AOA Voting

[personal]

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How does AOA voting work. Does everyone in the class vote for anyone they want in the class or do they find out who the top 25% of the class is and vote on them. Does everyone in the class know who got AOA or is it kept private?

 

[DarksideAllstar]

At least at my school, the students do not "vote" for AOA elections. For Junior AOA, students in the top 5% are nominated and then faculty members on the AOA committee "select" two students. For senior AOA, students within the top 10% are nominated and then "selected" by faculty in a similar manner, taking into consideration all that research and volunteer work you did (or didnt do), as well as Step scores and rotation evaluations. The announcements at my school were limited to the students selected (ie there was no mass email saying students X, Y, and Z were elected to AOA), not sure about other places though. As someone who was "elected" to senior AOA, the entire process still remains a mystery to me. 😕

 

[premedgeek]

I don't think students would be ideal voters for AOA selection. It would turn into popularity content.

 

[akpete]

Unless they change it, at my school there is a vote by the students. But it's only on the top % (the number of which I don't know). And it only really matters for people who are borderline. From what I understand. Like if you're #1, the voting doesn't matter, and you're basically already in. But if you're on the line or even a little below, but you get a crapload of votes, then you might get in.

But this is according to some 4th year students, as the faculty/staff has not addresses AOA at all so far in the first 2 years. And our school does not rank us. But they do put us in percentage blocks or something.

Bottome line: It's ******ed here.

 

[Agent Splat]

Bottome line: It's ******ed here.

There go your chances 😉

 

[ddmo]

Every chapter has it's own guidelines. Generally, the top percentage of students are given applications, and a committee of existing members and faculty advisors consider things such as leadership, research, and volunteering. For fourth year, they may also take into account board scores. You can find a similar explanation in the AOA Constitution.

At my school at least, it was very shady as nobody really knew what was the deal with AOA and they never made an effort to explain the criteria in the first two years. If you weren't one of the people who got an application, you wouldn't know anything. I've been elected as a Junior, and am interested in learning more from the inside.

One thing I suggest is finding out who's in charge of your chapter, probably a fourth year, and email them asking about your school's criteria.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Every chapter has it's own guidelines. Generally, the top percentage of students are given applications, and a committee of existing members and faculty advisors consider things such as leadership, research, and volunteering. For fourth year, they may also take into account board scores.

At my school we were not given applications for senior AOA, I think they must have used info (EC's, research, publications, etc) that we were supposed to submit for our required interview with the Dean to go over our MSPE. Anyway, maybe our Junior AOA students have something to do with senior AOA elections, but I am not sure what their role would be. The damn process is already subjective enough as it is (at least where I am at), I cant see how letting students get involved would make the process "better", and may actually be detrimental.

 

[Ashers]

Unless they change it, at my school there is a vote by the students. But it's only on the top % (the number of which I don't know). And it only really matters for people who are borderline. From what I understand. Like if you're #1, the voting doesn't matter, and you're basically already in. But if you're on the line or even a little below, but you get a crapload of votes, then you might get in.

But this is according to some 4th year students, as the faculty/staff has not addresses AOA at all so far in the first 2 years. And our school does not rank us. But they do put us in percentage blocks or something.

Bottome line: It's ******ed here.

All of that plus monkeys and hats. Last year I heard monkeys were involved.

 

[Agent Splat]

All of that plus monkeys and hats. Last year I heard monkeys were involved.

monkeys WEARING hats?????

 

[akpete]

At my school at least, it was very shady as nobody really knew what was the deal with AOA and they never made an effort to explain the criteria in the first two years.

Exactly. For example, I knew nothing of the monkeys.

 

[njbmd]

How does AOA voting work. Does everyone in the class vote for anyone they want in the class or do they find out who the top 25% of the class is and vote on them. Does everyone in the class know who got AOA or is it kept private?

Selection to Alpha Omega Alpha depends on the chapter rules. Each chapter has different nomination criteria and different selection rules. Most schools will post people who have been selected for AOA since it is considered an honor. At my school, selection was made by members of the AOA chapter based on nomination by the Dean of Academics. Selection was based on scholarship combined with leadership. Out of a class of 110, one person was selected third year and 7 were selected fourth year. The Dean of Students usually knows who is going to be nominated and this will go in your Deans letter.

 

[lanzarlaluna]

Exactly. For example, I knew nothing of the monkeys.

This conversation piqued my interest, so I contacted my local chapter. Turns out that all this talk of monkeys and hats is true, but the chapter informed me, to be more specific, it is marmosets wearing bowlers. Not sure if this is nationwide, though. I hope that helps any MSIs out there trying to get a head start on AOA glory.

 

[liverotcod]

I realize it's extremely gauche, but I must admit I really really really want to be in AOA. Somehow I managed to get this far in my education with no significant honors. Plus I did *just* well enough in my first year for there to be an outside chance. With any luck, I'll eliminate that chance this year and be able to relax a little 3rd year.

 

[Jedix123]

Or you can be like Jack from Lost and finish Columbia Med in 3 years....