Any reason to buy the MSAR guide?

[surftheiop]

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It seems like a ton of stuff is available online on the AAMC site. Is there any extra stuff in the paper version?

 

[brooklynblunder]

i thought it was clutch for about 2 months. at least take someone's old copy for like $5 or something

 

[theWUbear]

1. Find a library that buys the MSAR annually.
2. Find a scanner.
3. PM me if you can help me with my last thread, which was locked. lawl

 

[Bernoull]

It seems like a ton of stuff is available online on the AAMC site. Is there any extra stuff in the paper version?

In light of the huge sums u'll sepnd on apps, it's well worth it. Ur library may have it..

 

[jckut10]

.

 

[surftheiop]

but is it all just the same info that is already on the AAMC site? Or is there more?

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Yes, get it (or borrow it). It has the most up-to-date info and it is a reliable source unlike many school websites and some stuff on SDN. Plus, it is a big book so you look smart reading it.

 

[EnjoyCoke]

It's really helpful. Get a copy for your cycle, or borrow it from the library.

 

[Geekchick921]

Seeing as the MSAR is what? $25? and it costs $31 for each additional school for AMCAS, even if it helps you cut only one school you probably didn't have a good chance at, it pays for itself. Just buy it.

 

[Raryn]

It seems like a ton of stuff is available online on the AAMC site. Is there any extra stuff in the paper version?

The MSAR has all the data for the *individual* schools. Not just the overall data.

The only way to get this data is to buy the MSAR. The spreadsheets with it all that people put together and distributed over SDN were taken down a long time ago for copyright violations.

 

[schrizto]

The only way to get this data is to buy the MSAR. The spreadsheets with it all that people put together and distributed over SDN were taken down a long time ago for copyright violations.

The thread with the spreadsheet for the 2010-11 MSAR still has an accessible attachment (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=644684), so don't know where you got that. You can't really copyright a sequence of numbers, right?

 

[metallica81788]

I found it useful to have all the info in one place without having to scroll for days on that school selector spreadsheet.

It was worth it for me.

 

[NickNaylor]

I suppose, if you wanted, you could probably find most of the information online. But it's so much more convenient to have it all bound, organized, and in one place.

 

[metallica81788]

I suppose, if you wanted, you could probably find most of the information online. But it's so much more convenient to have it all bound, organized, and in one place.

 

[Raryn]

The thread with the spreadsheet for the 2010-11 MSAR still has an accessible attachment (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=644684), so don't know where you got that. You can't really copyright a sequence of numbers, right?

Hmm. Never saw that thread.

Datawhore's original thread with just the raw material got deleted, and the threads with the complicated analysis spreadsheets are gone too. Apparently they missed one.

Guess what? By linking it, I'll bet you have caused the remaining thread to be taken down.

Doesn't bother me much, I'm already in medical school, and I had my personal spreadsheet made from DataWhore's data a long time ago.

 

[Quester]

Do you guys think it's still worth buying it even if I'm not applying this cycle?

 

[bravofleet4]

just buy it or borrow it/share it with someone who's applying or already gotten accepted. it's super-useful and it's not really that expensive. trust me. you're going to spend like anywhere between $2,000-5,000 during the interview process.

 

[Geekchick921]

Do you guys think it's still worth buying it even if I'm not applying this cycle?

I would wait til the year you're going to apply and get that one with the most up to date information. If you want to just take a look, if you're quick, you can get the spread sheet in the link that was posted above, or you can hit the library and just take it out.

I have one from 2008-2009, and it's nice to go through, but I still think I may buy a new one this year since I'm finally applying and I want up to date information.

 

[metallica81788]

I would wait til the year you're going to apply and get that one with the most up to date information. If you want to just take a look, if you're quick, you can get the spread sheet in the link that was posted above, or you can hit the library and just take it out.

I have one from 2008-2009, and it's nice to go through, but I still think I may buy a new one this year since I'm finally applying and I want up to date information.

I would do this.

Mainly because there are a lot of new med schools sprouting up, so they will have more info/data in the MSAR in the newest edition. For example, UCF was admitting its second class but had no data for the first class.

Usually it's okay to have an older one, but if you're interested in some of the schools started in the last 2 or 3 years I would buy the newest one. Wait until when you actually apply.

 

[Quester]

I would wait til the year you're going to apply and get that one with the most up to date information. If you want to just take a look, if you're quick, you can get the spread sheet in the link that was posted above, or you can hit the library and just take it out.

I have one from 2008-2009, and it's nice to go through, but I still think I may buy a new one this year since I'm finally applying and I want up to date information.

Gotcha. None of the libraries or science careers office have them. I guess I'll have to scroll scroll scroll...😉

 

[7starmantis]

Wow, pretty unanimous. I'll break it up.

Nope. Never touched one, never looked at one, ever even mentioned the letters M S A R in the same sentence. Ok, maybe that one. 😀

 

[bannie22]

It was surprisingly very interesting. Even for a WAMC user who has seen pretty much every "case". I will be borrowing it again to learn more about schools and also to share it with my friends.

 

[Morsetlis]

The MSAR is great for making a letter of interest for each of those schools. It has the school's "mission" and "selection factor" although granted they all sound the same after a while.

 

[Ischemic]

Why don't you people just go to your friendly, neighborhood premed office and BORROW one? Saves you money and you could probably xerox the pages you want for like 5cents a piece or even free if you have access to a lab copier... Don't waste money if you can find a cheap means of getting it ... Even better, go online and DOWNLOAD an electronic/pdf copy. It's the internet people.

 

[Morsetlis]

It's only $25...

 

[Practitioner]

Don't need to buy necessarily. Definitely should take a browse through one.

It gives background, mission statement, curriculum summary, what the school looks for, campus/housing setting, deadlines, prereqs, % applicants with clinical/volunteer/research experience, avg gpas/mcats with 10-90% ranges of matriculated applicants, # applicants/matriculate/interviewed broken down IS and OOS, % specialities by residency selection, class composition... umm probably some other data I'm forgetting to list. All that is done by school.

So yes, it's pretty good information and for me, as far as school selection was concerned, it was invaluable. I purchased it and used it throughout the application.

Oh, and it has a whole section at the start about the application process, financing education, etc. Great resource.

 

[zzzBrett]

I think its more of a convenience thing. Yea, you could probably find all of the statistics for every school online, but not all in one place along with the descriptions, MCAT statistics and curves, etc. I would definitely recommend to get one.

 

[surftheiop]

I definitely buy one, I don't see any point in doing something crazy like trying to read the entire thing while sitting in the library.

 

[flip26]

Buy it, then you can write on it, X out schools, even tear out pages...make notes...

Best single resource for an overview of all schools.

 

[roseglass6370]

Just got mine. $17 spring special right now! Woo woo!

Get it. It's good to have and makes you look smart carrying it around. (Kidding...kind of.)

 

[schrizto]

Just got mine. $17 spring special right now! Woo woo!

Get it. It's good to have and makes you look smart carrying it around. (Kidding...kind of.)

There's probably a reason it's a spring special. New editions come out every April, so what you bought is the edition for the applicants who are getting accepted now.

 

[Yips]

Anyone else find it odd that the MSAR for this past cycle is called '2010-2011' MSAR?

 

[Yips]

There's probably a reason it's a spring special. New editions come out every April, so what you bought is the edition for the applicants who are getting accepted now.

Yes, AAMC website says:
"Spring Break Special! Order now and receive the MSAR 2010-2011 for $17.00 plus shipping and handling. This offer ends on March 15, 2010 and is good for this edition only. The next edition of MSAR (2011-2012 available Spring 2010) is not included in this promotion. Savings will be reflected in shopping cart."

The offer is good for the current edition available only. The new edition comes out next month.

 

[Sammich117]

It's definitely worth it. There is so much more info in it than just numbers. It was super helpful when I picked schools.

 

[UnfeatyOblation]

Hmm. Never saw that thread.

Datawhore's original thread with just the raw material got deleted, and the threads with the complicated analysis spreadsheets are gone too. Apparently they missed one.

Guess what? By linking it, I'll bet you have caused the remaining thread to be taken down.

Doesn't bother me much, I'm already in medical school, and I had my personal spreadsheet made from DataWhore's data a long time ago.

That's too bad. Spreadsheet MSAR was pretty clutchasaurus rex. I actually preferred it to the paper version because it's really easy to compare certain stats across a bunch of different schools and move things around to your liking. But there is some good non-numerical info in the book. Hopefully you have a friend that already bought it so you can just bum it off of him if you need to. 😀

 

[Yips]

Is the new MSAR (the one that will be released sometime in April) going to be available through AAMC website only or can we buy it though Amazon also?

 

[Untraditional]

If you're on a budget and already know where you want to go buy an MCAT prep book instead.

The MSAR is a lot like reading wiki, good for getting started and knowing what to look for but insufficient for serious research. If you can afford the $25 it can be very helpful when it comes to narrowing down your list.

Your prehealth advising office will have a few copies and they might even give you the last year's edition of you drop in around the end of the term.

 

[GoRiceOwls]

I would say get an old friend's MSAR or your advising office's. If you are non-traditional and don' thave access to these resources try a local university's library or advising office. I would *definitely* recommend buying it though!