applying to 3 schools too cocky?

[crys20]

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I was just curious as to ya'll's opinion on applying to just 3 DO schools...too risky? I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, EC's are fine. I have my heart set on AZCOM, will apply to OUCOM since I live in OH and am still deciding on another.....Any suggestions on that, also? Thanks!!! 🙂

Oh, p.s. this is for next year, applying in June.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I was just curious as to ya'll's opinion on applying to just 3 DO schools...too risky? I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, EC's are fine. I have my heart set on AZCOM, will apply to OUCOM since I live in OH and am still deciding on another.....Any suggestions on that, also? Thanks!!! 🙂

Oh, p.s. this is for next year, applying in June.

You should be okay, but there isn't any reason to not apply to more.

 

[crys20]

oh right on, i may apply to more; i'm applying md as well; azcom is my top choice between both md and do though. was hoping to take adv of aacomas's 3 free do apps for people w/ rough finances such as myself 🙂

 

[rayzer]

you should be alright, as long as ur ECs are decent and health-related

 

[docbill]

I think it is a good idea if you have the stats/EC activity and the desire to go there.

Just make sure you apply on the first day.
Also get your reference letters and transcripts in if not on that date ASAP.

Another option is to apply to more schools on the AACOMAS application.. but don't send in secondaries right away. Only send it to the 3 schools you want.

The secondary applications are expensive.. 60-70$ a pop x 10... 700$

 

[thesterlinggirl]

Yeah, I say go for it. I had my heart set on a school, plus I wanted to stay in state, so I ended up only applying to two schools, and it worked out alright. But, I also had to decide before hand that I would be okay applying again next year if I didn't get in. Luckily, I don't have to because honestly after going through this process I don't think I could do it again.

 

[dykhuis26]

It would be a problem if you applied to 10 M.D. schools and on 3 D.O. schools!

 

[Robz]

Someone once told me a great piece of advice. Make sure you do your research on school to the best of your ability and apply to a good mix. I had some friends that had 33+ MCATS apply to only a few state schools and get rejected...only to apply to a few more the next year with the same stats and get in. Its a crazy game. I played the card of its a once time deal....I applied to 23 schools. Some reach schools and some kinda safety. I was granted interviews at around 14 of them. I was very fortunate to actually have the opportunity to turn down interviews (MD/DO) and pick where I wanted to go. I still say to this day i am happy I applied to so many schools cause it gave me an opportunity to make sure I got to pursue my dream. I'd say though about 7-10 schools to apply to is probably normal.

 

[LukeWhite]

crys,

Those are nearly identical to my statistics; I got into AZCOM fairly quickly. While it's gotten a little more competitive since then, I'm guessing you'll have no trouble at all, so long as there's no glaring science/overall GPA discrepancy or lack of volunteer work.

Good luck; AZCOM's a great place on which to have one's heart set!

 

[Slippery Pete]

I was just curious as to ya'll's opinion on applying to just 3 DO schools...too risky? I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, EC's are fine. I have my heart set on AZCOM, will apply to OUCOM since I live in OH and am still deciding on another.....Any suggestions on that, also? Thanks!!! 🙂

Oh, p.s. this is for next year, applying in June.

w/ those #'s, u should apply to allopathic schools as well 👍

 

[Sharon Lee]

You're stats are better than mine and I only applied to three this year. I actually thought that that would be a normal number to apply to considering the cost. I doesn't look cocky at all, it shows confidence I think. And if you really want a particular school, that school will know it, and that'll be great. I got into all three of the three I applied to, getting my apps out early helped me there too, I interviewed all at all three places within their first month of interviewing. So get your apps in early and save yourself some cash.

 

[OSUdoc08]

w/ those #'s, u should apply to allopathic schools as well 👍

why?

 

[ornis4]

I think the OP is fine...I was in a similar situation coming into this year. I had a 3.4/30 undergrad, and I'm finishing my Master's in May, and I applied to five DO schools, accepted at three, waitlisted at one, and have an interview at PCOM next week. I assume your results will be similar. I must say though, I haven't received even one allopathic interview yet...which doesn't bother me terribly because I'm excited about becoming a DO, but for others it may. Just make sure if you're only applying to three DO schools, they're good ones that you genuinely like, because even if you're not planning on it now, you could end up at one!

 

[Ypo.]

You should be okay, but there isn't any reason to not apply to more.

I can think of one...$$$$

Its only 'cocky' to apply to a low number of schools if your numbers aren't up to par with your confidence.

 

[Ypo.]

I was just curious as to ya'll's opinion on applying to just 3 DO schools...too risky? I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, EC's are fine. I have my heart set on AZCOM, will apply to OUCOM since I live in OH and am still deciding on another.....Any suggestions on that, also? Thanks!!! 🙂

Oh, p.s. this is for next year, applying in June.

I applied this year to 5, with a 3.5 and a 28. I got interview invites to all five, but I stopped attending them after I got accepted at the first three schools I interviewed at. I don't think you will have a problem getting accepted. I think you're wise for applying in June.

I think someone else made the point that your numbers are also competetive for a lot of MD schools. So, as long as you interview relatively well and have good ECs and LORs, you should have no trouble getting in somewhere next year. Good luck 👍

 

[OSUdoc08]

I can think of one...$$$$

Its only 'cocky' to apply to a low number of schools if your numbers aren't up to par with your confidence.

Why should money be a concern? You will make hundreds of thousands of dollars as a physician. To risk wasting a year of your life by not getting in or getting in somewhere, why not pay an extra couple of hundred dollars?

I took out max loans in college, and was able to pay for it with that money. I applied to 20 schools.

If you aren't in college, work some overtime-----it's a little more important than to pass off the "no money" excuse.

 

[ornis4]

Why should money be a concern? You will make hundreds of thousands of dollars as a physician. To risk wasting a year of your life by not getting in or getting in somewhere, why not pay an extra couple of hundred dollars?

I took out max loans in college, and was able to pay for it with that money. I applied to 20 schools.

If you aren't in college, work some overtime-----it's a little more important than to pass off the "no money" excuse.

Exactly...after two years living on a grad student's budget, I often complain about the thousands of dollars I have spent on applications and such this year. But when it comes down to it, it's a necessary thing...as long as you can see yourself attending a given school, then go for it. When you consider the enormous debt that you will amass in med school, then consider the considerable income of physicians of just about any given specialty...the application money is small potatoes, even though it doesn't seem that way now. It's personal thing of course, but I agree that unless you're borderline bankrupt/have no money for food, etc. then you should go after any school you might be genuinely interested in.

 

[PublicEnemy]

something to think about. only apply to schools you would likely attend. if you're reasonably confident about your application, stats, LOR's, EC's, etc. then its ok to be eclectic with where you want to apply. there's no reason to apply to all 22+ schools if you really don't think you'd attend them. check the state residency requirements or quotas for some schools. remember nothing is a guarantee, and sometimes the application process is crazy and random, so you can never be sure you'll get in anywhere particular. but you can be reasonably confident, if everything looks good, i'd say 5 is a nice safe number as a minimum, where you can be reasonably sure, you'll hear something good depending on when you submit everything (early!). but its totally an individual assesment, if you feel like you're really borderline, or mediocre, and you have no idea what your chances are, applying to a few more schools is probably a good idea. i only applied to 4 DO schools and have been accepted at 3.

 

[Slippery Pete]

why?

i never thought a person could reveal ignorance with one word 👎

 

[Mad Cow]

Heck,
No one thinks you're too cocky for applying to many med schools. other schools don't know where else you've applied, unless you tell them. as far as where to apply, i utilized the shotgun method: apply to a lot of places that make sense to you, spread money like manure on a field, and watch your future take shape. Debt becomes second nature as this process proceeds it seems. i also suggest that you limit your choices on your agenda(sig. others, family, tuition, what your heart tells you...) and not on how your agenda appear to others. I had lower gpa/mcat and was accepted to several schools. i'm making my final decision on where i go, after all the applying and interviewing takes place, not before. you may surprise yourself. gooood luk!

 

[Geronimo]

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have applied to as many as I did. I think you'll be fine only applying to 3 unless you have a secret bomb (like a criminal record, an evil LOR, or pitiful interview skills) waiting to destroy your chances.

 

[smc927]

I was just curious as to ya'll's opinion on applying to just 3 DO schools...too risky? I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, EC's are fine. I have my heart set on AZCOM, will apply to OUCOM since I live in OH and am still deciding on another.....Any suggestions on that, also? Thanks!!! 🙂

Oh, p.s. this is for next year, applying in June.

I did it. Took the August MCAT. My numbers are about where your numbers are. Had my apps ready and and rolling as far as they could get (submitted, secondaries started) so when the MCAT scores came out I just updated the info.

I applied to three schools: KCOM, PCOM, LECOM.
Invited to interview at: All 3
ACCEPTED: KCOM, PCOM (-withdrew my app from LECOM before interviewing after being accepted to KCOM).

I'm a Pennsylvania resident.


Definitely doable. I'm glad I didn't drop hundreds of dollars applying to schools I didn't really want to attend. But I recognize that it doesn't always turn out as well as it did for me. I've been blessed.

Good luck!

By the way - somebody was telling me about some web site that has every med school and the average GPA and MCAT for each, to make it easier to decide where to apply. Ever heard of it?

 

[medtraveler]

Just a thought...I applied to quite a few schools, although at the time I was torn between several solid schools. After seemingly countless interviews and several thousand dollars later it was more than evident to me that AZCOM was unparalleled in terms of what I was looking for. If you are already set on AZCOM and feel that it will be a solid fit, you're ahead of the game. Although, as far as dropping a few grand in the application/interview process...

A stack of AACOM applications..................................a few hundred dollars
A stack of secondary applications.............................several hundred dollars
A handful of interviews............................................a few thousand dollars
Knowing that you made the right choice................................PRICELESS

 

[JohnDO]

I only returned secondaries to three schools, and only interviewed at two. I was accepted at both. My numbers were a hair lower than yours, but I couldn't see myself at any of the other schools. I was prepared to reapply to the schools again next year if I didn't get into any.

In retrospect I'm glad I didn't drop tons of money, but as others have pointed out, the cash will be moot in ten years. If you're not confident, apply to more. You never want to live with "what if".

 

[puddlejumper]

It's fine to apply to only 3 schools, if those are the ones you want to go to. Applying to 20 schools is stupid and a waste of money. Would you really want to every one of them. Your stats are good. Just apply to the schools you want. I only applied to 3, and I got into all 3. If you're applying in June, you'll have plenty of time to apply to other schools later in the year if you don't get in. My friend didn't interview until April and still got in at a couple of schools.

 

[aprince80]

Good luck next year. I only applied to one DO school and four MD schools, my reason, I wanted to stay in Virginia. I had two interviews and still on hold for another, but I'm going to go to VCOM, it's the best fit for me and my family. Apply where you want and don't waste time on a ton of apps, it will just burn you out because it is a ton of work.

 

[Ypo.]

Why should money be a concern? You will make hundreds of thousands of dollars as a physician. To risk wasting a year of your life by not getting in or getting in somewhere, why not pay an extra couple of hundred dollars?

I took out max loans in college, and was able to pay for it with that money. I applied to 20 schools.

If you aren't in college, work some overtime-----it's a little more important than to pass off the "no money" excuse.

Ah yes...the "money isn't a concern because one day I'm going to be a doctor" argument. I feel kind of sorry for these people, one day they will get out of school and wake up from the loan daydream they've been in...

If your stats and app necessitate applying to a large number of schools, you should definitely do so. Yes, yes, we all know that the app $ spent is just a drop in the pond compared to paying for medical school. This does not mean that you should necessarily apply to 20 schools. OP's numbers were well above average for all DO schools, so if she knows where she wants to go, for her I would say apply to around 5 schools. Anything else is overkill (and a waste of money).

 

[Slippery Pete]

Yeah, but the funny thing is: You used a sentence to convey it.

👎

D.O students are so clueless. but, i guess that's good in a way. someone has to be suckered into a practice that was based on false pretenses and lacks even a shred of credible research to back it up.

u need to wake up to reality little man 👎

(or at least read up on the founding of osteopathy)

 

[Assembler]

Apply to a broad range of schools; you never know what the hell is going to happen in this process of a game.

Statistically, the chances of getting accepted to a D.O. school are higher if you granted an interview (~50%+). If you are applying allopathic as well, it is more like 10-30% upon receiving an interview. In this case, if you are applying to both, you better apply to a lot more than just 3, 5, or even 7. I know plenty of people who have/had great stats and were/are struggling.

Don't waste one year of your life just because you could've saved $80-100 in not applying to another school.

I don't understand why some people are obsessed about being in debt after college or graduate school. It is more than likely you will have at least a 100K in debt by the time you're done. A few dollars does not mean anything compared to what you will be paying soon.

And no, the money doesn't come just as quick either. Think residency. Think $30,000-40,000 working 80 hours a week/year, sometimes 35 hours at a time. In the end however, when you are done, you should be able to pay off your loans pretty damn easily.

 

[Assembler]

D.O students are so clueless. but, i guess that's good in a way. someone has to be suckered into a practice that was based on false pretenses and lacks even a shred of credible research to back it up.

u need to wake up to reality little man 👎

(or at least read up on the founding of osteopathy)

So, let me get this straight, he made a joke, and simply because you could not follow it, you decided to start another MD vs. DO war? Wow! Aren't you bright! It's sad that you came here only to start trouble again.

 

[DrFeelgoodDO]

D.O students are so clueless. but, i guess that's good in a way. someone has to be suckered into a practice that was based on false pretenses and lacks even a shred of credible research to back it up.

u need to wake up to reality little man 👎

(or at least read up on the founding of osteopathy)

First off, let me say that this post in no way is meant to perpetuate the "DO v. MD" issue. It is meant to quell ignorance. With that being said......

Wouldn't it be really ignorant of me to make a bold statement like: MSSM pre-med students are apparently clueless? I hope you don't represent your future medical school nor do I hope you represent the whole allopathic world. Thankfully, I know that you don't.

What exactly is a "practice based on false pretenses?" Practice of what? Medicine? I got news for you pal, when I treat my patients, I do it the same way my MD counterparts do. When I give an ACE inhibitor to my patients with heart failure, I do it the same as everyone else, DO or MD or whatever. I read the HOPE trial too. That has to do with the standard of care, regardless of degree or philosophy in treatment.

If you are referring to osteopathic manipulation when you say "false pretenses", then you clearly show that you have NO clue about what it means to be an osteopathic physician. I agree that there is a dearth of research, but there IS some out there that exists. I will admit that the studies are small w/o a lot of power, but they are still credible. Look it up. Most DOs don't practice OMT. Whether you like it or not, DOs and MDs are more similar than different.

So you tell OSUdoc to look up the history behind the founding of Osteopathy? That's a laugh. Your whole post is an oxymoron. Clearly it is YOU that should not only read up on it, but also the state of medical practice in the late 19th century as well as evolution of both allopathic and osteopathic medicine. I would also suggest you do some research on the Flexner Report. Clearly things have changed drastically in the last 95 years. Also look into Rockefeller's financial influence that occurred as a result. Clearly you are in no way knowledgeable. You should study up yourself before you tell others to do such a thing.

And finally, there are only three reasons that I can think of to become a MD versus a DO: 1) you have a desire to practice in another country where the US trained DO degree is not recognized 2) you desire to do an extremely competative residency at a prarochial institution [i.e. neurosurgery at harvard or hopkins] and 3) you REALLY could never see yourself as a DO for whatever reason. Point is this - whatever type of degree you choose for yourself is your business. There is no need to douche on anyone else, especially when you are uninformed.

 

[OSUdoc08]

D.O students are so clueless. but, i guess that's good in a way. someone has to be suckered into a practice that was based on false pretenses and lacks even a shred of credible research to back it up.

u need to wake up to reality little man 👎

(or at least read up on the founding of osteopathy)

Wow, now the allopathic trolls have resorted to fishing in the osteopathic forums.

Pete, did you not get enough people to take you seriously over there?

😴

 

[Rippey]

geez, you guys are fuc.kin idiots

you can rationalize all you want about the merits of osteop philosophy but you're only foolin yourselves. of course, i can't say that i blame you. i'd probably be doing the same if i were in your shoes even though deep down i'd know i was full of $hit. lol

come on Slippery P.; we're not welcome here.

let's go back to the m.d. forums where the smart--errr, smarter--people hang out... (lotsa boneheads there too) haha

 

[Static Line]

I was just curious as to ya'll's opinion on applying to just 3 DO schools...too risky? I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, EC's are fine. I have my heart set on AZCOM, will apply to OUCOM since I live in OH and am still deciding on another.....Any suggestions on that, also? Thanks!!! 🙂

Oh, p.s. this is for next year, applying in June.

One thing I learned while going through the app process: Nothing is for sure. I interviewed some places and not others. I was accepted here and not there. I know for a fact that I was accepted over some with a better MCAT than mine because many DO schools consider the total package of an applicant and not just the numbers. Yes, numbers are the biggest factor most people consider, and mine are competitive, but that doesn't seal it for you. In fact, my interviewers talked more about my experience as a paramedic, and what I did in the military than they did my academic performance. My advice to you, what ever your budget will allow you to do--do it. In addition to your numbers, it's also a crap shoot so shoot as much as you can.

 

[mocheese]

Just a thought...I applied to quite a few schools, although at the time I was torn between several solid schools. After seemingly countless interviews and several thousand dollars later it was more than evident to me that AZCOM was unparalleled in terms of what I was looking for. If you are already set on AZCOM and feel that it will be a solid fit, you're ahead of the game. Although, as far as dropping a few grand in the application/interview process...

A stack of AACOM applications..................................a few hundred dollars
A stack of secondary applications.............................several hundred dollars
A handful of interviews............................................a few thousand dollars
Knowing that you made the right choice................................PRICELESS

Congratulations chief,
you are officialy the 1,000,000 person to make that joke!!! But bad jokes aside, I know exactly how you feel. Midewestern was my first interview and it is hands down the best school I have seen so far. Good luck with med school and please for the sake of us all, never make a joke like that again. peace out.

 

[Slippery Pete]

geez, you guys are fuc.kin idiots

you can rationalize all you want about the merits of osteop philosophy but you're only foolin yourselves. of course, i can't say that i blame you. i'd probably be doing the same if i were in your shoes even though deep down i'd know i was full of $hit. lol

come on Slippery P.; we're not welcome here.

let's go back to the m.d. forums where the smart--errr, smarter--people hang out... (lotsa boneheads there too) haha

alright rip

ive had my fun

im done with trying to impart my wisdom on these MD-rejects to no avail.

the DO schools these days sure do a helluva job acculturating **cough-brainwashing** their students; know what i'm sayin 😛

ahhh, life is good on the other side

😛

👎

 

[lemurlover]

Applying to 3 schools is kind of slim....I got the DO fee waiver too and ended up applying to another even after getting into one of them. Sometimes you find out in interviews that the school is not a terrific fit, so it's good to have options. Since you got the waiver, you can apply to five or six schools and still not pay nearly as much as folks who have more money. Probly a wise investment.

PS. It's really odd how people dis each other based on MD/DO and who's smart and who's not. Just about everyone who is applying is an overachiever and really smart. I get bored of the flame wars. ~yawn~

 

[crys20]

wow, thanks everyone for all the advice...i love the pre-osteo forum 😍