University of Maryland Fall '12 Admissions

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Does anyone know/recommend any hotel near the school that offers a free shuttle service (both to and from the airport and to UMD), free breakfast, and free wifi connection? I've google-mapped the distance between BWI airport to UMD and they seem to be close enough to each other (within ~10 miles radius) that these amenities should be readily available . My research's not producing a lot of results, though. It'd be nice if SDN could implement an additional part to the tours & travels section where people could recommend and comment on the places they've stayed at for their interview travels.

I know I'm probably coming off as a cheapskate, but I really wanna keep my travel expenses under a tight budget range. Lately, my wallet's been quickly losing weight that it's beginning to worry me.
 
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What I did last year was I went through Super Shuttle, which took me directly from the airport to the hotel, and back. (It can also get you a few air mileage points for certain airlines if you're into that). There are a few hotels nearby within walking distance to the school, such as the Holiday Inn or Days Inn. Some hotels sometimes gives discounts if you say you are there for a school interview. (I can't remember specifically if this one did or not, but it doesn't hurt to ask). I stayed at the Holiday and it wasn't bad at all. You can probably do some research for cheaper options that might be further away.

Keep in mind the time difference. I don't know if jet lag is an issue for you, but an 8:30am interview in Baltimore is essentially 5:30am in Cali. If you're a morning person or can easily adjust to the time in the plane, then it should be no biggie. For me personally, last year, I picked the afternoon time because I'm not much of a morning person. Staying an extra day/night also gave me time to explore the city for a bit to see if I could see myself living here for four years. If the weather isn't too bad, Inner Harbor is also within walking distance and there's lots of random eateries here and there.

If you have to get to the airport for a flight that leaves at 5:30pm, you probably won't make it after the 12pm interview. Rush hour might be an issue and flights generally want you there for check in at least an hour or two before take off. If cost is an issue, then the morning interview is your best bet. :thumbup:

silensui said:
For anyone out-of-state who's interviewed with UMDB or is a current student there...how did you get from the airport to the school? And where did you stay before the interview?

I just received an interview invitation today, and called to schedule a 12:30pm Saturday interview. I looked up flight schedules though, and leaving on Fri at 3pm gets me there around midnight, which seems like a dangerous time to hail a cab and go to motel/hotel. Also, the 12pm interview doesn't end until 4pm, which might make me late to the last flight that leaves at 5:30pm.

I kind of wanted to reschedule the interview to 8:30am so I can save money by making it to the late afternoon flight back to California on the same day (2 days 1 night) instead of possibly having to stay 2 days 2 night for the 12pm interview.

So I guess what I'm also asking is how bad is the Baltimore airport? Is it reasonable to make it to an 8:30am interview if I get there around midnight? Or if I stick with the 12:30pm interview, would I be able to make the 5:30pm flight when the interview ends at 4pm?
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I recommend all applicants consider the light rail. See this link for the airport's page to the light rail. It only costs about $2 each way and will take you directly from the airport to downtown Baltimore with stops relatively close to the hotels within walking distance of school. If you are not super pressed for time, I highly recommend this - its cheap, efficient, green....

An optional tour is generally offered after each interview session. If you need to rush to get to the airport soon after the interview is over, I recommend you contact Juliana Brammer or Patrice Sharp to see if you can somehow get on the tour with the morning group during the break between the AM and PM sessions (if they even have that). It means you'd have no 'downtime' just before your interview, but its better to take the tour, no?

One of the candidates posting earlier nailed something on the head. I have always maintained to every student I have ever advised that students should be as discriminating with their choice of school as schools are discriminating in their choice of applicants. If you can somehow make the schedule work for you, spend a day or night in Baltimore trying to get to know the city. Since the interview process is largely run by current students, you can get tips from them and probably even ask them where they are headed later that night and if you can join in to meet some students outside the interview process. Yes its cold, yes its an east coast city that's a little dark and dreary, but I promise you that if you give Baltimore a real chance, go beyond the inner harbor and bars of federal hill, fells point and canton, you will begin to find the charms of "Charm City." To steal from a leadership bootcamp I once attended, its all about finding the nugget.
 
I have 2 questions for current students:

1) I have 2 small dogs, will it be hard to manage pharmacy school while taking care of 2 dogs as well?

2) where are some safe neighborhoods that I should be looking for apartments in? i want to live in a pet friendly apartment that is safe to walk around in at night. thanks!!
 
superhopeful said:
Does anyone know/recommend any hotel near the school that offers a free shuttle service (both to and from the airport and to UMD), free breakfast, and free wifi connection? I've google-mapped the distance between BWI airport to UMD and they seem to be close enough to each other (within ~10 miles radius) that these amenities should be readily available . My research's not producing a lot of results, though. It'd be nice if SDN could implement an additional part to the tours & travels section where people could recommend and comment on the places they've stayed at for their interview travels.

I know I'm probably coming off as a cheapskate, but I really wanna keep my travel expenses under a tight budget range. Lately, my wallet's been quickly losing weight that it's beginning to worry me.
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They sent me an official e-mail today to confirm my interview, and on it they gave a link of hotels giving special rates for UM-affiliates: http://www.fincsvc.umaryland.edu/travel/hotels.cfm

From my research though, Quality Inn Downtown (not on the list, but also near the campus) has really good rates ($69/night), decent reviews, and all the amenities you're looking for. And I'm sure all of us are trying to save money haha! I almost considered sleeping at the airport! :D But then was like hrm...probably shouldn't show up all smelly. ;) Does anybody have experience with this place?

Also, thanks for the input and the Super Shuttle/light rail info, FarmerRx and DrDrugs2012! I decided earlier I wanted to spend the night exploring the city instead of getting stressed out by immediately rushing off to the airport. It's not every day you get to go out of state! :) I hope other interviewees feel the same and we can hang out afterwards.

Is there anybody else doing the 1/28 12:30pm interview??

ETA: The Mt Vernon Hotel the school lists has very good reviews and is $130 (15.50% tax not included) for 2 nights if you book with booking.com.
 
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Hey Guys! I've been selected for an interview next Friday the 27th. Does anyone want to give me some advice or any tips? :)
 
Thanks for the info, silensui. Although I don't have any experience with sleeping in airports, I can assume that it would be quite noisy and uncomfortable (j/k).

By the way, does anyone happen to know if this is going to be a closed file format of interview? I didn't see anything related to that on my invitation letter and the response on interview feedback is 50/50 (close/open).
 
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superhopeful said:
Thanks for the info, silensui. Although I don't have any experience with sleeping in airports, I can assume that it would be quite noisy and uncomfortable (j/k).

By the way, does anyone happen to know if this is going to be a closed file format of interview? I didn't see anything related to that on my invitation letter and the response on interview feedback is 50/50 (close/open).
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Only during the 1-on-1 interview with a faculty member is open file. It used to be open file throughout the whole interview process.
 
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luckyphooey said:
Only during the 1-on-1 interview with a faculty member is open file. It used to be open file throughout the whole interview process.
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To be fair, it was never truly 'open file', but in past years all interviewers had equal information which included name, school, cum gpa, sci gpa, pcat composite & breakdowns. So maybe half open file?

But there are some very good reasons why it was taken away from all the other interviewers.
 
Hi everyone! I have an interview at UMB on Jan 28 and am super nervous about it! Can anyone please expand on the 'group' component of the interview? It is like a group project? And if so, what do you in the project, and how do you show that you can work as a group?

Sorry, I am just really not sure about how we will be tested.

Also, can anyone give a break-down of the interview day? Like do we first have the faculty interview or essay etc?

I will deeply appreciate any help. Thanks
 
Newideas said:
Hi everyone! I have an interview at UMB on Jan 28 and am super nervous about it! Can anyone please expand on the 'group' component of the interview? It is like a group project? And if so, what do you in the project, and how do you show that you can work as a group?

Sorry, I am just really not sure about how we will be tested.

Also, can anyone give a break-down of the interview day? Like do we first have the faculty interview or essay etc?

I will deeply appreciate any help. Thanks
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You and your group are given a case, given time to prepare, and then present on it. We just want to see how you can work in a group to tackle a problem and also present a decision on it. It was honestly one of the more enjoyable things during my interview- don't sweat it.

As for the layout of your day, you'll rotate according to the schedule you receive. So while you may be having the faculty interview, others might be doing the essay or student interview at that same time slot.

Good Luck!
 
For those of you looking for hotel accommodations:
I stayed at the Hampton Inn by the downtown convention center. They have complimentary breakfast and wireless internet. The rooms were really nice, and if you tell them that you are interviewing at U Maryland, they will give you a discount

I took the light rail from the airport and it was not bad at all. I got off at the convention center and the walk to Hampton was only 2 blocks away. I also noticed that the Hilton is directly in front of the light rail stop
 
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Did anyone apply close to the deadline for submission? If you did, have you heard anything? Do you have an invitation for interview already??
 
rei1088 said:
Did anyone apply close to the deadline for submission? If you did, have you heard anything? Do you have an invitation for interview already??
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Hey i actually turned it in early November....still haven't received an invite!! I guess my stats might be a reason for that!! I really hope i get an invite though!! I already got accepted elsewhere but this school is on the top of my list!! I would suggest you to wait and not panic....as they interview all the way into march!! So lets keep our fingers crossed!!
 
I submitted Pharmcas back in November (California deadline) and didn't send the supplemental fee until December. I think they received everything mid-December.

I had my interview on Saturday, and like everyone else I talked to, I thought it was a great experience. The AdCom committee did their best to make you feel welcomed to the school. The interviews were engaging and FUN, which made the 4 hours pass super fast. Some people from the morning group complained about the essay topic, so maybe the one I got in the afternoon was easier, because I didn't thought it was bad at all! The prompt itself gave a short intro to the topic, which was really helpful since it gets your thoughts rolling about what to write. The faculty interview was very....interesting for me, to say the least. My interviewer's office had a phenomenal view of Baltimore and the first thing he did was show it to me. :laugh: Not the interrogation I was expecting! I had a great time talking to him and the student interviewers. The group project went by really fast too and it was fun collaborating with the other students. All interview parties gave plenty of chances to ask about the school and the Baltimore area, so make sure you come with questions! I went on the tour of Pharmacy Hall afterwards and was pretty impressed with the facilities. The new building was preeeetttty darn high tech. :whoa: The only sadness is that there's no computer labs in the two pharmacy buildings (but you're required to have a laptop anyway.)

The weather was fantastic this weekend in Baltimore, so it wasn't as cold as I was expecting--until sunset! Also, being from San Diego, I definitely had a culture shock as soon as I got to the area. If you're also from California, imagine San Francisco...the sketchy side of it. :eyebrow: I stayed at Mt Vernon Hotel and it was pretty cheap for 2 nights. They gave complimentary breakfast, but the cafe is not open at all for dinner. I had to wander around after my interview to get food, but the locals were surprisingly very friendly! However, I imagine it's not everyday they see a 4'11" girl braving the streets by herself haha. From what I saw, the Hilton hotel is the closest to the school. I took a taxi to get there because I didn't want to walk in heels, and it was about $10 roundtrip with tip. Which brings me to another point--ladies, wear comfortable shoes to the interview! If you plan to go on the tour afterwards, you will be climbing at least 7 flight of stairs.

Overall, my impression of UMDB shot way up by the time I left. Keep an open mind about the area and the school, come prepared, and I think you will have a great experience. Good luck, everyone! :)
 
DrDrugs2012 said:
An optional tour is generally offered after each interview session. If you need to rush to get to the airport soon after the interview is over, I recommend you contact Juliana Brammer or Patrice Sharp to see if you can somehow get on the tour with the morning group during the break between the AM and PM sessions (if they even have that). It means you'd have no 'downtime' just before your interview, but its better to take the tour, no?
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I asked to tour with the morning group but got rejected on my request. If I leave the school around ~4:30PM, do you think I could still make it to BWI for my 6PM flight? I'm coming from a different state so I don't know how bad the rush hour there usually gets. I'm really nervous about missing my flight since I have another interview the next day. Please advise.
 
I participated in interviews over the weekend and saw some great candidates :) Good luck to everyone and please let me know if I can answer any questions for you!!

Closest hotel: Hampton Inn. Right on the corner by Pickles Pub and a neighborhood where a lot of students live, Ridgely's Delight. And right across the street from Camden Yards. Walking location to the school and you will bypass the Student Center/University of Maryland Medical Center, etc.
 
What day are you coming? If it's a Friday..I wouldn't push it, especially with the weather being so nice lately. Are you driving? Taking a cab? Light rail?
 
superhopeful said:
I asked to tour with the morning group but got rejected on my request. If I leave the school around ~4:30PM, do you think I could still make it to BWI for my 6PM flight? I'm coming from a different state so I don't know how bad the rush hour there usually gets. I'm really nervous about missing my flight since I have another interview the next day. Please advise.
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I was kind of in the same boat last weekend, but decided not to risk it and picked the first flight out the next morning instead.

I was taking the SuperShuttle, and it took about 30-45 mins to pick people up and get to the airport. If you're taking taxi, it might be faster, but from what I saw traffic was pretty heavy around the time interviews finished.
 
superhopeful said:
I asked to tour with the morning group but got rejected on my request. If I leave the school around ~4:30PM, do you think I could still make it to BWI for my 6PM flight? I'm coming from a different state so I don't know how bad the rush hour there usually gets. I'm really nervous about missing my flight since I have another interview the next day. Please advise.
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If you have no other option, skip the optional interview and take a cab to the airport. With no traffic its about 15-20 minutes and costs a flat rate of 30 bucks.
 
Did anyone get invitation to interview for February 10 or 17 ?
 
enabler said:
If you have no other option, skip the optional interview and take a cab to the airport. With no traffic its about 15-20 minutes and costs a flat rate of 30 bucks.
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I hope u meant the optional tour. I wouldn't miss the chance to interview at UMB for the world (too dramatic?).

Thanks for the heads up about the cab though.
 
superhopeful said:
I hope u meant the optional tour. I wouldn't miss the chance to interview at UMB for the world (too dramatic?).

Thanks for the heads up about the cab though.
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See if you can call the admissions office and have them schedule the student panel/essay portion last for you. That way you can leave when you finish the essay and skip the student panel (which is not "graded"). You will be able to leave at 3:30pm.
 
Newspring said:
When did you submit to PharmCAS and when did you get invitation?
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I e-submitted both the PharmCAS and Supplemental Application on 1/5 (the deadline.lol). I got the invitation on 2/5.

If it helps, my invitation went to my junk mail. I was lucky that I got the email following the invitation correcting one of the tentative interview dates. I called them to verify whether I was invited for an interview or not. Lo and behold, I was invited for an interview. :)
 
luckyphooey said:
See if you can call the admissions office and have them schedule the student panel/essay portion last for you. That way you can leave when you finish the essay and skip the student panel (which is not "graded"). You will be able to leave at 3:30pm.
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I'll go to the school early on my interview date and see if I can do that. At this point, I'll just have to haul ass after everything's done.

If all goes well and they're willing to comply then I'll owe you a huge cookie. Thanks again.
 
For current students!

I will be interviewing with both Maryland University and Notre Dame of Maryland this upcoming month. I was wondering what are your perspectives on the two schools? Any feedback on the pros and cons of each school would be deeply appreciated!

THANK YOU!
 
rei1088 said:
I e-submitted both the PharmCAS and Supplemental Application on 1/5 (the deadline.lol). I got the invitation on 2/5.

If it helps, my invitation went to my junk mail. I was lucky that I got the email following the invitation correcting one of the tentative interview dates. I called them to verify whether I was invited for an interview or not. Lo and behold, I was invited for an interview. :)
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Thank you for the information.
 
I have a 2.69 cumulative / pharmcas gpa and I have a composite 85 on my pcat with 97 and 95 on math and chem...71 on bio etc. I have 3 years of retail pharmacy experience and 3 years volunteer experience!! I turned my stuff in during end of November!! Do I have a shot at this school??
 
I don't know. I would think so. Then again, I'm just an applicant as well. I would think it also depends on the batch of students applying...
 
I normally don't interview and tell, and I'm not about to let everyone know anything regarding what went on during my interview day. Except this.

I TOTALLY LOVED UMB. Granted I was a bit scared that I was gonna get robbed by the way people have been talking about Baltimore, but I was actually really feeling the vibe of the city. The hotel I stayed at was right in the center of inner harbor so I got to see the charm of the city at night. I walked around the town at about 7 or 8 and I still felt pretty safe. It's just like what the other people have said--you just gotta make sure you don't walk in the wrong part of the town, that's all. And the school? The most innovative and sophisticated design of all that I've seen. In combination with the affable faculty and students, I am very happy that I've chosen such a great school to apply to and interview at.

As a disclaimer, I'm not saying all these things to get myself a goldstar with the adcoms who might be reading this. It's just that I'm so impressed with the whole experience that I do hope students wouldn't be discouraged from applying here just because of some bad reps about the city in the future.

Goodluck to all who will be interviewing soon.
 
Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard back who interviewed in the first batch? If not, does anyone have any idea when should we hear back?

Thanks
 
Newideas said:
Hi everyone,

Has anyone heard back who interviewed in the first batch? If not, does anyone have any idea when should we hear back?

Thanks
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no i haven't! and i'm waiting anxiously. i check this webpage like 2x a day lol.
I did however look back at the previous SDN maryland pages and last year, it took them exactly 5 weeks to get back to students after the first interview invitation was sent out (i know.. i'm crazy for looking but i really can't wait to hear back) So if they are on the same schedule.. hopefully we will hear back around feb 22? However, 2 years ago, students didn't hear back until mid march.. so we are going to have to wait at least 3 weeks probably :/
 
Thinking back, I recall there was a major snow storm 2 years ago which most likely contributed to the delayed response. Last year just like PCAT408 said, it took about 5 weeks but I dug back further and found that 3 years ago, it only took about 2 weeks. So if history repeats itself then i'd say we should hear back by Friday/Monday (fingers crossed!!).

Can't wait! Hopefully adcom meets sometime this week! :)
Good luck to everyone
 
Last year I got my acceptance letter on 2/23

I had my interview on 2/4, which was the second available weekend.

Good luck.
 
I'm not sure they are still sending interview invitation emails. Did anyone receive invitation to interview for 2/24 or 3/2 ?
 
Newspring said:
I'm not sure they are still sending interview invitation emails. Did anyone receive invitation to interview for 2/24 or 3/2 ?
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I've been waiting so long and I've got my interview invitation this morning !
 
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