AMCAS verified 7/14/2010.
Expenses:
AMCAS: $800 (sent to 21 schools)
Secondaries: $1745 (as of 8/17/2010 for 19 schools)
I\'ve summarized my experience with the schools I was invited to interview for below:
Georgetown
SC: 7/20/2010 II: 7/28/2010 IA: 9/3/2010 R: 11/2/2010
First interview invite! Super excited to see DC :)
Interview went okay with a radiologist of the hospital. Could\'ve been smoother; she read my file while I was waiting to be called into her office for 10 minutes, she answered the phone during the interview, seemed uninterested in my answers. Did not absolutely love the school, but hard to compare with the first interview without having seen other schools.
REJECTED: thinking back on it, I did not really enjoy my time at the school, and frequently thought about withdrawing my application. My interviewer was harsh, and I was always \"meh\" about the school every time I thought about it. It definitely was at the bottom of my list of places I\'ve interviewed at....I don\'t think I\'m being bitter, but yeah it still stings.
University of Connecticut
SC: 7/15/2010 II: 8/4/2010 IA: 9/20/2010 A: 10/29/2010 WD: 5/13/2011
My state school! As an employee of UCHC, I see it often but it was nice to go on the tour and see the classrooms. The students were super enthusiastic about it, the lecture halls and study rooms were really nice. The cost of attendance is great (although I\'d probably live at home). The pass/fail grading system is nice, and there are a lot of student run clinics and volunteer opportunities, especially with the longitudinal continuity practice. Cons include being in Farmington and being way too familiar (and bored) with the area of Hartford. There is little to do in the area.
ACCEPTED! First acceptance of the cycle. HOMESTATE AND UNDERGRAD SCHOOL LOVE woo!
Withdrew: it was very difficult. I got offered great financial aid, and a nice merit scholarship. It seemed silly to turn it down from a financial perspective. I just could NOT see myself as being happy here, and that\'s what is more important to me.
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
SC: 8/4/2010 II: 8/26/2010 IA: 10/5/2010 WL: 11/20/2010
LOVED it. The emphasis MSSM places on community service is huge, and they have a ton of organizations and student clinics to help with. The PORTAL/MSCR program I applied to seems wonderful and helpful in learning how to properly conduct research. They are shooting up in rankings which is great. The Global Health Center seems really helpful in letting its students learn about global health and study abroad (a huge plus for me). The anatomy lab is beautiful with a great view. Hospital gorgeous. Housing is beautiful and guaranteed for four years at a fantastic price (550?!) NYC offers a TON to do and MSSM strongly encourages you to participate in whatever you want. P/F curriculum and complete freedom to take exams when and where you want online (honor code).
Waitlisted: really sad about it. Apparently the list doesn\'t move until May. I sent in an update letter in early Jan - gonna keep that hope alive! 2nd update sent end of Feb. Final update/letter of intent sent at beginning of May.
University of Maryland:
SS: 8/3/2010 II: 9/3/2010 IA: 10/18/2010 A: 11/15/2010 WD: 4/1/2011
Got a neutral vibe from the school. The students seemed pleasant and happy, but not overly enthusiastic. As a state school, the tuition/cost of attendance is really high for an OOS and does not seem to be worth it.
Facilities were very nice, but not jaw-dropping. The \"pods\" in which students study seemed depressing and ugly. The anatomy lab was nice, but nothing out of the ordinary it seemed. Hospitals were very nice as well. Baltimore doesn\'t seem like too exciting of a city. Letter grading seems to have its benefits as well as its downside. There is little community service and no real student run clinic as far as I can tell. Research does not seem to be a big priority to a lot of students/in the curriculum.
WITHDREW 4/1/2011: Cost of attendance was 83k with a 4k scholarship. Didn\'t seem worth it when I wasn\'t that excited about the school.
Jefferson Medical College:
SC: 7/28/2010 II: 11/10/2010 IA: 1/12/2011 A: 1/26/2011
Sent an \"in the area\" email last week, got the interview for my requested time in January. woo!
Liked the school a lot! DEFINITELY a happy student population, everyone raving about it. Very clinical based school and they\'re proud. Large student body (260) but that might be okay. In a really nice part of Philly, very accessible (car access difficult though). Should hear back soon!
Accepted two weeks later!! Yay! I loved my interviewers and apparently they liked me too :) def a top choice!
Temple University
SC: 7/29/2010 II: 10/13/2010 IA: 1/13/2011 WL: 2/12/2011 WD: 2/24/2011
Discovered interview invite on status change on 10/13. got an email about the interview invite a couple days later. Interesting school. absolutely gorgeous medical school building, didn\'t get to see the hospital but nice from what I hear. Don\'t like the particular part of Philadelphia, no student housing makes me a little annoyed at it. Happy student body, but overall an okay feeling. Curriculum seems great, and the anatomy lab was really cool looking. Global health elective in first/second year a huge plus.
Noticed \"correspondence sent\" status update = waitlist. oh well. Received the letter, and it really annoys me how they congratulate me several times on being a \"continuing candidate\".
I sent in my withdrawal email. I was not blown away by the school, the tuition is high, and with an acceptance at Jefferson, I don\'t need Temple\'s crappier location.
