Why does UMKC have a social media prompt? Did some scandal happen in the past
@speedyliv - Based on your profile and ethnicity, there is an excellent chance you will walk into the program! But I would advise, which you can as you have plenty more time till Nov 2020 to get your ACT’s to lower 30’s to be a solid candidate. Good Luck!
@ramen2020 Social media prompt was there when my daughter applied in 2016 for class of 2023! So, it’s not anything new. I have seen at other schools as well, have similar questions asked from the applicant. You would have read in this thread less than a year back or so, one person posting lot of details regarding some unprofessional behavior (postings in the social media) of classmates, who (poster) eventually quit the program (Again this is all from the person who posted, so I have no personal knowledge whether he or she is giving factual data or information, as it’s only an one sided opinion from that poster.) You can read those messages to get further details.
There are a lot of half truths in this forum unfortunately. I am a senior student. The social media prompt was before the incident @WGSK88 is mentioning, which just happened in 2019 lmao. The reason why it’s there is much more benign. The former dean for years 1 and 2, Dr. Raymond Cattaneo came up with it because he personally is a physician who uses social media, both on twitter for himself and his private practice Priority Care Pediatrics. He uses social media to dispel misinformation on the internet. Unfortunately he just moved to Pennsylvania.
I have read through several pages of forum posts are there are a lot of half truths and semi-misinformation here, although there is some good information too.
Quick question,
How would you answer the social media prompt if you don’t really use social media?
Thank you! Besides just my ACT score is there anything else you advise?
@speedyliv Keep doing what you are doing already with the medical related exposure. It’s very hard to predict and there might be a luck factor also in getting into this program. Personal example is my son’s case, who had an excellent record all across including perfect ACT in his first attempt, unweighted GPA (3.96/4 with 12 AP courses with all A’s, National AP Scholar) and rigor of courses he took similar to his sister (who is extremely doing well - currently in the 3rd year of the program) from the same high school, but still didn’t make it into the program this year, as he was only wait listed from Regional!
@WGSK88 Hmm okay. Do you think that he did not get in because he might have been overqualified? And your daughter, is she really stressed out about this program? Does she miss having summers off?
@speedyliv - I really don’t know the reason. I would not think or state that it’s over qualification as many of the people we know was very much surprised as well to see him not get into this program. They state lot of stuff goes into the calculation including essays, interviews, recommendations, etc. God only knows! Both my children wrote their essays on their own (they never wanted any professional help as they thought it’s a cheating to get written by a professional or even reviewed by a professional!) In fact my son is a better writer than my daughter who got into the program (Class of 2023). They had very similar record academically as well only major difference was extra curricular activities wise, my daughter is a South Indian classical Dancer/Singer whereas my son is a South Indian Classical Percussionist.
Regarding my daughter, she is enjoying the program (look at my posting last year.) By God’s grace, she is doing extremely well. In the first 1.5 years of the program, she was flying every other weekend to Chicago (From Aug 2017 to Dec 2018.) She is also in the competitive dance team and she had to travel 1 hour/each way to Kansas University to be part of it, almost every week. You can imagine she was doing this even during her HSF 1 to IV (One of the intense stretches in the first 2 years of the program), including going a weekend away to out of state to participate in a competition in the middle of HSF-II. Now they have formed a new team this Summer locally. She also volunteers with couple of local organizations through UMKC. You get the point, there is life outside this program, where one can enjoy and participate in other activities and still do good in the program. Yes, things might change from years 3 to 6, but she is still pursuing her dance, etc. as usual and only time will tell us how she will manage?, since the last 3.5 years gets more intense.
Regarding Summer being not there for BA/MD students, if you look at most of the premed students in the traditional path, has to do more work during their premed summers like shadowing/research/prepare for MCAT, so that they can present themselves competitively, to get in to the Medical School. Only difference is, that you are bound in this program during Summer! So, don’t get discouraged by that and not apply to this program.
@WGSK88 wonder if your daughter has any interest in research or not? If she does, what kind of opportunity she had so far? Any other opportunity to study abroad kind of program? Any other language or other cultural study opportunities?
@PPofEngrDr Yes, I didn’t address in my posting as she is working on to get into research currently. Last year she did apply for 1st/2nd year students research and unfortunately she was not selected for the same. I think (if I am right, first time the SOM officially started taking applicants from Year 1 & 2 to apply for research with in the SOM.) One can read the details regarding this at SOM web site (http://med.umkc.edu/docs/research/MSI_MSII_Research_Policy.pdf). Regarding studying abroad and such, my daughter is not that much interested and so we didn’t pay much attention in that area. I vaguely remember during her orientation they were talking about those opportunities. She is very much interested in doing one of her rotations outside UMKC which they give you an opportunity.
I would appreciate if OOS members could share your ACT/SAT, GPA, AP status, volunteer experience etc. My daughter is interested in UMKC program and will apply in 2020 for the class of 2017. I would like to get an idea what her chance would be.
Can you chance my DS, his stats below–
(Regional)
UW=3.95, W=4.986
SAT = 1580 Composite (780 R/W 800 M)
12 AP’s
E.C’s:
-Co-captain of debate team (4yrs)
-Varsity Tennis (4yrs)
-National Honors Society
-Hospital Volunteering (150 hrs)
-Pediatrician and Immunologist shadowing (80 hrs)
-ISRA (illinois summer research academy)-50 hours
-summer research internship at well known college of medicine (400 hrs)
-Senior Citizen Home volunteering (50 hrs)
-Volunteer tutor for kids with special needs (40 hrs)
- National Student Leadership conference in Medicine (2 week camp)
Major Awards:
All-state in debate, numerous awards in local tournaments.
Research Presentation at ISRA
Publication pending, will not know till december.
@staycalm123 - Your DS has an excellent all round record. Congrats! Even if he is of Indian American descent (where the competition is the most), there is a very good chance he will walk into this program. Good Luck!
Really appreciate your prompt response.
@WGSK88 based on my son’s scores can you recommend some other similar schools like UMKC.
@staycalm123 - Based on your son’s profile, the following.
HPME (Northwestern) - They are more interested to see how much research for interview selection criteria apart from of course academics/scores. They invite 500 applicants to apply and out of which 100 or so, will be called for an interview. About 20 to 25 will be offered admission. Toughest to get in.
Wash U (Very high GPA requirement during BS part - Many drop out.) Very Tough to get in.
Brown PLME (8 year - no interview. They select directly from the application pool. ) Also, early decision is available for PLME. Catch is, if you choose early decision and only you get into Brown regular BS not to PLME, still it will be binding (Be careful.) Very Tough get in.
Case Western PPSP. Tough to get in.
Pitt GAP (4 years mandatory BS part). There is no separate application for GAP. All pre-med applicants will be considered but very few will be chosen to be called for interview. For BS part they give good amount of Merit based aid even for out of state.
UIC GPPA (only for Illinois residents).
They are lot more programs in North Eastern part of the USA. Some of which are very expensive and relatively easy to get in than some of the above programs, which we were not interested for our children when they applied, so don’t know much about these programs. I am sure you can get the details from the web for list of BA/MD programs.
Good Luck!
Thank you.
@OmCV2020 - No, my son didn’t get in! Wait list is the worst to be in, it’s better to get out right rejected, so no need to wait long for 3 months since the results came out this year early on March 13!