GA school applicants

[dd128]

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I would be interested in this thread (and I know some of my friends who were accepted would at least read it and hopefully start posting!).

On another note, I withdrew my Mercer acceptances a few days ago, and I know someone who will be doing the same soon. It broke my heart to because I absolutely loved the atmosphere, students, faculty - everything! But I'm also excited to be going to MCG next year.
I hope all those waiting hear back soon. I withdrew as soon as possible to try to open up spots because I know how much it sucks to wait!
and good luck babykawaii!! it is a relaxed interview day!

If only there were more applicants like you 👍 and good luck to babykawaii

 

[medstud2be]

I would go as well. If you go and MCG doesn't change your opinion, then you'll always know that you made the most informed decision.

Congrats

When did you interview/find out about Mercer?

I interviewed at Mercer 1/17--Received acceptance the next Wed (1/23)

 

[Polynikes]

Hi, I've been lurking for sometime, and I wish all my fellow GA residents well. I received an interview invite for MCG today for March 4th. I am trying to decide what to do. I have been accepted for Mercer, with Savannah campus position confirmed. I am in my 30s, have children and a home and live in Savannah, so it would be nice to not relocate. However, MCG's tuition is a definite incentive, considering the difference in loans I'll have to take. I really enjoyed my interview with Mercer. I'm grateful for the MCG interview, and I guess I'll go. I think the pass/fail for Mercer is a big draw for me. I'm just not sure if the money difference is enough to relocate. Any thoughts?

I'm from Savannah and currently live here too.

I've been accepted at the Savannah campus, but I also recently interviewed at MCG. I'll be waiting to see what happens with MCG of course, so I can't commit 100% to Mercer yet.

I would highly advise you to go to the MCG interview.





On a personal note, where did you go to school?

I graduated from Armstrong in December, and if you have been taking the premed classes and those that are similar, I might know you.

PM me if you want to keep that info quiet.

 

[MDpride]

Don't be discouraged, guys. You still have several months left. (That is both a blessing and a curse, I am sure.) From what I understand, most everyone holds multiple acceptances until mid-March, then the WL starts moving faster.

Side-note- are there any lurkers/posters out there who would be interested in an MCG class thread? I check over there about once a week, and I am thinking about starting a thread and email-subscribing to it, but I have a feeling there just aren't any ppl out there.

on facebook, there is one called " MCG class of 2012"

 

[Whatayear]

I hate to be blunt, but you are interviewing for a waitlist spot. That said, your performance in the interview will likely determine where on the waitlist you will be. If you are comfortable with that then I would go.

I actually interviewed at MCG today and they said that they had plenty of spots left and that they do not interview for the waitlist. I also got the feeling they were going to interview well into March and that the adcom will be meeting alot more over the next few weeks. Next adcom meeting is Thursday. So it sounds like they may not be as far along as we had thought. I would say go for it medstud2be. You can't lose anything, and MCG may impress you, I know I was really impressed. It is going to be a hard choice between them and Mercer if I get accepted to MCG.

 

[bodonid]

Point taken- I withdraw my statement. I was just going on what my AdCom told me, which was not much. How did it go, Goodyear?

 

[Whatayear]

Point taken- I withdraw my statement. I was just going on what my AdCom told me, which was not much. How did it go, Goodyear?

It went really good, there were some really tough questions though, but I felt like I gave pretty good answers, just caught me a little off guard. I really like the children's hospital, and everyone was really friendly. Where are you going Bodonid, MCG or Mercer? How did you make the decision? As of now I am slated for Savannah, but I am not sure what I will do if MCG accepts me. But for now I am back in the waiting game, lol.

 

[bodonid]

I am going to MCG. If tuition were equal, I would have a hard time deciding, and may very well have chosen Mercer (the reason may have been just as arbitrary in that case, though). I tried to ignore tuition and decide based solely on other factors, but they were just too *even* in my mind. I was not gung-ho about PBL like everyone else was (Red Flag). I was excited about PBL at first because it was different, but I decided that it just isn't for me, after talking to a number of students in the last month. 90% of people love it, but not me.

That said, I wholly endorse Mercer, as they have been much nicer to me, and I had fun on my interview. I totally understand Mercer, and I feel like I am making an informed decision in their regard.

Stewartmed c/o 2011! GO HOBOS!!

 

[dd128]

I am going to MCG. If tuition were equal, I would have a hard time deciding, and may very well have chosen Mercer (the reason may have been just as arbitrary in that case, though). I tried to ignore tuition and decide based solely on other factors, but they were just too *even* in my mind. I was not gung-ho about PBL like everyone else was (Red Flag). I was excited about PBL at first because it was different, but I decided that it just isn't for me, after talking to a number of students in the last month. 90% of people love it, but not me.

That said, I wholly endorse Mercer, as they have been much nicer to me, and I had fun on my interview. I totally understand Mercer, and I feel like I am making an informed decision in their regard.

Stewartmed c/o 2011! GO HOBOS!!

I think there's kind of a stigma for the GA schools. Emory is better than mcg and mcg is better than mercer. Virtually anyone you talk to will tell you this, but a lot of people don't really have good reasons why. It may be a bit more obvious with emory, but for mercer and mcg I was guilty of this thinking for sometime. Even my advisor had told me, "well you'd probably rather go to mcg because it's a better school." He didn't elaborate and though I have a lot of respect for the guy I'm not sure I entirely agree anymore. The two schools are different but each great in their own regard with different things to offer. In the end I guess the only real way to compare them equally is tuition cost, and mcg does beat mercer for that.

 

[bodonid]

Wait, I started talking about me and totally forgot about you! ;-] Well, just so you know they have those Savannah tours if you want to meet the dean of admin & affairs in Sav. (you may have done that already)

Also, I felt the same way about my interviews. I liked my interviewers pretty well and I was frustrated with myself for not doing as well as I could have. I got the feeling they were trying to balance friendliness with 'testiness', you know? On the other hand I liked my Mercer interviewers but I got the queasy feeling that they were just trying to sell me the school and give me easy questions.

Good luck with your decision, and if you get into both, don't make a hasty decision!! I didn't change my mind much for about 3 weeks, so I went ahead and withdrew. I kind of regret withdrawing so early. And try to make a decision about what you would do now, in case you get in late.

 

[bodonid]

I think there's kind of a stigma for the GA schools. Emory is better than mcg and mcg is better than mercer. Virtually anyone you talk to will tell you this, but a lot of people don't really have good reasons why. It may be a bit more obvious with emory, but for mercer and mcg I was guilty of this thinking for sometime. Even my advisor had told me, "well you'd probably rather go to mcg because it's a better school." He didn't elaborate and though I have a lot of respect for the guy I'm not sure I entirely agree anymore. The two schools are different but each great in their own regard with different things to offer. In the end I guess the only real way to compare them equally is tuition cost, and mcg does beat mercer for that.

YES! You said it perfectly!! Times are a-changing my friend!! Every other day I hear about how MCG "isn't nearly as good a school as it used to be." Unfortunately the stigma will persist anyway because premeds just learning about the schools only care about rankings and average mcat/gpa. And many students just follow the money now, so MCG's GPA/MCAT dominance won't change any time soon, but it will be for the wrong reasons.

 

[Whatayear]

I think there's kind of a stigma for the GA schools. Emory is better than mcg and mcg is better than mercer. Virtually anyone you talk to will tell you this, but a lot of people don't really have good reasons why. It may be a bit more obvious with emory, but for mercer and mcg I was guilty of this thinking for sometime. Even my advisor had told me, "well you'd probably rather go to mcg because it's a better school." He didn't elaborate and though I have a lot of respect for the guy I'm not sure I entirely agree anymore. The two schools are different but each great in their own regard with different things to offer. In the end I guess the only real way to compare them equally is tuition cost, and mcg does beat mercer for that.

I really think it has something to do with the rural Georgia oriented mission of Mercer. I think it turns a lot of people off. I also think with Mercer being a relatively young med school it does not have the same history to back up its program like MCG. I know I was really surprised with Mercer because I had heard negative things about it too, but found them to be untrue during my interview. I really liked the hospital in Savannah and you know the beach is a huge plus 😀. The problem for me is I really like both schools for different reasons, so it really depends on which side of me wins out, lol.

 

[godchaser1016]

After freaking out on every other Wednesdays, I think I've gotten to a point where I don't anxiously wait for "the call" on Wednesday. A part of it is my defense mechanism. (I don't want to be disappointed anymore.) 😛

Does anybody know how many slots are still open now? How many people get waitlisted? And how many of those waitlisted people get off the waitlist?

I heard from someone that more than 20 waitlisted people get in eventually in the past. So, maybe about 40 or more this year then??

 

[bodonid]

I heard from someone that more than 20 waitlisted people get in eventually in the past. So, maybe about 40 or more this year then??

Unfortunately, I don't think so. The further 'on down the line you go, the lower the stats the candidates will have. The top people will move off to other schools at the same rate. Some middle applicants will withdraw as well. But when you stick 30 extra spots onto a school, you don't stick them in the middle. You put them pretty much on the bottom. And those people don't really have other options, so they won't withdraw from Mercer and move on like others might.

This is a pretty bold statement, and I haven't thought it through really. Anyone have any thoughts?

And dd128 I was going to tell you about a "create my M&M" TV commercial I saw today (seen it?) but apparently your M&M is too sexy for my browser to process.

 

[dd128]

I really think it has something to do with the rural Georgia oriented mission of Mercer. I think it turns a lot of people off. I also think with Mercer being a relatively young med school it does not have the same history to back up its program like MCG. I know I was really surprised with Mercer because I had heard negative things about it too, but found them to be untrue during my interview. I really liked the hospital in Savannah and you know the beach is a huge plus 😀. The problem for me is I really like both schools for different reasons, so it really depends on which side of me wins out, lol.

That's true mercer definitely doesn't have the history mcg has. I don't think mercer is as "rural oriented" as they use to be either. They're more focused on primary and underserved which is virtually the whole state and encompasses everything from pediatricians to general surgeons and trauma physicians. Like bodonid said times are changing and mercer knows that state doesn't need an abundance of rural doctors but doctors who'll fill the holes that need to be filled.

 

[dd128]

Unfortunately, I don't think so. The further 'on down the line you go, the lower the stats the candidates will have. The top people will move off to other schools at the same rate. Some middle applicants will withdraw as well. But when you stick 30 extra spots onto a school, you don't stick them in the middle. You put them pretty much on the bottom. And those people don't really have other options, so they won't withdraw from Mercer and move on like others might.

This is a pretty bold statement, and I haven't thought it through really. Anyone have any thoughts?

And dd128 I was going to tell you about a "create my M&M" TV commercial I saw today (seen it?) but apparently your M&M is too sexy for my browser to process.

I don't really know the specifics of mercer numbers coming off waitlists, but there is still suppose to be a fair amount of movement. I'm personally getting ready for next cycle if I have to, but I'll keep holding onto the hope I'll get in somewhere until August rolls around...does this make me dumb or hopeful??

Yeah I saw the m&m commercial, it's where I got the idea 😉 Don't worry it's not your browser, it's my super awesomeness. 👍

 

[bodonid]

Yeah I saw the m&m commercial, it's where I got the idea 😉 Don't worry it's not your browser, it's my super awesomeness. 👍

Was it about not having ear holes and wondering whether you should drill new ones? That's the only one I have seen and I thought it was kind of creepy.

 

[Whatayear]

That's true mercer definitely doesn't have the history mcg has. I don't think mercer is as "rural oriented" as they use to be either. They're more focused on primary and underserved which is virtually the whole state and encompasses everything from pediatricians to general surgeons and trauma physicians. Like bodonid said times are changing and mercer knows that state doesn't need an abundance of rural doctors but doctors who'll fill the holes that need to be filled.

Yeah, my interviewer at Mercer said that in all honesty the rural and primary care aspect was becoming less and less important to Mercer, that it has really become simply getting physicians in Georgia because of the huge shortage.

 

[Skymastre]

As far as wait-list letters. At Mercer they don not automatically send you a wait-list letter. It is a ranked list with about 70 names (though I expect there to be slightly more this year since there are 30 more slots for admissions). In a given year you can usually count on them moving through at LEAST half of the list.

Good luck!

Given that GAdoc has actually been through this process with Mercer, and is at the school, I would put some weight into his previous posts.

Anyway, I'm sure I wasn't flat out rejected and I hope that I surface again from the intangible 'wait-list'. Wish there was a way to see this thing and to know where we all were (the black box approach sucks), but I guess we all just have to sit on it for a while

 

[Skymastre]

Also, I'm not sure I understand the idea of 'sticking spots on the bottom'. If an committee spends the time ranking a wait list, I wouldn't expect them to start choosing people ranked 30th over people ranked 1. I would expect them to start calling the people at the top and then moving down the line...perhaps with a new school this means that line is bigger but I believe there is still some numerical order??

anyway, not sure if I understood the original post.

 

[bodonid]

anyway, not sure if I understood the original post.

the reason i didn't clarify is because i knew what I was trying to say but I couldn't verbalize it.

Anyway, waitlist spots open because people in the original accepted class opt to go to another school they have been accepted to. The people accepted first have higher stats and thus a higher chance of being accepted to multiple schools, hence a higher chance of picking another school and opening up a WL spot. If we consider the first thirty accepted applicants very likely to go elsewhere, it is fair to say that the next thirty applicants are somewhat less likely to have other options. And if you increase this class size from 60 to 90, the bottom 30 applicants are even less likely to have other options. So, the waitlist movement, while a bit more than last year, will not come close to 50% more than last year.

Does that make sense?

 

[Skymastre]

...So, the waitlist movement, while a bit more than last year, will not come close to 50% more than last year.

Does that make sense?

I see what you were trying to say-yes, I agree. It is too hard to judge this anyway, given that the increase in interviews...and an increase (I expect) in the # waitlisted

 

[DadofDr2B]

the reason i didn't clarify is because i knew what I was trying to say but I couldn't verbalize it.

Anyway, waitlist spots open because people in the original accepted class opt to go to another school they have been accepted to. The people accepted first have higher stats and thus a higher chance of being accepted to multiple schools, hence a higher chance of picking another school and opening up a WL spot. If we consider the first thirty accepted applicants very likely to go elsewhere, it is fair to say that the next thirty applicants are somewhat less likely to have other options. And if you increase this class size from 60 to 90, the bottom 30 applicants are even less likely to have other options. So, the waitlist movement, while a bit more than last year, will not come close to 50% more than last year.

Does that make sense?

Some of the problems with MCG have to do with residency claims that have to be cleared. Many claim residency and are ruled as "out of state" leading to much higher tuition and then a decision to go somewhere else. The process is more time consuming than for medical schools who do not care where the applicants come from.

We had to tell where my father and mother lived and where my wife's mother and father lived before being allowed in state tuition. My wife and I have lived in Georgia 95% of our lives and the only thing that could have confused them was that my daughter went to an out of state college for UG.

This investigating maybe some of the problem.

 

[dd128]

Some of the problems with MCG have to do with residency claims that have to be cleared. Many claim residency and are ruled as "out of state" leading to much higher tuition and then a decision to go somewhere else. The process is more time consuming than for medical schools who do not care where the applicants come from.

We had to tell where my father and mother lived and where my wife's mother and father lived before being allowed in state tuition. My wife and I have lived in Georgia 95% of our lives and the only thing that could have confused them was that my daughter went to an out of state college for UG.

This investigating maybe some of the problem.

was this pre or post acceptance?

 

[bodonid]

Some of the problems with MCG have to do with residency claims that have to be cleared. Many claim residency and are ruled as "out of state" leading to much higher tuition and then a decision to go somewhere else. The process is more time consuming than for medical schools who do not care where the applicants come from.

We had to tell where my father and mother lived and where my wife's mother and father lived before being allowed in state tuition. My wife and I have lived in Georgia 95% of our lives and the only thing that could have confused them was that my daughter went to an out of state college for UG.

This investigating maybe some of the problem.

lame! Haven't heard anything like that before. I think I'm safe though, because both sides of my family have been farmers (the poor, dirty kind) in Georgia for something like 10+ generations.

 

[dd128]

lame! Haven't heard anything like that before. I think I'm safe though, because both sides of my family have been farmers (the poor, dirty kind) in Georgia for something like 10+ generations.

What'd they grow? How come your posts are mildly translucent?

 

[bodonid]

What'd they grow? How come your posts are mildly translucent?

1) the usual. Cotton, Corn, Peanuts, and Cotton. Mostly Cotton, though. Still do.

2)You may have noticed, but I changed my avatar about once per hour last week. I couldn't decide on one, so I removed it completely. Then I went out of town for a few days and wanted to see if one of my posts had any replies, but I couldn't find it. Turns out an avatar is a good way to find your own posts.😛 Until I decide on a new one, I decided to change the color of the text in my posts. (Don't like it? Don't care.) (Do you care? I will change it back if you want because I am actually quite spineless)

 

[dd128]

1) the usual. Cotton, Corn, Peanuts, and Cotton. Mostly Cotton, though. Still do.

2)You may have noticed, but I changed my avatar about once per hour last week. I couldn't decide on one, so I removed it completely. Then I went out of town for a few days and wanted to see if one of my posts had any replies, but I couldn't find it. Turns out an avatar is a good way to find your own posts.😛 Until I decide on a new one, I decided to change the color of the text in my posts. (Don't like it? Don't care.) (Do you care? I will change it back if you want because I am actually quite spineless)

I hate it!!!! Ahhhhh!!!! you've ruined my life bodonid

haha, j/k it's cool, I like the pink part in the end 😛

 

[DadofDr2B]

was this pre or post acceptance?

Before acceptance.

 

[sirdeadcat]

any MCG news? I'm sick and tired of this waiting.

 

[bodonid]

any MCG news? I'm sick and tired of this waiting.

you only interviewed three weeks ago! Hold your horses, you'll get a fair shake. I would say the minimum I have heard with turnaround is five weeks.

Good luck, and don't drive yourself crazy!

 

[sirdeadcat]

you only interviewed three weeks ago! Hold your horses, you'll get a fair shake. I would say the minimum I have heard with turnaround is five weeks.

Good luck, and don't drive yourself crazy!

Exactly 4 weeks ago actually.

 

[dd128]

Exactly 4 weeks ago actually.

It seems like even the best candidates have to wait at least a month when it comes to mcg, so I wouldn't start worrying yet. I interviewed in december and haven't heard anything 🙁 I think there are people from back in november who haven't heard either.

 

[ashestoashes52]

It seems like even the best candidates have to wait at least a month when it comes to mcg, so I wouldn't start worrying yet. I interviewed in december and haven't heard anything 🙁 I think there are people from back in november who haven't heard either.

From what someone I know has deduced from his couple of years of applying, MCG tends to not be as rolling in their admissions as other schools are, as to give everyone a fair shot. Unless you are accepted EDP or are an outstanding applicant along with outstanding stats (ex. 35 MCAT and 3.9 GPA), we think MCG tends to make most of their decisions on the "average" applicants around mid-March or so.

I believe they send out acceptances by April 1, waitlists mid-April, and rejections late April, early May. These are just theories and not necessarily something the school has said. But the 4-6 week turn-around does seem to be the minimum for acceptances after interviews, as told to me by some students at MCG. Plus, the wait list tends to move after May 15 quite a bit due to those outstanding applicants with outstanding stats withdrawing due to multiple acceptances.

 

[bodonid]

It seems like even the best candidates have to wait at least a month when it comes to mcg, so I wouldn't start worrying yet. I interviewed in december and haven't heard anything 🙁 I think there are people from back in november who haven't heard either.

Did Polynikes ever hear from MCG? I think he/she interviewed in November. Polynikes has been complete at MCG since the early 1980's- I kind of feel bad since I wasn't complete at MCG until mid-October.

Hey dd128, didn't you apply to half-a-dozen Texas schools too? And didn't you get interviews there? No news from them either?

 

[dd128]

Did Polynikes ever hear from MCG? I think he/she interviewed in November. Polynikes has been complete at MCG since the early 1980's- I kind of feel bad since I wasn't complete at MCG until mid-October.

Hey dd128, didn't you apply to half-a-dozen Texas schools too? And didn't you get interviews there? No news from them either?

Yeah, I got waitlisted at Houston, UTMB, and A&M, and was rejected by UT-san antonio. The way their application process is set up, you don't have much of a chance getting an outright acceptance unless you interview before oct. 15 if oos. And I did not. Eitherway it's not looking particularly good...

 

[bodonid]

Yeah, I got waitlisted at Houston, UTMB, and A&M, and was rejected by UT-san antonio. The way their application process is set up, you don't have much of a chance getting an outright acceptance unless you interview before oct. 15 if oos. And I did not. Eitherway it's not looking particularly good...

Well I know MCG only interviews a couple dozen OOS, so if you got that many OOS interviews, it can't be a bad sign... right? Or do TX schools accept more OOS?

 

[bodonid]

Congrats on 1K!!!!

 

[PanicAttack]

Polynikes has been complete at MCG since the early 1980's

Lol...I feel like my file got completed during the Carter administration.

 

[dd128]

Well I know MCG only interviews a couple dozen OOS, so if you got that many OOS interviews, it can't be a bad sign... right? Or do TX schools accept more OOS?

About 10%, I think that's a bit more than mcg (5% right?)

Lol...I feel like my file got completed during the Carter administration.

File completed is one thing, but it feels like I've been going through this application process for a few decades now 🙁

 

[dd128]

Congrats on 1K!!!!

haha, thanks. A true testament to my premed compulsiveness 😛

 

[bodonid]

Page Two is SMEB counties,,, suprising number of counties that qualify. I have limited scholarships and no-interest loans, and I still considered SMEB. Consider it, especially if you are going to Mercer.


http://www.mcg.edu/students/finaid/PDF/SMEB.pdf

 

[bodonid]

also, demonstrating 'need' is not as much as you might think.

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

dd128- did you have a strong connection to texas or just apply there because the state is awesome???

I personally lived there 15 years (and I am only 21) and will be applying to most of them next year as well... I would love to return to where 95% of my family lives and where the ones that live with me in GA will be moving back most likely in a few years.

 

[dd128]

dd128- did you have a strong connection to texas or just apply there because the state is awesome???

I personally lived there 15 years (and I am only 21) and will be applying to most of them next year as well... I would love to return to where 95% of my family lives and where the ones that live with me in GA will be moving back most likely in a few years.

Had a strong connection. Lived there probably about as long as you, graduated from highschool and have family there and what not. It's pretty cheap to apply in comparison to amcas (though think about flying back and forth, hotels etc...it got pretty expensive with multiple interviews), and if you really want to apply there go for it, but it's really something of a long shot. Especially like I was saying before, if you interview after oct. 15th you're just looking at waitlist spots for the most part. Though I'll let you know for sure in a few months when I find out if I get in off any of the lists 😉

 

[MDpride]

received interview closed email from emory.

 

[armymt]

hello, i'm in savannah, taking the mcat this may and turning in my amcas in june. just want to say hello and good luck to the georgia peeps. peace 👍

 

[bodonid]

received interview closed email from emory.

i am confused, did you just receive an interview, or are there no more interviews?

 

[bodonid]

hello, i'm in savannah, taking the mcat this may and turning in my amcas in june. just want to say hello and good luck to the georgia peeps. peace 👍

what up dawg? are you in college now? What is your history with the army? Are you planning to take HPSP?

 

[dd128]

hello, i'm in savannah, taking the mcat this may and turning in my amcas in june. just want to say hello and good luck to the georgia peeps. peace 👍

....to the GA thread