2016-2017 Jefferson Medical College Application Thread

[Mcat513]

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[alpha-GTP]

Congrats! What were your stats and when were you complete?

Thanks! I was complete some time during 4th of July weekend.
Stats: 3.3 ugpa, 4.0 postbacc gpa, 517, URM, nontrad

I definitely did not expect to hear back anywhere near this soon from this school, so I was pleasantly surprised when I got the email.

 

[smolbirb]

II

+1!!!

 

[clippers50fan]

+1!!!

Just now? There's hope!

 

[EaglesontheWarpath]

Thanks you! They offered me 09/14 as an interview date. But since I will be in Philadelphia in August, I'm hoping they'll accommodate me before my set date.

Going off what I remember from last year, you are in the first interview group they have. I believe last year the 23rd of September was the first day of interviews at Jeff.

 

[banana_phone]

Man...I love Jeff. Really really hoping for an II here. congrats to all of you! Did they send an email or portal update?

 

[Mcat513]

.

 

[clippers50fan]

It may be our turn soon. The interviews seem to be rolling out in order of completion!

I actually received a call from Jefferson because somehow my essay wasn't transmitted correctly so I had to email it directly to the head of admissions. I just hope it doesn't push back my complete date.

 

[Mcat513]

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[banana_phone]

It may be our turn soon. The interviews seem to be rolling out in order of completion!

I actually received a call from Jefferson because somehow my essay wasn't transmitted correctly so I had to email it directly to the head of admissions. I just hope it doesn't push back my complete date.

When were you both complete?

 

[Mcat513]

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[banana_phone]

Submitted 7/5. Not sure when I was complete, though.

Also submitted on the 5th. Thinking good thoughts!

 

[clippers50fan]

Did it have to do with formatting? Mine was a huge wall of text when I submitted...

And I think that means they were already reviewing your app! Best of luck.

No, they only had my first sentence lol

I actually typed the entire thing into it, too.

 

[clippers50fan]

When were you both complete?

Submitted 6/30

 

[bluepeach9]

II just now! Completed on 7/2.
3.96/520

Congrats! Can I ask if you already completed undergrad?

 

[smolbirb]

Just now? There's hope!

My interview email came in at 11:45 last night but hold tight I'm sure this is just the first batch!

 

[ishiningstar]

My interview email came in at 11:45 last night but hold tight I'm sure this is just the first batch!

Congrats! What were you stats?

 

[Rumor13]

Just a bit a clarity for everybody:

1. "Decision pending" is the status your portal will show until you are offered an II or rejected. IIs occur throughout the entire year. The previous pattern has been for most rejections to happen at the end of the cycle.
2. If offered an II, your portal will change first to "Interview Granted", then 12-72 hours later you will be scheduled for a date (always a Wednesday) and an email will be sent and your portal will show "Interview Scheduled". Basically, the admissions committee makes the decision, then someone in the office assigns the date, then the system auto-generates the email invitation. There can be a short or long lag depending on when people process things.
3. Don't worry about what you see when you click on "Pre-Fall 2017". This only changes to "processed" after you register and matriculate. Mine did not change when I was accepted prior to last year. It means nothing regarding admissions.
4. September 16th was the first Interview Day Last Year. I would expect it to probably be around the same time this year.

If you have any questions, you're always welcome to tag me in a post or PM me. I'm happy to help.

If you want definitive/official answers or have problems with your application, I highly suggest contacting the Admissions Office, either by e-mail or phone, as they are the only ones that can give you official information and resolve issues. They are very nice people and always happy to help when they can and often get back to you very quick when possible.

 

[HappyLamb]

1. The atmosphere is very relaxed and easy going. Not to say there isn't always an air of anxiety or whiff of worry in the air that intensifies around exam time, but as a whole Jeff has strong camaraderie and collaboration amongst the students and faculty will bend over backwards to make you comfortable and provide whatever you need the best they can. There isn't really any competitive vibes (for my class at least) and we certainly aren't pitted against one another by faculty or administration, who really just praise working together so everyone does well and stays happy. The only real competition they encourage is rarely they jokingly telling us what the previous class's average was and tell us they're curious if they can beat it. Overall, I'd say we have a healthy amount of stress that you would expect of a med student, if not maybe a little less just by virtue of the encouragement vs. fear that comes down from the faculty and upper years.

2. We are admittedly a very white-faced bunch as a whole, but that has never had any impact on anything so far as I'm aware. The minority student groups (LGBT, Latin-American, African American, Asian American, etc.) are by far the most active on campus and there are very regular diversity events and meetings. There is (or at least way) also several lecture series devoted to tackling racism, homophobia, and other social issues seen in medicine, and society as a whole. We might be predominantly white on the outside, but you quickly learn that essentially all of us are insanely unique in our backgrounds and diverse in our life experiences. Speaking for myself and my friends (I obviously cannot speak for everyone), there are no racial issues I know of either between classmates or between faculty and students.

3. Scheduling depends on the class. In the most general sense, the current format has lectures spanning the entire morning and occasionally into the afternoon most days, each lecture lasting 50 mins with a 10 minute break in between lectures. Sometimes there are optional labs, sometimes mandatory labs/trainings. I'm hesitant to comment on the typical structure because the new curriculum will be going into effect for you guys and it is supposed to be VASTLY different from our current format. I don't know any details about how scheduling is going to work so I won't even bother taking a swing at it. Lectures aren't mandatory for us and admittedly I rarely go, but that's because it works for me.

Thank you! I appreciate your input!

 

[banana_phone]

II via portal update!!!!!!!! AHHHH I AM SO HAPPY! First one of the season and I am actually crying at work.

EDIT: really hope I am not getting ahead of myself. I did not yet get an email but my portal changed from "Decision Pending" to "Interview to be Scheduled"

 

[yellowbottlesippin]

II via portal update!!!!!!!! AHHHH I AM SO HAPPY! First one of the season and I am actually crying at work.

CONGRATS!!! May you get many many more. If you do not mind sharing, what are your stats and dates submitted/processed?

 

[banana_phone]

CONGRATS!!! May you get many many more. If you do not mind sharing, what are your stats and dates submitted/processed?

3.8 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA, 4.0 postbacc GPA, 518 MCAT, no research, non-trad, ORM.

Submitted 7/5 and complete around the same time (never got an email)

MAN am I happy, slightly nervous I haven't gotten an email but I trust the portal

 

[bluepeach9]

3.8 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA, 4.0 postbacc GPA, 518 MCAT, no research, non-trad, ORM.

Submitted 7/5 and complete around the same time (never got an email)

MAN am I happy, slightly nervous I haven't gotten an email but I trust the portal

Congrats! You have great stats, so you deserved it But why did you do a post-bacc when you already had a good GPA from undergrad?

 

[banana_phone]

Congrats! You have great stats, so you deserved it But why did you do a post-bacc when you already had a good GPA from undergrad?

Career changer. Did elementary education for undergrad and decided later I want to be a pediatrician, so I needed to take all the pre-reqs

 

[ishiningstar]

II via portal update!!!!!!!! AHHHH I AM SO HAPPY! First one of the season and I am actually crying at work.

EDIT: really hope I am not getting ahead of myself. I did not yet get an email but my portal changed from "Decision Pending" to "Interview to be Scheduled"

Awesome, Congrats !

 

[yellowbottlesippin]

Career changer. Did elementary education for undergrad and decided later I want to be a pediatrician, so I needed to take all the pre-reqs

Wow. That is quite the story too. I am sure that played a large role. Shows that you are a really hard worker. Hats off to you with the stats and the ability to get that MCAT and GPA after a teaching background! Good luck!

 

[Orthosurg1]

How long did it typically take everyone's portal to update after submitting the secondary and the fee? Congrats to those receiving IIs!

 

[Andante12]

So many II's already, I'm really happy for all of you! This is getting me excited now, haha. I only sent my secondary yesterday (that inability to copy/paste is such a pain >.< ), but now I have a general idea of the time window between sending that and review from them. This is one of my top choices, so *fingerscrossed*

 

[Cotterpin]

I'd love to be able to check my portal and see if I have an II, but the new pin number I chose when I created my account doesn't work anymore and I don't see any "forgot password" links.

 

[Iwannaknow]

Oh crap. Could we not copy paste? Fairly certain I did...

 

[NAPK1NS]

I'd love to be able to check my portal and see if I have an II, but the new pin number I chose when I created my account doesn't work anymore and I don't see any "forgot password" links.

When did you submit?

 

[BreakfastLover]

Oh crap. Could we not copy paste? Fairly certain I did...

I did too...I didn't seem to have any issues with their system when I did so.

 

[anna2600]

How many maximum letters can we send? I do not have a physics letter. I am not sure how good my letters are for faculty. Can we send letters from managers and etc?

 

[Terror Billy]

Do y'all think 1500 characters is okay for the response? I just answered why SKMC and an update of what I'm doing this year...

 

[yourboysaf]

Congrats! Can I ask if you already completed undergrad?

Haha nope, just your average traditional applicant with another dreaded year of melancholy undergraduate education to wade through left!

 

[Rumor13]

Career changer. Did elementary education for undergrad and decided later I want to be a pediatrician, so I needed to take all the pre-reqs

I have a few classmates that were elementary/middle school teachers before med school. 45% of medicine is knowing an infinite amount of medical knowledge, 45% is knowing how to connect and teach that knowledge to a patient who in most cases doesn't understand a lick about medicine and might be very scared and confused, and 10% of it is knowing that your infinite amount of medical will never always be enough and that there is a time and place to say "I'm sorry, but I have no bloody idea, let me call or send you to someone else who might know". Teachers are fantastic at the latter, which really can't be taught.

So many II's already, I'm really happy for all of you! This is getting me excited now, haha. I only sent my secondary yesterday (that inability to copy/paste is such a pain >.< ), but now I have a general idea of the time window between sending that and review from them. This is one of my top choices, so *fingerscrossed*

Jefferson reviews and re-reviews applications throughout the entire season and also hosts interviews all the way into April. And just as many acceptances go out then as they do in September. Aside from the first few batches of interviews (which are physically limited to the applications received at the time), when you submit rarely has much bearing on when/if you're extended an II. I don't want to burst your bubble, but I also don't want you to lose hope if you don't hear from Jeff after X number of days from the time you submitted.

Oh crap. Could we not copy paste? Fairly certain I did...

The prompt says not to, but most people do because, well, it's 2016. If it looked good when submitting, don't worry about it unless you're contacted about it, in which case still don't worry about it because it means they caught the computer error.

How many maximum letters can we send? I do not have a physics letter. I am not sure how good my letters are for faculty. Can we send letters from managers and etc?

Jeff is, in general, very flexible with their letter requirements. But when in doubt about things like this, a quick call or email to the admissions office will get you a crystal clear response specifically about your situation.

Do y'all think 1500 characters is okay for the response? I just answered why SKMC and an update of what I'm doing this year...

The extra info prompt or "essay" as many refer to it, is truly optional. Write as much or as little as you like; just write wisely if you choose to do so. I have classmates I've heard say they wrote nothing at all and classmates that said they used every last character.

Haha nope, just your average traditional applicant with another dreaded year of melancholy undergraduate education to wade through left!

Alcohol and sex make the wait go by faster, FYI.
Though, n=1, so take this advice with a grain of salt (and preferably some tequila to go with it).

 

[Cotterpin]

When did you submit?

6/30

 

[partypantss]

Anyone not even receive a secondary yet? I've had them added on my primary for a couple weeks now, it's the only school that still hasn't sent me anything. Kinda disconcerting that there are already so many II's going out.

 

[Rumor13]

Anyone not even receive a secondary yet? I've had them added on my primary for a couple weeks now, it's the only school that still hasn't sent me anything. Kinda disconcerting that there are already so many II's going out.

My recommendation: contact Admissions.

It's very likely that you'll get one soon, but if it's been a few weeks, it's better to be safe than and just ask. Jeff does NOT screen applicants; everybody gets a secondary. So if you haven't gotten one after a few weeks of being complete, either a computer glitch occurred or something is up with your AMCAS.

 

[AAAmeds]

I have also not received a secondary yet. My application was verified last Tuesday, and I have heard back from all the schools except Jefferson and SUNY Upstate. Should I contact them or give them a few more days?

 

[Rumor13]

I have also not received a secondary yet. My application was verified last Tuesday, and I have heard back from all the schools except Jefferson and SUNY Upstate. Should I contact them or give them a few more days?

My gut recommendation (which is not based on any insider info or science at all; literally just the comfortable number that comes to mind when I think about it) is to wait 2 weeks. That's enough time that staff and servers should catch up to sending out secondaries, even during the high time (now) of the season, and if you don't get one by then, you won't seem irritatingly impatient by the staff who hate nothing more than applicants being short and demanding with them about why 24 hours has passed and they haven't heard back about something (yes, I have actually been in the office and overheard applicants actually contacting admissions with this type of absurd rudeness and actually expect to get what they want and not have a bad note left on their application about treating the staff poorly).


TO EVERYONE ON HERE: Remember, Jeff receives 10,000+ applications each year, 90-95% of which hit the office in July. Both the staff and servers get overwhelmed and a backlog is almost inevitable at one point or another. Secondaries are purposely sent in staggered batches to prevent 2,000 secondary applications hitting the system and falling into the Dr. Brooks' and Dr. Callahan's laps overnight. They're amazing women and superhuman in many ways, but they are still humans that can only read so fast and have places to go and people to see every day in addition to reviewing applications and conducting ADCOM meetings. I know from experience that sometimes Jeff is slow, especially compared to some other schools, and it might frustrate you. But that's the Jefferson way of doing things, taking the time to be as personal as possible with real people evaluating each of you, not a computer skimming applications, scoring them, then sending them off to the committee with a high/medium/low priority or just into the trash heap.

 

[Doctor Strange]

On a pretty chill rotation right now (fourth year rocks), so if anyone would like to meet up for drinks or something, I would be more than happy to let you pick my brain about Jefferson. I've done this with applicants in the past, and it seems to have helped people.

 

[banana_phone]

Just got my date scheduled, 9/14! Who else is interviewing this day? Are you staying with a Jeff student?

I have a college friend who lives in Philadelphia that I am tempted to stay with, but have heard the opportunity to stay with a student is pretty cool.

 

[partypantss]

So I have a unique issue. On the primary app I guess I accidentally said "yes" to "have you ever applied here before?" But I actually haven't. Now on the secondary app it has a space for year I previously applied and it wont let me submit it with just an "N/A" it needs to be in a dd/mm/year format. Thoughts?

 

[Orthosurg1]

Maybe put 00/00/0000 for the date if it lets you, and explain it somewhere else in the application, like an additional comments section?

So I have a unique issue. On the primary app I guess I accidentally said "yes" to "have you ever applied here before?" But I actually haven't. Now on the secondary app it has a space for year I previously applied and it wont let me submit it with just an "N/A" it needs to be in a dd/mm/year format. Thoughts?

 

[partypantss]

Maybe put 00/00/0000 for the date if it lets you, and explain it somewhere else in the application, like an additional comments section?

I will try doing something like that!
Update: In case anyone cares, what I did was put "1900" for the year since the error said it had to be a year between 1900 and now. In the additional info section I mentioned that I accidentally marked that I was a reapplicant on the AMCAS app.

 

[AAAmeds]

why does Jefferson say "do not cut and paste"?? I tried it and it worked fine.
I do not want to type 4000 characters when I can just paste it.

 

[partypantss]

why does Jefferson say "do not cut and paste"?? I tried it and it worked fine.
I do not want to type 4000 characters when I can just paste it.

Probably with certain word processing programs if you copy and paste it it will having formatting issues. I always just "paste as plain text" so it doesn't have any formatting or anything and it's never been a problem.

 

[Wolfpack93]

Is it worth applying here with a Lizzy ~70? If they're already sending out II I'm worried it won't be worth applying without amazing stats.

 

[neurobio23]

I realize the SAT & ACT scores are probably used for statistical studies, but if we absolutely can't remember our scores, is it ok to leave it completely blank? I took the exams 7-8 years ago haha