[AZK]

Hey all,

So I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the medical school application process, but it sucks. It is one of the most time-consuming, frustrating, worthless, jump-through-hoops processes EVER. Anyway, I was a pretty average applicant who took the MCAT late and applied late last year. I got 4 interviews late in the cycle (which is rolling) and got 4 waitlists out of those interviews.

Last year I applied to Tulane and had a good interview there, all medical schools interview applicants first before accepting them. Acceptance is based on a variety of factors, figure most people say if you make it to interview you have a 30 - 50% chance of getting in. Tulane says that sometimes if you have a good interview but are waitlisted, next year if you reapply they may waive your interview and just use the old one.

Fast forward, I have reapplied everywhere this year, and I get an email from tulane a few months ago asking me to come for an interview (they are doing everything at baylor in the interm), I obviously agree and get an interview date the 2nd week in December. I ask the secretary if they still have my old interview stuff because I think it went fairly well, she says everything was probably lost in the hurricane so don't count on it.

This past friday, before my interview, I get a letter of acceptance. Obviously I have very mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I am finally in, and it's such a burden off my shoulders and I'm psyched about how I will be in medical school next year. On the other hand, this area/city has just gone through one of the worst natural disasters and is devastated. I'm unsure how I feel about spending the next four years of my life there. Keep in mind, I may very well not know what I am talking about, as the only information I have is from TV concerning the city/the school, rebuiliding process, etc...

Also, FWIW, I was reading some article in discover talking about random periods of warming/cooling of the Earth. Some suggest that we are in a current warming period that may or may not be related to CO2 green house stuff, bottom line being, because of this current warming period, storms of this nature will NOT be uncommon for the next several years in that region.

Obviously I am still waiting to hear from other medical schools, and there are several that I would much rather go to, but in the event that I don't get in, then this is it. Which would mean I would go (barring a WSOP 1st place finish). So I guess my mind is kinda made up, just would like to hear other perspectives. Thanks.