2017-2018 Harvard Medical School

[sozo91]

Yes, you're expected to have it completed and hand it in at the start of your interview day. But one of the current students said that if you're admitted they'll ask you to fill it out again.

I wouldn't worry about it. Concentrate on the interview, not the checklist. You confirm checklist reqs after you're accepted anyway.

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[yolo0987]

I was just curious if the dean of admissions could interview applicants. If so, how fair is that? and how much of an influence could it have on the final decisions?

 

[radiculating spines]

I was just curious if the dean of admissions could interview applicants. If so, how fair is that? and how much of an influence could it have on the final decisions?

Not at Hahvahd but I've been to an interview where I was interviewed by the dean of admissions. My thinking is that if she liked me, I'll probably get in (almost) no matter what, and if she didn't, then I'm toast.

 

[LnSin]

Either the dean or the assistant dean DID interview people (on my day at least) and it’s completely fair because according to my interviewer “everyone gets a vote” and they’re supposed to be all equal.


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[SurgeryCanada]

Will they send out rejections when they stop sending out II's? Or are the II's already 100% done and they're waiting to send out the decisions all at once in March?

 

[Longshot6]

C

Not at Hahvahd but I've been to an interview where I was interviewed by the dean of admissions. My thinking is that if she liked me, I'll probably get in (almost) no matter what, and if she didn't, then I'm toast.

Case?

 

[Longshot6]

Does anyone know the thank you note rules for Harvard? I didn't get my student's contact info, is it reasonable to ask the admissions office to forward the letter to my interviewer?

 

[cloudcomputingunicorn]

Does anyone know the thank you note rules for Harvard? I didn't get my student's contact info, is it reasonable to ask the admissions office to forward the letter to my interviewer?

Yes, you can. That's what I did. The admissions office replied confirming that my thank you notes were forwarded to my interviewers.

 

[lol_new_user]

I believe that letter of intent with genuine reasons is fine (although I agree it will have little impact). I sent in a letter of intent with specific reasons about the specific research labs that interested me, and with an update about being a co-author on an abstract and a paper that will be submitted soon. I don't expect this to really make a difference, but I knew that I would send in that letter anyways if I was waitlisted.

 

[lol_new_user]

Believe it or not, at my interview, they explicitly stated that if you are the waitlist that you should keep the school updated on anything worthwhile.

Wow, interesting. But, I'm certain that many many individuals will have worthwhile updates. I wonder what effect this kind of update would have pre-decision/post-interview. Like I would have definitely had this update in a letter I would send if I were to be waitlisted.

 

[lol_new_user]

After noticing some lulls in my application before my interview, I decided to just flat-out ask about the updates' effectiveness. Both of my interviewers were receptive to the question, although, one was not trying to give too much information away. The other of my interviewers was much more open and specifically said that the only updates that would make a difference were in the form of a highlight tape demonstrating an improvement any of the following; ball handling, shooting and/or vertical jump.

Is basket-weaving and meme-generating included in this?

 

[radiculating spines]

Case?

Heavens no. I don't get interview invitations from them, just spam.

 

[dfa1513]

so today's the last day of interviews? can anyone who interviewed today confirm?

 

[Longshot6]

so today's the last day of interviews? can anyone who interviewed today confirm?

Interviewed last week for pathways. They said next Monday (today) is the last date during my interview day.

 

[SurgeryCanada]

Interviewed last week for pathways. They said next Monday (today) is the last date during my interview day.

Thank-you for the information. Do you know if that is true for both HST and pathways?

 

[JeneralG]

Any recent interviewees receive info regarding when acceptances might roll out? (Other than early March)

 

[bae2017]

Any recent interviewees receive info regarding when acceptances might roll out? (Other than early March)

They did say something about first week of March. Historically it's been in the first couple days of March -

2017: 3/3 (Friday)
2016: 3/2 (Wednesday)
2015: 3/3 (Tuesday)
2014: 3/4 (Tuesday)

My guess is this year they'll be aiming for 3/2 (Friday)

 

[hopefulkid6]

Anyone know what role our interviewers play in the process? Do they both have to agree to admit/ is it just a written report?

 

[cloudcomputingunicorn]

Anyone know what role our interviewers play in the process? Do they both have to agree to admit/ is it just a written report?

Piggybacking on this question, can anyone explain in full detail how the admissions process works post-interviews for Pathways? They didn’t tell us much on interview day.

 

[bae2017]

Essentially, most top schools have a process that goes something like this: individuals are given scores based on the different dimensions of their application - stats, leadership, volunteering, research, clinical experience, etc. I have no idea what the categories actually are but I suspect they look something like that. Your interviewers will meet with you, write some comments, and score you based on your interview performance and overall application. After the interview, there are often multiple admissions committees that review and assess applicants in parallel. I believe at Harvard these are organized regionally (so, one adcom for the Northeast, one for Midwest, etc.). If an applicant is above a certain score threshold (meaning all aspects of their application are "good enough"), they are voted through and then assessed by a "master" admissions committee that is now considering the top applicants. This master adcom is then responsible for "crafting" the incoming class, so they select for certain characteristics that they might want - eg. a certain number of athletes, a certain number of research superstars, maybe engineers, or English majors, etc. and make sure that there is enough regional, as well as ethnic, cultural, and SES, etc. diversity.

So, even if everything in your app is solid and you make it past the preliminary adcom, you still might not be accepted just because the master adcom could find that someone else fits better into their ideal composition of the class. That, I think, largely explains why some applicants will get into some of the top 5/10/20/whatever schools but not others. Most people who have good applications and do well on their interviews likely make it past the sub-adcom. It's just the part after, at the master adcom, that the process becomes hazy and kind of random.

I made this post back in October (page 4; I just made some minor edits in this quote here), and looking back on it I still think it's roughly how the process works. I believe this process of crafting the class is probably especially likely at HMS, where their yield is so high and pretty consistent across the years. Granted this is all speculation/acquired from information I read on the interwebz so please take it with a large grain of salt

 

[plasticdiscoball]

I made this post back in October (page 4; I just made some minor edits in this quote here), and looking back on it I still think it's roughly how the process works. I believe this process of crafting the class is probably especially likely at HMS, where their yield is so high and pretty consistent across the years. Granted this is all speculation/acquired from information I read on the interwebz so please take it with a large grain of salt

Seconding your post! This is basically exactly what one of my interviewers told me about the admissions decision process at Harvard. Apparently 100+ people are involved in making the final decision to admit. If both your interviewers like you, it’s a good boost up ofc, but still not enough to guarantee anything.

 

[lol_new_user]

Wow the posts about the interview process is very helpful. It's also a bit nerve-wracking, to think that you could do your best, and you could land a great score, and still not get in to reasons beyond your control :/ .

 

[JeneralG]

When I interviewed, I vividly remember some of the admissions staff mentioning that HMS’s clinical rotations are graded on a pass/fail system (just like preclinicals) unlike any other school in the country. However, I can’t find any information substantiating this online. Can anyone speak more to this?

 

[deleted682435]

When I interviewed, I vividly remember some of the admissions staff mentioning that HMS’s clinical rotations are graded on a pass/fail system (just like preclinicals) unlike any other school in the country. However, I can’t find any information substantiating this online. Can anyone speak more to this?

2.03 Grading and Examination - Here's more info on the PCE/clinical rotations grading. PCE is pass/fail. Clinical rotations in years III and IV are honors/pass/fail.

 

[JH1120]

Let March come soon

 

[Cancellingplans]

At my interview day, they said that we could attend a class with current students. Has anyone done this? How would i go about doing this? Just emailing the admissions staff?

Also is this supposed to happen before or after decisions in March.

 

[cloudcomputingunicorn]

At my interview day, they said that we could attend a class with current students. Has anyone done this? How would i go about doing this? Just emailing the admissions staff?

Also is this supposed to happen before or after decisions in March.

If you get accepted, maybe you can attend classes during second look.

 

[TheOtherAlien]

If you get accepted, maybe you can attend classes during second look.

I and a bunch of the other interviewees attended a class during our interview day. Not sure if that's the kind of thing admissions was referring to?

 

[XALT]

At my interview day, they said that we could attend a class with current students. Has anyone done this? How would i go about doing this? Just emailing the admissions staff?

Also is this supposed to happen before or after decisions in March.

From what I remember, we were given a schedule of classes we were welcome to attend for the week that we interviewed. I, unfortunately, had both of my interviews overlap with the designated class for my interview day, so I instead asked some of my fellow interviewees what they thought since some chose to attend. As others have mentioned, I'm sure if you asked on second look day, you'd be allowed to attend a class. I hope you hear good news in March and get the opportunity

 

[Cancellingplans]

From what I remember, we were given a schedule of classes we were welcome to attend for the week that we interviewed. I, unfortunately, had both of my interviews overlap with the designated class for my interview day, so I instead asked some of my fellow interviewees what they thought since some chose to attend. As others have mentioned, I'm sure if you asked on second look day, you'd be allowed to attend a class. I hope you hear good news in March and get the opportunity

my interview was on a saturday so might be a different situation.

 

[DillyDilly]

Long time lurker first time poster.

 

[hopefulkid6]

Any idea how many interviewed this year/ what the post-II acceptance rate typically is (including WL movement)?

 

[JohnQ666]

Can someone please explain the layout of Vandy? I've heard it's dorm style, but I've never lived in a dorm.

 

[JohnQ666]

Small room with a communal bathroom and communal kitchen for each floor.

So there is no bathroom or living room area within the rooms?

 

[JohnQ666]

It is literally just a room with a bed. If you want to make food or shower, gotta do it in the common area.

Okay that makes sense. Where are we supposed to store our groceries? Do they have like cubbies and mini fridges in the common kitchens?

 

[Longshot6]

Okay that makes sense. Where are we supposed to store our groceries? Do they have like cubbies and mini fridges in the common kitchens?

I think this is something to think about once you get in.

 

[JohnQ666]

I think this is something to think about once you get in.

Okay thanks for the clarifications!! Good luck!

 

[JeneralG]

I think this is something to think about once you get in.

It’s a valid question though, no harm gaining more info early on.

 

[Longshot6]

It’s a valid question though, no harm gaining more info early on.

It's a great question for when your accepted and are going to attend. At the moment, it seems unnecessary considering you might not have to worry about where are you gonna store food at vandy.

 

[Ssealopez]

With a 25% post-interview acceptance rate and the fact that acceptances aren't made for over a month from now, I'm going to say that it is a little too early to be worrying about where you will be putting your groceries.

But after decisions (R) we won't have a chance to even think about these things. At least let us dream and figure our lives at harvard before they shatter us. Heck i don't even have a II but I still want to know if the dorms are pet friendly so I can bring my cat with me.

 

[tRNA272]

But after decisions (R) we won't have a chance to even think about these things. At least let us dream and figure our lives at harvard before they shatter us. Heck i don't even have a II but I still want to know if the dorms are pet friendly so I can bring my cat with me.

haha truer words have never been spoken

 

[XALT]

While I agree it's really early to be thinking about this, posts on this thread had me curious. Found this resource after a quick search, and it includes a picture of a room w/ furniture: Terms and Conditions of Occupancy | HMS

 

[bootsandspooky]

On my tour, our guide showed us his room in Vandy and he had shelves and a mini-fridge there. Granted, he did say that he had one of the larger rooms, but even in my tiny undergraduate dorm room that was shared by two people we still had a mini-fridge and shelves for our food and didn't keep anything in the common area. I don't remember too much detail about it, but he did also show us the kitchen, which looked like a normal (albeit on the nicer end) house kitchen with cabinets which I would assume probably held some shared plates, pots, pans, etc.

 

[kli586]

Is this Harvard thread or Vandy thread? lol

 

[Longshot6]

Is this Harvard thread or Vandy thread? lol

The big residence hall at harvard is called vandy lol

 

[kli586]

The big residence hall at harvard is called vandy lol

Wow... they use other school's name as their dorm name. nice! lol.... And it does sound like Vandy's dorm style too. haha

 

[TheOtherAlien]

Hi all! I wanted your opinion on whether I should send an update letter. I was recently notified that I was receiving an academic achievement-based award from my school (good private university). It’s given out to the top ~2% of graduating seniors. I don’t know how much med schools (particularly Harvard and the like) value this kind of award, so I’m unsure of whether to send an update about it, especially since I don’t think I have anything else to include in the letter aside from updating them on my grades/coursework. What are your thoughts?

 

[lol_new_user]

I was recently notified that I was receiving an academic achievement-based award from my school (good private university).

My 0.02$:
If the award is school specific and says something more about you than just your GPA do it. There's nothing wrong in adding something and then also maybe adding a line or two as to why you love the school and why you think it's a great fit (if you're really up to sending a LOI). Usually update worthy things are international level scholarships (Rhodes, Marshall, etc.) or publications, but school-specific awards depends on the case. I would suggest sending it only if you think it adds a lot to your app.

 

[JH1120]

Are the interviews done here?

 

[dfa1513]

With a 25% post-interview acceptance rate and the fact that acceptances aren't made for over a month from now, I'm going to say that it is a little too early to be worrying about where you will be putting your groceries.

Curious as to whether anyone can speculate on how much chance of acceptance at HMS goes up by if interviewed for both Pathways and HST!