MSU-COM Discussion Thread 2012-2013

[Sunnydidi]

Last year's thread was quite popular with loads of great info. Let's keep the tradition going.

Canadian
Non-traditional applicant
3.4/3.41/31N, 3.76 grad school GPA
Above average ECs

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

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[Ravizzle]

Also Canadian, but did undergrad in us

3.3 cgpa 3.3 sgpa MCAT June 21st
2 years lab research, 120 volunteer hours + some other ECs

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[Ost3oclast]

Im applying too guys! Cgpa 3.64 Sgpa 3.94 waiting on my mcat score. My EC's are solid as are my LOR's. Hope we all get accepted. Does anybody know how MSU conducts their interviews?

 

[DrMeows]

Im applying too guys! Cgpa 3.64 Sgpa 3.94 waiting on my mcat score. My EC's are solid as are my LOR's. Hope we all get accepted. Does anybody know how MSU conducts their interviews?

They don't interview (weird I know lol). Even though I've heard they interview those they're on the fence about (idk if that's actually true). After your secondary is in, you're either accepted, rejected, wait listed or high wait listed.

 

[Ost3oclast]

They don't interview (weird I know lol). Even though I've heard they interview those they're on the fence about (idk if that's actually true). After your secondary is in, you're either accepted, rejected, wait listed or high wait listed.

Whoa.....

 

[Ravizzle]

Mind = blown

No idea they don't interview.

I will fly out there myself and interview myself. Want to see the campus for sure.

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[DOxidant]

MSUCOM does not interview. But they do interview people whose application is on the borderline. Or they interview when the admission staffs have a question on the application. IMO I think there is no way to get to know someone in an hour of interviewing. So I personally don't think interview is effective. YOU SHOULD KNOW that MSUCOM's secondary is very very long. Think of it as an interview.

It's a great school. And they choose great students w/o interview. Tell me I'm biased. But I like here very much

 

[dudeliness]

MSUCOM does not interview. But they do interview people whose application is on the borderline. Or they interview when the admission staffs have a question on the application. IMO I think there is no way to get to know someone in an hour of interviewing. So I personally don't think interview is effective. YOU SHOULD KNOW that MSUCOM's secondary is very very long. Think of it as an interview.

It's a great school. And they choose great students w/o interview. Tell me I'm biased. But I like here very much

Anybody have the prompt for the MSU secondary? That would be most appreciated!

 

[docmayer]

Quick question (sorry if this is a stupid question). It is regarding the 3 sites of MSUCOM (detroit medical centre, macomb university centre, east lansing).

If we get accepted, and choose our preferred location, and we get it, does that mean all of our education will be at that site? If I pick DMC, will all of my training be done there?

That would be awesome, because then I can live in Canada and literally drive 25 minutes to the campus (assuming it was DMC), which would save living expenses and make up for the crazy tuition.

 

[DrMediterranean]

Quick question (sorry if this is a stupid question). It is regarding the 3 sites of MSUCOM (detroit medical centre, macomb university centre, east lansing).

If we get accepted, and choose our preferred location, and we get it, does that mean all of our education will be at that site? If I pick DMC, will all of my training be done there?

That would be awesome, because then I can live in Canada and literally drive 25 minutes to the campus (assuming it was DMC), which would save living expenses and make up for the crazy tuition.

If you are assigned at DMC, only your preclinical years are guaranteed there (1+2). You may end up staying in the area for clinicals (3+4) but this is not guaranteed because people all choose clinical sites from the same pool (EL+Macomb+DMC) thus a popular clinical site often goes to lottery and you do not always get your first choice.

 

[docmayer]

If you are assigned at DMC, only your preclinical years are guaranteed there (1+2). You may end up staying in the area for clinicals (3+4) but this is not guaranteed because people all choose clinical sites from the same pool (EL+Macomb+DMC) thus a popular clinical site often goes to lottery and you do not always get your first choice.

I see. Thanks for the heads up. Also, online it says the "special tuition rate" for Canadians has not been decided. Do you know anything about this? I thought it was 20k/year off of the 80k, so it is 60k/year.
Also, is the reduction in tuition guaranteed as a Canadian?

 

[Sunnydidi]

I see. Thanks for the heads up. Also, online it says the "special tuition rate" for Canadians has not been decided. Do you know anything about this? I thought it was 20k/year off of the 80k, so it is 60k/year.
Also, is the reduction in tuition guaranteed as a Canadian?

As far as I know, the tuition reduction is guaranteed for Canadian students (based on many posts by others either from primary or secondary sources). Search last year's school-specific thread if your interested. Cheers and good luck!

 

[docmayer]

As far as I know, the tuition reduction is guaranteed for Canadian students (based on many posts by others either from primary or secondary sources). Search last year's school-specific thread if your interested. Cheers and good luck!

Yes! Also, for those of you that have been to MSU, how 'hard' is it to get your first choice?

 

[docmayer]

LOL this vid is great...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-uocLNWbd8

 

[docmayer]

Do the biochemistry and genetics requirements have to be upper level courses? I have 2nd year biochem and genetics, and have no room for upper year courses in genetics or biochemistry next year.

 

[Driftinglily11]

.

 

[DrRichand1]

Does MSU have an in state preference

 

[EmOlee]

Is the form with all of the extracurriculars/ volunteer/ work experiences to be sent in only once you receive a secondary?

 

[DOxidant]

Is the form with all of the extracurriculars/ volunteer/ work experiences to be sent in only once you receive a secondary?

You should check w/ admission office.

They will start reviewing your application as soon as they receive your secondary. But I know for sure you can update them w/ additional course grades, EC, volunteers, etc. I did.

 

[camierz]

Does MSU have an in state preference

80% instate I believe.

 

[tsk1]

Does anyone know what is to be done with the Non-academic worksheet they provide on their website? Do we upload it to aacomas in the documents section?

 

[Sunnydidi]

Does MSU have an in state preference

Pulled from an old post

"The new class of 2015 had an average gpa of 3.6, 26.5 MCAT. 15% OOS students, about 3900 applicants for 316 seats"

Primary source is unknown but it gives an idea. In state preference ~85%.

 

[docmayer]

Canadian applicant
3.9/3.92/28Q
Average EC's

So MSUCOM's secondary application essay prompt...WTH I don't even know what to say unless I BS like crazy...What did you all talk about?

 

[Driftinglily11]

.

 

[Sunnydidi]

Canadian applicant
3.9/3.92/28Q
Average EC's

So MSUCOM's secondary application essay prompt...WTH I don't even know what to say unless I BS like crazy...What did you all talk about?

Do you mind letting us know the word/character limit?

 

[docmayer]

Do you mind letting us know the word/character limit?

I actually just used the prompt from last year to get started - I haven't actually received a secondary yet.

 

[Driftinglily11]

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[Sunnydidi]

I think it was just write a page. It wasn't anything too strict. You send it in as a hard copy.

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Thanks! Better get started soon. Any idea that the reference forms look like?

 

[Driftinglily11]

.

 

[HipChick]

I hope some of you guys that are admitted come back and act as mentors (hint hint)

 

[IUagd12]

I have some of the forms saved on my computer from last year. PM me and I would be happy to email them to anyone who wants a heads up.

 

[tulipan]

I'd be very grateful if you send the forms to [email protected]

 

[Sunnydidi]

Anyone's file got released to the school yet?

 

[docmayer]

Anyone's file got released to the school yet?

Nope

I'm having trouble getting the number of hours together from high school. I played every sport possible throughout high school and now they ask they total hours for each sport. How the heck am I supposed to regurgitate that?

 

[Everglide]

The adcom doesn't have an in-state preference - it's actually about 50/50 at the start of the cycle and the offers just go to who has the best application. However, it's clear from the tuition rates (you would be crazy to take on the OOS debt), MSUCOM prefers students who are likely to stick around after graduation and residency. The large skew towards in-state students is more or less self-selection.

COM doesn't interview the vast majority of people because the secondary is a beast. Interviews are usually people with career changes, non-trads or some sort of red-flag.

Get your secondaries in before August. This gives you a huge advantage. If you turn it in late (say late October-Nov) and your numbers are subpar, you're guaranteed to hear nothing the entire cycle. 99% of rejections are not sent out until the very end of the cycle in June... This pisses a lot of people off. Also the "low wait list" is essentially a slim chance of getting in - a handful of people are accepted off of this, might as well call it a rejection with how competitive things are now.

Don't under-estimate your volunteer, work, etc hours. The magic number is about 850 hours total. If you're under this, it hurts you big time.

 

[Sunnydidi]

Nope

I'm having trouble getting the number of hours together from high school. I played every sport possible throughout high school and now they ask they total hours for each sport. How the heck am I supposed to regurgitate that?

I find it helpful to think in terms of ~hrs/week multiplied by the ~weeks of sports season (or maybe you play all year round). It's much better than trying to think about 4 hours here, 3.75 hours there. Just a suggestion

So for the description of the activity, do you put down what you've learned from the experience or just simply what you did?

 

[docmayer]

I find it helpful to think in terms of ~hrs/week multiplied by the ~weeks of sports season (or maybe you play all year round). It's much better than trying to think about 4 hours here, 3.75 hours there. Just a suggestion

So for the description of the activity, do you put down what you've learned from the experience or just simply what you did?

Yeah I ended up doing that. I never thought my high school sports would actually benefit me for med school applications lol... um I just put "player on hockey/soccer/whatever team". That's all I did. No need to put what you learned.

 

[docmayer]

Don't under-estimate your volunteer, work, etc hours. The magic number is about 850 hours total. If you're under this, it hurts you big time.

So 850 is TOTAL volunteer/work/EC's from high school and college? Because that would be awesome then...I'm way above that woot!!!

 

[BabyDoc86]

Applying here as an OOS. Looks like a great program. Really excited to get this application cycle started.

 

[Everglide]

So 850 is TOTAL volunteer/work/EC's from high school and college? Because that would be awesome then...I'm way above that woot!!!

Yes. It's a pretty small number but many people shoot themselves in the foot by underestimating. 850 hrs or more + ~par grades/mcat + good secondary = fast acceptance.

 

[camierz]

I had around 300 hours with a 3.5c/3.3s (per aacomas) and a 31 MCAT and got accepted in November and applied as soon as it opened.

 

[Driftinglily11]

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[ShabNasty]

The average for the Class of 2016 is ~1200-1300 volunteer hours if I remember correctly. 850 is just a guideline, obviously the more hours the better. They weigh the whole app with about 60% being GPA and MCAT and 40% being EC's.

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Would work hours count into that? I worked a fulltime job while doing my undergrad so I don't have as many EC and volunteer hours as a result

Another question for anyone else that knows: On the "Non-Academic Worksheet" where all of our hours go, what if you run out of room under a section? Can you complete the form on a separate piece of paper? Should it be typed or can it be written?

Thanks!

 

[Driftinglily11]

.

 

[Ravizzle]

Ok so what if started out in my research lab as pays assistant, but after a year due to funding i switched over to volunteer (for units), would it classify as job or volunteer, or split into two?

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[docmayer]

Ok so what if started out in my research lab as pays assistant, but after a year due to funding i switched over to volunteer (for units), would it classify as job or volunteer, or split into two?

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I'd split it into two.

 

[Ravizzle]

I'd split it into two.

Thanks doc! U Canadian right? i heard we get like 20k discount on tuition, but no mention on their website, u know if that's true?

Also for this volunteer stuff they count High School???

I have way more HS stuff than college, will that look bad?
I thought they noone cares about high school. If they do then i had a service seal award and asb, leadership and like 2000 hrs of stuff just from HS. But i don't want it to overshadow my college stuff.

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[docmayer]

Thanks doc! U Canadian right? i heard we get like 20k discount on tuition, but no mention on their website, u know if that's true?

Also for this volunteer stuff they count High School???

I have way more HS stuff than college, will that look bad?
I thought they noone cares about high school. If they do then i had a service seal award and asb, leadership and like 2000 hrs of stuff just from HS. But i don't want it to overshadow my college stuff.

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Yea I am, UWO! And I spoke to someone from admissions and Canadians tuition is 59k/year. And yes they look at everything from high school. I would put everything you did. I hear that they rank people based on the number of hours from high school and university (and GPA/MCAT) so put it all down, otherwise you may be kicking yourself in the ass down the road.

 

[Sunnydidi]

Surprised! Application got released this morning. Didn't know they work on weekends

 

[docmayer]

Surprised! Application got released this morning. Didn't know they work on weekends

Me too! Woot woot