2014-2015 Albany Medical College Application Thread

[el_duderino]

"Describe yourself"? sounds new. and vague...

It was on the 2013 and 2014 app as well.

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[kjj17]

It was on the 2013 and 2014 app as well.

oh derp I looked back on last year's SDN thread and realized that when I saw it I thought it was just a heading for the later questions or something, so I never included it in my notes

 

[mik30102]

I submitted AMCAS on the first day and was verified in 2 days. I still haven't received the secondary...

I still have no secondary either. Still waiting on here, hofstra, upstate, temple, and drexel....

 

[funtertaining15]

I still have no secondary either. Still waiting on here, hofstra, upstate, temple, and drexel....

Same. I haven't heard anything from Albany, Drexel or Howard. Patience is a virtue I have, but sometimes I get antsy, lol.

 

[meagilbert]

I still have no secondary either. Still waiting on here, hofstra, upstate, temple, and drexel....

Albany just sent me a secondary. Stay on the lookout!

 

[lovereading]

Albany just sent me a secondary. Stay on the lookout!

+1
and submitted

 

[funtertaining15]

Albany just sent me a secondary. Stay on the lookout!

I just got mine, too!

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

Received and submitted!

 

[virginiayankee]

How did you guys go about the work/activities prompt? Did you just elaborate more from AMCAS, or use a particular anecdote? I kind of already answered that as my "most meaningful activity"...

I'm also still trying to decide what to focus on for the "one reason why you should be accepted" ugh

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Received a few minutes ago. Will attempt to submit by the end of today despite having errands to run and not prewriting...

 

[bionerd20]

Could someone post the prompts? Thanks!

 

[kjj17]

Could someone post the prompts? Thanks!

they're a few posts back...

 

[sunflower18]

submitted!

 

[tamman55699]

when they say to have your course requirements completed by senior spring does this mean before the spring semester or being taken during the spring semester?

 

[ManOfDiligence]

Just submitted!

 

[ccantr10]

I just got off the phone with the admissions office. They are sending secondaries to everyone, but they are e-mailing them in batches. There are only two people in the admissions office to sift through the 4,000 applications they have received, so they are releasing the secondaries in a way that will make their workflow more manageable.

 

[sunflower18]

when they say to have your course requirements completed by senior spring does this mean before the spring semester or being taken during the spring semester?

I would like to know this as well....


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[LaceyMD]

I just got off the phone with the admissions office. They are sending secondaries to everyone, but they are e-mailing them in batches. There are only two people in the admissions office to sift through the 4,000 applications they have received, so they are releasing the secondaries in a way that will make their workflow more manageable.

2 people for 4,000 applications?! Yikes! I certainly don't envy them that task. Guess I'll be here waiting somewhat-patiently for my secondary...I've still got a few others to finish up anyway.

 

[ccantr10]

2 people for 4,000 applications?! Yikes! I certainly don't envy them that task. Guess I'll be here waiting somewhat-patiently for my secondary...I've still got a few others to finish up anyway.

Yeah, and the admissions rep said they didn't get paid overtime to quickly sift through all the secondaries once they were submitted, so we need to be patient about IIs too.

 

[yankees527]

Yeah, and the admissions rep said they didn't get paid overtime to quickly sift through all the secondaries once they were submitted, so we need to be patient about IIs too.

They told you about their pay over the phone LOL

 

[ccantr10]

They told you about their pay over the phone LOL

Nah, we were just joking with each other. She was a very nice woman.

 

[MedOldAge]

Yeah, and the admissions rep said they didn't get paid overtime to quickly sift through all the secondaries once they were submitted, so we need to be patient about IIs too.

Wait a minute......this is medical school? Wow.....low budget.

 

[lilypond147]

What do they mean by "inconsistencies" in performance/MCAT scores?
If we started out rought freshman year but then have gotten straight As since then, does that need explaining? What warrants explaing MCAT scores?

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Submitted Albany secondary! Time to enjoy the rest of my day off from work before 4 straight days of it lol.

 

[BeancheBlanco]

What do they mean by "inconsistencies" in performance/MCAT scores?
If we started out rought freshman year but then have gotten straight As since then, does that need explaining? What warrants explaing MCAT scores?

I'm just going to leave it blank. I heard that any explanation of a poor performance ends up sounding like an excuse. My guess is that they are asking to explain yourself if you had poor grades one semester or two very different MCAT scores.

 

[shishy]

Finally got a secondary today

 

[coffeelover10]

nvm

 

[pito1357]

when they say to have your course requirements completed by senior spring does this mean before the spring semester or being taken during the spring semester?

by the end of spring

 

[ccantr10]

Secondary.........submitted!

 

[smpbound]

The dumbest secondary so far: Albany. They ask you like five questions, the content of each overlapping with the other and all with 1000 char limits. So I was basically playing ninja semantics with each question but also counting letters to meet the quota.

I don't know who writes these questions, but they're just time wasters. It has to be some admissions people with ridiculous masters degrees in education looking to justify their jobs by writing these wasteful essay questions.

Just ask simple questions with simple page limits. The fact that they spend maybe 5-10 mins at most looking over secondaries, There's no need to waste everyone's time.

Done venting.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

The dumbest secondary so far: Albany. They ask you like five questions, the content of each overlapping with the other and all with 1000 char limits. So I was basically playing ninja semantics with each question but also counting letters to meet the quota.

I don't know who writes these questions, but they're just time wasters. It has to be some admissions people with ridiculous masters degrees in education looking to justify their jobs by writing these wasteful essay questions.

Just ask simple questions with simple page limits. The fact that they spend maybe 5-10 mins at most looking over secondaries, There's no need to waste everyone's time.

Done venting.

Yo, I feel ya there. I didn't particularly enjoy this secondary either. 1000 characters is just as bad as UNC's 150 word limits: NOT enough space to write a decent essay. These limits are TOO concise. Whatever, maybe Albany doesn't put much weight on the secondary when reviewing a candidate's file (WUSTL, on the other hand...).

 

[smpbound]

Yo, I feel ya there. I didn't particularly enjoy this secondary either. 1000 characters is just as bad as UNC's 150 word limits: NOT enough space to write a decent essay. These limits are TOO concise. Whatever, maybe Albany doesn't put much weight on the secondary when reviewing a candidate's file (WUSTL, on the other hand...).

I hear you too. I could have spent so much more time on the Albany secondary, I had to cut the string and move on. If Albany rejects me because they don't like my answers, f*** them.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

I hear you too. I could have spent so much more time on the Albany secondary, I had to cut the string and move on. If Albany rejects me because they don't like my answers, f*** them.

Damn straight, brotha.

 

[Skatoodles]

Secondary received

 

[NervousNerd]

Secondary received IS

 

[yorkielover2014]

secondary received. IS, submitted on first day.

 

[demystifie]

Just submitted! Good luck to all

 

[LBurbz]

when it comes to "inconsistencies in MCAT/GPA/etc.," what exactly is considered an inconsistency? My issue: I averaged about a 10 on verbal throughout my practice tests, but ended up with an 8 on the real test. (both PS and BS stayed consistent throughout.) Is it worth my time to explain two points lower? I think not... Can I leave it blank???

 

[theeraser]

The dumbest secondary so far: Albany.

I take it you didn't do the Johns Hopkins secondary, which has you rewrite basically the entire "Work and Activities" section on your primary.

Anyway, secondary received! No motivation to do this one right now, so saving it until the weekend. Looking forward to the future of secondaries: "In one character, why medicine?"

 

[ManOfDiligence]

I take it you didn't do the Johns Hopkins secondary, which has you rewrite basically the entire "Work and Activities" section on your primary.

Anyway, secondary received! No motivation to do this one right now, so saving it until the weekend. Looking forward to the future of secondaries: "In one character, why medicine?"

Lmao!

 

[el_duderino]

I take it you didn't do the Johns Hopkins secondary, which has you rewrite basically the entire "Work and Activities" section on your primary.

Anyway, secondary received! No motivation to do this one right now, so saving it until the weekend. Looking forward to the future of secondaries: "In one character, why medicine?"

The correct answer is always "C"

 

[kthxbai]

If I were to describe myself, I think I'd go with:

I wonder if it's possible to transfer this picture to the prompt....

 

[kthxbai]

Folks, I did it.

I just summarized my essence in 1000 characters

Least favorite question so far.

 

[MrLogan13]

Received my secondary today. lol...I never thought I would see people gripe about having to write a concise response. I appreciate the ones that want you to keep it short. They have to look at 4,000 of these, you know they don't want to read a novella, and I'm pretty sure most of us don't want to write one either. I'm counting my blessings on this one. lol

 

[kthxbai]

Received my secondary today. lol...I never thought I would see people gripe about having to write a concise response. I appreciate the ones that want you to keep it short. They have to look at 4,000 of these, you know they don't want to read a novella, and I'm pretty sure most of us don't want to write one either. I'm counting my blessings on this one. lol

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I didn't have to provide a whole autobiography to answer these questions, but I be like this by now:from all the secondaries I still need to write.

BANANAS BANANAS BANANAS.

 

[MrLogan13]

I think we're all a little

 

[ShabbaRanks]

I have a 29 MCAT. Should I describe it in the inconsistencies essay?

 

[ADAUC]

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I didn't have to provide a whole autobiography to answer these questions, but I be like this by now:from all the secondaries I still need to write.

BANANAS BANANAS BANANAS.

LMAO!! when i saw their secondary invite email i screamed NOOOOOOOOOO im not ready people! lol. just finshed UCR secondary and that sh#t was BANANAS!

 

[theeraser]

I have a 29 MCAT. Should I describe it in the inconsistencies essay?

If your GPA is inconsistently high, or if your score is unbalanced. Otherwise, I'd leave it out.

 

[ShabbaRanks]

If your GPA is inconsistently high, or if your score is unbalanced. Otherwise, I'd leave it out.

I would say my gpa is inconsistently high.
Should I just write that I was unable to adjust to the format of the mcat as it was different from any other test I have ever taken?

Thanks for the advice!