2018-2019 University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

BU Medical Sciences
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Thoracic Cheeto said:
I submitted my campus choice on 7/2 as well, still waiting on TC.
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I think UMNTC is known for being slow and does things differently from Duluth. I’m sure you’ll get it soon! Their screen is very lenient so as long as you meet the GPA/MCAT requirements you’ll get it eventually.
 
Beyond what you shared in question two, please share information about important aspects of your personal background or identity as it relates to your desire to pursue medicine. Examples might include, but are not limited to, cultural context, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, lived experiences, race/ethnicity, religion or spirituality, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. (This question is not required).

Anyone have advice on how to answer this from the perspective of a white, Christian male without any significant life adversity? It seems to me like they are pretty much asking what my diversity/adversity is, and I feel like I already talked about being open minded and my experiences with diversity in other questions. Would it be such a bad idea just to leave it blank?
 
tidyberry said:
Beyond what you shared in question two, please share information about important aspects of your personal background or identity as it relates to your desire to pursue medicine. Examples might include, but are not limited to, cultural context, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, lived experiences, race/ethnicity, religion or spirituality, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. (This question is not required).

Anyone have advice on how to answer this from the perspective of a white, Christian male without any significant life adversity? It seems to me like they are pretty much asking what my diversity/adversity is, and I feel like I already talked about being open minded and my experiences with diversity in other questions. Would it be such a bad idea just to leave it blank?
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I’m just another applicant but I chose to leave it blank. I felt like saying anything would just be disingenuous and the fact that it’s optional led me to believe it truly is. But again I’m an applicant so I may have made the wrong choice. I’d love to know what others think!
 
Reader88 said:
I’m just another applicant but I chose to leave it blank. I felt like saying anything would just be disingenuous and the fact that it’s optional led me to believe it truly is. But again I’m an applicant so I may have made the wrong choice. I’d love to know what others think!
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Honestly that's what I'm thinking at this point too. Like I could BS about my parents' divorce being a hardship but I don't like using that as a sob story and like you said using that or some other excuse would just feel disingenuous.
 
Has anyone who hasn't received a secondary contacted the admissions office?
 
turtle93 said:
Has anyone who hasn't received a secondary contacted the admissions office?
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I have not. I'll likely call them on Monday if I don't get something by 3pm ish. Most of the offices at the U close at 4pm
 
I still haven't received a secondary and I tried emailing the admissions office a few days ago but they never responded. Perhaps I will try calling.
 
I just called them today because I haven’t received one. She said they are sending them out in batches. I’m an IS resident so idk what’s going on. They did experience some severe back log though! Also keep in mind they Orr screen the MCAT score-499 minimum. Hopefully by Monday they send out a batch that includes me. Wasn’t verified until Jul 18.
 
Symmy said:
I just called them today because I haven’t received one. She said they are sending them out in batches. I’m an IS resident so idk what’s going on. They did experience some severe back log though! Also keep in mind they Orr screen the MCAT score-499 minimum. Hopefully by Monday they send out a batch that includes me. Wasn’t verified until Jul 18.
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Leave it to a Minnesotan to take one for the team. Thank you!
 
I just received an email today from the U. It just said that they received my app. No secondary.

I'm confused, because I've been verified since 7/16. I guess this is related to how backlogged they are.
 
tradersluck said:
I just received an email today from the U. It just said that they received my app. No secondary.

I'm confused, because I've been verified since 7/16. I guess this is related to how backlogged they are.
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+1 OOS verified early June, responded to their initial email within a day or so selecting the Twin Cities Campus.
 
Progress perhaps? Received email this am indicating my primary application has been verified...lol
 
tidyberry said:
Beyond what you shared in question two, please share information about important aspects of your personal background or identity as it relates to your desire to pursue medicine. Examples might include, but are not limited to, cultural context, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, lived experiences, race/ethnicity, religion or spirituality, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. (This question is not required).

Anyone have advice on how to answer this from the perspective of a white, Christian male without any significant life adversity? It seems to me like they are pretty much asking what my diversity/adversity is, and I feel like I already talked about being open minded and my experiences with diversity in other questions. Would it be such a bad idea just to leave it blank?
Click to expand...

Hi there! The question is indeed a diversity-related question, but it's basically asking how your personal experiences have influenced your desire to pursue medicine. I bolded something that anyone can use in their application-- lived experiences. Think about personal experiences outside of what you wrote in AMCAS. For example:
  • If you or a loved one was ever in the hospital, did that make you want to pursue medicine? Did somebody in your family have a disability or chronic medical condition? Did their physician do anything that really stood out to you?
  • Did you really enjoy learning about science or the human body as a child? Did you win any awards for academic achievement in high school or earlier? Were you in the National Honor Society? Those can exemplify how you genuinely enjoy learning and you can relate it to how medicine is such a dynamic field.
  • Did you grow up in a rural or urban area? Did you ever meet people who had difficulty accessing medical care due to low SES, mobility issues, or work schedules?
  • Did you volunteer a lot? You also mentioned you were Christian-- did your church emphasize the importance of service to others?
Just because you're a white Christian male does't mean you're automatically at a disadvantage. The question is asking how aspects of your background, whether ORM or URM, have influenced why you want to pursue medicine. You can draw upon other life experiences outside of what was mentioned, and you can even mention how your Christian background influenced it. The sky's the limit and the examples above are only a few of the things you could possibly mention in your essay. I hope you and others find it helpful, and good luck!
 
MicrobeParade said:
Hi there! The question is indeed a diversity-related question, but it's basically asking how your personal experiences have influenced your desire to pursue medicine. I bolded something that anyone can use in their application-- lived experiences. Think about personal experiences outside of what you wrote in AMCAS. For example:
  • If you or a loved one was ever in the hospital, did that make you want to pursue medicine? Did somebody in your family have a disability or chronic medical condition? Did their physician do anything that really stood out to you?
  • Did you really enjoy learning about science or the human body as a child? Did you win any awards for academic achievement in high school or earlier? Were you in the National Honor Society? Those can exemplify how you genuinely enjoy learning and you can relate it to how medicine is such a dynamic field.
  • Did you grow up in a rural or urban area? Did you ever meet people who had difficulty accessing medical care due to low SES, mobility issues, or work schedules?
  • Did you volunteer a lot? You also mentioned you were Christian-- did your church emphasize the importance of service to others?
Just because you're a white Christian male does't mean you're automatically at a disadvantage. The question is asking how aspects of your background, whether ORM or URM, have influenced why you want to pursue medicine. You can draw upon other life experiences outside of what was mentioned, and you can even mention how your Christian background influenced it. The sky's the limit and the examples above are only a few of the things you could possibly mention in your essay. I hope you and others find it helpful, and good luck!
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This is very helpful, thank you! I wish I had read it before submitting. Hoping leaving it blank doesn't hurt me too much 🙁 Good luck everyone!
 
OOS Selected the TC campus on July 7th and yet no secondary yet :/
 
OOS, received secondary this afternoon. Same as most of the above posters, was verified in June and completed campus choice email in early July. Looks like they were just super behind!

On the plus-side, I've already finished all my other secondaries so I can do this one immediately! xD And boy is it a doosy...
 
any MSTP applicants receive a secondary yet? I've been verified for over a month..
 
Can anyone else who's gotten a secondary confirm the character counts for each question?
 
I received secondary last week btw! I think calling help me put them on their radar. I’m an IS applicant too.
 
I submitted my secondary on Monday but not sure if it is complete. I’m an FAP applicant so I send proof of the waiver to waive the secondary application fee. Does anyone know if they will email me of the approval? Then my application will be complete?
 
Symmy said:
I submitted my secondary on Monday but not sure if it is complete. I’m an FAP applicant so I send proof of the waiver to waive the secondary application fee. Does anyone know if they will email me of the approval? Then my application will be complete?
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I'm the same as you, FAP applicant. They never sent me an email confirming receipt of the fee waiver, however when it is complete in their system you will see a checkmark next to 2.) Fee Status, and next to that it will say that your fee waiver has been received.
 
OOS and just got a TC secondary after that strange "verification" email yesterday!
 
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