Medical schools that like "different" applicants

[Nelmezzodelcammin]

Does anyone know which medical schools like nontraditional students with "different" backgrounds (as opposed to the typical junior science major with cookie cutter ec's)?

BTW my gpa is 3.7 cum, 3.5 science with MCAT pending... so probably looking at less competitive schools.

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[Espadaleader]

Those stats alone can get anyone anywhere. Top tens are full of people with similar scores on the "low" end but Fulbrights/Americorp/TFA/Entrepreneurs etc.

 

[Nelmezzodelcammin]

Those stats alone can get anyone anywhere. Top tens are full of people with similar scores on the "low" end but Fulbrights/Americorp/TFA/Entrepreneurs etc.

Well I don't have anything as impressive as a fullbright but I do have a graduate degree in the humanities, some experience abroad, and some interesting volunteer experiences. Currently just finishing a "do it yourself" post bacc.

I don't want this to turn into a what are my chances thread though... w/o an mcat that's somewhat pointless. I'm just curious about schools receptive to unusual applicants.

 

[Espadaleader]

Pretty much all of them. The top schools more so.

 

[QofQuimica]

Pretty much all of them. The top schools more so.

This. I say "this" with the caveat, of course, that your stats should be within the range of the averages for the schools where you're applying.

People sometimes get the impression that schools with very high average stats don't want nontrads. But the real issue is that on average, nontrads have lower grades and MCAT scores than trads do, and that makes it harder for them to gain acceptance to schools that value applicants with high stats. However, those schools do still want nontrads whom they consider academically qualified. The select group of nontrad applicants who have very high stats along with their interesting life experiences are heavily recruited by most if not all med schools, a phenomenon which I experienced both from the applicant and the adcom perspectives.

 

[Captain Sisko]

Plugging my own school here, but I'm going to say Minnesota. I interviewed with the chair of their adcom, a navy frogman who served in Vietnam before he was a math teacher, and then decided to go to medical school in the 70's. One of the first nontraditional students. Told me all about how they want their students to have that extra experience.

Meeting my classmates at second look, it really seemed like the people who went straight through were in the minority. Still I think I was only one of maybe three people in their 30s but it definitely felt far more nontrad heavy

 

[Elewynne]

I had great success with Mayo, Drexel, Rosalind Franklin, Temple, Jeff. I applied to Pritzker but had no luck there, but it may have been my MCAT more than anything.

I tended to focus schools that matched my stats, took a significant percentage of out of state, and were not religion focused. If you're good at selling yourself via your AMCAS application, activity description, and essays, I feel most all schools are definitely interested in "different" applicants. The key is to sell yourself and your experiences in a way that focuses on the priorities of the school and speaks to the strengths you have as a nontrad with more experience.

 

[Goro]

ALL DO schools

Does anyone know which medical schools like nontraditional students with "different" backgrounds (as opposed to the typical junior science major with cookie cutter ec's)?

BTW my gpa is 3.7 cum, 3.5 science with MCAT pending... so probably looking at less competitive schools.

 

[PlumbLine]

Check out Rush and Baylor.

One thing I remember seeing on Baylor's website was that they seemed to be really proud of how many different undergraduate majors are represented in their incoming class.

But I also agree with what other people have said; pretty much every school is looking for the non-cookie cutter type applicants.


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