Alabama Schools Thread Part 2!!

[ferreed]

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I just received my "no further consideration" email.

"A sufficient number of acceptances to fill the class have been offered and an alternate list has been constructed. We regret to advise you that you were not accepted into the 2009 entering medical school class nor were you placed on the alternate list.

...This year our school received 2261 applications and you were one of 405 individuals interviewed for 176 positions. Due to the significant number of applicants, many were not accepted because of the limited number of available positions."

Best of luck to all remaining unnotified applicants, and to all of you on the waitlist, as well.

 

[SarahLiz82]

Rejected. 1:45. I hate my life.

 

[veejl]

Rejected. 1:45. I hate my life.

Honestly, its better to be rejected than to get waitlisted and not accepted. This way, you can get focused on reapplying without false hopes of getting off the waitlist (my experiences last cycle). Get a meeting setup w/ the Dean @ UAB asap. Also, meet w/ your pre-health advisor. Be proactive ASAP.

 

[angelhair]

Looks like the big boys heard me. Just got my rejection email. To be honest, I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. I know I'll be retaking my MCAT and doing something to raise my GPA. I may do an SMP or I just might start on a masters here at UAB. I'd like to talk to Dean Smith first to hear what he thinks. You?

i wouldn't be taking the MCAT again if I were you. 30 is decent. It must have been your GPA that brought you down. It's just as likely to do worse than better on the MCAT when you retake it.

 

[angelhair]

middle third too.....this means MORE waiting....omg!!!!! So now not only do I have to worry about finding an apartment in case I get in, I also have to worry about re-taking MCAT, re-applying, and coming up with a back up plan.....what are you all doing as an alternate?

 

[VanBrown]

thanks for the support guys...

the biggest problem for me is that I can't just take off to do a masters or a SMP or that anatomy thing at Tulane. I not only have to work to support myself but I pay my parents mortgage... if I don't work they are homeless.

it is so frustrating to be in a situation that I have no control over...

 

[veejl]

Depends on how you were doing in your prep work and then your actual MCAT. If you felt you burnt out and were scoring much higher in prep, then I'd def retake and make sure to change your prep environment so you dont burn out again. Limit to 2-3 months prep and dont task yourself out too much (ie, dont research, work, prep, and school all simultaneously! and make sure you hang out w/ friends and relax a bit).

 

[WiseGuy1]

Has anyone else received an email, but their status page hasn't changed?

 

[SarahLiz82]

Questions...

I've had a lot of family obligations as well and have now been in college nine years. I know, it's insane. Anyways, given that and my GPA (3.5 for those just joining in) and my lousy MCAT 25Q...do you thinking adding more shadowing and bringing up the MCAT would be enough? I really don't want to just go to school another year for no reason other than to keep going to school. Not that there is anything wrong with MS programs or the like, I just am tired of school. I would have been pumped for med school, but really, I don't see myself going somewhere else right now...

*Edit* I forgot to say that I'm in the Kaplan program now, but due to said obligations am hopelessly behind. I'm supposed to retest 5/1. I don't even know if I can, basically starting from scratch, be ready by then. Any thoughts?

 

[ferreed]

Has anyone else received an email, but their status page hasn't changed?

Yep. Rejected ~1:40pm via email. Status still says "Campus Choices Received."

 

[SarahLiz82]

I had a friend get waitlisted with a score similar to mine. Go figure.

 

[VanBrown]

Yeah, I really feel for you... Did you put any of that information in your application? Hardships build character and make an individual... But sometimes, I feel that admission committee's fail to see things like that.

My gf had a similar situation to that, and her interviewer was just like... Well, why didn't you just move away... As if she had done something wrong by staying and giving support to her family...

I mean, I don't know what type of doctors they're looking for, but my idea of a doctor is somebody who doesn't run away from their problems and cares about their loved ones.

'

yes, it was a major part of my PS. I feel like the adcom looks for people with compassion and empathy but they have none themselves.

 

[veejl]

...I was just accepted to UAB for grad. school in biomedical engineering.

BME +1!!!! heck ya!

 

[VanBrown]

the best part of it all is that the adcom members that I have talked to have said that my GPA isn't indicative of my capabilities... but yet they still find a way to deny me.

 

[angelhair]

Questions...

I've had a lot of family obligations as well and have now been in college nine years. I know, it's insane. Anyways, given that and my GPA (3.5 for those just joining in) and my lousy MCAT 25Q...do you thinking adding more shadowing and bringing up the MCAT would be enough? I really don't want to just go to school another year for no reason other than to keep going to school. Not that there is anything wrong with MS programs or the like, I just am tired of school. I would have been pumped for med school, but really, I don't see myself going somewhere else right now...

*Edit* I forgot to say that I'm in the Kaplan program now, but due to said obligations am hopelessly behind. I'm supposed to retest 5/1. I don't even know if I can, basically starting from scratch, be ready by then. Any thoughts?

yea same here I had a lot of stress from family. it seems like most of us have a pretty tough life now, and all this pressure from med school is definitely not helping at all!!
If you can bring up your MCAT to a 30+ then it should help you out a whole lot because MCAT and GPA does balance out!
oh and DONT take it unless you are absolutely ready for it!

 

[BigBeefNCheddar]

i wouldn't be taking the MCAT again if I were you. 30 is decent. It must have been your GPA that brought you down. It's just as likely to do worse than better on the MCAT when you retake it.

Normally, I would agree with you on not retaking the MCAT. However, I was consistently scoring between 35 and 39 in the weeks leading up to my scheduled exam. As I was sitting in my car on the morning I was supposed to take it, a transformer exploded on the block that housed the testing center. The power went out and we had to reschedule. I was lucky enough to be scheduled a month and a half later, on Friday the 13th, no less than 6 days after I had graduated. I basically studied a week or so beforehand and threw caution to the wind. Needless to say, my head was not in the game when I first took the MCAT. When I took my diagnostic for a Kaplan course I started out with a 25. Basically, I think if I gave it another shot, and if the wind happens to blow at my back that day, there's no way I'll do any worse than a 30.

 

[veejl]

Basically, I think if I gave it another shot, and if the wind happens to blow at my back that day, there's no way I'll do any worse than a 30.

Seems as though thats the first step for you in the reapplication process then. Now you just gotta figure out a good schedule for you and start at it!

 

[veejl]

I call conspiracy!!! 😛

Really, I think they'll say one thing and do another because I doubt they'll remember who they have talked to and what they said out of all the application's they review.

So during your post application review they'll say "Oh, just do more volunteer work, improve your MCAT, etc. etc. etc." and then go and deny you based on hardships you had in the past regardless of what you do to improve your application.

In that sense, I wonder if they prefer people with somewhat limited volunteer work, no family issues, some shadowing, decent MCAT, decent GPA as opposed to someone with multiple hardships, decent MCAT, lots of shadowing and volunteering and life experiences and a low GPA as a result of said hardships.

It feels as if you can do a lot to hurt you, but not much to help. Hey kids, just don't make mistakes in life and you'll be rewarded ^_^.

Well, perhaps I'm a tad bitter *nodnod*.

To lighten the mood a little... Has anybody seen "East bound and down"? That show is absolutely hilarious.

"I can't talk to you when your tits are hanging out like cabbages!"

hahahahahahah

 

[SarahLiz82]

Do you think that I could be ready by 5/1? Or am I kidding myself?

 

[HsvFixed]

Now that the dust has settled a little, let's all shift our energy towards theorizing how many and who will be accepted off the waitlist. That way we can spend another month and a half of our lives glued to this thread and lose sight of all the things that are important to us until we become lonely, pitiful, and withered away by our own neurotic speculations. Who's with me?!

 

[SarahLiz82]

Now that the dust has settled a little, let's all shift our energy towards theorizing how many and who will be accepted off the waitlist. That way we can spend another month and a half of our lives glued to this thread and lose sight of all the things that are important to us until we become lonely, pitiful, and withered away by our own neurotic speculations. Who's with me?!

As tempting as that sounds...I'm a little busy wondering if I was ever smart enough to do this.

 

[viper420]

Just checked my email, received the dreaded "no further consideration" email, but then again i am a OOS applicant so i was surprised to even get an interview. Best of luck to those on the alternate list!!

 

[RollTideChem]

I think 81/90 is correct. So what that's saying is that 9/90 didn't get in anywhere. It's safe to say that everyone who is waitlisted this year (according to this thread) has no other acceptances. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing, meaning all of those who are top-third will accept the offer and no one from the middle third will get accepted, or a good thing, meaning that UAB has only accepted stellar applicants so far and that a lot of places will open up.

I'm in at USA and on the upper third of the waitlist at UASOM, and I'm about 95% sure I'm going to USA. I need to talk with my family and everything, and as soon as I make an official decision I'll let y'all know that I've freed up my spot on the list so ppl will get bumped up.

I just don't understand the apparent discrepancy between what the two schools are looking for. I was in with the first wave at USA in November. Interviewed with UASOM in September, but haven't heard anything from them until today and I was listed. I think the whole thing is a crapshoot.

 

[ferreed]

Do you think that I could be ready by 5/1? Or am I kidding myself?

If I were in your shoes, I'd take one of the more recent AAMC practice tests (not anyone else's practice test) under conditions as close as possible to the real test-- on the computer, in the morning, maybe away from home someplace new and not terribly comfortable.

See what your score is. Determine whether your goals are achievable. If yes, continue studying.

Analyze everything you missed or had to guess at on your practice test. Determine what material presents your best chance for improvement. Work diligently at improving. Continue to use practice tests to track your progress and zero-in on stuff you need to learn.

Having us tell you whether you'll be ready or not is a crapshoot. We may get lucky and guide you in the right direction or we might really lead you astray.

 

[BigBeefNCheddar]

You can update your MCAT on your AMCAS without resubmitting correct?

 

[HsvFixed]

You can update your MCAT on your AMCAS without resubmitting correct?

That's a good question. If I have to reapply to UAB next year, I was thinking of taking the August MCAT but submitting my AMCAS in July. That way I can be in their system, but I have to be sure that they will accept my newest MCAT score.

 

[LumberJack]

I've been wondering about this since I got my status update this morning...what's the situation with out-of-state applicants once they've made it onto the alternate list? If I'm on the upper third, does that mean I'll receive the same consideration for an acceptance as the Alabama residents in the same range?

 

[HsvFixed]

I've been wondering about this since I got my status update this morning...what's the situation with out-of-state applicants once they've made it onto the alternate list? If I'm on the upper third, does that mean I'll receive the same consideration for an acceptance as the Alabama residents in the same range?

Well, here's how I imagine it would work. Since UAB needs to preserve a 50:50 male:female ratio and they have a limit on the number of out-of-state applicants they take, they pull people off the waitlist for whatever spot opened up. For example, if only accepted females removed their names from the accepted students list, UAB would only pull females from the alternate list. So, you're in-line to take the spot of a male OOS student, which is probably good for you since many OOS students don't come to UAB b/c it's expensive for them.

 

[chemnerd89]

This is obviously UAB day, but has anybody gotten a letter from South yet? Recently, I mean.

 

[SansNom]

Latecomer to the party - sorry I was in a meeting.

Rejected 2:39 PM. Will definitely be in Mobile in a few months wooot. 😎

Hopefully I will see some of you there.

Also VanBrown - I was totally rooting for you; you seem like you really deserved it a shot esp. considering the reapplies and everything, it sucks that the AdCom didn't get you.

 

[angelhair]

I'm in at USA and on the upper third of the waitlist at UASOM, and I'm about 95% sure I'm going to USA. I need to talk with my family and everything, and as soon as I make an official decision I'll let y'all know that I've freed up my spot on the list so ppl will get bumped up.

I just don't understand the apparent discrepancy between what the two schools are looking for. I was in with the first wave at USA in November. Interviewed with UASOM in September, but haven't heard anything from them until today and I was listed. I think the whole thing is a crapshoot.

im just curious...what's making you to choose south over uab?

 

[RollTideChem]

I kind of like the smaller class and better professor relationships aspect, and their gross anatomy lab is awesome. In fact, I think the whole idea of taking gross anatomy is awesome. I also like Mobile, and I have a bunch of friends that are MS-1 there this year and a bunch more that will be attending next year.

Additionally, I can't help but feeling that USA actually wants me there, whereas UAB seems to be merely tolerating my interest in them, and, when given the option, I think there's something to be said for choosing the option that wants you back instead of the option that expects to be chosen.

All in all, both schools are great in their own respects, no doubt about it. Alabama kids are extremely lucky to have both outstanding institutions available to them. Think how bad it would suck to live in a state like Idaho or Montana that don't have any medical schools at all.

 

[SansNom]

I kind of like the smaller class and better professor relationships aspect, and their gross anatomy lab is awesome. In fact, I think the whole idea of taking gross anatomy is awesome. I also like Mobile, and I have a bunch of friends that are MS-1 there this year and a bunch more that will be attending next year.

Additionally, I can't help but feeling that USA actually wants me there, whereas UAB seems to be merely tolerating my interest in them, and, when given the option, I think there's something to be said for choosing the option that wants you back instead of the option that expects to be chosen.

All in all, both schools are great in their own respects, no doubt about it. Alabama kids are extremely lucky to have both outstanding institutions available to them. Think how bad it would suck to live in a state like Idaho or Montana that don't have any medical schools at all.

+1 on how awesome the Gross lab seems. Plus I'm excited to be actually doing dissections instead of prossections. Also, definitely loved that everyone at USA seemed to be trying to put me at ease.

USA was an easy sell, very pleasant place and the small class size seems like it encourages a community.

Also with regard to your no med school states comment - UW has a program for those states where they treat them as in-state, so that's a great option (of course it makes getting in in-state for UW more difficult ) but yeah you are right AL is blessed to have not one but two fantastic institutions (not even considering that the hospitals are great and serve regions well beyond AL - UAB services much of the SE for specialty cases and USA draws from E. FL and much of LA, particularly with its mobile NICUs).

I hope to see you at South in the fall! I'm getting excited...

 

[auburnO5]

Anybody else that got rejected today feel completely unmotivated to reapply/study for MCAT again?

I want to be a doctor at all costs, but I am really having a hard time finding the motivation to go through all of this again! How do some of you do it?!

 

[veejl]

Anybody else that got rejected today feel completely unmotivated to reapply/study for MCAT again?

I want to be a doctor at all costs, but I am really having a hard time finding the motivation to go through all of this again! How do some of you do it?!

Heh, take the weekend and go party. Get our mind off it for a bit, take it all in, and start next week. It took me about a month and a Europe vacation before I finally got my head right with the re-application process.

 

[chemnerd89]

Additionally, I can't help but feeling that USA actually wants me there, whereas UAB seems to be merely tolerating my interest in them, and, when given the option, I think there's something to be said for choosing the option that wants you back instead of the option that expects to be chosen.

Same here.

 

[LumberJack]

Well, here's how I imagine it would work. Since UAB needs to preserve a 50:50 male:female ratio and they have a limit on the number of out-of-state applicants they take, they pull people off the waitlist for whatever spot opened up. For example, if only accepted females removed their names from the accepted students list, UAB would only pull females from the alternate list. So, you're in-line to take the spot of a male OOS student, which is probably good for you since many OOS students don't come to UAB b/c it's expensive for them.

I recently called UASOM Admissions to get a definitive answer. The individual I spoke to said that once the alternate list is established, it is drawn from in a one-by-one, rank-ordered fashion without regard to residence or any other factor. Your explanation above could be correct in a sense, though. When composing the alternate list, it could be arranged as boy-girl-boy-girl, giving close to a 50/50 split as people are chosen. I'm guessing this doesn't always work out, since in 2008 only 76 of 176 matriculants were female.

 

[WiseGuy1]

Did we ever confirm the actual size of the waitlist? Is it 90? Has anyone else other than DocBama been told that there should be quite a bit of waitlist movement? I know last year, all four people who were middle tier (on SDN) got accepted. It seemed about 75% of the people who got pulled off the waitlist were accepted on May 16th, which I assume is because of the May 15th deadline.

 

[veejl]

If the waitlist order is established already, then letters of intent/interest do not matter? I guess Spring grade updates as well would be worthless...

Any ideas on this?

 

[SarahLiz82]

Hey everyone,

I emailed Ms. O'Malley about getting UAB feedback per reject email instructions and I have a choice between meeting face to face with Dean Smith sometime in the middle of next month (which would involve driving to B'ham) or the email version. The reject email suggested that email feedback is more thorough and quicker. Can somebody share their experiences with me?

Also, Auburn05, I totally feel you. I had a lot of people question me yesterday as to whether or not I want it enough because it took me more than ten seconds to get over the rejection. And plus, studying for the MCAT isn't studying medicine, it's studying science. So, I mean, it's not going to be as interesting as studying medicine, or at least to me. That makes it less fun. Good luck though. I'm struggling with it too.

And one more thing, do any of you guys have thoughts on the rural route? I mean, on one hand, I would love a year out of school, but then, if you are accepted you are guaranteed a seat for the class starting 2010. I know some of you guys have been rejected more than once...and that could happen to me too. I just don't want to be on that boat and wish I had applied. Ugh, this is so confusing.

Sarah

 

[LumberJack]

If the waitlist order is established already, then letters of intent/interest do not matter? I guess Spring grade updates as well would be worthless...

Any ideas on this?

We've already been ranked. Nothing really goes into the decision to pull from the alternate list when a place opens up--they just take the next name. In my opinion, a letter of intent would have no effect on the process.

 

[WiseGuy1]

If the waitlist order is established already, then letters of intent/interest do not matter? I guess Spring grade updates as well would be worthless...

Any ideas on this?

Yeah, I would suspect UAB puts little to no value in letters of intent. I am of the opinion that the selection committee, or anyone else of influence, are done for the year. The waitlist is established and as soon as someone withdraws, someone else is picked off the waitlist. I believe at this point, all subjectiveness is gone. My question is: if the class is oversubscribed at this point (which according to the emails, it is) say they have accepted 190 people for 176 spots. Does this mean that an alternate won't be called up until the class stands at 175, or will someone be called up at 189??

 

[angelhair]

the threads from last year and the year before basically say that "class is oversubscribed" has always been in that email they send. so who knows what it really is.

what's going on with South? are there anymore letters coming out?

 

[LumberJack]

Yeah, I would suspect UAB puts little to no value in letters of intent. I am of the opinion that the selection committee, or anyone else of influence, are done for the year. The waitlist is established and as soon as someone withdraws, someone else is picked off the waitlist. I believe at this point, all subjectiveness is gone. My question is: if the class is oversubscribed at this point (which according to the emails, it is) say they have accepted 190 people for 176 spots. Does this mean that an alternate won't be called up until the class stands at 175, or will someone be called up at 189??

To me the only procedure that makes sense is that alternates will start being called up when the class size drops below 176. Also, I think it's standard practice for a medical school to initially oversubscribe. I know South does it.

 

[KennyFNPowers]

The waitlist in all likelyhood will not move until May 15th. The ball should really start rolling the first few weeks then acceptances will slow to a trickle. Last year, UASOM made it all the way into the middle tier on May 15th. They even reached the lower tier by the end of the summer. Supposedly, the year before that they only accepted 7 people off the waitlist, but who knows if that is true. However, I can vouch for the waitlist movement last year.

Has anyone called Mark Scott lately to get an update?

 

[dr zaius]

The waitlist in all likelyhood will not move until May 15th. The ball should really start rolling the first few weeks then acceptances will slow to a trickle. Last year, UASOM made it all the way into the middle tier on May 15th. They even reached the lower tier by the end of the summer. Supposedly, the year before that they only accepted 7 people off the waitlist, but who knows if that is true. However, I can vouch for the waitlist movement last year.

Has anyone called Mark Scott lately to get an update?

Your screen name is absolutely fabulous.

 

[chemnerd89]

The waitlist in all likelyhood will not move until May 15th. The ball should really start rolling the first few weeks then acceptances will slow to a trickle. Last year, UASOM made it all the way into the middle tier on May 15th. They even reached the lower tier by the end of the summer. Supposedly, the year before that they only accepted 7 people off the waitlist, but who knows if that is true. However, I can vouch for the waitlist movement last year.

Has anyone called Mark Scott lately to get an update?

I called South about an hour ago. I'm in! Letters are going out in a few days

 

[bigmann4208]

I called South about an hour ago. I'm in! Letters are going out in a few days

Did Mr. Scott tell you that you were in over the phone or did you ask? And do you think you will go to South or UAB?

 

[SansNom]

I called South about an hour ago. I'm in! Letters are going out in a few days

Yay, Congrats! Are you coming to South or going to UASOM?

 

[chemnerd89]

Did Mr. Scott tell you that you were in over the phone or did you ask? And do you think you will go to South or UAB?

I asked.

As far as which one, I don't know for sure. I'm leaning toward USA just because I felt like they really wanted me whereas UAB was sort of 'meh' about me.