So far I have definitely liked every school that I have interviewed at (see impressions below)
I was accepted on the first possible day. I am so lucky to have made it to where I am today.
11/7 At this point in the cycle, I am tired of waiting to hear back from the three remaining schools that I interviewed at. I am fortunate to have an acceptance already and I would be very happy to attend that school, however I really just want to hear from every school so that I can stop checking my phone and email constantly.
12/11
I am still waiting to hear back from Maryland (7+ weeks), and my Brown interview is approaching. I am hoping for good news from Maryland, although I am expecting a waitlist or rejection since it has taken so long for me to receive my decision. I am super excited about my upcoming Brown interview because it was my top choice going into the cycle. I am definitely nervous though...
12/31
I have basically mentally checked out of interview season. I don't expect to hear back from any more schools, and I am only focused on receiving my decision from Brown (January 10, so soon!) I plan to withdraw from my interview at NYMC, and then I will be in another long waiting period until financial aid packages are released. Then it will be time to make a final decision!
3/26
I am still waiting on financial aid packages to arrive, but I have completed all of the necessary information/documentation. I expect that I will not make a final decision for about another month (after second looks at UMD and Jefferson, and hopefully Brown if I come off the waitlist). I am currently leaning towards UMD because of the opportunity for in-state tuition and the proximity of friends/SO.
4/30
After receiving financial aid packages, I withdrew from Oakland. They didn't offer me any money and I don't want to live in Michigan. I also withdrew from Jefferson (who offered me very little in terms of grants and university loans). This was an extremely hard decision as I loved my day there and knew that I would enjoy being there. Ultimately, however, the price was not worth it for me because I will save 75K+ with in-state tuition at UMD. Additionally, I do not want to go through the hassle of finding a place to live and moving to Philly (which isn't that great of a city) and leaving friends and my SO. Philly would also make it a lot harder to visit family. I am very happy to say that I am Baltimore bound!
**Interview Recap and Afterthoughts**
Brown:
I had an amazing day. Everyone I met was super friendly and warm, and I felt welcomed. I got along very well with other interviewees and current students, and I really like the faculty and staff. Barbara and Marcy were awesome, and I got to speak with them after the day was over which was nice. My first interviewer seemed slightly distracted and a little rushed, which I can understand. We still had a nice conversation and I enjoyed speaking with her. My second interviewer was very interested in finding out the best information about me to present to the committee. We had great conversations and he was a really good guy. The lunch was good which was a plus, and speaking with the students made me more interested in the school. Everyone had a life outside of school and a very interesting background. Alpert Medical School emphasizes pursuing your interests and expressing yourself, and they seem to really encourage students to take up whatever challenge/project that they want. The curriculum is systems-based, P/F pre-clinical, and the school is in a new and gorgeous building (although the location is in a slightly isolated area of providence). The academies and mentoring available is really cool. A major plus is that AMS is the only med school in RI, so students have exclusive access to hospitals, etc. Overall, I had a wonderful day and I can't wait to hear back.
Jefferson:
I stayed with a student host the night before and it was a great choice. I got to ask tons of questions and see how the students liked the school. They were really cool and I felt like they were people I could see myself at school with. I loved my interview day and could really see myself here. The interview day was my favorite of all of my interviews and the fact that it was student run left a great impression on me. My interviews went very well and I spent a lot of time talking with Dr. Brooks during cookie break. She even walked me back to get my luggage from the admissions office. I had a good feeling about how my day went and my chances at acceptance. Also, I liked the location and Philly is a pretty cool city. I also got along quite well with the other interviewees, and the lunch was super good. The facilities were nice and the fact that there are only Friday exams and H/P/F system was a huge plus. Also the hospital is top notch. Definitely no complaints, and one of my top choices. I definitely felt a good 'fit' here.
George Washington:
I was more impressed by the school than I expected after the interview day. I liked the school, opportunities, and facilities, however I didn't love that the majority of the day was led by a woman from the office of admissions. She knew a lot, but I would have preferred someone with more intimate experience. Also we didn't meet many students. The new curriculum is starting Fall 2014, and they didn't tell us much about it. That is what I was most excited to learn about, so it was a bit of a let down. We had two interviews and my student interview was very conversational and I thought we got along well. My faculty interview was interesting and she gave me a lot of 'what would you do' questions. We got along well, although I didn't feel like I did a superb job. My day ended pretty early, and they didn't have anything for us to do after our interviews. Overall, I felt there are amazing opportunities at GW because of the location and some cool programs offered. The hospital is nice, as are the facilities. I definitely liked this school more than expected.
Georgetown:
I loved my day here. I don't know exactly why, but I left loving the school. Part of it was probably because it was my first interview. The facilities were old but that isn't much of a big deal. The students seemed happy enough. The lunch sucked. But Donna Sullivan was awesome. She was easily the best part of the day. She was incredibly honest and inspiring. Also the location is incredible. It seems like the students get amazing clinical training and the match list was incredibly impressive. I did feel like I would fit in, but I didn't feel like I did my best during the interview. Expecting a waitlist.
Wake Forest:
This interview was really nice. Just a small group of 6 of us. The school and hospital is beautiful. I loved it. I really liked the students and the admissions staff. Everyone was really friendly and it felt like a great environment. It is the least expensive of the schools I have interviewed at, and the cost of living is SO CHEAP! There were 3 short interviews. My first interview went okay. I sort of missed a great opportunity to bond with my interviewer I think. My next two interviews went well, but I felt like I was trying too hard to make up for the first one. I would honestly love to go here, but I just didn't feel like I clicked with the school. It is hard to explain, but I didn't feel like I fit in. I did love everything about the school, especially the curriculum, training, grading, and opportunities. Also we got to have whatever we wanted from the cafeteria for lunch. Awesome.
Oakland:
The fact that it is a new school made me a little skeptical, but I have family in the area so I was excited to check it out. The day was run very well, although it was very long. We got to see a lot of the school, as well as tour the hospital. Beaumont is an awesome hospital with a great reputation. I think I would like the curriculum, but it seems that students are in class a lot. The fact that the school is on the undergrad campus is cool. My interviews went well and were really conversational and relaxed. The food that was served for lunch was really good. I left the day liking the school, but I didn't love it and didn't click. The fact that it was a new school was a little off-putting, and a lot of students only went there because it was their only option. I can see this school having a great reputation in the future, but until it graduates a few classes, no one knows how the school will hold up. Anyways, everyone was really nice and the founding dean gave a great talk.
University of Maryland:
The admissions staff at this school is very friendly and fun. I started my day with an interview with Dean Foxwell. He is awesome and we got along quite well I believe. Then we had our financial aid talk which was very well done and then Dr. Foxwell came and talked to us. Grading is ABCD, but not curved. Also students are out of class by noon every day which is awesome. I had my second interview with a PhD who does research in a similar field to me. We had great conversations and I thought it went well. There was also a tour of the hospital, which is awesome, and the school is affiliated with the renowned Shock Trauma Center which is sweet. There are wonderful research opportunities and the training seems very good. I liked the students that we met, and could definitely see myself here. If I can get in-state tuition, it would be very hard to turn this school down.
