Jalbreak, Dra Foxy, Tracking Apps using Excel

[tBw]

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Jalbreakfast and Dra Foxy (or anyone else):

You have both recommended keeping track of your applications using
excel. I have a few questions.

1) What things did you put in excel that you felt were useful?
2) I am assuming excel is a spreadsheet program (sorry I am microsoft phobic so
I don't know)
3) If it is a spreadsheet did you use any advanced spreadsheet features
to track your apps or was it just a convenient "tick list"?

Thanks for any advice...I am a very disorganized person so I am trying
to be better about this whole med ap process!

 

[Coalboy]

Excel is indeed a spreadsheet program. I used it to track the following.

US News Info (link)
App Cost
AAMC Deadline
Acceptance Rate
Current Odds
Tuition
Average Indebtedness
Application Sent by AMCAS
Secondary Received
Paper Secondary?
Secondary Due
Secondary Submitted
Status Check (link)
Application Complete
Interview Request Date
Interview
Accepted/Rejected Date

 

[Doctora Foxy]

It's a spreadsheet--I didn't use anything advanced, I just liked the chart form, It changed over time, but here's what I had on my chart, in column order:

1. List of Schools
2. Yes or No if the secondary was online (I removed this column later on)
3. Date the school contacted me with a secondary application
4. Date I sent the secondary
5. Check number (Important for tracking checks online at my bank website)
6. Date the check was cancelled
7. Date I was notified that my application was complete (Interesting that it was usually a month after my check was cancelled <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> )
8. Notes (Leave PLENTY of room for this section)

Most of my secondaries didn't have deadlines, but I included those too if they did. Once I typed everything out I printed and stuck it to my bulletin board--I still put little notes on it, like when I get rejected, interview invites, when I called the school, etc

Ok, I hope my anal-ness has helped you 😀

 

[Maple]

Hi..

In keeping track of my applications I didn't use excel..but some of the fields that I wanted to keep an eye on were, date I sent in my 2ndaries w/check (write your check # too so that you can find out when it was cashed), date application was completed, date letters were sent and date letters were received, interviews granted and outcome. You should also leave some room for random notes..ie info you get from calling the schools etc.. As I got my rejections(too many to count!), I simply crossed off the entry. This system worked really well for me.

 

[Yogi Bear]

could someone post a sample file that they had used (after removing all the personal info in it, of course)? it might save us newbies some time from inputting the names/links of various schools or give us an idea of what u're talking about. thanks.

 

[Scooby Doo]

The only thing I did was use microsoft word rather than excel..my computer sucks and excel doesn't work 🙁

Name of school
Letters of rec sent in
Price of Secondary or other info
Date Secondary sent in
Interview date
Result

 

[mdhopeful]

I used a spread sheet to track the application dates of primary submission, date I received secondary, sent secondary, application was complete, date received interview request, date application complete and all other pertinent dates such as when I called or emailed the office. The dates were especially useful when posting on SDN b/c everyone wants you to post the relevant dates.

I found the spreadsheet even more useful when screening for schools. I made a list of all the medical school in the country, whether they admitted CA residents, whether their GPA/MCAT was within my range, etc. I used about 3 or 4 main variables to narrow my list down to a reasonable number of schools. I found that this was a very good thing to do, particulary because a lot of people don't remember why they applied somewhere or why they didn't. Whereas I could always justify to myself why I did or didn't apply somewhere and not have any regrets about it.

I wish you all the best of luck in the application process.

 

[Coalboy]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by coenocyte:
•could someone post a sample file that they had used (after removing all the personal info in it, of course)? it might save us newbies some time from inputting the names/links of various schools or give us an idea of what u're talking about. thanks.•••••Here you go.

<a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/nick.carruthers/Med_School_Info.xls" target="_blank">Med School Excel Sheet</a>

 

[California]

Are you guys kidding me? I didn't do any of those things and I did just fine in the medical school application process. If you ask me, your time can be better spent...studying, volunteering, and/or preparing for a medical school interview.

Just my two cents. I'm sorry if I seem harsh...I'm giving all of you a hard time. Perhaps, I'm actually jealous. I DEFINITELY respect your right do whatever you like.

As a matter of fact, I did a similar type of thing. I created a file system for all of the schools I applied to. However, it was quick and easy!

 

[Doctora Foxy]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Coalboy:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by coenocyte:
•could someone post a sample file that they had used (after removing all the personal info in it, of course)? it might save us newbies some time from inputting the names/links of various schools or give us an idea of what u're talking about. thanks.•••••Here you go.

<a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/nick.carruthers/Med_School_Info.xls" target="_blank">Med School Excel Sheet</a>•••••wow, that was beautiful! Where were you a year ago when I needed you? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

[Coalboy]

What can I say? I live to serve. 🙂

 

[EpiII]

Another thing that can come in handy, at least it did this year, is to track when you make contacts with the schools or with AMCAS.

This was helpful for me when I called AMCAS back for the 10th time to inquire about XYZ. I could say, I called last week and talked with Robin and she said ...

I used MS Access instead of Excel, but Access is a little complicated. Excel is wonderful.

 

[SMW]

Geez, guys, I feel sooooooo lo-tech!! 😳 My system was lots and lots of lists and pieces of paper (both liberally sprinkled with yellow stickies, as was my computer), some of which made it into a file system and some of which did not. Thank God for people like Drako, who made some of my lists obsolete. Oh, and I made a calendar to keep track of interview dates by taping together sheets of computer paper! 🙄 I'm keeping it for a souvenir!! 😀

 

[Cdc28p]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Coalboy:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by coenocyte:
•could someone post a sample file that they had used (after removing all the personal info in it, of course)? it might save us newbies some time from inputting the names/links of various schools or give us an idea of what u're talking about. thanks.•••••Here you go.

<a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/nick.carruthers/Med_School_Info.xls" target="_blank">Med School Excel Sheet</a>•••••Wow. Does it need to be this detailed? 🙂 Beautiful job.

BTW, you might want to delete the private info on the 2nd and 3rd sheets if you don't want people to see them.

 

[Coalboy]

D'oh!
Thanks. I knew I would forget something.

 

[Jalby]

Here is my list of the spreadsheet

School (Ranking)
Date Primary sent (listed on AMCAS)
Date Secdondary recieved
Date Sent out
Cost
Date letters sent
Confirmation of application complete
What's missing
Date Interview offered
Interview date
Contact phone number
Plane cost
Hotel
Hotel cost

Hope that helps.

 

[Cdc28p]

I think you really need only a nice table to keep track of the deadlines.

I also had a column for "Bush or Gore". 🙂 Basically, I kept track of whether the state where the school is located went Dem or Rep last presidential elections. This is how I ranked my schools! Harvard? Gore; awesome. Stanford? Gore; great. Duke? Bush; not applying. Columbia? Gore; high on list. Baylor? Bush; not applying. Wash U? Bush; low on list...

Hahaha... of course all this was just a desperate attempt to create some humor in this tortourous process.