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TheDataKing

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Please tag a pre-allo moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview Feedback: Michigan State University

Secondary Prompts 2020-2021:

1. The College of Human Medicine offers students an innovative learning environment. What experiences have you had that have prepared you to succeed in our curriculum? How will you approach any challenges you may face? (300 words)
2. Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What were the challenges? What did you learn? (300 words)
3. If you could present yourself to the Committee on Admissions, what would you want to make sure they knew about you? (300 words)
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Has anyone heard back regarding the Early Assurance decisions?
 
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Does anyone know of secondary prompts that haven't changed year to year? I haven't started because it seemed like 19-20 prompts differed quite a bit from 18-19!
 
Swangkey said:
Does anyone know of secondary prompts that haven't changed year to year? I haven't started because it seemed like 19-20 prompts differed quite a bit from 18-19!
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I looked into a little bit. It seems that they kept the "Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone" and "If you could present yourself to the committee on Admissions" both. However, year to year they changed the third question. This is what I have seen from looking back the past 3-4 years anyway.
 
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Thank you! :) Great detective work!
pescatarian19 said:
I looked into a little bit. It seems that they kept the "Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone" and "If you could present yourself to the committee on Admissions" both. However, year to year they changed the third question. This is what I have seen from looking back the past 3-4 years anyway.
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Secondary received - IS

Prompts:
1. The College of Human Medicine offers students an innovative learning environment. What experiences have you had that have prepared you to succeed in our curriculum? How will you approach any challenges you may face? (300 words)
2. Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What were the challenges? What did you learn? (300 words)
3. If you could present yourself to the Committee on Admissions, what would you want to make sure they knew about you? (300 words)

@TheDataKing
 
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Does anyone know is MSU screens applicants before sending out secondaries? Especially since they ask for CASPer, I wonder if it would be worth it to continue (I got one this morning OOS).

Thanks!
 
Tetines of Paris said:
Does anyone know is MSU screens applicants before sending out secondaries? Especially since they ask for CASPer, I wonder if it would be worth it to continue (I got one this morning OOS).

Thanks!
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It does not appear is if they screen applicants pre secondary from what I’ve found online
 
Does anyone know if it’s worth applying as an OOS student without any state ties whatsoever?

Really not too sure about paying up front before even getting the secondary for a state school I’m already OOS for :/
 
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Is the flint campus experience very different from the East Lansing campus?
 
I received and paid for the secondary but it still says I have to pay and wont let me complete it. Anybody else have this problem?
 
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Tetines of Paris said:
Does anyone know is MSU screens applicants before sending out secondaries? Especially since they ask for CASPer, I wonder if it would be worth it to continue (I got one this morning OOS).

Thanks!
Click to expand...
According to MSAR, it looks like the secondary application is not screened. I think they send it to everyone.
 
Can any current students talk about any resources for LGBTQ+ students? And what it's like to live at their campuses as an LGBTQ+ person? I cannot find any LGBTQ+ student group on the MSUCHM page (the only school I've found that doesn't have one!) and frankly, I've gotten some nasty looks holding my partner's hand in some of the cities where they have campuses. I can cope with being in a not-very-affirming city, as long as I don't feel unsupported or alone as an LGBTQ+ student at the medical school.

I hope I'm just jumping to conclusions, and someone can correct me! I don't want to drop the $95 on the secondary if it won't be a good place for me for 4 years.
 
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TabbyTuxy said:
Can any current students talk about any resources for LGBTQ+ students? And what it's like to live at their campuses as an LGBTQ+ person? I cannot find any LGBTQ+ student group on the MSUCHM page (the only school I've found that doesn't have one!) and frankly, I've gotten some nasty looks holding my partner's hand in some of the cities where they have campuses. I can cope with being in a not-very-affirming city, as long as I don't feel unsupported or alone as an LGBTQ+ student at the medical school.

I hope I'm just jumping to conclusions, and someone can correct me! I don't want to drop the $95 on the secondary if it won't be a good place for me for 4 years.
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Not a current student but visited last year.

Honestly, some of these towns are a “no” for PDA, especially with those of the LGBTQIA+ community. But,l MSU CHM is a very community oriented school and the students I met there were definitely allies if not LGBTQIA+ themselves. The school has an activist bent too so that says something. I think their curriculum includes really cool topics like transgender health, and I think that’s a good representation of their focus and inclusion.

I don’t think you will feel alone and you will be super busy anyways. If you are really interested in working with the underserved I think the $95 is worth it.
 
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gunner526 said:
Not a current student but visited last year.

Honestly, some of these towns are a “no” for PDA, especially with those of the LGBTQIA+ community. But,l MSU CHM is a very community oriented school and the students I met there were definitely allies if not LGBTQIA+ themselves. The school has an activist bent too so that says something. I think their curriculum includes really cool topics like transgender health, and I think that’s a good representation of their focus and inclusion.

I don’t think you will feel alone and you will be super busy anyways. If you are really interested in working with the underserved I think the $95 is worth it.
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Awesome, I appreciate the reply! It can be hard to gauge from a website.
 
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Is anyone struggling with having the secondary essays page marked as complete? I’ve answered all questions but it’s saying the page is incomplete for some reason
 
Mdcsmitty said:
I received and paid for the secondary but it still says I have to pay and wont let me complete it. Anybody else have this problem?
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You were supposed to hit sign-out on the payment page (described in the email) so that it refreshed your secondary app portal. That might be the problem.
 
MedMade333 said:
Is the flint campus experience very different from the East Lansing campus?
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The Flint campus is for your LCE (3rd and 4th year). It's one of 7. The East Lansing versus Grand Rapids campus is for ECE (1st and 2nd year).
 
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Can any past or current students explain the difference between EL and GR? I'm fortunate enough to have the choice and can't decide!
 
TabbyTuxy said:
Can any current students talk about any resources for LGBTQ+ students? And what it's like to live at their campuses as an LGBTQ+ person? I cannot find any LGBTQ+ student group on the MSUCHM page (the only school I've found that doesn't have one!) and frankly, I've gotten some nasty looks holding my partner's hand in some of the cities where they have campuses. I can cope with being in a not-very-affirming city, as long as I don't feel unsupported or alone as an LGBTQ+ student at the medical school.

I hope I'm just jumping to conclusions, and someone can correct me! I don't want to drop the $95 on the secondary if it won't be a good place for me for 4 years.
Click to expand...

Current 4th year. The CHM administration and (in my observation) the student body are strong allies of LGBTQIA community. I'm not sure where to find the student groups, but there are a couple, and these students are also fairly involved in the community outside the classroom in Lansing. You can read more about their wonderful work here. The school itself integrates several different LGBTQIA classes/sessions/community panels during our simulation experiences that I personally have appreciated immensely. East Lansing and Lansing to my knowledge are fairly progressive socially speaking - I can't quite say the same thing about Grand Rapids which is arguably in the most traditional and socially conservative region of the state, though the school itself is still very supportive. I must admit these are the observations of a cis-gender guy, but several friends of mine whom are queer have spoken fondly of the Greater Lansing and Ann Arbor Communities. Rest assured, I think you will find a warm welcome should you decide to come here.
 
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Can anyone give a TLDR of what their curriculum is like? I'm struggling to answer the first secondary question but I can't find anything helpful from trying to navigate through their website. Any info would be much appreciated!
 
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DemNeurons said:
Current 4th year. The CHM administration and (in my observation) the student body are strong allies of LGBTQIA community. I'm not sure where to find the student groups, but there are a couple, and these students are also fairly involved in the community outside the classroom in Lansing. You can read more about their wonderful work here. The school itself integrates several different LGBTQIA classes/sessions/community panels during our simulation experiences that I personally have appreciated immensely. East Lansing and Lansing to my knowledge are fairly progressive socially speaking - I can't quite say the same thing about Grand Rapids which is arguably in the most traditional and socially conservative region of the state, though the school itself is still very supportive. I must admit these are the observations of a cis-gender guy, but several friends of mine whom are queer have spoken fondly of the Greater Lansing and Ann Arbor Communities. Rest assured, I think you will find a warm welcome should you decide to come here.
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Thanks for the thorough reply! I love the integration of LGBTQ+ health topics into the curriculum. I did read about Queering Medicine and it's connections to the CHM, but the article I read also made it clear that they are not supported/directly affiliated with MSUCHM -- I'm glad to know it isn't because MSUCHM is intentionally distancing themselves (I think). I've lived all over the state, and I know that Ferndale and Ann Arbor are definitely the most LGBTQ+ friendly places in Michigan, with Lansing certainly up there, too. Others may have a different threshold for tolerance/quality of life, but I personally am not interested in living in Grand Rapids, so it concerns me that I cannot pick my campus. Do students have any input at all in campus preference? Again, thank you for taking the time.
 
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How is everyone approaching the first question? ( The College of Human Medicine offers students an innovative learning environment. What experiences have you had that have prepared you to succeed in our curriculum? How will you approach any challenges you may face?) Is this a space to talk about your challenges and how these have prepared you to face challenges in med school?
 
nichma said:
How is everyone approaching the first question? ( The College of Human Medicine offers students an innovative learning environment. What experiences have you had that have prepared you to succeed in our curriculum? How will you approach any challenges you may face?) Is this a space to talk about your challenges and how these have prepared you to face challenges in med school?
Click to expand...
I'm thinking it's more of a "why MSU?/what makes you a good fit for MSU?" question
 
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my status changed today to "forwarded for preliminary review". says after the preliminary review, ill get another status update with an II, R, or hold
 
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Is MSUCHM still having trouble receiving Casper scores? I sent them on 7/11 and it still dosen't reflect on the portal
 
nichma said:
How is everyone approaching the first question? ( The College of Human Medicine offers students an innovative learning environment. What experiences have you had that have prepared you to succeed in our curriculum? How will you approach any challenges you may face?) Is this a space to talk about your challenges and how these have prepared you to face challenges in med school?
Click to expand...

I really don't see how this can be a "why MSU" essay. It seems like another challenge essay, maybe specifically related to what adversity we have overcome, and how that will translate to MSU? I'm curious to hear what you ended up going with.
 
CountryBoy2134 said:
I really don't see how this can be a "why MSU" essay. It seems like another challenge essay, maybe specifically related to what adversity we have overcome, and how that will translate to MSU? I'm curious to hear what you ended up going with.
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I think it's a why MSU question. They have put a lot of emphasis on their shared discovery curriculum. Its not just the case based learning style, but their approach to support, also. I interpreted this prompt as a compatibility with flipped classroom models/CBL/TBL and what you may find challenging about that learning environment.
 
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dindjarin87 said:
I think it's a why MSU question. They have put a lot of emphasis on their shared discovery curriculum. Its not just the case based learning style, but their approach to support, also. I interpreted this prompt as a compatibility with flipped classroom models/CBL/TBL and what you may find challenging about that learning environment.
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I gave it some more thought and I agree. Thanks for the advice.
 
I emailed them about this question. And based on the response, I got the impression that this is more of an adversity question.
 
Does this secondary allow for an optional text box for IAs or allow for updates after submission? To make a long story short, I have pre-written all my secondaries but still waiting for my primary to be reviewed (hopefully in a few more days!), but when I submitted my primary I indicated I had no IAs because what I thought were not violations actually were. After talking to a few admissions departments I have learned my best bet is to 1)email the admissions office and dean of admissions, 2) explain in the optional text box why I did not report it on my primary, and 3)update my application with the details if allowed.

Therefore, does this secondary have an optional text box or allow for resubmission where I would have the opportunity to explain this situation?
 
Anyone have their casper scores marked received by MSU since yesterday?
 
mpmp3233 said:
Therefore, does this secondary have an optional text box or allow for resubmission where I would have the opportunity to explain this situation?
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Looking at the secondary application, I do not see any optional text box for IA explanation or disclosure. I also do not believe they allow you to provide updates via the secondary, either. Definitely get other opinions, but I think directly contacting admissions would be your best bet.
 
leatherswoosh said:
Looking at the secondary application, I do not see any optional text box for IA explanation or disclosure. I also do not believe they allow you to provide updates via the secondary, either. Definitely get other opinions, but I think directly contacting admissions would be your best bet.
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Thank you! I have gotten an email back from them. If anyone else is in the same boat for MSU all they ask is that you email the admissions office after receiving your secondary (or after you submitted if you have already done so)
 
Hello everyone, I was hoping to get some feedback on the prompt:
Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What were the challenges? What did you learn? (300 words)

I have been a vegan for 3 years and would like to discuss my transition here. I ate meat and dairy for 20 years nearly then began to realize that my actions and beliefs that I was an animal-lover did not align. the exploitation of animals and degradation of environments through factory farming are clear. I want to highlight how my viewpoints were challenged and how I decided to make a change. however, I know some non-vegans may become offended by this or feel as if it is patronizing (which I do not want to be). is this too risky? thanks
 
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I might be biased as a vegetarian, but I think this is fun and unique. As long as you do not "shame" meat eaters or look down on it, I think this is a great topic!
premedmillenial said:
Hello everyone, I was hoping to get some feedback on the prompt:
Discuss a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone. What were the challenges? What did you learn? (300 words)

I have been a vegan for 3 years and would like to discuss my transition here. I ate meat and dairy for 20 years nearly then began to realize that my actions and beliefs that I was an animal-lover did not align. the exploitation of animals and degradation of environments through factory farming are clear. I want to highlight how my viewpoints were challenged and how I decided to make a change. however, I know some non-vegans may become offended by this or feel as if it is patronizing (which I do not want to be). is this too risky? thanks
Click to expand...
 
dopeto said:
I might be biased as a vegetarian, but I think this is fun and unique. As long as you do not "shame" meat eaters or look down on it, I think this is a great topic!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feedback. You are likely biased loll but I will definitely write it in a non-judgemental way
 
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Anyone's CASPER score still not received? submitted secondary on 7/20
 
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Any one have some insight into their course Prerequisite Model Options? I feel like my courses are a mixture of the "MCAT-influenced" and the End-Point given I majored in Biological Sciences and minored in Philosophy. Does this alter how they view your application and ultimately affect acceptances?
 
Dumpling123 said:
Mine still says not received even though I took my CASPer test back in May.
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Same here. Their office is still having issues receiving casper it seems. They said they would email us when it was resolved.
 
Tirade said:
Same here. Their office is still having issues receiving casper it seems. They said they would email us when it was resolved.
Click to expand...
Mine was resolved a week ago. You might want to email them
 
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