I've been waitlisted, again.
If I may be over dramatic for a moment, lets go over the direness of the situation.
I've applied to 18 schools. I've been rejected to 11 of them. Been invited for interviews at 2. The school that I've been waitlisted at actually happens to be in my Top 4, if not number one. I need to make this happen, if not because I'm not going to get closer anywhere else.
Uggggggggh
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A New Hope
E-mailed the admissions administrator person. Asked them if I could find out about the status of my applications since I heard people had starting getting responses from my interview date. She told me that some decisions had been made and that more letters were going to be sent out next week.
Eeep.
Eeep.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Not Looking So Hot
I was on some random PA Forum website and as I predicted, people heard from the school yesterday. Well, one person said she got an e-mail saying she got in. This is not looking too good for me, since I would assume all acceptance e-mails would go out on the same day. Hell, I would even think the waitlist e-mails would have gone out yesterday too. Hopefully I'll have a definitive answers come Monday.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Waiting Game
A friend of mine who goes to the school I interviewed at told me she heard within 2 weeks of her interview. For all intents of purposes Friday would mark 2 weeks, assuming they don't give responses over the weekend. I'm also assuming they come over e-mail. The school said that it could be up to 4 weeks, but I believe they say that to all interviewees, and I'm fairly sure I was the last day of interviews, soooo I think this is further support that the response will come soon. Also, PA programs I think work closer to a non-rolling admission process, meaning they might send out acceptance letters twice per cycle, as opposed to every two weeks like medschools. This gives me hope that there are plenty of spot open.
I've also been doing some more snooping online and there seems to be a lot of negative feedback about the school. This might turn some people away from the program, but I'm not normal. I'm desperate. This news makes me ecstatic. This gives me hope that if I get waitlisted, then I still have a good shot at getting in.
This school's decision actually affects two other totally unrelated parts of my life. One being my health insurance. My parents currently pay for my health insurance and probably only allow it because it's a cheap plan. It's cheap because we pay 20% of everything. Sucks. I don't go to the doctor because of this. I would take the insurance at my job, but if I took that then I would lose the good rate that I currently have. So in the case that I had to leave my job for some reason I wouldn't get that good rate back.
If I do get into PA school, then I assume I would end up taking whatever insurance plan they offer. This would then give me the security I need to ditch my current plan, and take my job's plan. I could then do things like get my annual physical, get some specialty blood work done for hair loss at my job, get my eyes checked out (I think I'm developing night vision problems), etc.
Getting into this school would also give me some comfort in my love life. I'm currently using an online dating site (not match, and I'm also not thrilled with it), but I am "in talks" with someone. I would like to know that I'm going to school in the city that he lives in so that any future is a little more feasible, because as it is now the distance could be a problem. Commuting into the city he lives in on a daily basis would be helpful. I'm really not trying to get ahead of myself, I'm just thinking that getting into this school would also help that pursuit.
Tick tock.
I've also been doing some more snooping online and there seems to be a lot of negative feedback about the school. This might turn some people away from the program, but I'm not normal. I'm desperate. This news makes me ecstatic. This gives me hope that if I get waitlisted, then I still have a good shot at getting in.
This school's decision actually affects two other totally unrelated parts of my life. One being my health insurance. My parents currently pay for my health insurance and probably only allow it because it's a cheap plan. It's cheap because we pay 20% of everything. Sucks. I don't go to the doctor because of this. I would take the insurance at my job, but if I took that then I would lose the good rate that I currently have. So in the case that I had to leave my job for some reason I wouldn't get that good rate back.
If I do get into PA school, then I assume I would end up taking whatever insurance plan they offer. This would then give me the security I need to ditch my current plan, and take my job's plan. I could then do things like get my annual physical, get some specialty blood work done for hair loss at my job, get my eyes checked out (I think I'm developing night vision problems), etc.
Getting into this school would also give me some comfort in my love life. I'm currently using an online dating site (not match, and I'm also not thrilled with it), but I am "in talks" with someone. I would like to know that I'm going to school in the city that he lives in so that any future is a little more feasible, because as it is now the distance could be a problem. Commuting into the city he lives in on a daily basis would be helpful. I'm really not trying to get ahead of myself, I'm just thinking that getting into this school would also help that pursuit.
Tick tock.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Screw Home Owning
I go on a skiing trip for less than three days and what the fuck do I come home to? A FLOODED KITCHEN AND COLLAPSED BASEMENT CEILING, ALONG WITH SAID BASEMENT BEING FLOODED!
On top of vowing to never own a home, I'm never going to own an ice maker. The ice maker at my parents' house is a huge fucking pain in the ass, and the ice maker here at my grandparents' house is an even bigger pain in the ass. What the fuck do I need ice for WHEN IT SNOWED 5 INCHES WHILE I WAS GONE?!?!?!!?
Tomorrow, instead of waking up late and going to work at noon I get to wake up early, drive to my other grandma's house to get my parents' wet-vac, and go at the basement. I then get to move on to shoveling said 5 inches of snow.
Of course this all happens when my grandparents go to Florida, so I'm stuck taking care of this problem entirely by myself. Fuck my life.
NEVER. EVER. BUYING. A. HOUSE.
On top of vowing to never own a home, I'm never going to own an ice maker. The ice maker at my parents' house is a huge fucking pain in the ass, and the ice maker here at my grandparents' house is an even bigger pain in the ass. What the fuck do I need ice for WHEN IT SNOWED 5 INCHES WHILE I WAS GONE?!?!?!!?
Tomorrow, instead of waking up late and going to work at noon I get to wake up early, drive to my other grandma's house to get my parents' wet-vac, and go at the basement. I then get to move on to shoveling said 5 inches of snow.
Of course this all happens when my grandparents go to Florida, so I'm stuck taking care of this problem entirely by myself. Fuck my life.
NEVER. EVER. BUYING. A. HOUSE.
Friday, January 16, 2009
A Note to the Women of the World
If you can handle being seen by a male doctor, then you should be able to get over the fact that I'm a male nurse. I don't know why so many women give me an attitude because I'm a guy bringing you into a room.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Status Post: Nailed
I think the interview went better than I could have hoped. The first thing they had us do was give our responses to a variety of different scenarios. I feel I did a good job at handling them. I went over my answers with my co-worker PA and she said that at her school (which is one of the top PA programs) I would have gotten high marks for my answers. Thank God that I actually have real medical experience behind me because that's exactly where I got my answers from. Most of the situations have actually happened to me, so I think the answers sound realistic.
After we filled out the scenarios we had our interviews. I had mine with two faculty members. They asked the typical questions: why do you want to be a P.A., do you think you'll work while in school, what's your support system going to be? They laughed when I responded that working during school was a crazy thought. They agreed, and I think they were happy that I knew how intense PA school is.
One question that was a kick in the gut was, "So, what do you think about your academic performance in college?" AKA, why did your grades suck? Ugh, that was a fun question to field. I told them how I wasn't too happy with my grades in school, but that I don't think it was from a lack of effort. I don't know whether it's good to say, "I worked my butt off and still got lower grades than others in my study group." But it's the truth. I told them that my first year of college I really wasn't a science major and then sophomore and junior year I thought studying by myself was best, and didn't realize until senior year that group studying is the best for me. I pointed that that even though my grades looked the same senior year as other years, the classes were actually much, much hard. So in reality I did do better once I figured out how to study.
During the interview they also asked me about one of my letters of recommendation. Evidently the letter I got from my Derm-PA, whom I've known for years, guest lectures at that school. I had actually mentioned her earlier in the interview as being the spark that got me into medicine. I'm kind of happy that they actually read my letters of recommendation, and I'm kind of shocked that they even recognized her name. I didn't think they paid such close attention. They also willingly took my updated resume and letter of recommendation from my boss. They were reading it as I was walking out. Mission Accomplished.
I think they liked my answer for what my "support group" was going to be. I told them how in college my support group was my study group. That getting together with other students was therapy in itself. They seemed to agree with me that working with other students is an effective study method and that it's a good way to keep your sanity. My co-worker later told me that the school really pushes group study, so I guess I have good answers for that.
The last part of the interview they had us do a short critical thinking exercise, which I thought was a lot of fun. After we gave our own answers we then had to work in groups of 4 and do the exercise as a team. There was an admissions person present also taking notes as we worked together. I'm fairly sure they didn't care what our answers were and were more interested in seeing how we did in a group. They then compared our answers to see whether we did better individually or as a group and everyone did better as a group. I think I successfully stood out during it, as oppose to letting everyone else in the group do all the work. But at the same time I don't think I was at all confrontational, which I feel some of the people in the group were.
They said that they give their answers within 4 weeks. I've heard they actually give it within 3 weeks. Either way it looks like I'm not going to find out the results before my other interview. I would really prefer not to go to that interview because I don't want to go to that program, but at the same time I need to nail that interview in case I don't get into this school. Ugh
After we filled out the scenarios we had our interviews. I had mine with two faculty members. They asked the typical questions: why do you want to be a P.A., do you think you'll work while in school, what's your support system going to be? They laughed when I responded that working during school was a crazy thought. They agreed, and I think they were happy that I knew how intense PA school is.
One question that was a kick in the gut was, "So, what do you think about your academic performance in college?" AKA, why did your grades suck? Ugh, that was a fun question to field. I told them how I wasn't too happy with my grades in school, but that I don't think it was from a lack of effort. I don't know whether it's good to say, "I worked my butt off and still got lower grades than others in my study group." But it's the truth. I told them that my first year of college I really wasn't a science major and then sophomore and junior year I thought studying by myself was best, and didn't realize until senior year that group studying is the best for me. I pointed that that even though my grades looked the same senior year as other years, the classes were actually much, much hard. So in reality I did do better once I figured out how to study.
During the interview they also asked me about one of my letters of recommendation. Evidently the letter I got from my Derm-PA, whom I've known for years, guest lectures at that school. I had actually mentioned her earlier in the interview as being the spark that got me into medicine. I'm kind of happy that they actually read my letters of recommendation, and I'm kind of shocked that they even recognized her name. I didn't think they paid such close attention. They also willingly took my updated resume and letter of recommendation from my boss. They were reading it as I was walking out. Mission Accomplished.
I think they liked my answer for what my "support group" was going to be. I told them how in college my support group was my study group. That getting together with other students was therapy in itself. They seemed to agree with me that working with other students is an effective study method and that it's a good way to keep your sanity. My co-worker later told me that the school really pushes group study, so I guess I have good answers for that.
The last part of the interview they had us do a short critical thinking exercise, which I thought was a lot of fun. After we gave our own answers we then had to work in groups of 4 and do the exercise as a team. There was an admissions person present also taking notes as we worked together. I'm fairly sure they didn't care what our answers were and were more interested in seeing how we did in a group. They then compared our answers to see whether we did better individually or as a group and everyone did better as a group. I think I successfully stood out during it, as oppose to letting everyone else in the group do all the work. But at the same time I don't think I was at all confrontational, which I feel some of the people in the group were.
They said that they give their answers within 4 weeks. I've heard they actually give it within 3 weeks. Either way it looks like I'm not going to find out the results before my other interview. I would really prefer not to go to that interview because I don't want to go to that program, but at the same time I need to nail that interview in case I don't get into this school. Ugh
Monday, January 05, 2009
Got to nail it!
I'm getting pumped for this interview. I'm planning on SLAUGHTERING IT!!! I WILL NOT FAIL!!!!!!!!(!!!!)
I asked my boss to write me a letter of recommendation for the interview and he did so in record time. I couldn't even believe it. He had me read it and I thought it was good. But according to everyone in my family it's an amazing letter. My mom in a Clinical Psych Intern and currently working on evaluating Intern Applicants and she said that his letter has no "loop holes" and that you can't read bad things between the lines.
I asked the school I'm interviewing at how they would like me to submit this letter, and they told me that they only consider the three letters and recommendation that were sent in with my CASPA application. HORSE SHIT!
The letters they have are so old. My entire application is old. It was submitted in August and I've done a lot since August. If they think I'm going to sit around until next August to show them what I've done since last August they have another thing coming. I'm going to shove that letter and updated resume down their throats!
I asked my boss to write me a letter of recommendation for the interview and he did so in record time. I couldn't even believe it. He had me read it and I thought it was good. But according to everyone in my family it's an amazing letter. My mom in a Clinical Psych Intern and currently working on evaluating Intern Applicants and she said that his letter has no "loop holes" and that you can't read bad things between the lines.
I asked the school I'm interviewing at how they would like me to submit this letter, and they told me that they only consider the three letters and recommendation that were sent in with my CASPA application. HORSE SHIT!
The letters they have are so old. My entire application is old. It was submitted in August and I've done a lot since August. If they think I'm going to sit around until next August to show them what I've done since last August they have another thing coming. I'm going to shove that letter and updated resume down their throats!
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