<p>As someone applying RD this year, what do you think got you in? Is the essay the deciding factor?</p>
<p>Anyone? Bump</p>
<p>Sorry but I'm not a PLME, but judging by the amazing alumnus (PLME grad) who interviewed my son, I'd say that being incredibly intelligent, focused, compassionate, determined, and curious would describe a PLME student!</p>
<p>I should add that this alumnus is prominent in his field--it wasn't that I was a fly on the wall, and S didn't say much except that it was a great/fun/interesting interview (and S's major is not medicine or science). In any case, it might be fun to speculate that an essay is what gets you in, but I'm guessing a PLME acceptee has got to be outstanding all around.</p>
<p>I can only speculate as an applicant, but yes I believe the two PLME essays would play a major role in admissions. No other aspect of the application (the alum interview, regular application essay, teacher recs, etc.) came remotely close to covering my interest in medicine or whether I had the "right mindset" to become a doctor. And in determining my commitment and qualifications for a career eight years from now, the PLME essays were really all they had to work with. I definitely didn't have any special recs or a doctor in the family to show my interest</p>
<p>If you ask me, it's a really big crapshoot anyway...</p>
<p>Just got into PLME here.</p>
<p>I'm 99% sure my essays were my key factor in getting in.</p>
<p>My first essay was about the events in my life that made me want to be a doctor, and my second one was what I wanted to do as a doctor. I wish I could elaborate more, but it's your personality you're putting in the essay. When I finished my final draft (over the course of several months of revising) I was very happy with the result and that's what you'd need I imagine.</p>
<p>I know there's little room for change as the deadline has already passed, but if you have any questions I'll try and help.</p>
<p>did u apply ed?
when do rd ppl find out?</p>
<p>yes, when do RD ppl find out?!</p>
<p>did you have a seperate, specific interview for PLME? i had an interview for regular brown already, but not specifically for PLME.</p>
<p>Just one interview. My interviewer didn't even know I was PLME (of course I think some interviewers have more spare time to find out these things than others).</p>
<p>You'll know about RD PLME the same time you know about Brown RD. From what I understand the main admission office checks out your application, and if they accept you then they pass it to the medical school for their decision about PLME.</p>
<p>Is there anything that you think PLME looks for in an applicant that other combined medical programs don't specifically look for as much?</p>
<p>I really don't know what they look for, and I doubt anyone can say for certain. They probably weigh the the same factors about the same as other combined medical schools, but with the difficulty of an Ivy League!</p>
<p>Mattgriffin, did you have any ECs that might have stood out? Like research published?</p>
<p>I've never done research (until recently, but It never went on my application). And I probably wont be published. I live in a fairly rural area so I really don't think they would have even expected that from me.</p>
<p>I believe that the two extracurriculars that helped me the most were probably the business that I started (even though it's not particularly flourishing!), and my volunteer work at my local hospital. For what it's worth, I've also done a lot of my own studying in certain things (foreign languages, physics), and wrote down that as an extracurricular also.</p>
<p>mattgriffin- when and how did you find out about ur rd decision? i thought they don't come out until the published date (april 1)?</p>
<p>I was accepted ED.</p>
<p>I thought PLME applicants had to apply regular, or am I thinking HPME for nw.</p>
<p>Well, the second I saw my acceptance letter I thought it was fake, so I guess this proves it. :(</p>
<p>Your status on your application status page said you were accepted PLME as well, right, mattgriffin? I hope so, because your stats have made me much more hopeful.</p>
<p>"Dear Mathew:</p>
<p>Congratulations! I am delighted to inform you that you have been admitted to the Class of 2012, the 245th class to enter The College of Brown University. I am equally delighted to inform you that have been admitted to the Program in Liberal Medical Education."</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry too much about stats. It's unfortunate, but I think a lot of people believe there is some ideal candidate for college applications: 2400 SAT, NHS present, two years of published cancer research at MIT, foreign in five languages. In my opinion, this is a really bad philosophy, and I think the admissions board might feel the same way (although no promises though, I may be completely wrong!).</p>
<p>It's too late for the potential class of 2012 to use this advice, but maybe they can pass it on to 2013 (or I will), but my philosophy with the admissions process is that it's important to paint a meaningful picture. Anyone can do years of cancer research if their parents force them into it, much like anything else. However, few teenagers can truly appreciate the power of teaching yourself a foreign language. The doors that it opens, the friendships that it can help create, and the general feeling of joy and pride that comes with learning something for yourself and working very hard at it.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, when you worry about SAT scores and if your extracurriculars are good enough, there is a business based around these things that benefit from you being insecure. While I'm not saying they're worthless (the scores and ECs, the 'services' are almost all worthless though), it's important to understand that people with perfect SATs and years of research are rejected a lot of the time, and it's not just because of luck. It's likely that they've been so busy with what they thought they needed to get into college, that they haven't had time to really get their life in perspective and that really shows well when you have to write an essay entirely about yourself.</p>
<p>Anyway, it's fairly meaningless for me to say this since I got accepted, but you need to have the attitude: "Sure, it would help my goals a lot to go to Brown (or school X), but I know that I want these things so bad that even if I went to a less prestigious school that I can still accomplish them just as well as I could if I had went to Brown." Nothing worse than making it seem like your whole future rides on one thing (not that anyone here has really given me that image).</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm rambling on. I hope someone finds this helpful. Good luck!</p>
<p>it seems like ur the only early PLME in cc.</p>
<p>Mattgriffin, I can see why you were accepted into PLME--I tried to find just a sentence to highlight, but there is so much here, I'd have to highlight it all. If only all the stressed out CC posters--students and parents--could read every word of this early on in high school, then sit back and look at what makes THEM tick, not 10 more points on an SAT score.</p>
<p>All I can do is bump this every so often, or cut and paste and say: Kids and parents, PLEASE read these wise words! I'd wish you luck, but you've made your own!</p>