Who's applying for entering class 2004?

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Ok guys, let's keep this thread going. Here's my question to all of you: to which schools are you applying?

I'll start:

1)Harvard
2)BU
3)Tufts
4)UMass
(I need to stay in Boston because of my husband, so that's pretty much all I have to work with).
If anyone needs ANY information on any of these schools, just ask!
Who else?
 
Hey All!

I've been cruising the forums for a while but never thought I had anything really interesting to say until now, since I'm applying for 2004 as well, taking the fast approaching April MCAT. As far as schools go, we'll have to see how well I do on the MCAT before I decide that (we can always hope!) 😀
 
Hey all once again!

I hope all the MCAT studying is going well. I am very interested in applying early decision to UPenn, but of course, if I do not get in, I am also very interested in:

1) Duke
2) U Rochester
3) NYU
4) Hopkins
5) Harvard
6) Cornell
7) Yale


I am a NY resident so even though I would love to apply to UC schools, I know not to. I have been doing a lot of research on these schools, so if anyone has any questions about them, please do not hesitate to ask. If anyone knows anyone who applied to UPenn early decision, I would really appreciate any information about the process since it is relatively new.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
 
I'm also a class of 2008 hopeful, I thought I wanted to go into osteopathy, but after my first interview at a DO school, I realized that my heart just wasn't there. I withdrew all of my applications for the class of 2007 and decided to go through this hellish process again. So, here I am. I'm retaking the MCAT (one area of my app that needs to be strengthened) in April and applying in June. I'm still finalizing the list of schools I want to apply to.

I've known about this site for awhile now but just recently became hooked! Hope I don't become an SDN junkie!! 😉 See you around. 🙂
 
I've known about this site for awhile now but just recently became hooked! Hope I don't become an SDN junkie!!
Click to expand...

:laugh: good luck.

It certainly is addictive...😉
 
I've already posted on this thread, but thought I would add the schools I might apply to (depending on how I do on my MCAT retake.... just a few more points....)

University of Oklahoma, Ok. State, UT-SWMC, Baylor, UCSF, Stanford, Chicago, Northwestern, Penn, Pitt, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, JHU, Cincinnati.....

All that kinda depends on when my money runs out, too.
 
I do have a question for anyone that can help me out.

I've been out of school for a while (3 years). I've read on here how to approach profs that probably don't remember me, but I wanted to know how the process of getting the letters to all the schools I'll be applying to works.

If I ask 3-4 people to write a LOR, but I'm applying to 10-15 schools, how does the copies of each letter get to each school?

There is no pre-med advisory committee at the university I graduated from. I know the LORs should be sealed, so how do the copies get made to send them out everywhere?

Thanks.

Also, the schools I'll be applying to: all the Texas schools, Univ. of Tenn., Penn State Univ., Vanderbilt, Univ. of Washington.
 
Originally posted by aidan73
I do have a question for anyone that can help me out.

I've been out of school for a while (3 years). I've read on here how to approach profs that probably don't remember me, but I wanted to know how the process of getting the letters to all the schools I'll be applying to works.

If I ask 3-4 people to write a LOR, but I'm applying to 10-15 schools, how does the copies of each letter get to each school?

There is no pre-med advisory committee at the university I graduated from. I know the LORs should be sealed, so how do the copies get made to send them out everywhere?

Thanks.

Also, the schools I'll be applying to: all the Texas schools, Univ. of Tenn., Penn State Univ., Vanderbilt, Univ. of Washington.
Click to expand...

couple things:

first, does your college career office have a LOR service? My college didnt have a pre med committee per se as well, but our career office would collect our LORs and send sealed copies to schools for a relatively small fee. I believe their are private companies that do this as well. I'd call your career services office ans ask.......

Also, I presume you're a TX resident. One thing you (and everyone else 🙂 )might want to be aware of are the out of state admissions policies for state schools. Vandy is private and Penn State I know takes out of staters, but UWash is very difficult to get into out of state unless you are a stud applicant, you're applying md/phd, or you're in one of the med school-less states with a consortial agreement with UWash. Tennessee I have no idea. You can apply wherever you want, just giving you something to consider 🙂

Good luck this year guys 😀
 
Originally posted by Slickness
Hey doctor1, I was just curious what changed so drastically to make you withdraw all your apps from DO schools?
Click to expand...

Well, I think I knew it deep down before I even went to my first interview that the osteopathic route wasn't for me. Somehow, through poor introspection and subsequent decision-making, I had convinced myself that it was the ends and not the means that was more important. In other words, I told myself that it was more important that I become a doctor than the path I took to get there.

However, all of that started changing once interview time drew nearer. During the campus tour at the DO interview (I think it was somewhere between the time when we entered a lecture on OMM and when the director of admissions told us that they took over 220 students a year per graduating class😱 ), I was struck with the overwhelming desire to leave. If I was already feeling uneasy about the DO route during the interview, why the hell was even there?? I realized that I was settling for something that just wasn't for me.

Now, I don't want to turn this into a DO vs MD debate. All I'm saying is that for ME, it seems that going allopathic holds more options and is going to make me happier in the long run. Also, don't get me wrong, this was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. Applying to med school isn't entirely FUN (especially when you have an acceptance letter to a DO school already in your hand!!), but I knew that it's what I had to do. 🙂
 
Anybody else wanna post???

I'm going to apply to as many schools my pockets can handle...I might even have to borrow from someone:laugh: !

The ones I'm sure of so far are all the Cali Schools (UCI and USC being my top choices), all of the schools in Chicago (almost all of them)...my best friend lives there and if I DID get accepted the transition would be much easier for my family and I. Of course, their gpa/mcat statistics as well. I've been looking into Tulane, CWRU, OHSU, BU, Wake Forest and some others too. I just need to do alot more research.

Do any of you guys have tips on how to research and apply to the schools that best suits you (gives you a better chance of acceptance)? Of course, the # averages do count but are there any other factors that we should look for?

Post here if your applying for '04😉
 
I'm gonna apply to schools where I'm willing to spend my next 4-8 years ('cause quite some med students end up doing residency where they attend med school). That's not a short time! If you already have a loved one, she or he has to be welling to live there too; if you don't, you have to look for someone there, then end up living there even longer, if not all your life...
 
i'm applying '04!!! i have no clue as to where i'm going to apply...my biggest dilemma right now...that and my personal statement! take care guys!
 
Originally posted by DrJ2B
Hey all once again!

I hope all the MCAT studying is going well. I am very interested in applying early decision to UPenn, but of course, if I do not get in, I am also very interested in:

1) Duke
2) U Rochester
3) NYU
4) Hopkins
5) Harvard
6) Cornell
7) Yale


I am a NY resident so even though I would love to apply to UC schools, I know not to. I have been doing a lot of research on these schools, so if anyone has any questions about them, please do not hesitate to ask. If anyone knows anyone who applied to UPenn early decision, I would really appreciate any information about the process since it is relatively new.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
Click to expand...

ya know... some people should really know by now that applying early is SO SILLY 😛 haha, juuust kidding DrJ 🙂

-C
 
I'm applying this summer too!!! YAY! 😀
April MCAT
 
well, throwing in my schools to apply to list:

i'm thinking about....

Wash U
Rochester
Duke
a couple SUNY schools (I'm from NY).. probably UB, Stony Brook, Syracuse?
Pitt
UVA
Cornell

... and a whole bunch of others that remain to be decided still i guess! maybe 15ish total??

i hope MCAT studying is going well everyone 🙂
 
Me too. Not sure where I'll be applying till i get the MCAT scores, but prolly:

SUNY - SB, DS, SYR.
Yale
Mt. Sinai
GTown
Hopkins
Northwestern
Columbia
Harvard (maybe)

That's all off the top of my head.
 
hey all
I will also be applying for admission to 2004! aaahhhhhhh!! Is anyone else getting really anxious? I just want to apply already!
I am hoping to go to a big city and will be applying to the middle range schools in ny, philly, chicago, dc, and atlanta along with a few reaches
Top choice: columbia
Other tops: NYU, Einstein, Yeshiva, Emory, NYMC, Jefferson Medical, GW, Maryland, U. of Chicago, and Georgetown
good luck to everyone
 
I will be joining you guys. Good luck everyone!
 
bumping...again.....🙂

Anybody?😉
 
I'll throw in my list

top: yale, pitt (no wammies)
other awesome schools: Jeff, einstein, rochester, temple, penn state, drexel, dartmouth, BU, emory

Cheers!
 
From a future med student who'll be attending this fall, lemme tell ya about the admissions process. (By the way, I took 2002-2003 off as a break between college and med school.) It's not really that hard, but it starts to grind on you after months of waiting, responding, interviewing, hoping, etc. When I first started applying, I thought, "This isn't so bad." But, as 2003 started, I began understanding that a looooong, drawn-out process is makes it difficult. It's like Chinese Water Torture. Drip. Drip. Drip. 😉

Realize, though, that every stage of life has difficulties. After you get admitted, then you've got another set of problems to worry about. Financing, relocating, studying, etc. Enjoy all this...someday (when you're a world-renowned physician) you'll look back on your suffering and smile. 🙂

Also, if you're applying for the first time, relax and give yourself TWO years to get into medical school. That way, you won't constantly be thinking about your applications and getting ulcers while waiting to hear back from med schools. That's also the same way I viewed the MCAT when I took it in April. Relax...August is there if you need it.

Good luck and God bless you all. 🙂
 
I'll add myself to this pile... just to say hello.
 
Who else is applying this year?

Also for those of you who took the April MCAT, how'd it go? Hope all went well 😉

Application time just gets closer and closer...I'm excited but nervous as He*L!!😛
 
I'm not sure how the MCAT went. It was my second time and I don't know if I improved any. I guess I'll find out in about 7 weeks. Arg....

Yeah, I'm getting excited too. But as I get things done, I'm becoming less nervous, actually. It's the stupid personal statement that is giving me a hard time. I'm on my 5th edition now. I'm just getting around to asking for LORs this week. So I feel better about those, now. But I'm at one of those schools that doesn't help at all for LORs, so each prof has to send a letter to each school. Double Arg....

Is anybody going to wait until they get their MCAT scores back before they apply?
 
I'm also applying this summer! Best of luck to all of you on here!
 
Are you going to apply before you get your MCAT score back??
 
Well, I have scores from the August MCAT....On Jalby's Guide to Applying to Med School thread, he said not to wait. I really want to get my app in on June 1, to get it over with.
 
2004 applicant here, I've been out of school for a little while and have been doing research. Good luck to all of you this coming year. I'm sure I'll need it

Oh, by the way, don't worry about the april MCAT, I thought I did bad on the Aug one and didn't think I would improve my score, but it went up by 4 points! Anywayz, How did everyone feel about the new testing format? It'll be interesting to see if it affects ppls score... any re-takers that just took it again in April? Let me know how you did to before when your scores get out...
 
Just took the April MCAT and will be applying in June.
I'm 25 years old and have been waiting too long for this!

Good luck everyone!

🙂
 
Hey,

I'm also applying for 2004... haven't met seen a lot of you on SDN much. April Mcat went okay... i can't believe we have to wait two months for the score... oh well. Been out of college for a while, also, doing research.

Where i'd l ike to go... my alma matter.. WASHU!!! yeah... besides that, in reality i see Univ of Chicago or Northwestern, b/c they are in my reach, and in my city. I'm currently outlining the essay, and looking through MSAR of which schools to apply to.
(i have a list of 40, that's growing, i need to chop it down).

We should also remember the non -amcas schools! Their deadlines are different.

Nice to meet y'all.
Sonya
 
HI!!

I too am applying this coming June. This will be trial # 2 for me 🙁

Good luck to everyone and hopefully together we can stop the ensuing insanity!
 
One more tally for fall '04 applications. My current list appears to be:
All med schools in Oregon. Wait, that's just OHSU.
Stanford
USC
Dartmouth
Tulane
Tufts
Loyola
Yeshiva
Creighton

Remember, all the really COOL people wait to take the Aug MCAT. 😎

-D
 
August MCAT here (Canadian schools don't do the rolling admission thing!!)

Q: Which US schools accept Canadians and have some type of financial/scholarship package available too??

List....

U. Toronto
McMaster
McGill
Harvard
Columbia
Duke
U.Western Ontario
U.British Columbia

Good luck!!!!!!
 
Wow, what a cool thread! i'm a newbie here slowly becoming addicted to sdn and it's great to find this group of the 2004 applicants...great resource and support....

i'm a nontrad "career" changer (you can't really call it a "career" b/c i could only stand the job 6 months before i quit...and i graduated from college last year) applying this cycle...just took the mcat which i'm trying desperately to get out of my mind.
my mcat scores will probably determine where i do end up applying, but right now i have my heart set on:

duke
ucsf
washu
johns hopkins
mayo

and i'm also applying to all the tx schools including baylor, utsouthwestern, etc....not applying to the more expensive ivy leagues w/o merit scholarship packages b/c there's no way to pay for everything, and i can't qualify for need-based aid. 🙁 already this app process is pretty tough on the wallet....

so i have all my lors, did the pre-med committee interview, and am working on cutting down my personal statement. anyone want to discuss personal statements??? right now i have to edit mine by about 500 characters, i think. i also want to send out my app on june 1 as early as i can, just to get this sucker out of the way...

what's everyone doing this summer (besides apps?) i'm going on a short 2-wk vacation then coming back and taking summer school (2nd sem physics + lab...yuck.) Hopefully volunteering at a hospital as well.

good luck to everyone...once we passed the mcat stage, we can do anything! 😀 🙁
 
Hey Spumoni,
Welcome to the thread.
I'm also applying to Baylor and UT-SW. So good luck!

My personal statement is pretty much done. I don't know if you know this, but there is a thread on this forum of people who will read and critique your essay. They've been pretty good, as long as you can take constructive criticism. What exactly did you want to discuss about our personal statements? (I wonder if they would notice if we all worked on a single communal personal statement and all used it....?)

What was your pre-med committee interview like? Mine isn't until June 10. What sort of attitude did they have? "on your side" or what?

Since you are a fellow person sending out their app on June 1, what do you do about the MCAT scores you won't have until about June 16ish?

This summer I'll be working in a medical research lab, researching and shadowing my doc. I'm too poor for vacations 🙁 .

P.S. it's gonna be pretty difficult applying to a UT school....but I guess I won't hold it against them that we've won three years in a row at the Red River Shootout. 😀
 
Remember, all the really COOL people wait to take the Aug MCAT.
Click to expand...
:laugh: I'm taking the test in August. What a relief...Finally, I see others taking it in the summer as well.
 
Hey soonerpillow,

thanks! sounds like we are in the same boat. i did not know about the thread w/the essay critiquers...would i find it if i just searched for it or do you have the link? 🙂

like your idea for the single communal personal statement....i have major problems editing....will probably be at my computer for hours on end for the next few weeks....😡

in terms of discussing personal statements...i'm trying the 'different' approach--i.e. doing the whole "story" thing...wondering if it's too risky or if it might work. my story is somewhat of a stretch...but i don't have much direct work experience in a clinical setting (except for some summer volunteering at a pretty dead er in a nice suburban town about 6 years ago. no major action or anything.) i'm trying to get some volunteering ops this summer, since this is the weakest part of my application (assuming mcats are okay???) just wondering how many people are trying the creative vs. safe approach.

my pre-med committee interview went really, really, really well. but i think this is probably going to be the case at all schools. the reason: they want their students to succeed and boost up univ morale, i would think...you will definitely do well....in fact it boosts your confidence a lot, since it's probably a far cry from what med school interviews will be like....

Your summer sounds cool. What sort of medical area are you working in??

on the amcas application where it asks for mcat scores, i think they have a box where you can say you will send the scores as soon as they arrive (i.e. don't know yet). i think. i still have to talk to my premed advisor about that...but i'll let you know what she tells me!!

good luck with everything...here's looking to baylor and utsw!!


P.S.
it's gonna be pretty difficult applying to a UT school....but I guess I won't hold it against them that we've won three years in a row at the Red River Shootout.
Click to expand...

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 
Hey guys..I will be applying this summer as well, for the second time...let's hope this time is the last🙂 Now I just have to trim down my list of where to apply!! Good luck to everyone applying!!
 
Spumoni,

The essay reader thread is called "Official: SDNers willing to read 2003-2004 Personal Statements." Just search for "personal statement" and you should find it and other threads that will help.

In terms of content, I actually think the "story" approach is more common than you think. That's what my pre-med advisor tells everyone to do. All the good sample essays I've read tell some sort of story. It's what I did. So don't feel that it isn't safe. On another note, I also haven't had much clinical experience since 5 years ago when I volunteered in a hospital. I was counting on using that for my application, but it turns out you can only put post secondary work on it. So I worked it into my essay. And I'll be shadowing my doctor this summer.

I hope this helps, not only spumoni, but everyone else. The PS has been the hardest part so far for me.

My lab researches SLE (lupus) and other autoimmune diseases. We also have a clinic for people with lupus. It's a really interesting and weird disease.

Speaking of Texas schools, for everyone who is applying, the 2004 application is officially available as of two days ago. Has anybody applied yet? I think I'm going to wait until I do AMCAS, because that's when I'll have my LORs ready to go.
 
Hey! I'll be applying this summer as well! I look forward to getting to know all of you and good luck to everybody!!!
 
Originally posted by soonerpillow
Spumoni,

The essay reader thread is called "Official: SDNers willing to read 2003-2004 Personal Statements." Just search for "personal statement" and you should find it and other threads that will help.

In terms of content, I actually think the "story" approach is more common than you think. That's what my pre-med advisor tells everyone to do. All the good sample essays I've read tell some sort of story. It's what I did. So don't feel that it isn't safe. On another note, I also haven't had much clinical experience since 5 years ago when I volunteered in a hospital. I was counting on using that for my application, but it turns out you can only put post secondary work on it. So I worked it into my essay. And I'll be shadowing my doctor this summer.

I hope this helps, not only spumoni, but everyone else. The PS has been the hardest part so far for me.

My lab researches SLE (lupus) and other autoimmune diseases. We also have a clinic for people with lupus. It's a really interesting and weird disease.

Speaking of Texas schools, for everyone who is applying, the 2004 application is officially available as of two days ago. Has anybody applied yet? I think I'm going to wait until I do AMCAS, because that's when I'll have my LORs ready to go.
Click to expand...

I started the Texas app. It feels as if the webpage itself was not put together with any kind of consideration for the applicants. They tell YOU to check for how long a response is (as opposed to easily coding in a limiter for a text box), they make you click on No instead of defaulting to it and letting you click yes (this is for the schools you are applying to section). The questions are sometimes confusing as they will say "If yes...." or "If no..." but it would in fact be referring to a question that was posed 2-3 lines ago (they should do some kind of indenting). Oh well, applications aren't supposed to be fun or easy.

I hope the AMCAS is more user-friendly, the Texas page is killing my eyes.
 
I am applying too, this year. I can't believe I am actually here and had my Committee interview last Tuesday. Now I just need to figure out what I am going to do during the year and what about the dollars to pay for all these applications ... 😱
 
Hello all,
Just to let everyone know the AMCAS will be online most likely this Monday. So go to www.aamc.org If you want to turn it in the first day it helps to start ASAP. Also it has to be submitted before you can request transcripts and I had friends have schools lose their transcript requests. The sooner everything in the better.

Good luck everyone!
 
Thanks for the advice maoeris 👍. I registered today and it was a very strange experience. I can't believe I'm actually applying. I've been dreaming about this for so long. I caught myself having butterflies but it was a really good feeling. Even if I don't make it this year, I know now that I'm REALLY on my way!😍
 
Hey guys,

Well add me to the pool. I just read the whole post and now I am freaking out because I haven't really done any of the things people are talking about (LOR's, personal statement, etc). I guess I should get started on those? At least the MCAT is behind me . . . hopefully.

I am also wondering about the applying early thing. What about this summer? I am doing a summer program that I think will be full of things to talk about and it seems like it doesn't make sense to send off my stuff before it's over (or really even begun). Any thoughts on this? I guess I could refer to it in my personal statement, but wouldn't it be better to include detailed information?

And with LOR's, are those in any way associated with your primary application, or do they go out with secondaries?

Till next time.
 
Hey Jankanator,

About your summer program: I think it's probably more important to get your application in as soon as possible. If you can, like you said, you could work it into your PS and even into your ec's. It would also give you something more to talk about at interviews. But everyone here on SDN stresses getting your app in as soon as possible. But I don't think it'll kill your app either way.

LORs: They are somewhat associated with secondaries. I think schools ask for them at that time. They won't consider your application until they receive their required number of LORs.

Oh, and welcome to the thread.
 
Jankanator,
Don't freak out too much--I did the same when I first read through this thread. Most of the SDNers really have their act together--and it's helpful for me to follow their example.

In general, I agree with soonerpillow. From what I've read and heard, it is best to get your app in as soon as possible. But, I've also read that it is worth waiting if you feel as though you'll have a significant experience to put on your ps...people do get in who apply late, and if the rest of your app is strong you might consider the pros of waiting until you have something special to talk about.

soonerpillow--thanks for your earlier help. by the way, what did you mean when you said lors are mostly for 2ndaries? at my school we had to get them taken care of (7 of them) last month....and then these were supposedly to be used in creating the lor that the premed committee sends out to the school after the premed interview...as part of the amcas app, i believe?

and for anyone else who's wise--do you know if it's better to send out apps to schools once you get mcat scores? it said something to that effect on the amcas instructions (med schools prefer to get apps after mcat scores come in...).

thanks everyone...now i better start tackling tmdsas.....
 
Spumoni,
About the LORs, well, I'm almost positive that they are not part of AMCAS. On the application, it doesn't say anything about it. From what I understand, med schools will ask for them when you get the secondary from them. But I could be wrong. I'm just as new at this as you are. 🙂 I think it's great that you got your LORs all in line (and so many of them!). I wish my premed committee helped with them. I have to have my profs send them directly to each school. Sometimes I wonder what exactly my premed committee does....

I also have the same question as Spumoni about new MCAT scores, except I've already got MCAT scores from August, and new ones coming from April. Anybody?
 
Originally posted by soonerpillow
Spumoni,
About the LORs, well, I'm almost positive that they are not part of AMCAS. On the application, it doesn't say anything about it. From what I understand, med schools will ask for them when you get the secondary from them. But I could be wrong. I'm just as new at this as you are. 🙂
Click to expand...

nope, you're right 🙂 The only school I can think of that does something out of the ordinary is UMich, where after turning in your secondary they screen you for sending their LORs, or something like that.......

I also have the same question as Spumoni about new MCAT scores, except I've already got MCAT scores from August, and new ones coming from April. Anybody?
Click to expand...

well, as far as spumoni goes, it absolutely makes sense to wait for scores to get to you before sending off AMCAS. how well you did on the test will (or at least should 😉 ) influence where you end up applying. It will only be a couple days after amcas can be sent off that you'll get your scores, so it wont be a big deal.

as far as soonerpillow, who has scores already but is waiting for august results, that probably depends on how well you did on the last mcat and what schools you're applying too. Some schools allow you designate a "waiting for august scores" box on their secondary. If you're applying to schools that screen for secondaries (i.e. they look at your amcas essays, gpa, and score and decide whether to send you one or not), i'd say make sure you're aware of what their policy is before sending off their amcas. 🙂
 
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