How should I inform schools that my SO is applying to their grad school?

[toastytoastie]

My SO is applying to PhD programs while I'm applying to med schools. Is it appropriate to write/call med schools I have been accepted to about this? It would be great if we could end up in the same geographic region.

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[baxt1412]

Worth a shot, I don't think they would rescind an acceptance based on that. I would call and explain the situation to the receptionist (or whoever answers) and then just ask with who would be best for you to talk about this situation.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Are you trying to get the Ph.D program to accept your SO because you were accepted to their MD program? That's not going to happen. However, Ph.D admissions usually have a much higher rate of acceptance than MD admissions, so he or she will probably get in anyway.

Just make their app as strong as possible

 

[NervousNerd]

My SO is applying to PhD programs while I'm applying to med schools. Is it appropriate to write/call med schools I have been accepted to about this? It would be great if we could end up in the same geographic region.

I think this is more something your SO should note on their end. I doubt the medical schools you were accepted at have a huge pull over your SO's program where they can just address this themselves in their application or interview.

But nonetheless it wouldn't harm to try!

 

[toastytoastie]

I think this is more something your SO should note on their end. I doubt the medical schools you were accepted at have a huge pull over your SO's program where they can just address this themselves in their application or interview.

But nonetheless it wouldn't harm to try!

Ok, so it might be worth it for him to mention that he would like to come to XYZ school not only because of their program strength and opportunities, but because his fiancee has already been accepted XYZ's med school?

 

[NervousNerd]

Ok, so it might be worth it for him to mention that he would like to come to XYZ school not only because of their program strength and opportunities, but because his fiancee has already been accepted XYZ's med school?

I wouldn't make it an "end all be all" statement. More of a conversational or essay bonus.

I can imagine a situation where he may be asked why this school. He should address most of this with the program strengths, how he fits the mission, etc. But then wiggle in a blurb about how his lovely fiancée will also be attending the medical school thus adding to his already prevalent desire to attend.

How it is received by a committee will vary. In my opinion, when starting out marriage, it would be very very difficult and unhealthy to be separated. Thus someone with my thinking may give him a 1+ for this mentality. But, if his academics don't stand up to the program, having you in their medical school won't give him a shoe in per say

 

[Catalystik]

Are you trying to get the Ph.D program to accept your SO because you were accepted to their MD program? That's not going to happen.

I don't think so either.

I can imagine a situation where he may be asked why this school. He should address most of this with the program strengths, how he fits the mission, etc. But then wiggle in a blurb about how his lovely fiancée will also be attending the medical school thus adding to his already prevalent desire to attend.

I agree that the relationship should not be the centerpiece of the reason for wanting a particular PhD program, but rather a later add-in. And this information needs to come from your SO, not from you.

 

[DokterMom]

I don't think so either.I agree that the relationship should not be the centerpiece of the reason for wanting a particular PhD program, but rather a later add-in. And this information needs to come from your SO, not from you.

Agree completely. If it's the same university, he's in a closely-related field, and the medical school really, really wants you, (as opposed to merely happy to have you) then there's a very small chance that someone might make a phone call. But a really small chance.

The far greater risk (especially if you're female - sorry) is that you damage your perceived professionalism by bothering the administration about "my boyfriend" (even if he's your fiance.)

For your fiance to mention that you've been accepted to medical school nearby might be a slight positive indicator that s/he'd be more likely to attend.

 

[toastytoastie]

For your fiance to mention that you've been accepted to medical school nearby might be a slight positive indicator that s/he'd be more likely to attend.

Ok, that's pretty much what I was getting at. It seems that perhaps we should let the system run its course naturally without trying to force it, and if there's a convenient time for him to bring it up, he can.

 

[toastytoastie]

Although I will say I've been given conflicting pieces of advice from interviewers at various schools. A handful of them, including at schools I was accepted to, told me to inform AdComs on both ends so the school could make a unified decision. I hesitated to act on that though, because I'm not sure how PhD committees would perceive that pressure. They might not do so positively.

 

[LizzyM]

Although I will say I've been given conflicting pieces of advice from interviewers at various schools. A handful of them, including at schools I was accepted to, told me to inform AdComs on both ends so the school could make a unified decision. I hesitated to act on that though, because I'm not sure how PhD committees would perceive that pressure. They might not do so positively.

I've been in this business for 10+ years and I've never seen any attempt at a "unified decision". The MD decisions and the PhD decisions will be completely independent and will be completely dependent on how well the applicant fits with the school (particularly on the PhD side).

You've gotten your offers... if/when your significant other interviews, he/she should mention the desire to live in ___ given that you'll be a student here as a plus. But it should be lower on the list of reasons that 3 or 4 good reasons why the school and the specific department's faculty are a good fit with the applicant's research interests and prior research experiences.

 

[jamcat]

This is an n=1 scenario but I once heard the PI of my lab talking about a potential grad student, and he was completely mocking the fact that the candidate mentioned a SO during the interview day in the very same context as your SO would be doing. That mention definitely hurt the candidate's application. I don't have anywhere near the experience that the doctors and adcoms who have replied here have so take this in that context, but I thought I would pass this overheard tidbit on in case it helps.

 

[gyngyn]

We are sometimes (rarely) collaborative in the residency match in which committed couples wish to remain within driving distance. I have not experienced a situation in which a pre-acceptance desire for different programs in the same institution for Medical/Professional school was successful.

 

[toastytoastie]

Thanks everyone for the responses! We'll have to just cross our fingers and hope that everything works out for the best. It's frustrating being engaged and having this much uncertainty hanging over our heads, but we were able to go to the same undergrad, so maybe fate will be in our favor this time too.

 

[PlasticBag]

I definitely wouldn't make a call myself. They accepted you, they want you, but you're still only one of many students admitted -- it might seem a bit entitled that you'd even think they could do you such a huge favor. I think those favors are maybe a bit more likely to happen at a higher level - residency, faculty positions, etc.

But I do think it might help if your fiance mentions it during his own interview.