Misconceptions
Because SGU is a caribbean school, there's a misconception that the school will accept anybody. This isn't true. For every 1 person accepted to SGU, there are 4-5 applicants who were not offered a seat. While 1/4 to 1/5 is still a large number of students, many of these students choose not to attend for various reasons (the expense, location, etc).
There are also some misconceptions about the percentage of students who faithfully graduate from SGU. This is best measured by the attrition rate, which reflects how many students drop out/transfer/are forced to withdraw, etc. The current attrition rate for SGU is 10%, which is quite low. That being said, SGU is not by any means a "diploma mill" school. The curriculum is rich and challenging, the courses are taught at a breakneck pace, and the whole experience is a deeply transformative journey.
Application Part One
Part one, which must be completed on SGU's site, collects your basic personal and academic information. This part of the application does not take much time at all.
Application Part Two
Part two of your application can be completed in one of two ways:
1. Email a copy of your AMCAS application, in PDF form, to SGU's admissions office. From there, the admissions team will basically enter in your information from your AMCAS into SGU's system so that they can be viewed by the admissions committee.
2. Fill out part two of SGU's application by yourself, via SGU's online portal.
There is a $70 admissions fee which can be paid via check or credit card. In addition, there are two essay questions, which have historically asked students about their perception of medicine, and how they see themselves fitting into the identity of a physician. There is an additional essay question for students entering in the Keith B Taylor Global Scholars Program.
Although you might be tempted to just send in your AMCAS, there are some advantages to manually entering in your information. First, by filling out your own information, you will know exactly when you submit part two (and thereby when the admissions committee can view your information). Second, by filling out part two on your own, you can log into SGU's applicant portal and view the status of your application at any time.
As stated above, Part 2 of the application is when the admissions committee will have access to the applicant's written work. One recommendation that we have about the essay is write and answer the question about something that the you are truly value. Keep in mind that the admission's committee reads several essays each year from hopeful pre-medical students. Therefore, it is important to personalize the essay and define unique characteristics that members of the committee will remember easily.
Application Part Three
The final part of the applications process is the submission of transcripts, letters of recommendation, MCAT scores, and any other supplementary materials. Once you complete part three, your application is complete, and a decision will be made by the committee regarding whether or not to grant you an interview.
Based on personal experience, please give adequate time for processing of transcripts (anticipate a max of 2-3 weeks especially if it is by mail) and sufficient time for your recommenders to write a letter (about a month). SGU conveniently accepts letters electronically from Interfolio, a website that helps applicants organize and send letters of recommendation.
Interview
The medical school admission process, although long and stressful, can also be an exciting time. After years of fulfilling pre-medical school requirements, students are finally given the opportunity to take a step forward toward their dream. Every pre-medical student takes organic chemistry and the MCAT. By the time the interview comes around, the admission committee is well aware of the academic scores. So, the interview is a time when applicants are given an opportunity to show the admissions committee who they are outside the margins of a resume or application.
A few tips for the interview:
1) Think and be able to verbalize why a career in medicine is a good fit for you.
2) As a future health care provider, the admissions committee expects applicants to be well aware of current events affecting the field of medicine. How do these events affect your future patients? How do these events affect you as a physician? As a medical student?
3) Many pre-medical students have similar test scores and grades. So, the interview is a perfect chance to highlight hobbies, interests, and unique skills that are important to you as an applicant. For example, N has interest in public health. Some aspect of public health was discussed in almost all of her interviews. J has a strong background in research. His interest in research and previous projects were brought up during medical school interviews.
4) Be prepared to discuss ethical situations. Don't worry, it isn't as bad as it seems. Typically, the interviewer will provide a scenario. It is the applicant's job to lead the discussion and provide a method to respond to the scenario. Keep in mind that the admissions committee asks you ethical questions simply to determine whether the applicant is applying to medical school for the correct reason.
5) Ask questions about the school and program! As much as the interviewer wants to get to know the applicant, the interview is a perfect time for the applicant to learn more about the program.
Besides those tips, just remember to be yourself and answer questions honestly.
SGU has a essay that they requires all interviewees to write DURING the interview. Applicants are given 10-20 minutes to write. Some interviewers are more relaxed about the timing compared to others. The essay topics are just another method for the admissions committee to get to know the applicant more. Take the essay seriously, but (unlike how we did) there is no need to stress over the essay. If you have any specific questions about interviewing for medical school, feel free to contact us!
Your Decision
The time it takes for the committee to review your interview results can vary. It depends on how quickly your interviewer completed his/her write up for your interview, as well as the volume of applicants received at any given point in the year. Decisions are typically given over phone and/or email.
Feel free to contact us with questions! To all the pre-med students that are reading this post, we wish you the best of luck in the medical school admissions process!
