Weird conversation with Rosalind Franklin

[tacrum43]

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What do you think this means?

My conversation with a woman in the admissions office at Rosalind Franklin the other day:

Me: 'Hi, I would like to check on my application status if I could.'
RF: 'Have you been interviewed?'
Me: 'No.'
RF: 'Okay hold on. What's your name?'
Me: (I tell them, but not you 🙂 )
RF: 'Okay. Can you hold?'
Me: 'Sure.'
Waiting for about five minutes (seems kind of long doesn't it?) and then a different person comes on the line.
RF: 'Hi. This is Katherine (I think that was her name?)
Me: 'I was wondering about my application status.'
RF: 'You're in the possible interview pool.'
Me: 'Okay. Thanks. I've been on there for a couple of months, so I just wanted to check.'
RF: 'When was the last time you called?'
Me: 'About a month and a half ago.'
RF: 'Okay. Yeah, you've been passed over twice now for an interview, but you're still being considered. It's really not unusual for someone in your situation to still not have been invited for an interview.'
Me: 'Oh. (wwssshhhhhhhhhhh = sound of my ego deflating). Yeah, I know, my GPA isn't exactly spectacular.'
RF: [Quietly] 'Yeah, and neither is your MCAT.'
Me: 'Oh.' (My ego, time of death, 7:57am (9:57 am Central) 2/22/05)
MY BRAIN: "I thought 30 was decent. 🙁 "
RF: [Long pause] 'But you're still being considered, they must have seen something that they liked in your application. One of the committee members wrote something on here, but I can't quite make it out.'
Me: 'Oh.' (Yeah, right)
RF: 'It's good that you've shown interest in the school though, they look upon that positively. You are definitely still interested in an interview then?'
Me: 'Yeah (slightly encouraged). I'd love to come out for an interview.
MY BRAIN: 'I'd love one at UCI more, but hey, us people with such sucky GPA and MCATs can't be choosers, can we?"
RF: 'Well, we interview into May, so there's still plenty of time.'
Me: 'Oh, well that's good. Do you send your invites by e-mail or regular mail?'
RF: 'Regular mail only!'
Me: [A little afraid] 'Okay. Well I was just wondering because I received one of those brochures about RF's post-bacc program. I thought maybe that meant I was going to be rejected.'
RF: 'You're the second non-rejected applicant that's called and mentioned that. That was a mistake, they were only supposed to go out to applicants who had already been rejected. (Proceeds to rant about the department at RF that sent out the brochures. NOT the medical school office)'.
Me: 'Oh, okay.'
RF: 'The admissions committee usually meets to send out invites around the 15th of the month, a month before that actual interview.'
Me: 'That's useful to know. (Sort of)'
RF: 'They'll be meeting again around March 15th to sent out invites for April and in April for the May invites.'
Me: 'Okay. I'll watch for the invite then. Thanks very much for the information. Goodbye.'
RF: 'Bye.' Click.
MY BRAIN: 'Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Well, it was a weird thing. Huh.' 😕

 

[moogy]

F: [Quietly] 'Yeah, and neither is your MCAT.'

ouch can't believe she said that, you have a good MCAT score 😛
good luck getting an interview!

 

[tacrum43]

F: [Quietly] 'Yeah, and neither is your MCAT.'

ouch can't believe she said that, you have a good MCAT score 😛
good luck getting an interview!

Yep, she really said that. Thanks for your encouragement though. 👍

 

[Kazema]

Yep, she really said that. Thanks for your encouragement though. 👍

Wow, that's pretty harsh of her. Good luck to you on getting that interview, I'll be rooting for ya 🙂

 

[chitown82]

I'm not sure if there are multiple Katherines, but Katherine Jones is the Director of Admissions.

 

[malumd2b]

Wow, that's pretty harsh of her. Good luck to you on getting that interview, I'll be rooting for ya 🙂

i agree. i think around this time of year, these office secretaries have been fielding so many calls for the year that they become cynical and at times rude. I remember I called Maryland on a Tuesday and asked for a status check and the lady asked if I knew that today was not Thursday...I said yes I did, and she asked if l was aware that status checks are done only on thursdays. I said I didnt know that and she said that if I had read the information thoroughly in the secondary app, I would have known. Not as bad as your conversation but still disheartening when you're already freaking out on a daily basis. good luck. I'm sure you'll do fine.

 

[shambohh]

You should have done something more useful with your time instead of writing this useless dialogue.

 

[bgreet]

Uhhh since when is a 30 a bad mcat score?

 

[YzIa]

Uhhh since when is a 30 a bad mcat score?

Since Rosalind Franklin started number whoring! HaHa, WTF did I just say?

 

[Ross434]

I saw this thread and the first thing i figured was - you had a weird conversation with the actual person "rosalind franklin". hah.

She's pretty weird, you know, trying to jack W&C's research for the cause of feminism.

 

[QofQuimica]

I saw this thread and the first thing i figured was - you had a weird conversation with the actual person "rosalind franklin". hah.

She's pretty weird, you know, trying to jack W&C's research for the cause of feminism.

She doesn't do much of anything, jacking or otherwise, because she's DEAD. 🙄 That is the reason why Franklin didn't share the Nobel Prize with Watson and Crick in 1962, not because she didn't deserve to win it. (The prize is never awarded posthumously, and she died in 1958 from ovarian cancer.)

OP, do you think that there is any chance that they could have been looking at the wrong file? Because it does seem to stretch credibility that they'd be complaining that you "only" have a 30!

 

[PublicEnemy]

a friend of mine last year received an invite for the middle of may, and was accepted a couple weeks later, and that was his only acceptance. another friend who is also there right now interviewed in may and came off the waitlist in july.

so hang in there guys. good luck.

 

[tacrum43]

She doesn't do much of anything, jacking or otherwise, because she's DEAD. 🙄 That is the reason why Franklin didn't share the Nobel Prize with Watson and Crick in 1962, not because she didn't deserve to win it. (The prize is never awarded posthumously, and she died in 1958 from ovarian cancer.)

OP, do you think that there is any chance that they could have been looking at the wrong file? Because it does seem to stretch credibility that they'd be complaining that you "only" have a 30!

I don't know about whether or not it could have been the wrong file. I don't think so. Maybe they're just expecting more since I'm from CA. And if the admissions guy/woman from RF's admissions office is reading this: I really would like an interview, so hopefully I didn't hang myself in this forum.

Also, Rosalind Franklin (the person) totally deserved to win the Nobel, not Watson and Crick.

 

[VPDcurt]

Also, Rosalind Franklin (the person) totally deserved to win the Nobel, not Watson and Crick.

Is your nose starting to turn brown?

 

[tacrum43]

You should have done something more useful with your time instead of writing this useless dialogue.

Well, I would have liked to have been at an interview, but that hasn't worked out so well. I thought it was kind of amusing and I didn't know what to make of it. I've got a bad case of senioritis and I just finished a round of midterms. I didn't really have anything better to do. Sorry if it offended you, but you didn't have to read it you know.

 

[tacrum43]

Is your nose starting to turn brown?

I learned about Rosalind Franklin in Biochem last year, before I even started looking at schools. Okay?

 

[tacrum43]

I'm not sure if there are multiple Katherines, but Katherine Jones is the Director of Admissions.

😳 Well, whoever it was still thought my 30 was very not spectacular. Which is true, but I thought it was at least "good".

 

[QofQuimica]

I don't know about whether or not it could have been the wrong file. I don't think so. Maybe they're just expecting more since I'm from CA. And if the admissions guy/woman from RF's admissions office is reading this: I really would like an interview, so hopefully I didn't hang myself in this forum.

Also, Rosalind Franklin (the person) totally deserved to win the Nobel, not Watson and Crick.

I wouldn't go that far; Franklin's x-ray diffraction studies were essential, but she didn't actually solve the structure: Watson and Crick did. I think if she had lived long enough, Franklin would have won the prize along with Watson and Crick, and instead of Wilkins, who ended up sharing the prize with Watson and Crick but didn't contribute as much as Franklin did. (Only a maximum of three people can win each year, so all four of them could not have won it.)

Good luck to you with getting your interview.

 

[Freakingzooming]

I wouldn't go that far; Franklin's x-ray diffraction studies were essential, but she didn't actually solve the structure: Watson and Crick did. I think if she had lived long enough, Franklin would have won the prize along with Watson and Crick, and instead of Wilkins, who ended up sharing the prize with Watson and Crick but didn't contribute as much as Franklin did. (Only a maximum of three people can win each year, so all four of them could not have won it.)

Good luck to you with getting your interview.

So I've been reading this thread and totally feel this is misportraying the Rosalind franklin office staff. Out of all the admission committees I've been dealing with, they are by far the most patient and friendly adcom.

I was invited from an interview in Jan and got in last week. They were so friendly about my status checks post-interview. Filled me into when the adcom would be meeting, when I could call the day of the meeting and didn't even mind I had called them three times the day of the decision. They even told me they would give me the news good or bad over the phone, saving some agonizing nailbiting days.

Even now, after getting in, I guess they still are helpful in setting up a second look and answering financial aid questions. I think the way they dealt with my application (were so open and friendly) really moved up their school on my rankings.

Personally- I think Rosalind Franklin has never been credited enough for the discovery. She has been unfairly portrayed as a secretive shrew (who withheld her data from Watson and Crick) in Double Helix. But she did not discover the structure.

I talked to both Victor and Katherine. Anyways, I have more than similar numbers like your application (I think identical) and I got in. I'm also a Californian. Keep the hope up, show your interest- send a letter in updating your interest and activities. Did you send an optional essay about your interest in the school? Good luck.

 

[Addicted To SDN]

I was accepted with a 29 MCAT. So, you have a shot and don't give up. Like they said they love it when people show interest in their school. 😀

So I've been reading this thread and totally feel this is misportraying the Rosalind franklin office staff. Out of all the admission committees I've been dealing with, they are by far the most patient and friendly adcom.

I was invited from an interview in Jan and got in last week. They were so friendly about my status checks post-interview. Filled me into when the adcom would be meeting, when I could call the day of the meeting and didn't even mind I had called them three times the day of the decision. They even told me they would give me the news good or bad over the phone, saving some agonizing nailbiting days.

Even now, after getting in, I guess they still are helpful in setting up a second look and answering financial aid questions. I think the way they dealt with my application (were so open and friendly) really moved up their school on my rankings.

Personally- I think Rosalind Franklin has never been credited enough for the discovery. She has been unfairly portrayed as a secretive shrew (who withheld her data from Watson and Crick) in Double Helix. But she did not discover the structure.

I talked to both Victor and Katherine. Anyways, I have more than similar numbers like your application (I think identical) and I got in. I'm also a Californian. Keep the hope up, show your interest- send a letter in updating your interest and activities. Did you send an optional essay about your interest in the school? Good luck.

 

[Ross434]

Whats up with people quoting the wrong posts in this thread.. lol

 

[Haybrant]

you should refrain too much from letting your identity out to admissions on sdn; that was a private conv. and i can only imagine if i was in katherine's shoes would feel pretty violated that my conversations are being posted to the public...

 

[DeepCowboy]

Whats up with people quoting the wrong posts in this thread.. lol

You are grumpy.

 

[NPursuit]

You are grumpy.

But he is laughing. Like a rhinestone cowboy.

 

[DeepCowboy]

But he is laughing. Like a rhinestone cowboy.

Very funny.

 

[tacrum43]

you should refrain too much from letting your identity out to admissions on sdn; that was a private conv. and i can only imagine if i was in katherine's shoes would feel pretty violated that my conversations are being posted to the public...

Well, maybe. I wasn't trying to violate her privacy, but it's not like we have doctor/patient confidentiality. I may have been a little emotional when I posted because I felt pretty offended, but I was also really curious if people thought this was a good/bad sign. I'm sure they can figure out who I am, just by clicking on my MDapplicants profile. If they want to use this for a reason to reject me, I guess they can, but like I said earlier, I hope they won't.

 

[tacrum43]

I wouldn't go that far; Franklin's x-ray diffraction studies were essential, but she didn't actually solve the structure: Watson and Crick did. I think if she had lived long enough, Franklin would have won the prize along with Watson and Crick, and instead of Wilkins, who ended up sharing the prize with Watson and Crick but didn't contribute as much as Franklin did. (Only a maximum of three people can win each year, so all four of them could not have won it.)

Good luck to you with getting your interview.

Well, I remember my biochem professor (a man actually, so no decries of feminism please) saying that she critiqued their first model of DNA (publicly apparently...so she was kind of rude) and pointed out all the things that were wrong with it (they had the bases facing outward and other things wrong too). I suppose they did deserve to share in the award, but they definitely didn't want her to share in it. I think she got ovarian cancer because she was exposed to too many x-rays during her work, so it was kind of ironic and sad. Thanks for the luck!

 

[QofQuimica]

Well, I remember my biochem professor (a man actually, so no decries of feminism please) saying that she critiqued their first model of DNA (publicly apparently...so she was kind of rude) and pointed out all the things that were wrong with it (they had the bases facing outward and other things wrong too). I suppose they did deserve to share in the award, but they definitely didn't want her to share in it. I think she got ovarian cancer because she was exposed to too many x-rays during her work, so it was kind of ironic and sad. Thanks for the luck!

lol, I'm female and a scientist, so "decries of feminism" would never come from moi, especially to a defender of Franklin. 😉 I merely wanted to point out that while Watson is a jerk, he's a genius as well, and he did deserve to win the prize, along with Franklin and Crick. Her contribution should be recognized, but not at the expense of forgetting his.

For those of you who are interested in the story of the discovery of the structure of DNA, if you've read "The Double Helix" by Watson (which is the book that most people do read about the discovery of DNA), you might also want to try Anne Sayre's "Rosalind Franklin and DNA" to get the other side of the story. Sayre is basically an apologist for Franklin, but she's not any less objective about Franklin than Watson is about her in his book. So if you read both books with a huge block of salt, you might actually get something akin to the real story.

 

[tacrum43]

I'm not sure if there are multiple Katherines, but Katherine Jones is the Director of Admissions.

I looked it up and MSAR says the Director of Admissions is Kristine A. Jones.

 

[hypersting]

I looked it up and MSAR says the Director of Admissions is Kristine A. Jones.

I read through the whole thread and was just about to say this. Her name is Kristine. If you take name of someone who you want to vouch for your admission, at least get their name right.

 

[Tkehinde]

Didn't want to start another thread for this question so sorry if it's a little off topic: Does anyone know if Ros Franklin has a white coat ceremony?
If so, around when?

 

[hypersting]

Didn't want to start another thread for this question so sorry if it's a little off topic: Does anyone know if Ros Franklin has a white coat ceremony?
If so, around when?

yes, the last day of orientation week

 

[echinoderm]

anyone know when the RF adcom meeting is for this month?

 

[premyo2002]

Me: [A little afraid] 'Okay. Well I was just wondering because I received one of those brochures about RF's post-bacc program. I thought maybe that meant I was going to be rejected.'
RF: 'You're the second non-rejected applicant that's called and mentioned that. That was a mistake, they were only supposed to go out to applicants who had already been rejected. (Proceeds to rant about the department at RF that sent out the brochures. NOT the medical school office)'.
:

Guess who was probably first..

I'm pretty sure it was me! Only, when I asked that very same question, I didn't get a rant! I got a nice ear-full of laugh; not with me mind you, but at me!

Good luck

 

[whatheck]

To the OP:

I'm a reapplicant this year and have been accepted to med school. When I applied to Rosalind Franklin last year, I was put "on hold" for interview. After I was rejected by them, I called and sought answers from the director of admissions about why I was not offered an interview. What I learned about how the evaluations for interview at this school work is this: the committee rates the applicants on a scale of 1-10. anyone ranking 7 and above gets an interview. I was rated 6, and that's why I was on hold. I kept sending them my research updates while I was on hold but that apparently didn't help. They're not a research-heavy school, so if you've been doing a lot of clinical work since you applied, make sure they know!

 

[tacrum43]

To the OP:

I'm a reapplicant this year and have been accepted to med school. When I applied to Rosalind Franklin last year, I was put "on hold" for interview. After I was rejected by them, I called and sought answers from the director of admissions about why I was not offered an interview. What I learned about how the evaluations for interview at this school work is this: the committee rates the applicants on a scale of 1-10. anyone ranking 7 and above gets an interview. I was rated 6, and that's why I was on hold. I kept sending them my research updates while I was on hold but that apparently didn't help. They're not a research-heavy school, so if you've been doing a lot of clinical work since you applied, make sure they know!

Well, they never said I was "on hold", they said I was in the acceptable interview pool (or something very similar to that), but that I had been passed over twice for interviews. I don't know if that's better, worse or the same as being on hold.

Congratulations on your acceptance, that must be an awesome feeling! That's interesting to know about the 1-10 scale. I might call in to find out my number if they reject me. I haven't been doing any more clinical stuff this year. I was going to, but the setup my undergrad school and a local hospital had got revoked (my school even offered to cover the insurance, but somehow it got tied in with an internship for business majors in the hospital's administration and that screwed everything up. Stupid business majors). I will be doing some medically relatated work this summer, but I already told them about that in an update letter I sent last week. I guess I've done everything I can at this point and now all I can do is wait.

In the words of Homer Simpson: "Now we play the waiting game....The waiting game sucks, let's play Hungry, Hungry Hippos!"

Whatheck, would you mind sharing your stats? You could PM me if you don't want to post them here. Thanks.