Applications

[Tanya]

Is there anyone going through the application process now? What is the average number of schools people are appling to?

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[laughter]

I'm applying now, and going crazy trying to keep track of 29 schools' mailings. I ended up applying to these schools for three reasons:
1. I applied to all the California schools (my home state)
2. I applied to schools that emphasize primary care and/or rural medicine (things I'm interested in)
3. I applied to schools that emphasized well-rounded applicants (I'm a non-science major taking a year off from school)

How about others? Is there an easy way to get secondaries done while still making them meaningful (and turned in on time!)?

 

[KimR]

I am with you! Keeping up with so many applications is hard. One strategy I learned is to first complete the applications to schools you either have the strongest shot at OR the ones you are most interested in. I also am only considering one or two at a time, so that I don't get lost trying to keep track of essays and such. I applied to 13 schools, and while I feel that may have been too few, it is all I can manage financially and timewise.

 

[Tanya]

Why did you say 13 is too few? If you had unlimited time and resources how many would you apply to? Do the schools know how many other schools you apply to?
I will be applying next year. I was considering 25-30 schools. Too much to handle?
How are the secondaries comming along?

 

[mikeaparker]

I've applied to 21 schools (19amcas, 2 not)
just waiting on my august mcat scores to come on in. Hurry up aamc........please.....
Definitely within the next two weeks folks... I called AMCAS and they said ballpark Oct.15
Everyone keep your fingers crossed.

4/98 9b 9p 6v
8/98 9b 9p 5v

opps went the wrong way b/c I slacked but,

8/99 ?b ?p ?v I feel I did better than every before!!! will let all know when judgement day arrives.


mike

 

[Hercules]

Originally posted by Tanya:
Is there anyone going through the application process now? What is the average number of schools people are appling to?

It sounds like all of you are applying to a lot of schools. How much did it cost to apply to 21 schools? I only applied to 5 and it was $225!!

 

[Methuselah]

Herc,you dredged up an old thread (Sept.'99), but I can't imagine the costs are any less this year! My schools have all been $60 to $75 a pop. It sure adds up, doesn't it?

 

[mvalento]

well, i put 17 schools on my AMCAS application, but i don't know if i will send in all the secondaries. i will probably end up applying to 15.

 

[mvalento]

another thing- it doesn't seem like a lot when you put em' down on your AMCAS- but when those secondaries start coming in, man, it's easy to fall behind. especially when they have 4+ short essays (e.g. loyola, chicago, northwestern). luckily most of them are similar, but every one has a slightly different spin so it usually is not easy to cut and paste an old essay in. i have only received one (rochester) so far with no essays. i have sent in about 10 secondaries so far and it has been a struggle to get them done- and i still have 5-8 more to do. plus it has cost me $600 plus the AMCAS fee ($585), but oh well, i guess we all expected that eh? the best is when the school gives you a short period of time to get it done, like 2 weeks- some extra motivation to get the things done rather than put if off for another day...and another...good luck everyone...

 

[KeithKow]

well damn, i thought i applied to alot of schools, now i'm thinking i need more! well, no, not really...too much money and time. i applied to 18 and spent a long time trying to figure out which ones to not apply to (had a potential list of 25 or so) because i'm short on cash, so i came up with dumb reasons. like, i didn't apply to creighton for the simple reason that i really don't want to live in nebraska for 4 years after being in indiana for 4 years, no matter what happens. stupid, no? now i wish i did, and i still might.
anyways, if it helps, my counselor recommended to all of us to apply to around 15, so i'd say keep it in the 15-20 range. if you apply to too many, i'm thinking schools might ask you why, they might think you are desperate and have no real desire to go to their school. but really i can't tell you for sure, i mean i'm only applying myself right now.
although that may not have been coherent, i hope it helps. good luck!

 

[misfit]

I applied to 7 AMCAS schools towards the end of June.
U of MN-TC: state school, one of my best chances and close to home.

Mayo: excellent school, near home.

MedCOW: only WI school I can get into considering I am a resident of MN.

Loyola-Stritch: excellent ethics emphasis, not too far from home.
\
Creighton: again, excellent ethics emphasis, not too far from home and they like taking students from my undergrad university.

Dartmouth: long-shot, but I qualify at least academically, far from home, but in a beautiful setting and near my East Coast relatives.

USUHS (military): not sure, but maybe military is right for me. Paid schooling, travel opportunities, rare medical cases are attractive incentives. Far from home, but good in terms of finances.

That sums up why I applied to these schools. AMCAS and secondary fees are killing me, but perhaps it will be worth it.

Good luck to everyone.

misfit

 

[Starflyr]

I guess Im just a misfit, but I have applied to only 5 schools...TCOM, Southwestern, UT Houston, UTSA and UTMB(galveston). Of course, I only want to go to school in Tx, so... All in all, Ive paid $95 for the applications...all of the secondaries so far (Ive done all but Houston) have been free. I guess it all depends on what you want...do you just want to go ANYWHERE you could get in? Do you have a focus (primary care, etc) that you want your school to emphasize? My advice is this: Apply to schools that you would want to go to, dont waste money on schools that you know you wont attend. Quantity may help your chances, but it may also hurt them by making you get sloppy on too many secondaries.

 

[tristate]

Well, I'm a veteran who went through the same stress that most of you guys are feeling.

I applied to 12 schools:

All six texas allopathic programs (Southwestern*, Houston, San Antonio, Galveston*, Texas Tech*, and Texas A&M*).

Five AMCAS schools: Rochester*, Yale, Creigton, George Washington*, and Washington U.

And one Carribean school: St. George*.

For everyone, good luck on your application process. Save money wherever you can (i.e. stay with a medical student, watch for cheap air fares, use the same suit just remember to wash it, etc.), and may the force be with you.


* denotes interviews.

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And the blessings just keep coming!

 

[s-pish]

I did enjoy the fact that most secondaries for schools in TMDSAS system were not as painful as the AMCAS secondaries sound (still waiting for them to come). Texas Tech and UT SWestern secondaries were online, and I think it was UTSA or UT-Galveston that just required you to send a form with your name and SSN on it.

I also applied to 6 AMCAS schools just so that I have a better chance at receiving acceptances and maybe have a choice as to where to go (stressing the 'maybe').

good luck on the applications!

 

[mvalento]

keithkow, i don' think it is stupid not to apply to a school because of its location. i mean, you are going to be spending four years there and it is best if you can end up in a place where you can relieve the stress that accumulates. i personally would love to end up in a big city (chicago, new york, DC). i did not apply to creighton, tulane, mayo and others (all good schools) pretty much because i didn't like the location. nebraska- no thanks. louisiana- nope. southern minnesota- forget it! but that is just me and my desire to get out of the midwest (except chicago). i could be wrong, though- i mean, i am dying at the thought of leaving notre dame and look where it is located...not the most exciting.

 

[KeithKow]

on campus, i am in heaven and almost forget that i am in indiana. but then its when i go off campus that it gets really depressing. although i don't think i will find bars as charming as boat club outside of south bend, you know?
and tulane i definately applied to, new orleans is awesome! seriosuly that would be so fun. well, besides the fact i'll be working my ass off.
well one week left at home for me before starting senior year (oi). i have to go back wicked early for RA training. and my 21st birthday happens to fall in that time...how much does that suck? it'll be a miracle if i don't get sent to student affairs myself instead of doing the sending this year...

 

[Pilot]

Originally posted by Starflyr:
I guess Im just a misfit, but I have applied to only 5 schools...TCOM, Southwestern, UT Houston, UTSA and UTMB(galveston). Of course, I only want to go to school in Tx, so...

You are not a misfit. I applied to only 1 school this year (thank God I got in), and I wanted to stay in Oklahoma. No Texas/Oklahoma jokes please.

In answer to the original poster, I recall that the MCAT material last year stated that the average applicant applies to 13 schools a year. I read that after I had applied to OSU-COM only, so I would have been quite upset if I didn't get in. I would recommend applying to at least 10 schools.

Pilot

 

[Methuselah]

I applied to fourteen schools, eleven AMCAS, three not. I elected not to follow up on the non-AMCAS schools, and didn't get secondaries from three AMCASs; two Californias and U of Wisc (although I recently got a postcard from U of Wisc., but no secondary app.) Anybody hear from U of Wisc? Mayo maybe a long shot, with its small class size, but I'd be tickled to get a call from them. I've sent in secondaries to the remaining seven, any of which I'd be happy to go to, some more than others, of course. If it ends up not being enough, I'll deal with it next year!

 

[Badgerbabe]

Methuselah,
I am currently an undergrad at UW Madison, and would love to go to med school here too. I would be very interested to know your experiences with you application here, and what the developments on that may be. I am not sure what the policy here is for sending out secondaries, but I do know that about 60% of matriculated are from WI. Not sure what the postcard is all about, either.
Thanks!

 

[mvalento]

yeah well, i'm sure one will always be able to find some shady bar with 50% underage kids and a $5 all-you-can-drink cover.

i just couldn't see myself spending 4 years in new orleans. that's because i'm a minnesota boy and would like to be somewhere where there's some seasonal variety- imagine that. my top choices (realistically) are any of the schools in chicago (northwestern, chicago, loyola). new york would be pretty interesting, too. i am hoping to go somewhere with an MD/MBA program- that's what happens when you live with business majors!

 

[s-pish]

Just out of curiousity, what opportunities could a doctor take advantage of if he were to get an MBA along with an MD? I'm guessing only administrative positions would require an MBA, and chances are that administative positions are only open to physicians who have been practicing medicine for a while. I don't really know, which is why I was wondering.

[This message has been edited by s-pish (edited 08-01-2000).]