2016-2017 University of Iowa (Carver) Application Thread

[WedgeDawg]

Space reserved for prompt.
Please post the essays or lack thereof (in addition to word or character counts) in this thread and tag me and/or @Ismet and we'll update the OP.

Good luck to everyone applying!

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[yoyo4456]

Any OOS re-applicants?

 

[632460]

.

 

[yoyo4456]

Yep! Fingers crossed. I'll also give you a courtesy cross out of solidarity. Are you a coastie or landlocked?


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HAHA thanks! East coast... NC .. I got wait listed ...I'm still on the wait list actually, but I figured it was time to re-apply.

 

[AvacadosAtLaw]

Checking in here. OOS first time applicant.

 

[HIV]

OOS first time applicant.

 

[WikiJiki]

OOS, 3rd-time reapplying! This school is pretty much my top choice.

 

[WineLover777]

3.63 GPA/516 MCAT/Oregon resident. Worth applying?

 

[Cawolf]

3.63 GPA/516 MCAT/Oregon resident. Worth applying?

I would say so, they are relatively friendly to OOS applicants.

 

[mavric1298]

Applying OOS as well (first time but second cycle)...my wife is doing her dietetics internship through them, I hope they have a question about family on the secondary!

 

[Iwannaknow]

Just got notification that the primary was received!

 

[hometownbrewin]

Just got notification that the primary was received!

Same. For reference, the email states that their screening process does not start until July 11th.

 

[deleted289061]

Does anyone know the average MCAT score for Iowa since the start of the 2015MCAT? I've heard average is around 508 but I wanted to confirm. Thanks.

 

[WineLover777]

Does anyone know the average MCAT score for Iowa since the start of the 2015MCAT? I've heard average is around 508 but I wanted to confirm. Thanks.

http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/md/profile/

This link says:
"Mean Verbal Reasoning MCAT
10.3
Mean Physical Science MCAT
10.7
Mean Biological Science MCAT
11.2"

So mean total score = 32.2
If we use this score converter and assume it to be accurate, 32.2 = 509 or 510.

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

That calc overestimates. A 32 is around a 512 by percentiles.

 

[mavric1298]

^and percentiles are what matters. From my understanding, that is what the adcoms are going to use to compare, percentile ranks not scores

 

[Gingy]

Received the secondary today! IS reapplicant, here's to better luck this year.

 

[GoCubsGo20]

Received the secondary today! IS reapplicant, here's to better luck this year.

Good luck, my friend. I'm pulling for you. I haven't submitted my primary yet, sorta freaking out. MCAT comes back next Tuesday. Will probably decide then rather than risk wasting $160 I don't have.

 

[mavric1298]

No secondary here yet - quick question - is there a question about family members attending, alumni, etc? Im OOS, but my wife goes there for her dietetic internship, so I really really hope there is haha

 

[QuestionsAnswers]

Can anyone who is verified post the secondary prompts when they get a chance? Thanks.

 

[ronnicus]

Received the secondary today! IS reapplicant, here's to better luck this year.

Do you mind posting the prompts please?

 

[gamieg]

Do not exceed the maximum character limit of 1500 (including spaces) for questions 1, 2, 4 and 5. Question 3 has a limit of 3000 characters.

Question 1: We understand you are probably applying to multiple medical schools. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Carver College of Medicine.
Question 2: Describe any unique personal characteristics and obstacles you may have overcome that will contribute to the diversity of, and bring educational benefits to, the entering class.
Question 3: Provide a numbered list and very brief description of medically related experiences (paid or volunteer), including total hours, in which you have participated over the past 5 years.
Question 4: If you are a reapplicant to the Carver College of Medicine, how have you strengthened your application?
Question 5: If you are not currently in a degree-seeking program, please indicate what you will be doing from the time you complete this secondary application to the start of medical school.

 

[Gingy]

Good luck, my friend. I'm pulling for you. I haven't submitted my primary yet, sorta freaking out. MCAT comes back next Tuesday. Will probably decide then rather than risk wasting $160 I don't have.

Likewise, @GoCubsGo20! If it's any consolation, I submitted my primary last year around mid-August (also waited on MCAT scores), was verified early September, complete at Carver early September, and got an interview the day after. This turnaround was likely due to IS status but I'm assuming you're IS or a nearby OOS? You're still ahead of where I was last year.

 

[Gingy]

No secondary here yet - quick question - is there a question about family members attending, alumni, etc? Im OOS, but my wife goes there for her dietetic internship, so I really really hope there is haha

I just went through the secondary and saw no questions about attending family members, alumni, etc. However, they do ask if you have a parent living in Iowa for the purpose of determining residency status. I suppose you could always reference it in question 1 (We understand you are probably applying to multiple medical schools. Please explain your reasons for applying to the Carver College of Medicine.). It's unfortunate they don't ask, since a number of other schools do.

 

[restlessdriven]

Just wanted to pop in and say best of luck to everyone applying to Carver this year! It's an awesome school!

 

[Gingy]

Do you mind posting the prompts please?

See gamieg's post, beat me to it - thanks @gamieg!

 

[GoCubsGo20]

Likewise, @GoCubsGo20! If it's any consolation, I submitted my primary last year around mid-August (also waited on MCAT scores), was verified early September, complete at Carver early September, and got an interview the day after. This turnaround was likely due to IS status but I'm assuming you're IS or a nearby OOS? You're still ahead of where I was last year.

Im IS thank goodness. I would take an acceptance at Carver and run with it all the way to becoming a physician. Such a dream.

 

[Cawolf]

M1 here if you have any questions about the pre-clinical curriculum or application process.

 

[wildbach]

Do you think it will matter if I have 5 letters of recommendation in my letter packet? I submitted them all through my school's letter system. I have 2 science, 1 non-science (spanish teacher), 1 physician, and 1 research mentor. I just saw that University of Iowa wants only 4 LORs. I made a packet of 5 letters to be sure I fulfilled the requirements for the schools I applied for--each school seems to want a slightly different combination of letters. I'm an illinois resident and would be happy to get into university of illinois or university of iowa.

 

[yoyo4456]

UGH AMCAS is taking forever to verify my application, is this typical? my application was submitted:
JUNE 09, 2016 11:20:15 AM ET.. still awaiting verification.

I understand that it is the peak of the application season but dang! I don't want to miss rolling admissions again.

Also, as a re-applicant, I am going to be strongly tempted to copy and paste my previous secondary essays the longer this process takes.

 

[ronnicus]

M1 here if you have any questions about the pre-clinical curriculum or application process.

It looks like the curriculum is shortened, does this give you more time to pursue research and other interests? What is "pathways" in fourth year? Do you get early clinical exposure by shadowing a physician like other schools? Are there student-run free clinics to participate in as a first year?

 

[Cawolf]

It looks like the curriculum is shortened, does this give you more time to pursue research and other interests? What is "pathways" in fourth year? Do you get early clinical exposure by shadowing a physician like other schools? Are there student-run free clinics to participate in as a first year?

Many people do stipended research the summer before M1 and the summer before M2. The extra semester of class time is used for rotations, but I have not learned enough about clinical years yet to speak to the research options. There are scheduled clinical experiences with clinicians starting the first semester of M1.

There are a variety of student clinics that are pretty easy to get involved with. The mobile clinic, free health clinic, free mental health clinic, and free eye clinic are the main ones I know about. They are student run with the exception of the free health clinic being a community partnership, but the clinicians are students and residents.

And I am not familiar with pathways, sorry.

 

[dattysworkin]

UGH AMCAS is taking forever to verify my application, is this typical? my application was submitted:
JUNE 09, 2016 11:20:15 AM ET.. still awaiting verification.

I understand that it is the peak of the application season but dang! I don't want to miss rolling admissions again.

Also, as a re-applicant, I am going to be strongly tempted to copy and paste my previous secondary essays the longer this process takes.

You should definitely contact AMCAS if you haven't been verified yet. On the AMCAS twitter account they said they are currently verifying applications "Ready for Review" on June 22nd. This happened to me last year, there was an issue with my transcripts and I needed to resend them. Check to see if you received any e-mails from AMCAS regarding an issue with your app, otherwise I would call them as soon as possible.

 

[blacksweater]

Secondary received!

 

[Orthosurg1]

Secondary received!

+1! OOS, first time applicant here

 

[smolbirb]

Dumb question but does submitting the final app page submit the essays too? I don't want to submit both by accident before I've filled the other out.

 

[blacksweater]

Dumb question but does submitting the final app page submit the essays too? I don't want to submit both by accident before I've filled the other out.

No you can submit each section individually without affecting the other. But remember to submit both parts to have your application be complete.

 

[Orthosurg1]

Is anyone else waiting for their app to be marked complete? I submitted my secondary on Friday, and my fee was marked as received yesterday, as well as my letters, and I have submitted both the essays and the final application. However, my overall application status still says incomplete.

 

[djokingaround]

Is anyone else waiting for their app to be marked complete? I submitted my secondary on Friday, and my fee was marked as received yesterday, as well as my letters, and I have submitted both the essays and the final application. However, my overall application status still says incomplete.

+1, glad i wasn't the only one who was kind of worried

 

[Gingy]

+1, glad i wasn't the only one who was kind of worried

+2, it appears they haven't imported letters from AMCAS despite everything else being complete.

 

[Orthosurg1]

+2, it appears they haven't imported letters from AMCAS despite everything else being complete.

Mine says that they've accepted the letters from AMCAS, but my overall status is still incomplete.

 

[Gingy]

Mine says that they've accepted the letters from AMCAS, but my overall status is still incomplete.

Mine hadn't been received as of last night but I retract my initial statement; just checked the portal and they've been accepted. So I'm in the same complete-but-not-officially boat.

 

[Orthosurg1]

Guess I was nervous for nothing, just got the 'your application is complete' email!

 

[drpastry]

Any other URMs who have not sent their primary to Carver receive a secondary invitation today?

 

[DreamingofMD]

Any other URMs who have not sent their primary to Carver receive a secondary invitation today?

I did! trying to decide if it's worth adding now and applying.

 

[drpastry]

I did! trying to decide if it's worth adding now and applying.

It's kind of interesting, no? "We like your score and your status. Please apply." But, no fee waiver? So this is essentially just free advertising for them?

 

[DreamingofMD]

It's kind of interesting, no? "We like your score and your status. Please apply." But, no fee waiver? So this is essentially just free advertising for them?

Yes, interesting for sure. I hope this isn't just free advertising lol, was definitely hoping for a fee waiver, especially since I'm OOS.

 

[drpastry]

Yes, interesting for sure. I hope this isn't just free advertising lol, was definitely hoping for a fee waiver, especially since I'm OOS.

Did your email give you any indication that they were waiving the fee?

 

[Panther_]

Any other URMs who have not sent their primary to Carver receive a secondary invitation today?

Received something similar yesterday. At least for one of the schools I applied to that sent me an email based on my MCAT, waived the secondary fee.


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[drpastry]

Received something similar yesterday. At least for one of the schools I applied to that sent me an email based on my MCAT, waived the secondary fee.


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Did they mention in the email that they were waiving?