2016-2017 University of Miami (Miller) Application Thread

BU Medical Sciences
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Secondary received. MONSTER! Good luck to all!
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This photo is from an event UMMSM hosts for College Students interested in applying to their medical school. It's the formula they use to score applicants:

img_4196-jpg.188145


As you can see, GPA, MCAT, and undergrad "prestige" are only 120/300 points. Your experiences, LORs, overcoming adversity, etc. are actually given more weight at 180/300 points! So don't skimp on elaborating about those experiences ;)[/QUOTE]


Hahahahahhaha WOW, nice to know that the generations of disease and disability that plagued my family was ultimately quantifiable on paper. Jeeeeeeeeesus I did not know this existed.

Alright, now that little diatribe is out of the way, howdy, I'm StraightOuttaBrooklyn, but you can call me SOB for short. I'm a 3rd year here at Miller, happy to answer any and all questions that I am able to. I would like to be as transparent as possible, so with that in mind if you'd like to ask something please ask here so everyone can have access to the same information. I'm studying for Step1 (in two weeks!) but I'm happy to chime in again afterwards and I will answer whatever I am able to!

Get your applications in as early as you can! Thats the best advice I can think of for the time being! Best of luck with it!
 
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OrangeMed said:
Does Miller have a bias against former Community College students?
What are Miller's OOS chances? I'm from Cali.
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You'll be fine with community college credits. I took all of the following at community college

Biology I & II
Chemistry I & II
Organic Chemistry I & II
English I & II
Calculus I & II

I transferred to an Ivy and honestly my grades away at college were AWFUL, 2.97 overall by graduation. I did a 2 year masters degree (NOT an SMP) and I did alright on the MCAT (30 S, old scoring format) and here I am about to start 3rd year. I'm rare - you won't hear a post like this frequently on SDN - but I think our admissions committee recognizes and upholds the idea that medicine isn't just about reciting facts from a book - and thats all college grades really are at the end of the day. Share your passions, share your story, leave no stone unturned in your application - talk about everything you can - the admissions committee looks for reasons to bring people in for the interview, not to turn them away.

Good luck!
 
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runningmandoctor said:
Received secondary today. The secondary here is very extensive... good luck to all of us. God bless us all.
@WedgeDawg
APPLICANT NARRATIVES: (All narrative responses should be less than 500 words each).
1. Briefly describe the one clinical experience you have had that has most significantly influenced your decision to study medicine. Do not replicate your AMCAS personal statement.
2. Why have you selected the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine for your medical education? Please be as specific as possible.
3. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your clinical experiences/shadowing.
4. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your community service/volunteering.
5. Please discuss a situation where you had to use your leadership skills.
6. Please briefly discuss your research experience.
7. Please provide a chronological list with dates of your employment.
8. [OPTIONAL] Please provide a description of any activities involving the FINE ARTS (dance, drama, music, art, photography, etc.)
9. [OPTIONAL] Please provide a description of any activities involving SPORTS (organized team sports, recreational activities that you play, watch or follow)
10. [OPTIONAL] Describe your most meaningful involvement in STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.
11. [OPTIONAL] Please provide a description of your most memorable TRAVEL experience.
12. [OPTIONAL] Please provide a description of your HOBBIES and what you do for fun and relaxation.
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do you mean less than 500 words or characters for each question? because 500 words is about one page long.
 
Nanog said:
Hey guys! For the pre-requisites section, there is an asterisk that says that the lab courses should not be entered in the pre-requisites section but we have to have taken the lab. So when we are entering our courses, do we just put the grade for the lecture? For instance, my chemistry lecture and lab are taken separately. Do I just enter the chemistry lecture and the grade for that lecture without the lab? Thanks!! :)
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Same question here! I am assuming they do NOT want you to enter the lab (maybe they realize that those who have taken a lecture sequence have most likely taken lab?)... so I will just be entering lectures with the course name that is on my transcript. If they are worried we don't have lab, they can always check AMCAS. My $0.02.
 
When it asks for chronological lists of the dates of clinical experiences- are you guys putting the hours too? Or just the dates?
 
hey guys, for your "MCAT Score (Highest Composite Score) (Leave blank if not applicable)," is this your highest MCAT if you took it more than once? thanks
 
Also, how do we put in AP credits in the pr-reqs (like english)?
 
meridethgrey said:
Also, how do we put in AP credits in the pr-reqs (like english)?
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im just doing my university that granted me credit, then the course name/number that appears on my transcript like ENC 1011, and then the year, and for grade i just put "P" bc thats what shows up on my transcript
 
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Why is this secondary so freakin long?!
 
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cptnjack said:
im just doing my university that granted me credit, then the course name/number that appears on my transcript like ENC 1011, and then the year, and for grade i just put "P" bc thats what shows up on my transcript
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Thank you! I called and was told to do what you're doing and for the grade, to put AP
 
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tpow said:
When it asks for chronological lists of the dates of clinical experiences- are you guys putting the hours too? Or just the dates?
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I'm doing dates for everything. My reasoning being that it only asks for dates and if they're curious about hours they can always check my primary.
gribear said:
Why is this secondary so freakin long?!
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So many optional prompts :(
 
HopefulPilot said:
"optional" hahaha
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Correction: fundatory

So if I list a pre-requisite class that's not on my transcript (verified before quarter ended), would I list it as 'in progress'?
 
Ace Khalifa said:
No seriously, they're optional. Don't put down something for them if you don't actually do it...
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Ah but I feel compelled to put down something if I did do it (which ends up being most of them). Regardless, just learned I can't apply as I'm missing a biochemistry class T_T
 
HopefulPilot said:
Yeah, but I can't imagine anyone not having something to put in each optional essay.
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I left fine arts and travel blank. Also had nothing for research, and that one is required.
 
this secondary is literally just like the amcas primary... i feel like i'm just copying and pasting stuff from the primary to miami's secondary (e.g. descriptions of clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, and work). is this okay to do or are we supposed to somehow write up entirely new descriptions for the exact same activities?
 
the first question ask about "briefly discuss", so de we still use 500 words to answer it?
 
when it says list XX in chronological order with dates, are you guys giving descriptions of all the activites/jobs etc or just listing the job name/title and the date? Not sure if they are asking for all the descriptions since its already in the primary
 
Guys, are all of you actually completing this within days of receiving them. I am getting worried as I work full time and will not be able to get through this monster application until this weekend. :(
 
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Can someone please explain what they mean by 'brief description' for the chronological activities.
 
cptnjack said:
when it says list XX in chronological order with dates, are you guys giving descriptions of all the activites/jobs etc or just listing the job name/title and the date? Not sure if they are asking for all the descriptions since its already in the primary
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Yeah I'm wondering the same thing. It's all right there in the primary so I feel weird rewriting the exact same descriptions
 
I think they did mention for the "optional" prompts to answer them if you believe what you have to say will make a positive/significant impact on your application. So I will probably only fill in the ones that I feel like I could really really talk about and have compelling reasons for discussing... sure I have a few hobbies that are in the fine arts, but they aren't really a huge part of my app so will probably leave that part blank.
 
What all are you guys applying for? Just MD? I'm thinking that might be the way to go.
 
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makingthatmcatpur said:
this secondary is literally just like the amcas primary... i feel like i'm just copying and pasting stuff from the primary to miami's secondary (e.g. descriptions of clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, and work). is this okay to do or are we supposed to somehow write up entirely new descriptions for the exact same activities?
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I wouldn't recommend copy and pasting. They already have your primary and want to know something new about you. Something you didn't include in the primary.
 
Sleepy76 said:
I wouldn't recommend copy and pasting. They already have your primary and want to know something new about you. Something you didn't include in the primary.
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I have heard of people who copy and paste and still get acceptances. It depends on what it is.
 
Sleepy76 said:
I wouldn't recommend copy and pasting. They already have your primary and want to know something new about you. Something you didn't include in the primary.
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Well when they ask about my employment, shadowing, and volunteer history, it's kinda difficult to include something new that's not in my primary. That's the only thing I'm copying and pasting. It's not like I'm using my PS again or anything like that
 
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makingthatmcatpur said:
Well when they ask about my employment, shadowing, and volunteer history, it's kinda difficult to include something new that's not in my primary. That's the only thing I'm copying and pasting. It's not like I'm using my PS again or anything like that
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Yea I'd take care about copying and pasting. It may seem redundant but try to flesh things out and re-word otherwise it may look as if you couldn't care less.
 
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Anyone know how long the process takes from secondary submission to possible interview invite?
 
Holy moly, submitted the secondary today! Good luck everyone! For brief descriptions, I ranged from paragraphs (for research) to just a couple of sentences (like for hobbies/travel).
 
I was going to leave the sports one blank. I exercise independently and play fantasy football. Can't imagine they care.
 
AJMAQ94 said:
Anyone know how long the process takes from secondary submission to possible interview invite?
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n=1. I completed my secondary July 17th and got the II(Interview Invite) Sept 11.

You are allowed to choose your date and one or two alternative dates. Interviews started as early as the beginning of October and run through March, I believe.
 
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UNMedGa said:
Finished the secondary.. good grief so massive
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It's a really great secondary to be honest - it was maybe the 2nd or 3rd secondary I completed when I applied and it really helped to streamline the writing for my other applications.
 
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StraightOuttaBrooklyn said:
It's a really great secondary to be honest - it was maybe the 2nd or 3rd secondary I completed when I applied and it really helped to streamline the writing for my other applications.
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how many words or characters you used for each of the "optional" questions?
 
samsamani said:
how many words or characters you used for each of the "optional" questions?
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8. [OPTIONAL] FINE ARTS - 95 words
9. [OPTIONAL] SPORTS - 223 words
10. [OPTIONAL] STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS - 412 words
11. [OPTIONAL] TRAVEL - 349 words
12. [OPTIONAL] HOBBIES - 60 words

To whoever is interested, here's my advice for the "optional" sections - they aren't optional. You can bet good money that if you don't fill out the optional section, there will be 10 other applicants that do - and the 3 individuals tasked with reviewing those applicants will have more to say about them to the executive committee for admissions than they will about the person who left a bunch of text fields blank.

Good Luck!
 
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For the listing sections, what are y'all doing about activities that fit into both clinical experience and volunteering? Putting it under both questions or just picking one?
 
does anyone know if substitutions are accepted for the english requirement? i only took 2 courses in my school's english department, but took other writing intensive courses.

if not, can I plan on taking an english course at my local community college next year and put this as "anticipated"?
 
potazzium21 said:
does anyone know if substitutions are accepted for the english requirement? i only took 2 courses in my school's english department, but took other writing intensive courses.

if not, can I plan on taking an english course at my local community college next year and put this as "anticipated"?
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They're requiring more than 2 English courses?

Sent from my LGMS631 using SDN mobile
 
WatchHowISoar said:
They're requiring more than 2 English courses?

Sent from my LGMS631 using SDN mobile
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Yup. 3 English courses. I called admissions and they said to email them with the names of courses that I want to substitute to satisfy the requirement. They're going to evaluate them and get back to me.
 
WOW thank god my senior year I took a literature class for no reason lol
 
potazzium21 said:
Yup. 3 English courses. I called admissions and they said to email them with the names of courses that I want to substitute to satisfy the requirement. They're going to evaluate them and get back to me.
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On their admissions website, it says 2 semesters/3 quarters, and I'm on a semester system. Does the secondary say something different?
 
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