That's what the French call something that is never mentioned because everyone thinks everybody else knows, and as a result some people that DON"t know never find out. Ranking and AOA are such a secret de polichinelle at some schools that say they do not rank.
Everybody beware. Schools RANK. All of them. If they don't give you a number, they rank with the last sentence in the dean's letter. As for AOA, those that don't know how it's calculated also get screwed up. I know I could have zero publications now (I have 9), and have honored fewer courses but have honored the courses that count big (which I did not try to honor because I had been fed the crapload about not ranking and was busy being first athor in my papers), I could have had passes instead of HP in a bunch of others, and now I would be AOA. Which would be useful.
:mad:

If forced to choose, I would take 1st author pubs in decent journals over AOA any day.

the citizen

PS. If you try your hardest on every rotation, you do not have to worry about your school's calculus for AOA. A manuscript can always wait a few weeks...I still have two to get out.

yes schools rank and aoa is done differently in every school. i think however you have proven that you don't need to be at the top of you class with aoa to get top notch interviews (yale, ucsd, etc). 9 pubs is very impressive and programs that emphasize research will probably overlook your "low" ranking and invite you for an interview. you should be trying your best in your rotations and doing the best you can. if you get aoa as a result fine, if not it isn't the end of the world. i think aoa is quite overrated. people that usually have it also have the complete package, but i think aoa itself does not get you far.

That's what the French call something that is never mentioned because everyone thinks everybody else knows, and as a result some people that DON"t know never find out. Ranking and AOA are such a secret de polichinelle at some schools that say they do not rank.
Everybody beware. Schools RANK. All of them. If they don't give you a number, they rank with the last sentence in the dean's letter. As for AOA, those that don't know how it's calculated also get screwed up. I know I could have zero publications now (I have 9), and have honored fewer courses but have honored the courses that count big (which I did not try to honor because I had been fed the crapload about not ranking and was busy being first athor in my papers), I could have had passes instead of HP in a bunch of others, and now I would be AOA. Which would be useful.
:mad: