2018-2019 Harvard Medical School

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Astrotist said:
Congratz! What days are available?
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I got my interview invite 2 days ago as well, and the available dates were 12/5 through 12/10 (if I remember correctly). I think they’re probably adding dates as they fill up!
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an LOR from my current workplace was added to my LOR packet via AMCAS. Should I submit the letter packet again? or would this put me somehow at a disadvantage with HMS?
 
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II for pathways!! Complete early aug
 
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chaim123 said:
What does this mean? Was your entire letter packet reuploaded or did you add a new letter? when were you first complete?
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I think when I gave all the info to my LOR writer I gave him the original letter packet ID so the new letter was added to the letter packet (vs creating a new LOR entry through AMCAS with its respective ID) so now the new letter is within the letter packet. I was complete mid-August
 
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br2pi5 said:
I think when I gave all the info to my LOR writer I gave him the original letter packet ID so the new letter was added to the letter packet (vs creating a new LOR entry through AMCAS with its respective ID) so now the new letter is within the letter packet. I was complete mid-August
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If you are already marked "Complete" in the secondary apps, then you're in queue to be looked at. Hitting submit again won't restart your place, but I also doubt they will look at a new letter if they've already made a decision on your app
 
lillz92 said:
My LM score is 84.6 and I completed my app in July. I submitted an update but I'm running out of hope here. I'm really kind of bummed because I'm very interested in them, and my GPA and MCAT are both above their average for matriculants, and I'm non-traditional so I've got the "interesting story". Should I assume they've already looked at me and I must not be their type of applicant? Or is there still hope for a late season II?
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Pretty sure they interview pretty late into the cycle since they release decisions all at once in march so I wouldn't count yourself out yet.
 
lillz92 said:
Their website says they finish interviews in January, but websites can be wrong -- here's to hoping
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Interviews went until mid-January last year and this has been consistent every year
 
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lillz92 said:
My LM score is 84.6 and I completed my app in July. I submitted an update but I'm running out of hope here. I'm really kind of bummed because I'm very interested in them, and my GPA and MCAT are both above their average for matriculants, and I'm non-traditional so I've got the "interesting story". Should I assume they've already looked at me and I must not be their type of applicant? Or is there still hope for a late season II?
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I would say that if you don’t have an II by the end of December, it’s over. Most applicants to HMS have pretty high stats. They are looking for the X Factor. It goes beyond being non-traditional. Think Olympic athlete, entrepreneur, major research, or...legacy.
 
Oldafmom said:
I would say that if you don’t have an II by the end of December, it’s over. Most applicants to HMS have pretty high stats. They are looking for the X Factor. It goes beyond being non-traditional. Think Olympic athlete, entrepreneur, major research, or...legacy.
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I don't think that's absolutely necessary. I don't have any of those things and somehow i got an interview. I also have lower stats than them. I'm not urm either. I think my essays were well written though and i also come from a low socioeconomic background so that could've played a role?

Edit: actually i do have some decent research but i don't think Harvard could really tell just from my application since it was a very short paragraph in my activities. I also had no publications at the time. Now that i think about it i think one of my biggest thing was probably my recommendation letters. I've had multiple interviewers comment on them standing out from the usual so i think having people who truly know you write your letters might make up the difference for not being as amazing as all the other applicants.
 
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freedoctor17 said:
I don't think that's absolutely necessary. I don't have any of those things and somehow i got an interview. I also have lower stats than them. I'm not urm either. I think my essays were well written though and i also come from a low socioeconomic background so that could've played a role?

Edit: actually i do have some decent research but i don't think Harvard could really tell just from my application since it was a very short paragraph in my activities. I also had no publications at the time. Now that i think about it i think one of my biggest thing was probably my recommendation letters. I've had multiple interviewers comment on them standing out from the usual so i think having people who truly know you write your letters might make up the difference for not being as amazing as all the other applicants.
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Just like anything else, I think there will always be variation. But @Oldafmom has a point. I was specifically asked what my "X factor" was during my interview. So, Harvard, being Harvard is looking for more than crazy high stats. I bet they could fill their class with 525+ applicants if they wanted to, but they don't. They have lower stats than many other top schools, I am assuming this is because they want compelling stories in addition to stats. Although honestly...this is not unique to Harvard. All top schools probably do this, one way or another.
 
lillz92 said:
Most of the people I know who go to HMS aren't that impressive based on pure resume haha -- They're usually just regular students, maybe with some good research, leadership or global experience, but nothing that many other students don't have. One or two of them are definitely superstars, but most are standard, relatively high stat applicants when you look at them on paper. Which would make me think it's about the essay and recs primarily.

I'm very confident in my app and have interviewed at basically all of Harvard's peer schools. Admissions staff at those schools keep assuming they're competing with Harvard when they talk to me -- trying to make a case that they're better than Boston or Harvard or whatever -- and I'm thinking, what did I do wrong that everyone thinks I should be getting into Harvard except Harvard???

blahh sorry personal rant just anxious and agitated about this process.
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It's great that you're confident in your app and your strong internal locus of control has probably served you well. Your belief that if you didn't get an interview at HMS, you must have made a mistake is problematic though. This is not in your control, and you didn't necessarily make a mistake. There are limits to what you have power over. For instance, there are 7,000 other applicants, who, as we have all pointed out, also have high stats and interesting stories. Believing that you deserved an interview implies that you must be better than they are, which is also an issue. Confidence can easily become arrogance. We are here to become doctors. There will be plenty of times when you do everything right for a patient and it still goes to Hell. You can give that cancer patient all of the right dosages of the right therapeutics, and her cancer still grows, and you'll be sitting there wondering how that could happen when you did everything right. I wouldn't be here either if I didn't believe on some level that I can solve any problem, but, ****, there are forces in this world far more powerful than I am. You're going to have to get some perspective on what you do and do not have control over, while also learning to appreciate the talents of others, if you're going to survive emotionally in this field. So while I'm sorry that you are feeling frustrated and anxious, and that sucks, maybe you could take this as an opportunity to learn some humility. We're all going to soon enough.

I'm sorry I mommed you. Sometimes I can't help myself.
 
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Oldafmom said:
It's great that you're confident in your app and your strong internal locus of control has probably served you well. Your belief that if you didn't get an interview at HMS, you must have made a mistake is problematic though. This is not in your control, and you didn't necessarily make a mistake. There are limits to what you have power over. For instance, there are 7,000 other applicants, who, as we have all pointed out, also have high stats and interesting stories. Believing that you deserved an interview implies that you must be better than they are, which is also an issue. Confidence can easily become arrogance. We are here to become doctors. There will be plenty of times when you do everything right for a patient and it still goes to Hell. You can give that cancer patient all of the right dosages of the right therapeutics, and her cancer still grows, and you'll be sitting there wondering how that could happen when you did everything right. I wouldn't be here either if I didn't believe on some level that I can solve any problem, but, ****, there are forces in this world far more powerful than I am. You're going to have to get some perspective on what you do and do not have control over, while also learning to appreciate the talents of others, if you're going to survive emotionally in this field. So while I'm sorry that you are feeling frustrated and anxious, and that sucks, maybe you could take this as an opportunity to learn some humility. We're all going to soon enough.

I'm sorry I mommed you. Sometimes I can't help myself.
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You are a much nicer person than I am.
 
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lillz92 said:
My LM score is 84.6 and I completed my app in July. I submitted an update but I'm running out of hope here. I'm really kind of bummed because I'm very interested in them, and my GPA and MCAT are both above their average for matriculants, and I'm non-traditional so I've got the "interesting story". Should I assume they've already looked at me and I must not be their type of applicant? Or is there still hope for a late season II?
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dawg, i don't know if sharing your GPA/MCAT (only one combination corresponds to LM 84.6) and other details about your app while being neurotic and complaining in their school specific thread is the smartest thing to be doing if you want a II here
 
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Not that Harvard would even look at my app, but if this thread is what Harvard is like I'd rather go to the carib. jeez guys
 
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hennyindaflesh said:
No offense, but i'm saying nada. It's bad enough that i told you I had a II, but saying dates would be giving as much information as Mr. 84.6 LizzyM up there
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How silly. I guess at this level people will do absolutely the most petty things to eke out some sort of advantage over others. No wonder why this process is so life-sucking.
 
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ContigoCoffeeMug said:
How silly. I guess at this level people will do absolutely the most petty things to eke out some sort of advantage over others. No wonder why this process is so life-sucking.
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Eh, I don't think it's unreasonable to want some anonymity on here. Knowing the II dates available is not that useful until you get an II :(
 
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i think they just wanted to know how far out HMS is scheduling interviews to gauge how many IIs are left
 
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II just now!

Dates available mid/late December.
 
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Saifa said:
It’s not. This manages to be a spicy thread every year.

I also find it hard to believe Yale, JHU, Penn, Stanford, Mayo, and UCSF are all telling their interviewees they're better than HMS (well .. maybe Penn). We encourage students to go with their hearts (and/or wallets from the student side) and I've seldom heard otherwise elsewhere.
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I agree with this sentiment. I'm learning that just because a school is highly ranked does not mean it is the best place for me. I honestly believe that if anyone got an acceptance to either of the places that you mentioned, an applicant is doing darn well. Sometimes we are so caught up in the game, the rankings, and getting in that we forget to actually take the time to get a feel for the school to see if it is the fit. It sounds so cliche but it is actually a big deal.
 
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Oldafmom said:
It's great that you're confident in your app and your strong internal locus of control has probably served you well. Your belief that if you didn't get an interview at HMS, you must have made a mistake is problematic though. This is not in your control, and you didn't necessarily make a mistake. There are limits to what you have power over. For instance, there are 7,000 other applicants, who, as we have all pointed out, also have high stats and interesting stories. Believing that you deserved an interview implies that you must be better than they are, which is also an issue. Confidence can easily become arrogance. We are here to become doctors. There will be plenty of times when you do everything right for a patient and it still goes to Hell. You can give that cancer patient all of the right dosages of the right therapeutics, and her cancer still grows, and you'll be sitting there wondering how that could happen when you did everything right. I wouldn't be here either if I didn't believe on some level that I can solve any problem, but, ****, there are forces in this world far more powerful than I am. You're going to have to get some perspective on what you do and do not have control over, while also learning to appreciate the talents of others, if you're going to survive emotionally in this field. So while I'm sorry that you are feeling frustrated and anxious, and that sucks, maybe you could take this as an opportunity to learn some humility. We're all going to soon enough.

I'm sorry I mommed you. Sometimes I can't help myself.
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No I'm sorry -- I'm super glad to be mommed actually. This is a good reminder and definitely made me feel a bit better about it. Like you said, I was feeling frustrated and anxious. I definitely know my app is not perfect -- my comment came out of a lack of confidence rather than confidence, and through stress and the relative anonymity of the internet I became an out-of-touch jerk. I posted that comment without really thinking it through and I didn't mean it to come across the way it did. It has been a frustrating process, especially hearing admissions officers talk as they do, and I've gotten a bit overwhelmed towards the end here. I'm not amazing at the quick-fire of the internet, and I had a moment of weakness and I am thankful you steered me right!

But as far as the stuff I said first -- about HMS students i know being ordinary applicants -- I do stand by that but I wasn't very clear in what I meant. Although they are generally exceptionally high achieving on grades, test scores, etc., they're not superhuman for the most part. They have leadership, research and other extracurriculars, but I just see a lot of stuff on here that you have to be like an Olympian or president or something to get into harvard, and I feel like that's discouarging to people. So I phrased it poorly, but I meant it as encouragement -- if you wrote good essays and have good recs, you don't have to be Batman to get into HMS!

-lillz92

Edit: clarifications
 
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Saifa said:
I also find it hard to believe Yale, JHU, Penn, Stanford, Mayo, and UCSF are all telling their interviewees they're better than HMS (well .. maybe Penn).
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Sorry if this sounds silly, but I was just curious what you meant in reference to Penn here? I'm pretty ignorant about the reputations of these schools :shy:
 
lizzieb23 said:
No I'm sorry -- I'm super glad to be mommed actually. This is a good reminder and definitely made me feel a bit better about it. Like you said, I was feeling frustrated and anxious. I definitely know my app is not perfect -- my comment came out of a lack of confidence rather than confidence, and through stress and the relative anonymity of the internet I became an out-of-touch jerk. I posted that comment without really thinking it through and I didn't mean it to come across the way it did. It has been a frustrating process, especially hearing admissions officers talk as they do, and I've gotten a bit overwhelmed towards the end here. I'm not amazing at the quick-fire of the internet, and I had a moment of weakness and I am thankful you steered me right!

But as far as the stuff I said first -- about HMS students i know being ordinary applicants -- I do stand by that but I wasn't very clear in what I meant. Although they are generally exceptionally high achieving on grades, test scores, etc., they're not superhuman for the most part. They have leadership, research and other extracurriculars, but I just see a lot of stuff on here that you have to be like an Olympian or president or something to get into harvard, and I feel like that's discouarging to people. So I phrased it poorly, but I meant it as encouragement -- if you wrote good essays and have good recs, you don't have to be Batman to get into HMS!

-lillz92

Edit: clarifications
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I’m really proud of you for taking a step back, getting some perspective and even admitting that you might have needed it. Most people can’t do that anymore. This process does not bring out the best in any of us, but we might as well get what we can out of it, even if it’s a lesson in patience we didn’t want.

I think we all know HMS is looking for something beyond the stats, but none of us can be certain what it is. I certainly don’t expect to get an interview but my stats are “good enough” and I thought they might like the story more than anything.

Good luck with everything.
 
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Crossman8 said:
Sorry if this sounds silly, but I was just curious what you meant in reference to Penn here? I'm pretty ignorant about the reputations of these schools :shy:
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Their reputations are very similar. Harvard's massive research funding makes it come out on top of USWNR Research rankings. You can refer to here for residency director rankings.

I don't see anything wrong with Penn in particular?
 
Crossman8 said:
Sorry if this sounds silly, but I was just curious what you meant in reference to Penn here? I'm pretty ignorant about the reputations of these schools :shy:
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Sophist said:
Their reputations are very similar. Harvard's massive research funding makes it come out on top of USWNR Research rankings. You can refer to here for residency director rankings.

I don't see anything wrong with Penn in particular?
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I think it was just a joke...
 
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Crossman8 said:
That's what I was wondering. What's the joke about Penn?
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the larger your Penn, the smaller your penis. Or so they say, but that might just be about Wharton
 
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Question for any current students or applicants who heard anything!

I've been waiting to send in an update (post interview) for a paper that was just accepted but not in print yet (so you can't google it or PubMed it). Is it worth waiting another few weeks until it's in print?

I just don't want to submit it when it's too late lol. I heard they re-assess applicants in December!
 
letsgetstarted1234 said:
Question for any current students or applicants who heard anything!

I've been waiting to send in an update (post interview) for a paper that was just accepted but not in print yet (so you can't google it or PubMed it). Is it worth waiting another few weeks until it's in print?

I just don't want to submit it when it's too late lol. I heard they re-assess applicants in December!
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Congrats on the paper!

I had two recent papers accepted and I sent them in ASAP just to be sure they are seen before any sort of decisions are made on my app (although I've heard post-interview there isn't much movement through Jan, but you never know what their internal process is). I'm sure they know there is a lag between accepted and published so just make it clear that they are "in press" (i.e. articles that have been accepted for publication but which have not been formally published and will not yet have the complete volume/issue/page information).
 
letsgetstarted1234 said:
Question for any current students or applicants who heard anything!

I've been waiting to send in an update (post interview) for a paper that was just accepted but not in print yet (so you can't google it or PubMed it). Is it worth waiting another few weeks until it's in print?

I just don't want to submit it when it's too late lol. I heard they re-assess applicants in December!
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I would send that update ASAP. Congratulations!
 
Saifa said:
At this point in HMS' cycle you should send (meaningful) updates ASAP
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meronebib said:
I would send that update ASAP. Congratulations!
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jebman8250 said:
Congrats on the paper!

I had two recent papers accepted and I sent them in ASAP just to be sure they are seen before any sort of decisions are made on my app (although I've heard post-interview there isn't much movement through Jan, but you never know what their internal process is). I'm sure they know there is a lag between accepted and published so just make it clear that they are "in press" (i.e. articles that have been accepted for publication but which have not been formally published and will not yet have the complete volume/issue/page information).
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Oh lord glad I asked. Thanks everyone. Will do this asap. Hope im not too late. xD
Good luck everyone!
 
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II! Complete mid-august and available dates are end of December and beginning of January
 
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