2019-2020 Rowan (Cooper)

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Dumb question but the phrasing of the adversity question throws me off. Are they just asking for a time you experienced adversity and how you responded?
 
What is the cmmunity surrounding Cooper like? what about South New Jersey? Are there a lot of underserved communities? Is it diverse?
 
Dumb question but the phrasing of the adversity question throws me off. Are they just asking for a time you experienced adversity and how you responded?
That's how I understood it as. I'm not sure why they specifically say identified :shrug: Their wording for the first question threw me off too.
 
Is there any data showing how many secondaries/interviews/acceptances are sent out?Trying to see if I actually got a shot lol
 
OOS secondary received 9:30 am PST!
It was in my junk folder so double check yours if you haven't gotten one yet!🙂
I legit just rebooted by sdn account just to say thank you for writing that. I never would have seen it. Thank you x10000000
 
I legit just rebooted by sdn account just to say thank you for writing that. I never would have seen it. Thank you x10000000
You’re welcome!! I’m glad it helped. This was the second one that came through my junk and it took me a while to see the first one so I hope to prevent that for others 😊
 
Someone please help me understand their adversity essay. It's asking:
1. How have you identified adversity?
2. How have you respond to said adversity?

What did they mean by "identified adversity"? Is this like some cryptic puzzle that I couldn't see was a challenge before I put it under a microscope?
 
Someone please help me understand their adversity essay. It's asking:
1. How have you identified adversity?
2. How have you respond to said adversity?

What did they mean by "identified adversity"? Is this like some cryptic puzzle that I couldn't see was a challenge before I put it under a microscope?

Yeah, confused for the wording of this one. Can we fit the traditional adversity prompt here?
 
Someone please help me understand their adversity essay. It's asking:
1. How have you identified adversity?
2. How have you respond to said adversity?

What did they mean by "identified adversity"? Is this like some cryptic puzzle that I couldn't see was a challenge before I put it under a microscope?
I don't know if I messed this one up or what, but I put how I noticed when others were facing adversity and what I did and how I responded to support a population in said adverse situations. I didn't focus this around myself, don't know if it was the right decision though.
 
Secondary received yesterday! OOS with strong ties to Jersey, 516, 3.7
 
Some tips/advice for those of you asking questions:

1. Don't overthink the secondary. Be true to who you are and to your passions. They are not trying to trick you.
2. "Camden is our classroom, Camden is our home". That is the official/unofficial "motto" of our school. Camden is one of the most underserved areas in the entire country and provides you with the opportunity to not only reach well beyond your comfort zone, but to give back and learn from a community in need. I've learned things here that I know for a fact I could not learn anywhere else, and I am grateful to be a part of this community.
3. Last I heard, acceptance post-interview hovers around 50%. And while a secondary is not a bad sign, it by no means = interview (I know someone who got a secondary 3 years in a row with no interview).

Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions.
 
I don't see any character/word limit for the prompts. How long is everyone making each essay?
 
Some tips/advice for those of you asking questions:

1. Don't overthink the secondary. Be true to who you are and to your passions. They are not trying to trick you.
2. "Camden is our classroom, Camden is our home". That is the official/unofficial "motto" of our school. Camden is one of the most underserved areas in the entire country and provides you with the opportunity to not only reach well beyond your comfort zone, but to give back and learn from a community in need. I've learned things here that I know for a fact I could not learn anywhere else, and I am grateful to be a part of this community.
3. Last I heard, acceptance post-interview hovers around 50%. And while a secondary is not a bad sign, it by no means = interview (I know someone who got a secondary 3 years in a row with no interview).

Best of luck and let me know if you have any more questions.

Hi, thanks for offering to answer our questions. I was wondering what you felt like you learned here that you could not learn anywhere else. I wanted to understand how Cooper helped in this regard. Was it living in Camden, interacting with patients, or the curriculum and mission of Cooper that made you feel that you learned things here that you could not anywhere else?

thanks
 
I don't know if I messed this one up or what, but I put how I noticed when others were facing adversity and what I did and how I responded to support a population in said adverse situations. I didn't focus this around myself, don't know if it was the right decision though.
I think if you have never faced adversity, then that is a positive way to answer the question because since you can't reach from personal experiences about adversity, you saw how others faced adversity and changed your perspective on how you support those populations, which is also important
 
Hi, thanks for offering to answer our questions. I was wondering what you felt like you learned here that you could not learn anywhere else. I wanted to understand how Cooper helped in this regard. Was it living in Camden, interacting with patients, or the curriculum and mission of Cooper that made you feel that you learned things here that you could not anywhere else?

thanks
Living in Camden has been a life altering experience. More importantly, having the opportunity to immediately start being involved in patient care as soon as I started M1 provided me with tools that most students don't obtain until their 3rd or 4th years, if ever (given the struggles that our patients face on a daily basis).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Living in Camden has been a life altering experience. More importantly, having the opportunity to immediately start being involved in patient care as soon as I started M1 provided me with tools that most students don't obtain until their 3rd or 4th years, if ever (given the struggles that our patients face on a daily basis).

hey thanks so much for your input.
 
on the required courses page, there is a box that says I'm certifying that all requirements will be completed before August of 2019- is this a typo or am I just interpreting this question wrong, bc above it says you just need everything done before matriculation? thank you to anyone who can clarify this for me
 
I think if you have never faced adversity, then that is a positive way to answer the question because since you can't reach from personal experiences about adversity, you saw how others faced adversity and changed your perspective on how you support those populations, which is also important
So would you say it's specifically asking how we identified our own adversity / realized we were struggling (if we have in the past)?
 
So would you say it's specifically asking how we identified our own adversity / realized we were struggling (if we have in the past)?
I think you can interpret it however you want. If you read your answer and you feel like it answers the question well I think you are good. I think they would have been more specific if it wasn't up for interpretation, I doubt it's a trick question.
 
A motto that a lot of people have around here is that if you get your interview, and get out of your interview and we ask you if you think it went well. If you say it went well, there's a really good chance that you're gold. if you're convinced that it wasn't a good interview, then that goes the other way.

By no means is that the official policy or 100% accurate, but there are quite a few people that believe in that adage.
 
A motto that a lot of people have around here is that if you get your interview, and get out of your interview and we ask you if you think it went well. If you say it went well, there's a really good chance that you're gold. if you're convinced that it wasn't a good interview, then that goes the other way.

By no means is that the official policy or 100% accurate, but there are quite a few people that believe in that adage.

Do you happen to know if getting a secondary from Cooper means they are somewhat serious about you? I know they screen somewhat, but I have been getting mixed signals. I know secondary doesn't mean guarantee interview ofc, but do you have any idea how much of a good sign a 2ndary is?
 
Do you happen to know if getting a secondary from Cooper means they are somewhat serious about you? I know they screen somewhat, but I have been getting mixed signals. I know secondary doesn't mean guarantee interview ofc, but do you have any idea how much of a good sign a 2ndary is?
It's not a bad sign. Just try not to read too much into things. People will receive a secondary, get an II, and get accepted. Others will receive a secondary and hear nothing. On interview day, some will receive a solid handshake, a "pleasure to meet you", and the best call of their lives 7-14 days later. Others will receive the same handshake and gesture and get rejected.

Relax, enjoy the ride, and don't become too neurotic.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Is a certain population too broad to discuss for #2 (In what way do you believe that you made an impact or difference to a group or organization in your life?)?

I was thinking of writing about either my community's underserved population or the special needs population but I wanted to use multiple organizations when I discuss my impact.
 
It's not a bad sign. Just try not to read too much into things. People will receive a secondary, get an II, and get accepted. Others will receive a secondary and hear nothing. On interview day, some will receive a solid handshake, a "pleasure to meet you", and the best call of their lives 7-14 days later. Others will receive the same handshake and gesture and get rejected.

Relax, enjoy the ride, and don't become too neurotic.


Thanks! As a med student, do you feel like medical school is manageable? One girl keeps telling me about how she isn't applying due to the "stress" and is trying to dissuade me from applying. Is there any truth to this? Do you ever feel the curriculum is too esoteric and hard to understand? What might me the reason why some people are trying to scare me?
 
Thanks! As a med student, do you feel like medical school is manageable? One girl keeps telling me about how she isn't applying due to the "stress" and is trying to dissuade me from applying. Is there any truth to this? Do you ever feel the curriculum is too esoteric and hard to understand? What might me the reason why some people are trying to scare me?
I've found that people try to dissuade others from achieving their goals due to either 1. Jealousy, or 2. The inability to achieve the task themselves. It's a lot easier to say "The stress is too much" rather than say "I don't have what it takes to cut the mustard". Caring, supportive people will motivate, support, and inspire you. While those who try to inhibit you are not worth keeping around (just a little life advice).

"Is medical school manageable?" is a loaded question. But I'll give it a shot. Thousands of doctors graduate from medical school every year. On top of that, countless doctors before them graduated as well. That must mean that medical school is manageable, right? If it was an impossible task that resulted in failure and misery, no one would do what it takes to get in. With that said, you will experience days, if not weeks, where it seems impossible (especially toward the end of M2). However, the human body and mind has an impeccable ability to adjust to stressors. With the right mindset and the right work ethic, the hardest days and weeks will pass and you will find yourself on the side of success (the side medical students are accustomed to being on).

Some of my most difficult days in life have occurred in medical school. But there is nothing else I would rather do and nowhere else I would rather be, than struggling to achieve this dream. As a medical student, you are incredibly lucky to be learning what you are learning, and I often think people take that for granted (even myself sometimes). Would I do it all over gain? 100 times over. At the end of the day, this is a job. But what gets you through each day is a passion.
 
I think people are getting a little too excited about the secondaries, it's just a secondary that screens for service and most applicants who apply to this school in the first place are NJ residents (special consideration) or have service-oriented applications.
 
What did you guys write for the 2nd prompt? "In what way do you believe that you made an impact or difference to a group or organization in your life?"
 
What did you guys write for the 2nd prompt? "In what way do you believe that you made an impact or difference to a group or organization in your life?"
I had a hard time writing this one too but I thought about the groups of people that I've regularly volunteered with (underserved, pediatric, and special needs). I chose to focus on special needs and talked about how i've been committed to this population for years and how i've positively impacted them.
 
I wrote about my goals as a medical student and physician and how they fit with the mission and opportunities at CMSRU
How long was your actual mission statement? Mine ended up being 400 characters and I just wanna know if thats too much haha
 
Hello everyone,

Current M3 here at Cooper. Now that I'm done with the most stressful exam of my life, I decided to make an account to help out the youngins. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try my best to answer them within a reasonable amount of time. In bocca al lupo!

Thank you for offering to answer questions! Could you maybe comment on any opportunities/programs that allow for students to gain experience teaching? I am particularly interested in MedEd, and saw that the Cooper Research Institute does medical education research, but am having trouble finding more specific information.
 
Thank you for offering to answer questions! Could you maybe comment on any opportunities/programs that allow for students to gain experience teaching? I am particularly interested in MedEd, and saw that the Cooper Research Institute does medical education research, but am having trouble finding more specific information.
No problem! Service learning opportunities that involve teaching include (but are not limited to): Tutor time (after school program that involves mentoring, tutoring, and building relationships with students); Brimm Medical Arts High School (assist with science projects/fairs and teach health education); Cooper After School mentoring program; and Upward Bound (teaching science). In the summer, there is MedEd and Pulse. The two aforementioned programs occur in the summer and students are provided with a stipend (note: many people apply). Information on these programs would be explained in detail during the end of M1 year and touched upon during the interview. Here is a link to some of the service learning opportunities:
 
No problem! Service learning opportunities that involve teaching include (but are not limited to): Tutor time (after school program that involves mentoring, tutoring, and building relationships with students); Brimm Medical Arts High School (assist with science projects/fairs and teach health education); Cooper After School mentoring program; and Upward Bound (teaching science). In the summer, there is MedEd and Pulse. The two aforementioned programs occur in the summer and students are provided with a stipend (note: many people apply). Information on these programs would be explained in detail during the end of M1 year and touched upon during the interview. Here is a link to some of the service learning opportunities:

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for.
 
Please write a personal mission statement for yourself as a student at CMSRU. How will CMSRU help you fulfill your mission?
In what way do you believe that you made an impact or difference to a group or organization in your life?
Discuss how you have identified and responded to adversity.
Please describe your anticipated educational, employment, volunteer or other activities between completing your AMCAS application and matriculating to medical school.


How did you all respond to prompt 3?? Did you just use challenge question?
 
Hey all,

I received an email from Cooper saying that they received my primary, and that they will review my application before sending me a secondary application. Is this their way of a soft-rejection? If not, should I start pre-writing anyway just in case?
 
Hey all,

I received an email from Cooper saying that they received my primary, and that they will review my application before sending me a secondary application. Is this their way of a soft-rejection? If not, should I start pre-writing anyway just in case?
It's not a soft rejection. I received that email yesterday and my secondary today.
 
Top