2020-2021 University of South Carolina - Greenville

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Secondary received, OOS

@TheDataKing

Academic History

Question 1c: If you are a re-applicant, what have you engaged in and/or accomplished to strengthen your candidacy? (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 2: If you are not accepted to medical school for the upcoming academic year, what are your plans?

Question 5: Please briefly describe circumstances regarding any courses with a grade less than a B minus, or any course withdrawals. Additionally, please describe the circumstances if you took any required courses as Pass/Fail rather than graded due to COVID-19, including if you had a choice to take as graded or pass/fail and the context of that decision. (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 6: If you are currently participating in an academic program, please outline intended coursework for the academic year. (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 7: If you do not expect to spend this academic year in school, please explain how you intend to use this time. (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Personal Information

Question 1: Please provide any information regarding hardships that you have overcome. You may wish to include any past achievements, experiences, challenges, family or personal circumstances, interests, etc. that you believe would bring added value and diversity to the learning community at UofSC School of Medicine Greenville.

Question 2: If you are not a South Carolina resident, what relationships, bonds, or other interests or connections do you have to the state? (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 3: Is there any additional information you would like the Admissions Committee to consider that has not been previously addressed? (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Essays

Essay 1: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your decision to attend medical school? What did you learn about yourself during this unprecedented pandemic? Comment also on how the pandemic contributed to your understanding of the challenges and rewards of caring for critically ill patients who may themselves represent a risk to your own health as well as that of your family.

Essay 2: In what ways is it important for physicians to serve as leaders? How does this relate to your personal strengths? Are there important leadership qualities that you are working to develop or improve?

Question 7: Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

All prompts are 5000 char
 
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Sheesh, USCSOMG wants to read full autobiographies for their secondaries lol

Any advice or examples on appropriate responses to include for Question 3 in Personal Information? ("Is there any additional information you would like the Admissions Committee to consider that has not been previously addressed?")

Best of luck to everybody applying!
 
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How many characters are you guys aiming for? 5000 characters seem excessive for this many
 
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I thought last year's was 2000 characters so I'm just trying to get mine to 2500 ish now.
 
"Question 1: Please provide any information regarding hardships that you have overcome. You may wish to include any past achievements, experiences, challenges, family or personal circumstances, interests, etc. that you believe would bring added value and diversity to the learning community at UofSC School of Medicine Greenville."

Is this prompt strictly asking for significant hardships? Would it be appropriate to discuss a unique interest or skill that brings diversity if it isn't a hardship? This prompt is kind of confusing me.
 
WarsawComputing said:
Secondary received, OOS

@TheDataKing

Academic History

Question 1c: If you are a re-applicant, what have you engaged in and/or accomplished to strengthen your candidacy? (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 2: If you are not accepted to medical school for the upcoming academic year, what are your plans?

Question 5: Please briefly describe circumstances regarding any courses with a grade less than a B minus, or any course withdrawals. Additionally, please describe the circumstances if you took any required courses as Pass/Fail rather than graded due to COVID-19, including if you had a choice to take as graded or pass/fail and the context of that decision. (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 6: If you are currently participating in an academic program, please outline intended coursework for the academic year. (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 7: If you do not expect to spend this academic year in school, please explain how you intend to use this time. (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Personal Information

Question 1: Please provide any information regarding hardships that you have overcome. You may wish to include any past achievements, experiences, challenges, family or personal circumstances, interests, etc. that you believe would bring added value and diversity to the learning community at UofSC School of Medicine Greenville.

Question 2: If you are not a South Carolina resident, what relationships, bonds, or other interests or connections do you have to the state? (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Question 3: Is there any additional information you would like the Admissions Committee to consider that has not been previously addressed? (If not applicable, please write N/A)

Essays

Essay 1: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your decision to attend medical school? What did you learn about yourself during this unprecedented pandemic? Comment also on how the pandemic contributed to your understanding of the challenges and rewards of caring for critically ill patients who may themselves represent a risk to your own health as well as that of your family.

Essay 2: In what ways is it important for physicians to serve as leaders? How does this relate to your personal strengths? Are there important leadership qualities that you are working to develop or improve?

Question 7: Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

All prompts are 5000 char
Click to expand...

Actually, the last two essays have a 5000 char limit, but the directions specifically say each of these two essays should be 500 words or less.
 
huntbrotherspizza said:
"Question 1: Please provide any information regarding hardships that you have overcome. You may wish to include any past achievements, experiences, challenges, family or personal circumstances, interests, etc. that you believe would bring added value and diversity to the learning community at UofSC School of Medicine Greenville."

Is this prompt strictly asking for significant hardships? Would it be appropriate to discuss a unique interest or skill that brings diversity if it isn't a hardship? This prompt is kind of confusing me.
Click to expand...

I agree, not really sure what to write about for this one. There are things I want to write about that bring diversity but aren't necessarily hardships... Anyone else have any further clarification?
 
Just submitted secondary! - Definitely the most writing compared to other med schools

To those who have already submitted secondaries, did you get an email confirmation? Bc I didn't, which I thought was unusual for Greenville
 
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SicilianDragon said:
Just submitted secondary! - Definitely the most writing compared to other med schools

To those who have already submitted secondaries, did you get an email confirmation? Bc I didn't, which I thought was unusual for Greenville
Click to expand...
I submitted yesterday and also did not receive a confirmation email. I saw in last year's thread people received confirmation several days after submitting their secondary.
 
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iamchristianong said:
Actually, the last two essays have a 5000 char limit, but the directions specifically say each of these two essays should be 500 words or less.
Click to expand...
Hey guys, they say 500 words but the character limit is 5000. They say you can type in the box, which would assume that you could type until the character limit. What should I go with, the character limit or the word count, and why do you feel that way?
 
Frosted411 said:
Hey guys, they say 500 words but the character limit is 5000. They say you can type in the box, which would assume that you could type until the character limit. What should I go with, the character limit or the word count, and why do you feel that way?
Click to expand...

you should follow the word count because they probably just put the 5000 character limit as a buffer since they don't know how many characters your 500 words will contain. obviously, 5000 is a lot so it probably acts as a buffer.

anyways, because the directions clearly say "Each essay should be 500 words or less," i think we should follow that
 
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Demographics Question 7: Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Is everyone answering this or does it look bad to leave this blank if im just a basic white girl? The only thing I could really write about is being a woman but feel like this is reaching
 
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cmc22 said:
Demographics Question 7: Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Is everyone answering this or does it look bad to leave this blank if im just a basic white girl? The only thing I could really write about is being a woman but feel like this is reaching
Click to expand...

Fellow basic white girl here, definitely leaving it blank.
 
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EaglesDoc said:
Anyone got confirmation after submitting secondaries? I have submitted sometime last week I haven’t received one.
3.5 and 510 - what do you think of these stats for an instate.
Click to expand...
I got one this morning and submitted 2 days ago
 
Submitted on 7/18 and still no confirmation email. Anyone in same boat?
 
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I submitted on 7/13 and just received a confirmation email
 
What did you guys consider putting for "If you are not accepted to medical school for the upcoming academic year, what are your plans?" Did you write until the word limit of 5000 characters?

Also, if I am Asian, do you think I could fill out the essay on "Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity." It depends for me because there are some places where I would not be a minority and others where I would.
 
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medschoolpls13 said:
What did you guys consider putting for "If you are not accepted to medical school for the upcoming academic year, what are your plans?" Did you write until the word limit of 5000 characters?

Also, if I am Asian, do you think I could fill out the essay on "Are there any additional aspects of your personal background or identity that you feel are important to share with the Admissions Committee? Examples might include barriers to access educational opportunities; economically disadvantaged status; or identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity." It depends for me because there are some places where I would not be a minority and others where I would.
Click to expand...
I'm also Asian and I just took it as a diversity essay while the other previous essay was more adversity + diversity
 
Hello all. Have you seen that Greenville and Columbia are part of VITA?
What do you think?
 
EaglesDoc said:
Hello all. Have you seen that Greenville and Columbia are part of VITA?
What do you think?
Click to expand...

Not sure about Columbia, but on Greenville's website, it doesn't indicate anything about VITA. I feel like they could potentially use it as a supplement...but it doesn't really seem like a Greenville move.

Quote from Greenville's website:
"Selected applicants will be invited to participate in a virtual interview day via Zoom with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. The day begins with an information session with our Admissions Team and members of our Dean’s Cabinet, followed by a lunch break before beginning interviews. Each applicant will have one, 50-minute interview with two members of our Admissions Committee. Applicants will also rotate through a "Multiple Mini-Interview" session before ending the day learning about Financial Aid and Student Success Resources, meeting with current students, and taking a virtual tour of our school. The interview day begins at 10:00 a.m. EST and generally ends at approximately 5:00 p.m. EST."
 
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SicilianDragon said:
Not sure about Columbia, but on Greenville's website, it doesn't indicate anything about VITA. I feel like they could potentially use it as a supplement...but it doesn't really seem like a Greenville move.

Quote from Greenville's website:
"Selected applicants will be invited to participate in a virtual interview day via Zoom with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. The day begins with an information session with our Admissions Team and members of our Dean’s Cabinet, followed by a lunch break before beginning interviews. Each applicant will have one, 50-minute interview with two members of our Admissions Committee. Applicants will also rotate through a "Multiple Mini-Interview" session before ending the day learning about Financial Aid and Student Success Resources, meeting with current students, and taking a virtual tour of our school. The interview day begins at 10:00 a.m. EST and generally ends at approximately 5:00 p.m. EST."
Click to expand...
Please check this link. Greenville is listed on there.
students-residents.aamc.org

Medical Schools Participating in the AAMC Video Interview Tool for Admissions

Learn about the AAMC Video Interview Tool for Admissions (AAMC VITA™).
students-residents.aamc.org students-residents.aamc.org
 
VITA II received this morning. (IS applicant)
 
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SicilianDragon said:
VITA II received this morning. (IS applicant)
Click to expand...
Do you think there’s much of a rush to get it done? I have the VITA invite too and am frustrated that it’s a screen before the interview. I have to do it for another school also but they said just 2 weeks before the interview and it’s a complement. I was planning on doing it in about 8 or 9 days and was wondering if that’d put me in a bad spot with Greenville?
 
premedguy12 said:
Do you think there’s much of a rush to get it done? I have the VITA invite too and am frustrated that it’s a screen before the interview. I have to do it for another school also but they said just 2 weeks before the interview and it’s a complement. I was planning on doing it in about 8 or 9 days and was wondering if that’d put me in a bad spot with Greenville?
Click to expand...

I was also planning on doing it in about a week (just to have some time to prepare in advance). I think that's a completely reasonable time frame; I'm kind of just viewing it as a "second secondary."

But yeah I agree, it's frustrating having a "pre-interview" screen - honestly this just feels like another annoying hoop to jump through. I'm curious how many applicants they filter out before the actual live interview.
 
SicilianDragon said:
When did you submit your primary and secondary? It might be coming soon.

And at least from my profile, I can assure you that it's not stats-based lol.
Click to expand...
Primary on Day 1 and verified the second day. Secondary submitted (07/22) week after we received. What's your Stats if you don't mind sharing.You can DM me too.

I read that they send invites every Thursday.
 
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Hey guys, just got an email that UofSC Greenville is no longer requiring AAMC VITA! Received the VITA invite earlier today and was not looking forward to doing it as part of the pre-interview process, so I'm thrilled. Here is the email in full if y'all are interested:


Good Afternoon!

I apologize for the inconvenience, but I want to let you know as soon as possible that the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville admissions committee has made a change to our Admissions Process. We have decided that we are NOT going to ask our applicants to participate in the AAMC VITA program this year. You received a status update from me inviting you to participate, and you should have also received a separate email from HireVue with instructions to log in to their system. You can disregard the email from me, and disregard the email from HireVue unless you were invited by another school to complete the AAMC VITA.

Our admissions committee made the decision to not participate in this program because they feel confident that we will be able to evaluate applicants comprehensively using our live virtual interview process. We also are aware that this application year is more challenging for many of our applicants and we felt that an additional step in the process is not necessary for applicants to our medical school.

Please consider your application complete at this time, and we will contact you as your application status is updated.
 
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regina-phalange said:
did anyone else only apply to Greenville but get an email from the Columbia campus asking for SC ties? The link doesn't work but I wasn't sure if this is something I should ask about and something I need to fill out anyway?
Click to expand...
according to the Columbia thread, if you copy and paste the link it should work. As for if you would have to fill it out, I'm not sure but maybe there is more information on the link? If not, calling Admissions is probably your best bet
Good luck!
 
II this morning!
Secondary submitted: 7/27. Stats: 4.0/520 IS
 
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For anyone who is also out of state but with strong close ties, how many days did it take to receive your secondary? I was verified last Thursday but haven't heard anything yet and am wondering if there is a close ties form I need to fill out beforehand.
 
Hi guys! I'm a current M1 at USCSOMG. Feel free to ask me questions on here or privately over chat. It can be about application process or being a student at the school itself. Best of luck in your application cycle!
 
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excitedmedapp said:
Hi guys! I'm a current M1 at USCSOMG. Feel free to ask me questions on here or privately over chat. It can be about application process or being a student at the school itself. Best of luck in your application cycle!
Click to expand...
Hey, any advice for preparing for the MMI?
 
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katebag24 said:
For anyone who is also out of state but with strong close ties, how many days did it take to receive your secondary? I was verified last Thursday but haven't heard anything yet and am wondering if there is a close ties form I need to fill out beforehand.
Click to expand...

I was verified June 6th, received my secondary 7/13. There's an essay on the secondary about your ties.
 
MediocreApplicant said:
Hey, any advice for preparing for the MMI?
Click to expand...
I personally struggled to prepare for it because the options are endless of what you could be asked. I searched for some practice questions online. I read probably 50 example questions and practiced out loud how I would respond to that question or situation. Had a friend read me a couple and I’d do it in front of them too!
Make sure you know your stance on hot topic ethical debates (examples- abortion, PAS, universal healthcare, under the table treatment). Understand what it takes to be a kinda and empathetic doctor.
MMI seems really terrifying as you prep, but it was one of my favorite parts of the interview day I realized when it was over. They really aren’t bad!!
 
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mdavis790 said:
Do they accept update letters?
Click to expand...
There will be an option in the secondary application portal to add updates. If not, just contact Lucy and check if they’re accepting those this year.
 
EaglesDoc said:
Primary on Day 1 and verified the second day. Secondary submitted (07/22) week after we received. What's your Stats if you don't mind sharing.You can DM me too.

I read that they send invites every Thursday.
Click to expand...
Don’t let this have you checking your email nonstop on Thursdays (just so you can keep your sanity!!) My invite was sent on a Wednesday last year!
 
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