Brief Profile:Ignore my Writing Section Score, I could not submit my section scores without one but my MCAT did not have a writing section.
Extracirriculars:
Leadership in multiple clubs/organizations Lots of Shadowing Hours Lots of Clinical Volunteering hours Lots of Clinical Research hours + 1 pub. Good mix of outside hobbies/sports
Miscellaneous:
I got a lot of feedback from interviewers and mentors saying that my personal statement and secondary essays were very well written.
Didn't get any comments on letters, so I'm assuming that they were mostly average-good (though I know I had at least 1 glowing letter based off of my relationship with the writer).
I loved traditional one on one interviewing, and think I shined in this area. They were all very conversational and very pleasant, I enjoyed meeting the physicians & students in my interviews. I didn't like MMI and did poorly in this type of interviewing because it felt too rushed to really give a complete answer and lacked chances to connect personally with your interviewer.
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 06/18/2013
Undergraduate college: Binghamton University-SUNY
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Submitted = Date I submitted the secondary application Secondary Completed = Date my application was complete and forwarded to an admissions committee for review.
Summary of Experience:
I heard about the financial trouble this school is having and that made me a little uneasy about attending even if I had been accepted after interviewing. When combined with the fact that I was already accepted to a school I liked, I decided to withdraw.
Summary of Experience:
Coming out of my interview at Upstate, I knew I had made some mistakes and wasn't as convincing with my answers as I should have been. This was my first interview, so I was still working out some kinks I guess you could say. I also really dislike MMI, it doesn't fit well with how I interview and interact with interviewers.
Ultimately, I think that my lackluster interview along with differing missions (Upstate is big on serving rural communities and central NY, whereas I am more focused on underserved immigrant populations in urban/suburban areas) contributed to my post-interview rejection. While Upstate is a great school, after my visit I had a nagging feeling that this wasn't the right fit for me, so I am not upset about the rejection.
Things I liked: 1) Everything was brand new & the campus was beautiful. 2) The Student Body seemed really relaxed and cohesive. 3) Upstate serves 17 counties across NY.
Things I didn't like: 1) Mentor told me that recent LCME probation and administrative corruption has put Upstate in somewhat of a negative light. 2) Emphasis on Rural Med/Central NY 3) Syracuse as a city wasn't too impressive to me.
Summary of Experience:
Was waiting to hear back just to see what my decision would be but I withdrew after being wait listed.
Things I liked: 1) Great Student Body 2) Housing is super cheap in Buffalo & it's a good balance between the urban and suburban/rural. 3) Brand new med school in downtown Buffalo coming in 2015.
Things I didn't like: 1) The current school's facilities are old & dated with the exception of the simulation center. 2) Doesn't have a lot of 24/7 rooms/spaces/labs for med students (compared to other schools I visited). 3) If I attended, I would have been right in the middle of a major transition for the school into a new campus.
Summary of Experience:
Loved everything about this school.
Things I like: 1) Great student body, everyone knew each other and the students were also very enthusiastic about what they were doing. 2) Facilities are brand new. 3) Great opportunities for research 4) Small Class Size (124!) 5) The proximity to NYC (home) 6) Low cost school with a high quality education and lots of opportunities.
Things I didn't like: 1) The quietness of Suffolk County Suburbs. I guess I want a more active setting to live in that is in the immediate area. The rent here is also expensive for a quieter suburban area. 2) You basically are required to have a car to get around, because buses and the LIRR run so infrequently out here.
Summary of Experience:
This school was amazing during my visit and shot up to the top of my list post interview! I loved the experience.
Things I liked: 1) Less time in curriculum devoted to lectures. 2) Exceptional Care without Exception really rings true, especially in the context of BMC as a clinical site. 3) Boston is a great city! And BU is near the heart of it. 4) P/F unranked (true P/F) 5) Lots of great research opportunities. 6) The students here are awesome!
Things I didn't like: 1) BUSM/BMC and the MSR are located near the border/transition areas into some of the more sketchy areas of Boston. Rent is also expensive here because it's close to some of the most desirable neighborhoods as well. 2) Some clinical facilities in the main teaching hospital, BMC, are a little old, but I believe they are starting a construction project to renovate these parts.
