Forum Members *~*~*~*~Official Pre-Allo Social Thread~*~*~*~*

[Ms Procrastinator]

Did you guys hear about that college admissions scam bust?

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[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Did you guys hear about that college admissions scam bust?

No I did not.

 

[Lawpy]

@tessellations @ekmf27050 @Ms Procrastinator @impendingdoom @mwsapphire bump!

 

[freak7]

No I did not.

tl;dr:

Bunch of rich people had a bribery ring going to guarantee admission of their kids.

 

[tessellations]

The craziest part of the story for me was that one of the kids in question is William H. Macy’s child.

You’d think there would be less illegal ways to get your kid into a school.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

The craziest part of the story for me was that one of the kids in question is William H. Macy’s child.

You’d think there would be less illegal ways to get your kid into a school.

Yeah if only there were things like grades and test scores and extracurricular activities they could do.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

No I did not.

Some rich people paid for their kids to get into top colleges and for people to fix SAT scores. Apparently the actress that played aunt becky on full house is one of those people, so of course people are making a big deal out of it. She paid 500,000 to get her kids into USC by pretending they were on row teams but here's the kicker. Her daughter is a youtuber *eyeroll*, barely goes to school and says that she'd only go to check out parties and game nights and that she doesn't know about the whole school thing (she said all this before we found out her mom paid). If I'm paying 500k to bribe a school into admitting my daughter she better d**n well go to school!

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Among the names being tossed in the ring of schools are Yale and Harvard. I gotta say, I expected better from Harvard

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

They all made the same mistake of not being rich enough to buy a building to get their kids into med school.
But for real, spending tens of thousands on SAT cheating? Imagine the amount of high yield, high quality tutoring you could have for that much money. Even the elite tutors that charge like $200/hr, that's sufficient hours to get someone at least to 95th percentile. WTF.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

They all made the same mistake of not being rich enough to buy a building to get their kids into med school.
But for real, spending tens of thousands on SAT cheating? Imagine the amount of high yield, high quality tutoring you could have for that much money. Even the elite tutors that charge like $200/hr, that's sufficient hours to get someone at least to 95th percentile. WTF.

Oh, new money.......*sigh*. They could never vibe with the original blue bloods. For real though, they should have at least spent money on tutors and test prep.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

They all made the same mistake of not being rich enough to buy a building to get their kids into med school.
But for real, spending tens of thousands on SAT cheating? Imagine the amount of high yield, high quality tutoring you could have for that much money. Even the elite tutors that charge like $200/hr, that's sufficient hours to get someone at least to 95th percentile. WTF.

Two of them are from families where at least one parent is a successful actor. William H. Macy’s family can afford to buy a building lol. I think his wife said he didn’t know about it, but I’m sure she had access to the money.

 

[tessellations]

I just started asking for LORs for next cycle. This is all getting too real for me!!! I can’t believe how fast summer is approaching. Daylight savings has only made it feel more urgently coming haha

 

[deleted889094]

I just started asking for LORs for next cycle. This is all getting too real for me!!! I can’t believe how fast summer is approaching. Daylight savings has only made it feel more urgently coming haha

Essay writing time?

 

[tessellations]

Essay writing time?

I haven’t quite gotten there yet, although I do have a PS draft. Focusing more on MCAT stuff and working on stuff for my committee letter.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Just did our taxes. Ended up owing money for the first time.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Those of us who will not thank you!

Yeah well be prepared for a lower refund. We got $10,000 last year and owed $200 this year.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Yeah well be prepared for a lower refund. We got $10,000 last year and owed $200 this year.

Daaaaaaaaamn.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Alas the pendulum swings both ways.
The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. And the IRS too!

The IRS actually gave us money. We just owed more in state taxes than we got back from federal. Was hoping for a refund that would help with the move in a few months. Complicates things a little.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

The IRS actually gave us money. We just owed more in state taxes than we got back from federal. Was hoping for a refund that would help with the move in a few months. Complicates things a little.

Sorry bro.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Sorry bro.

It’s okay. You win some you lose some. We are going to pay quarterly state taxes this year to hopefully keep that from happening again.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Im actually a tad jealous. Elsewhere I stated I received FAP and it was a struggle to admit that our income is so low that I qualified for FAP. Each time I see med school application fees on various schools that interest me, I whince at the thought that I have to check. Embarrassing. This after having owned a beautiful home in a different state, we have traveled the world, put our kids through school, and didnt bat an eye about going to nice restaurants.

So yea, the pendulum swings both ways.

Swing pendulum swing

Yeah well I make too much to qualify for FAP but could only afford to apply to 5 schools without it. Had to apply very smartly and am very blessed to have gotten acceptances.

 

[907914]

Yeah well I make too much to qualify for FAP but could only afford to apply to 5 schools without it. Had to apply very smartly and am very blessed to have gotten acceptances.

I know that I fall below the FAP line, but my parents (independent for almost a decade, now) make too much by about 15%. Had to save half of my paychecks for a year to get enough savings for 20 schools, a suit and up to 3 interviews.

FAP should have some kind of non-trad exception for non-trads who can show evidence of no support.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I know that I fall below the FAP line, but my parents (independent for almost a decade, now) make too much by about 15%. Had to save half of my paychecks for a year to get enough savings for 20 schools, a suit and up to 3 interviews.

FAP should have some kind of non-trad exception for non-trads who can show evidence of no support.

Yeah, thank God I could just wear my dress blues to my interviews. Couldn't afford a suit.

 

[Lawpy]

@tessellations @ekmf27050 @Ms Procrastinator @impendingdoom @mwsapphire bump!

 

[907914]

Yeah, thank God I could just wear my dress blues to my interviews. Couldn't afford a suit.

I tossed my dress blues the moment I got out lol they were fitted about 40 pounds ago and never bothered to refit them. At last year's unit ball, I am pretty sure if I breathed out then my button would have shot across the room. At least my wife was pretty though...

 

[907914]

Nothing beats the Vuvuzela

Vuvulzelas ruined the 2010 South Africa world cup Down with the vuvuzela.

 

[907914]

I qualified for FAP, I am a nontrad, much older, and married. However I stopped working a while back, havent filed taxes in years due to lack of income, and my husband’s salary is under $30k. My parents have been deceased for a while.

If you are older, a non-trad in the strict sense, and financially independent from your parents, and you fall below the FAP line, then you qualify, unless if there is something you are not sharing.

The problem I am going to have is traveling to interviews. I cant afford to travel to interview at 10-20-30 schools across the country. My dress clothing is from second hand stores, discount stores and gifts from women at church. In a prior life I made a 6 figure income but since I embarked on this medical school journey, I have had to let go and let God...literally

There are trade offs with FAP. Pick your poison

This is not true. Fap explicitly states that they include parental income regardless of marriage or dependency status. Your parents are deceased. Deceased parents most likely have no income, which is why you qualify and I don’t.

https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/eligibility/

 

[Lawpy]

@JoaoMoutinho @libertyyne @Lucca @freak7 @Matthew9Thirtyfive bump!

 

[907914]

“The Fee Assistance Program, unlike some federally funded programs, does not draw distinctions based on your dependent or independent status for tax purposes, therefore, parental financial information and supporting tax documentation are required. Parental information is viewed independently from applicant data, but must also fall within eligibility guidelines. This requirement cannot be waived on the basis of your marital status, age, or tax filing status.”

I would submit an FAP application and let them tell me i do not qualify. But thats just me.
How much do you want it?

Again, accepting FAP is a double edged sword. But I will cross that bridge soon enough

I’m not going to waste the time submitting an application for something I know I don’t qualify for.

What is the downside to accepting FAP?

 

[907914]

You think?

IDK, if my parents could contribute financially to my goals they would considering they never made it past 3rd grade in our third world country. But I could look into this

In the US, there are around 2,000 false tax reports processed by people with unreported deaths by family members or scammers trying to get their refund. I put most likely because, in those 2,000 cases, there were deceased people with reported incomes lol

 

[907914]

Humiliation is the biggest one, followed by the tease. I might have access to these schools for applying (the tease), but as already stated, visiting them for interviews....i cant do those in large number (over 2-3 schools). I definitely cant afford airfare to anywhere, hotels, staying overnight, etc...just not doable

its a trade off. But when you want something badly enough, you explore all options, grovel and swallow your pride.
I have even comsidered opening a GoFundMe account. Desperate situations require desperate measures

I mean...I am in the exact same financial situation as you are with my spouse and toddler and I have been able to save around $7000 in 2 years specifically knowing I had the application coming up...

 

[907914]

and as we learn during each election cycle, many of those dead people apparently vote

Voter fraud is not rampant...in this last cycle, there were fewer than 800 cases of verified voter fraud. Even if you multiply that by 10x, like only 10% get caught, then 8000 fake voters is not enough to sway a national election.

 

[907914]

These are really bleak stories

GoFundMe: #1 In Fundraising & Crowdfunding Online

but I just might .....

Interesting. I actually plan not on a go fund me but to all of my family and friends “each interview I get, give me $5 and I will buy you a post card from that city”

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

I'm dreading going back to school today

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'm dreading going back to school today

View attachment 254236​

I was supposed to go back Tuesday but I have an appointment so I don’t go back until Wednesday.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

I was supposed to go back Tuesday but I have an appointment so I don’t go back until Wednesday.

I would say lucky you but I dread going back period.

 

[907914]

I would say lucky you but I dread going back period.

Do semester based schools have a spring break in early March? My school doesn't start spring break until the end of next week...

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

A lot of schools are different. Some had it earlier this month and some are having it next week, but I had mine this week.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

A lot of schools are different. Some had it earlier this month and some are having it next week, but I had mine this week.

Same. We graduate in mid-May too. Almost there.

 

[Ms Procrastinator]

Same. We graduate in mid-May too. Almost there.

Jealous

 

[Lawpy]

@tessellations @ekmf27050 @Ms Procrastinator @impendingdoom @mwsapphire bump!

 

[907914]

This is good.

 

[Lawpy]

@LizzyM @tessellations @ekmf27050 @Ms Procrastinator @impendingdoom @mwsapphire turtle bump!

 

[Lawpy]

@JoaoMoutinho @libertyyne @Lucca @efle @freak7 @Matthew9Thirtyfive bump!

 

[Lawpy]

@tessellations @ekmf27050 @Ms Procrastinator @impendingdoom @mwsapphire bump!

 

[907914]

Remember, now that Disney owns Fox, Meg Griffin is an official Disney Princess.

 

[Lawpy]

@JoaoMoutinho @libertyyne @freak7 @Matthew9Thirtyfive bump!

 

[mwsapphire]

Do you guys have any rough idea of % correct/ scaled section score for MCAT?
( For instance, 81 percent correct for the BBS section, is that a 127, 128 etc.)?

IK that's a well asked question but in case any of you sorta figured it out.

 

[907914]

Do you guys have any rough idea of % correct/ scaled section score for MCAT?
( For instance, 81 percent correct for the BBS section, is that a 127, 128 etc.)?

IK that's a well asked question but in case any of you sorta figured it out.

80% correct is around a 128 in each category, roughly.

But it REEALLY depends on the specific exam and section.

 

[mwsapphire]

80% correct is around a 128 in each category, roughly.

But it REEALLY depends on the specific exam and section.

Oh okay, thanks. Yeah I know it's really variable, but I just wanna know whether to like expect a 510+ making about 80% or more correct, or if that's like a 501, you know? Just rough MCAT score brackets, so I know what to aim for when studying. If I need a 95% or higher to make a 510+ score, that would be a different story.