2020-2021 University of Washington

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Hey guys, UW admission office just released this on its facebook page. Just FYI:

"MCAT Policy Update: For applicants who have not yet taken the MCAT exam, the test will be OPTIONAL for the remainder of 2020 for the UWSOM MD Program. We will accept and consider applications WITHOUT MCAT scores. However, if you have an MCAT score, it will be considered by the Admissions Committee. More details about this policy change will be posted to our website soon: uwmedicine.org/admissions"

From the sound of it, it seems MCAT is optional for UW this year
 
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lovemed102 said:
Hey guys, UW admission office just released this on their facebook page. Just FYI:

"MCAT Policy Update: For applicants who have not yet taken the MCAT exam, the test will be OPTIONAL for the remainder of 2020 for the UWSOM MD Program. We will accept and consider applications WITHOUT MCAT scores. However, if you have an MCAT score, it will be considered by the Admissions Committee. More details about this policy change will be posted to our website soon: uwmedicine.org/admissions"

From the sound of it, it seems MCAT is optional for UW this year
Click to expand...
I do see the need of this but then I am wondering how they're going to fairly compare all candidates?
 
lovemed102 said:
Hey guys, UW admission office just released this on its facebook page. Just FYI:

"MCAT Policy Update: For applicants who have not yet taken the MCAT exam, the test will be OPTIONAL for the remainder of 2020 for the UWSOM MD Program. We will accept and consider applications WITHOUT MCAT scores. However, if you have an MCAT score, it will be considered by the Admissions Committee. More details about this policy change will be posted to our website soon: uwmedicine.org/admissions"

From the sound of it, it seems MCAT is optional for UW this year
Click to expand...

Interesting....
 
onelastshot said:
I do see the need of this but then I am wondering how they're going to fairly compare all candidates?
Click to expand...
If you think about it, there are only a handful of schools going completely MCAT-optional. The odds that a candidate will not take the MCAT and only apply to those few schools, and somehow get in, are low. This policy is just to help those few to which it applies. For everyone else who is applying to lots of schools and thus has to take the MCAT, your MCAT score should only help your application if you did well.
 
ice cheems said:
If you think about it, there are only a handful of schools going completely MCAT-optional. The odds that a candidate will not take the MCAT and only apply to those few schools, and somehow get in, are low. This policy is just to help those few to which it applies. For everyone else who is applying to lots of schools and thus has to take the MCAT, your MCAT score should only help your application if you did well.
Click to expand...
depends on what is considered well lol...
 
UW MSTP secondary received! Submitted the MSTP preliminary on 07/17. Questions the same as last year:

1. Use this opportunity to provide any autobiographical information which you feel would be helpful for the MSTP office.

2. If you are not currently enrolled in coursework (nor planning to be enrolled throughout the application process), please describe your activities in this period.

No character counts. Also prereq questions and a bunch of checkboxes around honor code and stuff.
 
MSTP secondary received tonight as well! How are people interpreting the autobiography prompt? I'm wanting to use the one I wrote for Vanderbilt because I felt like it touched on a lot and is already edited, but UW's prompt is so vague compared to their and I'm second guessing myself about what they're looking for lol
 
dngnc88 said:
MSTP secondary received tonight as well! How are people interpreting the autobiography prompt? I'm wanting to use the one I wrote for Vanderbilt because I felt like it touched on a lot and is already edited, but UW's prompt is so vague compared to their and I'm second guessing myself about what they're looking for lol
Click to expand...

I think I'm just keeping it more focused on science/medicine. I felt like with the other autobiography prompts they gave a bit more license to talk about whatever but not in this prompt.
 
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with applying to both the MSTP and the MD. I am a WA resident and on the MSTP FAQs it says:

"UW MSTP and the UW Medical School have separate admissions processes. If you are a WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho) resident, you can be considered concurrently for both."

Do I have to reach out to the MD of MSTP office to get the MD secondary (already received and submitted the MSTP prelim and secondary) or will it come automatically because I am a resident? I would rather not reach out because I don't want to seem not committed to MD/PhD but having UW MD as a backup would be awesome.
 
kittensneezes said:
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has any experience with applying to both the MSTP and the MD. I am a WA resident and on the MSTP FAQs it says:

"UW MSTP and the UW Medical School have separate admissions processes. If you are a WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho) resident, you can be considered concurrently for both."

Do I have to reach out to the MD of MSTP office to get the MD secondary (already received and submitted the MSTP prelim and secondary) or will it come automatically because I am a resident? I would rather not reach out because I don't want to seem not committed to MD/PhD but having UW MD as a backup would be awesome.
Click to expand...

Hello! Short answer is: I really don't know! However, my understanding with other MSTPs is that, if rejected from the MSTP, the app would automatically be reviewed by the MD committee, without the need to submit an additional app.

I totally agree about not reaching out, though--good idea.
 
Thanks, @fishberry! I'm aware that that's how it works at other schools but the "considered concurrently" is really tripping me up here...
 
Just got verified, so a little late on the MSTP prelim app train! For the research interests essay, would it be better to talk about my research past -> my interests, or should I save that for the autobiography and just be brief about my interests in the prelim? Also, I was planning on using the personal statement part 1 as a diversity + why UW, which I hope make sense.
 
Anyone know how they screen secondaries? Is it hard to get a secondary as an OOS? I'm OOS but I have a lot of family in Washington and spent every summer there growing up. I was going to explain that on my secondary, but not sure if I'm supposed to communicate this before secondaries are screened so I don't get screened out as an OOS?
 
katiecat213 said:
Anyone know how they screen secondaries? Is it hard to get a secondary as an OOS? I'm OOS but I have a lot of family in Washington and spent every summer there growing up. I was going to explain that on my secondary, but not sure if I'm supposed to communicate this before secondaries are screened so I don't get screened out as an OOS?
Click to expand...
I don’t know for sure but I believe on their MSAR, they had matriculants only from surrounding regions (Alaska, Oregon, etc). Perhaps someone else has more info.
 
katiecat213 said:
Anyone know how they screen secondaries? Is it hard to get a secondary as an OOS? I'm OOS but I have a lot of family in Washington and spent every summer there growing up. I was going to explain that on my secondary, but not sure if I'm supposed to communicate this before secondaries are screened so I don't get screened out as an OOS?
Click to expand...

UW is very OOS unfriendly, I believe OOS applicants have about a 0.3% acceptance rate. Last year, OOS people received a pre-secondary questionnaire asking them to explain how they aligned with UWs mission. I think this would also be the place to highlight ties to the state. Most OOS applicants are screened out after this mission statement thing. If you receive a 2 I think you then have a fighting chance.
 
katiecat213 said:
Anyone know how they screen secondaries? Is it hard to get a secondary as an OOS? I'm OOS but I have a lot of family in Washington and spent every summer there growing up. I was going to explain that on my secondary, but not sure if I'm supposed to communicate this before secondaries are screened so I don't get screened out as an OOS?
Click to expand...
fishberry said:
I don’t know for sure but I believe on their MSAR, they had matriculants only from surrounding regions (Alaska, Oregon, etc). Perhaps someone else has more info.
Click to expand...
kittensneezes said:
UW is very OOS unfriendly, I believe OOS applicants have about a 0.3% acceptance rate. Last year, OOS people received a pre-secondary questionnaire asking them to explain how they aligned with UWs mission. I think this would also be the place to highlight ties to the state. Most OOS applicants are screened out after this mission statement thing. If you receive a 2 I think you then have a fighting chance.
Click to expand...
For a lot of other schools (especially in the Midwest and Southeast), ties to the region can help. UW is one of the few schools where it doesn't. If you're not a resident of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho, you're kinda SOL. This even goes for people who've lived their entire lives in these states and recently moved out/became residents of other states. 😕

@kittensneezes is correct about the pre-secondary form they send out to OOS people. If you can get past the 2 stage, consider it an honor; it's extremely difficult as OOS to get in. And that 0.3% OOS acceptance rate sounds just about right 😱 Here are the acceptance statistics.

That being said, UW's application fee is small ($35 last year, hopefully that hasn't changed), so it's worth shooting your shot. Mention your ties to the region in the pre-secondary, but I would emphasize your ties to UW's mission a lot more. For these secondaries, keep the mission at the forefront of your mind and craft your 2 around it. It will get you farther than just mentioning ties to the region, since UW is a mission-driven school. Good luck!
 
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kittensneezes said:
UW is very OOS unfriendly, I believe OOS applicants have about a 0.3% acceptance rate. Last year, OOS people received a pre-secondary questionnaire asking them to explain how they aligned with UWs mission. I think this would also be the place to highlight ties to the state. Most OOS applicants are screened out after this mission statement thing. If you receive a 2 I think you then have a fighting chance.
Click to expand...
ismyexistenceamemeyet said:
For a lot of other schools (especially in the Midwest and Southeast), ties to the region can help. UW is one of the few schools where it doesn't. If you're not a resident of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho, you're kinda SOL. This even goes for people who've lived their entire lives in these states and recently moved out/became residents of other states. 😕

@kittensneezes is correct about the pre-secondary form they send out to OOS people. If you can get past the 2 stage, consider it an honor; it's extremely difficult as OOS to get in. And that 0.3% OOS acceptance rate sounds just about right 😱 Here are the acceptance statistics.

That being said, UW's application fee is small ($35 last year, hopefully that hasn't changed), so it's worth shooting your shot. Mention your ties to the region in the pre-secondary, but I would emphasize your ties to UW's mission a lot more. For these secondaries, keep the mission at the forefront of your mind and craft your 2 around it. It will get you farther than just mentioning ties to the region, since UW is a mission-driven school. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the help, guys 🙂 I know it's a loooong shot, but my parents agreed to pay the primary/secondary fee if I applied anyway, given how much family I have there. I know better than to be optimistic about it, but just wanted to make sure I was doing everything I could just in case I could end up in the 0.3%.
 
ismyexistenceamemeyet said:
For a lot of other schools (especially in the Midwest and Southeast), ties to the region can help. UW is one of the few schools where it doesn't. If you're not a resident of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho, you're kinda SOL. This even goes for people who've lived their entire lives in these states and recently moved out/became residents of other states. 😕

@kittensneezes is correct about the pre-secondary form they send out to OOS people. If you can get past the 2 stage, consider it an honor; it's extremely difficult as OOS to get in. And that 0.3% OOS acceptance rate sounds just about right 😱 Here are the acceptance statistics.

That being said, UW's application fee is small ($35 last year, hopefully that hasn't changed), so it's worth shooting your shot. Mention your ties to the region in the pre-secondary, but I would emphasize your ties to UW's mission a lot more. For these secondaries, keep the mission at the forefront of your mind and craft your 2 around it. It will get you farther than just mentioning ties to the region, since UW is a mission-driven school. Good luck!
Click to expand...

“This even goes for people who've lived their entire lives in these states and recently moved out/became residents of other states.”

I was wondering about that. I was born and raised in WA, spent the first 30 years of my life there. Then moved away for grad school.

Giving it a shot anyway.

Good luck everyone.
 
MotherofDragonflies said:
“This even goes for people who've lived their entire lives in these states and recently moved out/became residents of other states.”

I was wondering about that. I was born and raised in WA, spent the first 30 years of my life there. Then moved away for grad school.

Giving it a shot anyway.

Good luck everyone.
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Would like to clarify-If you became a resident of the state you attended grad school in, then I think what I said applies. However, there are ways to remain a WA resident even if you attended school elsewhere, in which case you would have as good a chance as an applicant living in WA. That would be part of your establishing residency paperwork.
 
If my understanding is correct, UWSOM is waiving secondary application fees for all applicants for this application cycle
 
lovemed102 said:
If my understanding is correct, UWSOM is waiving secondary application fees for all applicants for this application cycle
Click to expand...

From the website:
“Secondary Application Fee Waiver
COVID-19 has financially impacted many applicants and their families due to loss of income and/or medical expenses. For the Fall 2021 application cycle, the $35 secondary application fee will be automatically waived for all MD applicants.”
 
dindjarin87 said:
From the website:
“Secondary Application Fee Waiver
COVID-19 has financially impacted many applicants and their families due to loss of income and/or medical expenses. For the Fall 2021 application cycle, the $35 secondary application fee will be automatically waived for all MD applicants.”
Click to expand...
OOoooh man do I love that. Now there's nothing stopping me, an OOS student, from filling out this application despite the low chances haha.
 
ice cheems said:
OOoooh man do I love that. Now there's nothing stopping me, an OOS student, from filling out this application despite the low chances haha.
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IF they select you for a secondary
 
ice cheems said:
OOoooh man do I love that. Now there's nothing stopping me, an OOS student, from filling out this application despite the low chances haha.
Click to expand...

They will send you a "mission statement" request before you receive a secondary. If you are from a severely disadvantaged background or have extensive work with underserved populations, then you may get a secondary application! They were able to make the 2° free because a large percentage of applicants never receive one.
 
Complete as of today (8/10) and an Idaho resident. Have any WWAMI applicants received a secondary yet? How long was the wait?
 
a_modern_prometheus said:
Complete as of today (8/10) and an Idaho resident. Have any WWAMI applicants received a secondary yet? How long was the wait?
Click to expand...

UW Admission office just posted this 2 hours ago on facebook: "We have not yet begun sending secondary applications to applicants for the E21 cycle yet due to updates in our applicant portal that are still being addressed by a developer. Rest assured we will post on our social media once we begin sending those out on a rolling basis hopefully in the next few weeks. We appreciate your continued patience, and please note that this will not effect any applicants consideration for our class."
 
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