2024-2025 Michigan
Started by wysdoc
It hasn’t even been 2 weeks since the application cycle opened. In what world would you be cooked…
Michigan's world (I joke)
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biochemistagirl
New Member
At the end of michigans secondary in the submission section were we supposed to sign our initials? Like where it said “for official use only” I didn’t sign anywhere but am panicking that I was supposed too.2024-2025 Michigan Secondary Essay Prompts:
Essay 1
How do you hope to impact medicine and improve patient care in the future and why do you need a medical degree to fulfill these goals? (1500 characters)
-OR - if applying to the Medical Scientist Training Program: Describe why you are applying to the University of Michigan MSTP. If you are interested in a specific department, program, or area of research for your Ph.D., please provide a brief explanation. We recognize that your interests may change. If relevant, please describe your gap/growth year plans. (1500 characters)
Essay 2
Please describe the impact of your identity and experiences on your growth and development, and how it may impact your career as a physician. (1500 characters)
Essay 3
The University of Michigan Medical School strives to be a place of equity and belonging for diverse patients, learners, and healthcare professionals. Please describe your experience advancing inclusion and how you envision contributing to our community’s mission.
(1500 characters)
Essay 4
Outside of medicine, and beyond what we can read in your application, tell us what you are curious about or what you have chosen to explore. (1500 characters)
Good luck to all applying!
Interview Feedback:
University of Michigan Medical School Admissions, Tuition & Student Feedback | SDN
Admissions data, tuition, program details, interview feedback, essay prompts, and forum links for University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, MI.www.studentdoctor.net
Lol I was worried about the same thing after I submitted! I think it they wanted us to sign though they would have said, so I think it is okay!
happy_carrot
Full Member
I had to reload the page or some of my schools, I think the system just gets busy so you can try or switching your browser!
LilMJr
Full Member
Thanks, its working now
Umich sends out secondaries automatically if you are above 35th percentile MCAT. If you haven't received it yet check your spam/junk and reach out to admissions.
banananabread
Full Member
following up on this! what did you / anyone else end up doing?
happy_carrot
Full Member
I did "Activity Name"/ "# Years" for each! if I had multiple I just separated w/ a comma, I hope that helps! 🙂
banananabread
Full Member
that helps!! thank you so much! 🙂
Has anyone been marked complete? Submitted secondary and LoRs but the Status Message box still says "Your file will not be complete until we receive your Secondary Application and fee payment, and your letters of recommendation."
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iwanttobedocs
Full Member
It might take a few days. mine says APPLICATION COMPLETE -- Your file is now complete and under review.
I'm MSTP but had everything submitted early last week, so I'll probably reach out to their office to inquire.
Nah man. Don't worry.
Two weeks is an average time from reception to submission. Generally, you're cooked if you wait to submit going into August. But this different for every school.
Missed seeing how neurotic this sub is. I submitted in August 2 cycles ago and got an interview. Don’t sweat it
I'm still waiting on my undergrad institution to send out my committee letter/letter packet but I saw this message on the secondary portal earlier today:
"APPLICATION COMPLETE -- Your file is now complete and under review."
Does this mean UMich evaluates applicants without letters of recommendation?
"APPLICATION COMPLETE -- Your file is now complete and under review."
Does this mean UMich evaluates applicants without letters of recommendation?
To promote equity they don’t even look at your letters of recommendation unless you interview, then you have to pick only 3 of them.
iHeartTomatoes
Full Member
Yep, it says on MSAR somewhere IIRC!
Oh wow, I wish all schools did this LOL
Is it worth submitting Michigan this weekend if I got the app on 6/28? Know they care about timing …
Submit it! Never take yourself out of contention. Make them do it.
hermoninny
Full Member
Any current umich students who can speak about being complete in early-mid august? I pre wrote all my essays and I should be good to go for the secondary when I receive it, I’m just waiting on my Mcat score which is coming in a couple more weeks.
XflamingeskimoX
Full Member
Is it worth applying to umich with a LM score of 70? I'm Middle Eastern and reading that umich may consider us as urm.
I've seen adcom say its always worth applying if your MCAT >= their 25th percentile.
UMich has a 25th percentile of 515 per msar. However, if you strongly feel you meet their mission & you have the cash, shoot your shot! The answer is 100% no if you dont try 🙂
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SilverBubbles
Full Member
Everyone gets it
sam2029
Full Member
It says on AAMC: Secondary App sent to candidates with MCAT at or above the 35th percentile. Those below 35th percentile are screened for excellence within our competencies and may be sent a Secondary after review.
I do not make their 35th percentile that's why I ask
35th percentile of all mcat scores, I believe.
sam2029
Full Member
Oh got it. That makes sense
Not early but still fine. It’s only considered “late” in September
This is what Umich says about letters of recommendation on their website:
Your recommenders can be any individuals who can objectively assess your personal qualities such as integrity and ethics; reliability and dependability; social, interpersonal and teamwork skills; resilience and adaptability; altruism; and a desire to learn. Choose letter writers who know you well!
They only accept 4 letters at the maximum. I've always seen that schools want letters from your undergrad professors before all else, but I have 6 letter total in my amcas and I think that my Science professor letter of recommendation would be one of my weaker letters, as I was just a TA for their class and didn't really interact with them a lot.
I have another letter that I would rather include from my volunteer work, which I think would speak to my character and competence better. What should I do?
These are my letters as I have them now:
Finance prof
Physics Prof (want to sub this one for another volunteering letter)
Research Doctor
Volunteering
Your recommenders can be any individuals who can objectively assess your personal qualities such as integrity and ethics; reliability and dependability; social, interpersonal and teamwork skills; resilience and adaptability; altruism; and a desire to learn. Choose letter writers who know you well!
They only accept 4 letters at the maximum. I've always seen that schools want letters from your undergrad professors before all else, but I have 6 letter total in my amcas and I think that my Science professor letter of recommendation would be one of my weaker letters, as I was just a TA for their class and didn't really interact with them a lot.
I have another letter that I would rather include from my volunteer work, which I think would speak to my character and competence better. What should I do?
These are my letters as I have them now:
Finance prof
Physics Prof (want to sub this one for another volunteering letter)
Research Doctor
Volunteering
I'd be concerned that you only have one letter from a science faculty member, and you think it's "weak". From my understanding, schools primarily use letters to assess academic qualifications, which is why letters from volunteering opportunities and/or clinical experiences less useful.
Are you currently an undergrad, or coming from several years out? Fewer faculty letters further out from undergrad are more common.
Are you currently an undergrad, or coming from several years out? Fewer faculty letters further out from undergrad are more common.
I graduated in 2021 so I'm a few years out from undergrad.
I guess it's not that I think it's weak on its own, I just think that my other letter is stronger because I spent far more time with this person than I did my professor. I just think that there is a higher chance that my volunteer letter will speak to my character and work ethic better than my professor's letter.
And also based on Umich's description for what they want from letters it looks like they don't have a hard requirement for professors.
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"Hard requirement" is a different thing than "what they'd like to see".
Do you have any folks you took chemistry or biology courses with (core pre-requisites) you could ask?
Do you have any folks you took chemistry or biology courses with (core pre-requisites) you could ask?
I could try, but as I am applying this cycle it is far too late to ask someone to write a letter. Especially someone that I don't know well from many years ago.
Based on what they wrote on their website it doesn't look like they care about having a professor write a letter at all which is why I'm torn on this decision. Do I take a risk or stick to the convention?
The convention is always better but if it's what you have it's what you have. Where in the process are you at currently? Is your primary submitted? Have you received the UMich secondary? And why your finance prof over your physics prof?
Primary is all set and verified, working on my secondaries from umich right now. Planning to submit them by the end of the weekend.
I was way closer with my finance professor than my physics prof. I still email them from time to time years out of undergrad. They also accidentally sent me the letter so of course I read it and saw that it was really good. So I feel better about that one than my physics prof letter that I don't have certainty on.
Then I'd say go with what you have, it's probably too late to course correct at this point.
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lean.idler
Full Member
most likely, otherwise it'd be 8/19 which isn't "early August"
Just to clarify, what is 'X'? Thank you.
