Answering, "Why our school?" for safety schools

[Throwaway3214]

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So "safety schools" may be an oversimplification, but...

I am currently in the process of filling out secondaries, and one of the things I enjoy the most is answering the question, "Why our school?" or some variation because it makes me take a more in-depth look into the school, its curriculum, and the surrounding area than I may have when I was initially sending out apps, and realize which ones really interest me.

However, there are 2-3 schools where after scouring their websites and SDN, they fail to come up with anything that really sets them apart. Certain schools that follow the standard 2:2 format and have a mission statement about promoting primary care in rural areas, etc. just seem incredibly generic and I have a hard time finding details to write about to prove that I've done my research. What's your approach to answering these types of questions? Do you mention something about the surrounding area/some connection you have to it? Or do you just put some generic statement about why you want to go to DO school in general?

 

[sunshinefl]

So "safety schools" may be an oversimplification, but...

I am currently in the process of filling out secondaries, and one of the things I enjoy the most is answering the question, "Why our school?" or some variation because it makes me take a more in-depth look into the school, its curriculum, and the surrounding area than I may have when I was initially sending out apps, and realize which ones really interest me.

However, there are 2-3 schools where after scouring their websites and SDN, they fail to come up with anything that really sets them apart. Certain schools that follow the standard 2:2 format and have a mission statement about promoting primary care in rural areas, etc. just seem incredibly generic and I have a hard time finding details to write about to prove that I've done my research. What's your approach to answering these types of questions? Do you mention something about the surrounding area/some connection you have to it? Or do you just put some generic statement about why you want to go to DO school in general?

I always always had a reason I decided to apply to each school. I spent a year or more researching every school in the US and making an excel sheet on why I did (or didn’t) like it and want to apply. There has to be something. Do they do Global mission trips? Have a student-run free clinic? Emphasize Medical spanish? Offer a unique rotation of interest to you? Have dual degree options? Something.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

So "safety schools" may be an oversimplification, but...

I am currently in the process of filling out secondaries, and one of the things I enjoy the most is answering the question, "Why our school?" or some variation because it makes me take a more in-depth look into the school, its curriculum, and the surrounding area than I may have when I was initially sending out apps, and realize which ones really interest me.

However, there are 2-3 schools where after scouring their websites and SDN, they fail to come up with anything that really sets them apart. Certain schools that follow the standard 2:2 format and have a mission statement about promoting primary care in rural areas, etc. just seem incredibly generic and I have a hard time finding details to write about to prove that I've done my research. What's your approach to answering these types of questions? Do you mention something about the surrounding area/some connection you have to it? Or do you just put some generic statement about why you want to go to DO school in general?

You have to find something. Scour the website. Find something that fits. What about geographic location?

 

[rg2o3]

Check out each schools mission statement and see how it “fits” for you.

 

[workaholic181]

So "safety schools" may be an oversimplification, but...

I am currently in the process of filling out secondaries, and one of the things I enjoy the most is answering the question, "Why our school?" or some variation because it makes me take a more in-depth look into the school, its curriculum, and the surrounding area than I may have when I was initially sending out apps, and realize which ones really interest me.

However, there are 2-3 schools where after scouring their websites and SDN, they fail to come up with anything that really sets them apart. Certain schools that follow the standard 2:2 format and have a mission statement about promoting primary care in rural areas, etc. just seem incredibly generic and I have a hard time finding details to write about to prove that I've done my research. What's your approach to answering these types of questions? Do you mention something about the surrounding area/some connection you have to it? Or do you just put some generic statement about why you want to go to DO school in general?

If there wasn’t something I could relate to their mission I’d often point to a student org they offered or something along those lines. Some schools had special programs for clinical exposure in the first two years, stuff like that is good to bring up.