Can We Stop The "I'm Better Than You" Signature?

[To be MD]

Howdy SDN,

I'm not sure how this got started, but it has become quite common for pre-med applicants to have something like this in their signatures:

GPA: 3.95 // MCAT 521 (99th %ile) // 35 Apps Submitted // 28 Secondaries // 10 II's // 4 Acceptances // 3 Rejections

With kindness and respect, I'd like to communicate to everyone that this is, quite possibly, the most audaciously obnoxious way of trying to tell our small community how great you are. If you want to record your application process, that's great! We have the website http://www.mdapplicants.com/ for that, and you are welcome to attach your profile to your avatar. Then, if someone's interested in how you're doing, she or he clicks on you, and the world gets to see how your cycle's going.

Yet, for most people (including Lurker John + Janie that use this website without making accounts), it's just a very forward way to say "look how great I am."

Yes, we are Student Doctor Network: The World's Most Neurotic Website, and we are all happy to see II's and acceptances once they happen on the specific thread of the school you have applied to. That being said, there is next-to-no benefit of wearing your acceptances & IIs on your sleeve in a public signature.

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I'm sure most people just got caught up with the trend and are not trying to humble-brag their way to SDN renown. But, I'll be one to say... let's stop this.


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EDIT: The last thing I'll say on this is that I hear " You're so insecure..." etc. etc.

Telling others not to be braggadocious is not insecure. Rather, plastering your admissions stats all over your signature + begging people to think that you're smart and important is.

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[Jalby]

What is we just include it in our postings??

GPA: 3.21 // MCAT 37 (98th %ile I think) // ~50 Apps Submitted // ~35 Secondaries // I don't know what II is // 1 Acceptances // 49 Rejections

 

[ZedsDed]

Yes, we are Student Doctor Network: The World's Most Neurotic Website, and we are all happy to see II's and acceptances once they happen on the specific thread of the school you have applied to. That being said, there is next-to-no benefit of wearing your acceptances & IIs on your sleeve in a public signature.

Sure there is, people who are in the middle of their cycles do that so they aren't constantly asked "what are your stats?!" when they trade info about specific schools or give/ask for advice. I agree that they should probably take it down at a certain point, but it's no reason to get your panties all in a bunch.

Yet, for most people (including Lurker John + Janie that use this website without making accounts), it's just a very forward way to say "look how great I am"

Meh, I doubt it.

 

[To be MD]

Sure there is, people who are in the middle of their cycles do that so they aren't constantly asked "what are your stats?!" when they trade info about specific schools or give/ask for advice. I agree that they should probably take it down at a certain point, but it's no reason to get your panties all in a bunch.

I don't wear panties/ don't use that phrase/ am not angry.

... To what you said, I already wrote, "There's an MDApps for That."

 

[ZedsDed]

Panties not in bunch. To what you said, I already wrote, "There's an MDApps for That."

Yeah... but this is SDN. It's more convenient for them to drop something in the signature than set up a profile on another website that requires a bunch of extra details many don't want to divulge.

 

[To be MD]

Yeah... but this is SDN. It's more convenient for them to just write in the signature than set up a profile on another website that requires a bunch of extra detail many don't want to divulge.

And I'm writing that a SDNer's convenience in this scenario comes along with being a braggart. Post your stats if you want in school specific threads (which most already do), and, aside from that, make a profile on mdapps if you want to share your II's + acceptances.

 

[Doctor Strange]

The entire medical profession is humble bragging. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using SDN mobile

 

[ZedsDed]

And I'm writing that a SDNer's convenience in this scenario comes along with being a braggart.

I understand what you're saying friend. You might find it distasteful, but I haven't seen any reason to assume your sentiments reflect the majority view. If a bunch of people turn out to be annoyed by it, OK -- fine I guess. We can try and trade a little convenience so members feel more comfortable. Until then you are asking SDN to change because of something that (WADR) you are personally hung up on.

 

[Hospitalized]

Let's face it, this is the worst time to be on SDN

 

[Sardinia]

 

[Lucca]

More people should do mdapps tbh, not because knowing numbers is super useful (if I know your numbers, does that change my numbers?? The most I could possibly do is ask for MCAT advice) but because some profiles are actually very detailed and give pretty thorough perspectives on interview day and what the school was like. A lot of my current, non applicant opinions about schools are based on reading mdapps from users who I know have similar priorities to mine and it has certainly affected where I think I want to apply.

 

[To be MD]

The entire medical profession is humble bragging. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using SDN mobile

I agree. But, the less of it, the better.

I'm not saying ban people who post their stats in their signature... I'm just writing to (1) recognize it, (2) say it is not as helpful as it is showy, and (3) hopefully make it a SDN cultural faux pas--and, eventually, a thing of history.

 

[RockMcat520]

I honestly wanted to say the same thing for so long. I feel like everyone is PMSing at this time of the year especially those who are applying. No offense. I agree with @Hospitalized that this is the worst time to be on SDN

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I agree. But, the less of it, the better.

I'm not saying ban people who post their stats in their signature... I'm just writing to (1) recognize it, (2) say it is not as helpful as it is showy, and (3) hopefully make it a SDN cultural faux pas--and, eventually, a thing of history.

Look at SDN on your phone. Problem solved.

 

[Sardinia]

Look at SDN on your phone. Problem solved.

He's trying to influence other people on this site to obfuscate their stats because he feels an open stats driven culture gives this site a bad reputation.

Also here's a fix for your home computer/laptop:
Uncheck "Show people's signature with their messages."

 

[Sardinia]

Which is hilarious because the entire world is driven by a stats culture to the extent that careers revolve around "juking the stats."

No Child Left Behind
Homicide Rates
Newspaper CPM
Amount of views and length of time spent watching per average viewer

If anything people are fighting for transparency, comparative metrics, and other data to understand what it all really means.

 

[Rei02sDinnerParty]

I don't understand this thread. I would would rather take MCAT advice from someone who got a good MCAT score than someone who either hasn't taken it or got a bad score/scores. Same goes for people who might not want interview advice from someone who hasn't been rejected everywhere they've interviewed. The signature provides the ethos.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Sardinia]

I don't understand this thread. I would would rather take MCAT advice from someone who got a good MCAT score than someone who either hasn't taken it or got a bad score/scores. Same goes for people who might not want interview advice from someone who hasn't been rejected everywhere they've interviewed. The signature provides the ethos. Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

OP is saying you can still share your MCAT score. Just put in the effort to make a separate account on MDApps and delete it from your own signature. If people are interested on SDN, they will make the extra effort to click on a link underneath your username to verify your MCAT information rather than just having the MCAT score right underneath your own post.

 

[Psai]

I agree with you op, premeds who do this are so insecure

GPA: 3.9 // MCAT 39 // 10 Apps Submitted // 10 Secondaries // 10 II // 10 Acceptances // 0 Rejections

 

[Sardinia]

I agree with you op, premeds who do this are so insecure
GPA: 4.0 // MCAT 45T // 100 Apps Submitted // 100 Secondaries // 100 II // 100 Acceptances // 0 Rejections

Fixed. You forgot to put in the verbal score.

 

[To be MD]

"Safe Spaces Everywhere"

I'm not advocating any "safe spaces". This is a public forum. I'm advocating for humility being our standard of behavior.

He's trying to influence other people on this site to obfuscate their stats because he feels an open stats driven culture gives this site a bad reputation.

Also here's a fix for your home computer/laptop:
Uncheck "Show people's signature with their messages."

I'm also not trying to remove signatures. Signatures are great.

I don't understand this thread. I would would rather take MCAT advice from someone who got a good MCAT score than someone who either hasn't taken it or got a bad score/scores. Same goes for people who might not want interview advice from someone who hasn't been rejected everywhere they've interviewed. The signature provides the ethos.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

What does an application cycle signature have to do with MCAT advice? There's an MCAT prep forum where you can read 509+ study tips, if that's what you're looking for.

I agree with you op, premeds who do this are so insecure

GPA: 3.9 // MCAT 39 // 10 Apps Submitted // 10 Secondaries // 10 II // 10 Acceptances // 0 Rejections

Lol.

 

[SydSing]

.

 

[Sardinia]

@To be MD How are rejections a sign of bragging rights? A poor GPA? Or a potentially poor MCAT? How are any of these statistics a guaranteed sign of bragging rights? These are hard cold metrics. When an Adcom looks at these statistics do you think he cares about your opinions if you don't make the cut? Your app gets auto rejected by a robot, a system tells you to **** off, and you aren't even aware of it most of the time when it happens. The culture here is about you making the cut. Not me, not the guy above me, and not the guy below me. It's about you.

 

[To be MD]

@To be MD How are rejections a sign of bragging rights?

I think we all know the typical SDN user/applicant has higher stats/acceptances than the average medical school applicant.



I'm not arguing everyone who does a sig. like this is doing anything inherently wrong... it's just more often than not, it's much less helpful than it is a put-off (especially to the general public who aren't active users).


This thread is just trying to help change our culture for the better.

 

[Kr#36]

Do we not all have bigger fish to fry than getting all butt hurt over someone's signature? I can't say I've ever had my life altered one way or the other by someone's signature....yet.

 

[Sardinia]

@To be MD Any medical student who is gunning for a top level residency wants to know the cut off statistics and other people in the program who got in. They want to know if they did a sub-I and how many hours they got 3 hours of sleep doing something extra for their application. They don't want to waste their time if they aren't competitive or they find out the program has a quirk like preferring highly in-state applicants. These metrics are hilariously obtuse and not at all descriptive. However, they are transparent and allows people who haven't gotten an acceptance a chance to ask them what key things they did other than having an amazing GPA/MCAT as to how they landed so many acceptances.

Some new users don't even know what a LizzyM score is, if someone posts a LizzyM of "X" value then it either forces them to log that into the back of their mind, google it, or ask what the heck a LizzyM is and how to calculate it. Culture is a problem for those who have the privilege to worry about what the drapes look like on the window. For people who need to get in on their first cycle and are hungry, having open statistics expedites their own self-selection process.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

He's trying to influence other people on this site to obfuscate their stats because he feels an open stats driven culture gives this site a bad reputation.

Also here's a fix for your home computer/laptop:
Uncheck "Show people's signature with their messages."

Except that no one whose responded so far has felt similarly. I was giving him an option to not see them himself while his cause builds (or doesn't).

 

[Iz_FtB]

So, the problem is that pre-meds in a pre-med forum are passively stating their success?

Anyone with interviews at this stage has done a lot of things right for a while to get to this point, and I think casting them as being braggadocious about their accomplishments isn't fair. Problem is on your end, not theirs.

 

[To be MD]

Except that no one whose responded so far has felt similarly. I was giving him an option to not see them himself while his cause builds (or doesn't).

Yiiiiiiikes. I'll remove mine when I hit a PC... I think I saw a couple others and thought 'oh hey that would be cute'.

Guess not. Point taken.

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Do we not all have bigger fish to fry than getting all butt hurt over someone's signature? I can't say I've ever had my life altered one way or the other by someone's signature....yet.

Again, humility should be our standard as future physicians. If you don't care, that's great... I do care. That's why I'm writing. I'm speaking from the POV of a fellow applicant who thinks posting stats is great... on mdapps.

Additionally, you can say "don't we have bigger fish to fry?" to pretty much anything ever written. Right now, I'm trying to fry this tiny, obnoxious, boastful fish.

 

[SydSing]

Not to start a debate...

but it's not so much that we are in agreement but more so that I really try not to offend anyone, whether I think their offense is justified or not.

 

[ZedsDed]

Additionally, you can say "don't we have bigger fish to fry?" to pretty much anything ever written. Right now, I'm trying to fry this tiny, obnoxious, boastful fish.

Sure, and I don't think anyone's giving you too hard of a time about it -- just seems like an odd grievance to fixate on. Even if I were bothered by the sigs, I can't imagine being russled enough to go out of my way to make a thread about it. I think it's always important to take a step back and remember "oh, right, I'm on the internet -- it's not that serious" for your own sanity if nothing else.

 

[alpha-GTP]

.

 

[MoDiddy]

Lol you don't like the new signature?

 

[GrumpyGus]

Look I get it. I'm one of those douchey asshats that has a signature like that. But you know what? I'm proud of what I'm able to accomplish. This isn't facebook. This is literally a premed forum and if it bothers you that premeds are posting premed related things in their premed signature then I have no idea what to tell you. A valuable lesson in life is being able to look at other people's successes, be happy for them, and move on. If my signature really upsets you that much that you had to make a post about how we should stop "bragging" to complete strangers, then maybe you need to address an underlying issue.

Do you think it's easy for me, even with 15 II, to talk to other premeds that have II at my top choice while I don't? Do I cry to them and say "omg just stop telling me! stop humble bragging you dingus!"

Do you think when my friend got a 526 on his MCAT I got mad at him for "humble bragging" to me? No, I was SO ****ing psyched and we danced and went out for drinks and even though he died of alcohol poisoning later that night, I wouldn't have traded his successes for anything. I am SO proud of him and I can't wait for him to get accepted to Harvard. Will I? **** no, but who cares. His successes != my failures.

And if it's really that triggering to you then unmark the signatures on comments and problem solved. Stop trying to change other people's behaviors based on your own feelings.

 

[To be MD]

Look I get it. I'm one of those douchey asshats that has a signature like that. But you know what? I'm proud of what I'm able to accomplish. This isn't facebook. This is literally a premed forum and if it bothers you that premeds are posting premed related things in their premed signature then I have no idea what to tell you. A valuable lesson in life is being able to look at other people's successes, be happy for them, and move on. If my signature really upsets you that much that you had to make a post about how we should stop "bragging" to complete strangers, then maybe you need to address an underlying issue.

Do you think it's easy for me, even with 15 II, to talk to other premeds that have II at my top choice while I don't? Do I cry to them and say "omg just stop telling me! stop humble bragging you dingus!"

Do you think when my friend got a 526 on his MCAT I got mad at him for "humble bragging" to me? No, I was SO ****ing psyched and we danced and went out for drinks and even though he died of alcohol poisoning later that night, I wouldn't have traded his successes for anything. I am SO proud of him and I can't wait for him to get accepted to Harvard. Will I? **** no, but who cares. His successes != my failures.

And if it's really that triggering to you then unmark the signatures on comments and problem solved. Stop trying to change other people's behaviors based on your own feelings.

I try to change people's behaviors based off my experiences + feelings all the time.

 

[ZedsDed]

I try to change people's behaviors based off my experiences + feelings all the time.

Therein lies the rub.

 

[intellectualedema]

2 cents-- I put mine down because whenever I would post about literally anything, this would happen

 

[To be MD]

Therein lies the rub.

You don't?

 

[ZedsDed]

You don't?

Not really. "Feelings" and "experience" are both vastly overrated by our generation.

 

[To be MD]

Not really. "Feelings" and "experience" are both vastly overrated.

Well, I posted about taking away this kind of sig.

You posted arguing against what I was saying...

So... that would be writing to change my thoughts/behaviors based off your experiences/feelings.
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Okay, basically, SDN... the stats signature is obnoxious. I won't write any more about it.

 

[ZedsDed]

Well, I posted about taking away this kind of sig.

You posted arguing against what I was saying...

So... that would be writing to change my thoughts/behaviors based off your experiences/feelings.
--

Okay, basically, SDN... the stats signature is obnoxious. I won't write any more about it.

My questioning your insistence that all of us change our behavior is not the same thing lol

 

[libertyyne]

Who cares? Life is not easy nor fair. I do know that I would rather ask the person with 10II's for advice rather than other know it all pre-meds. Do you get offended when people drive fancy cars? Have larger houses? Better looking spouses? Anything else that signifies status in society?

 

[To be MD]

View attachment 209334 View attachment 209334
Who cares? Life is not easy nor fair. I do know that I would rather ask the person with 10II's for advice rather than other know it all pre-meds. Do you get offended when people drive fancy cars? Have larger houses? Better looking spouses? Anything else that signifies status in society?

My friends at Harvard don't wear a backwards cap with their SAT scores plastered on the back. It's not normal, polite behavior in the real world... and I hope this post will not encourage that kind of behavior on here, either.

*EDIT* Do appreciate Randy, though.

 

[libertyyne]

My friends at Harvard don't wear a backwards cap with their SAT scores plastered on the back. It's not normal, polite behavior in the real world... and I hope this post will not encourage that kind of behavior on here, either.

*EDIT* Do appreciate Randy, though.

They literally wear Harvard gear. Better than any SAT score.

 

[To be MD]

They literally wear Harvard gear. Better than any SAT score.

Yea! I say that's fine.

The equivalent on here would be changing your status to 'med student' and maybe having HMS Class of 202X in a signature. S/he might even post their stats on the HMS thread for people who are anxious about getting their own II. That's all great.

Stats on a signature is just bragging. That's it.

 

[Mad Jack]

This is a serious topic, I fully believe in OP's cause.

3.8 cGPA/3.79 sGPA, 35 MCAT, 13 applications submitted, 13 secondaries submitted, 11 interview invites, 3 interviews, 3 acceptances, 8 declined interviews

 

[To be MD]

This is a serious topic, I fully believe in OP's cause.

3.8 cGPA/3.79 sGPA, 35 MCAT, 13 applications submitted, 13 secondaries submitted, 11 interview invites, 3 interviews, 3 acceptances, 8 declined interviews

@Psai already made that joke

 

[NotYou20]

Being super proud of out nerding people has always been weird to me. Don't care if people do it though

 

[bjy]

I attached my LizzyM, state of residency, and ORM status to my signature so that there would be some context when I post on school-specific threads. I just didn't want to make the effort to type out the same thing every time and remembering to do it on every pre-allo thread I might come across. There wasn't any intent to "humble-brag." I imagine many of us did this for the same reasons. In any case, I'd like to think that in this stressful, stats-driven culture, we're all trying to help, support, and understand one another better so that we may all succeed.

 

[GinnyWeasley]

I personally am not a fan of those signatures, but I just ignore them and move on. (not the ones that have the LizzyM and state of residence, but the ones that give every detail of the person's app) If the person who posts the signature feels better because of it, more power to him/her. But I think someone can still be a humble person and post those stats. The way I see it is that in our real lives we're not going around talking about our amazing stats to everyone we see(at least I hope not lol), but here on the anonymous internet, it's a way to kind of recognize the hard work we've put in. Just my opinion.