Penn

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Last year they sent interview invitations via snail mail. I believe it's just the VMD/PhD candidates who have received phone calls so far - none of the rest of us regular VMD hopefuls have heard anything, to my knowledge.

FWIW, last year right around this time the first snail mail invites came out for the first interview group. I'm personally stalking the mailman 😳
 
Shelter Girl--

Me too! I am hoping it comes before I leave for Florida for 2 weeks. Everyday I can't wait to get home and open my box but only find Christmas cards and Nike catalogs! Thanks for the info! I will keep my fingers crossed for both of us.

Wonder if they do PA residents first or just do the strongest applicants first?
 
I think in all of the interview groups last year it was a mix of PA and no PA interviewees.
 
This is pure speculation, but I would think that they interview stronger applicants first, since they let you know of their decision so soon after the interview. I've also heard that they try to group people by career interest so that your tour will include the right areas (ex. see new bolton center if you're LA)
 
Penn does NOT notify people of interviews via phone call. They may, however, notify interviewees of acceptance by a phone call. This is generally true but not always. At the very least, they will notify you within 2 weeks by mail, acceptance or rejection. However, sometimes the letter will say that your application is on hold until they see what the rest of the applicant pool looks like; this allows them to do the interviews in groups over a long period of time without shafting the last few groups in case there are a lot of really strong applicants on those dates. The interviews are not organized by applicant strength. They are organized by interest, so the tours consist of what you are interested in. Yes, there are multiple large animal days etc., but whether you're in the first, second, third LA groups has nothing to do with your rank in their application system.

I know it's almost getting to that time of year, but from those of us who have been through it (and this website is definitely an instigator), don't make yourself crazy! If 5 people posted that they got phone calls and you didn't, it doesn't mean you didn't get in! If you're in the last interview group, you have just as much of a chance as people in the first group. Do yourself a favor right now and relax. The application is in, there's nothing you can do but wait until you hear from the school.
 
anxwaiting said:
Does UPENN only notify people of their interviews by phone calls? I am just wondering if I can stop running to the mailbox everyday!
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I received my interview notification from UPenn last week via snail mail. My interview is on 1/11 and I am an out-of-stater.
 
I also recieved my notification for the January 11th interview date via email. I am in state.
 
eatpinkpenguins said:
I also recieved my notification for the January 11th interview date via email. I am in state.
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Congrats eatpinkpenguins! When did you get your email notification? And what did you list as your interest on the supplemental postcard?
 
These forums are making me crazy. I need to stop. lol
 
banditalfi said:
Agreed.

Slight change of topic: Deanna - how do you like the two Penn campuses? Is it a pain, or is it OK?
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yes and yes. :laugh: I like it and it is a pain, too. I think having the split campus offers the best of both worlds. The SA hospital benefits from a great caseload, good emergency service, top notch people, some great clients, etc. The LA hospital gets to be in Chester county which in PA is horse country. It also attracts big name horses from all up and down the east coast and sometimes even further away. It sucks when you have to drive out there, but its really not that bad of a drive and usually when you do go out, its for the whole day instead of short little labs. I also (dare I admit it) kinda enjoy living in the city. I probably never will again in my life and I thought I would hate it, but its kinda fun! Most people who are large animal (like me, Im equine) move out to Kennett Square in the middle of 3rd year when LA block and then clinics are, so you're really not ever commuting that much. For the SA people (and anyone who choses not to move) the New Bolton Center has dorms that you can stay in during LA block or during the required LA rotations, so its really not that bad.
 
And just to add on, those of you who checked LA/Equine on the little cards... those interview days are usually in February so you can probably relax for a couple weeks and stop stalking the mailman.
 
I still haven't heard a peep from Penn. Are they done sending out interview requests? When do they send out outright rejections?
 
I haven't heard anything either. I did put LA as one of my interests on the post card, so I'm hoping I'll hear a bit later.What did you write on the postcard, Vegan chick?
 
I interviewed on friday and am waiting to hear back. Has anyone gotten a phone call or letter of acceptance/rejection yet?
 
I freaked out all weekend last year after my interview because people on SDN had heard that night about their acceptances, and then I got my acceptance phone call on monday.
 
What were the choices again? I don't think I picked SA, but I might have depending on what other options there were...my poor brain is muddled with all this stuff and I can't remember!:scared:
 
I believe it was SA, Equine, Food Animal, and Research
I'm not positive bout the Food Animal though...
 
I probably picked SA then although what I am really interested is emergency medicine as it relates to public health, so...

Does anyone know if all interview requests for SA have gone out?
 
I think the options were SA, food animal, equine, research, other... and that's all I can remember! Personally, I don't think I have a shot at Penn, but I'm IS.
 
VeganChick said:
Does anyone know if all interview requests for SA have gone out?
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I hope (and also think) not, because I heard that they interview through March. If they have sent out all interview requests, then I don't see why they need to torture us further and keep us hanging.
 
cyrille is right: i know its hard to hear, but don't panic. not hearing right away is not necessarily a rejection. i was the last group to go for interviews, and we were mostly a small animal group. i didn't get a call at all, i only found out because i email rosanne herpen about getting my interviewers' emails to thank them and she told me then. otherwise i would have had to wait for 2 weeks until the letter came.

hang in there, kiddos! if you need anything, feel free to PM or email me. spikey.vmd AT gmailDOTcom.
 
Not to torture you further but last year at least there was also the option of being put on hold after your interview. This is what happened to me and I just got a letter telling me that I was now on hold--I think it was several weeks after the interview.
 
Also, some people in my class put that they were SA, but because of the their experience with LA they were put into an LA interview group. They also have 1 (or possibly 2) SA days right at the very end, from what I understand. Don't freak out, it ain't over till the fat ***** sings.
 
eatpinkpenguins said:
I interviewed on friday and am waiting to hear back. Has anyone gotten a phone call or letter of acceptance/rejection yet?
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I got a phone call from my "cold" interviewer Friday night letting me know I had been accepted and then got another call this evening from the other interviewer (he didn't know the first one had called me on Friday). But, don't worry...they told me they called me because I was so nervous and wanted me to be able to relax for the rest of my trip. From reading old posts, it seems like lots of people get in without getting a phone call first.
 
I also interviewed on Friday, 1/11 and received a phone call from my 'hot' interviewer about 4 hours later telling me that I had been accepted.
 
has anyone who has applied to penn, NOT hear anything yet (good or bad)? I'm SA, OOS, and I haven't heard anything since I got the supplemental postcard in the mail. I'm getting worried! Penn is my 1st choice. My friend hasn't heard anything either, although we know of a few other SA applicants who have interviews. Does anyone know if all SA interview invites have been handed out?!
 
Hey Shemari,

I haven't heard anything either since the postcard. I am getting more stressed by the day!
 
I too, have heard nothing since the postcard. I'm hoping that it's because I am interesting in equine medicine, but who knows!
 
shemari said:
has anyone who has applied to penn, NOT hear anything yet (good or bad)? I'm SA, OOS, and I haven't heard anything since I got the supplemental postcard in the mail. I'm getting worried! Penn is my 1st choice. My friend hasn't heard anything either, although we know of a few other SA applicants who have interviews. Does anyone know if all SA interview invites have been handed out?!
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No word for me either. Oh well.
 
shemari said:
has anyone who has applied to penn, NOT hear anything yet (good or bad)? I'm SA, OOS, and I haven't heard anything since I got the supplemental postcard in the mail. I'm getting worried! Penn is my 1st choice. My friend hasn't heard anything either, although we know of a few other SA applicants who have interviews. Does anyone know if all SA interview invites have been handed out?!
Click to expand...
I think they keep giving interviews through the end of February.
 
I selected SA on the postcard and am OOS. Haven't heard a peep either. Will continue to obsessively check mail. Good luck everyone!
 
I put small animal, and I'm OOS as well, and not a word. It seems that they don't like to let us know too far in advance. Less time for us to freak out, maybe.
 
turtlturtlturtl said:
I selected SA on the postcard and am OOS. Haven't heard a peep either. Will continue to obsessively check mail. Good luck everyone!
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Just some more info to add to the no interview data...

I am OOS and SA/research. Hope I hear something soon. It is killing me to look at that empty mailbox every day!

Alternate at Cornell, but not even an interview at Penn, UGH!!!! 👎

Oh Well! 😀
 
Nada from Penn... I'm SA as well.
 
BobDog said:
Just some more info to add to the no interview data...

I am OOS and SA/research. Hope I hear something soon. It is killing me to look at that empty mailbox every day!

Alternate at Cornell, but not even an interview at Penn, UGH!!!! 👎

Oh Well! 😀
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I'm in the same boat BobDog. Alternate at Cornell and no word from Penn. I put down SA.

Here are the possible scenarios that I've orchestrated in my mind.

1) They've sent out a bunch of interview invites for SA and are waiting to see this first round to see if they have enough qualified SA candidates and if they do they will send us all our rejections. If they don't then maybe we get a shot.

2) They have later slated dates for SA scheduled at the end (as I think Cyrille suggested) and they haven't sent those out yet.

3) There's no rhyme or reason whatsoever and I spend too much time thinking about this stuff and should probably just relax and not worry about it.

Any other scenarios that I haven't thought of?
 
I'm OOS for Penn too and have yet to hear anything.

In my imagination, it's because we are all so super qualified that it's a given we will ace the interview, and therefore there is no need to rush. :laugh: Wishful thinking, I know....
 
I think a lot us are in the same boat. I'm IS Equine, and I haven't heard from Penn either.... Hopefully we'll all be hearing some time soon. We've waited this long haven't we, will one more week actually kill us? (knock on wood...)
 
haven't heard a thing yet either. i'm hoping that when I get back to campus in PA on Sunday night, that there will be a bunch of interview invites in my mailbox... wishful thinking most likely as well
 
SarahLT33 said:
that there will be a bunch of interview invites in my mailbox...
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It's possible...t happened to me today! Admittedly, I already knew about two of the three from e-mail/status page updates, and I was really expecting/hoping to hear from the third, but I definitely did not expect to get mail from three schools on the same day. Talk about wild!!
 
That's awesome Moonpaw! Who did you hear from?
 
I am oos interested in large animal/eq and was invited to an equine interview day on 2/15
 
VeganChick said:
That's awesome Moonpaw! Who did you hear from?
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The two I knew were Illinois and RVC (still exciting to get the mail, nonetheless), and unknown (but hopeful/expected) was Tufts. I don't think I've ever gotten so much useful/squee-inducing mail all at once before!
 
Okay, so this person that I work with, whose significant other recently graduated from Penn, told me today that the students you talk with during lunch/on the tour have the biggest say in who gets in and who doesn't and they try to weed out all the "freaks" who they don't want there. He also said that the two on one interviews basically count for nothing but everyone thinks that they are the most important part. Apparently his significant other knows people on the admissions committee. I am just curious if anyone knows if there is any validity to this. I personally have a hard time believing it and would think that the actual two on one interviews greatly factor into the final decision. Anyone else have any "insider" info?
 
catlover25 said:
Okay, so this person that I work with, whose significant other recently graduated from Penn, told me today that the students you talk with during lunch/on the tour have the biggest say in who gets in and who doesn't and they try to weed out all the "freaks" who they don't want there. He also said that the two on one interviews basically count for nothing but everyone thinks that they are the most important part. Apparently his significant other knows people on the admissions committee. I am just curious if anyone knows if there is any validity to this. I personally have a hard time believing it and would think that the actual two on one interviews greatly factor into the final decision. Anyone else have any "insider" info?
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I certainly don't have any "insider" info, but here's what I was told by multiple people at the interview day (including the dean of admissions, one of my interviewers, and multiple students): When the adcomm meets, everyone talks, but the students and administrative people on the committee don't get to vote. So, I think the students' roles are to get the interviewees to relax, but also listen and see if they're complete whackjobs that they can alert the adcomm of 🙂 Same goes for the dean of admissions/secretary, etc. I was really impressed with Penn's interview process and it definitely moved way up in my book as a result.
 
I put "other" down on the postcard...does anyone know how these interviews are handled?
 
pupsforseeing said:
I certainly don't have any "insider" info, but here's what I was told by multiple people at the interview day (including the dean of admissions, one of my interviewers, and multiple students): When the adcomm meets, everyone talks, but the students and administrative people on the committee don't get to vote. So, I think the students' roles are to get the interviewees to relax, but also listen and see if they're complete whackjobs that they can alert the adcomm of 🙂 Same goes for the dean of admissions/secretary, etc. I was really impressed with Penn's interview process and it definitely moved way up in my book as a result.
Click to expand...

word.
 
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