Genetic Counseling Fall 2017 Applicants

[GCapplicant]

Regarding thank you notes -- is it more appropriate to send a handwritten one or an email?

[Gadgette]

8 hours ago, AspiringGC said:

Wow, I am still waiting to hear from CSU... I finally emailed since my calls keep going to voicemail. It still says pending under my application. For anyone who did get a rejection, did your application decision change from pending to rejected? 

I'm just confused since rejections went out 2 weeks ago, and interviews went out a little before then. This is my last chance basically, so I just want to stop hoping if it's gonna be a rejection.

I got rejected a couple of weeks ago and mine still says pending..

 

I did thank you emails to everyone I interviewed with. If there was something that I felt stood out in the interview, I included it in the email. It's a lot of emails and they did definitely get repetitive.

@PreGCI would say it isn't too late if you want to send them. This is still the window where you got home and settled back in after your trip. I think waiting any longer might seem like it was an afterthought. I got the impression that most of the other interviewees hadn't thought about or planned on sending thank yous, so I don't really think it's something that everyone does. 

[Nefelibata]

1 hour ago, GCapplicant said:

Regarding thank you notes -- is it more appropriate to send a handwritten one or an email?

These days I don't think handwritten is considered any "better" than email notes.. we live in such a digital age that I don't think it makes a difference. For those who maybe don't have the greatest handwriting I would say definitely do email haha.

[Nefelibata]

2 hours ago, GCFaith92 said:

For those of you who have interviewed already, what types of questions did you ask your interviewers considering we are told to have questions prepared for our interviewers. 

The number 1 thing I suggest asking about is tuition and fees, as well as what options are available to help counter the cost (grad assistant positions, TA positions, scholarships, etc). Not all programs are great about advertising that on their websites.  If you are out of state, some schools have the option for you to be considered in-state your second year so you get to pay in-state tuition your second year which is nice. Some schools don't have a difference between in-state or out-state tuition. It's all very messy and confusing, so that's something I always like to clarify and get specific details on.

[Ultrapeaches]

9 hours ago, PreGC said:

I didn't send thank you notes for my interviews that have already happened, do you guys think I should send them now (a over a week later) or just leave it? I'll definitely send them to my interviewers in the future, but now am worried that not sending the ones from before would greatly affect my chances of getting in. Do you think that they put a lot of weight on them?

Honestly, I don't think it could possibly make much difference in you getting in; when a school is interviewing 50+ people in the span of a couple weeks, there is no way to keep those interviews straight without some kind of standardized scoring system. I would bet anything that your interviewers "scores" / take notes on their impressions of you for your admissions file within a few hours of your leaving the campus - long before any kind of thank you note could be received to alter their impression of you. 

I am just very fond of my stationary and the use thereof.

[Ultrapeaches]

9 hours ago, GCFaith92 said:

For those of you who have interviewed already, what types of questions did you ask your interviewers considering we are told to have questions prepared for our interviewers. 

I asked about things I was interested in; basically, I treated this time like the school was trying to win me over and prove that they could meet my needs. I am interested in public health, so I asked about what kind of public health opportunities the school offered. If you have an idea of what kind of research you might want to do, you can ask about that. If you want to do a rotation in a non-standard area (cardiac, laboratory, something else?) make sure that they offer the rotation you want. If you speak another language, ask how they're gonna help you learn to counsel in your other language. 

[GC15]

Hi everyone. I just discovered this forum, wish I found it earlier. I have my first interview this week.

What have the group interviews been like? Is it more conversational or does the group have to complete a task? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[blc073]

On 3/20/2017 at 10:51 AM, GCapplicant said:

Regarding thank you notes -- is it more appropriate to send a handwritten one or an email?

Always do email for a professional correspondence. Even if you are writing a thank you note for a professor or close colleague, type it, then print it and deliver it in an envelope. 

In short, never hand write anything in a professional setting.

[moose312]

44 minutes ago, blc073 said:

Always do email for a professional correspondence. Even if you are writing a thank you note for a professor or close colleague, type it, then print it and deliver it in an envelope. 

In short, never hand write anything in a professional setting.

As a general rule, you are correct -- however, I think thank you notes during the admissions process are an exception to this rule.  I work closely with faculty members who serve on PhD and MD/PhD admissions committees who routinely receive handwritten thank-you's as this is considered the norm in this circumstance.  That being said, I can't imagine sending an email rather than a handwritten note would count against you, I am guessing the admissions committees just want to see that you have had time to reflect upon your interview/introduction experience to the school. 

[Nazifa Abasova]

Hi, everyone

I want to apply UC Irvine GC M.D program at Fall 2017. Is anyone here got a interview from UCI? What is the requirements ? 

Thanks

[Ellaie]

47 minutes ago, Nazifa Abasova said:

Hi, everyone

I want to apply UC Irvine GC M.D program at Fall 2017. Is anyone here got a interview from UCI? What is the requirements ? 

Thanks

It's too late now to apply for the Fall 2017 class.  Applications were due in February and interviews are already taking place.  If you wanted to apply for the Fall 2018 class, then I'd say the best place to find information about their program is their website. http://www.pediatrics.uci.edu/masters-genetic-counseling.asp  If you click on admissions it will tell you the program requirements and how to apply to the program.  

[GCFaith92]

I must check my email 3x an hour to see when Thomas Jefferson will get back to us! Ahhhhg

[bubusaur]

On 3/17/2017 at 8:59 AM, mosley said:

Hey all,

Now that some of us probably have a few interviews under our belts, I was wondering if you guys would share some of your pro/con lists, how they've been ranking things so far, or just general impressions? I know I have my certain things I'm looking for, but I'm curious how other people are liking (or not) the programs they've visited and why?

Just to note: not trying to get anyone to badmouth programs or anything, just wondering what other people are looking for and how the programs have met expectations.

I've only interviewed at Mt. Sinai, Sarah Lawrence, and UCI so far. Before the interviews, I had a semi-clear list of my school ranking, after half the interviews, I threw the list out, just because I learned waaaaay more about each program during the interview that my idea of them from their sites are all generic information that doesn't really matter anymore.

The biggest impression the 3 school made so far is the difference in student lifestyle and learning environment.

Mt. Sinai is set in a medical school building in Manhattan, they take classes with medical students and therefore their program is structured in a way that some classes cannot be altered to fit their needs. However, with a class size of 8 to 12, the specific GC classes can be tailored, which is nice. Students seem to have lots of fun in Manhattan, nice student apartments around, and seem pretty close-knit as friends.

Sarah Lawrence is in a liberal arts school, so you see the graduate students walking around campus along with undergraduates. My impression of the program felt like a really nice seminar style classes in undergraduate, while also having a professional aspect during rotation. Apparently, classes are dogs friendly and seem quite casual. They constantly make changes to the program based on student feedback, since they aren't operating under a hierarchy of authority (like medical schools). Staff is super lovely. Students talk about volunteering and life in New York and hanging out outside of class, etc.

UCI is set in a medical office building, everyone is dressed professional, take classes inside an office-setting (like in a meeting room), and the 8 students share a cubicle area. Overall impression of the program felt like a 9 to 5 job (confirmed by students). Students say they don't have much time for anything else like volunteering (unlike the other 2 schools). You're pretty much confined to the one building except during your rotations. The staff was cool too, and it seems like class is less formal than, say, Mt. Sinai, since it felt more like a group meeting rather than a lecture (at least for that one class we attended). Students felt more like colleagues than friends.

So far I think the environment has struck me as the most dynamic among the 3 programs. Of course there are other things like rotations, courses, volunteering, location, but it just seemed like they sold their programs pretty well in general. You really wouldn't know about the lifestyle and environment differences if you don't talk to the students.

[Gorays39]

On 3/22/2017 at 4:00 PM, bubusaur said:

I've only interviewed at Mt. Sinai, Sarah Lawrence, and UCI so far. Before the interviews, I had a semi-clear list of my school ranking, after half the interviews, I threw the list out, just because I learned waaaaay more about each program during the interview that my idea of them from their sites are all generic information that doesn't really matter anymore.

The biggest impression the 3 school made so far is the difference in student lifestyle and learning environment.

Mt. Sinai is set in a medical school building in Manhattan, they take classes with medical students and therefore their program is structured in a way that some classes cannot be altered to fit their needs. However, with a class size of 8 to 12, the specific GC classes can be tailored, which is nice. Students seem to have lots of fun in Manhattan, nice student apartments around, and seem pretty close-knit as friends.

Sarah Lawrence is in a liberal arts school, so you see the graduate students walking around campus along with undergraduates. My impression of the program felt like a really nice seminar style classes in undergraduate, while also having a professional aspect during rotation. Apparently, classes are dogs friendly and seem quite casual. They constantly make changes to the program based on student feedback, since they aren't operating under a hierarchy of authority (like medical schools). Staff is super lovely. Students talk about volunteering and life in New York and hanging out outside of class, etc.

UCI is set in a medical office building, everyone is dressed professional, take classes inside an office-setting (like in a meeting room), and the 8 students share a cubicle area. Overall impression of the program felt like a 9 to 5 job (confirmed by students). Students say they don't have much time for anything else like volunteering (unlike the other 2 schools). You're pretty much confined to the one building except during your rotations. The staff was cool too, and it seems like class is less formal than, say, Mt. Sinai, since it felt more like a group meeting rather than a lecture (at least for that one class we attended). Students felt more like colleagues than friends.

So far I think the environment has struck me as the most dynamic among the 3 programs. Of course there are other things like rotations, courses, volunteering, location, but it just seemed like they sold their programs pretty well in general. You really wouldn't know about the lifestyle and environment differences if you don't talk to the students.

Thank you for this information!  I interview at SLC and Mount Sinai next week and I really hope all goes well.  Did you notice any particular questioning style with either of them?  Most of my interviews so far have featured 'getting to know you' questions, but one had content-based and ethical questions that threw me a bit for a loop.

[Darwin]

Happy One Month Till Match Day, everyone!!!  

[GCFaith92]

So is it that we will all know on the 24th is we are accepted/rejected/waitlisted? And than we have until the 26th to accept/decline? Or is it that we may not know until the 25th or 26th? I am just a little confused if all the schools get back to us on the 24th

[Nefelibata]

30 minutes ago, GCFaith92 said:

So is it that we will all know on the 24th is we are accepted/rejected/waitlisted? And than we have until the 26th to accept/decline? Or is it that we may not know until the 25th or 26th? I am just a little confused if all the schools get back to us on the 24th

All schools you interview at will notify you of your status on the 24th. If you are waitlisted but people decline, then you could hear on the 25th or 26th if you have been moved up enough to be offered an official position in the program.

[Ultrapeaches]

4 hours ago, Darwin said:

Happy One Month Till Match Day, everyone!!!  

So, we'll get calls for acceptances and waitlists, and emails for outright rejections, right? Does anyone know what time the emails tend to come? It makes sense to have them set to auto-send fairly early in the day to get them out of the way because I have to imagine the program faculty will be crazy busy calling people/updating waitlists etc. 

Also I would like this to be true because I could assume that no emails by 9am or whatever means I've at least got a shot. 

[Nefelibata]

37 minutes ago, Ultrapeaches said:

So, we'll get calls for acceptances and waitlists, and emails for outright rejections, right? Does anyone know what time the emails tend to come? It makes sense to have them set to auto-send fairly early in the day to get them out of the way because I have to imagine the program faculty will be crazy busy calling people/updating waitlists etc. 

Also I would like this to be true because I could assume that no emails by 9am or whatever means I've at least got a shot. 

Some of the smaller programs who only interview 20-25 people might not do auto-emails since it would only be a handful who aren't offered a position/wait list, and they may not get into the office until 8 or 9 am... I'm going to give myself until 10 or 10:30 for email rejections until I let myself think I've got a shot..

[Gadgette]

VCU said they start calling for acceptance offers at 8. It sounds like they send out emails a little later, but didn't give any specifics.

 

[GCInTraining]

4 hours ago, Ultrapeaches said:

So, we'll get calls for acceptances and waitlists, and emails for outright rejections, right? Does anyone know what time the emails tend to come? It makes sense to have them set to auto-send fairly early in the day to get them out of the way because I have to imagine the program faculty will be crazy busy calling people/updating waitlists etc. 

Also I would like this to be true because I could assume that no emails by 9am or whatever means I've at least got a shot. 

I think it's the opposite actually. I think schools tend to call out acceptances first because that way they can see where those people stand before they make the other calls. So if someone turns them down right away, they can start moving down the list. From my understanding, early calls are good!

 

13 minutes ago, Gadgette said:

VCU said they start calling for acceptance offers at 8. It sounds like they send out emails a little later, but didn't give any specifics.

 

Just a heads up, VCU didn't ever tell me my status last year and they didn't really keep me updated throughout the process so make sure you stay on top of them. I actually ended up calling them around 2 or 3pm since I hadn't heard a single thing from them and they told me I was waitlisted. Hopefully they'll do a better job this year but just be aware that you may need to call them.

[AnonymousGC]

Anyone else hear back from Jefferson today?!

[minja134]

1 hour ago, Elisheva said:

Anyone else hear back from Jefferson today?!

I did too, the first interview date is so close! And flights are so expensive from Chicago 

[Gadgette]

2 hours ago, GCInTraining said:

I think it's the opposite actually. I think schools tend to call out acceptances first because that way they can see where those people stand before they make the other calls. So if someone turns them down right away, they can start moving down the list. From my understanding, early calls are good!

 

Just a heads up, VCU didn't ever tell me my status last year and they didn't really keep me updated throughout the process so make sure you stay on top of them. I actually ended up calling them around 2 or 3pm since I hadn't heard a single thing from them and they told me I was waitlisted. Hopefully they'll do a better job this year but just be aware that you may need to call them.

That's good to know, thanks! They mentioned that they understood west coast folks may not want to be called at 5am and they could possibly call a little later if asked. But I doubt any of us are going to sleep well on the 23rd, so an early morning call isn't a big deal.

[GC15]

Has anyone interviewed at Utah yet? If so, how was it?