Mail from Washington University in St. Louis

[humuhumu]

Just got this in the mail today:

"Dear Mr. *****,

Congratulations on your strong showing on the April 2005 MCAT. Based on your terrific performance, I decided to write you to make sure that you are aware of the outstanding opportunities for developing your career at Washington University School of Medicine....."

And it came with an attractive glossy brochure.

Anyone else get this yet?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[radioh3ad]

I got that last year, but my GPA was not nearly high enough. I don't think it is even now. So i went into the BU MAMS program.

still debating whether to add Wash U as one of my schools. 38P, 3.2 undergrad, 3.97 grad.

wuddya think? just do it?

 

[CerealBox]

yes. i did. and i didn't submit an application to them either. its probably very expensive to send those out to everyone.

 

[jbrice1639]

i got one yesterday too...not to mention they'd already sent me the viewbook about a week ago in response to my amcas...so they've sent me that book twice now with two different letters.

 

[Kateroni18]

I got that last year, but my GPA was not nearly high enough. I don't think it is even now. So i went into the BU MAMS program.

still debating whether to add Wash U as one of my schools. 38P, 3.2 undergrad, 3.97 grad.

wuddya think? just do it?

I would add it. I got that letter last year and had extremely similar stats to yours (just replace grad with post-bacc) and I got in...

 

[Helicon2]

I did a couple months ago. I applied there w/ less than stellar stats just 'cause it was my undergrad.

 

[radioh3ad]

I would add it. I got that letter last year and had extremely similar stats to yours (just replace grad with post-bacc) and I got in...

ok we need to talk Pm'ing you. 😀

 

[krasnayana]

Just got this in the mail today:

"Dear Mr. *****,

Congratulations on your strong showing on the April 2005 MCAT. Based on your terrific performance, I decided to write you to make sure that you are aware of the outstanding opportunities for developing your career at Washington University School of Medicine....."

And it came with an attractive glossy brochure.

Anyone else get this yet?

🙁 my letter said: "I have received from AMCAS a copy of your Application for Admission. And they had a generic To: Applicant. I guess I know where which file my application is going. 😱

 

[humuhumu]

🙁 my letter said: "I have received from AMCAS a copy of your Application for Admission. And they had a generic To: Applicant. I guess I know where which file my application is going. 😱

I guess what I'd really like to know is, exactly what information regarding potential applicants can schools get from the AMCAS? And why do schools like Washington even bother recruiting?

 

[StartingLine3]

I got one of these, but it was more URM based. I dont think I have a strong enough MCAT and GPA to apply (29, 3.92). I have also recieved additional information from other schools; one schools associate dean of diversity affairs sent me a very personal email that had information directly from my application. When I took the MCAT I signed up for med-mar, so I think that is where they are getting alot of my information.

 

[Starvin Marvin]

Got it too, made me feel kinda special until I realized they probably send it out to lots of people. There's probably some kind of cut off on MCAT and they send it to everyone above that. I wonder why that school feels the need to advertise. Seems to me like every decent med student has heard of Wash U and knows how good it is. Maybe they just have extra money to throw out....

 

[willthatsall]

I think everyone over score X gets the letter. I'm not sure exactly what X is, but I'm guessing 34-35? I've heard horror stories of people getting the letter, deciding to apply, and getting rejected as soon as the check is cashed. So I wouldn't hesitate to apply, but if you don't think the rest of your application (GPA) is competitive, don't think that the letter means they have a soft place in their heart for you.

 

[LJDHC05]

Yeah, I got one last year and had a 34...one of 18 MSTP REJECTIONSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Uegis]

Yea, Wash U is notorious for sending out the mail soliciting people to apply. As a top school, they really don't get nearly as much applications as other top tier schoools. So in order to increase their applicant pool AND lower their acceptance rate, they send out those emails. It has been discussed extensively in the boards last year and in previous years. If you have strong numbers, you should still apply. Great school with great research.

 

[wends]

yeah i got one last year too, but my gpa was lower than their average. i was also interviewed, in november and didnt hear a peep from them. still on the wait list 🙄

 

[dajimmers]

Yea, Wash U is notorious for sending out the mail soliciting people to apply. As a top school, they really don't get nearly as much applications as other top tier schoools. So in order to increase their applicant pool AND lower their acceptance rate, they send out those emails. It has been discussed extensively in the boards last year and in previous years. If you have strong numbers, you should still apply. Great school with great research.

I'm sure this was also discussed last year, but search is down (at least I think it is, I wasn't really going to check...)

Anyways, does Wash U fewer apps just b/c of location? Or is there some weird stigma or something associated w/ it?

 

[gujuDoc]

Just got this in the mail today:

"Dear Mr. *****,

Congratulations on your strong showing on the April 2005 MCAT. Based on your terrific performance, I decided to write you to make sure that you are aware of the outstanding opportunities for developing your career at Washington University School of Medicine....."

And it came with an attractive glossy brochure.

Anyone else get this yet?

My MCAT instructor got that after he'd taken the test in 2003. He said they send it to everyone who meets a certain MCAT score. Its a recruitment mechanism, and probably part of the reason that many people accuse Washington U of being a number *****. But I still think anyone who could get in a school like Wash U would be lucky, cuz its supposed to be a very good school.

 

[Thundrstorm]

I got one too, w/a focus on minority recruitment. My MCAT isn't exactly stellar (30), so I wouldn't expect a school like WashU to be impressed w/it otherwise.

 

[jbrice1639]

Anyways, does Wash U fewer apps just b/c of location? Or is there some weird stigma or something associated w/ it?

My guess would be that their numbers are low simply because most of us assume we can't get in there so we just don't apply. A lot of the top schools have lower applicant numbers if you look through the MSAR...and then going along with that, some of the very good schools, but not necessarily top of the top have higher numbers because people view them as realistic reach schools...like georgetown getting about 8000 applicants.

And, to respond to the post about the Dear AMCAS Applicant letter...I actually got that letter AND the MCAT letter from WashU, so clearly one hand doesn't know what the other is doing over there. But being in advertising myself, I gotta hand it to them...the marketing they're doing is effective....the form letter about the MCAT sure made me feel special even if only for the tenth of a second beore i realized it was just a marketing tool 🙄

 

[jc11011]

I got one of these, but it was more URM based. I dont think I have a strong enough MCAT and GPA to apply (29, 3.92). I have also recieved additional information from other schools; one schools associate dean of diversity affairs sent me a very personal email that had information directly from my application. When I took the MCAT I signed up for med-mar, so I think that is where they are getting alot of my information.

I don't think you should sell yourself short. I know a guy (Puert Rican) that got an interview at WashU last year with a 28.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

My MCAT instructor got that after he'd taken the test in 2003. He said they send it to everyone who meets a certain MCAT score. Its a recruitment mechanism, and probably part of the reason that many people accuse Washington U of being a number *****. But I still think anyone who could get in a school like Wash U would be lucky, cuz its supposed to be a very good school.

MSAR 2006-2007: WashU MEDIAN mcat = 37.

😱

 

[radioh3ad]

holy crap, yea if you add their medians for each section. i dont think that's the median total though.

new MSAR is great tho. love to see all the stats.

 

[dilated]

Anyways, does Wash U fewer apps just b/c of location? Or is there some weird stigma or something associated w/ it?

I think it's location + lack of name value to the average person. It's up against the top 10 schools - think of your parents reaction to "I got into WUSTL" versus "I got into Yale" despite the fact that WUSTL is probably stronger. "Washington State is a very good school, dear." 😛

 

[DrBowtie]

People outside of academia generally have little clue that it is such a top notch school.

 

[kalenakai]

I got one of these, but it was more URM based. I dont think I have a strong enough MCAT and GPA to apply (29, 3.92). I have also recieved additional information from other schools; one schools associate dean of diversity affairs sent me a very personal email that had information directly from my application. When I took the MCAT I signed up for med-mar, so I think that is where they are getting alot of my information.

I got the WashU letter and brochure in the mail today too (I guess snail mail to Hawaii takes a little longer than the continental US, haha). The letter was also somewhat personal and inviting, and it was signed from the Assoc Dean of the Office of Diversity Programs (I too checked off the Med-MAR and am applying as a URM). Still debating whether or not to add WashU to my list of schools, hmmm... I don't know if I meet their high standards. Then again, I don't think I meet Harvard's either, but I added them to the list... at least I'll get to frame their rejection letter, haha! I'm kidding. They have a very strong Diversity Program at HMS as well, so we'll what happens.

 

[browniegirl86]

Just got this in the mail today:

"Dear Mr. *****,

Congratulations on your strong showing on the April 2005 MCAT. Based on your terrific performance, I decided to write you to make sure that you are aware of the outstanding opportunities for developing your career at Washington University School of Medicine....."

And it came with an attractive glossy brochure.

Anyone else get this yet?

yep, but mine said "August 2004 MCAT"

 

[willthatsall]

I got the WashU letter and brochure in the mail today too (I guess snail mail to Hawaii takes a little longer than the continental US, haha). The letter was also somewhat personal and inviting, and it was signed from the Assoc Dean of the Office of Diversity Programs (I too checked off the Med-MAR and am applying as a URM). Still debating whether or not to add WashU to my list of schools, hmmm... I don't know if I meet their high standards. Then again, I don't think I meet Harvard's either, but I added them to the list... at least I'll get to frame their rejection letter, haha! I'm kidding. They have a very strong Diversity Program at HMS as well, so we'll what happens.

I just wanted to comment that you have the neatest, most kept-up MDapps profile I've ever seen. I like it.