Harvard and Duke!

[brandonite]

OK, it's almost the end of January and I still have yet to hear from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, or Duke. Stanford I'm not so worried about yet, and Yale is covered under another topic. But what about Harvard or Duke??

Harvard's website says they'll be sending out decisions by mid-March, and they expect to have all files reviewed by mid-January (obviously didn't happen...). Has anybody heard from them lately? (either HST or NP)

As for Duke... I have no information on them at all. Should I give them a call? Does anybody know when they're going to stop interviewing? Has anybody heard from them lately?

I'm getting very nervous here... I've got a good backup school in Canada, but I really really want to get into one of those four.

Let this be a lesson to all of you applying this year - 40 MCATs don't mean a thing when you send in your secondaries in November!!

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[Lecular]

I think choker posted that he recieved an invite from Harvard on January 23rd.

My cousin recieved a rejection letter from Duke 3 days ago.

<img src="graemlins/pity.gif" border="0" alt="[Pity]" />

 

[bond007]

hey brandonite, are you a august MCATer? If so do you regret it?

 

[choker]

i just got a harvard interview on wednesday. my dean told me that they claim to be around 6 weeks behind and my student host there was telling me that he had seen some pretty skimpy interview groups throughout oct. and nov. but that the office was "packed" late dec. and jan. they seem to be making up for lost time. they are interviewing through early march so there still is time.

good luck.

 

[brandonite]

I don't know if I regret it... I wrote the April MCAT, but found that between school and work, I didn't get a chance to study. I did OK - 32P - but I thought I could do a lot better.

So, I took a month off work during the summer, and did nothing but study for the August MCAT. I did a lot better - 38-40Q, with that extra time to study.

The main thing that I did really wrong was waiting to submit my AMCAS. I had a good reason - I was hoping to get my August MCAT scores back first, and from that, get an idea of where I should be applying too. But in the end, I got them back too late for it to matter.

I think I would've been fine if I had submitted my AMCAS back in August, right after the MCAT. It really does make a big difference, I think. I had always sorta thought that applying early would give you a slightly better chance, but not really make much of a difference (especially at non-rolling schools). But I'm afraid that circumstances have proven me horribly wrong...

 

[Lecular]

Sheesh, great score.

How did you study differently? Did you do more passages or re-read the concepts more? I'm teaching TPR and your tips could definitely help my students

 

[bebe2]

I got a Duke invite Jan 3rd.
I will be there next week and will be sure to ask them what's up. But here is what is for sure. They DO send out rejections post-secondary, pre-interview. So consider it a good thing if you haven't heard from them yet. I think you will be fine. I finished my Duke secondary on the deadline. But I know someone else on this board received an interview later than mine and was complete there before I was. Good luck, PM me if you like. I will keep you posted

 

[brandonite]

Originally posted by Lecular:
•Sheesh, great score.

How did you study differently? Did you do more passages or re-read the concepts more? I'm teaching TPR and your tips could definitely help my students •••

Passages all the way. The whole week before the test, I did nothing but practice MCATs (both AAMC and TPR - I tried a few Kaplan ones, but didn't like them). I think the real reason I did so well was my timing on the VR section. I didn't do a single practice test before the April MCAT, so my timing was way out - I rushed through it, finished 20 minutes early, and then tried to go back and check my answers (which is really useless, because you almost have to reread all the passages...). The second time, I finished almost right on time. My VR score went up from 10 to 13-15, which was the biggest jump. I also did a lot of Organic concept work, which is probably what helped me the most in the BS section - I went up from a 10 to a 12 there.

Anyway, I'd trade it all for an interview at any one of those schools now!! MCATs don't mean a lot when you don't even get an interview!

If you could keep me posted bebe, that would be great. As it is right now, I check my email every 10 minutes during the workday hoping to hear something from somebody!!

 

[jargon124]

Hey guys,

I am still waiting for interviews at Harvard, Yale, Penn, and Hopkins. Didn't apply to Duke. It seems to me that I can pretty much give up on Penn and Yale, while there may still be some sliver of hope for Harvard and Hopkins. I dunno, that's just the feeling I get - but I'm realistic. I understand that chances are, if you haven't been invited yet, you have been passed over. Oh well. I got into my state school today so that actually nulls pain somewhat!

 

[rajneel1]

i got my harvard invite around jan 12th and am interviewing (after rescheduling) on feb 9th. i've already heard back from stanford and hopkins. they are both very very behind however. not sure about duke, aren't they non amcas??

 

[El Jefe]

Duke is AMCAS and probably behind schedule like everyone else.

 

[Thewonderer]

It does not hurt to call the Duke or Harvard admissions offices up to see what is going on.

Applying early does not matter in Canadian med school admissions (other than MD/PhD programs because they can be rolling, for example U of Toronto). However, applying early is ESSENTIAL in US application.

 

[Jessica]

I was at Harvard on Friday, and according to the admissions office, they hope to be comlete with all interviews by the end of Feb. and final decision letters will be sent out on March 14th. The admissions guy also said that Harvard is only interviewing only ~600 applicants this year (vs. 850-1000 during previous years) and will send out ~225 acceptances to fill their class.

 

[choker]

Originally posted by Jessica:
•Harvard is only interviewing only ~600 applicants this year (vs. 850-1000 during previous years) and will send out ~225 acceptances to fill their class.•••

AAAAHHH SKIZZOR!!!

honestly though, i am really not even entertaining the idea of getting in there. i think that would be the surprise equivalent of ed mcmahon knocking on my door on sunday telling me that i just won the publisher's clearing house. it's nice to know that there's almost a 40% chance though.

what was that line in shawshank, "hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things."