Florida Schools Application thread (2008)

[pakbabydoll]

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I know. Does he come here? I was a screw up in high school I have not told anyone I am interested in medical school. I don't want anyone to find out either, and our families are close.

 

[gujuDoc]

I know. Does he come here? I was a screw up in high school I have not told anyone I am interested in medical school. I don't want anyone to find out either, and our families are close.

Sometimes but I think he stays mostly in tampa area for obvious reasons. He did an MPH last year during his year off and had the same GPA in that as well. he owns a condo here. Don't know how often he goes back to see his parents though.

 

[pakbabydoll]

He was here all summer.
I was talking about if he comes on SDN lol.
Whats an MPH? Master ??

 

[gujuDoc]

He was here all summer.
I was talking about if he comes on SDN lol.
Whats an MPH? Master ??

Oh he used to lurk but I doubt he posts. I think I recall him only using this for interview info. Usually he just used to email me or talk with people around USF for advice. But I don't think he was ever one of those kind of people who posts. Most USF people that I know just lurk but don't post. But I think most of them stopped using the site even to lurk once in med school.

MPH = Masters in Public Health.

 

[pakbabydoll]

MPH = Masters in Public Health.

So you can get Masters in anything after you get your undergrad? like for example if some one was a biology major then wanted a Masters in I don't know Hospital managment or something.

 

[gujuDoc]

So you can get Masters in anything after you get your undergrad? like for example if some one was a biology major then wanted a Masters in I don't know Hospital managment or something.

I don't know anything about the Hospital management thing but I'm sure there are Masters programs for that.

I'm not sure of the entire scope of public health, but a lot of people I know that have done a masters in public health have done it in concentrations like child and maternity health or international/global health solutions or infectious diseases related concentrations. i think you can look at USF's site for better info.

I know a lot of people here take a year off either because they have to retake the MCAT, take it and have not taken it yet, or have graduated a year early but still want 4 years because they don't want to rush into med school. The other good percentage are people who've had bad GPAs that they want to improve upon.

People around here who fall into one of these categories go to get either an MPH, do another year of postbac or work full time for a year, go into the IMS program, or do one of USF COM's other 1 or 2 year masters programs or online certificates. most of the masters programs being one year programs.

 

[pakbabydoll]

Thanks🙂

 

[Frida13]

My boyfriend (who would not be thrilled I was doing this) is a nontraditional pre med student. He graduated a top university top of his class with a 3.85 GPA. Then he worked in business developement for a huge radiation oncology company (the CEO is like a father to him). He has just completed a post bacc program at U of Penn with a 3.7 GPA. He recently took the MCAT (SEPTEMBER 8) and is worried he really did poorly. He is hoping to get into USF....what do you think his chances are...?????? He already got the secondary application but when will he know about the interview??? Do they wait till the MCAT scores come in October?

HELP

 

[gujuDoc]

My boyfriend (who would not be thrilled I was doing this) is a nontraditional pre med student. He graduated a top university top of his class with a 3.85 GPA. Then he worked in business developement for a huge radiation oncology company (the CEO is like a father to him). He has just completed a post bacc program at U of Penn with a 3.7 GPA. He recently took the MCAT (SEPTEMBER 8) and is worried he really did poorly. He is hoping to get into USF....what do you think his chances are...?????? He already got the secondary application but when will he know about the interview??? Do they wait till the MCAT scores come in October?

HELP

is he a Fl. state resident? Also, without his MCAT score there is no way of gauging his chances.

 

[Frida13]

Yes he is a Florida resident. So he will not get an interview until the MCAT score is released? Do schools get their MCAT scores before the test takers?

 

[greg1184]

Yes he is a Florida resident. So he will not get an interview until the MCAT score is released? Do schools get their MCAT scores before the test takers?

Nope.

 

[gujuDoc]

Yes he is a Florida resident. So he will not get an interview until the MCAT score is released? Do schools get their MCAT scores before the test takers?

To clarify Greg's answer:

No they don't get the scores before you do and no he will not get interviewed before he gets his MCAT score. However, if he has a good MCAT score and decent ECs he's game for any of the Fl. schools with that GPA and could possibly get a late fall interview or a spring interview.

 

[Frida13]

Did anyone take the Sept. 8 MCAT? He thought it was harder than the AMCAS practice exams. He of course is thinking he did terrible but based on his practice scores I would hope he got at 30 at least. Jeeze I cannot take this stress and it is not even me that is applying to school. YOU ALL ARE BRAVE AND DESERVE A METAL jusst for going through this process

 

[gujuDoc]

Did anyone take the Sept. 8 MCAT? He thought it was harder than the AMCAS practice exams. He of course is thinking he did terrible but based on his practice scores I would hope he got at 30 at least. Jeeze I cannot take this stress and it is not even me that is applying to school. YOU ALL ARE BRAVE AND DESERVE A METAL jusst for going through this process

LOL. I think you meant MEDAL not METAL.

At any rate, praticce tests are a good indicator of possible score range. If he was doing really great on practice tests then there is a good chance he did good on the real deal.

It is natural for people to feel that the real deal was harder then any practoce test they've ever taken. This is what pretty much everyone I ever have talked to has said both on and off SDN. A lot of these people have done either within their range or in some situations higher then their range.

 

[medguy83]

My boyfriend (who would not be thrilled I was doing this) is a nontraditional pre med student. He graduated a top university top of his class with a 3.85 GPA. Then he worked in business developement for a huge radiation oncology company (the CEO is like a father to him). He has just completed a post bacc program at U of Penn with a 3.7 GPA. He recently took the MCAT (SEPTEMBER 8) and is worried he really did poorly. He is hoping to get into USF....what do you think his chances are...?????? He already got the secondary application but when will he know about the interview??? Do they wait till the MCAT scores come in October?

HELP

If he is a FL resident and did reasonably well on his mcat (27+) he has a pretty good shot. Without the mcat it's hard to say. If he's an out of state applicant and gets below a 30 he probably doesn't have a very good chance. I do know that USF uses rolling admissions, so if his score comes in around October, I would highly doubt he would get an interview before the end of '07 due to the high number of applicants with completed files. This isn't to say that the class is filled before March 15, but the longer it takes to complete your file the more you are at a disadvantage by being near the bottom of a very big pile. He'll probably get an interview during Spring of '08. I'm a reapplicant at USF and I remember getting my invite last time around mid-November, and I had my app in and my file completed very early so it's a pretty long process.

 

[Frida13]

OOOOPS METAL!!!
Unfortunetly, he was unable to take the MCAT earlier because this summer he took both orgo 1 and 2 at U of Penn so although he had his AMCAS applications, letters of rec., letters from U Penn advisor...etc...he could not have a "complete" file until October. I hope he is not a too much of a disadvantage. This site is so informative!!

 

[Team Zissou]

does anyone know how the peer letters for usf and uf work?? Do we just have the letter writers send them directly to the university?.. and for uf do we have to have them sign the letter waiver??

Also, whats the turn around after interviews at the florida schools?? I know USF is prety quick, but how are miami and Uf?

 

[greg1184]

does anyone know how the peer letters for usf and uf work?? Do we just have the letter writers send them directly to the university?.. and for uf do we have to have them sign the letter waiver??

Also, whats the turn around after interviews at the florida schools?? I know USF is prety quick, but how are miami and Uf?

For UF, have one of your friends write you a letter on your behalf and send it to the admissions office. No waiver for them.

For USF it is just letters that are not from professors. They are "character" letter of recommendations.

 

[gujuDoc]

does anyone know how the peer letters for usf and uf work?? Do we just have the letter writers send them directly to the university?.. and for uf do we have to have them sign the letter waiver??

Also, whats the turn around after interviews at the florida schools?? I know USF is prety quick, but how are miami and Uf?

USF just requires 2 character letters in general. it does not have to be a peer letter.

The other school besides UF that requires a peer letter is FSU and perhaps you were confusing them with USF.

USF requires either a big committee letter or 2 sci professors, 1 non sci professor, and 2 character letters. These are better served if they come with someone who worked with you and saw you in action i.e. if you had a job your work manager or boss, your volunteer coordinator at whereever you volunteered, your research PI if you've done research, and so forth.

UF and FSU don't require you to send it via interfolio but that is how I did it for those who I wrote Peer letters for.

 

[Team Zissou]

bump

 

[pakbabydoll]

Jeeze I cannot take this stress and it is not even me that is applying to school. YOU ALL ARE BRAVE AND DESERVE A MEDAL justs for going through this process

I am a freshmen and I already have nightmares about the process. I sometimes can't sleep at night just thinking about it. 😱

 

[gujuDoc]

I am a freshmen and I already have nightmares about the process. I sometimes can't sleep at night just thinking about it. 😱

Take things one day at a time and you'll make it. Just take deep breaths and know things will be alright. Oh and work hard. You'll be fine.

 

[mikedc813]

I am a freshmen and I already have nightmares about the process. I sometimes can't sleep at night just thinking about it. 😱

The application process isn't that bad. It's somewhat random to be honest, but apply broadly if you are unsure about how competitive you are. You most likely will get a few interviews and someone will take you. If you're nervous but you know you have a strong application, then that's a different story!

 

[gonoles]

Has anyone heard anything about FSU? Anyone getting invited for an interview or accepted? Regular or EDP?

 

[pakbabydoll]

The application process isn't that bad. It's somewhat random to be honest, but apply broadly if you are unsure about how competitive you are. You most likely will get a few interviews and someone will take you. If you're nervous but you know you have a strong application, then that's a different story!

I don't know if I'll be as competitive as most other students. I go to a CC.

 

[mikedc813]

I don't know if I'll be as competitive as most other students. I go to a CC.

Still, get awesome grades and get a great MCAT and I don't think it'll keep it from getting interviews.

 

[pakbabydoll]

Still, get awesome grades and get a great MCAT and I don't think it'll keep it from getting interviews.

Hopefully.

 

[ILikeToMoveIt]

Hello! Did anyone hear anything from UF? I got an ambiguous email from them after I was complete, saying that I may hear something shortly about an interview or nothing for months. 😕 Does that mean I'm on a hold? Is this a bad sign? I mean, it's still rolling admissions, so it seems that means that my chances are lower.

 

[pandulce321]

Hello! Did anyone hear anything from UF? I got an ambiguous email from them after I was complete, saying that I may hear something shortly about an interview or nothing for months. 😕 Does that mean I'm on a hold? Is this a bad sign? I mean, it's still rolling admissions, so it seems that means that my chances are lower.

I received the same strange email. UF likes to send these out, so I really didn't think anything of it. If anything, I took it as a good sign that they are acknowledging I exist, despite the fact that I am an alumni.

 

[mubaseball]

I got the same e-mail I think it is just to keep us from clogging up their phone lines with status checks.

 

[Smctbone]

UF didnt reject me!!! (yet) 🙂
I got the same email today. I just came back from class to find the Penn State "continue to review" (aka rejection) letter in my mailbox, and, strangely, this UF email is uplifting 😛

 

[medguy83]

Are most FL schools first come, first serve in terms of interview invites, or are most invitations based on your competativeness? I can imagine they must have thousands of apps to wade through, just wondering what sort of process they use to organize their invites.

 

[medguy83]

I don't know if I'll be as competitive as most other students. I go to a CC.

There are a lot of people who transfer to the university level from CC; I'm one as well. Although, I opted for just one semester at CC (middle of the moving process). If I were you I'd save a few med school requirements for the University level if at all possible. In all honesty the courses are the same darn thing; personally, I felt the smaller class sizes at the CC level fostered a stronger learning environment since everyone was able to have more one on one interaction with the prof. Anyways, make sure to get awesome grades. Study hard and do well on the mcat and you should be fine.

Also, I can't overemphasize the importance of extracurricular activities (clinical). I was previously rejected in '05 for the class of 2010 because of a lack of shadowing involvement. Granted, I applied to just one school (biggest mistake of my life) and I know it sounds stupid, but FL schools are especially particular about clinical experience.

 

[pakbabydoll]

There are a lot of people who transfer to the university level from CC; I'm one as well. Although, I opted for just one semester at CC (middle of the moving process). If I were you I'd save a few med school requirements for the University level if at all possible. In all honesty the courses are the same darn thing; personally, I felt the smaller class sizes at the CC level fostered a stronger learning environment since everyone was able to have more one on one interaction with the prof. Anyways, make sure to get awesome grades. Study hard and do well on the mcat and you should be fine.

Also, I can't overemphasize the importance of extracurricular activities (clinical). I was previously rejected in '05 for the class of 2010 because of a lack of shadowing involvement. Granted, I applied to just one school (biggest mistake of my life) and I know it sounds stupid, but FL schools are especially particular about clinical experience.

Thanks.. I am saving
Physics
Biochemistry
O-chem 1&2 and statistics for the university. Unfortunately I need biology 1&2, Chem 1&2, English 1,2,&3 and Calculus to transfer as a microbiology major.
I have over 115 hours of volunteering at our local ER. I work at a hospitals in house pharmacy, and I plan on shadowing starting next month. I am also starting volunteering at a nursing home this Friday. I am in PTK so we do a lot of volunteer work but its not clinical.
Other then that what else would you recommend I do? I wanted to keep volunteering at the hospital but since we became magnet hospital they don't want under 21 students volunteering there. I am looking at Saint Baptist to volunteer but its a 45 min drive.

 

[greg1184]

Hello! Did anyone hear anything from UF? I got an ambiguous email from them after I was complete, saying that I may hear something shortly about an interview or nothing for months. 😕 Does that mean I'm on a hold? Is this a bad sign? I mean, it's still rolling admissions, so it seems that means that my chances are lower.

lol you people make a big deal out of nothing. It is an email telling you that they still have your file and that they haven't forgotten about you. They send it once a month. They already told you IN THE BEGINNING that you might not hear anything until march.

 

[Team Zissou]

does miami send an email to let you know ur complete, or do u have to keep checking on tues/thurs?

 

[greg1184]

does miami send an email to let you know ur complete, or do u have to keep checking on tues/thurs?

No. You have to check by calling them.


Speaking of miami, I got an interview today!!!

 

[Team Zissou]

damn thats awesome im hoping for an interview, my university is just sending out my committee letter so hopefully ill hear something in the next 3 weeks 😕

 

[medguy83]

It's the post-secondary silence that kills you

 

[Team Zissou]

cricket.cricket...

 

[doctordog11]

Hello my fellow floridians. Please help in gauging my chances at USF COM:

Overall GPA: 3.68
BCPM GPA: 3.58

MCAT: 31 O

-Biomedical science degree from USF
-USF honors College
-USF Varsity Tennis Player (Senior year)
-USF deans list multiple times
-5 months clinical Voluteer experience in ER and pre/post surgery
-40 hours shadowing physician
-Big Brother program
-Employed as computer lab Tech during undergrad

I have been granted an interview for next month. So what do you all think my chances are at USF. I am a little worried.

 

[mikedc813]

Are most FL schools first come, first serve in terms of interview invites, or are most invitations based on your competativeness? I can imagine they must have thousands of apps to wade through, just wondering what sort of process they use to organize their invites.

It's essentially rolling admissions. First come first serve.

 

[mikedc813]

Hello my fellow floridians. Please help in gauging my chances at USF COM:

BCPM GPA: 3.68
Overall GPA: 3.58

MCAT: 31 O

-Biomedical science degree from USF
-USF honors College
-USF Varsity Tennis Player (Senior year)
-USF deans list multiple times
-5 months clinical Voluteer experience in ER and pre/post surgery
-40 hours shadowing physician
-Big Brother program
-Employed as computer lab Tech during undergrad

I have been granted an interview for next month. So what do you all think my chances are at USF. I am a little worried.

You have a pretty good MCAT and your grades aren't bad. You have good ECs. I don't see why you don't have a good chance outside of the interview.

 

[medguy83]

Hello my fellow floridians. Please help in gauging my chances at USF COM:

BCPM GPA: 3.68
Overall GPA: 3.58

MCAT: 31 O

-Biomedical science degree from USF
-USF honors College
-USF Varsity Tennis Player (Senior year)
-USF deans list multiple times
-5 months clinical Voluteer experience in ER and pre/post surgery
-40 hours shadowing physician
-Big Brother program
-Employed as computer lab Tech during undergrad

I have been granted an interview for next month. So what do you all think my chances are at USF. I am a little worried.

Your chances look very good. Your gpa is solid, although not stellar, your mcat is excellent, about a point or two above their average (29.6 or so). Overall, I'd say your chances look very good. USF is kind of hard to read. Every year they choose people with different demographics leading to varying percentages of minority students and male and female ratios for each season. You've got what they're looking for in terms of numbers, now you've got to separate yourself from the pack and appear unique in some way. At this point in the game everyone being interviewed technically meets USF's requirements, now it's a matter of showing your serious interest in the school and making them remember you. Good luck with the interview, and don't forget to post how it went👍

 

[doctordog11]

Your chances look very good. Your gpa is solid, although not stellar, your mcat is excellent, about a point or two above their average (29.6 or so). Overall, I'd say your chances look very good. USF is kind of hard to read. Every year they choose people with different demographics leading to varying percentages of minority students and male and female ratios for each season. You've got what they're looking for in terms of numbers, now you've got to separate yourself from the pack and appear unique in some way. At this point in the game everyone being interviewed technically meets USF's requirements, now it's a matter of showing your serious interest in the school and making them remember you. Good luck with the interview, and don't forget to post how it went👍

Thank you for your quick reply. I hope can ace my interviews, and will surely post how I did, and the final verdict.

 

[gonoles]

Anything on FSU? Anyone?

 

[gujuDoc]

Hello my fellow floridians. Please help in gauging my chances at USF COM:

Overall GPA: 3.68
BCPM GPA: 3.58

MCAT: 31 O

-Biomedical science degree from USF
-USF honors College
-USF Varsity Tennis Player (Senior year)
-USF deans list multiple times
-5 months clinical Voluteer experience in ER and pre/post surgery
-40 hours shadowing physician
-Big Brother program
-Employed as computer lab Tech during undergrad

I have been granted an interview for next month. So what do you all think my chances are at USF. I am a little worried.

First off, congrats on the 31 O. If this is who I think it is, check your PMs and respond. 😉

Secondly, while your profile is nothing out of the super extraordinary it is definitely great enough that you have a shot at any of the Fl. schools. If you've been offered an interview, your chances with such a profile are good.

My advice to you and anyone on here who has an upcoming intereview is to go to the main page of SDN (Not the forums but the main SDN homepage) and look up the MD interview feedback portion and look up the questions for USF interviews that have been asked in the past.

I compiled all the questions from all the USF interviews so if anyone wants them they can send an email to [email protected] and I will forward them to you so you don't have to cut and paste them all or go through each and every single link for USF. I only did this for USF since I was helping a friend with EDP interview prep.

Speaking of EDP interviews, good luck to those of you who did it and are waiting to find out today.

 

[gujuDoc]

Thank you for your quick reply. I hope can ace my interviews, and will surely post how I did, and the final verdict.

Chances are if you have received an interview this early, you have a high chance of getting in. If you don't get in, at most you'd be waitlisted.

I'd advise a few things to you:

1. Look at the SDN feedback or since this is USF interviews, I can email you the list of questions I compiled off of SDN feedback and just email it to you to make your life easier though you might want to still look at those links for overall experience and what negatively or positively impressed different people.

2. Do a mock interview with Dr. Williams. His office is ADM 172 in the administration building of the main USF campus by the main library and marshall center. The building you dead end into if you come into USF from the main entrance off of fowler. Dr. Williams can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected] but it is better to try and meet him in person. Ted Williams is his name if you call to ask for his number from the USF directory.

3. If in the event you get waitlisted, make an appt with Dr. Specter or Dr. Williams or the interim director of admissions who I believe is Dr. Koehler. Find out what was weak and if it is EC related and something like volunteering, then go back and do a lot of volunteering and keep updating your profile to the admissions office. This will help you out a lot.

On that note good luck and feel free to email me or PM me or whatever if you still have questions.

Oh and on the note of number 3: contact info for Dr. specter is [email protected]
Dr. Koehler's email I do not know but his phone number is the same as Mr. Larkin's old number (813)974-2229

 

[gujuDoc]

Anything on FSU? Anyone?

Look on the previous pages but I believe people have been offered interviews.

 

[gujuDoc]

No. You have to check by calling them.


Speaking of miami, I got an interview today!!!

Woohoo. Second time will be your lucky charm esp. now that your MCAT is so much higher. 😀