Michelle's Medical School Updates
 

Ok, I though I'd just make a thread out of this, since I have to write down my thoughts while applying.

I have 11 secondaries so far, and I think that number will stay put for a few weeks (although I hope for more in the begining of September). The schools that have invited me to complete the second round are:

George Washington*
Jefferson Medical College*
New York Medical College*
University of Southern California
Northwestern
MC of Wisconsin*
Ohio State
Creighton
University of Pittsburg
UC Irvine
Rush (in Chicago)

I am finishing up Northwestern now, since it is due Thursday for me. The schools with astricks I have already turned in.

I'll keep you posted. Hope for interviews!

ps- if anyone has any editing experience, I would LOVE your help in editing my essays.

ohhh good luck with the application process. GW is an awesome school!:D

more secondaries!
 

Add:
BU
Loyola
Stanford

Wow! Congrats Michelle!!!! Thats totally awesome :D

Add Emory!

How many secondaries do you expect at this point? I know you're at 15/24 if I remember the 24 correctly. Hope you continue to get secondaries!!!

Wow Michelle, sounds like things are going well so far. When did you say the secondaries are due?

Um, at all different times. Generally, I should be getting these out in 2-4 weeks. I am behind, but this weekend I am going to write two essays and knock off 3 or 4 applications. That's the goal at any rate.

So here's the total list (15):
George Washington
Jefferson Medical College
New York Medical College
Northwestern
University of Southern California
MCW
Ohio State
Creighton
University of Pittsburg
Boston University
Loyola
Stanford
Emory
UC Irvine
Rush

I'm turning in Northwestern as soon as I finish my edits today.
-M

Today I sent my letters of recommendation to all the schools that have given me a secondary. Yea!

I have finished 5 apps:
Jefferson, NYMC, MCW, GW, Northwestern. This week my goal is to finish Irvine, USC, Ohio State and Boston Univeristy.

ps- I wanted to say, athough this looks like way too much for grad school, this is fairly normal for the med school application process. A lot of schools get 5,000 primary applications for 150 spots. They narrow it down a little with secondaries (although schools like GW and BU don't- they give secondaries to everyone). It's at the interview stage where they really make big cuts. A school might send out 2,000 secondaries and interview 400 people for a class of 150 (so they'd give out 150 accepts, and a probably 100-150 wait list spots). So, the trick is to fill out as many secondaries as possible to get to the interview stage. If you get on a wait list, you can move yourself up by writing letters to the schools on why they are your first choice.

I got Columbia and Washington University in St. Louis today. Wow! That's 17 total.

Congrats Michelle! Here's hoping they continue to come and that you get plenty of interviews :D

I got UCSD's secondary today!!!! Yea!!! I am totally excited.


ETA- omg. UCSD literally asks for an "autoboigraphical statement" of no more than 2 pages (single spaced). Holy cow.

Michelle -

Any updates these days? I know you must be swamped with everything you're doing, but let us know how things are going if you have some time ;)

xoxo

V-
How nice of you to be so interested! I do have updates! I got Davis' secondary yesterday :-) and I have also gotten Tufts and Drexel. The total is up to 20 right now. I'm so swamped it's hard to think about it. But, one application at a time.
-Michelle

Congrats, Michelle! Thats soo great! I know its gotta be tough getting them all done, but the more secondaries, the more chances for interviews right? And as for my interest, how could I not be interested - I know you've been wanting to go to med school for a long time :) I think you'll be a great doctor when you get done with school and internships and residency. I know I'd trust anyone in my family in your care (even little ones if I have them someday far in the future).
Good luck with the secondaries! Let us know if you get anymore ;)

xoxo
V

Ladies - Maybe we shouldn't sign/address notes with 'V'! It gets my heart racing!!! ;) :p

Congrats Michelle on the secondaries. But isn't a personal statement normal? Or is the length what you are commenting on?

ha ha ha.... yes, I can see that, but I'm not going to say her full name!

Thanks hon! I appreciate the words of encouragement. :) I did a lot of writing this weekend, and will happily be submitting many applications in the next week and a half (7!).

Thanks Michelle! Sorry xo_kathy, but Michelle is right. With the things I've heard on the other board about some posters/ex-posters here, I'd rather not have my full name divulged. With that and the other readily available information about me, I would be easliy trackable.

And Michelle - congrats on getting 7 apps done! Thats a whole lot. I don't think I'd be able to crank secondaries out like that. give me my blots and flies (ick! I hate fruit flies) any day.

xoxo

It was an unfortunate choice, those fruit flies. Now we know so much about them, you have to keep using them. I liked using the bateria in bio lab better. At least they stayed on the agar plate.

LMAO, dear. :D You are right though, I'll just have to stick with them. Though I'd like to agree with you on the bacteria, they smell! and when you kill them in an autoclave.....well, I run the other direction:(

Ok, since this is my thread, I am going to vent in it.
I just spent two days at a training for no reason at all. As it turns out, I probably won't get assigned a site visit for a study because I am not allowed to go during the fall and winter (they need people to go once in fall, winter and spring), and because I came back late from the mid morning break for the only important secition of the whole two days. So, because I missed 2 minutes of video, I am disqualified from the study. I wish someone would have told me those were the perameters of the training. I wouldn't have gone to check my email if I knew it was that important. :rolleyes:
oh well. It's better that I can't go because then I won't have to deal with my traveling interfering with my interviews.

I got my first rejections yesterday. I won't be going to Northwestern or Vanderbilt. :(

I turned in UC Irvine and Loyola in Chicago this weekend.

I only need one acceptance!!!! Cross your fingers.

-Michelle

Boo! I'm so sorry to hear that, M. But congrats on getting more secondaries in the mail! I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed for you;)

:( That stinks. But you do have all those others.

Give us an update again - who have you got secondaries for?

Thanks for asking Kathy!
 

Here they are:
George Washington*
Jefferson Medical College*
Ohio State
New York Medical College*
University of Southern California*
MCW*
UC Irvine*
Creighton*
Rush
University of Pittsburg*
[Northwestern]*
Boston University*
Loyola *
Stanford
Emory*
Columbia
Washington University (St. Louis)
Tufts*
UCSD
Drexel*
UC Davis

I got rejected from Northwestern and Vanderbilt, and have competed all the secondaries for the starred schools.

I am waiting to hear from:
Harvard
UCLA
UCSF
St. Louis U (just added these bad boys today)

I haven't gotten an interview yet, and I am starting to get very nervous about it!

ETA- Ok, since it is such a slow day at work, I just submitted Emory's application (adds the star now), and Creighton (adds another star). Also, I got really skittish about not getting in, and added another "3rd tier" school to my list. This is waaaay late, but hey. It was $30, and I just found out that one of my childhood friends lives in St. Louis now (Adds St. Louis University to list). It's better than Omaha, right? Maybe I should add more schools??? I am getting worried!

Yeaaa!!!!
 

Someone in the admissions office is out of their mind because Harvard gave me a secondary! Whoo-hoo.

you be the judge: Michelle's essay for UCSD
 

Thanks for all your edits and comments!!! I turned my application in just now, so it will be there tomorrow by 3pm. :D

I'm trying to send you a pm with my thoughts but your box is full!!!! What should I do?

Michelle, I think your essay is great! I am not all that good at grammar or editing so I won't comment on any of that. Plus I see that it is 3:11 and your essay is probably due in less than an hour. Best of luck to you! I am convinced by your essay that you are certainly dedicated to the field and will make a great physician.

15 down. 7 to go.

:D

The little engine that could
 

16 down! 6 to go :)

Yay!!!!!!:D

ETA: are you going to the recent grad reunion? I am thinking of going.

I wasn't going to, but if you are going to go, then I will go with you! :-)

17 down. still 6 to go.

I had a big scare from UCSD yesterday. They sent me a letter saying they withdrew my application the day before it was due. Since I turned mine in on the due date, there was some confusion. It's all good now though, they have my stuff and they will read my application. And I ate a pint of ice cream for nothing.


eta:1,100 posts! wow... I need a life!

I definitely want to go. I am trying to see if I'll have time to make the trip - even if only for that day =)

I'm glad the UCSD drama got sorted out....that totally sucks that they did that! Hopefully they'll read your application and give you a call, all the time thinking "we were so stupid to have almost let her go!"

4 to go. Harvard's package hasn't arrived yet... I'm wondering when it will come?

I GOT AN INTERVIEW!!!:D :D :D :D :D

... at Drexel University in Philadelphia. It's set for the end of November! Also, I turned in Harvard's application, which I got yesterday. 3 to go! (Columbia, Wash U and Rush)

I got an interview at USC!

I am all done with my applications, and am now playing the waiting game.

Congrats, Michelle!
I was wondering when an update was coming!

Congrats, Michelle!!!!!! Yay for two interviews!!!!!!

If you want a place to crash, you know who to call, right?

I will have to try and see you and my cousin. Right now I am going to use the student host program so I can learn more about the school. :-) I'll be down on Dec 7th.