Oklahoma - (Prospective) Class of 2010 part 01

[huranch]

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Good luck getting in, your maturity and breadth of experience will definitely weigh in your favor in the interview. So, what are your impressions of socialized medicine so far? It would be interesting to hear a first-person account. Especially from someone who is in the medical community, as opposed to a layman.

I came here expecting to find answers to the problems in the US. Not so. The healthcare system is still two levels - those who can afford private health insurance (and see the best doctors in the least time) and those who can't (and wait to see gov't paid clinicians in public facilities). That said, insurance is MUCH cheaper - a student can get coverage for $200 a year!! Ireland seems to be a bit better (less saturated) than the UK (& Australia) at this stage, but from what I've learned Canada's system seems to be the best option. I'm not sure how they make it work though as I recently read they have the most comprehensive care for the lowest per capita expense??

Basically, I still think our country should be working towards taking care of its own to provide basic levels of care. We somehow have the best research, training, and technology, but have the worst healthcare system of all the developed countries. It's really nuts to me that any american can be sick but unable to see a physician.

I will now leave my soap box and get back to my books!! 🙂

 

[putzeled]

I came here expecting to find answers to the problems in the US. Not so. The healthcare system is still two levels - those who can afford private health insurance (and see the best doctors in the least time) and those who can't (and wait to see gov't paid clinicians in public facilities). That said, insurance is MUCH cheaper - a student can get coverage for $200 a year!! Ireland seems to be a bit better (less saturated) than the UK (& Australia) at this stage, but from what I've learned Canada's system seems to be the best option. I'm not sure how they make it work though as I recently read they have the most comprehensive care for the lowest per capita expense??

Basically, I still think our country should be working towards taking care of its own to provide basic levels of care. We somehow have the best research, training, and technology, but have the worst healthcare system of all the developed countries. It's really nuts to me that any american can be sick but unable to see a physician.

I will now leave my soap box and get back to my books!! 🙂

I can pretty much guarantee that you will get asked about your views on socialized medicine in your interview since you've seen it first hand. I'd definitely do some research on it before hand and have some informed opinions, whatever they may be. I have a background in business and was grilled about our system and how big business, particularly insurance companies, are making billions of dollars a year while people can't afford to go to the Dr. or get scripts filled.
I agree that our system is too expensive in general, and it is a shame that not everyone has full access to the best care. Somehow changing the focus from profits to patients while still keeping a private system would be the best thing in my eyes. Of course, thats a tall order, but I don't think the answer to our problems is government run health care. I can't think of any government entity that is efficient or customer friendly.
I would have to disagree with you on Canada having a good system though. There has been a lot of stories recently about their system bordering on bankruptcy, even though they spend something like 40% of every tax dollar on healthcare. They still have major problems in providing care to their citizens, particularly specialist care. Supposedly it's not unusual for people to have to wait months, or even years for certain procedures.
And just think of what the baby boomer generation would do to a government run healthcare system paid for with our tax dollars. It would be totally overwhelmed. The new medicare presciption plan is a good example of government healthcare run amok. Cost projections have already ballooned to several times the original estimates. Its a little crazy to think we are paying for Boone Picken's prescriptions (since all seniors are covered by the plan no matter what their income).
Anyhow, whatever the answers are to healthcare it will be exciting for our generation of docs to help find those answers. And with that I will also hop down from the soapbox and go back to studying Neuro... ugghh

P.S. some websites on healthcare problems here and in Canada for anyone interested...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/10/14/BUGR28JFEN59.DTL
http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/socialized.html#canada
http://www.rightpoint.org/hc2.html
http://www.theadvocates.org/freeman/8903lemi.html
http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba346/
http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...tosletterv3n1.pdf+socialized+healthcare&hl=en

 

[lfesiam]

On the good side, you've obviously had some interesting life experience in Boston and NYC. Did you go to Ireland for additional classes or were you thinking of applying to an Irish medical school (I don't know what the committee would think about that)? As the oldest member of the Class of 2010 (as far as I know!), I think OU is very serious about getting diversity of age and life experience in the class - that helps you.


Thanks for all your comments - super helpful.

I'm in Ireland because I wanted to see a socialized medicine in action and had never had the chance to live abroad. I am in the medical program here - but it is totally different than the US system. Mainly, its 5 years not 4 and since I'm 30 I wanted to start now in case I didn't get into a better US program. Anywho, this was all mentioned in my MCAT & my Dean sent OU a letter to let them know he knows that I am applying in the US. Why would OU see that as a negative - it seemed like you thought they would? I hope not...another school I interviewed at actually paired me with a faculty member who had taken the same route.

hey huranch

I'm a true out-of-stater. Born on Long Island, NY, went to Penn, a true northeastern-er... My only tie was my ex-gf, who's from OK (we met during our undergrad years). Love was the only reason I applied to OU...I sincerely wrote that on my cover letter! Things didn't work out in the summer, but I'm grateful, otherwise, I would not be where I am today! Good luck on your interview (I interviewed on the last day in Feb)!

PS: Not all of us are old married students by the way!!! There are plenty of good looking, outgoing, young single girls and guys on the OUHSC campus...well more girls than guys ...sorry ladies...(Dental Hygenist Students, Nursing Students, Dental Students, Allied Health, you get the idea...) We know how to have a good time! 👍

 

[speedo542]

PS: Not all of us are old married students by the way!!! There are plenty of good looking, outgoing, young single girls and guys on the OUHSC campus...well more girls than guys ...sorry ladies...(Dental Hygenist Students, Nursing Students, Dental Students, Allied Health, you get the idea...) We know how to have a good time! 👍

Do you have a problem with old married students, lfesiam?? And I thought we were friends. 🙁

 

[lfesiam]

speedo542, no pun intended, u still rock in my black book!

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

speedo542, no pun intended, u still rock in my black book!

But what about old single students, lfesiam? Am I going to be a social outcast?

 

[speedo542]

speedo542, no pun intended, u still rock in my black book!

Thanks, that's so sweet!!! 😍

Good luck hunting, lfesiam!!! 😀

 

[speedo542]

But what about old single students, lfesiam? Am I going to be a social outcast?

You are totally going to stick out. Maybe you should rethink this whole being a doctor thing. 😀 No, really, there are so many different types of people that nobody is going to be an outcast. I'm serious. I don't think that I've met so many different types of people that I love more than my fellow OU COM 2009ers (especially 232ers!!!).

 

[Doctor Bagel]

You are totally going to stick out. Maybe you should rethink this whole being a doctor thing. 😀 No, really, there are so many different types of people that nobody is going to be an outcast. I'm serious. I don't think that I've met so many different types of people that I love more than my fellow OU COM 2009ers (especially 232ers!!!).

Yay, that's very reassuring. 😀

 

[Amxcvbcv]

You'll only stick out if you're like me and wearing sweat pants and run into a group of sparkling interviewees just after I finished the neuroscience mini-exam.

Thank God we don't have to dress nice every day. 😛

 

[MechE]

You'll only stick out if you're like me and wearing sweat pants and run into a group of sparkling interviewees just after I finished the neuroscience mini-exam.

Thank God we don't have to dress nice every day. 😛

Hey, I was one of those sparkling interviewees today. 😎

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Hey, I was one of those sparkling interviewees today. 😎

I bet you looked great! Good luck!!

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Hey, I was one of those sparkling interviewees today. 😎

Congrats, MechE! Hope you had a great day. Maybe you can post some honest interview feedback... I think our feedback forum has been getting rather a lot of axe-grinding lately.

 

[oudoc08]

Congrats, MechE! Hope you had a great day. Maybe you can post some honest interview feedback... I think our feedback forum has been getting rather a lot of axe-grinding lately.

Yes, it would be nice to see a little positive feedback. The last 3 were negative, though I was a little reassured to read that the majority of negative impressions were either not true, or distorted.
Ex: One person put that the we had a lower than average USMLE pass rate. That's simply not true. OU currently has a 94% first time pass rate compared to the national average of 93%.

Someone else posted that we share almost everything with dental, nursing, etc.
Not true either. We share absolutely nothing with the nursing students, and the only shared resource w/ anybody else is the dental students who take 1st semester embryology with us (and only the first two test blocks at that).

They posted about there being an animosity between the med and dental students. That does seem to be true somewhat. So what?

Also, there was the usual (many of the students don't ever seem to go to class) entry, which just shows the typical pre-med "I can't see going to medical school and paying 17grand a year not to go to class. Those people must be lazy as hell", instead of recognizing that in fact, OU is superior to many facilities by providing resources to accomodate all different learning styles. Quite honestly, were I in their shoes, and know what I know now, whether or not a school had mandatory attendance, would be as important of an attribute as location, cost, facilities, etc. (maybe more so).

One interviewee tried to correlate the fact that OU lost their EM residency serveral years ago to a defective quality of medical education. Geez. Apparently, they don't understand the bureaucracy that is residency accreditation.

Anyways, it just hacks me a little when people take shots at things they don't understand, but I guess that's their right to do so on an anonymous feedback forum.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I realized I never left feedback, so I went and left my thoughts, which were positive. No dress code, no attendance policy, lots of online resources are all big pluses in my book. Actually, every single I've visited has emphasized that class attendance is optional and that some people like it and some don't -- I don't see why it's such a shocker to meet OU students who don't go to class.

The students I met were all happy with their school choice, too, so the recent feedback didn't match what I saw. I wonder what's provoking the string of negative review.

Thanks for the USMLE info, oudoc.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I wonder if we actually have a string of negative reviews, or the same ax being ground on more than one side. I wouldn't care about anyone's tantrum except that I hate to see anxious candidates reading such distorted views. Funny how more than one person would be silent about a bad interview for weeks and suddenly decide to post just before round 2 interviews, isn't it?

I'm going to post feedback, too. I didn't at first because I felt some obligation to keep my interview confidential. My whole interview day was such a terrific experience, though. I thought OU was a fantastic school and I liked everyone I met so much - and I was so glad that the students seemed busy but happy. I thought having all the heath disciplines on one campus contributed to a fantastic scholarly atmosphere for learning medicine - after all, we're all going to be part of a multidisciplinary team caring for patients. I knew OU was exactly the right place for me - if I had known I had gotten in, I would have danced all the way back to my car after the day was over. I guess I should share that view.

 

[tsthethird]

Does anyone know the number of students, to date, that have accepted a bid to OU for the upcoming fall? Also, would it be appropriate to start a list of people that are in fact going? Thanks in advance for you input.

 

[MechE]

Does anyone know the number of students, to date, that have accepted a bid to OU for the upcoming fall? Also, would it be appropriate to start a list of people that are in fact going? Thanks in advance for you input.

I don't know how many have actually accepted, but one person told me today that they have offered 112 of the 162 spots already.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

The dental students are in on our sporadic histology lectures this semester as well.

At least part of them, anyway.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I don't know how many have actually accepted, but one person told me today that they have offered 112 of the 162 spots already.

If the 112 figure is correct, it's only half-done. Last year (according to USNWR), OU made 200 offers in order to fill the class - and the class size has increased by 12 this year. So - there's still a long way to go!

 

[Amxcvbcv]

If the 112 figure is correct, it's only half-done. Last year (according to USNWR), OU made 200 offers in order to fill the class - and the class size has increased by 12 this year. So - there's still a long way to go!

Your class is only going up by 2. We started with 160.

 

[huranch]

I can't seem to find a 2009 class profile (I'm mainly wanting to know the average age and oldest, youngest and the number of states represented etc.) Can anyone direct me?

Many thanks for any help!

 

[Antigunner]

I can't seem to find a 2009 class profile (I'm mainly wanting to know the average age and oldest, youngest and the number of states represented etc.) Can anyone direct me?

Many thanks for any help!

I'm sure one exists somewhere, but I don't think they've ever showed it to us - or maybe I just missed that day...

 

[speedo542]

I know for a fact (from Dr. Hall), that as of today (1-26-06), there have been 113 people who have been accepted. Possibly another 17 will be approved soon. AND, I don't think they send acceptance letters to 200 people. That would be foolish. What if on the very unlikely chance everyone accepted the invite? Then, admissions would be screwed. But, the last part was just my opinion.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I know for a fact (from Dr. Hall), that as of today (1-26-06), there have been 113 people who have been accepted. Possibly another 17 will be approved soon. AND, I don't think they send acceptance letters to 200 people. That would be foolish. What if on the very unlikely chance everyone accepted the invite? Then, admissions would be screwed. But, the last part was just my opinion.

It seems like all schools overaccept by a wide margin. According to usnews, OU gave out 200 acceptances last year, and 147 people enrolled. One big thing is most oos students don't enroll -- last year 5 out of 27 accepted oos students enrolled. 142 out of 173 instate students enrolled -- there's always going to be the people dying to get out of state and the superstars who can go to Harvard or wherever.

Usnews is so much better than the MSAR. 🙂

 

[GoBroncos!]

are u guys callin on Feb.19th to see what happened with your status or waitin for letter?

 

[midwest77]

hey to all current OU students or anyone else who knows...I was looking at the calendar and it says that school starts the 3rd week in august and that orientation is a few days in august. Is orientation and white coat ceremony like the week before school starts? I am just wondering why they wouldnt say that these took place during the 2nd week of august in the calendar...if anyone has exact dates that would be awesome.

also....what are people doing about living situations. i am in missouri right now and will be here until june. when are people starting to look for places? and where do you even start? thanks a bunch. good luck to the upcoming interviewees.

 

[speedo542]

hey to all current OU students or anyone else who knows...I was looking at the calendar and it says that school starts the 3rd week in august and that orientation is a few days in august. Is orientation and white coat ceremony like the week before school starts? I am just wondering why they wouldnt say that these took place during the 2nd week of august in the calendar...if anyone has exact dates that would be awesome.

Orientation and white coat ceremony are the week before school starts, at least it was for us this year. No knowledge about the dates. No one (even people you call to find out) doesn't ever seem sure. You basically have to wait until they send your info packets out in the summer. I think we got two packets of info during the summer, and it was the second one (in July) that had actual dates, I believe. Could be wrong...alot of studying has gone on since then. Anyway, it is either June or July before you get any real answers.

 

[putzeled]

also....what are people doing about living situations. i am in missouri right now and will be here until june. when are people starting to look for places? and where do you even start? thanks a bunch. good luck to the upcoming interviewees.

Some places to search for rentals are at:
http://newsok.com/classifieds/categories/?category=8
http://www.okgfree.com/viewlist.asp?cid=10006&sid=50056
http://www.apartmentguide.com/index.asp

There is also this company in OKC that keeps a massive list of privately owned rent houses, condos, townhouses, etc.. You have to pay for it, but the list is much more exhaustive than the free classified listing. Plus you can specify particular parts of the city, and what amenities/features/pricing you are looking for. Their website is https://webrentz.net/index.aspx

There is also a university owned apartment complex on campus. Here's their website http://village.ou.edu/ I'm pretty sure you get some info in one of your packets that gives you info about this place. And it seems like there was also a list or something the school sent out for people looking for roommates to sign up on.

And the Deep Deuce apartments are also really close to campus
http://www.deepdeuceapts.com/s/homepage

There are a ton of apartment complexes, condos, townhouses, and houses for rent across the OKC metro area. Housing is pretty cheap here too, one of the cheapest areas in the country. Some popular areas are north and northwest OKC, The Village, Bethany, Moore, Edmond, and Midwest City. There are some nice neighborhoods just north of downtown and just west of downtown too.

Hope that helps.

 

[putzeled]

I can't seem to find a 2009 class profile (I'm mainly wanting to know the average age and oldest, youngest and the number of states represented etc.) Can anyone direct me?

Many thanks for any help!

I don't have any official numbers, but here are my guesses.
Avg age - 23ish
Youngest person I've met - 20
Oldest person I've met - 37
male/female ratio - 60/40


I think there are only about 10-15 true out of staters. However, there are lots of people that did their undergrad work out of state, and several who only lived here for a year or two to become in-staters before starting med school. The USNews numbers that were in another post are a little off too. As someone else mentioned our class started with 160 peeps. And I think that 4 of us were returning from last year. So that leaves 156 new people.

I bet you could email the admissions office people though and they would give you official numbers. I know they track that stuff because I remember during orientation Dean Hall told us a bunch of interesting little stats about our class (that I don't really remember).

But, the most important thing to remember is that the class of 2009 is the smartest and best-looking group of people ever assembled. Period.

 

[Antigunner]

But, the most important thing to remember is that the class of 2009 is the smartest and best-looking group of people ever assembled. Period.

You're darn right they are! 👍

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I already have this nightmare that Dr. Hall will announce the 2010 class age range at orientation, and every single person in the room stares directly at me. I hope she just continues to use the term "40+" for the upper limit - I could tell people that I'm "40+" all the way through school, which would be just dandy with me.

I think the Class of 2010 is going to be first-rate. I think I had to go through a little adjustment period after the reality of it all sunk in, but everything's falling into place and I'm getting very jazzed about school. If I can just get my night-classes-and-MCAT-study 20 pounds off, I'll be good to go.

What's the typical attire for attending lectures? Jeans? Scrubs?

 

[tsthethird]

During my interview day, I briefly talked with a man, a retired school teacher, that was in his mid fifties, 54 I believe. He seemed to have a great attitude and was friendly. I hope he gets accepted.

 

[Antigunner]

What's the typical attire for attending lectures? Jeans? Scrubs?

It depends some on the day - on a normal day, it usually ranges from sweatpants and t-shirts anywhere to shirt and tie. When we have clinical correlations (with patients coming in), everybody dresses up more and wears their white coat. Some days you have to go to your preceptor rotation right after school, so then you have to do the shirt/tie/white coat thing also. Scrubs usually only appeared on anatomy lab days, or if your preceptor rotation was in the ER or something.

That was a long answer for a simple question - bottom line is, on a typical day you can wear whatever you want.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Wear what you want, pretty much, except for clinical correlation days or when you have a PCM preceptor rotation.

I think most folks go for jeans and t-shirts in varying degrees of tattered.

On a personal note, during test blocks I break out the sweats/scrubs and go for pure comfort.

Oh... and you'll probably want to wear one of the fabulous t-shirts that should be available for purchase around the first of school. 😛 I bought two and they are in my weekly rotation. 😉

 

[Jwax]

are u guys callin on Feb.19th to see what happened with your status or waitin for letter?

I haven't decided yet. Do you think they would tell us over the phone? I wouldn't think so... I am thinking of asking a doc that I know who is on the adcom what the results are, but I don't want to put him in an uncomfortable position of possibly having to inform me that I have been rejected. 😕 I'm not sure what I ought to do.

 

[midwest77]

thanks putzeled and speedo for the responses. do you think if i waited til june to look for a place that would be too late. i live in a small college town in missouri and know that you will be screwed if you wait too long and didnt know if it was the same for OKC...how bad is parking? bad enough that you would want to live within walking distance to the campus? thanks a lot for your help...

 

[speedo542]

thanks putzeled and speedo for the responses. do you think if i waited til june to look for a place that would be too late. i live in a small college town in missouri and know that you will be screwed if you wait too long and didnt know if it was the same for OKC...how bad is parking? bad enough that you would want to live within walking distance to the campus? thanks a lot for your help...

Uh, parking is fine. Our lot is somewhat far but somewhat close to our building (just depends on what you already do with whether it is close or far now...), but you always have a spot. Parking really isn't an issue in deciding if you need to live on campus or not. As for finding a place, I can't really say if the sooner is the better. There are so many apartment complexes around the city, there should generally always be something. If you are interested in the student housing, you might want to start checking into that now. Just to be on the safe side

 

[Jwax]

I think I'm going to start going crazy between now and February 19th. Really. I'm busy with school & fiance and everything, but still... it is sucking up my brain. Just let us deferree's know already. 🙁

 

[JohnnyOU]

Hi all.
I've got an interview at OU in a few days. I think it's on the last day of interviews from what someone told me. I guess I slid in by a nose. 😀

Their interviews are all open file right? So they'll know ahead of time my mcat and gpa?

My premed advisor told me that anyone interviewing at the last of Jan or beginning of Feb is probably going to be deferred or rejected. So I guess I can relax during my interview since I don't have to really worry about whether I'll get in or not Kinda liberating in a sad way.

Thanks
Johnny

 

[Jalopycat]

Your pre-med advisor is wrong. I know people who got in on the last few days. I wouldn't write yourself off so fast! However, weren't you wanting to go to OSU anyway?? I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I just thought I saw a post awhile back. Personally, I think OU is great and I can't imagine being anywhere else, despite all the negative comments that seem to have come up recently on the interview feedback.

Also, whoever asked about calling someone on the admissions committee about their standing, I wouldn't do it. It puts them in an uncomfortable position, and what possible good could come out of that? If you have questions about your application, you should just call the admissions office.

 

[JohnnyOU]

I only applied to OU. I thought about OSU and even applied there, but withdrew my app. They are both great schools though imo. OSU being in Tulsa was a perk because I'm from there and my family lives there still.

I was not expecting to get an interview at OU because I didn't do as well as I hoped on the mcat...got a 7 in verbal which made me almost vomit, and my gpa is average, nothing special. I was expecting to have to reapply this June after retaking the mcat... I only studied about a week for it before and this time I'm going to study about 2 months off and on, assuming I don't get into OU this cycle.

The committee will have all my scores already when I arrive though, right?

Johnny

 

[Amxcvbcv]

The committee will know all your information.

Just don't forget to bring your prerequisites sheet with you and pictures if you didn't mail them in before.

 

[JohnnyOU]

The committee will know all your information.

Just don't forget to bring your prerequisites sheet with you and pictures if you didn't mail them in before.

I mailed the photos last week. I almost included an apology letter with them. I HATE pictures of me...I'm always thinking "Good grief! Am I really THAT ugly!??"

 

[Jwax]

oops, double posted....

 

[Jwax]

I mailed the photos last week. I almost included an apology letter with them. I HATE pictures of me...I'm always thinking "Good grief! Am I really THAT ugly!??"

Why didn't I think of that? My hair generally looks good, but for some reason, it gets screwed up just before every photo I take. Blah.

Hmm, so I guess calling the adcom is a no go. I guess the mailbox ritual will have to resume in a few weeks. I'm not looking forward to that part.

Oh, and I have to say something random: I've met some really cool med students in the past few years... but sadly, I've also met some really not cool ones. Not cool as in 😴 oh well, I guess all wanna-be doctors can't be wild and crazy.

 

[MechE]

Did anyone else receive a "Petition for Oklahoma Residency?" I thought this was really weird since I've lived in Oklahoma for 20 years and have gone to school here since preschool.

I didn't get one of those last year before my rejection so I'm taking this as a good sign. 👍

 

[midwest77]

Did anyone else receive a "Petition for Oklahoma Residency?" I thought this was really weird since I've lived in Oklahoma for 20 years and have gone to school here since preschool.

I didn't get one of those last year before my rejection so I'm taking this as a good sign. 👍

i got one a week ago...I got accepted in December. I got mine because i have been working out of state for a year without going to school..its a huge pain in the ass to fill out so maybe call to make sure that they meant to send one to you. i htought it was weird that they sent this to me after I was accepted

 

[oudoc08]

Did anyone else receive a "Petition for Oklahoma Residency?" I thought this was really weird since I've lived in Oklahoma for 20 years and have gone to school here since preschool.

I didn't get one of those last year before my rejection so I'm taking this as a good sign. 👍

Yes, I also had to deal with that a couple of years ago. Basically, my situation was that I graduated high school in Missouri, moved to Oklahoma to work and go to school, went to paramedic school, worked full-time for 4 years, then went to part-time while finishing my degree and applying to med school. In that time, I never lived outside of OK, got married here, had two kids here, bought two houses and paid taxes here, and needless to say was a little surprised by the fact that my first student loan estimate listed me as an out-of-state student with an attached "Petition for OK residency".

The argument had something to do with why I moved from Missouri. Something about, whether you moved to OK primarily to attend school or for other reasons. I think the reasoning was that if I moved here when I was 18 in order to attend school, and had been a continuous student since (I'm 29 now), even 11 years of residency and tax-paying in OK, wouldn't qualify you as a resident for tuition purposes.

I think that's pure crap, but it went something like that.

Anyways, I had to, and probably went above and beyond to voluntarily submit, a ton of paperwork including, tax and mortgage statements on my homes that I had owned, W-2's from previous years showing that I had been a full-time employee at some time, full copies of income tax returns, drivers licenses, marriage license, birth certificates from my kids, and any other piece of paperwork I could to justify my residency status here as a student.

Something about 17 grand a year vs. 40 grand (or whatever it is now for out-of-state) will make you do that.

Anyways, after submitting everything, I had to wait for a committee to meet and review my petition. They summarily decided in my favor, much to my relief.

Just make the best case you can, and hope for the best.

 

[Mr. Freeze]

Yeah I got the resident deal, too. My red flag was likely military service, as there was a little handwritten note stating I needed to turn in a copy of my DD214, which on one sheet of paper encapsulates your entire military career. Or 4 years, whichever comes first. But it shows which state you were a resident of when you signed your life away. Except for those 4 years, I have lived in OK all my life but 1. Which is a long time. Now that I think about it, the one year was my first year, since I was born in Manhattan. Kansas, that is. Maybe that is part of it.

JohnnyOU, not only will the adcom know your app VERY well, but you should too. They will, or did in my case, have read your PS to a high level of detail, and you should be prepared not to defend it necessarily, but be able to explain/expound/comment at the drop of a hat. I'm very glad that I did. I also went through each of the classes on my AMCAS app that left any room for question, whether it was a W or a B, whether it was verified with error, or whether the load was light that semester, and formulated a defense of sorts for them. I was really glad I did that as well.

There are people (you can look back through this post) in their MSII right now (don't quote me, they might be MS3's) that got accepted the day before class started. Your pre-med advisor has no idea WTF he/she is talking about. Are the odds different from interviewing in Dec.? Yeah, but the odds are different for each person, each interview room, the weather, whether or not the interviewer got any last night, whatever...

You make your own odds. My MCAT was probably avg to below avg, GPA was probably avg to above avg. However, they got me an interview, and nothing at all against anyone who interviewed and not being an ass or anything like that, I don't think anyone did as well in their interview as I did. Or put in a way that doesn't sound so egotistical: I felt like the difference between how well I could do and how well I did was smaller than other folks. Some people came out looking really, really torn down. I prepared like it would go bad, hoped it would go well, and ultimately felt like it went better than it ever could. You have to be confident, and I think that you have to walk into that room and own it. It's all attitude. But it has to be the right kind.

That's what I think.