2017 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

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daivimarga said:
Sorry if this is a dumb question @brainnurse but ochem 2 isn't a requirement? And you took the mcat before ochem and biochem?


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Heyy, trying to find where you might have seen me say that but, no, I'm sorry for the confusion. OChem 2 can be substituted using Biochem for many schools now. Check with your individual schools, though. I took Ochem 1 and Biochem before the MCAT. I would not advise skipping either, as my MCAT was heavy on both. Also, there a few O-Chem 1 concepts that reared their ugly heads in Biochem, so, again, I wouldn't skip them. Hope this helps!

EDIT: Ugh, secondaries, guys. I am both excited that things are happening and headdesk-ing because, god, so many essays!
 
Sorry to hear that things aren't going as smoothly for you :/ but it's still relatively early in the cycle so don't rush it! Make sure you submit the best app you can possibly come up with!

My formerresearch mentor hasn't responded to my emails either... So annoyed! He's pretty aware about the scheduling and everything too coz his son just went through the app cycle last year grrrr

orangeblue said:
Things are not going so great at the moment. I have yet to come with good draft of my PS and two other smaller diversity/challenges essay. And then do the AMCAS and hit submit.

I have to contact two of LORs to send in the letter asap.

One Prof I did research with hasnt' responded to my email yet. I wonder what happened since I'll be putting his name/info in the AMCAS app
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gribear said:
For my diversity essay, I'm very torn. One option is to talk about how I was raised by two moms, and the perspective that has given me. Option B is to discuss my background in education and as a preschool teacher.

I think I am more passionate about the first option. I don't want to alienate schools, though. But then, I start thinking...do I really want to go to a school where they would judge me for my parents?

I've also considered using growing up with two moms for an adversity/challenge essay, as in my small town, there were a lot of homophobic prejudices, which was difficult growing up. I might just write two versions of diversity, two versions of adversity but ideally want to avoid doing that, as I have 29 secondaries to do 🙁
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Even 10+ years ago when I applied, it was common to have openly gay or lesbian students and applicants to medical school. Given that public acceptance of same-sex marriage has only increased in the past decade, I would say that cultural norms have likely progressed enough that you would be "safe" discussing growing up with lesbian parents at most medical schools. The possible exceptions would be any schools with overt religious affiliations to denominations that do not accept gays and lesbians.
 
One of my schools has historically asked for a headshot with their secondary. I have a professionally taken, candid, close-up 3/4 profile shot of me in just a nice white button up. I am debating using that vs getting a passport photo in my suit. I don't want to come off as too casual, but it is a good picture with a genuine smile.

Opinions?
 
brainnurse said:
Heyy, trying to find where you might have seen me say that but, no, I'm sorry for the confusion. OChem 2 can be substituted using Biochem for many schools now. Check with your individual schools, though. I took Ochem 1 and Biochem before the MCAT. I would not advise skipping either, as my MCAT was heavy on both. Also, there a few O-Chem 1 concepts that reared their ugly heads in Biochem, so, again, I wouldn't skip them. Hope this helps!

EDIT: Ugh, secondaries, guys. I am both excited that things are happening and headdesk-ing because, god, so many essays!
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Thanks for clarifying! Best of luck!


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hurtem&healem said:
One of my schools has historically asked for a headshot with their secondary. I have a professionally taken, candid, close-up 3/4 profile shot of me in just a nice white button up. I am debating using that vs getting a passport photo in my suit. I don't want to come off as too casual, but it is a good picture with a genuine smile.

Opinions?
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I had two ask for photos. Used a CVS passport shot because it was fast, but it really doesn't matter. You just want one where you look clean, respectable (ladies, nothing low-cut!), and not like a serial killer. Imagine this photo on your future practice website...would you go to you for care?
 
How's everyone doing? Secondaries are giving me a headache. I have four already out though, so that's good, I think.

Eccesignum said:
I had two ask for photos. Used a CVS passport shot because it was fast, but it really doesn't matter. You just want one where you look clean, respectable (ladies, nothing low-cut!), and not like a serial killer. Imagine this photo on your future practice website...would you go to you for care?
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Soooo, I know you might appreciate this. Can I just confess that I cheated and am using the awful, obligatory, professional picture they took of me when I graduated from nursing school forever and a bit ago? My passport photo is so much worse and I wasn't allowed to use a selfie, so. >_>

No, honestly. At least this has a decent background, I was relatively made-up, it was not the one with that weird, upended collection hat they put on our heads, AND I cropped it so it just looks like I'm just sitting there, posing like a professional, wearing Clorox-white blouse. Voila! Mic drop!
 
hurtem&healem said:
One of my schools has historically asked for a headshot with their secondary. I have a professionally taken, candid, close-up 3/4 profile shot of me in just a nice white button up. I am debating using that vs getting a passport photo in my suit. I don't want to come off as too casual, but it is a good picture with a genuine smile.

Opinions?
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I think the bar is low here. Just no sefies on a beach, bathroom mirror shots, etc. Apparently they get some comedic submissions...

Afropolitan said:
Are you guys having people review your secondaries or are you just submitting them?


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I'm going to have a few people read the common ones that I'll be adjusting but submitting to many places (diversity, challenge, etc). Other ones I will have my fiancé read to assure they are readable to others...
 
NonTrad16 said:
I'm going to have a few people read the common ones that I'll be adjusting but submitting to many places (diversity, challenge, etc). Other ones I will have my fiancé read to assure they are readable to others...
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This is what I think I'm going to do, too. With 29 secondaries to write, i can't bother my editor with all of that.
 
Does anyone know if it's okay to submit secondaries if I am still missing a letter? It's kind of an important letter too that I want to include. Like if it's already two weeks after receiving my secondary and he still hasn't turned the letter in, should I submit my secondary anyway and just let him turn in the letter whenever?
 
All my letters are in to the premed committee, now it's just a question of when they'll crank out their committee letter. I'm applying to ~35 schools, so the limiting factor is likely going to be secondaries. Hopefully I'll be complete everywhere by the end of July!
 
Gibbward said:
Does anyone know if it's okay to submit secondaries if I am still missing a letter? It's kind of an important letter too that I want to include. Like if it's already two weeks after receiving my secondary and he still hasn't turned the letter in, should I submit my secondary anyway and just let him turn in the letter whenever?
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I'd say it's a toss up whether you could wait or not. Some schools only review LORs after interviews, some before. If it's a "required" letter then submitting the secondary first wouldn't be the issue, since they will wait on the LOR. If it's not required (and there's no place in the secondary to specify it's being submitted) then they could move ahead without it...

Personally, I'd probably submit the secondary without waiting. If there's an entry to allow you to clarify what LORs are coming, I'd definitely submit.
 
Gibbward said:
Does anyone know if it's okay to submit secondaries if I am still missing a letter? It's kind of an important letter too that I want to include. Like if it's already two weeks after receiving my secondary and he still hasn't turned the letter in, should I submit my secondary anyway and just let him turn in the letter whenever?
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See the letters of recommendation thread.


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Hey all, reporting in and joining you all on this crazy journey.

Filled in all my courses, transcripts are received, just revising and revising (and revising) my personal statement and waiting on LORs. Excited to see how we all progress.
 
tenjin02 said:
Hey all, reporting in and joining you all on this crazy journey.

Filled in all my courses, transcripts are received, just revising and revising (and revising) my personal statement and waiting on LORs. Excited to see how we all progress.
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Welcome to the madness!

What's everyone up to? I'm on a plane right now writing secondaries. I kinda like how my boredom is inspiring me to tackle these damned essays.
 
I'm anxiously awaiting AACOMAS's confirmation of the reception of the last of my transcripts. I have 5 separate transcripts, so waiting is frustrating. Hopefully they get them by the end of the week, but I won't hold my breath. Everything else, including evals is submitted for each school I'm applying to, however.
 
I'm thanking my lucky stars that fellowship programs don't require me to submit secondaries. Have my first interview coming up after the Fourth. Hang in there, everybody. And whatever you do, stay out of the hospital this week. New interns starting. 😱
 
QofQuimica said:
I'm thanking my lucky stars that fellowship programs don't require me to submit secondaries. Have my first interview coming up after the Fourth. Hang in there, everybody. And whatever you do, stay out of the hospital this week. New interns starting. 😱
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The hospital I work at is crazy right now! New medical students doing rotations, new nursing students doing clinicals, new EMTs getting trained, new scribes getting trained...I swear the employee population has tripled over the last week. Crowded!!!!

On another note, can anyone take a look at my diversity essay for U Chicago? I am using it as the backbone for all of my diversity essays, so I want to be sure its solid.
 
gribear said:
The hospital I work at is crazy right now! New medical students doing rotations, new nursing students doing clinicals, new EMTs getting trained, new scribes getting trained...I swear the employee population has tripled over the last week. Crowded!!!!

On another note, can anyone take a look at my diversity essay for U Chicago? I am using it as the backbone for all of my diversity essays, so I want to be sure its solid.
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If you don't need it before tomorrow night (I'll be on the road from early Thursday morning til mid-afternoon), I can take a look.
 
First two secondaries arrived today - Touro CA & Midwestern (CCOM) - and I'm already beyond frustrated. Why on Gods green earth do they make you reenter info that is in your primary. What years I attended different schools? Attach a resume (really? REALLY? isn't that what the primary is for), enter contact info for mother/father. Argh.....essays are fine, but this meaningless data entry that I've already done elsewhere annoys me beyond belief
 
For my challenge essay , I am thinking of going one of two ways. UChicago specifically asks for coping skills I used to resolve challenge or problem/support people so I have to consider that.

1) I went on a six day solo while backpacking and had to fend for myself for six days in the wilderness, making fire, shelter, food, etc. Learned a lot about self-reliance and independence. For this, the "support person" I called upon was myself...prior to this I had been fairly dependent on others and didn't believe in my own capabilities. Might be too much of a twist on what they're asking though.

2) A close friend passed away in a boating accident while we were studying abroad. father also passed away when I was younger. Feels cliche while writing it, but definitely very significant experiences in my life.

Any thoughts on which to use?
 
Just had my TMDSAS app transmitted yesterday. I got 2 secondaries today. Thankfully they are just a few short essays and a fee. Yayy
 
gribear said:
For my challenge essay , I am thinking of going one of two ways. UChicago specifically asks for coping skills I used to resolve challenge or problem/support people so I have to consider that.

1) I went on a six day solo while backpacking and had to fend for myself for six days in the wilderness, making fire, shelter, food, etc. Learned a lot about self-reliance and independence. For this, the "support person" I called upon was myself...prior to this I had been fairly dependent on others and didn't believe in my own capabilities. Might be too much of a twist on what they're asking though.

2) A close friend passed away in a boating accident while we were studying abroad. father also passed away when I was younger. Feels cliche while writing it, but definitely very significant experiences in my life.

Any thoughts on which to use?
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Well, I haven't seen U Chicago's exact prompt but I would say the first one is better.
 
Man I had a self-assigned deadline of by end of June to submit my AMCAS primary, but this damn work/activities sections is proving to be 10x more frustrating than writing my personal statement. Its difficult to be reflective in 700 characters about 12 different activities; at the same time I'm afraid of using up all potential material for secondaries. +pissed+
 
sunshinefl said:
Man I had a self-assigned deadline of by end of June to submit my AMCAS primary, but this damn work/activities sections is proving to be 10x more frustrating than writing my personal statement. Its difficult to be reflective in 700 characters about 12 different activities; at the same time I'm afraid of using up all potential material for secondaries. +pissed+
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That section was definitely a chore. Even better for me was the 100 less characters that the DO app allows. Why?!? They know people apply to both...
 
in a pickle
re-did all of my activity descriptions in solid narrative form and with good story, but my three "most significant" blurbs were already so tight and the stories there haven't really changed

I can't figure out if I should completely re-write them or just amend those three most significant blurbs
 
I have a couple IIs out there (I submitted very early and had a chunk of my secondaries pre-written), which is amazing and really scary at the same time. I feel like I interview well, but there's so much of that I can't control about impressions, and now I have 4-6 weeks to freak out about that. Plus the amount of money is freaking out the financially independent, fiscally conservative part of me.

So in summary, I have basically nothing but good news at this point but it's making me twitchy anyway. Now to go write more secondaries....
 
Smash Williams said:
I have a couple IIs out there (I submitted very early and had a chunk of my secondaries pre-written), which is amazing and really scary at the same time. I feel like I interview well, but there's so much of that I can't control about impressions, and now I have 4-6 weeks to freak out about that. Plus the amount of money is freaking out the financially independent, fiscally conservative part of me.

So in summary, I have basically nothing but good news at this point but it's making me twitchy anyway. Now to go write more secondaries....
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Oiy! You're motivating me to finish my 4 secondaries I have waiting today. Nice work!

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Officially submitted my first secondary!

This really feels real now...
 
16 secondaries received, submitted 10. Plan to submit another 2 today and work on the rest this weekend. Waiting to receive another 12.

Thank goodness I unexpectedly had vacation from work this week!

If you guys are still waiting for secondaries, I cannot recommend you start prewriting asap. Get the important prompts out of the way (diversity essay, greatest challenge, etc) so that as the secondaries start rolling in, you can keep up somewhat.

Oh and also, never submit the day you write that secondary. Even for prewritten ones, I always force myself to give at least a day in between - I think the little tweaks I end up adding the next day usually ends up adding more polish.

The funniest thing for me has been seeing when schools send these things out - some have been sent to me in the middle of the night. And some days I've gotten like 4-5 while other days, like today (knock on wood), I haven't gotten any.
 
I second pre-writing. It's really a godsend. Even if you want to leave specific questions until later, getting some of the general ones (diversity/failure/challenge/this year/etc.) out of the way makes you feel a lot more in control when they start rolling in.
 
Partially pre-written ETSU's secondary, 1 DO secondary submitted and 3 more written, waiting to be revised and submitted manana. I lost a little steam knowing that no one will be working until Tuesday. I'm still waiting for AMCAS to be verified - submitting a week after it opened really set me back apparently.
 
I'm behind on secondaries 🙁. Need to pick up this week.
 
Also feeling behind on secondaries. Have seven waiting to be submitted and have an obligation at the end of next week where I will be forced to be away from the computer, and have to work all week until then AND have to move this week and next. Queue the stress!
 
HopefulPilot said:
Slacking on my secondaries. Just submitted UA Phoenix. Please baby jesus, give me some love.

How is everyone doing?
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Still kicking. I spent the weekend camping with my family and I won't be home till the end of this week. It's making essay writing a little more difficult, but I did manage to crank a secondary out to UA - Phoenix. Worked on GW on my iPad but I'm nowhere near done.
 
Waiting for verification here, should be pre-writing secondaries but I'm mostly focusing on being nervous about my MCAT score release on Wednesday:scared:
 
BlastedHeath said:
Waiting for verification here, should be pre-writing secondaries but I'm mostly focusing on being nervous about my MCAT score release on Wednesday:scared:
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Be careful - this can easily turn into a full-time job. Luckily you're close.
 
Just submitted AMCAS.....did anyone else feel really emotional? When I pressed submit I cried. I think because of everything it took just to get to this moment. Hopefully not too behind, wanted to submit when I got my MCAT scores (6/21) but that didn't work out. So I set a final goal to get it in before the score release today. In case some of the people were waiting for their scores to submit, I didn't want to end up "in line" behind the rush of the MCAT group after mine.
 
sunshinefl said:
Just submitted AMCAS.....did anyone else feel really emotional? When I pressed submit I cried. I think because of everything it took just to get to this moment. Hopefully not too behind, wanted to submit when I got my MCAT scores (6/21) but that didn't work out. So I set a final goal to get it in before the score release today. In case some of the people were waiting for their scores to submit, I didn't want to end up "in line" behind the rush of the MCAT group after mine.
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Totally admit I cried too, don't feel weird 😉 good luck!!
 
First md denied primary. I know it's a reach but still hurt 🙂.
 
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