2009-2010 Washington University in St. Louis Application Thread

[shemarty]

PROMPT

(Optional) Do you have unique experiences or obstacles that you have overcome that were not covered in your application about which you would like to inform our Admissions Committee? (limit 3000 characters)

If you have already completed you education, if your college or graduate education was interrupted, or if you do not plan to be a full-time student during the current year, describe in chronological order your activities during the time(s) when you were not enrolled as a full-time student. (limit 1800 characters)

LOR REQUIREMENT

A. A packet of recommendations prepared or assembled by a Premedical Advisory Committee or an analogous representative of your educational institution. (If someone at your school writes "committee letters," that letter can be submitted on your behalf, too.) OR, you may have a packet of three letters that have been collected on your behalf submitted to us.

OR

B. Individual letters of evaluation/recommendation from teachers or research mentor(s) can be submitted individually. Three letters are required. As noted in the instructions, if you choose this option, please ask three teachers who know you well to write for you and enter their names on the Supplemental Application.

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[ksmi117]

Hey fellow WashU Applicants!

So I did some research on secondaries this morning and here is what I found:

WashU's secondary is available online here. There is no screen for applicants.The application is not up as of yet, but when it is, WashU will email us our password to access it. I will be checking every so often for updates. I'll post if I find anything. Same goes for all of you. For reference, last year someone posted the WashU secondary prompt on June 16th.

Best of luck this year.

 

[elyswim]

good luck!! having gone there for undergrad and worked at the med school, the MS is definitely their pride and joy (and where they put all their money).

 

[alphagojo]

How do we sign into their secondary? Are they going to email us a password once they receive our AMCAS?

 

[ksmi117]

How do we sign into their secondary? Are they going to email us a password once they receive our AMCAS?

Yep.

 

[alphagojo]

Yep.

cool deal. thanks.

 

[rockaction]

so should i apply here or not...that is the question. the school is amazing, i just don't want to waste 80$ on a long shot...

 

[LAman10]

so should i apply here or not...that is the question. the school is amazing, i just don't want to waste 80$ on a long shot...

qft

 

[ksmi117]

so should i apply here or not...that is the question. the school is amazing, i just don't want to waste 80$ on a long shot...

qft

I wouldn't say WashU is a long shot for either of you. You both have great GPAs and MCAT scores. Give it a try.

 

[lrkoehle]

I wouldn't say WashU is a long shot for either of you. You both have great GPAs and MCAT scores. Give it a try.

Seriously, I have the same MCAT as you two and a slightly lower GPA, but I am applying there. C'mon, just do it!

 

[rockaction]

Alright I guess I might as well toss my name in the pool!

 

[ksmi117]

Alright I guess I might as well toss my name in the pool!

Woo.

 

[LAman10]

Seriously, I have the same MCAT as you two and a slightly lower GPA, but I am applying there. C'mon, just do it!

heck, I've already applied.. an extra $100 (or however much it costs) is worth it in my opinion to at least try for a great school.

 

[lrkoehle]

heck, I've already applied.. an extra $100 (or however much it costs) is worth it in my opinion to at least try for a great school.

In the whole medical education process $100 more dollars now will be meaningless by comparison to the thousands upon thousands of dollars we all hope to spend on tuition and living expenses.

Plus, St. Louis is a cool city, based on the times I have visited there.

 

[shemarty]

Plus at least there's no essay on the secondary, so it "costs" no extra effort.

 

[lrkoehle]

Plus at least there's no essay on the secondary, so it "costs" no extra effort.

No secondary essays??? SWEET! Not to sound lazy, but I really don't want to write too many of those. That makes two of my eleven schools so far without secondary essays.

Does anybody know what the first two years are at WashU, Pass/Fail or something else? I'm sure it is online somewhere, but I am at work so I don't feel like seaching for it.

 

[PremedIowa]

P/F first year and 4 steps for the other three years. http://medschool.wustl.edu/admissions/faq.html

And I don't think anybody likes secondary essays and I doubt an adcom could glean sigficantly more info out of them, especially when the question more or less makes you write another PS. WashU and Mayo were nice in that regard.

 

[twoinone]

WashU is up and running!

 

[sfstd]

Thanks!

 

[ksmi117]

Hey everyone! Like twoinone said, WashU's secondary is up. Go here, create a login, you should get an email with your username and password. Once I get my email, I'll get on here and update the first post with any prompts and the LOR reqs.

 

[lrkoehle]

What does this mean, "Indicate the institution(s) that will submit the Dean's Certification form(s) on your behalf?" What is a dean's certification form?

 

[smash]

What does this mean, "Indicate the institution(s) that will submit the Dean's Certification form(s) on your behalf?" What is a dean's certification form?

It's a form you have to give to the office of the dean of undergraduate students (or whatever the equivalent is) at your undergrad institution. They fill it out and send it to Wash U admissions, all that it signifies is that you never were investigated for any academic misconduct or crimes when you were an undergrad. It's basically a formality I guess (at least that's how the dean's office made it sound to me when I submitted it last year).

Edit: for disclosure I got in at WashU this year and deferred so I look forward to seeing you dudes in 2010

 

[lrkoehle]

It's a form you have to give to the office of the dean of undergraduate students (or whatever the equivalent is) at your undergrad institution. They fill it out and send it to Wash U admissions, all that it signifies is that you never were investigated for any academic misconduct or crimes when you were an undergrad. It's basically a formality I guess (at least that's how the dean's office made it sound to me when I submitted it last year).

Edit: for disclosure I got in at WashU this year and deferred so I look forward to seeing you dudes in 2010

Well I went to a community college before my university, so am I supposed to list both institutions or can I just list my main university where I spent most of my time?

 

[twoinone]

I think you need the dean's certification form from each institution you attended as there is a section on one of the last pages where it asks you from where all they can expect the form.

 

[smash]

That's a good point. I have community college credit too and only thought to turn in one form. Apparently it wasn't a big deal but if I had to do it over I'd turn in one from each school just to be safe.

 

[shemarty]

That's a good point. I have community college credit too and only thought to turn in one form. Apparently it wasn't a big deal but if I had to do it over I'd turn in one from each school just to be safe.

I never turned in a form from the CC where I took a math class in high school. They never asked me about it.

I don't know their official policy on this. You could call to ask, but I bet they'll tell you to get one from every institution, even if they're not that strict about it.

Personally, I bet they wouldn't care if you omit the form from a CC where you just have a couple credits... But don't hold me to this, I'm just speculating!

 

[hanjg]

They fill it out and send it to Wash U admissions, all that it signifies is that you never were investigated for any academic misconduct or crimes when you were an undergrad.

Does the form really say "investigated" for a crime or academic misconduct? Like someone thought you were drunk? What possible value is there in that?

 

[ksmi117]

By the way, totally hate the Dean's form thingy. I already admitted to being put on probation as a freshman on my primary. But the way they word the form makes it seem like anyone who ever got in trouble is an evil person who can never be a good doctor:

To the official representing the institution: The individual named above is applying to Washington University School of Medicine. In selecting students for the study and practice of medicine, we aim to accept only people who possess high moral character and integrity that is requisite for the practice of medicine and justifies the trust that will be placed in them.

I really hope WashU's not that stingy in that they'll reject someone for the sole reason of being on probation and not actually consider the reasons why. But if so, I don't think I'd be very happy there anyway.

Question for people with committee's:

On the letter section with the phone numbers, when it asks for the institution's phone number, are you just putting a main number for your university? Or a number to your committee people?

 

[lrkoehle]

Question for people with committee's:

On the letter section with the phone numbers, when it asks for the institution's phone number, are you just putting a main number for your university? Or a number to your committee people?

I just put the phone number for the prehealth advising department, because I don't have the phone number of my advisor. I figure if they need to reach him they can do so with the number I gave them. I don't think they want a general number for your university, since that won't be much help to them.

 

[ksmi117]

I just put the phone number for the prehealth advising department, because I don't have the phone number of my advisor. I figure if they need to reach him they can do so with the number I gave them. I don't think they want a general number for your university, since that won't be much help to them.

I know but it asks for two numbers, the representative's number and the institution's number. Did you put the same one twice?

 

[lrkoehle]

What are you all doing for this "(optional) Do you have unique experiences or obstacles that you have overcome that were not covered in your application about which you would like to inform our Admissions Committee?" They aren't asking for just a general "do you have anything else you would like to add" kind of essay are they? I mean if they were I assume they would ask that, right? I don't think I have any more unique stuff to add that I haven't already talked about.

 

[ksmi117]

What are you all doing for this "(optional) Do you have unique experiences or obstacles that you have overcome that were not covered in your application about which you would like to inform our Admissions Committee?" They aren't asking for just a general "do you have anything else you would like to add" kind of essay are they? I mean if they were I assume they would ask that, right? I don't think I have any more unique stuff to add that I haven't already talked about.

I'm not writing anything. I've heard that it truly is an optional essay. I don't really have anything relevant to add.

 

[lrkoehle]

I know but it asks for two numbers, the representative's number and the institution's number. Did you put the same one twice?

I only put the number down for the institution, because I don't have the phone number for the individual. I thought this would be least confusing for them, so they don't try to contact the individual and then get the prehealth secretary. Now that I am thinking about it, maybe I will list the same number twice. That way they know the number I am listing is not just a generic phone number for the university.

 

[lrkoehle]

What does this mean, "Indicate the institution(s) that will submit the Dean's Certification form(s) on your behalf?" What is a dean's certification form?

I kind of found an answer to my own question, "Certification form(s) must be submitted on your behalf by an official at each domestic undergraduate or graduate institution from which you have received or expect to receive a degree in addition to any other school in which you were enrolled and were involved in a disciplinary or institutional action." It seems they only want your degree granting institution, unless you were involved with some sort of disciplinary stuff at another school. I am only submitting one then, from my main university since I didn't get a degree (or disciplinary action) from the community colleges I attended.

 

[hanjg]

By the way, totally hate the Dean's form thingy. I already admitted to being put on probation as a freshman on my primary.

I don't disagree, but IF it says "never were investigated" - not whether you had disciplinary action , even if you didn't do what you were "investigated" for, they still want to know about it? Can someone post the actual wording? This seems odd.

 

[ksmi117]

I don't disagree, but IF it says "never were investigated" - not whether you had disciplinary action , even if you didn't do what you were "investigated" for, they still want to know about it? Can someone post the actual wording? This seems odd.

You have to get your school to fill it out regardless. But the question it asks them is

Has the applicant been the subject of previous or pending disciplinary action or proceedings for misconduct?

* Please provide an explanation for an affirmative answer. Use the reverse side or attach additional pages if needed.

 

[lrkoehle]

Does any one know how common these Dean Certification things are? I mean at schools other than WashU, because when I dropped mine off today they told me it can take up to two weeks when they are busy. I am just wondering if I might get stuck waiting on these forms before I am complete with my other secondaries. So, is WashU the only school that wants these type of forms?

 

[ksmi117]

Does any one know how common these Dean Certification things are? I mean at schools other than WashU, because when I dropped mine off today they told me it can take up to two weeks when they are busy. I am just wondering if I might get stuck waiting on these forms before I am complete with my other secondaries. So, is WashU the only school that wants these type of forms?

As far as I've heard WashU is the only school that does this.

 

[lrkoehle]

As far as I've heard WashU is the only school that does this.

Thank god, it wasn't terribly complicated, but I would hate to have multiple secondaries potentially held up by something that seems fairly useless. I could understand this form after a conditional acceptance maybe.

 

[rockaction]

I'm so lost on this Dean's Certification thing. Do I get it from their site? Does my institution supply one? What? I don't know what to do!

 

[rockaction]

I'm so dumb. Found it. Nevermind.

 

[ksmi117]

Just submitted. Now I must make a trip up to school to get that Dean's thingy handled. I wonder if my school will at least tell me what they are gonna say about my IA. I hope so.

 

[lrkoehle]

Just submitted. Now I must make a trip up to school to get that Dean's thingy handled. I wonder if my school will at least tell me what they are gonna say about my IA. I hope so.

I am also submitted (yesterday), and just waiting on the Dean thing. Good luck with your situation. I have a feeling you will be fine, since it is not academic or really serious at all.

 

[ksmi117]

I am also submitted (yesterday), and just waiting on the Dean thing. Good luck with your situation. I have a feeling you will be fine, since it is not academic or really serious at all.

Thanks.

 

[sfstd]

Why is it that they haven't notified us about accessing their secondary? I only found out about its availability through here, otherwise I would never have known. Are other schools doing this as well?

 

[ksmi117]

Why is it that they haven't notified us about accessing their secondary? I only found out about its availability through here, otherwise I would never have known. Are other schools doing this as well?

I'm sure they will notify us once they get our apps. But you can always count on the SDNers to be the crazy ones who stalk the school websites waiting for the chance to access the apps. Yale and Baylor are available online. I heard something about Columbia being up as well, but I'm not applying there so I don't really know what's going on there.

 

[lrkoehle]

you can always count on the SDNers to be the crazy ones who stalk the school websites waiting for the chance to access the apps.

Seriously, the second it is available, it is on here. That is probably my favorite thing about this site.

 

[fsjune2009]

So the second non-optional question is

If you have already completed you education, if your college or graduate education was interrupted, or if you do not plan to be a full-time student during the current year, describe in chronological order your activities during the time(s) when you were not enrolled as a full-time student. (maximum 1800 characters including spaces)

I'm not quite sure what to do with this. I went straight from high school to undergrad to applying to medical school (not planning on taking a year off or anything) so how do i answer this question? Any suggestions or am i the only idiot having issues here?

 

[ksmi117]

So the second non-optional question is

If you have already completed you education, if your college or graduate education was interrupted, or if you do not plan to be a full-time student during the current year, describe in chronological order your activities during the time(s) when you were not enrolled as a full-time student. (maximum 1800 characters including spaces)

I'm not quite sure what to do with this. I went straight from high school to undergrad to applying to medical school (not planning on taking a year off or anything) so how do i answer this question? Any suggestions or am i the only idiot having issues here?

It says if. Just don't answer it. It doesn't apply to you.

 

[fsjune2009]

if this is the case, then i do not have any sort of essay that i am submitting with the secondary. Also, this question is not listed as optional, so is it really safe to simply leave it blank?