USA and UAB applicants--Discussion Thread

Applying to Med School? Get In Or Your Money Back
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Although I keep hoping for a mail miracle, I don't think I'll hear anything till at least Dec. or Jan. One of my UAB profs said most of the people who hear right off the bat are out-of-staters with very high stats, etc. I interviewed Nov. 1, so I don't think our group will be thrown into the mix till Dec. Tryin' not to be obsessive about the mailbox, but it's hard not to be!

I am excited about interviewing at South next week, so I am looking forward to that. We are so lucky in Alabama to have two great state schools.
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Hey grunermann, don't get me wrong, I'm equally pleased and relieved that I'll be going to med school next year. South is a really good school, with a smaller class size and good hospitals to train in. I'm considering some sort of primary care right now, and South is an excellent place to go for that (as well as other specialties). It's just that I have my heart set on UAB, but it's changeable too. Thanks for the reproof though, I'll try and sound less whiny in the future.
 
smokinjoe, I'm EDP at South, so I'm not in the same boat. But I have a bunch of UAB interviewees in my class and I meant that they haven't heard anything yet.
 
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Barcher, you should have just come out and asked Dr.Smith. At my interview, he said that we could email him and ask him.
 
Well, I emailed Dr. Smith 3 days ago and haven't received a reply. Oh well, just guess I'll have to wait. I've pretty much accepted that I won't here anything from UAB anytime soon.
 
just for the record, a friend of mine from mississippi (goes to vandy) got an acceptance from UAB this afternoon. He interviewed on the same day i did.. i cant remember the exact day, but it was sometime aroudn the 20th of October.
 
Okay, hopefully the information that kiddocb2 received is accurate about the out-of-staters getting acceptances first. I got my response back from Dr. Smith via one of his secretaries. She answered my question, but volunteered no further information (they did get my campus selection letter). I'm settling in for a long wait.
 
Hey, here's a question I have for you guys that have applied to UAB. What are you talking about this picking which place to go to med school? Is there something you got in the mail or email?? I have not seen this anywhere, and have not interviewed, or got any interview emails? So is it after you interview there that you have to choose?
 
Hey barcher, I'm hoping it's accurate too. ;) I offered that theory to my pre-med adviser (at UAB) and she said she had the same impression. It seems the med school tries to get the top out-of-staters committed before they get accepted to the bigger private schools. So I guess this kind of makes sense. I have class right next to medical student services in Volker so it takes everything I have not to go in there with stupid questions to find out stuff. The journalist in me I guess.
 
Ok, I got a response from Dr. Smith. He said that the committee will meet again in about a week. He said that my rating is high enough to have warranted acceptance at some point during the year based on previous classes, but that I was not accepted in November. He also said that it is harder to predict this year because of the whole AMCAS screwup. So, it looks like we didn't get lucky this go around, guys and gals. Congrats to those who did, though.
 
I was just thinking about it, and that explanation about the out of staters doesnt make a whole lot of sense. I would think that they would be trying to get commitments from their top in-staters first! These are the people that they fill 95% of their class with, and i would think that they would be trying to get the best in-staters to commit as possible, even before the good out of staters. There are definately some schools better than UAB out there, and who's to say some of the good in-staters aren't going to choose some of those private schools over UAB if they don't get early acceptances or scholarships at UAB. I dunno, just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. what do you guys think?
 
I see what you mean jordews, and I feel the same way. It's just not what I heard - repeat heard. These are all just theories. I for one am going to just take a deep breath and exhale. No one knows what's really going on, and I for one am going to enjoy Christmas! Congrats on everyone's South acceptances! :D
 
the theory about out-of-staters is true. when i interviewed on october 11th, i was the only in-stater there. everyone else was coming from duke, ucla, tulane, stanford and the like. uab is concerned about their usnews rank and stuff like that, so right now its a stats/prestige game. when the top out-of staters turn uab down for duke, ucla,stanford and the like, they'll turn to the qualified in-staters. i have been told by someone close to (but not on)the adcom that this is typical for schools to do. personally, i don't blame them, i'd probably do the same in their position. perhaps december will bring happier days to the ol' mailbox...
congrats to all who did get in though!
 
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Yeah, I've heard the same stuff happens at UF. HYP students, Dukies, ect... all first to interview.
 
This same UAB prof also told me that last year they had to go through all three of their waiting lists to fill their class. Apparently the number of applicants is declining fast (it shows this on their website as well), and it is getting tougher to fill their classes. Don't know if this is true or not, but med school apps are down nationwide and they are down at UAB as well.
 
I just sent the $50 to hold a seat at South. Feels good!!!
 
has anybody been accepted that interviewed on october 25 or later. I am curious to see if these group of interviewees have even been evaluated yet by the admissions committee.
 
Originally posted by smokinjoe:
•has anybody been accepted that interviewed on october 25 or later. I am curious to see if these group of interviewees have even been evaluated yet by the admissions committee.•••

smokinjoe,

Are you talking about South or UAB? If you are talking about south, yes. I interviewed on the 14th of Nov.

Good luck with UAB. I didn't even bother. I don't think I could break the residency barrier.
Click to expand...
 
I want to know if anybody that interviewed at UAB on or after oct 25 has been accepted.
 
campus location? when do you choose that for UAB.
 
For anyone who interviewed/was accepted to South:

What did you think of the school? I thought I had my heart set on UAB, but in reading the USA COM bulletin, I was really impressed with the institutions from which faculty and students came. I also liked that they had houses for rent, as well as a dorm just for graduate and med students. I already have a house with my husband and I think a dorm would be just right for me. I am interviewing there Wednesday, so any info would be helpful! :D
 
redherring, thanks for that reply about the campus selection.
 
As A UAB alum (WOW graduated med school 6.5yrs ago...haven't thought about that recently) IMHO you can not do any better. Of course the school is traditional and the first two years essentialy teach you a language. The clinical years are where the benefits of UAB and the Birmingham Campus come into play. The Medicine department as well as the Surgery department are very well respected throughout the country. Tinsley Harrison (of Harrison's Textbook of Surgery fame) had a hand in starting the medicine department there. Anyway, maybe I am biased as a proud alum, but there is no doubt that I have been very well prepared and pleased with my education. My residency in general surgery has only built upon the clinical info that I learned at UAB.
 
be patient everybody, the letters of acceptance will come soon from UAB. I believe that the contention previously mentioned that out of staters with high stats are first accepted is true. UAB is competing only with USA for in state students. In state letters are secondarily mailed out in december.
 
Thanks redherring and z! If I am lucky enough to be accepted to both schools, it will be a tough decision. I am presently attending UAB and I am really familiar with everything there, plus it's closer to my husband (and a great school, especially for peds, which is what I'm interested in). USA is a good school, too, so I'll have some thinking to do. Just have to wait and see!
 
Actually, South is better known for clinical hands-on than UAB. UAB has more residents, therefore more competition for procedures. At South, for example, most students get to deliver a dozen or so babies, and some students last year at UAB said they didn't get to deliver any. But UAB is obviously the better name. I like South for the small class (less competition than UAB)and tons of hands-on. I also stay in the graduate dorms and I love it here. (I have a house in P'cola with my husband, but I stay here during the week.) The grad dorms are a remodeled Ramada Inn. We even have a pool and a security guard. Only about 70 people live here and it is very, very quiet. So much better than main campus, even though it is a 15 min. drive.
 
Don't lose heart about UAB. My fiance (same person as Jordews's friend) called down to Birmingham just to make sure they had all my paperwork, and the woman he talked to said they only sent out about 2 dozen acceptances this time and either implied or said that they would send out another round before Christmas.
 
So for people who are likely to be accepted to both, how will you decide between them? I mean UAB has a great name, but I don't want to rule out South immediately. How will everyone else be choosing?
 
I have several friends in the same dilemma (assuming they get into UAB). Most choose the name and go to UAB. I did EDP here because of my family. If I had a choice, hmmm, good luck!
 
admissions committee meets first thursday of the month, right? hopefully something soon...
 
Smokin, that's correct. I talked with someone tonight that interviewed on 11/29 (not an SDN member) and he reconfirmed Dr. Smith's invitation to email him on Friday to find out your status (this Friday). So, I'm planning on sending him an e-mail bright and early Friday morning. As an aside, he did say that he knew of an Alabama resident that has been accepted to UAB(this may have been an EDP or Rural Med Scholar - I didn't think to ask at the time). Good luck. Hopefully this thread will be hopping Friday afternoon with happy UAB acceptees.
 
thanks for the info barcher, I will send in email in friday also, good luck to you
 
Interviewed at South 12/5 and Mark Scott said we'd find out something in about a week. Gotta tell ya, I was REALLY impressed. I think I'd be really happy at South - I think everyone has to pick the program that suits them best. I think getting all that clinical experience and the small class size will be the best thing for me personally, but I guess we'll just have to see what happens! ;)
 
can not wait to here soon from UAB
 
Heard back from Dr.Smith today, I'm in, so letting you guys know that they have met for December. Good luck to the rest of you guys.
 
I'm in as well! :D I am so excited and majorly pumped. I hope and trust that the rest of you all will hear soon. If you didn't send him an e-mail, he said that the letters would be out in a week or so. Good luck! :D :D :D
 
logan and barcher, did you both email Dr. Smith this morning?
 
last night
 
Last night for me too smokinjoe.
 
has anybody come with a total tuition, books, and fees cost for med school at UAB, just curious
 
Hey Smokinjoe,

Go to <a href="http://www.uab.edu/uasom/mss/tuition01.pdf" target="_blank">UAB Estimated Budget / Fees 2001-2002</a>, this has all of the fees and budget items broken down for you. Did Dr. Smith ever respond to your e-mail? Good Luck.
 
barcher, I did not email him, just waiting patiently. Hopefully something soon.
 
merry christmas everybody
 
I think Pendulum is going blind. She hasn't seen even noticed this thread since its existence! :rolleyes:

Anyways, congrats to those of you who've gotten in thus far. I've interviewed at both, but still have yet to hear from UAB. South, darn them, sent me a postcard saying I'm on hold after the interview. I wish they'd just reject me instead of dangling me from a string!!!!

:)
 
hey did anybody else read on the UAB website about how letters are mailed out after the 15th of every month?
 
smokinjoe,

That was the "routine" when Dr. Hand was in charge. They sent out letters ~15th of each month up until last year. I think things are different this year w/ Dr. Smith. Hope this helps.
 
I got the strangest email yesterday asking for my picture. Ms. Robinson said that I needed to send it to complete my file. Did anyone else receive this?
 
Did you ever send it in? The picture is a must to complete the file...just one of those stupid things.
 
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