recently accepted JHU med students: what do you think helped?

[Bubchik]

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Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and I think it's great! I have a question for recently accepted JHU med students- what do you think has helped your application? I have pretty solid grades (3.9, 34Q, good letters, research,...),so what I am interested in is some additional things like timing of the application, letters of intent, phone calls, etc., etc. Due to my family situation JHU is my number one choice and I am really limited to the number of medical schools I am applying to (only 4 around Baltimore/DC area 🙁 ), so any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you guys!

 

[principessa]

Take advantage of your interview. This seems to be especially important at Hopkins. Most of the interviewers take a lot of time to read up on you, and the person who interviews you presents you to the committee for consideration (as opposed to some schools where they just submit their notes). Of course, you can't decide who will interview you, but you can prepare thouroughly. Stay informed, know why you want to go there, reread your application - the same as you would for other schools, but even more for Hopkins. I lucked out and had a great interview, and I think this made the difference. Although the faculty interview is the most important one, don't laugh off your interview with the student. Supposedly, they can't get you in if no one else wants you, but they can keep you out. The student interviewers will hang out with you while you wait for your interviews, and they will evaluate you the whole time, but it's not as scary as everyone makes it out to be. Just relax and be yourself. Don't suck up, but avoid insulting people. Also, don't schedule anything later in the day, because they don't stick to the schedule. You want to be able to concentrate on your interview and not have to worry about missing something. Best of luck.

 

[Bubchik]

Thanks! That's some great advice. I hope I get that interview

B

 

[bigbaubdi]

One thing I learned - don't overwhelm the admissions office with correspondence. If you are waitlisted, send your letters strategically however make it clear to the admissions office that you will definitely matriculate if accepted. I think doing this helped me a lot in getting off the waitlist.

 

[rackd8ball]

I don't think scores matter so as much as you would think either. Sure, they're looking for some high ballpark scores, but they're also looking for some outstanding achievements. Besides, you're definitely in the ballpark with scores already.

So concentrate on putting a spin to your application ... makign yourself really outstanding and unique in one way. It can be research, community involvement, leadership, atheltics/music/some other talent, anything ... but hopefully you have one thing you really dedicated your time into that you can play up on the application.

And yea, be normal and nice in the waiting room. There was this total kissass at my interview day... sitting on the edge of her seat and nodding like one of those bop-head dolls. Needless to say, she's not going...

 

[tonoplast]

Yeah, even though interview day is pretty important, it seems like your AMCAS and secondary can take you pretty far at Hopkins---I don't think I had the best interview with either student or faculty there--the interview with the student ended like this:

Interviewer: Is there anything else you'd like me to tell the admissions committee about you?
Me: uhh.... I don't know... I'm a nice person? I feel like we've already covered everything.

I didn't expect to get in, so I didn't correspond with the admissions office at all after my interview (I had also been accepted at another school I was really happy about attending). Of course, I was surprised when I was offered a spot off the waitlist.

So what helped? I think my application did a good job of explaining who I was and how I had gotten to the point of applying to med school after being out of school for 3 yrs. I used every possible opportunity to provide more info about myself--on my personal statement, my activities, my secondary essays, etc (i.e. I didn't use any of them to talk about issues facing medicine or my opinion about what a doctor should be.) I tried to make it clear that I had other interests and hobbies outside of medicine, but I think it also came across that I had thought through the med school question enough that I would be really focused and committed to medicine if I got in (no matter where I went to school). I also think Hopkins likes to see that you have long-term involvement in at least one thing in your life, either that or just a consistency throughout your application about what's important to you in life.

Also, I agree that the interview should not be used for sucking up or trying to "outshine" the other interviewees. Be confident and just let your true personality come through. Lastly, don't go in there with the attitude that the interview is going to determine the rest of your life cuz it'll put too much pressure on you. Keep things in perspective and know that even if medicine is your goal, there are more important things in life.