Transcript Applicant Session 1: The Ins and Outs of Applying

Applicant Session 1:
The Ins and Outs of Applying
David Verrier, PhD, Director
Ana Droscoski, JD, Associate Director
Ellen Snydman, MS, Assistant Director
Katie Cruit, MS, Assistant Director
Office of Pre-Professional Programs & Advising
Garland Hall, 3rd Floor
Phone: 410-516-4140
Website: http://web.jhu.edu/prepro
First… Are you a competitive applicant?
• Do you have a competitive Cumulative GPA, BCPM GPA and
MCAT? (what are competitive numbers?)
• Do you have research or evidence of scholarly/academic
investment?
• Do you have strong medically-related exposure?
• Do you have meaningful community service?
– Consider: length of time, depth of experience, insight gained
– Have you reflected on what you’ve learned through your experiences?
• Do you have evidence of leadership?
• Will you have strong letters of recommendation?
Second…Are you ready?
• Can you clearly, meaningfully, and authentically communicate
why you want to be a medical professional?
• Do you have time to focus on the HPCA, AMCAS application,
letters of rec., graduation, MCAT, finding a gap year
experience, personal statement, secondary applications?
• Do you need to consider your junior year vs. senior year
transcript; do you need post-bac and/or masters coursework?
• Does the timing of the process work to your advantage?
• Are you applying from a position of strength?
COA-Endorsed Core Entry-level Personal Competencies
• Integrity and Ethics
• Reliability and Dependability
• Service Orientation
• Social and Interpersonal Skills
• Teamwork
• Capacity for Improvement
• Resilience and Adaptability
• Cultural Competence
• Oral Communication
How will these be reflected in your application?
2013 APPLICATION CYCLE TIMELINE
Internal Process – November 2011 to June 2012
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
March
May
April
June
Committee Application
Available Online
Committee Interviews
Students Request Letters of Recommendation via veCollect
11/2011
Applicant
Meetings;
Initial
Request of
Rec. Letters
12/2011
HPCA
Application
Available
Online
Work on HPCA from
December to March
3/30/2012
HPCA
Deadline
4/2012
Committee
Interviews
Begin
5 /2102
Begin Work
on AMCAS/
AACOMAS/
AADSAS
application
5/2012
Committee
Interviews
End
6/2012
Early
submission of
AMCAS/
AACOMAS/
AADSAS
application ;
follow-up with
Pre-Prof. Office
Mid-June2012
4-6 letters of rec.
submitted
2013 APPLICATION CYCLE TIMELINE
External Process – May 2012 to August 2013
May
June July
Aug. Sept.
Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March April May June July August
AMCAS/AADSAS/AACOMAS
Medical School Interviews
Acceptances
Acceptances off of Waitlists
Early May, Early June,
2012
2012
AMCAS,
AADSAS,
AACOMAS
go online
First date to
submit
AMCAS
AADSAS,
AACOMAS
Sept., 2012
Med/
Dental
School
interviews
begin
October 15,
2012
First
acceptances
sent out by
medical
schools with
rolling
admissions;
AMCAS
deadline for
many schools
March, 2013 May 15, 2013
Aug. 2013
Interviews
end at most
medical
schools
Med/Dental
School
begins
Last date to
hold multiple
acceptances
The Committee Letter
• 3 – 4 page narrative
• Sections of the letter include:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Candidate Overview
Research
Medically Related Experience
Community Service
Other Activities
Closing Comments
• All of your recommendation letters are attached
Letters of Recommendation
•
Follow through with veCollect
o Register and receive manual
o Ask recommenders for LOR before putting their names into veCollect
o Give writers: resume, transcript (optional), paragraph on why you want to be a
physician, copies of appropriate papers.
•
Request letters now
o Recommenders who know you well; can speak of your knowledge, skills and
abilities as a future physician; can speak in terms of personal competencies.
o Recommended distribution: science faculty, non-science faculty, those outside
of the classroom (research PI, athletic coach, volunteer supervisor, employer,
etc.)
•
Letters should be submitted to veCollect by mid-June
•
Submission of letters of recommendation (with Committee Letter) totally
separate from submission of AMCAS
How does the MCAT factor into your application?
• If taken by May, can choose to see scores before submitting
AMCAS application in June.
• If taken June or later, usually advised to submit your AMCAS
application before knowing your score.
• Scores automatically released to AMCAS and immediately
available to your schools.
• Non-AMCAS schools can receive scores via the MCAT
Testing History (THx) System.
• Plan to only take test once.
• When does it make sense to retake?
Personal Statement
Schools view your personal statement as…
•
•
•
A chance to move beyond your numbers and really show the admissions committee who you
are and why you are applying.
A significant factor in whether or not you will be invited to interview.
A writing sample.
Some Keys: Authenticity, engagement, clarity of theme, intro-body-closing…
Questions to consider:
•
•
•
•
What experiences have shaped me the most and how?
Why is it important for me to tell admissions committees about this topic as it relates to me?
What does this topic choice tell admissions committees about me? How does my topic reflect
on me?
How is this topic relevant to my pursuit of the health professions and to my application to
health professions school?
Personal Statement Workshops
(only need to attend one)
Thursday, April 5, 5 – 6 pm, Mergenthaler 111
Thursday, April 12, 5 – 6 pm, Maryland 110
Wednesday, April 18, 5 – 6 pm, Ames 234
Selecting Medical Schools
• Last year:
$160 for application and one (1) school
+ $33 for each additional school
+ $50 - $125 for each secondary application
• Key consideration – 10th to 90th percentiles in MSAR
• Other key selection factors: residency, location, cost, class size,
male/female ratio, diversity, mission, curriculum, student life,
special programs, personal considerations
• How many schools to choose?
o Average number nationally is 14 schools/applicant
o Average number for JHU students is between 15-20/applicant
o Limited # reach schools, majority where your numbers are equal to or
above competitive indices, and, if available, “safety schools”
o Strongly consider applying to osteopathic schools
• Sources of information: MSAR, Website, Interview Reports
AMCAS/AACOMAS
• Application available approximately May 1.
• Can start submitting application approximately June1.
• AMCAS/AACOMAS “verifies” academic and other
demographic information; downloads to schools selected by
applicants.
• Additional schools can be added through the AMCAS
website—Must notify Mrs. Krause or Mrs. Sanders to insure
schools are forwarded Committee Packet.
AMCAS/AACOMAS Workshops
(only need to attend one)
Thursday, April 26, 5 – 6 pm, Maryland 110
Monday, May 7, 5 – 6 pm, Maryland 110
What Does It Cost to Apply to Med School?
Estimated costs to apply and interview:
–
–
–
–
–
MCAT x 1 @ $240
$240
AMCAS Application (1 school)
$160
Additional 19 schools @$33 each
$627
15 Supplemental App Costs @ $100 each $1500
Total Pre-interview Estimated Costs $2527
And that’s before interviewing!
Add hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in
interview travel expenses…
trains, planes, cabs, food, etc.
Ongoing Contact with Pre-Professional Office
• HPCA due no later than March 30, 4 pm!
•
When you officially apply to medical schools, submit electronic copy of AMCAS
application, the AMCAS Letter form, and Master List of Schools to Pre-Prof.
Office. We do not submit Committee Packet without these materials.
Note: Medical schools do not begin receiving AMCAS applications until July.
•
Pre-Prof. Office starts uploading your Committee Letter with veCollect letters of
rec in mid-July.
•
Notification of additional schools.
•
Notification if recommenders change.
Strong suggestion: Get to know Mrs. Krause and Mrs. Sanders for questions
regarding administrative aspects of the process.
Other Considerations:
• MD/PhD Applicant Information Session on Monday, March 12,
5 – 6 pm, Shaffer 101
• Health Professions Fair on Tuesday, April 10, 11 am – 2 pm,
Glass Pavilion
• Osteopathic Medical Colleges (open up your sights and possibilities)
• Dental Schools (meet with Ms. Droscoski)
• Institutional Action
• Professionalism!!!
Key Resources
Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR). Profiles and statistics on every US
and Canadian medical school. Purchased through Association of American Medical
Colleges: http://www.aamc.org or at http://www.amazon.com
Osteopathic Medical College Information Book. Contact the American Association of
Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, http://www.aacom.org/Pages/default.aspx. A
few copies are available in the Pre-Prof Office.
MCAT application information, preparation and FAQs:
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/
Official MCAT practice tests: http://www.e-mcat.com/
The Pre-Professional Office website: http://web.jhu.edu/prepro/health/applicants.html
Questions?