Secondary application strategies: Help Please

[Guest QuestionMan23213]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to fill out the secondary applications? What is the relative weighting of these in comparison to the primary? Are they used as flags or actually graded? Im just wondering how much effort to put into each submission since ive applied to a # of places and dont really have that much time at the moment. For canadian apps, i spent just ages perfecting everything but obviously that is not feasible here.

 

Any advice? how did u guys go about doing ur secondaries? did u guys do them all at once or as they came in?

 

thanks for the help,

QM

[Guest Madz25]

I did them as I got them. It's better than letting them pile up and being overwhelmed as the deadlines approach.

 

In terms of weighting of secondaries, I have no idea.

 

Some secondaries are easy to fill out as they require no essays, just extra information with respect to parents' occupations, if anyone in your family attended the institution, completion of prerequisites, more $$, passport size photo etc.

 

You may even be able to use the information in your Canadian med school essays to help you prepare your essays for the secondary applications. Although, the answer to 'why do you want to attend X school' will have to be completely original ofcourse.

 

Just try to do the best job you can with the limited amount of time you have available to devote to the secondaries. Good luck!

 

Madz

[Guest docbil]

The secondary counts more then the primary (in most schools).

 

Since you get more space to respond to more essays. Duke's is like 8 questions I think??? CRAZY.

 

Do the and return them fast. Cause your file will be sitting for review after that. From 2 weeks to 8 weeks.

 

Then you can deal with unexpected things, like they discover your canadian courses are not exactly 4 credits... since most schools have labs with lecture.. then you have to explain.. blahh blahhh balhhhh you get the idea.

[Guest arachniphobic730]

docbil, can you explain that? about the whole semester hours thing? we can still make it work, right?

[Guest docbil]

Sure. But please note, this is not with all US schools.

 

Some schools like UVic. We do Chem 101 (1.5units) and 102 (1.5units) (General Chemistry). This is lecture and Lab component. Both courses together are equal to 6 credits at UBC. Or one full course at UofT.

 

In the US and some Canadian Universities, as SFU. You will register for lecture and Lab component seperately. Lecture will be 3 credits and Lab will be 1 credit (As in the US, I believe).

 

So when you apply to SOME SCHOOLS IN THE STATES, AAMCAS application will show 6 credits of General Chemistry and will not show any Lab component. They then assume you did the lecture only and not the lab component. SOOOO then you have to explain to them it is the lab as well... show course and lab outline etc...

[Guest VwDubber]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to fill out the secondary applications? What is the relative weighting of these in comparison to the primary? Are they used as flags or actually graded? Im just wondering how much effort to put into each submission since ive applied to a # of places and dont really have that much time at the moment. For canadian apps, i spent just ages perfecting everything but obviously that is not feasible here.

 

Any advice? how did u guys go about doing ur secondaries? did u guys do them all at once or as they came in?

 

thanks for the help,

QM

 

try to do them as soon as you receive them and send them out asap. us schools are largely rolling so the sooner in the app cycle you get your app complete the better your chances are for receiving an interview (all other factors equal). My school has been interview since sept. so make sure you get the secondaries out as soon as possible. you're already behind!

 

regarding weight of the secondaries, it really depends on the school. i applied to a lot of schools last yr so if you have a particular school in mind then let me know. in general, they just want your money. some secondaries require additional essays .. others are as simples as a click of a button and your credit card.

 

 

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The Future Doc Network: A site dedicated to Canadian Applicants seeking admission to medical school in the United States

[Guest QuestionMan23213]

Hey VwDubber,

I remember you from last year's whole mcmaster interview preparation extravaganza . where did u end up going to in the states? i also started med in the UK this year but am trying back one more time to ontario schools and some in the US (i have never tried the latter). In the states, i havent selected schools that are impossible to get into on purpose cuz i know its late and my mcat wasnt all that i wanted it to be but its still reasonable. i applied to finch, connecticut, wayne state and a few others of midtear range but havent submitted any secondaries yet. i had to wait nearly a month for my transcript to finally arrive at amcas so they have only now begun processing the primary! i guess it will still be a few weeks b4 i get requests for secondaries though 2 schools said i can already download and submit them and thye will hold them till the receive my primary.

 

how do u find things so far.

Thanks everybody else for the advice!

[Guest VwDubber]

Hey QMan!

 

Just curious but if you already started med school in the UK, why would u want to come back to ontario or the US? If you do .. won't that mean that you'll have to start over in yr 1? I personally think some of the UK schools rock !!!

 

I'm at one of the NY schools now. I like the program here, the faculty, our facilities ... but my classmates are snooty and I miss my family, my partner and friends so it's a tradeoff in a lot of ways. I sometimes think I should have gone to Mac (they accepted me mid-aug... after rejecting me post interview) but they put me thru so much BS .. I just couldn't get over that.

 

As I said before, try to get your secondary apps in as soon as possible cuz you're already behind. Send in the secondary apps to the schools ASAP ... I can't stress this enough. I really think this was the key behind my success with my apps last yr. I submitted my amcas at the end of june .. it was processed by mid-july and i had all my secondaries submitted by the end of aug.

 

Make sure you follow up with AMCAS ... they are notorious for losing things!!!

 

anymore questions, feel free to ask.

 

g'luck

 

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http://www.futuredoc.ca/forums

[Guest QuestionMan23213]

VwDubber,

 

Wow, well im assuming ur probably at one of the really good NY schools (i think i can guess which one) so congrats for getting in. And Mac??? you got in after being rejected post interview? That would have been my ULTIMATE dream as ive always wanted to go there, but either way, as you put it u will prolly get a better education where u r and theres no point thinking about that anymore.

 

The UK schools are brilliant but i am in a 5 year double degree major leading to the mbbs. As a result i wouldnt really be losing any time if i had to restart after a year here and personally i always set my goal on getting into the states/canada so i wanted to give it one more go. I have no problems staying here tho and so far its been great. Tho i do know that i will likely end up in the states too when im done since the canadian img route is less attractive.

 

Too bad about ur classmates, im sure things will get better with time as ppl continue to adjust.

 

Im definitely trying to get the secondaries done but its tough with all the work!

 

Good luck to you too!

[Guest VwDubber]

Hi QMan,

 

I was floored as well when Mac called me. A few unexpected spots opened up due to additional govenment funding and they had exhausted their waitlist so I was one of the people they decided to call from their intial "please fawk off" post-interview list to try and fill their class.

 

I hope things work out at mac for you this yr since it's your ultimate dream school. I'm happy with the choice I made. I have a preliminary interest in ortho and plastics and for 2005, we matched 8 to ortho at places like the cleveland clinic and 4 to plastics (yale, penn, columbia and umaryland) so hopefully if I put in the effort good things will happen to me too

 

Good luck with your apps and don't hesitate to ask if you have questions. I'm always more than willing to help.

 

ciao