2006 Non-Trad Applicants' Progress Thread

BU Medical Sciences
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
TheDarkSide said:
:D Blee, Q, SailCrazy... congratulations on your well-deserved acceptances!!

Go non-trads!!! :love:

As for me, I got tired of waiting for my snail mail from UWisc and went out on a limb and called them... and found out that I got in! :D
Click to expand...


Congrats! You guys are all doing so well. :thumbup:
Members don't see this ad.
 
I think I've missed a few congratulations and a few thanks...

Congrats, Congrats, Congrats! & Thanks, thanks, thanks!

Like Q, I'm glad to see SDNers do well, but especially us non-trads. Good luck to everyone as the process continues!!! :luck: :luck:


P.S. One update: I called Wayne St. today to find out the good news. :thumbup:
 
Members don't see this ad :)
TheDarkSide said:
As for me, I got tired of waiting for my snail mail from UWisc and went out on a limb and called them... and found out that I got in! :D
Click to expand...

Congrats to TheDarkSide!!

SailCrazy said:
P.S. One update: I called Wayne St. today to find out the good news. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Way to go!!
 
TheDarkSide said:
Is that a new avatar or am I just extremely unobservant? :laugh:

Either way, I like it!
Click to expand...

It is new. Just a little wishful thinking regarding this whole application process!
 
Wow. The non-trads are kicking butt. Congrats everyone!!!
 
I got an acceptance to Case today! I'm so excited and relieved. Now I'm going to withdraw from everywhere but my top 10 schools and see what happens. :love:
 
titoincali said:
I got an acceptance to Case today! I'm so excited and relieved. Now I'm going to withdraw from everywhere but my top 10 schools and see what happens. :love:
Click to expand...

:thumbup: Hooray! Congratulations, that's awesome!
 
titoincali said:
I got an acceptance to Case today! I'm so excited and relieved. Now I'm going to withdraw from everywhere but my top 10 schools and see what happens. :love:
Click to expand...
Way to go! :D :thumbup:
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I got accepted to San Antonio! I never thought I'd get this much love this soon! :D
 
MoosePilot said:
I got accepted to San Antonio! I never thought I'd get this much love this soon! :D
Click to expand...
Congrats!!! You can never get too much love! :thumbup:
 
QofQuimica said:
I've been accepted to Baylor. :D
Click to expand...
Congrats! If only Baylor were as good as Michigan, you'd probably be really excited! :p

Seroiusly though, way to go. :thumbup:
 
QofQuimica said:
I've been accepted to Baylor. :D
Click to expand...

Mmmm-hmmmm...

Q rulz and Moose droolz.

That is all.

:laugh:
 
Congrats on Baylor, Q!
 
QofQuimica said:
Thanks, you guys. :love: Anyone else have any news?
Click to expand...
Congrats!!!!

No word yet from my other three interviewed schools. I sent out a semi-update, semi-interest letter to Wake this morning
 
QofQuimica said:
Thanks, you guys. :love: Anyone else have any news?
Click to expand...

So far my interviews have gone well. I have two more that I'm excited about in the next two weeks. Then I'm trying to decide what to do about 5 other interviews I've received that are not on my personal top 10 list. Should I go and see what the school is about? Or should I save the money and concentrate on my top schools? While I'm glad to be in this position, It's not an easy decision to make.

Otherwise, I should hear about Loyola on 10/8 and Iowa told me that decisions will be made around mid-November on my application.
 
QofQuimica said:
I've been accepted to Baylor. :D
Click to expand...


Wow, that is fantastic! I wish I had figured out Baylor was such an awesome program before yesterday. I would have been all over that. Congrats!!!
 
Hi there everyone! Congrats to all of you wonderful people who have already received acceptances and are in the decision making process about where to enroll!! As for me, now that August scores are in I have received and completed 6 of 7 secondaries (Wayne St is the only one that screens so we'll see if that one comes) Anyway, I have my first interview invite and it is scheduled at U of A (my state school) for 11/8! I am excited and now instead of MCAT prep equations and material running through my head everynight when I lay down to sleep, I am now kept awake and spinning with potential interview questions and my initial gut responses! Yippee! So with all this fun stuff in mind, I thought I would pick the brains of you veterans that obviously were successful in your interviews! The one topic that has me a little stressed and stumped is where I can find a basic overview of Healthcare Systems, Programs & Policy outside the US! (Canada & Britain) I know this is a possible question that can come up, when discussing issues with Healthcare in the US and how it compares and whether or not we should look into a more governmentally supported system, so I was hoping someone could give me a brief rundown or refer me to a reliable source so I can brushup! I took a Critical Health Issues course at Ithaca College back in the day that gave an overview and comparison of international programs but I can't recall any of the info and of course I dumped those class notes years ago. Anyone have any recommendations or information they wouldn't mind passing along??? Best of luck to those of you still awaiting acceptances and those in the initial stages of the interview process like me! For all of you Class of 2010 non-trads you go get em!
 
Hey- Congrats on the interview. It's a good feeling to get the first one, no?
For a basic overview- use wikipedia. It is surprisingly helpful.
I also reread a book called "Market Driven Healthcare" which gives a good overview, although some whippersnapper in pre-allo told me it was "outdated" last night. Stupid kids.
Then, I'd familiarize yourself with countries like Canada who have a subsidized health care system (also summarized on wikipedia), as a contrast to the US system. And a very interesting example is the system of South Africa (if you feel like packing a punch), where private insurance is available to the wealthy, and the poor receive "universal" healthcare. (This is a relevant example for me, because I used to live there, but it provides a really interesting contrast all in one place). Basically, if you can afford private insurance, you get fantastic care- access to shiny hospitals and the best doctors. If you are covered by the government insurance, the standard of care you receive, is to say the least, abominable.
It's a good thing to know about for sure- I have been asked questions about healthcare coverage in one form or another at all of my interviews so far.
 
I had a message on my answering machine when I got home from work tonight. TCOM wants to interview me. :) This will be my third interview (had UT-Houston and UTMB two months ago). I'm still waiting on you, San Antonio....
 
Megboo said:
Have you been leaning on a decision? :)
Click to expand...

Not yet. The problem with me is that I like practically every school I've seen. :oops: Of course, not all of them like me, so that has helped narrow down the options somewhat. :laugh:

P.S. Congrats to everyone who has gotten interviews. :thumbup:
 
QofQuimica said:
P.S. Congrats to everyone who has gotten interviews. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Just what I was thinking! Way to go everyone! :thumbup:

QofQuimica said:
Not yet. The problem with me is that I like practically every school I've seen. :oops: Of course, not all of them like me, so that has helped narrow down the options somewhat. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Somehow I suspect that you're going to come out of this process okay! :laugh: :laugh:
 
SailCrazy said:
Somehow I suspect that you're going to come out of this process okay! :laugh: :laugh:
Click to expand...

I'm definitely not complaining. But contrary to popular opinion, there ARE several schools that have seen fit to reject or waitlist my derriere. Those aren't any fun to post about though. :smuggrin:
 
Came from from UCSD to an Iowa acceptance! Was a good feeling considering how conflicted I was feeling about UCSD.
 
QofQuimica said:
I'm definitely not complaining. But contrary to popular opinion, there ARE several schools that have seen fit to reject or waitlist my derriere. Those aren't any fun to post about though. :smuggrin:
Click to expand...

Yeah, if some hadn't I never would have posted what I did :D
 
hey everyone-

just wanted to say hello, i've been following this thread for awhile and wanted to say from another non-trad congrats to everyone on their accpetances!!

edit: tito, what was so bad about UCSD?? i'm sure you did better than you might feel...
 
Hi Everyone:

I, too, have been following this thread (among others). It has taken me awhile to actually register and post something of my own.

Congrats again to everyone on their acceptances.

The crazy thing for me is that I have 1 acceptance (MWU-AZCOM); 3 rejections (Mayo - they used my 15 YOA GPA in their MCAT/GPA magic number calculation...is spite of my having a stellar graduate GPA that is current; Indiana - they want stronger ties to Indiana than I presented...my In-Laws live there; and U of MN - this one perplexes me...I seemed to fit the mold there quite well...plus it would have signified my return home to MN...to "give back" to the community in which I grew up); and I am waiting to hear about interviews from Harvard, Brown and GW. Finally, I have had a "complete" application file at the U of AZ since the first week of September...yet they will BEGIN letting applicants know their decision the last week of January.

Neither Harvard or Brown have begun interviews as far as I can tell, but GW has.

As a lot of us non-trads do; I present as a pretty well-rounded candidate (biomedical research, volumes of relevant work experience, clinical volunteer experience working with both doctors and sick people, graduate training - MS Biochem, great LORs, etc)with a clear vision of what I am about to do. I will say that my MCATs (27) can leave some admissions committee members wanting more.

Yet, I still wonder, especially with all of the early successes I am reading about here, what it might be that has caused the apparent delay at GW and the rejection at U of MN (I have scheduled a telephone conference at the U of MN to get some feedback on 11 Nov).

I was way ahead of schedule with the application process...just like many of the applicants and acceptees who have posted here.

Any ideas on what the deal could be? Is my MCAT hurting me? I am confident of getting accepted once given the opportunity to interview. Does GW - or other medical schools with rolling admissions for that matter - typically interview their best candidates first, to try to wrap them up with an acceptance before they go elsewhere?

Thanks for your feedback.

mid30premed's profile
 
LT2 said:
hey everyone-

just wanted to say hello, i've been following this thread for awhile and wanted to say from another non-trad congrats to everyone on their accpetances!!

edit: tito, what was so bad about UCSD?? i'm sure you did better than you might feel...
Click to expand...

LT2- I wasn't concerned about my performance at the interviews. I thought they went very well. It's just that UCSD is very different community-wise from the med schools I've visited and from the experience I had as an undergrad. It could be however, that my feelings are more of a reflection of the particular students I met and not of the student body as a whole. Otherwise, I loved the clinical opportunities, the opportunity for Border-Health issues, and the city.

I received an interview to UC Irvine today as well as my final secondary- UCLA, so I'm happy!
 
Such are the mysteries of adcoms. GW kills a goat and examines its entrails. After all, it's hard to believe someone as awesome as me could be put on hold.

The thing is, at this stage in the game, the applications are just out of our hands (it's both a relief, and horrifyingly nervewracking). Plus you're already set with an acceptance (congrats!), so the rest is just icing on the cake. Unfortunately, we all just get to sweat it out for a few more months, then we'll be able to kick back and relax in med school. Oh wait. That's not right.
 
mid30premed said:
Any ideas on what the deal could be? Is my MCAT hurting me? I am confident of getting accepted once given the opportunity to interview. Does GW - or other medical schools with rolling admissions for that matter - typically interview their best candidates first, to try to wrap them up with an acceptance before they go elsewhere?

Thanks for your feedback.

mid30premed's profile
Click to expand...

My opinion, based mostly on my own more-than-expected early successes, is that the MCAT really is a big factor at a lot of schools. Maybe not all, but many. I think many schools, especially the ones like GWU that get a lot of applications, use a simple formula of undergraduate GPA and MCAT to screen initially. I think they sometimes get past that screen, but I think the screen hurts some folks. I slipped through it because my GPA is offset by my MCAT. You've got a great overall, but they might be working with some subset (undergraduate or BPCM) that is hurting you there, too.

Good luck! Once you get past that nasty number screen, non-trads have nothing but great experiences and maturity to offer, so I think you'll do great once you interview, just like you think. :luck:
 
mid30, lots of non-trads are in this same boat. I have a 29 MCAT, crappy grades from 20 years ago but went back, started over, and graduated with honors dual chem/math degree in 3 years. 15 years experience as a paramedic. I applied to 8 MD and 8 DO schools (complete everywhere by 9/1 at the lates). KCOM rejected me pretty quickly. Interview from MSUCOM, UNECOM, DMUCOM, and VCU all offered right around Labor Day weekend. Yet nothing from my state school. Nothing from any of the schools in Pennsylvania where I grew up. MCW and Albany just rejected me recently. I am grateful for my acceptance to UNECOM. I am hopeful for VCU (and I really like that school).

The only thing I can figure is some adcoms don't bother reading transcripts. They look at the bottom number PERIOD. I find this trend disturbing. Medical schools scream they want diversity. They scream for life experience, maturity, etc. Yet those applicants who show the maturity to overcome past obstacles, go back and take the difficult classes, in difficult situations, are frowned upon. Medical school is a difficult course of study, requiring (as touted by many schools) the "best and brightest" to do well. Yet these same schools reward those who take the easiest classes for the sake of the almighty GPA rather than those who truly challenge themselves. Medical schools have become numbers driven without looking at what makes up those numbers.

med30, any school that actually looks at your application will be worth your best effort. Any school that doesn't give their best to you doesn't deserve a second thought. (I have found that griping humorously about the lack of communication from my state school has helped immensely, especially after I found folks in my state in the same boat.) You will do well I'm sure. Good luck to you - and stop by for some reassurance once in a while. My husband says I'm addicted to SDN - I say it's my lifeline to those going through this nasty doubt-riddled process with me. :) :) :)
 
Got an envelope in the mail today.

...And Drexel makes three. :D
 
ShyRem said:
The only thing I can figure is some adcoms don't bother reading transcripts. They look at the bottom number PERIOD. I find this trend disturbing. Medical schools scream they want diversity. They scream for life experience, maturity, etc.
Click to expand...

That's my best guess as well. This phenomena might help explain what went on with my application at the U of MN.

Persistence pays...I went out of my way to solicit feedback from each and every one of my rejections. Although in many cases the feedback was too late, much of it WILL help on interviews (hopefully) to come. Also, understanding exactly why I was rejected and how I could have been a stronger applicant brings a kind-of closure to that school's app for me.

Thanks for the feedback :)
 
titoincali said:
LT2- I wasn't concerned about my performance at the interviews. I thought they went very well. It's just that UCSD is very different community-wise from the med schools I've visited and from the experience I had as an undergrad. It could be however, that my feelings are more of a reflection of the particular students I met and not of the student body as a whole. Otherwise, I loved the clinical opportunities, the opportunity for Border-Health issues, and the city.

I received an interview to UC Irvine today as well as my final secondary- UCLA, so I'm happy!
Click to expand...

i agree that UCSD is very different from what i've seen as well. it's home for me though so i couldn't (or wouldn't) complain if they chose to show me some love!! i have been involved with clinics on both sides of the border and it is a real treat and definitely something unique! congrats on UCI and UCLA, i hope to hear something good from either of those two soon! keep on chuggin'
 
Congrats, blee! :clap:

mid30premed, I think that MCAT matters a lot for non-trads who have old pre-reqs. Acing the MCAT isn't sufficient in and of itself, but it really does help open doors. I took all of my pre-reqs 10+ years ago, and P/F to boot. When I called schools that interested me to ask about whether I should apply, several of them told me that I'd need to have an excellent MCAT score to be competitive. Your MCAT score is solid, but unfortunately it doesn't make you stand out when you're competing against trads who are scoring in the mid-30s or better. And there are literally hundreds of them applying at those schools you mentioned. :(

P.S. FWIW, I think that the rest of your app (ECs) is awesome. You sound like a really interesting person with a lot of neat experiences. Congrats on your acceptance. :thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

P
WAMC non-trad, transcript repair
Replies
21
Views
1K
holdthemayo
holdthemayo
D
Non-Trad’s First Post
Replies
3
Views
672
CaptivatedCranium87
CaptivatedCranium87
andii
Need advice on how to work on non-trad apps
Replies
7
Views
764
esob
esob
S
Non-trad trying to apply this cycle
Replies
9
Views
1K
significantgene23
S
Alex Reinard
Retake REALLY OLD Pre-Reqs as Non-Trad in Late 30s?
Replies
8
Views
851
Dral
Dral
Top