Anything UNSOM

[orima]

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Is UNSOM your first choice Steiner?

 

[Steiner]

Yup, it has been 3 years in a row.

 

[Steiner]

Keep this thread alive for the hopeful few.

 

[cureious]

Not to discourage anyone, but I heard from a friend last night that UNSOM supposedly gave out 30 acceptances in the first wave. This seems like an inordinately high number, but who knows. As for the February adcom meeting, I think it is suppose to take place on Feb. 9 & 10, though I am not 100% sure on this.

 

[jennsnate]

Is there a button on here that lets you block/delete someone's posts?

 

[jennsnate]

Maybe this can cover up the unsightly info.

 

[cureious]

I was just trying to be informative. My friend told me that last night who is waiting just like you guys are. This is a forum for information, whether you like it or not.

 

[polycon7]

They might have given out 30 acceptances but how many of those are actually going to matriculate? I can see many of those acceptances matriculating elsewhere (assuming that those applicants are the highest MCAT/gpa combo). Does anyone know how many actual acceptance letters they send out from previous cycles? It should be higher than the 60 or so spots they will have in the fall.

 

[cureious]

They might have given out 30 acceptances but how many of those are actually going to matriculate? I can see many of those acceptances matriculating elsewhere (assuming that those applicants are the highest MCAT/gpa combo). Does anyone know how many actual acceptance letters they send out from previous cycles? It should be higher than the 60 or so spots they will have in the fall.

That is a very good question. As far as I am aware, most medical schools accept a good portion of people that exceed their total class size. Obviously, this is done since many people marticulate elsewhere or defer their enrollment for a year (I think this is much less common). How far past UNSOM accepts beyond the magic number of 62 is unknown to me. I am not about to begin to speculate as to what the number is, but it would be nice to have a general idea. Maybe I will look at previous years' posts pertaining to UNSOM and see if any relevant information presents itself. Additionally, it migh be helpful to contact the school to see if they would be willing to give out such a number (it might be the case that UNSOM has no clue as of right now).

 

[jennsnate]

Nothing personal, it was one of the 101 unknowns running through my head, and I had decided against asking it. Maybe you could put some kind of a warning label on detrimental posts 😀

 

[Steiner]

Anyone can call or email Linda Marshall and ask her questions. UNR is a little reluctant to give out info though, so you might not be able to find anything out. I've emailed her and called her so many times the last two years that I'm sure they're sick of my name.

775-784-6063, ext. 2021

[email protected]

 

[cureious]

Nothing personal, it was one of the 101 unknowns running through my head, and I had decided against asking it. Maybe you could put some kind of a warning label on detrimental posts 😀

My intention wasn't to offend somebody or make them distraught over this process any more than it already is. I can understand by the way I wrote my post that it may have come off that way and for that I apologize. This process is nerve-wracking and has everyone on pins and needles. I just thought people would want to be in the know, at least. Next time, I will devise some sort of disclaimer...

 

[jennsnate]

No offense taken. Just neurotic.......and jealous.

 

[orima]

No offense taken. Just neurotic.......and jealous.

I hope you get some good news next month from UNSOM.

Did you apply many other places?

 

[jennsnate]

Did you apply many other places?

Sadly no, my stats are right at UNSOM's avg. acceptance. Strapped for cash and wanting to keep my wife and kids close to the rest of our families (ie- first 2 yrs there second 2 yrs here) I only applied to Reno, and just barely sent in my DO app for Touro here in town.

 

[orima]

Sadly no, my stats are right at UNSOM's avg. acceptance. Strapped for cash and wanting to keep my wife and kids close to the rest of our families (ie- first 2 yrs there second 2 yrs here) I only applied to Reno, and just barely sent in my DO app for Touro here in town.

Seriously - good luck to you. If you are accepted is your whole family going to move up to Reno or are they going to stay behind for the two years?

Have you heard anything from Touro yet?

I'm married and have two daughters. The first two years won't be too bad for us because we're already in Reno but 3rd year is going to be difficult (18 weeks mandatory in Vegas). I know we'll manage, though. Anyway, it would be nice if you were accepted so there are some other students with children in the class. 🙂

 

[Steiner]

Hopefully I'll be there with my wife and two kids too. They'll be 4 & 2 if and when I start at Reno. In my case we'll all move up to Reno and then back here for yrs. 3 & 4. If I do get accepted, I will without a doubt attend, and my wife is willing to watch anyone's kids (hopefully around the same age as ours). She has an elementary ed. degree, and has more than 5 years experience in child care and early childhood education both as teacher and daycare director. I'm not sure how friendly UNR is to the non-trads, hopefully they like us.

 

[Steiner]

I think those 18 weeks in Vegas are insanely busy anyways. Surgery, I think. You probably wouldn't see your family that much even if it was in Reno.

 

[orima]

Our kids are about the same age Steiner. 🙂 My youngest will have just turned 2 and my oldest will be nearly 4 when I start in August.

I think UNSOM is one of the more non-trad friendly schools, they even mention encouraging applicants with life experience outside of school in their EDP page. I'm not sure if this wil translate at all to it being "easy" to do with a family with small children but I'm sure we'll make it work.

And you know, you're right about the 18 weeksin Vegas. I probably won't see my kids any less than I would if I could stay in Reno but it's just hard to wrap my brain around the idea of being so far away from them. It might actually be a nice break, though!

 

[Steiner]

If we're both in school, I'll be in Vegas and I can give you my two for 18 weeks, no problem.

 

[Steiner]

Anyone mind posting their stats? Especially those already accepted(cureious, orima). No problems if you don't, just wondering what UNSOM is thinking.

Congrats on the Vermont acceptance polycon, I interviewed there last year and got waitlisted. School was awesome but $$$$$.

 

[jennsnate]

Looks like I'm in good company, even though this is my first and hopefully only time applying, my hat's off to anyone going through this with kids in tow. Spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend is nothing compared to the commitment of being a parent. My MS-2 buddy started school as 1 of 4 married students in his class and 1 of only 2 with one child (somewhat dismal ratios for applicants). As I brought up my family in interviews I couldn't get a real good feel for what they thought (positive/negative) of the situation. Without question my stats could be higher if I were single and had a college fund, but whether that factors in and if they regard it as a pro- this guy can function with pressure/responsibility, or a con- too much already on his plate- we'll have to wait a month or two or twelve to find out.

Coincidentally , our son just turned 4 and our daughter will be 2 in May, the biggest kicker is we wanted to squeeze in one more before the insanity starts in August, earlier this month we found out there's 2 on the way, that same day the app for Touro went in and is being processed for 4-6 weeks. Call me crazy but I wouldn't want it any other way, and at the risk of sounding cheesy- knowing what its like to put someone else's needs before your own will make me a better physician.

 

[jennsnate]

Seriously - good luck to you. If you are accepted is your whole family going to move up to Reno or are they going to stay behind for the two years?

Luckily we have some family and housing hookups up there in Reno, and even though the thought of moving all of us around is hilarious, wrestling my 4 yr old is the key to my studying stress relief program.

 

[orima]

If we're both in school, I'll be in Vegas and I can give you my two for 18 weeks, no problem.

LOL - loaner kids.

Anyone mind posting their stats? Especially those already accepted(cureious, orima). No problems if you don't, just wondering what UNSOM is thinking.

I have a profile on mdapps. I'm pretty easy to find - only applied to the one school.

 

[orima]

Wow Jennsnate! Twins on the way?! Congratulations. Well unless you are like my husband - his worst fear when I was pregnant was that it would be more than one baby.

I don't think having kids necessarily scares UNSOM off. I made it a big part of my personal statement and talked about my children a bit during the interview because they are a big part of why I want to go into medicine (and it's not just because they can drive me crazy when I am home with them 24/7! ) Plus, it's not unheard of for even traditional applicants to get married and have kids during school.

 

[Steiner]

UC-Berkeley? If thats you, I hope they gave you a scholarship.

 

[polycon7]

Thanks Steiner! Yeah, its a great campus but youre right $$$$$. I finished filling out the fafsa and sent it in so I'm just waiting for my financial aid package from them. I didn't get the feeling from my interview that they offered a good amount of scholarships though. Anyhoo, it's almost the end of the month which means we'll hopefully be hearing soon from our beloved UNSOM. 🙂

 

[Steiner]

This thread was dying and I saved it. AED's work

 

[orima]

UC-Berkeley? If thats you, I hope they gave you a scholarship.

Yeah that's me Steiner.

 

[Steiner]

Anyone know if the ADCOM is going to meet and send decisions out a week early in February like they did in January? Usually supposed to go out on the 15th.

 

[polycon7]

In all honesty, this interview was the most stressful interview. I applied a couple years ago and the interview went aweful...my interviewer was a complete gunner. This time around, I was more prepared for the tough questions, but compared to my other interviews this season, UNSOM was definitely the best practice for the interviews that followed because it had ALL the questions: ethics, "why medicine and doctor" generic questions, extracurricular stuff, interests, and random non-related questions that just throws you off just to see how you react to "those" kind of questions. I left both interviews completely fried and not even wanting to go to this school because of this impression. Were you guys in a similar situation? Steiner, you've been through this before. What did you think of UNSOM's interviews?

 

[Steiner]

The interview process is tough and stressful. My first year applying, the student didn't ask me any ethical ?'s and then marked me as low as possible on ethics. The faculty interviewer was hard to understand. The next year I thought it went great and got waitlisted. This year the interviews were both good I thought, student interviewer was awesome. I heard some bad things about my faculty interviewer, but she was very nice. Sometimes it seemed like they ask questions that they are looking for specific answers too, and regardless of how well you justify your answer, if you don't answer it the "right" way it's a negative. These are just my opinions, but the interviews are very stressful, especially when your MCAT expires this year.

 

[orima]

Sometimes it seemed like they ask questions that they are looking for specific answers too, and regardless of how well you justify your answer, if you don't answer it the "right" way it's a negative.

I absolutely agree with this as I had a similar experience in my interview. My faculty interviewer asked a question about affirmative action and I could tell that he clearly did not like my response. I left that interview feeling like it went terribly (because of the AA question among other reasons). I honestly don't know if he gave me a negative evaluation and they saw past it or if I just read the interviewer wrong.

Other than the one interviewer I was really impressed with UNSOM, though - the people in admissions were incredibly friendly and helpful and my student interviewer was very nice. I don't know what 2011's class dynamic is going to be like yet, but I got a good feeling about the current MS1 and 2's.

 

[lakrfanchris]

just registered for SDN...got accepted to UNSOM. 😀

 

[Steiner]

I was asked whether I would be able to separate my personal views from a procedure (abortion). I said no, and said I would refer the patient to another doctor without the same conflict. I said it would be better for myself and the patient to have a doctor without the same issues because they would get better care than they would from me, because I would be questioning whether it was right the entire time. Hopefully they see not sacrificing my own principles and morals as a positive. But I'm not sure if I gave them the answer they wanted.

 

[polycon7]

I was also asked the abortion question and whether I was able to perform one if my patient's life depended on it. I spoke to him earlier about my religious beliefs concerning abortion. I didn't think the question was fair, but I answered it truthfully that I would perform it because in my mind, the health and well-being of my patient is top priority and my own personal opinions and views shouldn't stand in the way of that. I really don't know if he liked my answer. It's hard to gauge their opinions when their facial expressions don't really change througout the interview🙂

 

[Steiner]

Two weeks until D-day (6th D-day for me). Hope everyone gets good news.

 

[polycon7]

According to the grapevine, adcoms are meeting tomorrow.

 

[Steiner]

If you don't mind telling, where did you hear that?

 

[polycon7]

My interviewer told me today.

 

[jennsnate]

Kinda wish I'd had a student interviewer, both of mine were faculty/committee members and I don't dare make further contact while they're "deliberating". But if something good comes in the mail in these next few weeks, I'll have them over for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[Steiner]

So if the ADCOM meets tomorrow, are they sending letters out sat.or mon. or waiting until the 15th? I'm already getting nervous.

 

[polycon7]

I'm not sure. I just spoke with him today because he wanted to ask me some questions about my application and he has the meeting tomorrow. I hope we get to find out by next week, which makes me REALLY nervous!!!😱

 

[orima]

Hey that would be great if you guys got news next week!

Polycon got me wondering - do the interviewers actually sit in on the adcom meeting to give their evaluation and discuss the applicant? Or do they give some sort of written evaluation? Just one of those random ponderings about how it works.

I think it would be fun to be a student interviewer. How about you guys?

 

[jennsnate]

I'll throw in my 2 cents.
Almost all of the interviewers here in Vegas and most of the student interviewers in both locations just write up a report and score you on certain criteria. Most of the folks that do it up in Reno actually sit in on the meetings and can be your advocate if they liked what they saw, and help keep the discussion going as they review your app by focusing on the positives. My MS-3 friend has done interviews in the past and commented that with my scores right at the avg, a lot would depend on my interviews- thanks man, no pressure.

 

[kmjn315]

Jennsnate, would you mind sharing your stats? I'm just wondering what you mean by UNSOM's average stats. Thanks a lot.

 

[jennsnate]

UNSOM's website:

How do I know if my GPA and MCAT score are competitive?

"Be sure to check with all the medical schools to which you plan to apply to ask for their average GPAs and MCAT scores for accepted students. Nevada's average GPA is 3.6 and the average MCAT score is 9.5 for accepted students. In general, a GPA below 3.0 makes it difficult for an applicant to be competitive."

So I'm right in the middle, half of those accepted (and just about everyone else on this thread) are above, and the other half are below.

 

[jennsnate]

Though it's probably not a good gauge for the stats of OOSers that get offered a spot.

 

[Steiner]

I just picked up a case of Pepto-Bismol. I'll start drinking it later today and be up to two or three bottles a day by Wednesday. It's fun later on the toilet too.

 

[polycon7]

Any of you finished filling out FAFSA? If so, have you received anything from UNSOM finaid office? I'm wondering if they send the packages after you get accepted? I guess that would make sense. Okay never mind..I just answered my own question..duh! (Been a worthless nervous wreck since yesterday).