do schools know if you drop out from post-bacc/masters program?

[scoobie]

---

Members don't see this ad.

My question is, can schools find out if you've dropped out from a post-bacc or masters program before they offer you an interview if you're doing the program the year you're applying? (meaning 02-03 program while applying for fall 2003 entrance).

Reason I ask is my buddy went to the CMS AP program and dropped it after 2 weeks due to financial issues (no grades received), but he listed on his AMCAS that he was doing the program. Last I talked to him, he didn't get any interviews out of the 20 some schools he applied to. He has a 29Q/3.0 gpa and decent experience. Did this screw his chances and will it screw him forever?

I'm considering a masters program and would like to know what would happen if worst came to worst.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Scoob

 

[xaelia]

I would think the 29Q and the 3.0 GPA would be more trouble than withdrawing from a postbac program....

I mean, heck, even if you did really really badly in some post-graduate work, you could just not punch the numbers into AMCAS and not send them a transcript, and none would be the wiser.

 

[nhasi]

Scoobie,


Make sure the master program you go to NOT FROM the SAME school that you had your undergraduate because some university might include both undergrad GPA and grad GPA on the same transcript.

In the worst case, if you don't have good grade on your master, you still "have" the option not to list it on your AMCAS application. Of course, this practice is kind of "unethical" because the application asks specifically " list ALL school you go to", but in reality who knows one will list what in one's application.


I am sure that AMCAS does not have a network that searchs every university in the country with the purpose to find out whether you go to that school or not. AMCAS relies only on the information you list on your application.


Best regards,

 

[Lebesgue]

It won't be a problem if they know about it.

On the AMCAS application, you have to put "no degree expected" and you should get a LOR from your Masters advisor. If you do that you'll be fine.

If you put a degree expected date and it's not before matriculation, you'll be expected to finish and schools won't touch you...

🙂

- If you lie on your application and they find out about it, you wouldn't get into med school (most likely ever).

 

[woolie]

This is an example of something I have been stewing over today ... just how far should we go in our honesty?? I know that amcas says list every single course you have taken, on pain of death or being thrown out of medschool, etc.

So your good friend Woolie put down that I took a course at a school over ten years ago and dropped it. I have a W.

Today I was thinking: why the heck did I even bother to tell them?! Who would ever know?! It was so long ago that my transcript is handwritten on a paeice of paper - not electronic.

My question is: will schools look at this and think, she is so stupid she even told us this, and that she dropped it. Or will they say: my goodness, look and see how honest this applicant is?

Personally, I am inclined to think there going to laugh at my naivete but maybe I am wrong ... I am just not very good at being a real gunner type, and honesty seems the better route.

 

[md_student2b]

I had a friend who was in a post-bac program for half a year before being forced to withdraw (politics rather than any academic reason). She didn't mention it at her interviews and when asked about the program, she talked about it's strengths and weaknessess without ever stating her experience. Unless this program is at your undergrad institution, I don't think anyone will find out, nor would they really care. The admissions system seems pretty geared towards numbers and if those aren't right, then personal experiences applicable to the practice of medicine. I doubt anyone is screwed forever, even with those scores. But, and this is a big but, if for some reason you pissed off the admin people in your program, and they're part of a state college/university system that includes medical schools you want to apply to, they might make it very hard on you. Alas another of my contemporaries ran afoul with his program and the admin b*tch made it a point to contact the school he was accepted to and inform them about his personal indiscretions. He had a lot of explaining to do and retained an attorney to keep his acceptance.

 

[scoobie]

Thanks you all for the help. 🙂

Originally posted by Lebesgue


If you put a degree expected date and it's not before matriculation, you'll be expected to finish and schools won't touch you...

🙂

- If you lie on your application and they find out about it, you wouldn't get into med school (most likely ever).

I'm considering programs which can be finished before Aug 2004, so technically, they will still consider me right? Will they wait to see what grades I receive for the whole program, thus putting me at a huge disadvantage? What happens in situations such as the Drexel IMS program? (2 years masters, but certification after 1 year)?

Also, how big of a lie would end your chances? I know that in my first app cycle, I accidentally put in some wrong info (time period) about one of my jobs.

Thanks.

Scoob