2017-2018 Johns Hopkins University

[efle]

I'm a non-traditional student and considering applying to Johns Hopkins, but based on the MSAR I feel like my stats are not good enough (3.4 GPA, 522 MCAT - 4.0 GPA in post-bac). Do you know of anyone who has gotten in with a less than stellar GPA if it had a significant upward trajectory? Should I still consider?

I'd probably apply, especially if you have research in your background. It's an uphill battle but acing a post-bacc and having a top percentile MCAT are the kinds of things that help a low GPA a lot.

Quick question regarding inputting experiences and activities. If we have research experience(s), where would these best fit? If they were unpaid, they shouldn't go in employment. They don't seem to fit in the hobbies/interests sections, but they also aren't community service (I suppose if you're not getting paid, they're volunteering, but I got the impression that section was for things you did to better the community). Where did you all put research?

"List below your extracurricular activities, hobbies, interests and travel following entrance to college..."

I put paid research under Employment and research-for-credits under this section, only place that made sense as a non-service extracurricular activity.

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[SubliminalNeuralgia]

I'm a non-traditional student and considering applying to Johns Hopkins, but based on the MSAR I feel like my stats are not good enough (3.4 GPA, 522 MCAT - 4.0 GPA in post-bac). Do you know of anyone who has gotten in with a less than stellar GPA if it had a significant upward trajectory? Should I still consider?

Hi @DBC03,

Congrats on your MCAT score and post-bacc GPA! You've done extremely well.

To answer your question, I am not sure if I know anyone with a less than stellar GPA who got into Hopkins. This is because I haven't discussed stats/numbers at all with my incoming classmates and don't plan to. But I have noticed in conversations and on SDN that a not inconsiderable number of acceptees have mentioned that they initially felt like they weren't competitive for Hopkins only to be surprised when decision day came.

Accordingly, I agree with @efle. I think you should definitely apply! ALL THE BEST!!!

Quick question regarding inputting experiences and activities. If we have research experience(s), where would these best fit? If they were unpaid, they shouldn't go in employment. They don't seem to fit in the hobbies/interests sections, but they also aren't community service (I suppose if you're not getting paid, they're volunteering, but I got the impression that section was for things you did to better the community). Where did you all put research?

Hi @dujingshu,

I listed my unpaid research under the "extracurricular activities, hobbies, interests, and travel" section and my paid research under "employment".

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[DBC03]

I'd probably apply, especially if you have research in your background. It's an uphill battle but acing a post-bacc and having a top percentile MCAT are the kinds of things that help a low GPA a lot.

Hi @DBC03,

Congrats on your MCAT score and post-bacc GPA! You've done extremely well.

To answer your question, I am not sure if I know anyone with a less than stellar GPA who got into Hopkins. This is because I haven't discussed stats/numbers at all with my incoming classmates and don't plan to. But I have noticed in conversations and on SDN that a not inconsiderable number of acceptees have mentioned that they initially felt like they weren't competitive for Hopkins only to be surprised when decision day came.

Accordingly, I agree with @efle. I think you should definitely apply! ALL THE BEST!!!

Thanks! We're trying to limit my applications to where my husband can transfer and it seems short-sighted not to add JHU since there's an office in DC and Baltimore. I just look at the stats on the MSAR and can't help but think that the 10% that aren't within a 3.77-4.0 probably don't have a 3.4. But we'll see!

 

[When the Moon Forgot]

My advice to all applicants: apply! You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. You might be pleasantly surprised. My MCAT score was below Hopkins' 10th percentile of all accepted students, and no, I'm not a URM. I never expected to receive an interview invitation let alone an offer.

 

[cuttlefish_deluxe91]

Quick question regarding inputting experiences and activities. If we have research experience(s), where would these best fit? If they were unpaid, they shouldn't go in employment. They don't seem to fit in the hobbies/interests sections, but they also aren't community service (I suppose if you're not getting paid, they're volunteering, but I got the impression that section was for things you did to better the community). Where did you all put research?

If you did research for free then I would make the case that it was a hobby. Either that or just put it in employment and don't worry about it. I don't think you will be flayed for putting it in the "wrong" section, especially because of the ambiguity here.
My plug is putting it in as employment and my rationalization is that company interns often work but are unpaid -- what they gain is experience and research credentials. You could consider research that you did for free this way

 

[wisconsingirl65]

I can't copy/paste my essays from Word into the Johns Hopkins online application service. I also tried copy/pasting from Word into TextEdit and then into the online application, but that didn't work either. Has anyone been able to copy/paste into the online application service using a Mac? Is the problem with my browser?

 

[efle]

I can't copy/paste my essays from Word into the Johns Hopkins online application service. I also tried copy/pasting from Word into TextEdit and then into the online application, but that didn't work either. Has anyone been able to copy/paste into the online application service using a Mac? Is the problem with my browser?

Have you tried plain text / HTML? Like can you paste into this site and from there into the Hopkins portal?

 

[dfa1513]

My advice to all applicants: apply! You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. You might be pleasantly surprised. My MCAT score was below Hopkins' 10th percentile of all accepted students, and no, I'm not a URM. I never expected to receive an interview invitation let alone an offer.

This is great advice, and thanks for the perspective!! I was just wondering what aspects of your application you think made you stand out despite the <10% MCAT score (maybe an adcom told you after you got accepted? ), and did they mention your MCAT score in any interviews?

 

[isen]

Did anyone have trouble with this question: Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience? Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience?
I tried writing a few things but they end up sounding too much like my adversity essay since I used my diversity stuff as a template for it

 

[BachDoc]

.

 

[fouracle]

Did anyone have trouble with this question: Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience? Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience?
I tried writing a few things but they end up sounding too much like my adversity essay since I used my diversity stuff as a template for it

I'm having the same problem. They are assuming that every applicant has been in the "minority," and I don't think that's the case at all. I've never had a heated argument and been on the minority side in a room full of debaters, I've never been stranded in a foreign country where I don't speak the language, I myself am not a minority. The only time I've ever not been the majority is during election season, and I highly doubt it's appropriate to write about that...

Seriously confused as to what they want. I've wracked my brain for any possible essay ideas, and (unless I bring in politics or religion) nada.

 

[SubliminalNeuralgia]

Did anyone have trouble with this question: Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience? Briefly describe a situation where you were not in the majority. What did you learn from this experience?
I tried writing a few things but they end up sounding too much like my adversity essay since I used my diversity stuff as a template for it

I'm having the same problem. They are assuming that every applicant has been in the "minority," and I don't think that's the case at all. I've never had a heated argument and been on the minority side in a room full of debaters, I've never been stranded in a foreign country where I don't speak the language, I myself am not a minority. The only time I've ever not been the majority is during election season, and I highly doubt it's appropriate to write about that...

Seriously confused as to what they want. I've wracked my brain for any possible essay ideas, and (unless I bring in politics or religion) nada.

Maybe you two can try answering the question by thinking of other ways in which you might have been a "minority". Have you ever tried learning something new where a vast majority of the participants were already quite experienced? Maybe you joined a running group or an intramural sport where most of the other members seemed much more accomplished. Maybe you joined a lab where everyone seemed to know what they were talking about or doing and you weren't sure if you'd be able to fit in. Or maybe you decided to take a humanities class and realized the perspectives of the other students seemed different from yours. If you have taught a class, maybe you could discuss what it feels like on the other side (to be a teacher rather than a student). Although it's a stretch, consider whether the populations you've volunteered with differed from your own background. @fouracle, you mentioned religion and that could work as well.

 

[cuttlefish_deluxe91]

Maybe you two can try answering the question by thinking of other ways in which you might have been a "minority". Have you ever tried learning something new where a vast majority of the participants were already quite experienced? Maybe you joined a running group or an intramural sport where most of the other members seemed much more accomplished. Maybe you joined a lab where everyone seemed to know what they were talking about or doing and you weren't sure if you'd be able to fit in. Or maybe you decided to take a humanities class and realized the perspectives of the other students seemed different from yours. If you have taught a class, maybe you could discuss what it feels like on the other side (to be a teacher rather than a student). Although it's a stretch, consider whether the populations you've volunteered with differed from your own background. @fouracle, you mentioned religion and that could work as well.

you so sexy

 

[twentyeightmiles]

Maybe you two can try answering the question by thinking of other ways in which you might have been a "minority". Have you ever tried learning something new where a vast majority of the participants were already quite experienced? Maybe you joined a running group or an intramural sport where most of the other members seemed much more accomplished. Maybe you joined a lab where everyone seemed to know what they were talking about or doing and you weren't sure if you'd be able to fit in. Or maybe you decided to take a humanities class and realized the perspectives of the other students seemed different from yours. If you have taught a class, maybe you could discuss what it feels like on the other side (to be a teacher rather than a student). Although it's a stretch, consider whether the populations you've volunteered with differed from your own background. @fouracle, you mentioned religion and that could work as well.

Man, I already wrote and submitted this secondary, but I just wanna give your response some love. I feel like you've got this down.

 

[fouracle]

Maybe you two can try answering the question by thinking of other ways in which you might have been a "minority". Have you ever tried learning something new where a vast majority of the participants were already quite experienced? Maybe you joined a running group or an intramural sport where most of the other members seemed much more accomplished. Maybe you joined a lab where everyone seemed to know what they were talking about or doing and you weren't sure if you'd be able to fit in. Or maybe you decided to take a humanities class and realized the perspectives of the other students seemed different from yours. If you have taught a class, maybe you could discuss what it feels like on the other side (to be a teacher rather than a student). Although it's a stretch, consider whether the populations you've volunteered with differed from your own background. @fouracle, you mentioned religion and that could work as well.

You just gave me so many ideas. Thanks!

 

[wisconsingirl65]

Have you tried plain text / HTML? Like can you paste into this site and from there into the Hopkins portal?

Ohhhh I have not, but I will try that! Thanks so much!

 

[DrivenAndDangerous]

...Anyone completed yet?

 

[cuttlefish_deluxe91]

...Anyone completed yet?

I think I was complete on 7-7

 

[SubliminalNeuralgia]

...Anyone completed yet?

I think I was complete on 7-7

Just as a heads up, Hopkins will typically send a "Confirmation of Complete Application" email once they receive everything from you. It took a little over a month for me to receive mine last year. Although I do believe some of the much earlier applicants last year received II's without having first received the complete email.

 

[twentyeightmiles]

...Anyone completed yet?

I turned mine in the day I got the email, but I haven't gotten the "complete" email they said they would send and my portal still says "submitted." I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a while

 

[efle]

It took 9 days for me from submission to completion. I was on the late side though.

 

[isen]

Maybe you two can try answering the question by thinking of other ways in which you might have been a "minority". Have you ever tried learning something new where a vast majority of the participants were already quite experienced? Maybe you joined a running group or an intramural sport where most of the other members seemed much more accomplished. Maybe you joined a lab where everyone seemed to know what they were talking about or doing and you weren't sure if you'd be able to fit in. Or maybe you decided to take a humanities class and realized the perspectives of the other students seemed different from yours. If you have taught a class, maybe you could discuss what it feels like on the other side (to be a teacher rather than a student). Although it's a stretch, consider whether the populations you've volunteered with differed from your own background. @fouracle, you mentioned religion and that could work as well.

Thank you!!! That gives me a few ideas!!

 

[enchantediris]

What did y'all list under academic honors/awards? I'm unsure whether to list scholarships and fellowships like I did in the AMCAS, or just purely academic-based (like GPA) honors.

 

[cuttlefish_deluxe91]

What did y'all list under academic honors/awards? I'm unsure whether to list scholarships and fellowships like I did in the AMCAS, or just purely academic-based (like GPA) honors.

Probably whichever are most meaningful to you. I would list fellowships and scholarships. I listed research awards

 

[enchantediris]

Probably whichever are most meaningful to you. I would list fellowships and scholarships. I listed research awards

Sounds good, thanks! Did you try to explain them (what they were for, etc.) or just list out the names?

 

[cuttlefish_deluxe91]

Sounds good, thanks! Did you try to explain them (what they were for, etc.) or just list out the names?

I explained them briefly (mentally noting that these also appeared on my primary) but I also had space because I didn't have too much to list.

 

[lickerwhicker]

when it asks what areas of medicine we are thinking of going into, is it asking if we want to do academic medicine vs private practice vs. etc., or is it asking what specialties we're interested in?

 

[xialmos]

when it asks what areas of medicine we are thinking of going into, is it asking if we want to do academic medicine vs private practice vs. etc., or is it asking what specialties we're interested in?

I took it as academic medicine, etc. and what potential speciality I'm interested in based off previous experiences.

 

[SubliminalNeuralgia]

Sounds good, thanks! Did you try to explain them (what they were for, etc.) or just list out the names?

I listed research awards and academic honors. I included brief descriptions for each.

when it asks what areas of medicine we are thinking of going into, is it asking if we want to do academic medicine vs private practice vs. etc., or is it asking what specialties we're interested in?

You might find this podcast helpful. The interviewer begins the topic of secondaries at the 15m 43s mark. Dean White specifically discusses the prompt you asked about at 20m 51s.

I personally talked about a specialty I became interested in after my research/clinical experiences.

 

[fouracle]

They mean matriculation date of 08/01/2018, not 2017, right?

 

[fouracle]

Also did you guys include shadowing? If so, would that be under extracurricular? I'm deciding whether to include shadowing in lieu of another extracurricular.

How would you denote multiple shadowing experiences with diff dates?

 

[efle]

I did include shadowing in the broad ECs/interests section. I only had two major shadowing experiences so I used two entries.

And yeah that must be a typo about the matriculation.

 

[prenses]

Have you tried plain text / HTML? Like can you paste into this site and from there into the Hopkins portal?

What about using Notepad?

 

[efle]

What about using Notepad?

They mentioned they were on a Mac, but yeah copying into Notepad and then from Np into the web portal will also make it plaintext.

 

[HungryHungryHorse]

Submitted my secondary last week but just realized I messed up one of the dates for my activities. How can I let them know?

 

[efle]

Submitted my secondary last week but just realized I messed up one of the dates for my activities. Should I let them know somehow?

How big a mistake are we talking? Like the wrong month within the right year or something?

 

[HungryHungryHorse]

How big a mistake are we talking? Like the wrong month within the right year or something?

Start date was correct, end date was a year later than it should've been.

 

[efle]

Start date was correct, end date was a year later than it should've been.

Is the entry correct on your AMCAS primary?

 

[HungryHungryHorse]

Is the entry correct on your AMCAS primary?

Yes, it's correct on AMCAS and I even mention the correct dates in another answer to the Hopkins secondary. Just mixed it up for the employment experience part.

 

[efle]

Yes, it's correct on AMCAS and I even mention the correct dates in another answer to the Hopkins secondary. Just mixed it up for the employment experience part.

Sounds pretty minor then, I wouldn't email them about it.

 

[lickerwhicker]

In the activities section with 20 slots, it looks like it's only for community service-related events. If I don't have anymore room in my Extracurriculars section on the app, can I just add stuff to the activities section with 20 slots?

 

[SubliminalNeuralgia]

In the activities section with 20 slots, it looks like it's only for community service-related events. If I don't have anymore room in my Extracurriculars section on the app, can I just add stuff to the activities section with 20 slots?

Hi @lickerwhicker , I'm not sure if my comment is going to help much but I personally did not exhaust the available slots for either section that you mentioned on my secondary. I'd recommend taking some time to figure out what your most meaningful extracurriculars were and list those. If you truly feel that whatever is left out of that section is just as important to your application, I would utilize the Optional section that is provided "for information not already addressed in the application" (it was prompt 24 last year). I would personally advice against including non community service or volunteer activities in the section that is dedicated towards those activities.

 

[lickerwhicker]

Hi @lickerwhicker , I'm not sure if my comment is going to help much but I personally did not exhaust the available slots for either section that you mentioned on my secondary. I'd recommend taking some time to figure out what your most meaningful extracurriculars were and list those. If you truly feel that whatever is left out of that section is just as important to your application, I would utilize the Optional section that is provided "for information not already addressed in the application" (it was prompt 24 last year). I would personally advice against including non community service or volunteer activities in the section that is dedicated towards those activities.

is it okay to exclude shadowing on the secondary? I already listed my shadowing on my primary app so I'm not sure if I should also include it in the secondary...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[SubliminalNeuralgia]

is it okay to exclude shadowing on the secondary? I already listed my shadowing on my primary app so I'm not sure if I should also include it in the secondary...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I believe so. I did not include shadowing on my secondary at all

 

[efle]

If you are short on slots I think shadowing is one of the better things to cut

 

[DBC03]

So ... are there any non-trads applying? Because I honestly cannot figure out how to cram 15 years post-graduation into 700 characters...

 

[ShenandoahDoc]

Hey all I'll be an MS1 this fall and was in your shoes last year. I greatly appreciated advice on here last year and so fire away any questions and I'll help if I can! Shoutout to SubliminalNeuralgia for answering so many! Feel free to direct message me as well.

So ... are there any non-trads applying? Because I honestly cannot figure out how to cram 15 years post-graduation into 700 characters...

The best advice I have is to not try to cram it all in, you can't possibly talk about more than a few things without it reading like a resume and getting boring quickly. Try to pull out the few absolutely most important things. You also could pull out the most important ones that are also really interesting, or set you apart somehow. (Don't think just race, finances, or others, and don't talk about the typical things like mission trips unless it is a cooler mission trip story then the thousands of other stories.) I would listen to the podcast by Dean WHite above too first, as that'll give you an idea what they are looking for (E.G. shadowing doesn't impress them that much because it's passive.) As you go through the process of picking those things, you'll have to analyze in depth which ones make the final cut, but those few will then be so good, and you'll be able to talk about them so well, that you'll be well prepared to discuss them in an interview too. Also remember that you might bring in a few things in the interview as well. In my interviews one of them went over a lot of stuff on my application, and the other one we just talked about random things from our lives like what books we liked growing up.

 

[ShenandoahDoc]

Since I'm sure this will come up here were my dates:

July 18: Received the secondary
July 18: Returned (completed) the secondary (I received an email from Hopkins saying thank you for submitting your application, we look forward to reviewing it).
August 16: I received a confirmation of complete application, saying that my application would be forwarded to the admissions committee for review. (note this may have been a week or so later than others submitting on the same date because my committee letter was a bit delayed)
November 1: received an invitation to interview
November 12-20: Interviewed. *EDIT:We didn't get to pick our interview date. Thanks SUbliminal for the reminder, the interviews blended together.
2 days after interview: sent a thank you letter with a short paragraph addressing each person I interacted with (a few specific facts and conversation snipets for the dean, the admissions coordinator, my interviewers, and my student host).
Feb 1: Accepted, aka one of the best days of my life!

 

[MintChocolateChip]

So it's ok that I just got the application complete checkmark yesterday although I submitted on July 9th?

 

[YBelle13]

So it's ok that I just got the application complete checkmark yesterday although I submitted on July 9th?

Same situation for me