2020-2021 Harvard

[r2med]

Can you post secondary essays for MSTP?

I am not applying for MSTP so am afraid to click on that button. Sorry!

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[wysdoc]

I am not applying for MSTP so am afraid to click on that button. Sorry!

Thanks for posting up the Harvard prompt, @ricetomed The rest of the dudes and dudettes on this thread have had it for a while but have been keeping it to themselves!

 

[theoddorre]

+1 international

 

[dodoitlater]

Can you post secondary essays for MSTP?

There's just an extra section to list research interests and publications (published, submitted, or in preparation). If you're doing a social science PhD there's a statement of purpose and a writing sample

 

[AZDev]

Can someone post the form / limits of the HMS covid essay?

 

[eagledoc2025]

I have gotten a lot of conflicting interpretations of the "personal background or identity" optional essay. It seems that it is truly optional, but how are all of you approaching it? Could this be used as a diversity essay for factors not related to the examples they list?

 

[hopper98]

Hey all, incoming first year student at HMS this year and, while I don’t know much yet, happy to talk to anybody throughout this whole process!

Do you mind if I message you with a question regarding the optional essay?

 

[darwin101]

If your courses switched to online halfway through the semester, do you consider that "completing online courses"? Just asking for the question on secondary application

 

[hopper98]

If your courses switched to online halfway through the semester, do you consider that "completing online courses"? Just asking for the question on secondary application

Yes! I called to confirm.

 

[RickyRic]

These character counts are super long! Anyone else having trouble getting to 4000 char?

Personally, I think it's best to write in a concise manner while hitting all the points you need to. Adcoms read so many secondaries, I'm sure they get annoyed reading fluffed up essays.

 

[rustymuffin]

For the question asking about prerequisite courses completed online, should we list courses started in person but moved online because of COVID?

 

[hopper98]

For the question asking about prerequisite courses completed online, should we list courses started in person but moved online because of COVID?

Yup! I called to confirm this.

 

[deleted947805]

I only have 500 hours of research, and I am not taking a gap year. Are there even students who have not taken a gap year and who have similar research hours to mine that you know of? I have plenty of clinical experience, like 1000 hours. I really feel like students like me who do not plan on taking gap years have no chance of getting accepted to HSM. Any hopes you guys can send my way?

 

[Derz]

I only have 500 hours of research, and I am not taking a gap year. Are there even students who have not taken a gap year and who have similar research hours to mine that you know of? I have plenty of clinical experience, like 1000 hours. I really feel like students like me who do not plan on taking gap years have no chance of getting accepted to HSM. Any hopes you guys can send my way?

Pretty much in the same boat. Minimal research experience (<300 hours) but a ton of clinical experience. I don't see how it's feasible to max out everything as a traditional applicant while maintaining some sort of social life.

 

[deleted947805]

Pretty much in the same boat. Minimal research experience (<300 hours) but a ton of clinical experience. I don't see how it's feasible to max out everything as a traditional applicant while maintaining some sort of social life.

Forget social life. There is no way someone can have extensive clinical hours, earn awesome grades, get a high MCAT score and still get extensive research experience without a gap year

 

[rep_the_don]

For those who have submitted their secondaries, has anyone received an "application is complete" email? Does Harvard send those or no?

 

[Snaketail]

For those who have submitted their secondaries, has anyone received an "application is complete" email? Does Harvard send those or no?

I got an email 10 days after submitting with the subject "HMS Supplemental Application Received" which I suppose qualifies as their complete email!

 

[rep_the_don]

I got an email 10 days after submitting with the subject "HMS Supplemental Application Received" which I suppose qualifies as their complete email!

Is this essentially the email you received below?

"Dear [Applicant Name],

Thank you for your interest in Harvard Medical School. Your HMS Supplemental On-Line Application has been received.

Questions or concerns can be addressed to [email protected].

We wish you much success!

Best regards,

The Office of the Committee on Admissions
Harvard Medical School
Gordon Hall 306
25 Shattuck Street
Boston, MA 02115-6092"

EDIT: I'll take your like as a yes. Thank you!

 

[Snaketail]

Is this essentially the email you received below?

"Dear [Applicant Name],

Thank you for your interest in Harvard Medical School. Your HMS Supplemental On-Line Application has been received.

Questions or concerns can be addressed to [email protected].

We wish you much success!

Best regards,

The Office of the Committee on Admissions
Harvard Medical School
Gordon Hall 306
25 Shattuck Street
Boston, MA 02115-6092"

Yep. Probably the last I'll hear from HMS lol

 

[rep_the_don]

Yep. Probably the last I'll hear from HMS lol

I'm sure you have a fighting chance. It's good though not to have too high expectations especially with HMS. Best of luck with your application cycle!

 

[SpreadKindness20]

boneitis @marcosma Hi! I'm currently prewriting and am a little unsure about the second optional essay. I've noticed many other schools cover diversity of experience, education, etc. in their prompts, but Harvard seems to be more focused on disadvantaged-type things. I can cover a lot of my diverse experiences in the gap year essay, so just sort of looking for confirmation that it's okay to not twist my classic diversity essay (which focused on my work with underserved communities, etc.) to fit Harvard's prompt and instead leave that blank, given that I've led a privileged life and am not URM.

I have gotten a lot of conflicting interpretations of the "personal background or identity" optional essay. It seems that it is truly optional, but how are all of you approaching it? Could this be used as a diversity essay for factors not related to the examples they list?

Yes, I agree with both of these interpretations. To me the Harvard question is providing people an opportunity to specifically describe a barrier they've faced due to their identity or background. Further clarifying this is the note that most applicants will not need to answer the question. I think a generic diversity/what makes me unique answer would not be appropriate here.

 

[cornelder]

What would be appropriate to talk about in the COVID essay? Only major life transitions like getting evicted or more minor things like manuscript being delayed.

 

[deleted1065184]

It appears that HMS has begun extending IIs based on the tracker!!!



Good luck to everybody

 

[Homunculus150]

It appears that HMS has begun extending IIs based on the tracker!!!



Good luck to everybody

Stats aren't crazy either; must of had killer ECs

 

[electr!c]

It appears that HMS has begun extending IIs based on the tracker!!!



Good luck to everybody

This seems odd since on MSAR and their website it says early September...?

 

[roasted_oolong]

This seems odd since on MSAR and their website it says early September...?

I honestly am very curious as to how many of the entries in the tracker are actually legit

 

[deleted1065184]

Yeah,

This seems odd since on MSAR and their website it says early September...?

Yeah, agreed. I was a bit thrown off. But hey, we're in a pandemic so anything can happen right now lol

 

[deleted1065184]

I honestly am very curious as to how many of the entries in the tracker are actually legit

I'm curious too, I personally wait until I see 3 or so entries before I'm confident tbh

 

[SpreadKindness20]

Stats aren't crazy either; must of had killer ECs

Lol. I get what you're saying, but there's a lot more to it than just MCAT, GPA, and ECs.

This seems odd since on MSAR and their website it says early September...?

To be fair, their website says interviews start in September. It doesn't say they start sending invitations in September. So in theory they could send IIs in August and begin interviewing in Septepmber.

I honestly am very curious as to how many of the entries in the tracker are actually legit

Yes. With data that is both self-reported and anonymous, always take with a grain of salt.

 

[deleted1065184]

Stats aren't crazy either; must of had killer ECs

I mean Harvard can take who they want. If you look online, they have a surprisingly wide range. In all honesty, I think stats above a certain point just aren't that impressive. Some schools know that, and choose to structure their classes accordingly.

I'd personally be much more excited about a candidate with pretty good stats, but an awesome backstory, passion, and interesting ECs than a cookie cutter applicant with outstanding stats.

 

[Surgical Spoon]

Meanwhile I'm just here to admire people from the top of the food-chain

 

[deleted1064759]

Lol. I get what you're saying, but there's a lot more to it than just MCAT, GPA, and ECs.

That's what he said lol. The true stat schools IMO are Upenn, NYU, WashU

 

[deleted1064759]

Meanwhile I'm just here to admire people from the top of the food-chain

Eh, I believe everyone has something going for them. Whether you're only applying to DO or only applying t20s, it's just a social construct and doesn't mean diddly in the real world.

 

[Homunculus150]

I mean Harvard can take who they want. If you look online, they have a surprisingly wide range. In all honesty, I think stats above a certain point just aren't that impressive. Some schools know that, and choose to structure their classes accordingly.

I'd personally be much more excited about a candidate with pretty good stats, but an awesome backstory, passion, and interesting ECs than a cookie cutter applicant with outstanding stats.

I hope this is the case; my stats and accomplishments are decent but probably slightly below average for T20s. Backstory and activities are fairly unique though which is what I'm banking on.

 

[MediocreClimber]

I hope this is the case; my stats and accomplishments are decent but probably slightly below average for T20s. Backstory and activities are fairly unique though which is what I'm banking on.

Same here lol

 

[deleted1038508]

That's what he said lol. The true stat schools IMO are Upenn, NYU, WashU

And vanderbilt I think

 

[deleted1064759]

And vanderbilt I think

You're right, forgot Vandy.

Yale's median accepted is also pretty high; but to my knowledge, it seems like the only top-tier that has a big discrepancy b/w accepted and matriculated MCATs (like 521 to 518). I guess high stats people don't like Yale too much.

 

[deleted1038508]

You're right, forgot Vandy.

Yale's median accepted is also pretty high; but to my knowledge, it seems like the only top-tier that has a big discrepancy b/w accepted and matriculated MCATs (like 521 to 518). I guess high stats people don't like Yale too much.

Yale sucks LOL

 

[Idahomie]

Yale's median accepted is also pretty high; but to my knowledge, it seems like the only top-tier that has a big discrepancy b/w accepted and matriculated MCATs (like 521 to 518). I guess high stats people don't like Yale too much.

I think this last year was an anomaly. The year before they were in the top 3 or so for accepted and matriculation stats.

 

[deleted1064759]

Yale sucks LOL

Smh not even t10 worthy these days. Probably a safety school at best.

 

[SpreadKindness20]

You're right, forgot Vandy.

Yale's median accepted is also pretty high; but to my knowledge, it seems like the only top-tier that has a big discrepancy b/w accepted and matriculated MCATs (like 521 to 518). I guess high stats people don't like Yale too much.

What source of data provides MCAT score for accepted vs. matriculating students?

 

[deleted1064759]

What source of data provides MCAT score for accepted vs. matriculating students?

MSAR, you just have to hit the explore tab

 

[SpreadKindness20]

MSAR, you just have to hit the explore tab
View attachment 315805

Never noticed that dropdown. Thanks mate!

 

[r2med]

What source of data provides MCAT score for accepted vs. matriculating students?

AAMC has multiple reports. If you are looking at college-level AAMC's MSAR might be the best.

 

[ShamW0W]

Yes, I agree with both of these interpretations. To me the Harvard question is providing people an opportunity to specifically describe a barrier they've faced due to their identity or background. Further clarifying this is the note that most applicants will not need to answer the question. I think a generic diversity/what makes me unique answer would not be appropriate here.

I'm inclined to agree, but I want to ask: why don't they make that more clear? Is Harvard is really looking for a specific challenge or are they simply trying to prevent people from tokenizing their identity?

I ask because for me, living abroad was a very formative experience, though I never faced any significant barriers due to my background, and it has definitely influenced my desire to pursue medicine.

 

[TheLurkingPig]

I have gotten a lot of conflicting interpretations of the "personal background or identity" optional essay. It seems that it is truly optional, but how are all of you approaching it? Could this be used as a diversity essay for factors not related to the examples they list?

Not sure if any of you care but here's what i put:

I am actually a werewolf. Every month at full moon, I change dramatically. In search of our mortal enemies, the vampires, I roam the streets with other werewolves. When we meet, there is lots of growling and threatening talk. Someone always backs down, after which we take some selfies and then go back to our werewolf lair and watch the Vampire Diaries. Or Supernatural. Or Twilight… one of those, you know. I know that I will be able to use my skills as a werewolf to relate to my patients who also bear this curse, and provide insights to my fellow students on what it's like to live as a slave to the moon.

Hope this helps!

(pls know this is a joke intending to lift everyone's spirits in these times of madness

 

[Lawlify]

Not sure if any of you care but here's what i put:

I am actually a werewolf. Every month at full moon, I change dramatically. In search of our mortal enemies, the vampires, I roam the streets with other werewolves. When we meet, there is lots of growling and threatening talk. Someone always backs down, after which we take some selfies and then go back to our werewolf lair and watch the Vampire Diaries. Or Supernatural. Or Twilight… one of those, you know. I know that I will be able to use my skills as a werewolf to relate to my patients who also bear this curse, and provide insights to my fellow students on what it's like to live as a slave to the moon.

Hope this helps!

If I were an adcom, I would automatically give you that sweet sweet II

 

[rep_the_don]

Yep. Probably the last I'll hear from HMS lol

I sent Harvard an email and they told me that they don't send "Application is Complete" emails. As long as your documents are all showing as received, you should be complete!

 

[godsgirly4320]

since there is no explicit "why HMS" question, has anyone found creative ways to integrate their interest into the essays?

 

[SpreadKindness20]

since there is no explicit "why HMS" question, has anyone found creative ways to integrate their interest into the essays?

I think at this point in the process they don't really care why you want to go to HMS. It's the best school in the country, and they know everyone who applies wants to go there.

So I wouldn't worry about needing to incorporate "why HMS," and I wouldn't try to do so, either.