Applying to only one school - bad idea?

[brassmonkey]

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This will be my first year applying (for the class of '13), and I'm in a situation where there is really only one school that I would consider going to. My husband is locked into a residency at University of Michigan for the next four years, so I am hoping to get in at Michigan State. Although technically feasible, the idea of living apart in different states for 3-4 years really doesn't appeal to us and would be hard on us financially (I would pay OOS for schools other than MSU). My question is: should I apply to more schools than just Michigan State, even though I wouldn't attend if offered admission? I have heard that it is a good idea to make yourself available to several school so that the schools 'compete' for you. i.e. if they like your application, they are more likely to offer an interview/admission because they know you might go elsewhere. Do schools even know how many other schools you apply to?
Just curious....

 

[VAgirl]

Warning: All of what follows is hearsay, so take with a grain of salt.

I've heard that since we put which schools we're applying to down on VMCAS, they do know. I've also heard that you shouldn't apply anywhere you wouldn't go because if you did get in there, it looks bad to turn a school down and apply again another time. I don't know if any of this is true, but it does make sense to me.

I've also heard that if you apply to one school only, that school may be less likely to take you since they know "you're not going anywhere." As in, another school isn't going to grab you this application cycle. I personally think that's ridiculous. If they want you, they'll accept you/waitlist you. But that's just my opinion.

Personally, I would not apply to any schools that I wouldn't consider attending. For starters, it's a waste of time/energy/money.

(Oh, and you'd be applying for matriculation in 2009, but for the Class of 2013.😉)

 

[CalpardNY]

I've heard that since we put which schools we're applying to down on VMCAS, they do know. I've also heard that you shouldn't apply anywhere you wouldn't go because if you did get in there, it looks bad to turn a school down and apply again another time. I don't know if any of this is true, but it does make sense to me.

The schools who participate in VMCAS definitely know where else you are applying to. When I had my file review with Cornell, the director of admissions said to me at one point something to the effect of "I see you applied to a bunch of schools, how is that going? Have you been hearing good things?" Now that doesn't mean they necessarily look at it and consider it when considering your application, but they have access to that information.

As VAgirl says, it wouldn't be practical to apply to a school and turn it down because if you applied to that school again it would look bad. I would assume it might depend in part on how much you really want this and if at some point you are going to decide you'd branch out from MSU.

 

[rustysmom]

I am in a similar situation - I live in Michigan and b/c of my husband's job, it is not economically feasible for us to pack up and move out-of-state for me to go to school (can't sell my house in Michigan's economy anyways 🙂). Plus, I don't want to spend the next 4 years away from my hubby. So, I decided to apply to MSU as my one and only school this year. If I don't get in, then we'll talk about going OOS for the next application cycle.

I don't think it's hurt me so far to apply to only one school - but it does up the stress level with having all your hopes on one school . I have an interview with them on 2/11 (woo hoo! 😀). If it comes up in my interview ("well, we see that you have applied only to us. why not other schools?"), I plan to discuss the things I like about them as well as the financial reasons for staying in-state.

I agree with VAGirl - if they like you, they'll accept/waitlist you, regardless of how many other schools I've applied to.

 

[Rebeki]

I have heard that it is a good idea to make yourself available to several school so that the schools 'compete' for you. i.e. if they like your application, they are more likely to offer an interview/admission because they know you might go elsewhere.

Maybe I'm a little cynical about this process (ok I know I am😛), but I doubt that any vet school would feel the need to "compete" for any applicants no matter how good they are. Vet schools always have more qualified applicants than spots available, so in my cynical opinion applying to more schools seems unlikely to improve your chances of getting into your instate school which you have the best chance of getting into in the first place. I applied to 8 schools this year and it is stressful and expensive - don't apply to schools unless you really want to attend them. You'll save yourself a lot of stress and money.

Best of luck to you

 

[ri23]

Not only does the VMCAS application that the schools get show how many schools you applied to it also shows which schools you applied to.

 

[alliecat44]

I have an interview with them on 2/11 (woo hoo! 😀). If it comes up in my interview ("well, we see that you have applied only to us. why not other schools?"), I plan to discuss the things I like about them as well as the financial reasons for staying in-state. quote]

It likely depends on the school, but from everything I've heard from/about adcoms, they totally understand such a compelling family-oriented reason for "only" applying to one school. Believe it or not, when you get to interview status, they do realize that outside circumstances affect your vet school decisions (aka family life).

I agree: if they want you, they want you. Regardless of where else you've applied.

The only time I've heard of it negatively affecting your admissions is if you're applying to a zillion schools--makes it look like there's no real reason why you picked THEIR school.

 

[pupsforseeing]

I have a friend who is a second year at Davis and only applied to Davis. She knew that if she got accepted at any other school she wouldn't want to go, so why bother? It seemed to have worked for her 🙂

At my Penn interview, they drilled me on why I applied to the schools I did (and they had the list right in front of them). I'm a CA applicant so they were pessimistic about whether I would go to Penn over Davis if I got accepted at both. All that to say that they definitely knew what other schools I had applied to and seemed to weigh whether or not I would choose their school. The dean of admissions at Penn also told me that they generally don't interview Californians (and I'm sure it's the case for other states) if they've done their undergrad IS because it means that they probably wouldn't relocate if they got into both IS and OOS schools. I thought that was interesting.

 

[cyrille104]

The dean of admissions at Penn also told me that they generally don't interview Californians (and I'm sure it's the case for other states) if they've done their undergrad IS because it means that they probably wouldn't relocate if they got into both IS and OOS schools. I thought that was interesting.

We have a Californian who went to school IS, got into both Penn and Davis, and chose Penn...

 

[VAgirl]

The dean of admissions at Penn also told me that they generally don't interview Californians (and I'm sure it's the case for other states) if they've done their undergrad IS because it means that they probably wouldn't relocate if they got into both IS and OOS schools. I thought that was interesting.

Wow, that is awful. They should accept us or not accept us based of off whether they like our experience, qualifications, etc. They should not reject us based off of some prediction as to what they think we will do if faced with a decision. That just makes me angry. How on earth are they going to be able to accurately predict what decision an individual is going to make? Half of us don't even know what decision we would make right now, should we have to. Since we're basing decisions on the strength of the program in specific areas of interest to us, proximity of school to relevant opportunities (perhaps for summers/clinical rotations), location of school, location of family to school, strength of job market for SOs/school situations of SOs, etc. etc. etc.

I know these schools have the ultimate power over who they admit and who they don't, but how presumptious to assume they know what any given applicant will do!😡😡

Edit: This is exactly what waitlists are for, anyway, aren't they?!?

 

[LVT2DVM]

I have a friend who is a second year at Davis and only applied to Davis. She knew that if she got accepted at any other school she wouldn't want to go, so why bother? It seemed to have worked for her 🙂

At my Penn interview, they drilled me on why I applied to the schools I did (and they had the list right in front of them). I'm a CA applicant so they were pessimistic about whether I would go to Penn over Davis if I got accepted at both. All that to say that they definitely knew what other schools I had applied to and seemed to weigh whether or not I would choose their school. The dean of admissions at Penn also told me that they generally don't interview Californians (and I'm sure it's the case for other states) if they've done their undergrad IS because it means that they probably wouldn't relocate if they got into both IS and OOS schools. I thought that was interesting.

I'm just shocked they would even admit to it! Can you say God Complex.

 

[alliecat44]

Wow, that is awful. They should accept us or not accept us based of off whether they like our experience, qualifications, etc. They should not reject us based off of some prediction as to what they think we will do if faced with a decision. That just makes me angry. How on earth are they going to be able to accurately predict what decision an individual is going to make? Half of us don't even know what decision we would make right now, should we have to. Since we're basing decisions on the strength of the program in specific areas of interest to us, proximity of school to relevant opportunities (perhaps for summers/clinical rotations), location of school, location of family to school, strength of job market for SOs/school situations of SOs, etc. etc. etc.

I know these schools have the ultimate power over who they admit and who they don't, but how presumptious to assume they know what any given applicant will do!😡😡

Edit: This is exactly what waitlists are for, anyway, aren't they?!?

Preach it, sister!!! That's RIDICULOUS. And "God complex" is right. 😡

 

[ri23]

At my Penn interview, they drilled me on why I applied to the schools I did (and they had the list right in front of them). I'm a CA applicant so they were pessimistic about whether I would go to Penn over Davis if I got accepted at both. All that to say that they definitely knew what other schools I had applied to and seemed to weigh whether or not I would choose their school. The dean of admissions at Penn also told me that they generally don't interview Californians (and I'm sure it's the case for other states) if they've done their undergrad IS because it means that they probably wouldn't relocate if they got into both IS and OOS schools. I thought that was interesting.

I have heard that about Californians before (if you look through some old posts on this board you will see that) and also Ohio residents (particularly if you went to OSU for undergrad). I believe last year JIKJen was told the same thing, and she was even working at Penn's vet school (Jen - you can correct me if I'm wrong about that). It is probably because they interview so few people compared to the number they accept that they want to interview those that would most likely attend.

We have a Californian who went to school IS, got into both Penn and Davis, and chose Penn...

Yes, there are exceptions, but the people at Penn seem pretty blunt about admitting things like that about the interview.

 

[pupsforseeing]

I have heard that about Californians before (if you look through some old posts on this board you will see that) and also Ohio residents (particularly if you went to OSU for undergrad). I believe last year JIKJen was told the same thing, and she was even working at Penn's vet school (Jen - you can correct me if I'm wrong about that). It is probably because they interview so few people compared to the number they accept that they want to interview those that would most likely attend.



Yes, there are exceptions, but the people at Penn seem pretty blunt about admitting things like that about the interview.

I appreciated their honesty. I'd rather have someone tell me up front than beat around the bush. There was another person interviewing the same day from CA who did her undergrad in CA, but was doing a post-bacc on the east coast. If I get into Davis, I'm honestly not sure if I will choose Penn or Davis, but it won't be a matter of location ($$, programs I'm interested in, etc.).

 

[Weazlebub]

I have an interview with them on 2/11 (woo hoo! 😀). If it comes up in my interview ("well, we see that you have applied only to us. why not other schools?"), I plan to discuss the things I like about them as well as the financial reasons for staying in-state. quote]

It likely depends on the school, but from everything I've heard from/about adcoms, they totally understand such a compelling family-oriented reason for "only" applying to one school. Believe it or not, when you get to interview status, they do realize that outside circumstances affect your vet school decisions (aka family life).

I agree: if they want you, they want you. Regardless of where else you've applied.

The only time I've heard of it negatively affecting your admissions is if you're applying to a zillion schools--makes it look like there's no real reason why you picked THEIR school.

As a (non-Penn) adcom I think this post gets many things right. 1) We do understand why you might only choose one.. though it's up to you to tell us as it's NOT appropriate for an interviewer to ask family questions. 2) If we want you we will extend an offer and hope you want to come to us regardless of how many schools you applied to.. and 3) If you apply to every school me may wonder what you want, what you really, really want. but I doubt it would affect an offer decision. (but it would be a good interview question)

 

[brassmonkey]

Thanks to everyone for the advice.
Ironically (given the discussion regarding Penn), it was a comment by a Penn advisor that set me to worrying about my choice to apply to one school only. I had no problem applying to only one school until I heard from a current Penn vet student that she had been advised to apply to more than one school, otherwise she would not look competitive. She ended up (obviously) going to Penn, her state school, but did apply several other places.
Certainly, I understand that I have a better chance at getting in anywhere if I apply to more schools, but as much as I want to go to vet school, I just can't afford, financially and otherwise, to move out of state to do so. I think I've got a decent shot, so I'm just going to have to cross my fingers and hope for the best! And maybe pile on the contact hours in the coming months...

 

[chris03333]

My husband is locked into a residency at University of Michigan for the next four years

What's wrong with that?😀😀

 

[brassmonkey]

What's wrong with that?😀😀

Nothing at all! I can't wait to get back 'home' to the midwest....

 

[Electrophile]

I was in a very similar situation. I was in state in Missouri, liked the program fine (but would have certainly not minded going elsewhere), but didn't want to add an extra 100K in debt just for four years and my husband didn't want to change jobs. So I only applied to Mizzou, they never asked about it one way or the other, and I got in. No sweat. 😀 I think you're doing the right thing. There's more important things in life, like your marriage, than spending a HUGE extra amount in debt just to go some place with some special program just for 4 years. Just get a short term externship or preceptorship during your clinical years if they have a really uber special thing you want to get a taste of. I think hubby would be much more understanding of a few weeks or a few months apart rather than 4 years!