|
Saturday, 10 April 2010 00:00 |
|
A big red flag on your AMCAS essay is when the total of the hours you list for each activity you do (i.e. research, community service, clinical, etc. sports) is greater than the number of hours in a day. You have to factor in at least 8 hours of sleep in the total, even if you don't sleep the full 8 hours.
We get so many applications that it is easy to just total the hours and see if it is "reasonable." If you overstated your hours, it means you have the potential to be dishonest and probably embellish the rest of your application. The best is when you understate your hours and list in your activities all the things you have done.
Even if you don't intentionally overstate your hours, just do the math and add it up. You may find out that you made an error and added an extra "1" adding 10 extra hours to your weekly commitment.
|
|
|
Thursday, 08 April 2010 00:00 |
|
One thing that bugs me and many other admissions members is when we read an application, and the personal statement and summary of your activities is "chatty." Chatty in the sense that you start to use lots of contractions, refer to professors by their first name without adding "Dr.", and constantly using "my friend Sarah X" or "my friend John Y". Also, don't refer to your parents by their first names.
Keep your application absolutely professional. Don't use many contractions (i.e. isn't, don't) and when you mention the names of individuals, use Dr. Smith, instead of Dr. Joe Smith.
Refrain from using the following word(s):
For the most part
My friend spoke highly of this program
....
(I'll add more later) |
|
|
Sunday, 28 March 2010 19:51 |
|
The end of March is the pretty much the end of the interview season. If you got lots of interviews, that's awesome and you'll most likely be a medical student starting in the Fall. However, if you received only a couple interviews or you really want to get into your top choice for medical school, then now is the time to start following up vigorously on your interviews. It is best to send an email instead of calling them because if you send them an email it will save them time from writing what you said from the phone conversation into a file. Plus, most applicant records these days are all electronic so attaching an email to your electronic file should be very easy.
What to write?
First, write them an email to tell them how their school is your number one choice and that you had a great time interviewing their. Put names down of the people you interacted with there even if they were not officially interviewing you. This makes the email more personal and shows that you do take initiative to interact with other people.
Second, update them on your activities that you have done since you submitted your secondary application. Remind them in your email you are still participating in the activity you listed and what additional things you have achieved with that activity.
Third, email them a list of your recently accepted scientific abstracts or publications.
Fourth, update the committee on your course grades. If you are applying during your senior year in college, then your Fall semester or Fall and Winter Quarter grades from your senior year will not be in your file. Even if those grades have not been validated by AAMC, at least the school can know that you did improve your GPA and they can validate the grades letter when you send in an official transcript to the medical school prior to matriculation.
Lastly, thank the admissions committee for the opportunity to interview there. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 3 of 14 |
