Applying to 29 schools

[premed159]

I am applying to 29 schools so I can increase the chances of being accepted to at least 1 medical school, MD or DO. However, I feel like this presents a unique problem because I will ultimately go to one medical school. So if I get a few offers, it will be tough to decide between schools, but I am also not fully decided between MD or DO schools. Right now, I have interview offers an MD school and from a DO school. What do you guys think? Was this a wise decision (to apply to so many schools)?

---Stats---
cGPA: 3.2
sGPA: 3.4
MCAT: 28Q
ECs: lots of clinical and lab research at the NIH and at school, president of my club, former US Army servicemember, volunteering in Native American and Latino communities, ER scribe.
Undergrad is in music performance. Current degree is in biology with a much higher GPA (3.65).

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[advair250]

With your stats, it was wise to apply broadly. Your stats are on the low end for a lot of MD schools, but who knows you may be shown some love. Your experiences look decent though!

 

[Catalystik]

I am applying to 29 schools so I can increase the chances of being accepted to at least 1 medical school, MD or DO. However, I feel like this presents a unique problem because I will ultimately go to one medical school.
1) So if I get a few offers, it will be tough to decide between schools, but
2) I am also not fully decided between MD or DO schools. Right now, I have interview offers an MD school and from a DO school.
3) What do you guys think? Was this a wise decision (to apply to so many schools)?

---Stats---
cGPA: 3.2
sGPA: 3.4
MCAT: 28Q
ECs: lots of clinical and lab research at the NIH and at school, president of my club, former US Army servicemember, volunteering in Native American and Latino communities, ER scribe.
Undergrad is in music performance. Current degree is in biology with a much higher GPA (3.65).

1) Not if one of them puts grant/scholarship money on the table.

2) When you interview and get more information about each institution, see where you'd live for 4 years, get a feel for "fit", safety, curriculum and grading types, weather, facilities, schools & jobs for other family members (if relevant), and cost of attendance, it will help you decide. You don't need to know right now.

3) You did exactly as I would have advised to maximize odds of an acceptance in a single cycle.

Good luck. And thank you for your service.

 

[premed159]

1) Not if one of them puts grant/scholarship money on the table.

2) When you interview and get more information about each institution, see where you'd live for 4 years, get a feel for "fit", safety, curriculum and grading types, weather, facilities, schools & jobs for other family members (if relevant), and cost of attendance, it will help you decide. You don't need to know right now.

3) You did exactly as I would have advised to maximize odds of an acceptance in a single cycle.

Good luck. And thank you for your service.

Wow, thanks for the insight. That was actually helpful. Most of those are very relevant points that will help make the decision. But mostly, it's true that I don't need to decide this now. I should prolly wait until I have acceptance offers in hand. If I only get one, then there is no tough decision to make. Haha!

 

[premed159]

With your stats, it was wise to apply broadly. Your stats are on the low end for a lot of MD schools, but who knows you may be shown some love. Your experiences look decent though!

Good, that's good to hear. A few people told me I'm crazy, but I said, "No, I'm realistic." They applied to a few schools and none of them have interviews yet, so now, they're seeing the method to my madness.

 

[pre med 2014]

I was thinking about applying to 50 to increase my chances

 

[Catalystik]

Which less-selective MD schools without a regional bias that take a decent number of OOS applicants or are known to favor veterans, where the deadline hasn't passed, have you NOT included yet?

 

[premed159]

Which less-selective MD schools without a regional bias that take a decent number of OOS applicants or are known to favor veterans, where the deadline hasn't passed, have you NOT included yet?

That is a good question. I looked at every MD school, some more thoroughly than others. There are way too many to look at all of them in depth. But the other consideration is where I would actually want to go. I am not so desperate that I would go to a very low quality school. I think that I could get into at least one decent MD school. And for DO schools, I am much more confident in my chances there, so I can be more selective.

 

[premed159]

Which less-selective MD schools without a regional bias that take a decent number of OOS applicants or are known to favor veterans, where the deadline hasn't passed, have you NOT included yet?

I have applied to all the schools that more or less fit the criteria you mentioned, but also are schools where I would actually want to go. Do you have any suggestions?

There are a bunch of small state schools for MD schools, but they usually take in-staters. And I am not aware of any that are looking for military veterans particularly.

 

[premed159]

Wow, that's a huge number! How can you afford all those secondaries? Do you have similar stats as me?

 

[premed159]

I was thinking about applying to 50 to increase my chances

Wow, that's a huge number! How can you afford all those secondaries? Do you have similar stats as me?

 

[Catalystik]

There are a bunch of small state schools for MD schools, but they usually take in-staters. And I am not aware of any that are looking for military veterans particularly.

Check out East Tennessee.

 

[LaEsponja]

Which less-selective MD schools without a regional bias that take a decent number of OOS applicants or are known to favor veterans, where the deadline hasn't passed, have you NOT included yet?

How can you find out info like this? I'm very interested in schools (MD or DO) that are military/ non-trad friendly and maybe my google skills are broken lately, but I can't pull up good info. Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

How can you find out info like this? I'm very interested in schools (MD or DO) that are military/ non-trad friendly and maybe my google skills are broken lately, but I can't pull up good info.

The MSAR and/or school specific websites are helpful. You could also check out SDN veterans who've been accepted to med schools and ask their perspectives.