<p>lollybo, Congrats! You are going to eat free pizza at Olin soon Maybe you know about this better than I do: It appears wustl interviews applicants on multiple days in a week. Is it true? For most state schools DS went to, there seems only one interview per week or every other week, so the interview group there tends to be larger.</p>
<p>One of DS’s friend ONLY wants to get into UNC, as he is from that area and it has a program he likes the most there. So he is not interested in applying to any other schools. (so applying to very few schools.) He would likely get in there though, considering his stats and his special background.</p>
<p>Interview #1 today. I just think it couldn’t have gone better. I had a ton in common with both my interviewers (non-medical interests/hobbies with one, medical interests with the other) and they both made concerted efforts to sell the place to me. I must have heard the phrase “when you’re here next year…” a dozen or so times. And even though I’m sure that’s no indication that I’m any more special than the other kids interviewing with me, it certainly feels nice to be told it! It sure is nice to be complimented, and I received more than a few about my candidacy and ties to Mizzou. </p>
<p>At the very least, I definitely feel like I’ve given it all that I can. No regrets on my part. Now it’s time to hurry up and wait again!</p>
<p>oh lolly, don’t you worry. your cyber pal kristin is likely going to make some questionable decisions tonight and then have to wake up early tomorrow to finish my homework that’s due at 11am. carpe diem, right?</p>
<p>Congrats lollybo!! Awesome news!! WU must have been really high on your list!</p>
<p>And congrats kristin!! That is a great feeling, isn’t it? Now you know more less what to expect. You will be excited but more relaxed for the rest of them. I’m sure you are going to ace all your interviews and you will be conquering NU and Duke pretty soon! BTW, remember my story about my panel interview at NU? My interview partner was also accepted! It is all about being part of a team!!</p>
<p>I want to congratulate our regulars on their interviews and/or acceptances so far. But I know there are some readers who are NOT having success (just stands to reason). I encourage you to ask for advice at a time the advice may still help you this cycle. If you are not comfortable posting on the thread , p.m. somebody and ask for help. After all, it is the only legitimate reason some of us have for still being here.</p>
<p>Good to hear it, myo. For things like this, I’m usually a collaborator and not a competitor. I generally tend to think that my biggest competition is myself! Perhaps somewhat related to you and your NU partner are me and one of the others interviewed yesterday. She was being hosted by one of my buddies from high school (who is now an M2) so we met up the night before and had dinner together. While we didn’t actually work together during the day, I think she really benefited from having a familiar face there (she came in knowing nobody!) because it seemed to make her more comfortable, and I’m sure I benefited from hearing her stories and worries and realizing that they were both similar to mine. It’s definitely easier and less stressful to work together than suddenly take on that gunner mindset. It seems unlikely that the one kid/handful of kids you’re kind to during the interview process are the ones who would “take your spot” anyway.</p>
<p>PS: lollybo–celebrating was awesome (questionable decisions all around), just finished my homework that’s due tomorrow. If you have an hour to kill and are interested in learning about other healthcare systems/models, check out the PBS “Frontline” video called “Sick Around The World”–it was quite interesting.</p>
<p>DS learned from somebody else recently that, for some medical school, once the medical school notifies you of your acceptance, you need to pay some deposit to “hold the place” within some time period (3 weeks or one month?) What if a person pay the deposit and later decides against going there. Is it considered as being dishonest? A particular school that person mentioned is UVA. (DS did not apply there.)</p>
<p>Is it true? How many medical schools do such things to the applicants?</p>
<p>Also, I suspect that some schools seem to prefer that you tell them explicitly that the school is your top choice, before they give you an acceptance (or even an invite?!) But this is my wild guess.</p>
<p>There should be no deposit. The language is confusing, but all you’re doing is asking the school to hold your acceptance for a little while. I know they may say things like “hold your spot,” but all you’re doing is informing them that you could potentially be interested in the admission down the line.</p>
<p>Nope - everyone does this. You’re allowed to hold as many acceptances as you want until a certain point later in the application cycle when you must release all of your acceptances except one. (schools report your acceptances to AMCAS, so they know if you’re holding more than one)
All schools charge this deposit - it’s usually small ($100-200) and gets applied to fees if you matriculate there (and is refundable before that date I mentioned earlier - which I can’t remember right now haha). This is way better than most DO schools, which charge upwards of $1000-2000 to hold an acceptance.</p>
<p>Mcat2,
"DS learned from somebody else recently that, for some medical school, once the medical school notifies you of your acceptance, you need to pay some deposit to “hold the place” within some time period (3 weeks or one month?) What if a person pay the deposit and later decides against going there. Is it considered as being dishonest? A particular school that person mentioned is UVA. (DS did not apply there.)</p>
<p>Is it true? How many medical schools do such things to the applicants?"</p>
<p>-Yes, it is true. D. has paid to one of her schools (it was only $25), because they requested it. I do not see any dishonesty here, just doing what is required to be done at this point. D. might end up going there and she might be going somewhere else. She still is going to interviews and waiting for responses, which is normal at this time in a process. But so far it has been only one school, not all of her schools with acceptances.</p>
<p>OK, Curm, I’ll bite the bullet and take your advice. DD applied MD/PHD to about 10 schools and regular MD to about 3. She has had one interview, which combined both MD and MD/PHD interviews into one day. She has been waitlisted at this school for MD and no response yet on MD/PHD. She has subsequently gotten rejections from two other schools for MD/PHD but both schools say she is still being considered for MD there. Not sure if this is really true or if it puts her at any disadvantage but it is what it is. No response at all from the others.</p>
<p>DD is nervous and highly stressed. I have no idea how to advise her from here on out. Send Letters of Intent? Wait? Sigh. There is so little information on the process for MD/PHD and that doesnt help at all.</p>
<p>If you recall, she had all secondaries complete by August 1st. But her committee review didnt happen until September so her LOR’s, etc didnt go until almost the end of the month. Such a shame if the school’s delay is the reason for the lack of love. </p>
<p>Is it still early? What’s our next move? HELP!</p>
<p>I think a major contributor to why waiting sucks so much is that premeds are, generally speaking, pretty used to predictability and knowing what to expect next (at least, me and my friends are). I can’t speak to what’s normal in terms of MD/PhD timeline, but I definitely know the anxiety of waiting to hear back from schools and how frustrating it is to be rejected (especially when it seems like you fit well with that program).</p>
<p>After you have a plan of attack (be it waiting, or calling, or sending letters…), I’d execute that as necessary and then just try not to think about it. I have some wonderful interviews coming up, and I am definitely looking forward to them, but it really sucked to have to wait a few months to hear back (I was complete mid- to late-September at my schools with the notable exception of Duke). </p>
<p>The fact that she’s applying to an entirely different program than lollybo, MyOpinion, MCAT’s S, MiamiDAP’s D, and I are could be part of the reason that we’ve heard back from some schools but she has not. </p>
<p>Out of the other posters here (except perhaps your D, kschmidt), I think I’m the latest on the timeline, and if you look back you’ll also see that I’ve been the last to hear any news. It was REALLY hard for me not to compare my lack of news to the good news others were hearing. So I chose to think of it as no news is good news (as in, I hadn’t been rejected!) and then focus on any good news that I had (like the promise of my Mizzou interview). Maybe that would help your D?</p>
<p>It’s rough. Lots of “hurry up and wait” with this process. But she’s not alone!</p>
<p>son is in the same boat as others here…waiting, but for him his angst is not related to med school apps/interviews. It has had its ups and downs, some rejections, some interviews and some acceptances. For him it is what it is. He is busy with his classes (loaded his schedue with 21 units), his research and his social life (for what it is here compared to previous uni). He has been fitting in the interviews around his classes so not too much interference, just alot of travel but he enjoys that. Gives him an excuse to stay with alums and he has been having a good time.</p>
<p>BUT, this is the first fall since he was 7 that he has not played football. I “tried” to get rid of his nasty old cleats but they manage to mysteriously return. Friday nights and Saturdays have long been game day at our home. His older brother played and his younger brother as well. So almost 20 years of game days. Playing in college demands so much of your time and injuries live on long after the games are over but he wouldn’t trade it for the world. It is the most discussed activity (EC) by interviewers with him than any other, and I do mean any. They always bring it up. Kinda like rubbing salt in the wound.</p>
<p>He is excited to get on with the next stage but letting go of something you did everyday since you were 7 has been harder than either he or I ever imagined. The new song/video/documentary by kenney Chesney Boys of Fall sums it up perfectly. Think it is on youtube. He walks away when it is on. So does his older bro. </p>
<p>So decision-making for boy includes the “football” component. Thought that was over with undergrad but no, some schools are on the list BECAUSE of the football, not necessarily all about the med school!</p>
<p>Kat
as much as things change they remain the same…he still drives me crazy!</p>
A very good point. This aspect of a typical premed life (esp. during the application cycle) is very unpleasant for DS. He at one time almost wanted to switch to pre-law as the outcome on that track seems to be much more predictable. That is, if you have the required numbers/stat, especially the LSAT number, you know you can likely get in some reasonably good law school. You are always in the mode like “Do you like me, or do you like me not?” during the medical school application cycle. It sucks!</p>
<p>DS even said (in his freshman year, I think) that, if you are a really hardcore premed (always scheming on what activity is good for your medical school application), the quality of your college life would take a hit.</p>
<p>bluebayou, What I was trying to say was that: the grades are more or less under each individual’s control, while you do not have as much confidence in predicting whether adcoms will value your ECs or volunteering experience. For medical school admission, the latter factor is much more critical.</p>
<p>But a good thing for a typical premed is that there are much fewer “bad” medical schools, and for most applicants, it is good enough for them to get into any school.</p>
<p>^it is not that evident from D’s experience. It is getting more and more clear that GPA/MCAT is a cut off line almost everywhere that she applied. I am sure that other aspects like connections and URM status paly huge role. But ECs, from D’s comments, her music has been discussed much more often than her research and other medically related EC’s. She was somewhat disappointed, she wanted to discuss research, she is very interested in it. Another popular question is about reading for pleasure, which is none in D’s case and she truthfully indicated that.</p>
Maybe you know about this better than I do: It appears wustl interviews applicants on multiple days in a week. Is it true? For most state schools DS went to, there seems only one interview per week or every other week, so the interview group there tends to be larger.</p>