dumb question about photo

[Rugger81]

Is a photo of me, sitting in my backyard in a t-shirt inappropriate to send to adcoms? This is probably stupid, and I usually don't stress over $hit like this, but a friend of mine criticized me, saying that it wasn't going to "reflect well" on me because it's not a professional photo, or because I'm not dressed up in it. I only chose it because it's a clear photo that can be cropped to 2x2 pretty easily. But now I have a seed of worry planted in my brain.

Most of the other photos I have of myself involve something inappropriate like a kegstand, or a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Are professional looking pics really that important? Anyone else just using a regular photo like this?

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[Luck]

Is a photo of me, sitting in my backyard in a t-shirt inappropriate to send to adcoms? This is probably stupid, and I usually don't stress over $hit like this, but a friend of mine criticized me, saying that it wasn't going to "reflect well" on me because it's not a professional photo, or because I'm not dressed up in it. I only chose it because it's a clear photo that can be cropped to 2x2 pretty easily. But now I have a seed of worry planted in my brain.

Most of the other photos I have of myself involve something inappropriate like a kegstand, or a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Are professional looking pics really that important? Anyone else just using a regular photo like this?

No it's not ok. You should look professional. Go take a picture of yourself with a digital camera, upload on your computer, and print it out with photo paper. It's as easy as that.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

Screw your friend, and send in whatever you want to send in.

But realize that the photo is primarily for identification purposes. So, if you send in a photo that is 2x2 with your face barely recognizable, the primary purpose is moot. Everything else, dressings, background, etc. is icing on the cake!

 

[velo]

or go to a kinkos/walmart/etc and get a passport photo taken. Professional looking and already 2x2...plus you can get a lot of copies of it and sent the same one out in all the secondaries that ask for a photo

 

[Rugger81]

Send me your digital camera and I'll do just that.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

Oh $hit, I should read the posts more closely. Yeah, I would use commonsense (if you have any), and not put in the kegstand, and other party paraphenalia.

 

[Rugger81]

yeah im obviously not sending in the keg stand photo.

i was just saying how there aren't many recent pictures of me that i can use.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

yeah im obviously not sending in the keg stand photo.

i was just saying how there aren't many recent pictures of me that i can use.

Oh, that's cool. Point taken...

Best of luck. Definitely go to kinkos and get the passport deluxe option!

 

[principessa]

Send the kegstand pics! Or better yet, post them.

 

[bkmonkey]

Take a digital photo, go to costco or walmart, and get 30 copies made for about 2 bucks. Don't go wasting your money on passport photos.

 

[USCDiver]

I was on the admissions committee at my medical school and we laughed at people who sent in pictures like the OP mentions. We got pictures of people wearing sunglasses where it was clear someone had been cropped out of the picture; you could still see part of another face.

Please just go to Kinko's, pay the $10 and get enough passport photos taken for all your secondaries. Believe me, it makes a difference, no matter how small. Why would you go through all the trouble of applying to medical school and not do every little thing to make good impressions.

 

[pushkin]

I have the opposite dilemma. I have about 20 passport pictures sitting around which I would love to use up. I used one for the MCAT. But these pictures are bloody UGLY! They make me look horrible. The machine must have been installed with a fisheye lens or something. Anyway, if I used them for my apps (there's nothing inappropriate or unprofessional about them, they're just hideous)--would I risk sending a subliminal message that I am in fact a member of the goat family? I hate to sound superficial but it's the subconscious impact I'm worried about. They are really gross pictures! They were taken at a photomat kind of gizmo in Moscow. Anyone bored enought that they want to weigh in on this?

 

[JohnHolmes]

Is a photo of me, sitting in my backyard in a t-shirt inappropriate to send to adcoms? This is probably stupid, and I usually don't stress over $hit like this, but a friend of mine criticized me, saying that it wasn't going to "reflect well" on me because it's not a professional photo, or because I'm not dressed up in it. I only chose it because it's a clear photo that can be cropped to 2x2 pretty easily. But now I have a seed of worry planted in my brain.

Most of the other photos I have of myself involve something inappropriate like a kegstand, or a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Are professional looking pics really that important? Anyone else just using a regular photo like this?

Go to CVS or Kinkos and get a passport photo done for $10. You will get a sheet of prints. If you are gonna drop hundreds of G's on your med education, you first have to drop $10 to not look like a douchebag to get into school.

 

[synapse lapse]

Why is everyone asking such dumb quesitons???Look, this is one of the 3 most important applications of your life (undergard and residency as well), don't you just want it to be as best as possible? Just spend the extra $30-$40 and get some nice new pics taken for your apps. It's such an insignificant sum of money, and yes, it does matter. All teh adcoms have to go by is taht picture before they see you, and I am sure they study them before hand. Spend the moeny and forget about it already.

 

[synapse lapse]

Go to CVS or Kinkos and get a passport photo done for $10. You will get a sheet of prints. If you are gonna drop hundreds of G's on your med education, you first have to drop $10 to not look like a douchebag to get into school.

Ha, that's so funny. That's my damn point. It's a few dollars for christ's sake, just get it done!

 

[pushkin]

Look, to get a decent picture you have to spend more than $30. Those passport picture takers at Kinko's or wherever take great pride in getting unflattering pictures of people! Have you ever been to the DMV? Or had a student ID made? Cheap passport pictures aren't much better.

I think there is a legitimate question here. Do you go with clear but casual snapshot, crappy passport picture, or expensive studio portrait? Personally I have no intention of spending $200 for pictures that will be used for identification. Sure I can go to Kinkos and get marginally better passport photos than the ugly ones I already have, but they still won't be great. Maybe not worth it at all.

 

[synapse lapse]

why don't you just find a friend with a decent digital camera and a decent printer and do them yourself. That is what i plan on doing, and you can take as many as you need until tehy come out right. You can even photoshop yourself to make yourself look better.

 

[IndyZX]

I did the digicam and color printer thing. I probably should've used glossy paper, but it looks ok anyway.

 

[Alexander99]

Is a photo of me, sitting in my backyard in a t-shirt inappropriate to send to adcoms? This is probably stupid, and I usually don't stress over $hit like this, but a friend of mine criticized me, saying that it wasn't going to "reflect well" on me because it's not a professional photo, or because I'm not dressed up in it. I only chose it because it's a clear photo that can be cropped to 2x2 pretty easily. But now I have a seed of worry planted in my brain.

Most of the other photos I have of myself involve something inappropriate like a kegstand, or a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Are professional looking pics really that important? Anyone else just using a regular photo like this?

I've heard if you have a beer bong in your picture and you happened to get an adcom that was a partier, you're a shoe-in for that med school. It might be worth the risk.

 

[JohnHolmes]

Look, to get a decent picture you have to spend more than $30. Those passport picture takers at Kinko's or wherever take great pride in getting unflattering pictures of people! Have you ever been to the DMV? Or had a student ID made? Cheap passport pictures aren't much better.

I think there is a legitimate question here. Do you go with clear but casual snapshot, crappy passport picture, or expensive studio portrait? Personally I have no intention of spending $200 for pictures that will be used for identification. Sure I can go to Kinkos and get marginally better passport photos than the ugly ones I already have, but they still won't be great. Maybe not worth it at all.

This is the most absurd post and line of reasoning I have ever seen expressed on the student doctor network.

If this post is entirely a parody, make it more clear to your readers.

 

[pushkin]

I wonder what the wierdest photo anyone ever turned in was?

 

[JohnHolmes]

I heard the SDNer "DeezNuts" submitted a passport photo of his name sake.

 

[willthatsall]

Look, to get a decent picture you have to spend more than $30. Those passport picture takers at Kinko's or wherever take great pride in getting unflattering pictures of people! Have you ever been to the DMV? Or had a student ID made? Cheap passport pictures aren't much better.

I think there is a legitimate question here. Do you go with clear but casual snapshot, crappy passport picture, or expensive studio portrait? Personally I have no intention of spending $200 for pictures that will be used for identification. Sure I can go to Kinkos and get marginally better passport photos than the ugly ones I already have, but they still won't be great. Maybe not worth it at all.

It all depends, really. Are you ugly? If so, that could also be the source of your problem. In that case, you might think about going to a professional studio to airbrush some of the ugliness out of your face. Otherwise, I think regular passport photos are fine.

 

[synapse lapse]

that's mean but funny

 

[ifailedmcat]

It all depends, really. Are you ugly? If so, that could also be the source of your problem. In that case, you might think about going to a professional studio to airbrush some of the ugliness out of your face. Otherwise, I think regular passport photos are fine.

 

[JohnHolmes]

It all depends, really. Are you ugly? If so, that could also be the source of your problem. In that case, you might think about going to a professional studio to airbrush some of the ugliness out of your face. Otherwise, I think regular passport photos are fine.

 

[elephunt]

You can get a studio-esqe portrait at Wal-Mart and get a whole big package of prints, including two sheets of 2x2, for about $10. Give the extras to your grandparents and your mom, I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see their little darling future doctor all dressed up. Sometimes they have a sale and then you can get the whole shebang for $1.98. You go, they take a couple of poses, you pick your favorite and then come back and get your prints a few days later. I think Target has something similar. Cheap, easy, and professional-looking. Slap on your suit and smile pretty.

 

[TripleDegree]

Why all this talk about photos?

What schools require them?

So far, I've had OSU and WSU. No photos have been required.


Am I missing something??


Is the earth flat?


Why do pigs fly??

 

[flighterdoc]

You can get a studio-esqe portrait at Wal-Mart and get a whole big package of prints, including two sheets of 2x2, for about $10. Give the extras to your grandparents and your mom, I'm sure they'll be thrilled to see their little darling future doctor all dressed up. Sometimes they have a sale and then you can get the whole shebang for $1.98. You go, they take a couple of poses, you pick your favorite and then come back and get your prints a few days later. I think Target has something similar. Cheap, easy, and professional-looking. Slap on your suit and smile pretty.

LOL. For the family, get a second set done with your Cardiology III hanging around your neck!

 

[racystacey07]

Have a friend take a digital pic of you and download it onto ofoto.com (or a site like this). You can order as many portrait wallet sized pics as you want, and its super cheap (even less than kinkos and the like) and hassle free.

 

[pushkin]

It all depends, really. Are you ugly? If so, that could also be the source of your problem. In that case, you might think about going to a professional studio to airbrush some of the ugliness out of your face. Otherwise, I think regular passport photos are fine.

No I'm not ugly, but wow you sure are funny.

While we're on the subject, why don't you go ahead and post your driver's licence picture? Since it's so good looking I assume. Oh wait. You aren't old enough to drive I bet.

Lots of regular passport photos suck. Try Target for example. They use cheap, automated processing and the colors are often off.

 

[Jillianrae]

Why all this talk about photos?

What schools require them?

So far, I've had OSU and WSU. No photos have been required.


Am I missing something??


Is the earth flat?


Why do pigs fly??

I'm assuming that you're talking about Oregon State and Washington State universities, neither of which have medical schools. Colleges generally do not require photographs, but several medical schools do ask for photographs on the secondary for identification purposes. That is not to say that all medical schools require photographs; I applied to 10 and only had 3 request a photo.

 

[synapse lapse]

Ha this thread is funny. I might wear my tux in my pics. then again, I might just wear a speedo and stethoscope.

 

[pushkin]

What if the only thing unusual about someone's picture was that they were EXTREMELY unfashionable? Hawaiian shirt, say, or a mullet hairdo. I wonder what adcoms would think?

 

[anystream]

I have the opposite dilemma. I have about 20 passport pictures sitting around which I would love to use up. I used one for the MCAT. But these pictures are bloody UGLY! They make me look horrible. The machine must have been installed with a fisheye lens or something. Anyway, if I used them for my apps (there's nothing inappropriate or unprofessional about them, they're just hideous)--would I risk sending a subliminal message that I am in fact a member of the goat family? I hate to sound superficial but it's the subconscious impact I'm worried about. They are really gross pictures! They were taken at a photomat kind of gizmo in Moscow. Anyone bored enought that they want to weigh in on this?

hilarious.

 

[Turkeyman]

send nude pics

 

[trishaaa]

I like the ofoto.com idea. I'm gonna go for that. Thanks!

I'll probably do a few nude ones just for fun. Or keg stand pics. Better yet-- nude keg stand pics!!!

 

[crazy_cavalier]

would it be alright if i re-used the picture i put on my MCAT ticket card? i like that picture a lot and would prefer for them to see it.

 

[SpeedRacer]

i don't know why everyone is giving such ****ty advice. this is the worst thread ever. just DRAW a picture of yourself. make sure to use color pencils or something to make it more realistic. do a stick figure if you really suck. this is such an obvious question with an obvious answer.




haha just kidding

 

[BlinkyCat]

What if you sent pictures not wearing a suit (texas med schools all require pictures ).....I didn't know it had to be super formal. I just sent in pictures in casual tank top and jeans...AHHH but they were good pictures..so I didn't look like a turd.....but..i was wearing summer clothes....so...my shoulders were definitely showing..oh man...i hope i don't get screwed cause I'm ******ed...or i hope nobody thinks i'm trying to seduce anybody...

 

[myodana]

wow.
guys. it's very simple.
have a friend take a whole bunch of photos of you with a digital camera (find someone who has one--it's not that hard), either in front of a bare wall or outside in front of a fairly nondescript background. you don't have to be wearing a suit, but just put on a collared shirt or something that looks neat. pick your favorite image, crop it to 2x2 and print it on photo paper with your printer. if you don't have a printer, upload it to ofoto or snapfish and order prints. then buy your friend a beer to thank him/her for loaning the camera and services. super easy, super cheap.