Attempt number three, if this one doesn’t work, this post is not going to happen.
I am in Minneapolis visiting family and spent my morning at the U of M med school with my cousin, Libby, who just started here. I went with her to genetics and bio chem.
We then went to the admissions office where I was told they accept prereqs of any age. Despite what I had read before, it seems a number of the students – my cousin and many of her friends – are not from Minnesota but all have the in state rate so I am not sure how accurate the info on who they accept is.
Libby also indicated when they interviewed her it seemed they are very interested in the diversity of their students and seemed more interested in who she is as a person and what her story is than just what her scores and grades are.
This school was not on my list before but I think it is now.
Thought someone out there might also be interested in this.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey thanks for the plug for the not-so-bad state of Minnesota! I’m surprised I didn’t run into you today, Calvin-in-a-box, because I was wandering around that building earlier myself. Did you get at all lost in the Mayo building, where admissions is? It’s a converted old hospital, and I once got locked in the basement while trying to find my way out. The basement is stashed with medical equipment from what I swear is the nineteenth century.
I went to a day-long informational session the U of MN med school held for premeds last year, and the med school seemed really cool. They talked a lot about the international opportunities and combined MPH program they have.
I’m pretty psyched to apply there too!
-andrea
Calvin!
Hope you enjoyed your time at the U! Gosh, I don’t know why you didn’t stay for histology. I bet the lecture hall was pretty empty today.
Your cousin is really nice. (I met her on the very first day, and we’re both on the med student council.) Tell her I said Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m guessing about 1/3 of this year’s entering class has taken some time off between graduation and medical school.
For the class of 2007, about 50 of the 160 are not Minnesota residents. We have about 6 foreign nationals. (I left my data in the Twin Cities, which explains my fuzzy numbers.) Our class has the highest average GPA and MCAT to date.
You might find this information helpful regarding out-of-state tuition. For the class of 2007, the University of Minnesota offered 25 scholarships for in-state tuition to out-of-state students. In addition, some non-residents receive in-state tuition thanks to reciprocity agreements. There are still some out-of-state students that are paying that out-of-state rate (me included), which is a brutal one - one of the highest in the country. If you come in off the wait list, assume you pay out-of-state rates.
Now, one of the twists is interesting. Certain graduate assistantships and teaching assistantships (10 hours/week) have an in-state tuition benefit attached to them. And if you hold the position for four semesters, then you continue to get in-state tuition for your remaining time in medical school. These can be difficult to get, but it is another way to get in-state tuition.
Do not be misled. The tuition waiver of yore (given to all out-of-state med students through the class of 2006) is gone.
But the U is a great school, and they love non-traditional students here. If you don’t have any problems with the weather, you should definitely apply.
On another note - their special recommendation form is not optional. Make sure you have your recommenders complete it.
Susan - Chicago/Minneapolis
What is the special recommendation form?
From the University of Minnesota Medical School Admissions web site:
"After passing the preliminary screening, all qualified applicants are mailed the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis Medical School Supplemental Materials packet which contains a supplementary information sheet and instructions on how to complete the online portion of the supplemental application. Once on the online supplemental application, you will be able to access the University of Minnesota Evaluation Forms to be given to individuals from whom you are requesting letters of recommendation. A $75 application fee and a current photograph must accompany the supplementary information sheet when it is returned."
When I applied, it was not specifically stated that an application was not complete until those forms were received. They sounded optional, so I didn’t have my references complete them, and just sent my letters to the U.
Well. Bad call. I had submitted my secondary materials in the fall, but I didn’t find out until February that those evaluation forms were required. I got two completed and sent in, and interviewed on one of the last days. (My interview invite came via email, and landed in the Junk Mail folder! How did I ever see it? Who knows…)
And look where I ended up.
Hope that helps.
Susan - Chicago/Minneapolis
AHHH! Vacations! Sweet, sweet, sweet…
It helps me! Libby mentioned you when we talked yesterday. U of M wasn’t on my list but it is now.
Thanks for your input. I found the people here really nice and I wish we could have talked! As into being a med student as I am, I felt biochem and genetics was enough class for my day off (though I like histology more than biochem)
Minnesota is pretty strict about being in state, the only exception being native americans. This is what they told me, anyway, in a letter they sent.
Kathy
Quote:
Minnesota is pretty strict about being in state, the only exception being native americans. This is what they told me, anyway, in a letter they sent.
I expect your letter was from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Duluth, Minnesota.
But I should explain that up until this year, the University of Minnesota had two separate medical schools. The Duluth school is a two-year school, and for the clinical years, Duluth students transferred to the Twin Cities school. The Twin Cities medical school is a four-year school. I believe the LGME is phasing out its licensing of two-year medical schools.
I know that the University of Minnesota is in the process of uniting the two medical schools into “one school, two campuses.” We are working hard to maintain the spirits and missions of both medical schools while meeting the criteria set by the LGME.
But please keep in mind that there were two separate schools through this year - so what is true at UMN Med Duluth is not necessary applicable at UMN Med Twin Cities.
UMN Med Duluth has a very specific mission that targets the rural areas of Minnesota and its Native American populations. As a result, its selection criteria are very specific. UMN Med Twin Cities serves “Minnesota, the nation and the world.” Its selection criteria are much broader, as befits its stated mission.
Just wanted to clear up any confusion.
Susan Nelsen
MSI
University of Minnesota Medical School - Twin Cities Campus
Class of 2007
Education Council Representative
Medical Student Council Representative
“a person sitting in meetings trying to draft the mission statement of the new united medical school”
PS - After reading over my other posts, I should add the caveat that they all apply to the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota Medical School.
In fact, if what I’ve heard is true, UMD has a preference for people who can demonstrate that they have ongoing ties to rural or small town Minnesota, not just to the state in general. I think they look pretty seriously at that.
-andrea in mpls
Hi everyone. I reside in the great state of Minnesota (Rochester–home of the Mayo Clinic–you may have heard of it 
) and I just wanted to put in a plug for the state and for the U. They are great places to be. Sure it gets a little cold and a little hot sometimes, but can ever truly enjoy life without experiencing the occasional 80-100 degree temperature swings from day to day??