2015-2016 Stanford University Application Thread

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Ismet

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Space reserved for prompt.

Please PM the essays or lack thereof to me when the secondary is available and I will update this.

Good luck to everyone applying! :luck:
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Courtesy of @hellanutella and @differentiating:

Stats
*from interview day*
~8,000 applications/secondaries
~ 450 interviews
~ 180 acceptances

Secondary Application (no pre-screening)
Secondary application page
Prompts for secondary application 2014-2015 cycle (may be different this year):
  1. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? (If yes, please explain)
  2. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate years, not counting summer term? If yes, please explain.
  3. Do any members of your family have an association with Stanford?
  4. The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important, and/or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and life or work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine.
  5. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career? Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting: Private Practice, Health Policy, Academic Medicine, Public Health, Health Care Administration.
  6. Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path?
  7. How will the Stanford curriculum, and specifically the requirement for a scholarly concentration, help your personal career goals?
Interview
Stanford uses an MMI. It is strictly protected by a nondisclosure agreement. Some information is available on Stanford’s website.

Important dates (2014-2015)
First secondary: July 7th, 2014
First interview invite: August 3rd, 2014
First acceptance: November 14th, 2014 via phone call
First waitlist: December 15th, 2014 via snail mail
First pre-interview rejection: January 17th, 2014 via snail mail (postmarked 1/13)
First post-interview rejection: February 7th, 2014 via snail mail (postmarked 2/2)

Update Letter Policy:
Updates are accepted post-interview only. They may be sent to: [email protected]

Curriculum
  • Two-year, pass/fail, unranked preclinical curriculum.
  • During the preclinical years, there is no class on Wednesdays.
  • Stanford emphasizes the “flipped classroom” model of learning for preclinical courses; see their website.
  • Stanford’s clinical year grading system, involves different “competency” domains. Clerkships are uncurved, according to current students.
  • There is a required scholarly project.

Notes
tour-lksc.jpg
 
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Let me know if there are any questions a pre-M1 can answer. Good luck everyone! :ninja:
 
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Honestly, you guys already know that there's no magic formula. Generally speaking, the majority of successful applicants to medical schools will fall into one of two categories: impeccably well-rounded or impressively pointy. Schools may differ in what they deem "impeccable" or "impressive," but there really is no big secret to admissions.

You may have an (even more) anxiety-riddled year ahead of you if you're aiming for one specific school, but if you apply broadly enough, you'll more than likely end up at a place with classmates who had similarly competitive applications. At this point, you guys have worked hard to put together your applications, and there really is little to do other than to trust in yourself and take the plunge.

This all being said, my impression is that Stanford's classes seem to skew slightly towards "pointy" -- whether this is a result of bias in admissions or in self-selection (or if this impression is even accurate), I have no idea :p
 
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asrw77 said:
I have heard this as well. Looking at your MDapps though, you look pretty well-rounded. Was there something pointy about you?
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Research and music were my main interests, but neither were particularly ground-breaking on their own. I did spend ~30 hours each week doing something related to research or music through most of undergrad though, so I like to consider myself a slightly pointed well-rounder (maybe an oval?) :p Frankly, I'm kind of intimidated to be in a class with such impressive classmates, haha. Maybe we should set up a luck-wishing exchange for August when classes start for me and interview invites start going out for you guys.
 
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jeghaber said:
Research and music were my main interests, but neither were particularly ground-breaking on their own. I did spend ~30 hours each week doing something related to research or music through most of undergrad though, so I like to consider myself a slightly pointed well-rounder (maybe an oval?) :p Frankly, I'm kind of intimidated to be in a class with such impressive classmates, haha. Maybe we should set up a luck-wishing exchange for August when classes start for me and interview invites start going out for you guys.
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Maybe ellipse? Intresting post. I do have some good research (I think?) , 2 summers in 1 lab, then 2.5-3 years in a collaboration in 2 labs simultaneously. 2 posters at a national conference 1 at a regional conference, 1 pub.

I also have used a skill that started as a hobby in late middle school and helped me work in startups throughout college (i'd say i've been doing it for 11 years total). hopefully this nets me an interview (and acceptance). My numbers are below their median :( but still in their range.
 
Ultimate super reach dream school! Excited just to even get the chance to apply.
 
When people say "research-heavy" Do they mean multiple first author pubs? Or is one pub and a few posters in a lab you've been in for 2.5+ years good "enough" at this stage?
 
bobmccorweg said:
When people say "research-heavy" Do they mean multiple first author pubs? Or is one pub and a few posters in a lab you've been in for 2.5+ years good "enough" at this stage?
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Enough. Multiple first authors are even rare at the resident level.
 
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Dream school right here. My stats are at their medians, but I don't know that I fit their profile. I have interesting research experience, but no publications yet. I have non-research publications, if that counts... Ah well. Maybe I'll get lucky!
 
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Definitely a top choice here, applying with LizzyM of 74, OOS. Hoping for at least an II to finally visit the Bay area!
 
FWIW, I had researched for 3.5 years in undergrad, completed a masters, and was beginning a year of research in a lab at the time of my application here and I still had no publications (I had posters at national/international conferences though). Meanwhile some people can get a paper after one summer. It's how it goes. As far as having a strong research record, I would not focus much on publications so long as you've been doing real research and have something to show for it (poster, thesis, company????, etc...).

Also...this school is awesome. Just going to throw that in here. Best of luck everyone!
 
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bobmccorweg said:
When people say "research-heavy" Do they mean multiple first author pubs? Or is one pub and a few posters in a lab you've been in for 2.5+ years good "enough" at this stage?
Click to expand...

Incoming MS1. I had less than a year of research experience and no pubs when I applied. I'm probably below average, however.
 
jeghaber said:
Let me know if there are any questions a pre-M1 can answer. Good luck everyone! :ninja:
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Do you know why they ask about a family member association? Is it like that for every school?
 
belle88 said:
Do you know why they ask about a family member association? Is it like that for every school?
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This is for undergrad, but one of my classmates in my cell biology lab (from california) applied to Stanford. Her dad went there for undergrad as well. Mid-way though the undergrad "cycle" she got a call from stanford admissions saying that they were so excited to have the child of a stanford grad applying. She ended up getting rejected and went to Berkeley.
 
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bobmccorweg said:
This is for undergrad, but one of my classmates in my cell biology lab (from california) applied to Stanford. Her dad went there for undergrad as well. Mid-way though the undergrad "cycle" she got a call from stanford admissions saying that they were so excited to have the child of a stanford grad applying. She ended up getting rejected and went to Berkeley.
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I guess it is considered but ultimately comes down to a ton of factors. (Kind of a tease for your classmate though.) My younger sister just finished her freshman year at Stanford and I remember her saying that a lot of her friends are second generation there, but I didn't really think that was a factor when applying to med schools. I guess anything could influence your admissions.
 
belle88 said:
Do you know why they ask about a family member association? Is it like that for every school?
Click to expand...

The only other school I remember asking family relations is UChicago, but as you've said, I doubt it affects admissions in any meaningful way. My guess is that it's just for tabulation so Stanford can keep track of how well It retains "loyalty" from its alumni.
 
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TheRhymenocerous said:
Dream school right here. My stats are at their medians, but I don't know that I fit their profile. I have interesting research experience, but no publications yet. I have non-research publications, if that counts... Ah well. Maybe I'll get lucky!
Click to expand...

only about 1 in 5 admits have publications. not a big deal if you're interesting applicant overall
 
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Looking at the secondaries from last year, I'm confused by the first one. Is it a diversity essay or a socioeconomic/adversity essay? Because my circumstances are unique, and my socioeconomic background put up a lot of academic obstacles in front of me. But I do not consider that to be something that makes me "diverse". Thanks!

"7. The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important, and/or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and life or work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine."
 
@give_it_all_you_got, do you mean you submitted the primary or secondary?
 
ElCapone said:
Looking at the secondaries from last year, I'm confused by the first one. Is it a diversity essay or a socioeconomic/adversity essay? Because my circumstances are unique, and my socioeconomic background put up a lot of academic obstacles in front of me. But I do not consider that to be something that makes me "diverse". Thanks!

"7. The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important, and/or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and life or work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine."
Click to expand...

My interpretation was that Stanford left the prompt intentionally broad so you could use it best to your advantage. I personally responded to it as a diversity prompt; I imagine others may find it more meaningful to use this space to more specifically address SES or other factors.

Whichever approach you choose, however, don't forget to address the last part of the prompt (i.e. how it relates back to medicine). I noticed that a little late and scrambled to tweak my response, but looking back, the result was still an embarrassing salad of ideas. So it's apparently not a huge deal if you miss that part, but better safe than sorry and not cause needless worry, hahah.
 
jeghaber said:
My interpretation was that Stanford left the prompt intentionally broad so you could use it best to your advantage. I personally responded to it as a diversity prompt; I imagine others may find it more meaningful to use this space to more specifically address SES or other factors.

Whichever approach you choose, however, don't forget to address the last part of the prompt (i.e. how it relates back to medicine). I noticed that a little late and scrambled to tweak my response, but looking back, the result was still an embarrassing salad of ideas. So it's apparently not a huge deal if you miss that part, but better safe than sorry and not cause needless worry, hahah.
Click to expand...

Thanks a bunch! That makes a lot more sense now! I'll just shorten my SES prompt from the Harvard secondary then.
 
Hello all! Best of luck to everyone applying. :)

Has anyone received a secondary yet? I submitted my primary on 6/2 but haven't heard anything from Stanford (and I don't believe they screen). It does look like their secondary is available though online -- is everyone just going to fill that out, or will be there be an email invitation to complete it?

EDIT: Maybe the delay in my case, if this isn't happening to others, is because I'm an MD/PhD applicant? I always thought they processed MSTP applicants at the same time but maybe they run behind a bit with our apps.
 
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I have not heard anything yet. Don't know if there's a screen.
 
+3! I've been waiting for this one long enough.

Here's the secondary Q's copied if they'll help anyone

4. Are there any current or pending disputes concerning your academic status? (If yes, please explain) - 128 char

5. Was your enrollment status ever interrupted during your undergraduate or graduate years, not counting summer term? - 128 char

6. Please indicate if you will be abroad and unavailable for an extended period of time during the interview season (September - April)? - 128 char

9. The Committee on Admissions regards the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as an important factor in serving the educational mission of the school. The Committee on Admissions strongly encourages you to share unique, personally important, and/or challenging factors in your background, such as the quality of your early educational environment, socioeconomic status, culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and life or work experiences. Please discuss how such factors have influenced your goals and preparation for a career in medicine. Please limit your answer to 2,000 characters including spaces.

10. What do you see as the most likely practice scenario for your future medical career?
Choose the single answer that best describes your career goals and clinical practice setting:
Academic Medicine
Health Policy/Administration
Primary Care
Public Health

11. Why do you feel you are particularly suited for this practice scenario? What knowledge, skills and attitudes have you developed that have prepared you for this career path? Please limit your answer to 1,000 characters including spaces.

12. How will the Stanford curriculum, and specifically the requirement for a scholarly concentration, help your personal career goals? Please limit your answer to 1,000 characters including spaces.

13.If you have peer-reviewed publications resulting from scholarly endeavors, please complete a citation for each of your publications in the space below using the following format: Author, Title, Journal, Volume, Pages, and Date of Publication (e.g., searchable on PubMed). Please do not include abstract, conference, or unpublished papers.

Then there’s a Health Belief and Attitude Survey.
 
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