Tufts MBS 2010-2011 Thread

[klmnop]

Unofficial discussion of Tufts MBS 2010-2011 applicants and acceptances!

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[BuckFMP]

I've applied. I think they're just now starting the review process. Will keep everyone posted as I hear more.

 

[300382]

accepted. i applied in early december.

 

[BuckFMP]

accepted. i applied in early december.

Congrats! Looks like you're pursuing quite a few SMPs. Do you have a preference right now? Did you apply to med schools too?

I've applied to G'town, BU, Tufts, Drexel IMS, VCU, and PCOM-GA. I've been accepted at Drexel. I'm totally up in the air on preference. I don't really want to spend more than a year, but I obviously want to maximize my chances. I'm also hesitant to sell my first born to finance it (read G'town).

 

[sagtig]

I'm applying as well...

just started my application, hope to complete it tomorrow

I'm also applying to:
GT, Loyola, Drexel IMS, EVMS, Barry, and PCOM-PA

not too excited about writing the Tufts personal statement, considering the months of my life I dedicated to compiling my PS and secondary essays for Med School...

any advice on the essay? It seems like I can't use any part of my AMCAS statement for Tufts cause they want an essay specifically pertaining to how this program will help us with our professional goals...

more essay brainstorming tomorrow, sigh

 

[300382]

haha yeah i applied to med schools this cycle with little to show for it (aka no acceptance). it is going to be difficult to decide on an SMP since i think all these programs are so great (in other words...no preference yet). like you said, BuckFMP, i just want a program that will work best for me.

sagtig: as for the essay, mine was pretty straightforward. it was not near the level of work/thought as my med app PS, but i did my best to be honest (regarding my current med app) and personal (regarding my goals and interest in the tufts mbs). i think i wrote it in an hour or so - i'm not saying that to sound arrogant, i just i don't think it's supposed to be a literary masterpiece as much as informative and convincing.

 

[klmnop]

Accepted last week, sent my application in early December. Still waiting on Cinci, GTown and BU.

 

[diva09]

Hello everyone,

I applied to this program. My application wasn't complete till this Monday because my GRE scores weren't in.

Good luck to those still waiting to hear back and congrats to those who got in!!!

 

[CentralMD]

Hey guys, Ive done the Tufts MBS program...PM me with any questions

 

[BuckFMP]

Hey guys, Ive done the Tufts MBS program...PM me with any questions

Hi CentralMD - obviously not a PM here, but can you update us on how you liked the program (generalities) and where you are now?

Thanks!

- Buck

 

[CentralMD]

Sure...

I know the program is relatively new but I can vouche that it has been VERY successful in getting people into medical school. During my year, about 8/15 that applied during the MBS year got acceptances (schools included Tufts, Emory, GW, NYMC, MCG and others). After completing the program the top 25% of the class get automatic interviews at Tufts...interestingly only a few were given acceptances right away and most everyone else was waitlisted. So the MBS isnt a highly linked program but Tufts does eventually hand out interviews to about the top half of the MBS class throughout the year.

Students had a lot of success with other medical schools (I got 7 interviews after having 0 interviews before doing MBS year). The students that performed well have all gotten multiple interviews and most have acceptances. The students that went out on weekends and didnt work as hard really struggled during the app process. The bottom line here-if you perform well in the program (3.7 or better) and have a 30 with healthcare experiences you should be all set.

Okay, now a little about the program itself. Since it is new they are still working out the kinks and the administrative side of things wasnt always smooth. The curriculum can't be beat for this type of program. Out of all the SMP programs the MBS has the most medical school courses. You get the same exact lectures and exams in 7ish classes as the first year medical students. This is a huge huge benefit to the program because it directly compares you to medical students. Obviously, to get A/A-'s you have to work your a** off. I dont mean studying 4 hours a day, I mean you have to dedicate your entire year to studying. The students that got A's were the ones studying all weekend and sacrificing their social life for the entire year. These are the same students that either got into med school during the year or have acceptances now. B+/B's will not cut it in this program-those kids didnt get interviews and might have wasted 30k. You should be trying to get as close to a 4.0 as possible. The year is intense but I can guarentee it will pay off.

There are some other benefits to the program such as living in Boston, the MCAT prep class that is included and the thesis. The thesis is kind of a pain in the a** but it can provide a good LOR.

Any other questions?

 

[BuckFMP]

Any other questions?

Not at the moment. That was exactly what I was looking for. In fact, your endorsement has definitely moved Tufts up on my list of places I would like to go.

Thanks for the feedback!

- Buck

 

[RogueUnicorn]

a few of my friends are doin the tufts program, and i have nothing but very high regard to their program - but be warned, it is freakin INTENSE, much more than the BU SMP in my opinion. but the curve is quite generous.

 

[klmnop]

First I wanna say to sagtig, I contacted the admissions people and they indicated that it is acceptable to use a modified version of your personal statement for the essay. They are basically asking the same information anyways. I just added a paragraph or two as to why the Tufts program was a good choice for me, and what I hoped to achieve with it. Don't rewrite an entirely new essay unless its completely off base regarding your goals and experiences.

That said,

Any other questions?

This is great, thanks centralMD. I have some questions and will PM them too you.


First though, some general questions that the public might be interested in:

Do the majority of the kids do well in the classes, like is it tailored and is the administration structured to help you be successful? I wasn't the best studier in terms of time management and focus in UG, however I've realized that this is probably my last chance so...

Also did you find it a good setting for studying and learning, in terms of the facilities, the atmosphere, and the general cooperativeness of the staff and students?

Also, in terms of the difficulty, is it generally the content and teaching style or the amount. For instance, if you've already had several sems of biochem, human physio, etc., is there some advantage in terms of learning, or is the difficulty based mostly on the number of credits and amount of information.

Finally, is there a particular elective route you would recommend. I see you only have 4 credits of electives, but is there one that may be a little less challenging or more interesting that you've heard of.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CentralMD]

Electives-I didnt think too much about it, at the time I took Epidemiology because you need to take it at most medical schools (and it was rumored to be the easiest elective).

I would say it was the content of the courses that were most difficult. I had taken biochem in college but the amount they expect you to know at tufts is insane. You basically have to memorize the entire syllabus (if you want an A) and this is true of all the classes. The lecturers are very supportive and helpful for the most part and they understand why you are there. However, many people didnt go to lectures, they preferred to listen to them on mp3 on their own time. Although I went to all the lectures, Ill admit that if you havent read ahead of time, they can be a waste because most of the material will be over your head. The facilities are great...I spent all day on campus but needed to study in other locations at night/weekends to keep sanity.

The grading system is similar to undergrad but everything is scaled slightly up. Anything below a B- is a failing grade. In almost all the classes the top 15% got A's the next 15% got A-'s and so on (you generally needed a 93% class average for an A). There are a few classes where like 40% got A's to boost peoples gpa. Also they do give out A+'s for those in the 98% class average range which show up on your transcript but an A+=A for gpa. Feel free to ask any more questions.

 

[Goobers]

Howdy,

I was in the MBS class last year, so I thought that I would share some thoughts.

Administration: Obviously the administration is invested in the students' success because they can't sell the program without it, especially because it's new. However, if you don't do great on a test (but still make above a 70), they aren't going to carp you about it either. There is an advisory system, but some of the advisors are more... laissez faire then others. Everyone is willing to help, but in some cases you have to be very proactive to get that help. Most of the classes have tutoring sessions for people who do make below a 70 on something, but I can’t say if those are helpful or not. The administration (particularly the director, Dr. Gustafson) is also personally interested in people’s success because they believe in the program/you/whatever, but even if they didn’t personally give a cookie, they would have to be interested in the students’ success simply because the existence of the program depends on it.

The only thing with which I really disagree with regards to the administration’s guidance is that they do not pressure people to turn in their AMCAS’s in June/July, which I think hurt a lot of the people in my class. Most people took the summer MCAT class for the July/Aug MCAT because they were advised that it didn’t make a difference and it would be easier than taking it during the year. While yes it is better to take the MCAT in July than apply with a 20 something, at least some of the people I talk to think that they would have been more successful if they had taken it in May instead.

Environment: Tufts does have very nice learning facilities. The library has couches and food, so that does it for me (I’ve never been a library person). Most people formed little study groups, which were very helpful for tests. The only real con about the environment is that Tufts is in a somewhat rough neighborhood, so for that reason I never stayed in the library late at night if I was going to be walking to the T by myself. I mean it’s not Baltimore, but it’s not Brookline either.

Students: I was very worried starting Tufts that everyone would be uber competitive, not by nature but given the circumstance: 60 pre-meds with a “last chance” mentality. In my experience this was NOT the case at all. People emailed out mnemonic and other tricks and everyone I hung around wanted everyone else to succeed. However, I cannot say if this was everyone’s experience, and I will admit that I spent most of my time with non-MBSers because my boyfriend goes to another school.

Difficulty: The content of the material is in not conceptually difficult. The amount of material compounded by the fact that there is a test every week or two is what made it hard for me. The curriculum has changed since I was in the class, but from what I have heard this is still the case. This style (less material/more tests) might be better for other people, but personally I am much better at learning everything for one big test than being on my A-game every single week, since it is nearly impossible to recover (still get an A) after 1 bad test.

The single biggest effect I think that MBS had on my application, which hasn’t been mentioned, was the access to clinical volunteer work at Sharewood. At my undergrad, I couldn’t figure out whom to blow to get cleared to volunteer at the free clinic. At Sharewood I just showed up and got to take histories, present, and write patient notes—infinitely more valuable than standing next to a physician with my thumb up my rear-end, both personally and for the purpose of med school interviews.

So, MBS is A LOT of money for an arguably worthless degree. However, at least for me, it was totally worth the time/effort/money because I’m really excited about the places at which I’ve interviewed/been accepted and don’t think that I would be in the same position had I just worked for a couple of years as I had initially planned. Sorry for the tome of a post.

 

[Goobers]

You know the one thing I am curious about, just cuz I didn't find this info last year when I was applying and because I'm sure this year's applicants are curious, where have people been being accepted more? MD or DO schools? What percent of people from what the data has shown would you guess is being accepted into med school? What are some of the schools that have recognized the program outside of Tufts itself? I'm just curious. Last year's people didn't seem to know much who posted on here and this is the one thing that i think kept a lot of people from choosing Tufts who chose my program over it.

Yeah, I was really worried about the newness of the program. Unfortunately, I can only offer information on where I've heard from so far this year (I know, we all love these n=1 studies), but I've gotten into UCIrvine, Tufts, Vanderbilt, and the MD/PhD program at VCU. I'm still waiting to hear back from the majority of places I've interviewed, though.

 

[klmnop]

I know, we all love these n=1 studies

If you don't mind my asking, what were your stats coming into the program, and then when you applied? I'm assuming you waited until you completed it to apply and you are not currently enrolled. Also, did you take the MCAT before and retake it after the program as is offered? Like you said, with the limited sample size this information is largely valueless, but until we get some more I'd like to get a feel of where I can reasonably expect to have a chance once I'm done.

 

[Goobers]

If you don't mind my asking, what were your stats coming into the program, and then when you applied? I'm assuming you waited until you completed it to apply and you are not currently enrolled. Also, did you take the MCAT before and retake it after the program as is offered? Like you said, with the limited sample size this information is largely valueless, but until we get some more I'd like to get a feel of where I can reasonably expect to have a chance once I'm done.

Surely. I applied my senior year with a 35 and like a 3.41ish and had one interview at UCDavis. The first time I applied I had no clue what I was doing since I wasn't in the pre-med club or whatever, so that's why I decided to apply again after completing the program (also I was deciding if I want to apply MD or MD/PhD). I had to retake the MCAT in May because my first score expired. This time I applied with a 3.45 UGPA and a 37. Sorry I don't know more about what the others are doing beyond what central already said. I'm not in Boston anymore and people are kind of hush hush about it.

 

[300382]

i thought applying to these programs early was a good idea, but i didn't realize that, in return, i have to decide early as well! so FYI, tufts gives you about 3 weeks to accept your spot once they send out the acceptance letter - that includes the $200 nonrefundable deposit! (which is better than gtown's $500, but still...)

 

[CentralMD]

Okay here is a quick list of schools I know people have been accepted at. Mind you the season isnt over yet and the list of schools people have interviewed at is much much bigger. I dont know that anyone even applied to DO. I think the reason people enrolled in the MBS was to get an acceptance at an MD school...

Tufts
GW
Emory
Dartmouth
NYMC
Univ of Kansas
Creighton
UMass
Cincinnati
St. Louis
EVMS
Tulane
Penn St
Albany
UMDNJ
FIU
Univ of Iowa
Suny Upstate

If I think of others Ill add them to the list

 

[klmnop]

i thought applying to these programs early was a good idea

granted, a $200 and $500 deposit isn't ideal, but i still think its a good idea to apply early, as you can always back out until registration. more often than not, its better to have several options than none at all. unfortunately some of us will not hear about offers until late july, and when it comes to planning the next year or two of your life, i'd rather have many options and lots of time, than few options or little time.

the thing thats messing with me though is getting the financial aid app in in two weeks...

 

[klmnop]

the list of schools people have interviewed at is much much bigger

I know its a lot to ask, but are you able to compile a list of these schools were people have gotten interviews....if not, no big deal, it'd be just good to know what types of schools are MBS-friendly

 

[klmnop]

also
i'm reading through this and the other threads discussing tufts and i'm curious what kind of numbers students had when they were accepted into tufts after completing the mbs program. whereas my instate schools would be ideal financially, to go through this program and come out the other side in tufts' medical school would be more than worth it.

seeing as my one and only mcat was a 30Q i'm assuming i'd have to increase this, along with a stellar mbs gpa to be seriously considered.

let me know what you guys think and if you have any info on what tufts looks for coming out of the mbs (those of you who've been through it)

thanks in advance

 

[300382]

granted, a $200 and $500 deposit isn't ideal, but i still think its a good idea to apply early, as you can always back out until registration. more often than not, its better to have several options than none at all. unfortunately some of us will not hear about offers until late july, and when it comes to planning the next year or two of your life, i'd rather have many options and lots of time, than few options or little time.

the thing thats messing with me though is getting the financial aid app in in two weeks...

sorry, i didn't mean to sound ungrateful or whiny - i guess my main issue was deciding "yes" or "no" on tufts mbs despite the fact that i haven't heard back from all of the SMPs i've applied to. but obviously, as you said, having options is nothing to complain about.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

sorry, i didn't mean to sound ungrateful or whiny - i guess my main issue was deciding "yes" or "no" on tufts mbs despite the fact that i haven't heard back from all of the SMPs i've applied to. but obviously, as you said, having options is nothing to complain about.

what's a couple hundred bucks in the face of tens of thousands

 

[bwmore]

Hey i had a question about the online application. Where are we supposed to fill in our EC's?

 

[Nafis64]

Hey i had a question about the online application. Where are we supposed to fill in our EC's?

I am not sure either...maybe the resume is supposed to be it. Anyone have a any suggestions.?

 

[IntelInside]

@ central or goober:

would you recommend / do most students apply(ing) to med school the summer before entering the program or after you finish the program?

As I have a 32 on my mcat already I am also deciding if I should retake.

 

[LeoMessi10]

For this particular program, any truth in assuming allopathic application success comes after completing the entire program as opposed to applying during like gtown and evms so as to transition right into med school after completing the program. This program is looking good, but im looking for that smooth transition sans another non-academic year while I apply again. If it has been done before that is relatively reassuring, so long as it isnt like 2/70 got into med school right after the program. And I have heard different things, but is that top 20% getting an interview at tufts for the school year immediately following the program, or for the next cycle. thanks much

 

[CentralMD]

some people did get in for the year after the program ended...i think it was about 6/20. they dont support applying during the year but people have done it and a portion of them were successful.

the top 25% of the class get the interview for the application year after the program ends.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

For this particular program, any truth in assuming allopathic application success comes after completing the entire program as opposed to applying during like gtown and evms so as to transition right into med school after completing the program. This program is looking good, but im looking for that smooth transition sans another non-academic year while I apply again. If it has been done before that is relatively reassuring, so long as it isnt like 2/70 got into med school right after the program. And I have heard different things, but is that top 20% getting an interview at tufts for the school year immediately following the program, or for the next cycle. thanks much

the auto interview thing is after the program ends, but i've heard of some cats getting interviews during the program at tufts and elsewhere. it's too new to answer your questions well, i think, but i know tufts supports you if you apply while you're doing the program, whereas BU will not.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

some people did get in for the year after the program ended...i think it was about 6/20. they dont support applying during the year but people have done it and a portion of them were successful.

the top 25% of the class get the interview for the application year after the program ends.

doesn't tufts send out letter of updates with your performance and such to med schools if you request them?

 

[BuckFMP]

Okay - So I just checked my status and got, "Congratulations! You have been admitted to the Master of Science program at Tufts University School of Medicine."

That's great, however.....the hotlink on the page was to a waitlist screen. Anyone else see this? May just have to wait for the snail mail.

 

[klmnop]

Okay - So I just checked my status

How do you check your status, I went on the application site and couldn't find anything that said status, all it said was complete, but I've gotten a letter already...?

 

[klmnop]

How do you check your status, I went on the application site and couldn't find anything that said status, all it said was complete, but I've gotten a letter already...?

nevermind, I found it, never saw that link on the MBS page before.

 

[BuckFMP]

How do you check your status, I went on the application site and couldn't find anything that said status, all it said was complete, but I've gotten a letter already...?

When I completed my app, I got a message from [email protected] with the subject, "Tuft's Username and Password." Logging in takes me to a page that has a "View Your Decision" hotlink. Here is the link to the login page:

https://grad.admissions.tufts.edu/APP/login.aspx

Is this what you've been checking? If you do have this page, can you let me know what, if any, links are on yours?

Thanks!

 

[gridguy]

Okay - So I just checked my status and got, "Congratulations! You have been admitted to the Master of Science program at Tufts University School of Medicine."

That's great, however.....the hotlink on the page was to a waitlist screen. Anyone else see this? May just have to wait for the snail mail.

Same thing here as well Buck. But much like yourself, I am hoping to come off of Georgetown's SMP waitlist. Tufts wouldn't be the worse thing ever though...

 

[BuckFMP]

So is your read that we're in, or waitlisted? I'm confused.

 

[gridguy]

So is your read that we're in, or waitlisted? I'm confused.

What I meant is that I also got into Tufts' MBS program (I checked their website after reading your post from earlier today). I was just commenting that I (we?) would prefer to go to Georgetown's SMP program, but am presently waitlisted.

 

[BuckFMP]

Got it. I've applied to G'town too, but my MCAT scores keep disappearing into the ether. Some day I'll be complete there and soon thereafter I'll likely join you on the waitlist. For personal reasons, I prefer Tufts. So, once everything's official, I may pull out of G'town. Good luck getting to where you want to be!

 

[ryryucd]

Hey Buck!

Thank you for posting that link. I had completely forgotten about it and just found out that I have been accepted as well! Does anyone know how long we have to either accept or reject the acceptance?

 

[BuckFMP]

Hey Buck!

Thank you for posting that link. I had completely forgotten about it and just found out that I have been accepted as well! Does anyone know how long we have to either accept or reject the acceptance?

It says that a letter is coming via snail mail. That will have details on deposit and timing. BTW - Did your acceptance page also have a link to a waitlist form? I'm trying to figure out if I have conflicting messages.

 

[gridguy]

Got it. I've applied to G'town too, but my MCAT scores keep disappearing into the ether. Some day I'll be complete there and soon thereafter I'll likely join you on the waitlist. For personal reasons, I prefer Tufts. So, once everything's official, I may pull out of G'town. Good luck getting to where you want to be!

Ah... my mistake. Well, congratulations on getting into your top SMP choice. I don't suppose you could share with me what makes Tufts your top choice? Despite the fact that I live very close to Georgetown, it's more the program's reputation, and not DC, that catches my attention. I'd like to hear your perspective.

 

[ryryucd]

I did not see anything about a Waitlist form on my acceptance letter. The only link was "Click here to use the Online Reply form!". I clicked on that and saw that I have only until March 5th to make a decision one way or another.

I'll second gridguy's question on why Tufts? It seems like a really exciting yet relatively new program. I personally am waiting to hear back from Boston, EVMS, Cincinnati, and Georgetown for SMPS and USC post-interview for Medical School.

 

[BuckFMP]

Ah... my mistake. Well, congratulations on getting into your top SMP choice. I don't suppose you could share with me what makes Tufts your top choice? Despite the fact that I live very close to Georgetown, it's more the program's reputation, and not DC, that catches my attention. I'd like to hear your perspective.

Like I said, my decision is primarily personal. I have a family, and we have close family in Boston. As my family time's definitely going to take a hit, it's important to me that my wife and daughter have other outlets/support. From a pure business perspective, I've been impressed by some of the recent feedback here on the site re the quality of the program and the success of those who have attended it. It also appears that it can be done more quickly than the BU MAMS, to which I've also applied.

My personal goals aside, it seems to be the consensus opinion on SDN that G'town's numero uno when it comes to non-linked SMPs. If that were my only variable, I'd choose it first too. Are you applying to any linked programs? Bird in hand is an awfully nice thing. Who do you have behind G'town?

 

[BuckFMP]

I did not see anything about a Waitlist form on my acceptance letter. The only link was "Click here to use the Online Reply form!". I clicked on that and saw that I have only until March 5th to make a decision one way or another.

I'll second gridguy's question on why Tufts? It seems like a really exciting yet relatively new program. I personally am waiting to hear back from Boston, EVMS, Cincinnati, and Georgetown for SMPS and USC post-interview for Medical School.

Uh-oh. That's what I was concerned about. We'll see what the mail brings.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Like I said, my decision is primarily personal. I have a family, and we have close family in Boston. As my family time's definitely going to take a hit, it's important to me that my wife and daughter have other outlets/support. From a pure business perspective, I've been impressed by some of the recent feedback here on the site re the quality of the program and the success of those who have attended it. It also appears that it can be done more quickly than the BU MAMS, to which I've also applied.

My personal goals aside, it seems to be the consensus opinion on SDN that G'town's numero uno when it comes to non-linked SMPs. If that were my only variable, I'd choose it first too. Are you applying to any linked programs? Bird in hand is an awfully nice thing. Who do you have behind G'town?

untrue, both can be completed in a year.

 

[tay33]

I also received an acceptance last Friday. I applied to Georgetown, UC, and EVMS, though I was waitlisted at all three. From everything I've read, Tufts seems great, but I would personally prefer a smaller program like EVMS or UC. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited that I was accepted to Tufts, and would be more than happy to attend, but the high "linkage" and no additional gap year at EVMS is really appealing to me. I'll most likely put down the deposit and cross my fingers until late spring to see if I come off any of these other lists.

And since I know a lot of you are stat junkies like me, I was accepted with a 3.1 CUM GPA in biology & economics, 31O MCAT. Not very strong numbers, but I think applying early helped me out here.

 

[300382]

congrats tay33 - hopefully you will hear from other programs soon. your comment regarding program size inspires me to post...
does anyone (preferably a tufts mbs alum/current student) know anything about the class size of the recent or prospective tufts mbs? i feel like i read somewhere that it started small, around 50, but has grown to 70-ish and now possibly 100?