University of Arizona Questions

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mymembernames said:
Anyone get feedback from any of the campuses regarding their application? Do they just email you feedback or do you go in to visit them? Thanks.
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Supposedly they are emailing feedback this year. I haven't received it yet.
 
mymembernames said:
Oh OK thanks a lot!
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To clarify, I emailed them and got a generic response about file review. Called, and she said my name was on the list for file feedback and that they would be emailing it to me. Hope this helps!
 
sunny1 said:
To clarify, I emailed them and got a generic response about file review. Called, and she said my name was on the list for file feedback and that they would be emailing it to me. Hope this helps!
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At what point do you ask for a file review? How far down the wait list do you have to be to ask for one?
 
WannabeDoctora said:
At what point do you ask for a file review? How far down the wait list do you have to be to ask for one?
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In the waitlist email, I believe it said you could request one as of April 1. It didn't specify where on the waitlist you had to be. That said, I am still waiting on mine. Honestly I don't know how much help it can be though, since the 2009-2010 cycle is gearing up soon! 🙄
 
So, I had my file review recently. It made me feel really bad at first. My personal statement needs revamping and I need to get letters from experiences that reflect how I act toward patients....yet what I did was not really seen by anyone in particular...maybe other volunteers or nurses I didn't really know (just in passing). Also, I was supposed to put more activities...like leadership ones. Does anyone have any input on who exactly wrote your LOR? Or what kinds of leadership activities you presented?

This process is daunting.
 
InvitroDerm said:
So, I had my file review recently. It made me feel really bad at first. My personal statement needs revamping and I need to get letters from experiences that reflect how I act toward patients....yet what I did was not really seen by anyone in particular...maybe other volunteers or nurses I didn't really know (just in passing). Also, I was supposed to put more activities...like leadership ones. Does anyone have any input on who exactly wrote your LOR? Or what kinds of leadership activities you presented?

This process is daunting.
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I shadowed a cardiologist for a while and had him write me a LOR
 
InvitroDerm said:
So, I had my file review recently. It made me feel really bad at first. My personal statement needs revamping and I need to get letters from experiences that reflect how I act toward patients....yet what I did was not really seen by anyone in particular...maybe other volunteers or nurses I didn't really know (just in passing). Also, I was supposed to put more activities...like leadership ones. Does anyone have any input on who exactly wrote your LOR? Or what kinds of leadership activities you presented?

This process is daunting.
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I used LOR's only from the clinical experiences in which I really got to know someone in charge well--a child psychiatrist I worked closely with, a social worker I helped volunteer with in radiation oncology, etc. I think it's important to chose LOR writers that know you pretty well even if they are not MDs...For instance, if you worked in the pediatric ward in a large hospital, it's probablly not likely that you would get to know the doctors or nurses really well since they change frequently, etc...but I bet the volunteer director of that department got to know you very well, and could say alot about your work ethic, how to interact with patients, etc. Just my 2 cents 🙂

Re: leadership activities, it doesn't have to be something super official (like student government or on the exec board of a club). I did have some of those leadership experiences, but I also included things like coaching a community youth basketball/cheerleading league. Maybe you have something like that you overlooked?

Best of luck!
 
I remember talking with someone who had just gone through the med school ap process. She said that the committees wanted to know if you could really get in there and actually help the dirty homeless person, or the gay guy with the hundred tattoos or the kid with the snot and poopy diaper. Do you like people? All kinds of people? People who are sick or in pain and are not nice? If the answer is yes, I would ask yourself how you know that? And then how can you show the schools. I also think experience with people that isn't necessarily medical but shows you can communicate, and think and lead is great. Just my two cents. Good luck!
 
natrides said:
I remember talking with someone who had just gone through the med school ap process. She said that the committees wanted to know if you could really get in there and actually help the dirty homeless person, or the gay guy with the hundred tattoos or the kid with the snot and poopy diaper. Do you like people? All kinds of people? People who are sick or in pain and are not nice? If the answer is yes, I would ask yourself how you know that? And then how can you show the schools. I also think experience with people that isn't necessarily medical but shows you can communicate, and think and lead is great. Just my two cents. Good luck!
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Well said. I think I had the experiences to justify these questions the adcoms have, but I don't think I expressed it well enough in my AMCAS application. I was rushing to fast to have an "early application" and didn't spend nearly enough time to make my app the best it could be.

This next year will be DIFFERENT, if needs be. 🙂
 
Will someone call for todays waitlist number?


nonlocality
 
For all of you trying to get in, I wish you the best of luck! It seems to me that AZ has a bizarre admissions process. Both Phoenix AND Tucson rejected me post-interview but I was lucky enough to gain admission into a few top 10 programs. I guess my home state does not want me 🙁
 
WBmasta said:
For all of you trying to get in, I wish you the best of luck! It seems to me that AZ has a bizarre admissions process. Both Phoenix AND Tucson rejected me post-interview but I was lucky enough to gain admission into a few top 10 programs. I guess my home state does not want me 🙁
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Wow Columbia and Cornell, but not UofA? That's ridiculous.
 
WBmasta said:
For all of you trying to get in, I wish you the best of luck! It seems to me that AZ has a bizarre admissions process. Both Phoenix AND Tucson rejected me post-interview but I was lucky enough to gain admission into a few top 10 programs. I guess my home state does not want me 🙁
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I think the AdCom thinks that those who are super qualified will more than likely go to another school anyway or choose not to stay in Arizona after schooling, so they reject them...not a good policy for the super qualified people. 👎

Anyway, I called today, and I got the same answer as Cuddy. I asked Ann about more wait list movement soon, and this she told me to watch for movement in the next two weeks. So, keep:xf:!
 
WBmasta said:
For all of you trying to get in, I wish you the best of luck! It seems to me that AZ has a bizarre admissions process. Both Phoenix AND Tucson rejected me post-interview but I was lucky enough to gain admission into a few top 10 programs. I guess my home state does not want me 🙁
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:wtf: Well, if it makes you feel any better I would probably give up my give up my first born child to be able to go to Columbia P&S. That's awesome... my dream school.
 
So given the movement this week (or lack of) what's your current prognosis for the final number range nonlocality? Even though I understand next week will probably be just as unpredictable...
 
Cuddy420 said:
So given the movement this week (or lack of) what's your current prognosis for the final number range nonlocality? Even though I understand next week will probably be just as unpredictable...
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Are you looking forward to House season finale next week, Cuddy? 🙄 This week's episode was crazy awesome.
 
Okay, I apologize if this is a "dumb" question, but I didn't want to start a new thread and get berated from everyone else on SDN, so I thought I would ask here (since I am also technically WL at UA) -- I am sure many of you can answer this for me and I hope you don't mind...

Q: If May 15th is the "official" date for everyone to decide on one acceptance, how is it that people can continually be pulled off a waitlist much later than that (June, July, Aug, etc)... wouldn't the majority of phone calls go out immediately after the 15th? Unless people are waitlisted at multiple schools (is this even very common)? And once you get in somewhere off the WL aren't you committed to attend that school? Thanks guys.


*edit* I am in the multiple waitlist position and still not sure what to make of this crazy process!
 
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rennykim said:
Okay, I apologize if this is a "dumb" question, but I didn't want to start a new thread and get berated from everyone else on SDN, so I thought I would ask here (since I am also technically WL at UA) -- I am sure many of you can answer this for me and I hope you don't mind...

Q: If May 15th is the "official" date for everyone to decide on one acceptance, how is it that people can continually be pulled off a waitlist much later than that (June, July, Aug, etc)... wouldn't the majority of phone calls go out immediately after the 15th? Unless people are waitlisted at multiple schools (is this even very common)? And once you get in somewhere off the WL aren't you committed to attend that school? Thanks guys.

*edit* I am in the multiple waitlist position and still not sure what to make of this crazy process!
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I would imagine that a lot of students are wait listed at other schools. So, just like you said, as students are accepted off the wait lists of other more desirable schools (to them), they give up their seats here even if they have put their commitment deposit down. The worst that would happen is losing the deposit, but hey, if I got into my top choice school, like Harvard, off the wait list, I wouldn't mind losing a few hundred bucks to give up my seat here at the UA. Also, some students defer a year or have family emergencies that cause them to completely withdraw, etc.

I know someone who got accepted into one vet school (her fifth choice) where she was given an opportunity to get fully funded for her next four years, but then she was accepted into her first choice off the wait list. However, her first choice does not offer any funding for her schooling. So, she's waiting to hear whether or not she got the funding at her fifth choice school, and if she does get it, she's going there. If she doesn't get this funding, then she's going to her first choice.

Okay, back to med schools. I did hear from the Admissions Office that July acceptances are rather rare, although not impossible, as we know from last year.

I hope that answers your question, Renny. 🙂
 
Here is an updated waitlist plot.

I really don't think we have enough data to plot up our second trendline, so ignore the estimated one shown in the plot. For the past few weeks things have been unsettling strange.

I still believe that if you are 40 and under you are in.

I also think that we will likely get to atleast 50 this year beyond that it is hard to predict with what we have so far.

nonlocality
 

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Thanks nonlocality. The pattern this year is wacky. I predict we end somewhere between 30 and 90.
 
Did anyone see the UACOM site and notice that they are now accepting highly qualified non-AZ residents for the class of 2014!!!! As much as 25% of the class...Wow I didn't know they were going to enact that so soon...its going to be that much more competitive for next years' applicants-but it will be interesting to have students from across the country at the school.

And MadEvans- I completelyyy agree with you that it will end up anywhere between 30-90 and we have no idea what will happen next week...
 
Cuddy420 said:
Did anyone see the UACOM site and notice that they are now accepting highly qualified non-AZ residents for the class of 2014!!!! As much as 25% of the class...Wow I didn't know they were going to enact that so soon...its going to be that much more competitive for next years' applicants-but it will be interesting to have students from across the country at the school.

And MadEvans- I completelyyy agree with you that it will end up anywhere between 30-90 and we have no idea what will happen next week...
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Wow thank goodness I applied this year! I'm thinking that oos applicant competitiveness is going to be pretty high, especially with the sheer number of California residents that will be applying here. For in-state applicants I would guess it will be similar to years past with still about 120 spots reserved solely for in-state (if that 25% figure from the website is a strict guideline).

edit:

also, I wonder if they'll continue to offer interview invitations to every IS applicant or if they'll start screening somehow? Or how high will OOS tuition be?
 
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Cuddy420 said:
Did anyone see the UACOM site and notice that they are now accepting highly qualified non-AZ residents for the class of 2014!!!! As much as 25% of the class...Wow I didn't know they were going to enact that so soon...its going to be that much more competitive for next years' applicants-but it will be interesting to have students from across the country at the school.
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I think this makes sense with the two campuses. I don't think Arizona as a state had enough really good candidates to fill the schools, especially if you consider that many of the really really good AZ applicants would rather go out of state anyways. This is probably really good news for California residents though.
 
lrkoehle said:
I think this makes sense with the two campuses. I don't think Arizona as a state had enough really good candidates to fill the schools, especially if you consider that many of the really really good AZ applicants would rather go out of state anyways. This is probably really good news for California residents though.
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^--- To the above comment, ouch.

GL to everyone reapplying this year. Hard to believe AMCAS reopens again so soon.
 
So excited to see what this week brings...we have been talking about this week and the next (that follows May 15) this whole time and depending on it to reach that high number...
 
Cuddy420 said:
Did anyone see the UACOM site and notice that they are now accepting highly qualified non-AZ residents for the class of 2014!!!! As much as 25% of the class...
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😱 That does seem very last minute for them to annouce that, since AMCAS opens in just a few weeks. I'm betting they are looking for some extra $$ more than anything...?

It will be interesting to have some national variety at UA, but I am secretly bummed that it will be that much more competitive for me next year if this year doesn't pan out as I planned. 👎

So 75% of Phoenix campus = 36, and 75% of Tucson campus = 82-86, for a total # of seats = 118-122. Just like you said MJ.

Crazy, crazy. Now I'm praying/crossing my fingers/offering bribes doubly-hard to get pulled off the wait list and into phoenix campus. Thanks for posting that Cuddy.
 
rennykim said:
^--- To the above comment, ouch.
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I didn't want to upset anybody with that comment, but that is something that may likely be true. I mean, if we as a state were overloaded with really well qualified applicants who wanted to stay in-state, then I don't think UA would be changing to accepting out of state. I guess this just means that we as AZ applicants just need to step it up a notch.
 
Cuddy420 said:
Did anyone see the UACOM site and notice that they are now accepting highly qualified non-AZ residents for the class of 2014!!!! As much as 25% of the class...Wow I didn't know they were going to enact that so soon...its going to be that much more competitive for next years' applicants-but it will be interesting to have students from across the country at the school.

😱😱😱:scared::scared::scared:😱😱😱
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lrkoehle said:
I didn't want to upset anybody with that comment, but that is something that may likely be true. I mean, if we as a state were overloaded with really well qualified applicants who wanted to stay in-state, then I don't think UA would be changing to accepting out of state. I guess this just means that we as AZ applicants just need to step it up a notch.
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There are state schools out there with lower MCAT and GPA score averages than AZ. And, I think that many of us in AZ have really unique extracurricular opportunities. So, if anything, we have very HIGHLY qualified applicants here in AZ.

I think the reason for accepting OOS students is more based on $$ (due to the devastating funding issues lately) and less based on the quality of applicants. However, as a fringe benefit, I do think that applicant quality will increase with this move. So, it is about time that this was done, but I do worry what it will do for AZ's physician shortage specifically.
 
I wasn't necessarily referring to low MCAT/GPA, but maybe overall quality. I don't know. This is what happens after 10+ hours of studying for finals. Also, I do agree that many of us have unique EC's.

As for the money thing, I don't really think the med school will be making some sort of profit off of the OOS students, but I imagine they will make them pay enough to make up for difference the state gives for AZ students.
 
Lol dude they accepted 125 qualified applicants thus far and have a list of 90 or so qualified applicants behind this. I seriously doubt that lack of smart people was a reason for opening up the campus to oos applicants. Everything is about money. There must be some financial issues that will spring up in the future (thus the reason for increasing tuition) and they realize they can get more money by opening the school up to people who would pay double or some fraction over what in state students pay.

Im pretty sure that at least 95% of the people who apply to med school are qualified in their own right.


:beat: lol this is hilarious

I wish they had the smiley where the little guy gets hit with a tomato.
 
I agree with some of the moves that are currently taking place at the UA:COM. In order to increase funding at the college, they drastically need to improve in the rankings. The only way to get funding from the NIH is by producing meaningful clinical research. The best way for the UA to move up in the rankings and increase their funding is by accepting extremely qualified students who are driven by research initiatives. There are also discussions of making the "scholarly project" (from Phx campus) mandatory at the Tucson campus. I guess I can understand the direction that the new UA board is trying to take by deciding that there is more to a comprehensive medical education than simply producing qualified clinicians. Regardless, I really do not want to have to reapply and be a part of this new, ultra competitive admissions motto :scared:
 
HereIComeSEALS said:
Lol dude they accepted 125 qualified applicants thus far and have a list of 90 or so qualified applicants behind this. I seriously doubt that lack of smart people was a reason for opening up the campus to oos applicants. Everything is about money. There must be some financial issues that will spring up in the future (thus the reason for increasing tuition) and they realize they can get more money by opening the school up to people who would pay double or some fraction over what in state students pay.

Im pretty sure that at least 95% of the people who apply to med school are qualified in their own right.
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I don't think that there is a lack of "smart people," and it was not my intention to imply that was the case. Additionally, I am very aware of the fact that a lot of the people who check this thread regularly are on the wait list, so I did not mean to offend those of you on the waitlist by inadvertently implying that you are unqualified.

If this is indeed about money, I am going to stick by my point that the school will not be making some huge profit on those students from OOS. Once you factor in the lack of state funding to help UA educate the OOS students, even if they are paying double in tuition, I don't think that will add up to a huge profit for the school.

indy787 said:
I agree with some of the moves that are currently taking place at the UA:COM. In order to increase funding at the college, they drastically need to improve in the rankings. The only way to get funding from the NIH is by producing meaningful clinical research. The best way for the UA to move up in the rankings and increase their funding is by accepting extremely qualified students who are driven by research initiatives.
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I agree more with this as a motivation for the school to get money from OOS students, but as indy787 says this will take accepting extremely qualified students who are driven by research. This is NOT to say that the current group of students accepted/waitlisted are somehow not qualified or are not intelligent, but perhaps UA is looking to step it up a notch.
 
lrkoehle said:
I agree more with this as a motivation for the school to get money from OOS students, but as indy787 says this will take accepting extremely qualified students who are driven by research. This is NOT to say that the current group of students accepted/waitlisted are somehow not qualified or are not intelligent, but perhaps UA is looking to step it up a notch.
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I agree with this too. I just don't get how these research-oriented OOS students will have motivation to attend UA....

lrkoehle said:
consider that many of the really really good AZ applicants would rather go out of state anyways.
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...when similar IS students already don't.

But, I guess some Cali applicants who don't get accepted anywhere else may contribute a bit to the "increased med student quality" we're talking about... but not THAT much.

Either way, it's all about the $$.
 
All right. I agree the changes will make it more competitive next year and will ultimately make our school more competitive, and apparently, we're not good enough to lrkoehle. I wish you the best wherever you go, lrkoehle. If you have chosen to go to a school that has better quality people, then great. If you have chosen to go to the UA, then well, sorry about your med school having subpar people.
 
WannabeDoctora said:
All right. I agree the changes will make it more competitive next year and will ultimately make our school more competitive, and apparently, we're not good enough to lrkoehle. I wish you the best wherever you go, lrkoehle. If you have chosen to go to a school that has better quality people, then great. If you have chosen to go to the UA, then well, sorry about your med school having subpar people.
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This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. I am sorry for clearly offending you. I am not saying that the school is not good enough for me, but it appears to me that the school is not good enough for the administrators. They are the ones making a change for some reason, I believe that is to bring in OOS students to increase the competitiveness of going to UA. Why might they want to do that? Because they are not satisfied witih something in the current system. I was just offering one possible reason.

Again, I had no intention of upsetting those of you accepted/waitlisted at UACOM. If you want to be upset, then be upset at the admins who seem to be sending the message that Arizona doesn't have the kind of students that THEY want. Why else would they start looking out of state?
 
lrkoehle said:
I wasn't necessarily referring to low MCAT/GPA, but maybe overall quality. I don't know. This is what happens after 10+ hours of studying for finals. Also, I do agree that many of us have unique EC's.
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lrkoehle, way to alienate people and backtrack your comments. 🙄 There are some things wrong with some of your assumptions.

First of all, you assume that highly qualified students from AZ don't want to attend UA because it is UA. I can't deny that not every school is for every person. Of course there are both highly qualified and "low quality" (as you infer) applicants who prefer another school to UA. But perhaps it is also the location that people don't like.

Case in point, my husband's company is a well-funded, secure business. Nationally respected, exciting opportunities, and they pay well. But even THEY have a hard time getting current and potential employees to come to Tucson. And in this economy, no less!!

Some applicants may have been in AZ their entire lives. Perhaps they are itching to see another part of the country and experience life elsewhere. In this scenario, again, it is not necessarily UA that they are shunning, but the state itself. Let's face it, the desert and towns like Tucson and Phoenix are not for everyone. I personally love it here. But I've also had the opportunity to live in many other cities.

While a school's prestige and substantial scholarship opportunities may be enough to convince students to live in a dreadful location (Mayo in your case), an average or above average school may not be able to overcome its location, especially without such funding options.

Further, if you claim highly qualified students from AZ don't want to attend UA, what makes you think highly qualified students from other states would want to attend UA? If they are as qualified as you envision, surely they could get into other schools, even if not necessarily their home state (e.g., Cali).

Bottom line - I know I will be a good doctor. If that means I have to reapply next year alongside you, so be it. If that means I get into my state school off the waitlist, so be it. Yes, tension/sensitivity is high at this point. I may be taking your comments too much to heart. But a low quality applicant - in your eyes - may still be an excellent doctor. I fully intend to be.

Rare is the medical school which only accepts in-state students. UA is shifting towards a more modern program. I think diversity is always a good thing, even if it diminishes our chances somewhat of getting into our state school.
 
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Oh and let's not forget the model of George Washington University. Their students have average MCAT (just under 30) and average GPA (3.6). This leads to over 13,000 students applying for 177 spots. At $125 per secondary (not screened), think of the $$$ they are making on applications alone! Not to mention tuition as a private institution is $45,000 a year. Clearly that is a model for making money off "average" students...lol!
 
sunny1 said:
Oh and let's not forget the model of George Washington University. Their students have average MCAT (just under 30) and average GPA (3.6). This leads to over 13,000 students applying for 177 spots. At $125 per secondary (not screened), think of the $$$ they are making on applications alone! Not to mention tuition as a private institution is $45,000 a year. Clearly that is a model for making money off "average" students...lol!
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Isn't it the same for Georgetown? I think they get like 12,000+ applications, but their MCAT/GPA is higher, I think. And the secondary was like $130 or something. That is a lot of money!
 
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