How competetive is Uniformed Services Uni?

[OperatingThetan]

How competitive is USU compared to non-military allopathic schools? Are there any acceptance stats posted?

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[DrMetal]

How competitive is USU compared to non-military allopathic schools? Are there any acceptance stats posted?

The USUHS website advertises an average GPA/MCAT of 3.5/30. But of course other factors weigh in, and the exact competitiveness of any given cycle depends on the year.

For instance, this year, USUHS seems to have a much higher volume of applicants than usual, driving those numbers a little higher (maybe ~3.6, ~31 or 32 MCAT). As to why the volume of applicants has increased, who knows. Some blame the economy. I blame the Detroit Lions 0-16 season.

There's an extensive USUHS thread on this forum. Many applicants have posted their profiles and stories, goes back almost 5 years, good read. check it out.

 

[speedyk]

For instance, this year, USUHS seems to have a much higher volume of applicants than usual, driving those numbers a little higher (maybe ~3.6, ~31 or 32 MCAT).

No way. The matriculant averages will probably only be slightly higher... (the current MCAT average is closer to a 29 but they round up the section scores to get 30). I'd bet on 3.55 GPA and a legit 30 MCAT average. Their averages have been quite stable over the years despite the ebb and flow of applicants. I think all the talk here about them focusing more on higher stats this year (which I have been guilty of myself) is mostly a combo of sour grapes and people being unfamiliar with past application cycles. Many of the people with higher stats who get in will decline to attend, like they have in the past.

To the OP- If you have at least a 3.3/28 you should get an interview if you apply early and have good essay's & EC's. Then it's up to your interview.

 

[DrMetal]

No way. The matriculant averages will probably only be slightly higher... (the current MCAT average is closer to a 29 but they round up the section scores to get 30). I'd bet on 3.55 GPA and a legit 30 MCAT average. Their averages have been quite stable over the years despite the ebb and flow of applicants. I think all the talk here about them focusing more on higher stats this year (which I have been guilty of myself) is mostly a combo of sour grapes and people being unfamiliar with past application cycles. Many of the people with higher stats who get in will decline to attend, like they have in the past.

To the OP- If you have at least a 3.3/28 you should get an interview if you apply early and have good essay's & EC's. Then it's up to your interview.

ok. I was just speculating on the delta, 3.55 (say ~3.6)/solid 30 sounds about right. Now agree that a 3.3/28 will get you an interview . . .but (as we're finding out this year) that's not a sure ticket in.

 

[notdeadyet]

How competitive is USU compared to non-military allopathic schools? Are there any acceptance stats posted?

Overall, consider it slightly less competitive than average. From back in the day, it seemed to track on the less competitive side of the national average each year, their stats rising along with the rest.

It's more competitive than many public schools with in-state goals or schools with target niches, and less competitive than most other med schools.

And keep in mind that even a less competitive med school is still extremely hard to get in to and a great accomplishment worthy of a whole lot of pride. What's "competitiveness" in med school admissions is relative and doesn't matter much. All are competitive. And all are somewhat subjective. I was waitlisted at UCSF and didn't get interviews at many schools most would consider less competitive than average schools.

 

[rotatores]

How competitive is USU compared to non-military allopathic schools? Are there any acceptance stats posted?

Just go to the website or call USUHS. They will be honest with you. I wouldn't pay much attention to advice here from non-USUHS students.

 

[notdeadyet]

Just go to the website or call USUHS. They will be honest with you.

Actually, asking a medical school how competitive their program is, how respected their school is, or what quality of physicians their institution produces is kind of a wasted dime in my book.

Every school will tell you they are a very competitive program that keeps getting harder to get in to each year. Their school is widely regarded as one of the best in the nation. They feel their school produces some of the finest clinicians in the nation. You'll get the marketing. Waste of time.

I wouldn't pay much attention to advice here from non-USUHS students.

I don't think the OP is asking about competitiveness in the program itself (USUHS students would be great for this), but about competitiveness in terms of admissions. Folks actively attending USUHS aren't going to have any special insights as to average GPAs and MCATs. Unless at the first day of class, folks go around asking each other their stats. Which would be pretty weird.

If anything, two groups whose opinions you'd need to weigh carefully would be USUHS affiliated folks, either alumni/students. Folks who have the diploma on the wall or are about to tend to drink the Kool-Aid about their home institution. Also weigh carefully folks who applied and were rejected.

Check USN&WR. The overall rankings mean very little, but you can drill down into the objective stuff that you're interested in. You can look at things like GPA/MCAT and all the rest for each school. It'll show you that for USUHS.

But be careful not to extrapolate quality from admission standards. USUHS self-selects because most people will eliminate the school from their application on the basis of military service obligation. Because it gets less applicants due to this, don't assume the program is weaker.

 

[rotatores]

Actually, asking a medical school how competitive their program is, how respected their school is, or what quality of physicians their institution produces is kind of a wasted dime in my book.

That's the beauty of stats...they are objective! I agree...one shouldn't ask "how competitive are you?"...no school will say "nah...not that competitive!" But I think it is fair to speak with someone in admission in regards to admission stats for the previous years.

I may be a USUHS grad but I surely haven't drank the Kool-Aid as you put it...trust me...not many graduates of USUHS "drink the Kook-Aid" when they get that 7 year payback bill in the mail. I just tend to speak up about matters where I actually have some knowledge and I encourage that of others.

Good luck in med school!

 

[notdeadyet]

That's the beauty of stats...they are objective! I agree...one shouldn't ask "how competitive are you?"...no school will say "nah...not that competitive!" But I think it is fair to speak with someone in admission in regards to admission stats for the previous years.

Makes sense. I'd recommend the OP be sure to find out if the numbers they are quoting are for admissions or matriculants. Med schools have been known to give either set, depending on what they're trying to accomplish.

I may be a USUHS grad but I surely haven't drank the Kool-Aid as you put it...trust me...not many graduates of USUHS "drink the Kook-Aid" when they get that 7 year payback bill in the mail.

Maybe the Kool-Aid is flushed out during payback. I'd still be careful about asking the competitiveness information from current students of any medical school. Too much bias. When you work all through high school to buy that first car, you tend to think your Mazda is the best thing on four wheels. Human nature.

Good luck in med school!

Thanks. I can use all I can get. Every step of the way.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

Competive to get in: This year, yes. Due to economic uncertains, the USUHS applicantion pool increased this year by a lot. any time there are more applicants to choose from, the adcom can be more picky. Last year, a 3.0 & 26 got you an interview and probably waitlisted. Getting waitlisted in a great thing at USUHS. Lots of the 3.7+, 35+ students applied to USUHS because there was no $ involved with secondary and it was a "fall back plan" However, once Michigan or Hopkins green lit them, their seats became available. I would bet that a large part of the USUHS class came in off the waitist. However, this is probably not the case this year.

Competition in the class: There is always some competition. lots of people in this profession can't help but to be competitive. However, my experiences talking to many USUHS grads, they gave me the impression that there were a lot of freinsdhips made in class and the competition was in check.

 

[Sarg's kid]

ok. I was just speculating on the delta, 3.55 (say ~3.6)/solid 30 sounds about right. Now agree that a 3.3/28 will get you an interview . . .but (as we're finding out this year) that's not a sure ticket in.

That's for damn sure. USU seems to be looking for some great intangible. Neither strong military background (grew up in the military) nor prior service seem to be gaurantees. My own personal postmortem has concluded that, to paraphrase Dick Winters on Band of Brothers, "USUHS doesn't hate everyone, private Sarg's Kid. They just hate YOU."

Seriously though, have solid numbers and good reasons for wanting to owe the military 7 years after residency and you should be fine. (Fine = ???)

 

[Sarg's kid]

Competition in the class: There is always some competition. lots of people in this profession can't help but to be competitive. However, my experiences talking to many USUHS grads, they gave me the impression that there were a lot of freinsdhips made in class and the competition was in check.

Now, this was just from the interview, but I haven't seen a more cohesive class in any other medical school interview. There was a definite espri de corps among the USU students (even if they did self separate by service). USU was my top choice because of the quality of people that I met at the interview. Everybody was real salt of the earth, friendly and seemed to be genuinely interested in each other.

Would have been a superb place to attend school.

 

[Eye-eye]

Chances are going to be fairly decent, from all I've seen, if you're truly interested in military medicine. Depending on year, it's 14-17 applicants per slot, which is a lot better than the more normal 1/30, 1/50, 1/80, or 1/100 sort of numbers you see if you open MSAR to a random page.

 

[notdeadyet]

The applicant graduated by now since you're responding to a 5 year old thread...


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[sonofva]

And a banned applicant haha

 

[Apollyon]

The applicant graduated by now since you're responding to a 5 year old thread...


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6 years in just about a week!

 

[Eye-eye]

The applicant graduated by now since you're responding to a 5 year old thread...

Fair enough. I suppose it helps to look at the date...