Applying solely to local schools

[GoCubsGo20]

I know most people apply to many different schools across the country, but does anyone ever apply to only local schools (~5-6 hours from home)? Just sort of curious about the matter.

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[WedgeDawg]

People do. I would wager that they are overall less successful than their counterparts who apply more broadly, however.

 

[GoCubsGo20]

People do. I would wager that they are overall less successful than their counterparts who apply more broadly, however.

I would bet so too. Thanks for the reply!

 

[anonymoose1640]

I think how successful you could be depends on where you're from too. 5-6 hrs drive from NJ gives me quite a few schools I could apply to. But 5-6 hrs from Missouri would be way fewer options.

That said, if you don't want to be too far from home, then don't apply to schools too far away. Don't ever apply to a school you wouldn't consider attending. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes you can get pretty cheap flights on short notice to certain areas of the country. So even if it's more than a 6 hr drive away, it might only be a 2 hr, $100 plane ticket away. Besides, you might find that you really enjoy another part of the country that you've never been to before

Good luck with your apps

 

[GoCubsGo20]

I think how successful you could be depends on where you're from too. 5-6 hrs drive from NJ gives me quite a few schools I could apply to. But 5-6 hrs from Missouri would be way fewer options.

That said, if you don't want to be too far from home, then don't apply to schools too far away. Don't ever apply to a school you wouldn't consider attending. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes you can get pretty cheap flights on short notice to certain areas of the country. So even if it's more than a 6 hr drive away, it might only be a 2 hr, $100 plane ticket away. Besides, you might find that you really enjoy another part of the country that you've never been to before

Good luck with your apps

All extremely valid points! I really appreciate the insight, and thank you for the well wishes! I've spent four years of undergrad away, and I miss my family quite a bit, but I could spend some more time away and find a new home too!

 

[precisiongraphic]

I think how successful you could be depends on where you're from too. 5-6 hrs drive from NJ gives me quite a few schools I could apply to. But 5-6 hrs from Missouri would be way fewer options.

That said, if you don't want to be too far from home, then don't apply to schools too far away. Don't ever apply to a school you wouldn't consider attending. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes you can get pretty cheap flights on short notice to certain areas of the country. So even if it's more than a 6 hr drive away, it might only be a 2 hr, $100 plane ticket away. Besides, you might find that you really enjoy another part of the country that you've never been to before

Good luck with your apps

Yeah wouldn't work if you live in Seattle. Only one MD and one DO <6 hours from Seattle and Oregon probably as hard to get into OOS as UW is to get in IS. But, yeah, I can see if you're in NY then you have almost the entire eastern seaboard down to Virginia and including Pennsylvania. I would say 10 schools minimum unless you're an outstanding candidate.

 

[chrisjh]

I'm only applying to the 4 schools that are within 2 hours drive of my home.

I have good reasons for not applying elsewhere, though, and if I'm lucky, my high stats will help me out. If I could apply more places further away, I absolutely would. It's just not feasible for me.

 

[LizzyM]

If you are from the Chicago area (based on your screen name) you have a large number of schools within 5-6 hours from home. Ditto Philly, NYC, CT, Mass. Based on your GPA and MCAT, and your state of residence, and your interests, you may do well with a tightly focused list of schools.

 

[GoCubsGo20]

If you are from the Chicago area (based on your screen name) you have a large number of schools within 5-6 hours from home. Ditto Philly, NYC, CT, Mass. Based on your GPA and MCAT, and your state of residence, and your interests, you may do well with a tightly focused list of schools.

In Iowa actually. Very close to Chicago though. 3.88 gpa with 512 mcat.

 

[ese2]

If you are from the Chicago area (based on your screen name) you have a large number of schools within 5-6 hours from home. Ditto Philly, NYC, CT, Mass. Based on your GPA and MCAT, and your state of residence, and your interests, you may do well with a tightly focused list of schools.

But how many schools are actually in range for the average applicant? UChicago and Northwestern are very tough to get into.

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[LizzyM]

But how many schools are actually in range for the average applicant? UChicago and Northwestern are very tough to get into.

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The average applicant doesn't get into any school. Only the top 43% (however adcoms holistically define "top") are going to get admitted. And the fact that some schools are more selective doesn't negate the fact that there are many schools to choose from, moreso say than if the applicant were from Denver.

 

[Goro]

Foolish people do.

I know most people apply to many different schools across the country, but does anyone ever apply to only local schools (~5-6 hours from home)? Just sort of curious about the matter.

 

[chrisjh]

Foolish people do.

I resent that lol

 

[LizzyM]

Foolish people do.

Some years ago there was a URM non-traditional applicant from Philly who applied only to schools she could easily drive to due to the cost of an application cycle ... that's pretty much every school on the coast from Boston to DC. She matriculated at Yale. I wouldn't call that foolish.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

My older brother did that. In the year 2000 he was applying to medical school. He applied to 5 and received 4 II and was accepted at all 4. He applied to SUNY SB, SUNY DS, Weill Cornell, Mt. Sinai, NYMC. 30 Mcat and 3.65 sGPA at that, amazing how times have changed though!

Nobody in their right mind does that now though.

If you don't mind potentially having to re-apply with a wider range of schools, go for the local approach. However if you don't reapply I'd strongly suggest you invest in the common "far away schools" that people discuss on SDN. Good luck mate.

 

[TXDOCMOM]

Foolish people do.

My daughter only applied to our state's schools, she had two interviews and was accepted to her top choice. 3.58 cum and sci gpa, 28 mcat. Non URM.

 

[GoCubsGo20]

My older brother did that. In the year 2000 he was applying to medical school. He applied to 5 and received 4 II and was accepted at all 4. He applied to SUNY SB, SUNY DS, Weill Cornell, Mt. Sinai, NYMC. 30 Mcat and 3.65 sGPA at that, amazing how times have changed though!

Nobody in their right mind does that now though.

If you don't mind potentially having to re-apply with a wider range of schools, go for the local approach. However if you don't reapply I'd strongly suggest you invest in the common "far away schools" that people discuss on SDN. Good luck mate.

Thank you for the well wishes and encouraging story! I'd rather not leave the Midwest, but at this point in life I'd also like to avoid reapplying. Sort of in a pickle I suppose.

 

[ATPsynthase123]

Yeah wouldn't work if you live in Seattle. Only one MD and one DO <6 hours from Seattle and Oregon probably as hard to get into OOS as UW is to get in IS. But, yeah, I can see if you're in NY then you have almost the entire eastern seaboard down to Virginia and including Pennsylvania. I would say 10 schools minimum unless you're an outstanding candidate.

I think this is a valid strategy for my area. Within a 3-4 hour radius from my home there are close to 15-20 MD/DO schools.

I agree it would be different if I lived in an area where there was like 2-4 schools in a 6 hour radius though.


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[ATPsynthase123]

My daughter only applied to our state's schools, she had two interviews and was accepted to her top choice. 3.58 cum and sci gpa, 28 mcat. Non URM.

Texas HEAVILY favors in state applicants. Even over more qualified OOS applicants. My state does that too, just not to the degree of Texas


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[Goro]

Now, colleague, you know URMs are a special class.

OP, with a 512 MCAT, doesn't have the luxury of UCHICAGO or Northwestern. So, at most, in the area, there are six schools, including MUCOM and CCOM. I'm uncomfortable with the Chicago land or Bust mindset as to chances for success for MD schools.

Some years ago there was a URM non-traditional applicant from Philly who applied only to schools she could easily drive to due to the cost of an application cycle ... that's pretty much every school on the coast from Boston to DC. She matriculated at Yale. I wouldn't call that foolish.

 

[LizzyM]

Now, colleague, you know URMs are a special class.

OP, with a 512 MCAT, doesn't have the luxury of UCHICAGO or Northwestern. So, at most, in the area, there are six schools, including MUCOM and CCOM. I'm uncomfortable with the Chicago land or Bust mindset as to chances for success for MD schools.

But if the Iowa Cubs fan adds Creighton, St. Louis U and Iowa it is not a bad list and still close to home. Throw in Mayo as a reach and he's all set.

 

[GoCubsGo20]

But if the Iowa Cubs fan adds Creighton, St. Louis U and Iowa it is not a bad list and still close to home. Throw in Mayo as a reach and he's all set.

You literally just nailed my list. And not just the Iowa Cubs, I'm a fan all the down to the South Bend Cubs. The farm system is just as good as the major league Cubs.

 

[Goro]

Add DMU and KCOM!

But if the Iowa Cubs fan adds Creighton, St. Louis U and Iowa it is not a bad list and still close to home. Throw in Mayo as a reach and he's all set.

 

[freak7]

I think this is a valid strategy for my area. Within a 3-4 hour radius from my home there are close to 15-20 MD/DO schools.
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Gotta love living in the good ol' PNW.

 

[GrapesofRath]

https://www.aamc.org/download/321466/data/factstablea5.pdf
https://www.aamc.org/download/321500/data/factstablea19.pdf
https://www.aamc.org/download/321502/data/factstablea20.pdf

27% of applicants from Iowa end up matriculating IS(ie to U of Iowa). Your stats are in a solid range for U of Iowa
2/3 of people who get into any MD school from Iowa end up matriculating at U of Iowa
While ideally you would hope a state would be a little "luckier" per se to pull something like this off it's not a bad idea.
The utility of a broad application varies tremendously by state. It's not something that is universally valuable.
I would imagine a decent proportion of the people who go OOS from Iowa are either going to regional schools or top 20's. In other words, not that many exist dont get into U of Iowa but get into the OOS lower tiers like NYMC, Drexel, GW type schools people always love throwing around on here. If only 11% end up going OOS how many dont go to a regional school or top 20? It's going to be a low number.
Add U of Iowa, a handful local schools like MCW, Loyola, Creighton, UIC, SLU, U of WI, that's a fair list.

 

[ATPsynthase123]

Gotta love living in the good ol' PNW.

Lol at least you don't live in butt F*ck east Tennessee. I get access to all the schools in VA,WVA, TN, NC and SC; and a lower GPA/MCAT average, but the trade off is that the only entertainment is Mountains or a 1.5 hour drive to Dollywood.


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[ortnakas]

This is a valid plan if you live in Philadelphia or anywhere in the northeast where most major cities are less than 8 hours away by car. Less valid if you live in the Mountain or Pacific time zones where most major cities are 8 hours away from each other. (If you live in most of Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, or the Dakotas, there probably isn't a med school within 5-6 hours from you).

OP's geographic situation is somewhere in the middle so I think he/she's being not too unrealistic.

 

[redferrari]

I only applied to schools within 8 hours from home. The main reasons were the fact that I knew I had the best chance closer to home and I would've gone broke if I had to go further for an interview. In my case, it worked out. However, as I'm sure you know, nothing is given in this process.