Whats up with Indiana Univ. and the insults

[Orth2006]

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I recieved their rather insulting rejection email (pre-secondary) yesterday after almost 4 months.

They said there was no likelihood of acceptance based on my current records but that I may be a strong candidate for their Masters of Science in Medical Sciences Program. They encouraged me to apply to the program claiming it better porepares candidates for medical school curriculum.


WHAT AN INSULT!!!!

So I got mad and called them today to give em a piece of my mind.

They said the problem was my community college credits. That the admissions commitee did not view my CC credits favorably. Further even though I had taken a few at a 4 year institution I had most of them at a CC.


MY turn now!!!

So I told them to go shove it up the ...... No just kidding (but I really wanted to)

Anyway I told them that it was an unreasonable review of my application. Are they telling me that the nights and hours I spent taking these course at a community college with a full time job and bills to pay are worthless? I said even if there is a difference between science courses taken at a 4 yr versus a CC, the diferences are not so much that would warrant my having to do a 2 yr masters program in order to re-apply. Furthermore, the Masters program itself is a graduate level science curriculum which I would not have gotten anyway if I took all my courses at a 4 year school. A person who graduated from a 4 year schools would not have the same level of science background as one who did that Masters program. SO to tell me to go do it before applying makes no sense at all.

Well after going back and forth on our positions, the lady finally said that I could write the adcom to re-evalute my application and the decision wasn't finally anyway. In other words they may still review my file without me writing them.

Personally I would have felt better if they came back and said "oh your MCAT is too low or your GPA is too low or you are a good candidate but we have applicants with stronger credentials than you. I'm fine with all that. But to tell me I need to get an advanced degree in science first is a huge INSULT.

Anyways thanks guys/gals for allowing me to vent.

 

[RayhanS1282]

You are my new hero.


You really should have told them to shove it in an objectionable orifice. I don't think they can do much since you have already been rejected. That brings me to my next question, can schools let other schools know that you've been colorful with your comments? Can they black-list (or use any other colors) for this?

 

[medhacker]

You are my new hero.


You really should have told them to shove it in an objectionable orifice. I don't think they can do much since you have already been rejected. That brings me to my next question, can schools let other schools know that you've been colorful with your comments? Can they black-list (or use any other colors) for this?

I doubt they have the time or the resources.

Medical school admissions is big business with high income low expenditure on labor expenses.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

discriminating against cc credits is really cr@ppy, imo. for some of us working people, cc's are our only option for taking classes. for example, portland state (the 4 year public state school in portland) doesn't offer either gen chem or organic chem at night. luckily, i had taken those classes already in undergrad, but if i hadn't, i would have no choice but to take them at portland cc. also, tons of my professors at psu also teach at pcc, and the courses have the same numbers and cover the same content -- so, essentially, the education you receive is identical.

i think it exhibits complete snobbery and doesn't say good thing about a school to reject someone based almost solely on the presence of cc credits in their application. if your mcat is competitive, then the cc credits should be a non-issue.

good for you for trying to point this stuff about to their admissions committee.

 

[Chopianista]

Do their admissions requirements guidelines specifically state that CC credits will not be considered for pre-med courses? I know that some schools state this very clearly (BU, for example).

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I know they VERY strongly discourage it in all of the information I've seen. Personally I don't view what they did to you as being insulting, but rather straight forward and direct. If they were being rude that e-mail would have been something along the lines of "Take your community college learner's permit, oh, excuse me "associate's degree" and don't darken our door step again."

Don't be so thin skinned.....stuff like this happens all the time.

 

[RayhanS1282]

I doubt they have the time or the resources.

Medical school admissions is big business with high income low expenditure on labor expenses.

Good to know.

I have some calls to make .

 

[medhacker]

Good to know.

I have some calls to make .

haha

Let's do it!

 

[Orth2006]

I know they VERY strongly discourage it in all of the information I've seen. Personally I don't view what they did to you as being insulting, but rather straight forward and direct. If they were being rude that e-mail would have been something along the lines of "Take your community college learner's permit, oh, excuse me "associate's degree" and don't darken our door step again."

Don't be so thin skinned.....stuff like this happens all the time.

Well for one thing I havent found anywhere on their website that specifically states that CC credits are not considered. (maybe I havent searched well enough). Secondly stuff like this does'nt happen all the time. Most schools that rejected me were straight forward and more reasonable.
Rejecting anyone on the basis of CC credits is absolutely RIDICULOUS and someone needs to call that to their attention.

I'm not overly distressed at their rejection I have other schools I'm interested in and waiting patiently. I just thought it was insulting (And YES it is INSULTING) to basically tell me that my CC credits were a waste. If they were such a waste why did the 4 year University that I finished my degree at accept them. And the 4 year school is a pretty good school.

I can agree that such course at a 4 year college may be a little more rigorous but again the differences are not like "night" and "day". To have me do a graduate degree to compensate is senseless. I think the lady I talked to saw the foolishness in their process. But obviously its not something they are going to change over night and because of me (although that would be good). She allude to something along those lines as well. So even BU & CASE may need to restructure their admission reqs. But those schools where kind enough to post it on their site.


On the other hand I thought they were picking on me because my Dad got his MSc/PH.D from IU but I don't think he's paid any alumni dues since. 😀
SO maybe its my dad's fault.

 

[Pewl]

These "one year master of science" degrees are BS anyway. They're just the same bio and physiology courses you've taken as an undergrad. I think they're just an opportunity for you to prove yourself and get better grades with that school while paying them tuition. The MS I choose to pursue is actually something useful and has great standalone value, as in I can get a high paying job on it by itself should the med school plan fall through. I've always been against those 1 year master's and post-bacs. I feel like you're just buying time =P

And secondly, IU's med school admissions is a bunch of biznatches. I didn't receive a secondary just because I'm not a resident and I'd lived there for 12 years! I grew up in Indianapolis and I have more blue blood flowing through my veins for the Colts and Pacers than everyone in this forum combined! But, alas, I too am waiting on other schools, just like you Ortho2006. =)