How do applicants learn HOW to apply?

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umean2tellme

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I have been talking to some friends who are premeds and they both were pretty clueless about the application process. I remember the first time I applied I didn't know half of what I know now and suffered b/c of it. Most of what I learned I learned the hard way (by getting rejected and going thru the process unsuccessfully), but how do people usually learn how to apply? My premed committee wasn't the greatest but I would imagine that's where people go.

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I have been talking to some friends who are premeds and they both were pretty clueless about the application process. I remember the first time I applied I didn't know half of what I know now and suffered b/c of it. Most of what I learned I learned the hard way (by getting rejected and going thru the process unsuccessfully), but how do people usually learn how to apply? My premed committee wasn't the greatest but I would imagine that's where people go.

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I have been talking to some friends who are premeds and they both were pretty clueless about the application process. I remember the first time I applied I didn't know half of what I know now and suffered b/c of it. Most of what I learned I learned the hard way (by getting rejected and going thru the process unsuccessfully), but how do people usually learn how to apply? My premed committee wasn't the greatest but I would imagine that's where people go.

I'm just happy I found this place over a year ago or I'd be in deep ****. Anyway, I'm hoping to form a pre-medical committee at my school and incorporate some of the advice this resource offers into some of our literature. I meet with our Provost when I get back next week.
 
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By the way, does anyone have comments about their pre-medical committee? What would you have liked from them? What did you like that they did? What was the composition of its members (faculty, students, etc.) Were there requirements (GPA, class, applicant) for its members. Additionally, was it just a pre-med committee or did it help dental, veterinary, and pharmacy people too?
 
i went to google, and put in "apply to medical school"... One of the first few sites was wikipedia's article, and the AAMC's article. They both pretty much summed up everything...

A few months later I came across SDN, and what can I say - I fell in love:love:
 
Likewise, Wikipedia and AAMC...also a couple of other websites. I didn't come across SDN until a few weeks later. This is BY FAR the best place for information, as long as you cross-reference some information and take suggestions with a grain of salt.

All my school's pre-med committee does in write a LOR. I haven't talked to ANY of them concerning medical school stuff, and I've done just fine. All I really do is let them know about my acceptances/rejections.
 
You figure out information by doing your research, being assertive, and figuring out things that are necessary for you to be successful. If you are "clueless" about the application process, then you probably aren't ready to apply.


SDN has been a great resource. Ive also had great conversations with the physicians and med students that I work with (one of which introduced me to SDN).
 
I have been talking to some friends who are premeds and they both were pretty clueless about the application process. I remember the first time I applied I didn't know half of what I know now and suffered b/c of it. Most of what I learned I learned the hard way (by getting rejected and going thru the process unsuccessfully), but how do people usually learn how to apply? My premed committee wasn't the greatest but I would imagine that's where people go.

My premed advising system was my first resource, and I imagine it's the same for many. The advice they give is pretty decent and practical. I guess it's just like the question, how do people figure out how to apply to college? You talked to your guidance counselors and you visited the collegeboard website and overall, you just tried to pay attention.
 
1) Pre-med committee - I really feel for you guys who seem to have less than helpful pre-med advisors. I couldn't be happier with mine. They not only gave me the rundown of everything I needed to get done (w/ detailed deadlines) but also would routinely review my application and email me suggestions about things I could improve. They proofread essays, do mock interviews, set up shadowing opportunities, and answer your emails in a timely fashion.

2) Google - Lots of great info on the web, including the AAMC website as well as the websites of the schools you want to apply to. Disclaimer: You need a good BS detector.

3) SDN - see disclaimer for #2, I found SDN helpful for some things, but not really for the fundamentals. Things I found helpful:
a) The interview feedback forum
b) Seeing the essay prompts for previous years (which unfortunately I found out too late that they don't really change year to year)
c)Emotional Support/B*tch Sessions
d)Amusement
e)Feeding my neurotic tendencies about when decision letters are released
f)Networking - I've met alot of really nice people here.
g)LizzyM school selector is a great tool, but doesn't replace actual research - use it in conjunction with school websites or you'll be wasting alot of money on application fees.
One rule of thumb about SDN. I think there should be a minimum number of posts and threads you have to read before you're allowed to post. I know I was so excited when I found SDN that I posted numerous threads that tired alot of people's patience because they'd been discussed a bajillion times before and at great length. The SEARCH function is your friend.

4)Don't hate me but USN & WR school rankings website. Not for the rankings but the admissions data and tuition fees of each school. I referred to it alot when I picked out the schools I applied to. It's not just enough to know what the MCAT & GPA numbers are for schools. It's also important to know total numbers of applicants. It matters whether you're competing with 3k people or 8k people. It matters what the interview/admission numbers are for IS vs. OOS. Also pay attention to the size of a school's BS/MD program. The implications of admission data will change if let's say 80% of the spots are locked up by BS/MDers like at NEOUCOM.
 
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