* * 2009-2010 Secondary Applications Thread!! * *

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BassCaster, thanks for your response!
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yes, thanks for your help with the rec question!
 
I received Midwestern (AZCOM) secondary. They require to download a CV or resume with all the volunteer and work experiences. Are you guys just list those or explain also in a couple of sentences what you did. It is already on AACOMAS so I don't see the point. I am just afraid it is going to be way to long for me.

Any advice?
 
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DMU secondary has an optional question if I want to let them know something at the end.

What are you guys write there?

Thanks
 
AZCOM:

Made bullet points w/out explaining anything. Already on AACOMAS lol.

DMU:

Left that section blank. I thought if they didn't want any secondary essays, not writing any explanation wouldn't influence an acceptance/rejection.
 
matrica said:
DMU secondary has an optional question if I want to let them know something at the end.

What are you guys write there?

Thanks
Click to expand...


OMG! I just logged in to ask this same question. haha.
 
mcp5016 said:
So the essay is below. My question is do they want two separate pages or all on one?

Applicant Essay:

Please complete your essay and include your responses to the following questions: (Please use font size 12 and limit your essay to one page. You may attach your essay to the application if additional space is needed.)
1. Explain the process by which you decided that osteopathic medicine was right for you?
2. How does the osteopathic profession fit into your professional goals and values?
Click to expand...

Sounds like they want one essay that includes responses to both prompts, all within one page.
 
If a secondary asks for work experience during undergraduate or health-care related experience, can I just copy and paste from the primary application? Why are they asking this information if they already have it.
 
RitaHayworth said:
If a secondary asks for work experience during undergraduate or health-care related experience, can I just copy and paste from the primary application? Why are they asking this information if they already have it.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's pretty much what I did.. Idk why they make us relist things they already have (from AACOMAS), I guess they have their own system of doing things and don't care if its an inconvenience for us lol
 
If the secondary app has two questions, do people general respond with a page for each question or combine the two responses into one essay? The apps just said a brief statement, so I'm not too sure if I should combine them or not. Thanks in advance.
 
happyhippo said:
If the secondary app has two questions, do people general respond with a page for each question or combine the two responses into one essay? The apps just said a brief statement, so I'm not too sure if I should combine them or not. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If you are not constrained by character space, mine have each been about 3 long paragraphs, about 3/4 to 4/5 of a page. I'm trying to be somewhat brief so that people can actually get through them in a few minutes.
 
Has anyone received interview invitations from PCOM or Western? For those who did, please indicate the date you submitted your secondary.

I received an interview invitation from NSU-COM about 2 weeks ago, just 2 days after I submitted my secondary. No word from PCOM or Western though :(
 
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I applied to 11 schools and received all 11 secondaries back. Do DO schools actually screen primary apps or is this just a way to get more money from secondary apps? I was expecting only around 5/11
 
This might kind of a trivial question...but how do you guys mail your secondaries that are in paper form? Do you send them in large envelopes as flat sheets of paper or do you go ahead and fold them up into a legal sized envelope (assuming they aren't like 10 page secondaries that is)?
 
is october/november too late/really late to send in DO secondaries? i've just started working on them and it's tougher to get them done now that school's begun. thanks! and gl to all
 
hey!

So i sent my primary to a bunch of DO schools but at this point i want to decide ~4 schools to send my secondary too. I live in Dallas, TX and am deciding on schools based on a: quality/reputation of school, b: location of school (is it easily accessible, near a major airport), c: tuition, d: out of state friendly. So far i have received secondaries from the schools listed below. anyone have any recommendations on which ones i should choose to send secondaries to??

LECOM Bradenton

De Moines University

CCOM (Chicago)

PCOM (Philadelphia)

MSUCOM (Michigan)

Arizona Midwestern

UMNDJ

NYCOM

NOVA southeastern

ATSU-SOMA (Arizona)

ATSU-KCOM (Kirksville)

Thanks sooo much! any advice would be much appreciated!
 
Hey Dolphin I might be biased but I would pick:

PCOM, NOVA, CCOM, and Idk uhhh NYCOM fourth choice is up in the air. The first three I would pick confidently.
 
Is it a good idea to send all of your secondaries if you get them or just send some? Cuz lets say you send in 9 primary apps, you get 7 secondaries you send these in. Isn't there a greater chance of interviews with higher amounts of secondaries?
 
I have secondaries for seven DO programs and for the most part it seems that the essays are a repeat the primary application with the exception of why you are applying to that particular school. Does it look bad to be a little redundant? Are they looking for you to come up with different ways to say what you've already put in your primary?
 
I think it is okay to be redundant, but if you are doing anything new since you turned in the primary they want to know. Just explain more of why you did those ec's and volunteering events in detail.
 
Dolphinstar88 said:
hey!

So i sent my primary to a bunch of DO schools but at this point i want to decide ~4 schools to send my secondary too. I live in Dallas, TX and am deciding on schools based on a: quality/reputation of school, b: location of school (is it easily accessible, near a major airport), c: tuition, d: out of state friendly. So far i have received secondaries from the schools listed below. anyone have any recommendations on which ones i should choose to send secondaries to??

LECOM Bradenton

De Moines University

CCOM (Chicago)

PCOM (Philadelphia)

MSUCOM (Michigan)

Arizona Midwestern

UMNDJ

NYCOM

NOVA southeastern

ATSU-SOMA (Arizona)

ATSU-KCOM (Kirksville)

Thanks sooo much! any advice would be much appreciated!
Click to expand...

I would definitely not send it to UMDNJ or NYCOM if you're only going to chose 4! They are very heavily instate preference. I think I remember hearing that UMDNJ interviews 15% out of state? or maybe accepts? Not 100% though. NYCOM is scheduling interviews right now out to February, and interviews most In Staters first. If you're only applying to 4, then don't limit yourself to schools that have an IS preference.
 
Hi guys, just wondering how long after you are verified do you get your secondaries? Also, what schools dont require secondary and just send you interviews (that being said I still havent sent my LORs, do I still get secondaries or do I have to do those first?)
 
I started getting secondaries a day or two after my application was verified. NYCOM and WVSOM send you a secondary only if they want to interview you.
 
Some schools like KCOM and DMU will send you pre-secondary interview invites if your stats are competitive or if they really want you. You send in your supplementary and your LORs to be considered "complete" at a school. They're not going to evaluate your overall application unless you submit those pieces of information. I received all of my secondaries (except for NYCOM) within about 1.5 weeks, give or take a few days. DMU and NSU have little secondaries, so those should be easy to crank out. Michigan's secondary on the other hand, is a beast. They do accept students without an interview though.
 
Hey guys, iam just getting in my LORs to Interfolio. Do we have to send each school the LORs individually or collectively like in amcas application? Better yet could someone explain to me how the LOR process is done, so I can be considered "complete"?
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated....
 
For the PCOM secondary essay: "Why PCOM and why DO"

the instructions say brief statement, so how long does the essay have to be, 1 or 2 pages?
 
francais7979 said:
For the PCOM secondary essay: "Why PCOM and why DO"

the instructions say brief statement, so how long does the essay have to be, 1 or 2 pages?
Click to expand...

I did about a page or less than each. I believe that some people combine them together. Also both PCOM's have virtually identical secondaries--except for the address of course.
 
Hey everyone,
I just had a quick question. I have looked at the threads into osteopathic secondaries (still waiting for mine to be verified). I was wondering what the secondary is for Nova South-eastern University and LMU-DCOM for those that have recieved them and the word/page limit for KCUMB, LECOM, PCOM and WVSOM.

Thanks for any insight
 
BlueJaysFan said:
Hey everyone,
I just had a quick question. I have looked at the threads into osteopathic secondaries (still waiting for mine to be verified). I was wondering what the secondary is for Nova South-eastern University and LMU-DCOM for those that have recieved them and the word/page limit for KCUMB, LECOM, PCOM and WVSOM.

Thanks for any insight
Click to expand...

Nova's is real easy, no essays, just an online form and you have to list health related activities and jobs... should take you no more than a half hour.

PCOM is supposed to be "brief" so keep it to a page MAX. Mine was 2/3 of a page.
 
BlueJaysFan said:
Hey everyone,
I just had a quick question. I have looked at the threads into osteopathic secondaries (still waiting for mine to be verified). I was wondering what the secondary is for Nova South-eastern University and LMU-DCOM for those that have recieved them and the word/page limit for KCUMB, LECOM, PCOM and WVSOM.

Thanks for any insight
Click to expand...

Find any post by Chocolate Bear. You'll find links to the prompts to the secondaries in their signature.
 
FOR LECOM Secondary essays, do both questions have to be answered in one essay or separate essays?

How long is the essay supposed to be?

--Write a personal essay describing yourself and the qualities you possess that will make you a successful osteopathic physician
--Why are you interested in attending the LECOM College of Medicine to earn the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine?
 
francais7979 said:
FOR LECOM Secondary essays, do both questions have to be answered in one essay or separate essays?

How long is the essay supposed to be?

--Write a personal essay describing yourself and the qualities you possess that will make you a successful osteopathic physician
--Why are you interested in attending the LECOM College of Medicine to earn the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine?
Click to expand...


They are supposed to be two separate essays. Mine were about a page each--maybe a little less. That isn't the second essay question I had though. Mine asked where you saw yourself after residency.
 
When stating reasons for applying to a given school on secondaries is listing proximity to family considered a valid reason for applying to a school (besides whatever academic/clinical reasons also make you want to go there)?
 
Last edited:
RG73 said:
When stating reasons for applying to a given school on secondaries is listing proximity to family considered a valid reason for applying to a school (besides whatever academic/clinical reasons also make you want to go there)?
Click to expand...

I don't think it would hurt to include that kind of information, just don't have that as your only reason of applying to that school.
 
so..does anyone know how long does it usually take to get an interview invitation or rejection from schools after you sent in your secondaries??
 
scubagirl1 said:
so..does anyone know how long does it usually take to get an interview invitation or rejection from schools after you sent in your secondaries??
Click to expand...

Each school is different so you may want to check their individual thread; however, depending on your stats you may hear something in days or weeks. It's kind of a hurry up to wait situation.
 
For PCOM Secondary, there's a question: What health care related experiences have you had.

Is this supposed to be an essay or do we just list our health care related experiences in bullet form?
 
My primary application was finally verified today. I have a horrible first MCAT score of a 20M.. all above 6 though. I put down on my application that I am signed up for the January MCAT. Will the schools send me secondary apps now, with my lousy first score; or will they wait until January to see my hopefully nice, high score?
 
Verified last monday, and still no secondary from DO schools? I applied to 2 only. How long does it take to get your app from AACOMAS?
 
Nafis64 said:
Verified last monday, and still no secondary from DO schools? I applied to 2 only. How long does it take to get your app from AACOMAS?
Click to expand...

If I understand the AACOMAS process correctly (and my understanding is based on what they explained to me on the phone and via email), you should be released today. They supposedly do one data release per week on Wednesday or Tuesday night. You are usually released the week following verification, which means you didn't get released last week, but ought to be getting released today.

That said, I have no idea how automated the process of sending secondaries to applicants is. They might need someone to manually do it, and given that it's the day before Thanksgiving, I'm guessing things are going to be slow until next week.

The other issue is whether or not you applied to schools which screen applicants before sending out the secondary. If you did, then it's pretty likely that released or not, you won't be hearing from the schools any sooner than next week.
 
thanks RG73, i guess thats what they mean about releasing every week. I thought since verified last monday morning, it would be out that day. I only applied to Western in So cal
 
Quick question for those who received interviews at AZCOM, for the secondary, for the CV/RESUME part, how long was it? Was it in detail because I feel like mine will be more than 2 pages for all the stuff that they are asking. HOw long were the job description or EC descriptions?
 
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