OFFICIAL: 2003 UPenn countdown

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Originally posted by Milhouse Van Houten
i think berkeley has many more top programs than penn. in terms of professional schools, they are about equal. when you include all graduate schools (including engineering, all biological science and all chemical sciences) berkeley pretty much runs the universe. plus if you're into name, which you shouldn't be, penn really doesn't have one. except of course, if you live inside pennsylvania. i hate berkeley with all my might, hate it, hate it, but you just can't knock it!
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I looked through the rankings of all the major PhD programs, and the only ones Berkeley has a higher ranking than Stanford in is Chemistry and Sociology. It isn't even the best in its own state.
And you are trying to be cute saying Penn is only know in Pennsylvania. At least it actually is the best school in PA.
 
what types of scores do accepted non-URM Penn med students have? i interviewed this fall and am waiting like all of you. USNews posts some high stats for Penn, but i met quite a few med students at Penn so said their MCAT was below the average. instead, they said, it's a lot about unique aspects of the application (varsity athletes, presitigous scholarships, siginificant grad work). i think i met three applicants who were PhDs.

thoughts?
 
Originally posted by ultane123
what types of scores do accepted non-URM Penn med students have? i interviewed this fall and am waiting like all of you. USNews posts some high stats for Penn, but i met quite a few med students at Penn so said their MCAT was below the average. instead, they said, it's a lot about unique aspects of the application (varsity athletes, presitigous scholarships, siginificant grad work). i think i met three applicants who were PhDs.

thoughts?
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It is true that Penn, along with WashU, is the most selective med school in terms of straight numbers (ie. highest MCAT and GPA). But that isn't what they base their selections on as much as other tops schools. They could have even higher numbers if they wanted, but they are looking for everything else in an applicant as long as that applicants numbers are competitive enough to get to the interview phase. Research, clinical work, clubs/activities will all help, especially if your resume includes some unique activities. And Penn is big about wanting people to have shown leadership, which can strongly compensate for having lower than average scores.
 
Originally posted by Bonds756
It is true that Penn, along with WashU, is the most selective med school in terms of straight numbers (ie. highest MCAT and GPA). But that isn't what they base their selections on as much as other tops schools. They could have even higher numbers if they wanted, but they are looking for everything else in an applicant as long as that applicants numbers are competitive enough to get to the interview phase. Research, clinical work, clubs/activities will all help, especially if your resume includes some unique activities. And Penn is big about wanting people to have shown leadership, which can strongly compensate for having lower than average scores.
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I couldn't agree more. Penn's averages are very high (34 MCAT and 3.7 gpa) if memory serves. Penn's averages could definately be higher, but Penn wants a certain kind of individual. In addition to what Bonds said Penn is looking for the NON gunner type.
 
Originally posted by Bonds756
I looked through the rankings of all the major PhD programs, and the only ones Berkeley has a higher ranking than Stanford in is Chemistry and Sociology. It isn't even the best in its own state.
And you are trying to be cute saying Penn is only know in Pennsylvania. At least it actually is the best school in PA.
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what kind of argument is that? 🙄 you don't see people at ross boasting that they're the best in the caribbean and laughing at penn because it's not the best in the US. :laugh:
 
bump

Day 147 of my post-U Penn agony continues...

Maybe they'd get back to me faster if I sent them an update letter.
 
just called the office today... they said that letters will be sent out within the "next 2-3 weeks" butthey didn't give me an exact date. also, they are going to email us about checking our final status online, but that will also be around the time they send out the letters.
 
Originally posted by Street Philosopher
what kind of argument is that? 🙄 you don't see people at ross boasting that they're the best in the caribbean and laughing at penn because it's not the best in the US. :laugh:
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That is the point. It isn't a straight argument, just like Berkeley 'ruling the world' isn't. They are very very good, but far from the hands down best.
As much as I hate to admit it, as far as being top notch uniformly across all different grad categories, I would have to say that distinction belongs to Stanford. Followed by Harvard, and then several schools fighting it out for 3rd (Penn, Berkeley, Yale, Columbia, Mich).
 
Does anyone know when UPenn's 2nd look weekend will be? Does anyone remember when it was last year? I need to plan accordingly in case I get in. 🙂
 
So I was flipping through the stuff they gave us at our interviews, and it seems that only about a quarter of us are going to be accepted.

How depressing.

For some reason I thought it was the generous 1/3-1/2 ratio at places like Michigan and Northwestern.
 
Originally posted by arsh
Does anyone know when UPenn's 2nd look weekend will be? Does anyone remember when it was last year? I need to plan accordingly in case I get in. 🙂
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It's always the last weekend in April.
 
Yeah, its April 24-26 weekend, the same time as the Penn Relays (if you don't know what the relays are, you will).
 
So who wants to bet on when we'll hear? I bet two clappy smilies that we hear on March 10.
 
Bump.

any clarification on when the notification date will be?
 
I called today and the secretary said:

"within the next two weeks you will get an e-mail to check the status page"

This so much more kind to the applicant instead of pensively waiting next to the mailbox.
 
Thanks. Such a ridiculously long wait. Glad to know it's nearly over.
 
Originally posted by relatively prime
So who wants to bet on when we'll hear? I bet two clappy smilies that we hear on March 10.
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😀

I'll see your 2 clappy smilies :clap: :clap: and raise you a laughy smily :laugh: that we don't hear until Mar. 14.

🙂
 
Well... in my insanity I went through the old UPenn countdown thread. Last year people found out on March 14 from the online website. That was the second thurs of march! So this year the second thurs. in march is the 13th.

So! I see your :laugh: but I'm changing my vote to March 13th... and I'll raise you a 😳



yay for insanely long waits!! :clap:
 
Anyone remember the days BEFORE the MCAT and the AMCAS... anyone remember some of the ignorance? the innocense?


My husband took the MCAT when I was just a freshman. He was out of the country when his scores came in the mail. I opened them with one of his friends... when we saw them we were both like "He only got a 37 out of 42... only an 88%. That's not too good!" :laugh: :laugh:
 
I can't believe we have to wait until March 14th. I thought I heard March 6th at the interview.

Although I think they also notify some supa-dupa stars of scholarships at the same time that they send out the outright accepts.

Maybe that's the hold-up.
 
Straight from the Horse's (i.e., Admin Office) Mouth, today on the phone:

letters will be going out around March 17.

There ya have it.
 
Originally posted by Sicamic
Straight from the Horse's (i.e., Admin Office) Mouth, today on the phone:

letters will be going out around March 17.

There ya have it.
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Yeah... but I've called too... and they've said "within the first two weeks of March." March 17 is the third week! And what about the online status check?! WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO US?! 🙁
 
crap...i've already been waitlisted to two of my top three choices (columbia and mt. sinai). upenn's the third. if i get waitlisted again, i SWEAR....
 
Originally posted by relatively prime
Yeah... but I've called too... and they've said "within the first two weeks of March." March 17 is the third week! And what about the online status check?! WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO US?! 🙁
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Direct from the UPenn status page (https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/AppStatus_https/index.pcgi):

"The interview program for 2003 has ended and the selection process has begun.

Final decision status will be made available through the status page and US mail in mid March."
 
counting down the days... only about 10 more...
 
::crosses fingers and pumps fists::

Come on Penn, lets go baby! ACCEPT MEEEEEE!!

::takes a valium::

ahhhh

Anyone think it'd do any good to write a letter at this point? E mail maybe?

cheers,

Tom
 
hey tomjr,

i don't think a letter would hurt; you can e-mail gaye sheffler directly with the e-mail address that penn provided on interview day.

since penn's my first choice, i e-mailed and snail-mailed the letter of intent.

ahh...i'd do anything to get rid of this anxiety!

g' luck everybody!
-r
 
Hang in there it won't be long now! I'm guessing that you'll know by the end of next week.
 
so i guess upenn wins for which school takes the longest. or will it be yale
 
Originally posted by Dr.Tong
so i guess upenn wins for which school takes the longest. or will it be yale
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Oh please... there are so many schools who are taking way longer than UPenn (at least for me). I haven't heard from so many schools (all of which I interviewed at before Nov.)... and I don't expect to hear from them for another few weeks. At least with UPenn we know we're going to hear by the start of next week. :clap:

And Yale... all they said is that we'll probably hear by April.
 
Originally posted by relatively prime
Oh please... there are so many schools who are taking way longer than UPenn (at least for me). I haven't heard from so many schools (all of which I interviewed at before Nov.)... and I don't expect to hear from them for another few weeks. At least with UPenn we know we're going to hear by the start of next week. :clap:

And Yale... all they said is that we'll probably hear by April.
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i'm talkin schools that no one has heard from.
 
any new word on a specific date for the e-mail regarding checking the status page?
 
anyone planning on calling admissions today to get an idea of e-mail date?
 
I was going to call but I was too lazy to do so before 5 PM (that's when the office closes). Anyway, did anyone call today to inquire when we would find out?
 
I did call today and they said that they would notify us of decisions "within the week". I dunno if that means by Friday or Monday but either way it's coming up soon!
 
Thanks for asking them, shadowfax!

The "hurry up and wait" part of the application process that we've all been a part of for so many months now is killing me. I'm not complaining because I'm grateful of where I am, but I can't help feeling drained from it. The wait is especially painful when we know it's coming up so close like this. The anticipation of the outcome is driving me nuts...

Good luck everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Prepare to stalk your inboxes! 😱
 
I also called today and was told the letters would go out 'some day next week' but they were not sure as to which one. So I think we can breath easy until next week, but then they will send us emails with links to where we can check our status.

Best of luck to all.
 
So I talked to Penn admissions today. They said that they will mail decisions out sometime next week, but will also send out an email telling applicants to check their online status. At least no more delays because of snail mail delivery will exist this time around. How nice of them!
 
I am wondering if rejections are given next week too?
 
Originally posted by qdefiant
I am wondering if rejections are given next week too?
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Yeah... probably... last year they sent everything out at once.
 
just bringing it back to the top
 
so i guess penn isn't going to meet this march 15th suggested deadline thing that people keep throwing around?
 
Originally posted by MedApp2003
so i guess penn isn't going to meet this march 15th suggested deadline thing that people keep throwing around?
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Why do you say that? I thought they would post the decisions online on the 15th.
 
Originally posted by relatively prime
Why do you say that? I thought they would post the decisions online on the 15th.
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yeah, but people who called were told that it could be sometime next week...weren't they?
 
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