How does an admisions committee review an application?

[miss chievous]

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I think I've always been under the impression that there's a group of 15-20 people sitting around in a table, and then an applicant is brought up, and everyone talks about that certain individual. Then I realized this is what they do in movies for college admissions, and I know that's not how it really works.

So how does an admissions committee REALLY review an applicant? Does each member view them on their own time (i.e. alone)?

 

[BecksTriad]

it's more like they sit around a table while drinking a handle of vodka and 30 of miller and say "hey! lets take this guy"

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Post screen, one of many individuals looks through your app and decides whether to forward through to the larger ad comm. There, you're ranked against other applicants. And yes/no decisions start getting made based on individual strength, composition of already accepted members, lot of other secret stuff. Presto blamo, you get an acceptance. Or a decline.

 

[Slickyfats]

it's more like they sit around a table while drinking a handle of vodka and 30 of miller and say "hey! lets take this guy"

Man I can really go for a 30 of Miller right now.

 

[NickNaylor]

At my school it's something like:

-Anywhere from 1-3 people review your application for an initial interview decision.

-For final acceptances, applicants are voted on in subcommittees and then an executive committee. I imagine those meetings are essentially discussions with X amount of time reserved for each applicant, but I'll admit that I'm not too sure about the specifics.

Sent from my SGH-M919

 

[TheLastofUs]

Tack your application to the wall and star throwing some darts 😛

 

[Ost3oclast]

I've always wanted to know how its done. Lol are there heated debates? Fist fights? Hour long discussions on each applicant? Haha I would have liked to have seen them discuss me...."so you guys actually want to TAKE this kid!?" Hahaha

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Schools describe their processes in great detail in the reports they submit to LCME. Does anyone know if these are available in the public domain, perhaps via FOIA for public schools? This question is mostly for LizzyM.

EDIT: FOIA is for federal entities only. Still curious if that data is made public. Would remove a lot if the mysticism about the process and allow for a more efficient application process in contrast to the highest bidder system now in place.

 

[Slickyfats]

I'm curious what the role of the student adcom is. From the people I know who were on them, it sounded involved, but really, what does their word mean?

 

[Propylene]

I'm curious what the role of the student adcom is. From the people I know who were on them, it sounded involved, but really, what does their word mean?

I bet something like this can be very different depending on the institution. Some will be full voting members, some will interview and pass on feedback to the committee.

 

[LizzyM]

At my school it's something like:

-Anywhere from 1-3 people review your application for an initial interview decision.

-For final acceptances, applicants are voted on in subcommittees and then an executive committee. I imagine those meetings are essentially discussions with X amount of time reserved for each applicant, but I'll admit that I'm not too sure about the specifics.

My school uses a similar process. The 1-3 people who review your application may include a medical student.

The subcommittee includes medical students.

I've never seen a punch thrown in executive committee but there are certainly heated discussions over a handful of applicants although most decisions are relatively straightforward.

 

[mcloaf]

Post screen, one of many individuals looks through your app and decides whether to forward through to the larger ad comm. There, you're ranked against other applicants. And yes/no decisions start getting made based on individual strength, composition of already accepted members, lot of other secret stuff. Presto blamo, you get an acceptance. Or a decline.

Or in the case of your school you never hear anything until 4 months after other medical schools have finished their regular admissions cycle.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Or in the case of your school you never hear anything until 4 months after other medical schools have finished their regular admissions cycle.

Indeed. No secrets there.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Gold starts on page 23 (bottom of PDF 36):

http://www2.cmich.edu/academics/medicine/Documents/LCME_MI-CentralMich5.4.12.pdf

 

[Pacna]

Gold starts on page 23 (bottom of PDF 36):

http://www2.cmich.edu/academics/medicine/Documents/LCME_MI-CentralMich5.4.12.pdf

Great read. I'd suggest it to everyone.

What struck me as strange is that they put away your mcat/GPA after you meet minimum requirements. Then they pick who to interview. I knew they did that after interviews, but it surprises me how your stats literally just get your foot in the door.

 

[WillburCobb]

Great read. I'd suggest it to everyone.

What struck me as strange is that they put away your mcat/GPA after you meet minimum requirements. Then they pick who to interview. I knew they did that after interviews, but it surprises me how your stats literally just get your foot in the door.

I wonder how true that is. In talking with several admins at the school where I interviewed last cycle they are supposed to have a similar policy once an applicant has been offered an interview (i.e., MCAT and GPA should no longer be a deciding factor). However, this wasn't the case based on my interview and post-interview comments presented to the rest of the adcom.

 

[LizzyM]

Not every school puts away your scores and grades after you pass the initial minimum.... Some schools are grade ****** and are going to pick the people with the highest scores as long as they don't have two heads or no heart (as determined by interview).

 

[Captain Sisko]

Not every school puts away your scores and grades after you pass the initial minimum.... Some schools are grade ****** and are going to pick the people with the highest scores as long as they don't have two heads or no heart (as determined by interview).

so now we know you're not at wustl or Michigan?

 

[mcloaf]

so now we know you're not at wustl or Michigan?

Ouch.

 

[imnamerican]

Ouch.

I mean, at least that confirms you have one head and one heart. In case this was a concern. 😛

 

[Narmerguy]

Ouch.

Yeah but you know it's kinda true.

 

[mcloaf]

Yeah but you know it's kinda true.

😳

 

[PanRoasted]

Is there some kind of directory for LCME reports from all US medical schools?

 

[armybound]

I think I've always been under the impression that there's a group of 15-20 people sitting around in a table, and then an applicant is brought up, and everyone talks about that certain individual. Then I realized this is what they do in movies for college admissions, and I know that's not how it really works.

So how does an admissions committee REALLY review an applicant? Does each member view them on their own time (i.e. alone)?

My school is a lot like that for acceptance decisions. Not sure how interview choices work. I think it's a much smaller and less interesting process.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Is there some kind of directory for LCME reports from all US medical schools?

As far as I can tell, no. The LCME database is not made public, and very few schools put the LCME reports or their own database submissions on the internet.

Personally, I think they should make this data public to make the process more transparent and efficient. Many schools will gladly take your ~$100 secondary fee, even if they know you won't even make the automatic GPA or clinical hours cut off. To me, that's just plain wrong.

Tell me straight up that I'm not getting in without a >3.3 and a 29 MCAT with 50 hours of shadowing and 300 hours of volunteering .... or whatever. Don't just pocket my money and then reject me without any serious consideration.

Schools would lose secondary fees (cough...Georgetown...cough) and might also argue that this would make the process a checklist, but the fact is that it already is a checklist. An admissions dean has told me this in reference to certain parts of the application. Even though some people don't want it to be, it is, so why not be transparent about your requirements and save everybody money, time, and sanity.

 

[chillaxbro]

Gold starts on page 23 (bottom of PDF 36):

http://www2.cmich.edu/academics/medicine/Documents/LCME_MI-CentralMich5.4.12.pdf

"Applicants must also submit documentation of a minimum of 200 hours of combined experiences in a health or medically related field."

Woah. LizzyM, is the 200 hours thing standard?
Would explain my last cycle

 

[sciencebooks]

"Applicants must also submit documentation of a minimum of 200 hours of combined experiences in a health or medically related field."

Woah. LizzyM, is the 200 hours thing standard?
Would explain my last cycle

I'm about to be an applicant myself so I can't answer the question, but just wanted to chime in that CMU says this on their admissions page so maybe that's why they're so cut and dry with this requirement? I think it's legitimately listed with the prereqs, but can't remember where exactly they put it.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

I'm about to be an applicant myself so I can't answer the question, but just wanted to chime in that CMU says this on their admissions page so maybe that's why they're so cut and dry with this requirement? I think it's legitimately listed with the prereqs, but can't remember where exactly they put it.

Wow, that's the most specific website I've ever seen. I believe every medical school should provide this level of detail.

http://www.cmich.edu/colleges/cmed/students/Pages/Admissions Requirements.aspx

 

[MadRadLad]

I'm about to be an applicant myself so I can't answer the question, but just wanted to chime in that CMU says this on their admissions page so maybe that's why they're so cut and dry with this requirement? I think it's legitimately listed with the prereqs, but can't remember where exactly they put it.

It's on there for sure, but this requirement is for matriculation not acceptance.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

Not every school puts away your scores and grades after you pass the initial minimum.... Some schools are grade ****** and are going to pick the people with the highest scores as long as they don't have two heads or no heart (as determined by interview).

But wouldn't being a two-headed conjoined twin make you a very unique applicant? I thought you adcom people were always on the lookout for diversity. What's more diverse than an applicant who is literally two different people?

 

[pgoyal]

i'm seeing psychology, anthropology and sociology being thrown around again...i realize these are "recommended" courses; but anyone have thoughts on how much of a setback it is to not have taken these...especially for us engineering heavy majors...

 

[LizzyM]

But wouldn't being a two-headed conjoined twin make you a very unique applicant? I thought you adcom people were always on the lookout for diversity. What's more diverse than an applicant who is literally two different people?

My adcom is of two minds on that issue. 😀