UCONN Fall 2009

Started by fiznat
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Hey you guys, I am not sure about something..

I had applied to a few post-bac programs, and I received an acceptance from UMaryland, but their deadline to confirm a seat is May 1. Is there anyway I can save that seat but then if I get into somewhere else drop it, with my deposit? I know it sounds ridiculous..but just wondering..what should I do?

Thanks!
 
You'd have to lose your deposit. That's what I plan on doing at the moment. I've already sent a deposit to UMDNJ, will send one this week to UPenn - all while I wait for UConn
 
robflanker said:
You'd have to lose your deposit. That's what I plan on doing at the moment. I've already sent a deposit to UMDNJ, will send one this week to UPenn - all while I wait for UConn
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Yeah that is true, thank you for the suggestions. I had one more question regarding financial aid..I turned in my FAFSA a while back, and it is complete, but how do I find out if I am applicable for loans..and are there any other ways to go about this?
 
Not till FAFSA gets back to you from the best of my understanding. but then that stuff confuses the crap outta me
 
Are there any pre-vet students in the UConn post bacc program? Do they accept people that are looking to complete the program for this purpose?
 
Hey everyone - Just wondering - are there any Pre-Dental students that have applied to Uconn's Post Bacc? I noticed most people are Pre-Med.

Also, has anyone received any news? The only update I have - is that my application fee has been deposited! hehe...

Keeping my fingers crossed for everyone! :xf:
 
I haven't heard anything either. I am going to email them at the end of this week and just ask what my status is.

They deposited my check on March 10th just out of interest
 
Hey guys, just wanted to let everyone know I received my rejection via email yesterday. They said they received over 250 apps so the competition is STIFF.

Wishing all of you the best and hope you guys get in.👍.
 
Oh wow, I didnt realize the competition was that stiff. I didn't get an email yet so hopefully thats a positive sign but we'll have to see.

Thanks maxim and good luck to you too
 
Hey you guys, unfortunate news from my side as well...I received the rejection via email.

Good luck to everyone!
 
Sorry Mss4. When did you get your email yesterday too?

I've been refreshing my inbox like every 10 seconds
 
sorry about the rejections 🙁 do you guys/gals mind sharing when you were complete? I applied late so I am thinking that is probably why I have not heard back yet. thanks.
 
Ouch, sorry to hear that no one has gotten in so far. Seems very competetive...does anyone know how many people they will be looking to accept out of the ~250 applications?
 
I know the group that entered in Fall 2007 was about 10-12. Not sure the size of last year but rumour has it got bigger
 
When I spoke to the secretary earlier this yr I believe she said there was 14 openings for this program for this year..I also am friends with one of the current uconn post baccs who said there was 8 in the program from this past yr (but im not sure if she was referring to only the minority program..which I think she was..some of which were career changers and students with low/no mcat) with 1 pre dent.
 
keep in mind that uconn SOM is like a pipeline. some of the pbaccs are from their hcop/summer programs or have participated in one of their sponsored medical minority programs
 
anybody else heard anything? It looks like emails were sent out on Mon & Tues to unfortunate people. Has anyone heard anything positive or they still sending out rejections?
 
when i met with sanford last wk it seems like they had decided already who they wer going to give interviews to (and they had a small number of apps left to look at) and that over the next 2 weeks he said that decisions would be made so i dont think its rolling..i think interview selections are probably being finalized and people should hear by next week...but who knows there could be another wave of rejections to come next week via email/mail
 
Yeah I don't think its rolling. Its such a small program that he could easily just do it all in one shot
 
Yep, I got rejected as well. Got what sounds like the same email the others got, "250 applicants" yadda yadda.

Best of luck to those who have yet to hear.
 
Sorry to hear it too fiznat.

This has got me worried, I was going to try to apply this fall but now I'm wondering if I have a chance in hell lol.

If some of you don't mind sharing a post mortem, what kind of backgrounds did you have coming into this? Science? No science? Right out of undergrad? Career changer? GPA? MCAT or no MCAT? What do you think helped/hurt your application?

Also for those who haven't gotten in, what is your next step going to be?
 
Jlaw - I think you'll be hurt most by when your planning on entering. As you saw they had 250 apps for the 10-20 slots for starting this fall. I doubt there will be even 25% of the number of spaces available in the spring.

Sorry to hear it too rjahncke - good luck to you as well

Geez all these emails has me checking my email like every 9 mins waiting for my fateful email
 
Yeah I think you told me that a couple weeks ago. I'm planning to speak with them on the phone, or go up to UCONN to sit down and talk face to face prior to putting in my application, and that is definitely one of the questions I will ask.
 
Jlaw said:
Yeah I think you told me that a couple weeks ago. I'm planning to speak with them on the phone, or go up to UCONN to sit down and talk face to face prior to putting in my application, and that is definitely one of the questions I will ask.
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Yah you could be lucky tho in that very few people apply due to it being mid-year.
I'd def email Dean Sanford and ask to meet with him to discuss the program. He was really helpful when I met with him. I'd do it before the fall tho as he'll be doing MS applications during the fall. There will be a window after post-bac admissions and before MS admissions starts that i'd try and shoot for as he'll be least busy.
 
robflanker said:
Yah you could be lucky tho in that very few people apply due to it being mid-year.
I'd def email Dean Sanford and ask to meet with him to discuss the program. He was really helpful when I met with him. I'd do it before the fall tho as he'll be doing MS applications during the fall. There will be a window after post-bac admissions and before MS admissions starts that i'd try and shoot for as he'll be least busy.
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Thanks, my plan was to call in a week or two and see when he would have time to speak to me, I figured right now wasn't a good time since he was working through all the current apps.
 
Has anyone been accepted yet?

They are probably sending out emails (rejection or acceptance) as the applications are reviewed and NOT waiting to send out a mass email to groups of applicants.

Secondly, how helpful is this program in opening doors to medical school? I know that their website boasts "approximately 85 percent of matriculated post-baccalaureate students have received admission to medical school", but to which schools? Do these numbers include students who have been accepted in FM/IM schools (SGU, RossU, etc)? If so, most of us looking to get into a SMP/Post-bacc program can probably get into these FM/IM schools, no?
 
mr2trd3 said:
They are probably sending out emails (rejection or acceptance) as the applications are reviewed and NOT waiting to send out a mass email to groups of applicants.
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That's not the case. I had a completion date of before Fiznat's and I still haven't heard anything. I handed my application to Dean Sanford in February, so i'm pretty sure if was based on when they reviewed it - I would have heard now. Plus the way people are coming on here posting about their news I think shows its mass emailing.
mr2trd3 said:
Secondly, how helpful is this program in opening doors to medical school? I know that their website boasts "approximately 85 percent of matriculated post-baccalaureate students have received admission to medical school", but to which schools? Do these numbers include students who have been accepted in FM/IM schools (SGU, RossU, etc)? If so, most of us looking to get into a SMP/Post-bacc program can probably get into these FM/IM schools, no?
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I think most go to UConn. I don't know the numbers for this year but from 2 years ago of the 5 that applied for the year immediately following 4 went to UConn and 1 went to Tufts a year later. I don't think many go abroad.
I think most of us who are applying to the SMP/PB could go to a FM/IM today if we wanted to. I, for one, have no desire, as regardless of the boardscores the match % isnt great for foreign MS
 
mr2trd3 said:
Has anyone been accepted yet?

They are probably sending out emails (rejection or acceptance) as the applications are reviewed and NOT waiting to send out a mass email to groups of applicants.

Secondly, how helpful is this program in opening doors to medical school? I know that their website boasts "approximately 85 percent of matriculated post-baccalaureate students have received admission to medical school", but to which schools? Do these numbers include students who have been accepted in FM/IM schools (SGU, RossU, etc)? If so, most of us looking to get into a SMP/Post-bacc program can probably get into these FM/IM schools, no?
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I can't speak for everyone else, but myself (and I think alot of others) are looking into the post bacc program as a way to get science requirements fulfilled and get some guidance on how/when/where to apply to med school. If you do well at UCONN there is a good chance (no promises) that you will get into the UCONN Medical School which is why it's a popular program. I personally couldn't apply to any med school, foreign or not, because I have never taken any science and obviously couldn't take the MCAT either because of that.

If you already had some science requirements fulfilled and just needed a couple classes to finish up or improve your GPA I wouldn't think that committing to a 2 year post bacc program was necessary or cost/time effective.
 
I'll add my name to the rejected list.

Good luck to the rest of you!
 
robflanker said:
I'll add my name to the rejected list.

Good luck to the rest of you!
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Sorry Rob, tough luck. Do you have any alternate plans? There are alot of post bac programs in the NY/CT/MA area. I am going to apply to about 10 after seeing how heated the competition was for this one.
 
Yah I already got into UPenn, UMDNJ, waitlisted at Tufts, and am still waiting on BU.

I'll survive, just would have liked to go to UConn, but oh well!
 
Jlaw said:
If some of you don't mind sharing a post mortem, what kind of backgrounds did you have coming into this? Science? No science? Right out of undergrad? Career changer? GPA? MCAT or no MCAT? What do you think helped/hurt your application?
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I'll share mine, since I won't be reapplying to this program again and I might as well help other people figure out where they stand.

I am 26 years old, graduated from Boston University in 2004 with majors in Philosophy and Psychology, having taken no science classes at all and finishing out with a GPA of about 2.6 (ugh). Since then I have been taking my pre-reqs at CCSU. At the end of this semester I will have finished all the basics (a year each of Chem, Bio, Physics, Orgo) with a GPA of about 3.55.

I am a paramedic working in Hartford and been involved with EMS on a professional basis for 7 years. I am a leader at work (union steward, preceptor, national competitions, disaster response experience @ Katrina and Dean). I had excellent LORs, including one from the EMS medical director at John Dempsey who personally dropped his letter off with Dr. Sanford and chatted him up. Haven't taken the MCAT yet.

I thought I was a pretty good candidate. Even though my undergrad GPA wasn't good I thought I demonstrated some academic success taking those science classes (while also working full time). I've got a significant amount of clinical experience and a decent story to tell. Apparently though, not good enough. Either the competition was pretty stiff, or I'm just not the kind of applicant they are looking for. Who knows.

Good luck to all.
 
fiznat said:
I'll share mine, since I won't be reapplying to this program again and I might as well help other people figure out where they stand.

I am 26 years old, graduated from Boston University in 2004 with majors in Philosophy and Psychology, having taken no science classes at all and finishing out with a GPA of about 2.6 (ugh). Since then I have been taking my pre-reqs at CCSU. At the end of this semester I will have finished all the basics (a year each of Chem, Bio, Physics, Orgo) with a GPA of about 3.55.

I am a paramedic working in Hartford and been involved with EMS on a professional basis for 7 years. I am a leader at work (union steward, preceptor, national competitions, disaster response experience @ Katrina and Dean). I had excellent LORs, including one from the EMS medical director at John Dempsey who personally dropped his letter off with Dr. Sanford and chatted him up. Haven't taken the MCAT yet.

I thought I was a pretty good candidate. Even though my undergrad GPA wasn't good I thought I demonstrated some academic success taking those science classes (while also working full time). I've got a significant amount of clinical experience and a decent story to tell. Apparently though, not good enough. Either the competition was pretty stiff, or I'm just not the kind of applicant they are looking for. Who knows.

Good luck to all.
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Thanks Fiznat. No offense but other than your undergrad GPA, you have a pretty impressive record and maybe you don't need a preparatory program like this one? If you were to finish up your second year of sciences with the same high grades and get a good MCAT score you would be a pretty good looking candidate for some med schools, especially if you were going to go DO or to one of the big international schools.

Anyway best of luck to you going forward and thanks again for the info.
 
Jlaw said:
Thanks Fiznat. No offense but other than your undergrad GPA, you have a pretty impressive record and maybe you don't need a preparatory program like this one? If you were to finish up your second year of sciences with the same high grades and get a good MCAT score you would be a pretty good looking candidate for some med schools, especially if you were going to go DO or to one of the big international schools.

Anyway best of luck to you going forward and thanks again for the info.
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Thanks Jlaw. That pretty much is the plan right now being that I have no other option haha. I'm going to take another year of science classes, filling the PA (*shudder*) prereqs at the same time so I can hedge my bets come application season 2010. I need to smoke the MCAT as well to even be considered, as even though my science GPA is decent my overall is still below 3.

Thanks for the encouragement though. I hope you find success in whatever path you choose as well.
 
Fiznat - what about one of the Boston or NJ SMP or Post-bac programs?

Tufts/BU/UMDNJ/UPenn/Temple/Harvard
 
Hi all, new to the forums here.

I applied to the Fall '09 program as well, but never got the application complete e-mail, nor was my check deposited yet. I have had the hardest time getting them to return a phone call or an e-mail! It's not like I'm even asking how long until I hear, I just want to know they actually GOT the application! I'd hate to think that after spending all that time working towards building the perfect application, I won't even get the chance to be rejected!

It sucks because I have about a year left of courses before I can just apply straight to med school. If I nailed the MCAT the rest of my stats are solid enough that I could probably make it in, but the post-bacc was the only way I can avoid the dreaded gap year!

Sorry to all those who got rejected, keep following the dream and it will come!
 
run2erun said:
Hi all, new to the forums here.

I applied to the Fall '09 program as well, but never got the application complete e-mail, nor was my check deposited yet. I have had the hardest time getting them to return a phone call or an e-mail! It's not like I'm even asking how long until I hear, I just want to know they actually GOT the application! I'd hate to think that after spending all that time working towards building the perfect application, I won't even get the chance to be rejected!

It sucks because I have about a year left of courses before I can just apply straight to med school. If I nailed the MCAT the rest of my stats are solid enough that I could probably make it in, but the post-bacc was the only way I can avoid the dreaded gap year!

Sorry to all those who got rejected, keep following the dream and it will come!
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You need to call Lynda Fox. She is hard to reach, but try calling her around 3-4pm EST.

Good luck, mate.
 
bump....did anyone get in? I'm dying to see what kind of background an accepted applicant presents.
 
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