wash u questions

[Louweezel]

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hey all,

just thinking back to last year when i was still a slacker 😛 and suffering from senioritis and had time to read these forums all the time.

just wanted to throw this out here, if you all have any questions about wash u i'd be happy to try to answer them. i think there are a couple wash u first years (and others) around here that would probably be willing to answer questions too if you had them.

it's our exam block week and i'm looking for distractions 😛 One down, two to go.

course if you don't have any questions that's cool. but if you do, you can post here or PM me, and i'll try to get back to you with some semblance of coherance and sanity.

good luck with the whole process! 🙂

 

[loomis]

hi louweezel,
thanks for offering to help. i had a question about olin hall for interviews...the e-mail that i received said that intervewees can stay one night at olin gratis. basic q: will this be like back to college in terms of bringing your own towels, linens etc for that night. sorry if this is kinda a stupid q...been out of school for quite awhile and don't know what to expect when staying at a dorm. look forward to meeting you hopefully at the pizza party!! thanks again
loomis

 

[cad_15]

louweezel,
I am an international student and I am applying to wash u. I am working on my sec. at this time, but I was wondering if you knew any international student i could talk to. please let me know here, or you can pm me.

thanks for offering your help

 

[vsasi]

I'm an undergrad freshman here at wash u, just thought i'd throw this out there...see if there's anyone else on SDN who's in my sinking pre-med boat

 

[Louweezel]

loomis,

wash u gives you towels, bed linens, soap and sink in your room, as well as alarm clock and desk lamp. bring personal toiletries and shower footwear (since it's back to communal bathrooms and showers 🙂 ) i have just discovered there is an iron at the front desk if you so need 😛 I don't think there's really anything else you need to bring besides your interview suit and clothes...

cad_15,

let me find out if anyone in my class is international and i'll get back to you (don't know off the top of my head)

louweezel

 

[SticknRudder]

Hi there guys, thanks for offering your advice. I'm interviewing at Wash U on the 20th of November and have a few simple questions:

Is there enough to see in St. Louis that I'll want a rental car?

Is staying at Olin Hall and having access to the "olin buddies" a real plus, or is it pretty much the same if you stay in a hotel (except for the buddy thing which I know you can't do unless you stay at Olin)?

Where's the best BBQ?

Thanks all!

 

[loomis]

THANKS for the info!!!

Originally posted by Louweezel
loomis,

wash u gives you towels, bed linens, soap and sink in your room, as well as alarm clock and desk lamp. bring personal toiletries and shower footwear (since it's back to communal bathrooms and showers 🙂 ) i have just discovered there is an iron at the front desk if you so need 😛 I don't think there's really anything else you need to bring besides your interview suit and clothes...

cad_15,

let me find out if anyone in my class is international and i'll get back to you (don't know off the top of my head)

louweezel

 

[robotdancing]

Originally posted by mcbatuofa
Hi there guys, thanks for offering your advice. I'm interviewing at Wash U on the 20th of November and have a few simple questions:

Is there enough to see in St. Louis that I'll want a rental car?

Is staying at Olin Hall and having access to the "olin buddies" a real plus, or is it pretty much the same if you stay in a hotel (except for the buddy thing which I know you can't do unless you stay at Olin)?

Where's the best BBQ?

Thanks all!

if you want to do touristy stuff, a rental car wouldn't hurt... but as far as the downtown area proper goes, the metrolink (the closest equivalent we have to a subway) works pretty well. just be prudent: don't ride by yourself late at night (let me reiterate: do not ride by yourself late at night), etc.

as far as quick'n'cheap'n'edible bbq, there's a place right by the med school on euclid that's pretty good... but the name escapes me right now. if you'd like it, i'll find it for you.


if you have any (other) questions about the wustl/stl areas, feel free to pm me. (ftr, i'm a senior undergrad)

 

[Kix]

:sigh: unfortunately, there really isn't that much worth seeing downtown... except maybe the arch. it's a dead city. forest park, central west end, clayton is probably where you'll end up doing mostly everything.

 

[Louweezel]

mcbatuofa,

i would probably agree with that... there is some stuff to do which is nice to have a car for, but how long are you planning to stay in st. louis? if it's just for the two days for the interview, you can probably spend it in the central west end, forest park, maybe the undergrad campus and the loop area (all of which you don't need a car for).

as far as the olin buddies go, we're just a bunch of first years who offer to meet you at the pizza party and answer any questions you might have, etc. or answer questions you might have beforehand, afterhand, anyhand... it's really not a big deal and very low-key. sometimes it helps cuz you might be matched with someone from your hometown or undergrad who can talk about experiences that might relate more to you, but honestly i would just say come to the pizza party and meet the first years who are always there hovering around for free food (me being no exception of course 😛) you don't have to stay in olin, just most people do because wash u will pay for it. of course if you get a good deal in a hotel or are bringing someone else with you, makes sense. i think you can actually request an olin buddy even if you're not staying in olin...

hope that helps!

vsasi,

it's not a sinking ship!! there's a bunch of great kids in my class from wash u undergrad, and they all seem pretty normal 😛

 

[usmaple]

Originally posted by md_hopeful21
Hi and thanks for your help,

I was looking at the stats of people accepted to Washington University and almost everyone who had a 38above and 3.9above was accepted to Washington U. My stats are in this range ( I just got my mcat scores), am I nearly guranteed a spot in Washington U. I know that there average mcat score is a 36.6mcat and 3.83gpa, which kindda shows WashU stresses scores alot.

On a semi-related note, have you found it to be super-competitive there since everyone seems to have such a high GPA/MCAT?

 

[BananaSplit]

Hey guys!
Some housing advice if you please. I want to fly out to St. Louis on Thursday for a Friday interview, and then fly out Saturday morning/noon. Since Wash U provides accomodations for one day only, are there any non-hotel options for me?

Otherwise, I will try to fly in on Sunday and fly out Monday after the interview, which would also work better for my work schedule.


Thanks for reading!

BananaSplit

 

[siempre595]

Banana
You can ask about getting an off-campus student to house you. They have a list of people who do it (I'm on it), and if you say you are wanting to stay an extra day, could they provide you with some students to contact about possible housing, i think the admissions office will help you out there.

vsai,
I've also been in your boat. The boat frequently feels as though it's about to go over, just stay on board, and make good friends with the library (i.e. study your ass off). don't give up when it gets hard, it doesn't stay that bad. and it's worth it

 

[noy]

I stayed in olin hall one day for a visit (not interview) and it was fine... No TV/etc, but everything you need to sleep/clean up for a night - and its free.

I just wouldnt live there...

 

[PianoGirl04]

Originally posted by BananaSplit

Otherwise, I will try to fly in on Sunday and fly out Monday after the interview, which would also work better for my work schedule.

Banana - this is what I'm doing in about a week. The interview day ends early enough for us to catch a 5-6 PM flight, so I scheduled mine for 5:30. Hooray for MetroLink! I'll let you know if I run into any problems. 🙂

 

[Louweezel]

even though we tend to have a pretty high average, it's important to remember that these are still averages...i.e. some people did score lower... 😛

first year is pass/fail. i don't feel like it's competitive at all. our class seems to get along really well, we have review sheets being sent out, there's a website where people are posting stuff to help with studying, we get together and study in groups... people do try to do well but it's more because we want to learn the material rather than it being to outdo our classmates.

in fact, just this last week some of the mstps in our class only had two exams instead of three, and they actually took the time to study with us md folk in a classroom and taught us material we needed to know for the test (as in they actually gave a "lecture" and answered all our questions and presented the material in a digestable form).

our class is ridiculously happy with each other. and i guess in response to the original post that you quoted, numbers really aren't a guarantee for anything. wash u interviews a LOT of people. rest assured that a good number of those people have awesome mcats and gpas. from talking to some of my classmates, it's clear that they are an outstanding group of people who have done some remarkable things, not just gotten a great mcat and gpa.

good luck!

Originally posted by usmaple
On a semi-related note, have you found it to be super-competitive there since everyone seems to have such a high GPA/MCAT?

 

[siempre595]

Yea, I gotta agree with Louweezel here.
I actually thought undergrad was more competitive for me, at least so far. People are very supportive and ready to help you with stuff, and the pass/fail first year really makes competition sort of a waste of time anyways. And rank is solely based on third year, so we're not seeing anything worth competing for yet anyhow, obviously I can't speak for third year, but by then you're spread out in the hospital doing rotations and I'd guess that most people are more concerned with learning than what number they are.

 

[trudgingalong]

hi guys,
do you know when the interview day generally ends? i sent the office my preferred days an hour or so ago, but i just noticed that the days i'd selected (w/cheaper flights) had flights leaving at 4 pm. urgh. how long does it take to go from the school to the airport via the metrolink? thanks! 🙂

 

[Louweezel]

Originally posted by trudgingalong
hi guys,
do you know when the interview day generally ends? i sent the office my preferred days an hour or so ago, but i just noticed that the days i'd selected (w/cheaper flights) had flights leaving at 4 pm. urgh. how long does it take to go from the school to the airport via the metrolink? thanks! 🙂

depending on when your interview is scheduled, you can be done either early or late. i have heard of people being done shortly after lunch as they had interviews in the morning. it takes about 30 mins to get from here to the airport on the train (depending on how long you have to wait for it...the ride itself is only about 20-25). the station is only half a block away from the school/olin dorm.

if i were you i'd try giving the admissions office a call and telling them your only option is a flight at 4, and seeing if they can schedule you in for a morning interview. they're pretty nice people and they'll probably at least try to help you. 🙂

 

[trudgingalong]

hi louweezel,
thanks for the reply. i guess i'll try calling the office tomorrow to ask for an earlier interview. thanks again for your help 🙂

 

[PianoGirl04]

Hey Louweezel - I'm interviewing at Wash U next Monday...any pointers? Thanks!

 

[Louweezel]

Originally posted by PianoGirl04
Hey Louweezel - I'm interviewing at Wash U next Monday...any pointers? Thanks!

if you've gotten this far, i'm sure that you're a great candidate. 🙂 so in other words just relax. the interviews are really relaxed here, and i haven't heard any bad interview stories from anyone at wash u. i had a wonderful interviewer, and we seriously spent the whole time talking about scotland, movies (he loved memento, so i recommended the usual suspects), and his experiences going through medical school. it was definitely not "will you be a good doctor?", more like, "i know you'll be a good doctor, let's chat".

if i could say one thing (ok well maybe two), it would be:

1) if there's something you feel is truly unique about yourself, or something that you are passionate about, make sure that it does come out in the interview so the interviewer has something to remember you by. i think a big part of the reason i got in was my interviewer was really rooting for me. he emailed me as soon as he found out i got in, and told me how he had recommended me to the admissions committee which i thought was really nice. also, i made an appointment to see him and thank him during my revisit weekend, and he remembered everything about me, my application and my hobbies and interests (especially in music and piano - much like yourself i'm guessing...) so it was nice to know that i stood out in his mind.

2) don't let the idea of living in st. louis deter you. i almost crossed this fantastic school off my list because i didn't want to be in the midwest. i finally came to my senses during may after agonizing for months. so far being here has been a blast. there's a lot of weird and quirky things to do here, and all the "normal" stuff that one wants to do can be done here. there's just not overkill of everything - like 20 chinese restaurants instead of 1 or 2, that kind of thing.

ok that was longer than i thought it would be. hope you enjoy your visit! and maybe i will meet you on sunday! good luck!

 

[PianoGirl04]

Hey, thanks! I was feeling kind of the same as you about St. Louis and the midwest in general, but Wash U sounds like a fantastic school. Good to hear that the interviews aren't stressful too.

If you see me there, I'm kinda tall and have long brown hair. Nothing distinguishing about me...just your average-looking white chick. I'm interviewing on the 27th. 🙂

 

[Xega]

I'm still waiting to be verified, but should I go ahead and submit WashU's secondary app since it is online or should I wait till they send an invitation?

 

[PianoGirl04]

I waited for the invitation. It might be looked upon as presumptious to submit the secondary before an invitation, but I really have no info on this.

 

[Xega]

How long after you submitted your secondary to WashU did you get an interview?

 

[siempre595]

Originally posted by Smoke This
That's actually not true. Third year counts for 60% of the class rank. Second year counts 30% and first year counts 10%, which you get automatically if you pass it.

Well, apparently the deans aren't very clear on that one.....

 

[Louweezel]

you're right, actually i think i have heard that before...

Originally posted by Smoke This
That's actually not true. Third year counts for 60% of the class rank. Second year counts 30% and first year counts 10%, which you get automatically if you pass it.

 

[trudgingalong]

xega,
i received the interview invitation about a month after my file was complete.

louweezel,
i received an email confirming my interview date of 11/12. they also said it should end around 1:30! yay! i might make my flight after all 🙂 i'll be staying in olin so maybe i'll see you at the pizza party? thanks again.

 

[soonerpillow]

any idea when we'll hear from WashU post interview? The students I talked to there said some time in late November, early December. Is that right?

 

[valliumv]

does anyone know how many people are interviewed and how many get in?

does anyone know anything about interviews with Susan Mackinnon? she is my interviewer (I'm interviewing on halloween!)

 

[1996]

I heard that they interview ~900 and accept about ~300 for a class of 120.

Susan Mackinnon is the chief of plastic surgery at Wash U and is very nice and laid-back. A big plus if you're a woman wanting to go into surgery.

 

[valliumv]

what kind of questions is she likely to ask?

what should I do to prepare? what should I want to get across in my interview?

 

[Louweezel]

Originally posted by soonerpillow
any idea when we'll hear from WashU post interview? The students I talked to there said some time in late November, early December. Is that right?

My interviewer emailed me and told me the day before Christmas. However, I didn't even interview till the end of November, since I slacked off and didn't submit wash u on amcas till pretty late...

If you've interviewed already you might hear back sooner, but don't quote me on it.

 

[ice_23]

To those of you who know your interviewer for the Wash U interview, how did you know? Is there a status page, or do they email you the details?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Ice

 

[PianoGirl04]

Originally posted by ice_23
To those of you who know your interviewer for the Wash U interview, how did you know? Is there a status page, or do they email you the details?

They email you about a week before your interview. But don't sweat it if you don't get a chance to look your interviewer up online (I didn't). Most of the students at the pizza party or during the tour will know who your interviewer is and tell you about him/her.

As for notification, the official first date is 11/15. Good luck to all of you!😀

 

[mlw03]

i thought i'd throw this thread back into rotation. i'm interviewing at WashU the 16th. i never thought i'd get an interview seeing as i've been complete since august. also, i'm not at all into research, but i'm hoping they're still lookin for some "average" joes for the class of 2008.

to those peeps at WashU now, do you think those of us interviewing this late in the game still have a shot at acceptance? i'm sure it's not a "pity interview" cuz the faculty's time is valuable, but are we competing for waitlist spots or do we have a legit shot of getting in?

also, now that some more time has passed, do ya'll (yes, i'm from the south) still agree with your earlier statements, namely about the lack of competitiveness at the school with the highest average mcat in the country?

thanks.

 

[minter]

do you guys know about when M1's have to be in St. Louis in August?

 

[Syranope2]

orientation starts august 10th, i believe.

now my question - is there a second look weekend, and if so, when is it?

 

[Louweezel]

there is a revisit weekend, they started that last year. i'm not sure when it is though, last year i think it was late march-april-very early May-ish? i forget. you should try it out if you have the time though. they take you to do stuff for free. 😀

 

[wub]

Originally posted by mlw03
i thought i'd throw this thread back into rotation. i'm interviewing at WashU the 16th. i never thought i'd get an interview seeing as i've been complete since august. also, i'm not at all into research, but i'm hoping they're still lookin for some "average" joes for the class of 2008.

to those peeps at WashU now, do you think those of us interviewing this late in the game still have a shot at acceptance? i'm sure it's not a "pity interview" cuz the faculty's time is valuable, but are we competing for waitlist spots or do we have a legit shot of getting in?

also, now that some more time has passed, do ya'll (yes, i'm from the south) still agree with your earlier statements, namely about the lack of competitiveness at the school with the highest average mcat in the country?

thanks.

I know of people interviewing late Feb/early March and got in.