2020-2021 Boston University

[deleted1038508]

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yield protect is a myth created by high stat applicants to make themselves feel better change my mind

Nah lol I see it in my own school's acceptance data. The high stat applicants (3.8+ 520+) actively get rejected from some schools (e.g. SKMC, BUSM, etc.) while the average accepted student stats are close to the average applicant stats from my school. That's the definition of yield-protecting. Mid-tier and some lower-tier schools do it because they know high stat kids from high tier schools will likely not go to a lower tier med school. They'll just get in somewhere "better". Matriculation rate is very important for these schools, since many of them are always trying to rise the ranks. Because rank = money

 

[houseplantaficionado]

What is the latest submit / complete date for Pre-II Rs that went out today?

 

[spottedcory]

What is the latest submit / complete date for Pre-II Rs that went out today?

I haven't seen any complete dates for IIs or Rs (latest is 7/28 in this thread for any news I think), so I'm guessing they haven't gotten to August yet

 

[bajGanyo]

R this morning LM 75, complete mid July.

 

[deleted1065184]

Nah lol I see it in my own school's acceptance data. The high stat applicants (3.8+ 520+) actively get rejected from some schools (e.g. SKMC, BUSM, etc.) while the average accepted student stats are close to the average applicant stats from my school. That's the definition of yield-protecting. Mid-tier and some lower-tier schools do it because they know high stat kids from high tier schools will likely not go to a lower tier med school. They'll just get in somewhere "better". Matriculation rate is very important for these schools, since many of them are always trying to rise the ranks. Because rank = money

Your school may be an outlier (would love to know what their 90th percentile is), but I don't think this is generally true. Just look at the early IIs from schools with low- and mid-tier stats...why do you think that the vast majority of their first interview invites are super high stats applicants? Even schools with stats on the lower end do this. I honestly believe that it is made up by otherwise crappy applicants with high stats to make them feel better.

It's an easy cop out and doesn't require actually investigating the many components of your application. Could be essays, letters, lack of fit, lack of volunteer work, lack of clinical exposure, etc. Most schools would happily take a well-rounded applicant with a 515 and 3.7 than somebody with a 525 and 4.0 but overall unimpressive application.

 

[OfMiceAndWomen]

Nah lol I see it in my own school's acceptance data. The high stat applicants (3.8+ 520+) actively get rejected from some schools (e.g. SKMC, BUSM, etc.) while the average accepted student stats are close to the average applicant stats from my school. That's the definition of yield-protecting. Mid-tier and some lower-tier schools do it because they know high stat kids from high tier schools will likely not go to a lower tier med school. They'll just get in somewhere "better". Matriculation rate is very important for these schools, since many of them are always trying to rise the ranks. Because rank = money

Bruh BU has been interviewing people with LM 76 to 82, as seen earlier in this thread (and looks like they are rejecting people in the same range as well). They're prob going for a very specific mission fit, as evidenced by their "Why BU" secondary this year

 

[Rosiris Fleetfoot]

R this morning. Sucks because I feel like my stats are good and my essays and resume were a fit, but whatever.

 

[deleted1038508]

Your school may be an outlier (would love to know what their 90th percentile is), but I don't think this is generally true. Just look at the early IIs from schools with low- and mid-tier stats...why do you think that the vast majority of their first interview invites are super high stats applicants? Even schools with stats on the lower end do this. I honestly believe that it is made up by otherwise crappy applicants with high stats to make them feel better.

It's an easy cop out and doesn't require actually investigating the many components of your application. Could be essays, letters, lack of fit, lack of volunteer work, lack of clinical exposure, etc. Most schools would happily take a well-rounded applicant with a 515 and 3.7 than somebody with a 525 and 4.0 but overall unimpressive application.

I wouldn't call them/myself a crappy applicant just because I/we got rejected from a school like BUSM and have high stats. I think you are right that it is likely a "fit" thing though- that seems like the most likely option

 

[deleted1038508]

Your school may be an outlier (would love to know what their 90th percentile is), but I don't think this is generally true. Just look at the early IIs from schools with low- and mid-tier stats...why do you think that the vast majority of their first interview invites are super high stats applicants? Even schools with stats on the lower end do this. I honestly believe that it is made up by otherwise crappy applicants with high stats to make them feel better.

It's an easy cop out and doesn't require actually investigating the many components of your application. Could be essays, letters, lack of fit, lack of volunteer work, lack of clinical exposure, etc. Most schools would happily take a well-rounded applicant with a 515 and 3.7 than somebody with a 525 and 4.0 but overall unimpressive application.

90th percentile for what? MCAT 90th percentile is 523

 

[MediocreClimber]

I think BU is just a big “mission” school. They’re a decently high stat school so I don’t think there’s a ton of “yield protecting” but I do think they’re looking for very specific applications. Plenty of strong, high stat applicants will get rejected and plenty will be accepted! It’s all a crapshoot anyway.

 

[spottedcory]

Your school may be an outlier (would love to know what their 90th percentile is), but I don't think this is generally true. Just look at the early IIs from schools with low- and mid-tier stats...why do you think that the vast majority of their first interview invites are super high stats applicants? Even schools with stats on the lower end do this. I honestly believe that it is made up by otherwise crappy applicants with high stats to make them feel better.

It's an easy cop out and doesn't require actually investigating the many components of your application. Could be essays, letters, lack of fit, lack of volunteer work, lack of clinical exposure, etc. Most schools would happily take a well-rounded applicant with a 515 and 3.7 than somebody with a 525 and 4.0 but overall unimpressive application.

I agree with most these points except I do believe that yield protection exists, we just don't know to what extent or when someone was yield protected vs denied for another reason. I also think it's more a thing at other schools, bc BU has pretty high stats imo

 

[deleted1065184]

I wouldn't call them/myself a crappy applicant just because I/we got rejected from a school like BUSM and have high stats. I think you are right that it is likely a "fit" thing though- that seems like the most likely option

You're projecting, buddy. I'm not saying you're a crappy applicant. I'm sure you're great. I'm talking about the conception of the idea and subsequent popularity of "yield protection". It could be fit for sure, but it could also genuinely be something in your application that they didn't like...that other schools mind not mind.

I personally do not feel like I have many clinical hours (I won't say enough, bc that's very subjective and I personally feel like my experiences are enough given my life). This hasn't stopped a few schools from giving me interview invitations, but I'm sure some schools I applied to will not be cool with it and reject me lol

 

[medemac]

Pre-II R, OOS, ORM, Complete 7/15
not my favorite thing to wake up to

 

[deleted1065184]

I agree with most these points except I do believe that yield protection exists, we just don't know to what extent or when someone was yield protected vs denied for another reason. I also think it's more a thing at other schools, bc BU has pretty high stats imo

That's fair, but I really do think it's extremely minor for most schools. Because, again, why in the world are schools with median MCATs of 508-510 sending almost all of their first IIs to super high stats applicants?

I honestly think most schools believe the benefits of having higher student body stats and increasing their (extremely subjectivr and useless imo) USNWR rankings are worth risking yield. Most schools have pretty low yields except for like...Harvard lol

 

[Rosiris Fleetfoot]

90th percentile for what? MCAT 90th percentile is 523

What? MCAT 90th percentile is 514/515. Unless you mean BU's 90th percentile, which is apparently 524 according to MSAR, but you should be more clear that you are referring to BU's 90th percentile matriculant stat, rather than the MCAT overall.

 

[deleted1065184]

What? MCAT 90th percentile is 514/515. Unless you mean BU's 90th percentile, which is apparently 524 according to MSAR, but you should be more clear that you are referring to BU's 90th percentile matriculant stat, rather than the MCAT overall.

I'm glad you brought this up bc if we look at their 90th percentile for accepted students (524) and compare it to their 90th percentile for matriculants (521), we can see that the super high stats applicants are fairly low yield for them....yet they still accepted them lol

 

[deleted1065184]

for bot

90th percentile for what? MCAT 90th percentile is 523

For both, tbh. But since you mentioned MCAT, do you really think the 90th percentile would be that high if the were worried about yield? Heck, BU's 75th percentile for accepted students is 521. An entire fourth of the offers they made were to super high stats applicants. And the 75th percentile for GPA is 3.94.

 

[deleted1038508]

for bot
For both, tbh. But since you mentioned MCAT, do you really think the 90th percentile would be that high if the were worried about yield? Heck, BU's 75th percentile for accepted students is 521. An entire fourth of the offers they made were to super high stats applicants. And the 75th percentile for GPA is 3.94.

I was referring to the 90th percentile of all MCAT takers at my school who applied in 2019. Most of them were rejected, with the average accepted student at BUSM from my school falling at 517. I go to a T10 so most of these kids are pretty competitive/aggressive pre-meds

 

[McDr3amy]

complete 7/27 and still havent heard anything, any Canadians hear back yet?

 

[JiHoonie]

R this morning 🙁
LizzyM ~74 ORM
Completed 7/21

 

[ripmysociallife]

just for u know science purposes lol did any of the ppl who got Rs also get the sorry for the delay email from BU?

 

[music-medicine]

just for u know science purposes lol did any of the ppl who got Rs also get the sorry for the delay email from BU?

I got the delay email but have not received an R

 

[puppymcpupperson]

seems all the Rs this morning were folks who were complete in July...wonder if the august complete rejections are coming soon?

 

[Homunculus150]

No R yet but haven’t heard anything else. Also completed late July. Getting nervous lol

 

[TabbyTuxy]

just for u know science purposes lol did any of the ppl who got Rs also get the sorry for the delay email from BU?

I did not get the email, but I got the R.

 

[will scott]

Haven’t gotten the R email yet. Scared bc LM 74.9 OOS ORM feel like it’s coming.

 

[GameOfZones]

LM 73, OOS, complete in late July. No delay email, and no R (yet)

 

[seanm028]

It's an easy cop out and doesn't require actually investigating the many components of your application. Could be essays, letters, lack of fit, lack of volunteer work, lack of clinical exposure, etc. Most schools would happily take a well-rounded applicant with a 515 and 3.7 than somebody with a 525 and 4.0 but overall unimpressive application.

In a previous managerial role I worked with a lot of pre-meds, and I was always amazed by the lack of self-awareness in so many of them. It wasn't uncommon to hear high-stats applicants complaining and making excuses for their rejections. It was always difficult to have "the conversation" with them about their attitudes or general demeanor, especially since that personality tends to brush off such feedback. Interesting to observe, though.

Disclaimer: I'm not accusing anyone here of that since I don't personally know anyone here. As mentioned by others, there are a lot of less problematic reasons why BU might reject so many high-stats applicants, such as poor cultural fit.

 

[spottedcory]

seems all the Rs this morning were folks who were complete in July...wonder if the august complete rejections are coming soon?

It took them like two months (complete in mid-July > August > mid-Sep) to get to July rejections. I feel like it might take another two months unless maybe they starte reviewing August before sending out decisions lol

 

[hikingmedgal]

Also got that pre II R this morning. Sucks but also like over it. Complete 7/17. LM: 71 WARS: 78 OOS, non-trad

 

[Homunculus150]

Was there an email sent out for the Rs or just a silent change on the portal?

 

[deleted1038508]

Was there an email sent out for the Rs or just a silent change on the portal?

Email

 

[medDaisuki]

What kind of students fits their mission? It's surprising so many High-stat applicants got rejected...I thought with so many applicants they would put more weight on GPA/MCAT (Do they actually read all of our essays carefully?)

 

[deleted1064759]

Sorry to hear about the R wave y'all. The first R definitely stings the most.

 

[Warder]

What kind of students fits their mission? It's surprising so many High-stat applicants got rejected...I thought with so many applicants they would put more weight on GPA/MCAT (Do they actually read all of our essays carefully?)

Their question on the secondary about them being a safety net hospital makes their mission/culture pretty clear. They want individuals with a demonstrated commitment/service in similar areas.

 

[deleted1064759]

yield protect is a myth created by high stat applicants to make themselves feel better change my mind

Resource protection definitely exists at lower-tier schools (probably not BUSM though). Adcoms have said numerous times that this is a legitimate reason high-stats applicants don't get in their first time.

 

[future_doctor_2019]

what does LM mean? And wow alot of R's going around. I dont think they are are the August secondary apps yet. Wonder what they are looking for? Anyone got an interview and haven't heard anything yet? And any acceptances?

 

[HopeP]

what does LM mean?

@LizzyM

 

[SiberianIris]

Their question on the secondary about them being a safety net hospital makes their mission/culture pretty clear. They want individuals with a demonstrated commitment/service in similar areas.

This is definitely it. I interviewed at BU this week (my LM is 81) and they place a huge emphasis on mission fit. The first thing Dr Goddell (the dean) said in her talk was “BU is a social justice medical school”.

 

[seanm028]

what does LM mean?

Lizzy M score

 

[thunderstorm1824]

what does LM mean? And wow alot of R's going around. I dont think they are are the August secondary apps yet. Wonder what they are looking for? Anyone got an interview and haven't heard anything yet? And any acceptances?

LM = LizzyM score, it's based on your GPA and MCAT. Look up LizzyM score SDN if you want to see what yours is. Also, no acceptances will be issued until October 15th at the earliest for MD schools (unless BU has an ED program, not sure about that).

 

[SiberianIris]

what does LM mean? And wow alot of R's going around. I dont think they are are the August secondary apps yet. Wonder what they are looking for? Anyone got an interview and haven't heard anything yet? And any acceptances?

BU is non-rolling, so the first decisions they release won't be until December. They have two batches of decisions, one in December and the other in March.

 

[deleted1054719]

what does LM mean? And wow alot of R's going around. I dont think they are are the August secondary apps yet. Wonder what they are looking for? Anyone got an interview and haven't heard anything yet? And any acceptances?

Acceptances are impossible until October 1st for EDP and October 15 for regular MD and for BU specifically, December. As to your other question about what they're looking for, look at the thread or their website. The general gist is BU is very proud of its connection to Boston Medical Center.

 

[Virama]

Pre-II R today, LM 77, Complete 7/17 - best of luck to those still in the game!

Daughter received R. 4.0/519.oos.ORM. COMPLETE 7/17.

 

[deleted1064759]

Daughter received R. 4.0/519.oos.ORM. COMPLETE 7/17.

You're keeping up with your daughter's completion dates and everything? That's nuts. I don't even note my own completion dates beyond a general range.

 

[biff_webster16]

what does LM mean? And wow alot of R's going around. I dont think they are are the August secondary apps yet. Wonder what they are looking for? Anyone got an interview and haven't heard anything yet? And any acceptances?

way too early for acceptances. I was complete vaguely around 7/20 and haven't heard anything (OOS w/ ties)

 

[Idahomie]

You're keeping up with your daughter's completion dates and everything? That's nuts. I don't even note my own completion dates beyond a general range.

Commy is just too busy drowning in the sweet nectar of a ****-ton of interviews to pay attention to something so trivial.

I bet your application is of enormous girth.

 

[lovepickles]

Pre-II R :'( LM 74

 

[eartharte]

On the bright side, it's good to know they're making progress on the secondaries, and at least a solid R is a certainty, better than living without knowing what's happening with your app

 

[HopeP]

Commy is just too busy drowning in the sweet nectar of a ****-ton of interviews to pay attention to something so trivial.

I bet your application is of enormous girth.

Who knows how much reddit and what else is consuming time too.. 🙂