2014-2015 Drexel University Application Thread

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bluemachine said:
anybody send an update after getting waitlisted and get confirmation that they received your update?
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Send it to the email that they gave you during your interview.

Edit. If you send it through the general one you'll get mixed in with the riff raff.
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memberrr9876543210 said:
Sooo how was everyone elses interview experience??? Both my faculty and student interviewers were extremely rude. It felt like they were forced to be there and had zero interest in getting to know me as an applicant. They basically just read standard questions from a piece of paper with zero emotion, wrote down a few things, never smiled, did not intently listen, and couldn't wait for it to be over. Totally unprofessional if you ask me. I don't even care if I get in or not, I can't imagine what else is wrong with this school if that is the first impression they give to potential students. Anyone else had a similar experience (or totally different experience)???
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Student interviewer seemed very uptight and humorless. Despite my (and only my) best efforts, it didn't seem like we ever really connected. Also, he didn't give great answers to my questions about academic and student life. Other students I spoke with were very pleasant, however. I really liked my interview group too, and could see all of them as future classmates.

Faculty interviewer... nearly ruined my experience. He spoke with the interviewee before me for about 15 minutes over the scheduled time, meaning I sat outside his office for 30 minutes. Another 15 minutes passed while he prepared for me/ate lunch/did sudoku/whatever. During the interview, he made it seem like he was in a hurry to finish our conversation, and that I was wasting his time. After about 8-10 minutes it was over and I was hurried out of his office. I left feeling like a total jerk.
For the record, he also asked about any past/upcoming interviews at other schools (I know this was discussed a few days ago on this board).

I left both interviews feeling as though I had been punched in the gut. Fortunately, the rest of the day was great. The Queen Lane staff was friendly and open, and the students seemed relatively happy.
 
does drexel take extra rec letters for those on the WL? what else can WL'ed applicants do outside of an update/LOI?
 
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At this point, are all the applicants who were placed on pre-interview hold until the spring considered rejected?
 
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DoctorDude7 said:
Hey guys, I got into Drexel but I also got into Philadelphia College of Medicine. I'm having a really tough time deciding between the two. What are your thoughts? Thank you!
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There are already a couple of old forums of PCOM vs. Drexel

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/drexel-vs-pcom.1109931/ (This is from 2014)
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/drexel-vs-pcom.490756/ (This is from 2008)

PCOM does have a reputation as being on of the best osteopathic medical schools. I think your main decision comes down to the pros and cons of an M.D. versus a D.O. Do you have any interest in OMM (Osteopathic manipulative medicine)? Also, not sure, but D.O.s probably should take both the COMPLEX and the USMLE (If you want to match in an allopathic residency) which means paying for both tests and extra studying. Although you would also have options of osteopathic residencies as a D.O. which M.D.s wouldn't necessarily have access to.

Maybe try comparing the rotation sites and research opportunities that each program offers. Finally, Drexel does other two distinct curriculum pathways (IFM and PIL) while I think PCOM is just lecture based). Also, I would wait and see what your financial aid/scholarships are for each school (if price is a factor). Drexel's tuition is slightly higher. Hope this helps.
 
just checked my portal after a few days, and poof! a last minute II, very excited! was on hold for spring review since the fall
 
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I was put on hold recently (pre-II) until late spring. I didn't receive an email about being reviewed and placed on hold, I just noticed my updated status during today's "applicant status portal" rounds.
 
memberrr9876543210 said:
Sooo how was everyone elses interview experience??? Both my faculty and student interviewers were extremely rude. It felt like they were forced to be there and had zero interest in getting to know me as an applicant. They basically just read standard questions from a piece of paper with zero emotion, wrote down a few things, never smiled, did not intently listen, and couldn't wait for it to be over. Totally unprofessional if you ask me. I don't even care if I get in or not, I can't imagine what else is wrong with this school if that is the first impression they give to potential students. Anyone else had a similar experience (or totally different experience)???
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My faculty interview was great and I really enjoyed it. However my student interview was awful. He was uptight and disagreed with everything I said (apparently being interested PIL was a no-no). The whole thing was just awkward and strange because all the other students I met were the polar opposite.
 
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Force said:
They do not send out pre-interview rejections. With the massive number of applicants that they have yet to review getting an interview after being placed on hold is very unlikely. Probably much closer to a rejection. I am sorry if I am coming across as negative but I have learned that it is very important to stay in touch with reality during this cycle so you are not disappointed with high expectations. Hope is different than high expectations. Either way good luck!
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Not true. They do, but they are rare.
 
LetMeInOK said:
My faculty interview was great and I really enjoyed it. However my student interview was awful. He was uptight and disagreed with everything I said (apparently being interested PIL was a no-no). The whole thing was just awkward and strange because all the other students I met were the polar opposite.
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I'm really sorry to hear people have had bad interview experiences - all the students volunteer, but most of us are relaxed and friendly. You can be as interested as you want in PIL - I loved it and am sad they are integrating the curricula in a couple years.
 
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Was randomly checking my app last night and got an II. Kind of wrote this school off, was never on hold, just hadn't heard anything. Also, didn't get an e-mail... pleasant surprise!
 
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DrSororityGirl said:
Was randomly checking my app last night and got an II. Kind of wrote this school off, was never on hold, just hadn't heard anything. Also, didn't get an e-mail... pleasant surprise!
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Ya, pretty sure they're the only school in the country that doesn't send IIs via email. You have to constantly check your portal. It says that at the end of the email Drexel sends you after they receive your AMCAS.
 
memberrr9876543210 said:
Sooo how was everyone elses interview experience??? Both my faculty and student interviewers were extremely rude. It felt like they were forced to be there and had zero interest in getting to know me as an applicant. They basically just read standard questions from a piece of paper with zero emotion, wrote down a few things, never smiled, did not intently listen, and couldn't wait for it to be over. Totally unprofessional if you ask me. I don't even care if I get in or not, I can't imagine what else is wrong with this school if that is the first impression they give to potential students. Anyone else had a similar experience (or totally different experience)???
Click to expand...

I had a similar experience. Everyone else in my group seemed to have a very positive experience, but my interviewer was extremely rude to me. When this person first came out of the office, I was ignored and told to wait for another 10 minutes. I was then asked back-t0-back questions about my record without an introduction, but was told that all my answers didn't make sense because I kept getting interrupted and was not allowed to elaborate on anything. After adapting to "topic sentences" to fit this mode of questioning, I could tell my answers weren't satisfactory because I could not share my personality. In the end I was asked if I had any questions. Since I was never introduced, I asked about the interviewer's role at the school. (From my experience at other interviews, if he/she is a PhD faculty I could ask about research opportunities or learning tracks, etc.) Instead, I was yelled at (raised volume) by this person and asked how that related to anything at all. When I asked another question about the 2 curriculum tracks, again I was berrated for getting my facts wrong, even though we had just had an orientation about it. Later, the other interviewers confirmed this discrepancy. Apparently one faculty knew more about the changes than the other, but how were we candidates supposed to know (and what was the big deal if we got it wrong? We are here to learn about it). I remained calm for the rest of it.

After coming out of that, I was too stressed during my lunch with the student. I tried to tell him about the reasons why Drexel is my top choice and my long non-traditional history to finding medicine. I realized that he probably thought I was a gunner as soon as I said it, but in context I was just completely traumatized. In the end I asked for his email if I had any more questions/to thank him. He seemed hesitant but told me, and confirmed what I wrote on paper. That night, the email bounced because it was fake.

By the way, I have had 3 other acceptances and I am not trying to sound ungrateful, but I really liked visiting Philadelphia and am currently waiting for my decision in the mail. I have never felt so strongly about wanting to go to a school, but unfortunately of all my interviews, it was the worst. I recovered as much as I could throughout the whole process, but no matter what I did it seemed like the interviewer started from a place of not liking me and it was hard to recover from that. I asked my adviser if I had done anything wrong by asking about what the interviewer did, and she tried to make me redo my interview. She has advised for 40 years, so I was shocked that she was moved by this account since nothing is a big deal with her. I had the sense that this would have made it worse, but it goes to show how much I was somehow convinced that I had done wrong. I'm sure none of my interviews were perfect, but having worked in business with all sorts of personalities, I consider myself fairly polished when it comes to these things. If anyone else has an upcoming interview, chances are that you will have a good one. If not, just remember to not take these things personally as I did. I am sure there are great things about your candidacy that has made you successful thus far.
 
Hey, guys/gals!
Does anyone know if ALL the interviews are conducted at the medical school...and if the interview day will conclude there for all applicants?
Thank you!
 
Herr Fingolfin said:
Hey, guys/gals!
Does anyone know if ALL the interviews are conducted at the medical school...and if the interview day will conclude there for all applicants?
Thank you!
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From what I experienced and heard, about 25% went downtown and there was no formal end per say to the day.
 
Herr Fingolfin said:
Hey, guys/gals!
Does anyone know if ALL the interviews are conducted at the medical school...and if the interview day will conclude there for all applicants?
Thank you!
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I interviewed downtown at the hospital.
 
Drexel is now the only school to not give me either a firm rejection or an II. Come on, just give me official closure!
 
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I'm not trying to add to any negative feelings--but of my interviews Drexel was the hardest and least pleasant. It felt really disorganized, and like the presenters/administrators were just bored and unenthusiastic. There was a ton of waiting around, and it was difficult to relax enough to really have fun with the other folks there. My faculty interview was challenging, and I really felt like I was grilled. She also didn't introduce herself, which I felt left me at a disadvantage. I was so nervous I couldn't relax though I really personally liked the vibe of my interviewer a lot (that might sound odd, but it's true). I had a great conversation with my student, which was nice; however, it felt rushed. Other oddities included no water/coffee anywhere for anyone and having to pay for parking. I'd really love to give this feedback to admissions but don't know how to do so tactfully.
 
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Besides the email to RSVP for accepted students day, has anyone received any other confirmation email about agenda/ hotel information for accepted students day?
 
roidriches said:
Besides the email to RSVP for accepted students day, has anyone received any other confirmation email about agenda/ hotel information for accepted students day?
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I haven't. Haven't received any financial aid information either. :/
 
ClassyBrass said:
I interviewed here last week and I loved the school. It's a great fit for me. Part of what really sold me on moving to Philly was my hostess. I stayed at the Moving Arts Bed & Respite, and the woman in charge was the kindest person ever! She knew the history of Philly inside and out and took me around the city to see the highlights. She was easy to contact, provided transportation to and from the airport and the school, and was prepared to supply me with almost anything I could have forgotten for my trip. The lodging was also gorgeous.
SO glad this was a part of my interview experience! :)
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I agree with you about Philly...love this place!
 
Just got the email for the second look day regarding hotels and accommodations. Looks like the same list from their interview accommodations list.
 
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before I spam the RSVP e-mail, does anyone know if we're allowed to bring a partner with us to Second Look day?
 
itsogre said:
before I spam the RSVP e-mail, does anyone know if we're allowed to bring a partner with us to Second Look day?
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You'd probably have to ask since the email doesn't mention plus ones.
 
Anyone know if there is a Second Look day or something similar for waitlisted students? Particularly between mid-May to mid-July when it's most likely for an applicant to be accepted off of the waitlist?
 
itsogre said:
before I spam the RSVP e-mail, does anyone know if we're allowed to bring a partner with us to Second Look day?
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I emailed them earlier and they told me that while it is for accepted students, some have brought guests in the past.
 
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DocPepper said:
I emailed them earlier and they told me that while it is for accepted students, some have brought guests in the past.
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ah, I contacted but no response so far. I don't want to show up with the person, only for them to be turned away :p
 
Hi, does anyone know who to email to rescind an acceptance and get the deposit refunded? I hope my spot goes to one of you!
 
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Interviews are over here, right? I'd like to stop checking my portal...
 
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SPionic said:
Interviews are over here, right? I'd like to stop checking my portal...
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I called today because my status said they would take a look at me again in the spring if spaces were available and the person from admissions said the class is still not full but did not confirm if interview offers were still being extended.
 
Explicit rejection letter would certainly be nice. Mass email doesn't take much effort!
 
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About when does the waitlist start moving?
 
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Hey sorry but does anyone know if there is a forum for accepted students to figure out housing, roommates, financial aid, etc. ?? Thanks!
 
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