:
Ewwww... I enrolled in a Biochemistry course this fall in the event I was not accepted this cycle. Suffice to say, S/P my acceptance I have not been able to concentrate on studying (so freaking excited!). This honeymoon phase is quite surreal!
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I had my biochem exam this past week!!!!

VOM
 
Advanced cell physio midterm this week, and Friday brought some news finally. Rejected at Albany (which happened to be a parents residency alma matter). Sucks but surprisingly I'm not that upset about it.

On a positive note I had a PCR fail in 2 lanes of a gel I was running, but it happened to be 1 lane of WT and 1 lane of mutant, and I had 2 lanes of each - so I didn't have to go back and do another rt-pcr/gel. Is it sad that that was my positive thing for the week?
 
mavric1298 said:
Advanced cell physio midterm this week, and Friday brought some news finally. Rejected at Albany (which happened to be a parents residency alma matter). Sucks but surprisingly I'm not that upset about it.

On a positive note I had a PCR fail in 2 lanes of a gel I was running, but it happened to be 1 lane of WT and 1 lane of mutant, and I had 2 lanes of each - so I didn't have to go back and do another rt-pcr/gel. Is it sad that that was my positive thing for the week?
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Sorry for Albany
 
I need advice from y'all (pretty please).

My husband and I are going to Austin this week for my 7th (and last) interview. However, this trip is going to cost us over 1000 dollars (which we can afford, but really would rather save up for a rainy day). Everything is fully refundable. UT Austin is a brand new medical school. Intellectually speaking, being part of the very first entering class of students sounds like a cool challenge, but as far as residency matching goes, it seems very risky. Also, UT Austin will be taking 5 (or less) out-of-state students, so the odds aren't great.

Anyway, my question is, should I still attend that last interview? I interviewed at 6 schools, all of which I would gladly attend. However none of them have accepted me at this point, so I wonder if a 7th would be good...

If I'm not going to attend the interview, obviously I would let the school know first thing tomorrow morning.

I just don't know what to do. And there will be thunderstorms in Austin when we're supposed to be there, which makes me even less enthusiastic about the trip. Austin is awesome but I get enough rain in Seattle as it is...
 
idontknowwhatnametopick said:
I need advice from y'all (pretty please).

My husband and I are going to Austin this week for my 7th (and last) interview. However, this trip is going to cost us over 1000 dollars (which we can afford, but really would rather save up for a rainy day). Everything is fully refundable. UT Austin is a brand new medical school. Intellectually speaking, being part of the very first entering class of students sounds like a cool challenge, but as far as residency matching goes, it seems very risky. Also, UT Austin will be taking 5 (or less) out-of-state students, so the odds aren't great.

Anyway, my question is, should I still attend that last interview? I interviewed at 6 schools, all of which I would gladly attend. However none of them have accepted me at this point, so I wonder if a 7th would be good...

If I'm not going to attend the interview, obviously I would let the school know first thing tomorrow morning.

I just don't know what to do. And there will be thunderstorms in Austin when we're supposed to be there, which makes me even less enthusiastic about the trip. Austin is awesome but I get enough rain in Seattle as it is...
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If no other school accepted you and UT Austin did, would you regret it? Would you have rather reapplied next year? (This is not rhetorical or judging, honest question that could be yes or no for you).

If you're comfortable with UT Austin saying yes if nobody else does, then go. I attended every single interview I possibly could before I had at least one yes, because I wanted to maximize my odds. That said, if there had been a school where I honestly felt I would rather have chanced reapplying than go there, I wouldn't have gone (since from what I've seen here, once you get accepted there's no turning it all down unless you want to be seriously blacklisted).

So I think that's the feeling you need to weigh, especially if it's not a serious financial issue.
 
^i agree

Especially for nontraditional people, I tend to think that we need to take every opportunity that we are presented with, unless we have a guaranteed and proven alternative or acceptance
 
I understand your hesitance, but this whole process is completely cutthroat so I personally wouldn't pass up the opportunity
 
Eccesignum said:
If no other school accepted you and UT Austin did, would you regret it? Would you have rather reapplied next year? (This is not rhetorical or judging, honest question that could be yes or no for you).

If you're comfortable with UT Austin saying yes if nobody else does, then go. I attended every single interview I possibly could before I had at least one yes, because I wanted to maximize my odds. That said, if there had been a school where I honestly felt I would rather have chanced reapplying than go there, I wouldn't have gone (since from what I've seen here, once you get accepted there's no turning it all down unless you want to be seriously blacklisted).

So I think that's the feeling you need to weigh, especially if it's not a serious financial issue.
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tetley said:
^i agree

Especially for nontraditional people, I tend to think that we need to take every opportunity that we are presented with, unless we have a guaranteed and proven alternative or acceptance
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Yeah that's also what I was thinking. It's just not ideal to be spending so much on one interview but I guess we technically can afford it so I'd better not risk it.
Thanks for your advice 🙂
 
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Waiting for answers...I am just grateful for the opportunity, who would even have considered I would apply?
 
Chiming in late, but I agree you should go unless another factor about the school (location, cost, family) distresses you so much that its not worth it to attend.

Also, for those worried about interviews, my two hosts for my interview today told me they interviewed on the last date the school offered (late March) and both got in! They both also waited between 1-2 interviews early in the cycle then this late one, several months without hearing from any school (and one was a reapplicant).

I know this is just n=2, but my point is that the process is unpredictable; you could interview at 8 places and not get in anywhere. Its unlikely unless you interview poorly or are not a nice person. But everyone here on this thread is awesome and deserving of a spot! So don't stress and don't check your emails obsessively for notices, they will come soon 🙂
 
Eccesignum said:
Between two rotating day/night jobs and day classes...no, I kinda don't 🙁 Off for a midterm now!
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I feel your pain! I had a rotating day/night job as well for a year and took classes as well. Go crush that midterm!
 
Oh, here's Monday and the slew of curses that slowly leak from my mouth for the remainder of the day..

(I am not a Monday person in the slightest, if you can't tell)

Hoping to see some more IIs / Acceptances for everyone this week!!
 
Just got my acceptance from Wayne State, I can't even believe it. My comeback has finally paid off. Graduated undergrad with a 1.85 cGPA (1.66 sGPA) carrying too many F's, D's, and who knows what other awful mess. Got my act together, went back to school, powered through 4 years of post-bacc work, and now look, a future M.D.

Sending my good thoughts out, hopefully everyone gets the great news that I got yesterday, and we're all a success!
 
My week has unfortunately not started off well. Instead of flying out to interview at a certain west-coast school known for short, quirky secondary questions, I spent my day in the emergency room. The good news: I should be well in a few days. The bad news: the med school in question doesn't think I will get another shot because all of their interview spots are full. 🙁
 
Oh no! That's so sad. I'm sorry that happened and hope you recover right quick.

Also: some schools have filled all their interview spots??
 
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