I'm visiting a city with a few schools I'm interested in. Should I visit their Admissions office?

[david27]

I'm going on vacation to a city with a few medical schools I'm interested in applying to. I will be applying this upcoming cycle. Is it common to visit the admissions office? I'm assuming most don't give "campus tours" like undergraduate colleges do, but if I contact the offices beforehand do some schools meet with prospective applicants at all? What about meeting with a dean of the school? Thanks for your advice!

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[FeinMS]

No..

 

[shtumpa]

No, it is not a good idea I don't think....

 

[jqueb29]

Do not just show up. Call them ahead of time; they will inform you, "Lol wtf absolutely not"

 

[GavinThePremed]

I'm going on vacation to a city with a few medical schools I'm interested in applying to. I will be applying this upcoming cycle. Is it common to visit the admissions office? I'm assuming most don't give "campus tours" like undergraduate colleges do, but if I contact the offices beforehand do some schools meet with prospective applicants at all? What about meeting with a dean of the school? Thanks for your advice!

Nah Man, the MOST I would do is send an in the area email. Some people snag II's from those.

 

[GavinThePremed]

I'm going on vacation to a city with a few medical schools I'm interested in applying to. I will be applying this upcoming cycle. Is it common to visit the admissions office? I'm assuming most don't give "campus tours" like undergraduate colleges do, but if I contact the offices beforehand do some schools meet with prospective applicants at all? What about meeting with a dean of the school? Thanks for your advice!

Oh my bad, thought this was your current app cycle. Go yourself and walk around...don't try to meet with anyone.

 

[gyngyn]

Do not try to meet with the dean!

 

[Bottle]

These people are just jealous. Go to the dean office and introduce yourself as premed major and ask him if 20 mcat is ok.

 

[shtumpa]

Go straight to the CEO

 

[WedgeDawg]

All of the admissions offices I've been to on interviews won't let you in unless you have a specific reason to be there (ie an interview), so even if you went there physically, you wouldn't be able to get inside. Additionally, you're going right in the middle of interview season, so the offices are going to be at capacity doing interview stuff anyway, meaning they won't have the time to spare to talk to you.

tl;dr no

 

[Ismet]

Noooooooooooooooooo!

 

[pinacol]

I'm in the same position as OP. Clearly it doesn't seem to be a good idea to try and contact anyone, but what is the best way to go and visit medical schools? Just wander around the campus?

 

[FFH]

Don't go there unannounced. Maybe check out if they have some kind of tour/info session. I went to one held by Penn. I got tons of useful info out of it and there was a tour afterwards. I eventually snatched an II from Penn. The info session's info helped me quite a bit in structuring my secondary response. You can also try to connect with current students either through your friendship network or through SDN. Depending on the individual and depending on how they feel about your invitation, they might agree to meet with you and to talk about and to show you around the school. I had a couple of those experiences, very positive.

 

[Ismet]

Look at the campus. See what the town/city/whatever has to offer. It might give you something to talk about at the interview when they ask "why this school?" It adds a little something extra when you've actually seen it and didn't just drive by it on your way to the interview. Save the tour of the med school for when you get the interview.

 

[FFH]

Look at the campus. See what the town/city/whatever has to offer. It might give you something to talk about at the interview when they ask "why this school?" It adds a little something extra when you've actually seen it and didn't just drive by it on your way to the interview. Save the tour of the med school for when you get the interview.

I loved my pre-interview tour of UPMC though. I just walked around by myself.

 

[GavinThePremed]

I'm in the same position as OP. Clearly it doesn't seem to be a good idea to try and contact anyone, but what is the best way to go and visit medical schools? Just wander around the campus?

Last summer I was in Rochester, so I went to the University of Rochester. Quite anonymously walked around the campus and hospital unnoticed. Walked past the office of admissions, saw a flier, took it (NOTICE DID NOT GO IN). Liked the facilities. Decided I would apply there.

 

[Ismet]

I loved my pre-interview tour of UPMC though. I just walked around by myself.

See I would just check out Oakland and what it has to offer. And explore the Cathedral. But that's the alumna in me talking. Glad you enjoyed your tour though