Do med schools care about relationships?

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Cytokine2014

Cytokine2014

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So my fiancé is in an allopathic program. I'm a solid applicant. I'd like to join him at his school.

My question is this: do schools care about where you have "family" enough that I should bring it up if I'm offered a secondary (they screen) or an interview?

I know sometimes they think it clouds your judgment as to why you want to attend, but I also have very compelling, program-specific reasons to attend.

Anyone have experience with this? How did it go?
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I have heard that it is considered, but not usually very strongly, although it could influence an end stage decision.
 
Well, I'm not scholarship high. I'm in the 10th percentile for this school. BUT I am many things they seem to be looking for, I'm a unique applicant, and now I have "ties" to the area. Really hoping to not spend 4-5 years apart.

Makes the whole process seem extra vicious.
 
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Well, it gives you a very good answer to "why our school". However, adcoms have stated that letters of intent (I absolutely have to go here/I'd choose this school over any other type statements) have zero impact on them. Which makes sense, as if it was a big benefit people would abuse it.

Cytokine2014 said:
I'm in the 10th percentile for this school.
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Ouch...I sure hope your unique story includes being African American, first generation to college, grown up in poverty overcoming impossible odds and so on

Their yield for people they accept from the 10th percentile is probably nearly 100% already. The "I have to stay with X" line is only helpful when you're in the upper hand position, with an app that will get you in all over ("scholarship material" as said above)
 
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If you were a really high powered candidate, the school might be interested.

Cytokine2014 said:
So my fiancé is in an allopathic program, a well-ranked one. I'm a solid applicant with a unique story and background. I'd like to join her at her school.

My question is this: do schools care about where you have "family" enough that I should bring it up if I'm offered a secondary (they screen) or an interview?

I know sometimes they think it clouds your judgment as to why you want to attend, but I also have very compelling, program-specific reasons to attend.

Anyone have experience with this? How did it go?
Click to expand...
 
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efle said:
Well, it gives you a very good answer to "why our school". However, adcoms have stated that letters of intent (I absolutely have to go here/I'd choose this school over any other type statements) have zero impact on them. Which makes sense, as if it was a big benefit people would abuse it.


Ouch...I sure hope your unique story includes being African American, first generation to college, grown up in poverty overcoming impossible odds and so on

Their yield for people they accept from the 10th percentile is probably nearly 100% already. The "I have to stay with X" line is only helpful when you're in the upper hand position, with an app that will get you in all over ("scholarship material" as said above)
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I know it's a long shot. We will just see how it goes I guess.
 
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Cytokine2014 said:
Besides being African American, I do have all of those things. I know it's a long shot. We will just see how it goes I guess.
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Well you don't have to be AA, just URM. The shot isn't that long if you really can hit every booster like SES, first gen college, etc. That's what those bottom 10% usually are.

I imagine it also depends a lot on the school you are 10th percentile at. If the 10th percentile in question is in the mid 20s then you're flirting with being unlikely to pass step/graduate, a huge risk for them, while if you're talking about low 30s then the school is only sacrificing some minor stats boosting
 
Cytokine2014 said:
Well, I'm a first-generation college student, the lowest possible AAMC SES score, personal statement about the challenges of overcoming all of that and getting to/through college... My family made avg $40k which is exacerbated if you consider family size. I qualified for Pell grants in college, worked all the way through. I'm also from a rural, medically underserved area.

And their 10th percentile is low 30's, which I have.

I also went to a liberal arts college which is considered to be Ivy-league level.
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Sounds like you're exactly the type of person to make up their bottom tenth. If you don't mind my asking, did you consider an MCAT retake? The people who can survive Ivy caliber schools with a competitive GPA tend to have very high MCATs...and if you got anywhere close to the school median your story would make you a very solid bet
 
efle said:
Sounds like you're exactly the type of person to make up their bottom tenth. If you don't mind my asking, did you consider an MCAT retake? The people who can survive Ivy caliber schools with a competitive GPA tend to have very high MCATs...and if you got anywhere close to the school median your story would make you a very solid bet
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Well, honestly it's really expensive. And I work a full time job so I don't have a lot of time to study for a retake. I considered it really seriously, and with the advice of my premed advisor decided not to, ultimately. I'm well above the national average, above 30, and regression to the mean is always a concern.

This week I paid $300 that I don't really have for the family cell phone bill so that my family could still eat and buy gas to get to work.

Having this choice to apply at all is a gift and a miracle. At this point, I have to trust because I have worked really hard.

I will also have two years of direct patient contact at a top 5 teaching hospital by the time I matriculate. Hoping that - and the very long distance I have traveled - will be meaningful.
 
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best of luck to you. Hopefully it is one of the schools that really loves diversity of experience and stories like yours
 
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will it help?? maybe, if they otherwise like you. it won't hurt to mention this issue.

good luck
 
efle said:
best of luck to you. Hopefully it is one of the schools that really loves diversity of experience and stories like yours
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Thank you. I will gladly and gratefully take any luck or well wishes I can get.
 
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@efle, @gonnif, @Goro thanks for all your thoughts way back when! Got the secondary and the interview! Currently waitlisted and waiting to see what comes of all this.


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Awesome! All the best for med school, and hope your story helps encourage others in similar positions. Always nice to have my initial pessimism proven wrong!
 
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Sorry to hijack an old thread, figured I wouldn't start a new one since I have a similar question. My fiancé is a prominent male model and needs to stay either in LA or NYC for obvious reasons. Would I also be able to include that in my secondaries? Or don't bother?
 
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To echo what others have said, I would definitely bring it up. I don't want to go into specifics, but at one second look weekend at a very good school there was someone I met who got in, but their very serious SO did not. When they talked to the dean, the dean stressed twice in a short conversation how this person really should have mentioned that their SO was applying to the school as well, as if to hint that they would have very seriously considered admitting the SO. Is this typical? Probably not, but it's something I have seen happen so it is possible.
 
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CloverBale said:
Sorry to hijack an old thread, figured I wouldn't start a new one since I have a similar question. My fiancé is a prominent male model and needs to stay either in LA or NYC for obvious reasons. Would I also be able to include that in my secondaries? Or don't bother?
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Don't bother.... Lucky for you there are a ton of med schools in NY and even Philly should be on your radar as it isn't far from NY.
 
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Congratulations @Cytokine2014 ! I'm very happy for you and wish you both the best --
 
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