Applying to Too Many Schools?

[WorldWiz]

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On a dental school thread, I read that a dean of admissions said that if they see an applicant who applies to 50 schools, they immediately toss out his/her app because they know the applicant clearly did not pick based on specific reasons. I'm applying to 24 osteopathic schools because I don't want to take chances, but does each school see what other schools I'm applying to, and if so, does applying to so many negatively affect my chances? Thanks.

 

[coolingglasses]

No on all accounts.

 

[NontradCA]

I'm applying to 24 osteopathic schools, but does each school see what other schools I'm applying to, and if so, does applying to so many negatively affect my chances? Thanks.

No to the first but 24 schools means you have to divide your attention 24 ways, and you want to show interest in each program. If you can manage to do that with 24, you're increasing your chances of getting in somewhere. Cheers, good luck.

 

[coolingglasses]

Some schools will ask if/which schools you applied to though on their secondary. But it's on you to volunteer it.

The only way it would really negatively affect you is if you couldn't keep up with all the applications.

 

[GlowInTheDark]

No to the first but 24 schools means you have to divide your attention 24 ways, and you want to show interest in each program. If you can manage to do that with 24, you're increasing your chances of getting in somewhere. Cheers, good luck.

Make a spreadsheet, calendar, and manage your time properly.

I applied to 30 schools total when I got in. It was expensive, but getting in was priority #1 and when you realize a year lost is a year lost of attending salary you find the motivation.

 

[NontradCA]

Make a spreadsheet, calendar, and manage your time properly.

I applied to 30 schools total when I got in. It was expensive, but getting in was priority #1 and when you realize a year lost is a year lost of attending salary you find the motivation.

👍 That's why I'm putting my all into this cycle.

 

[coolingglasses]

Make a spreadsheet, calendar, and manage your time properly.

I applied to 30 schools total when I got in. It was expensive, but getting in was priority #1 and when you realize a year lost is a year lost of attending salary you find the motivation.

Agreed. Find a way to organize.

I printed out a map of the US and used color-coded tacks to indicate where I applied, secondaries sent, rejections, IIs, and acceptances. Stuck it on the wall above my computer. I paired that with a text file I updated on my computer.

Formulate a plan to handle your secondaries efficiently and effectively. I spent about a week or two on my first few secondaries, but since a lot of schools ask similar questions, the rest go a lot faster. You just cut/paste, edit so that it clearly answers the questions, then review it the next day.

 

[NontradCA]

Agreed. Find a way to organize.

I printed out a map of the US and used color-coded tacks to indicate where I applied, secondaries sent, rejections, IIs, and acceptances. Stuck it on the wall above my computer. I paired that with a text file I updated on my computer.

Formulate a plan to handle your secondaries efficiently and effectively. I spent about a week or two on my first few secondaries, but since a lot of schools ask similar questions, the rest go a lot faster. You just cut/paste, edit so that it clearly answers the questions, then review it the next day.

 

[coolingglasses]

very



also cray cray

 

[Postictal Raiden]

Although I wholeheartedly support the idea of applying broadly, 24 DO is a little excessive. There must be about 12 schools with strong regional bias. PCOM's, UNE, MSU, Pikeville, NYCOM, TCOM, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Jersey, VCOM's and the one up northwest come to mind.

You could easily cut down on 4 schools and still be "applying broadly". What's the point of applying to 24 schools when you will end up filling only 10 secondaries at best? That's close to $500 down the drain. I understand that few hundreds are a drop in a bucket when considering the total bill of medical education, but you could still be wise and conservative in your selection without jeopardizing your chances.

I could be wrong, but this is my opinion.

P.S. My magic number was 15, but ended up applying to only 12 (4 competitive, 5 mild, and 3 less competitive schools)

 

[spleencakes]

Nah, they won't know, but they might ask you about it in interviews.

+1 on organizing! I made a spreadsheet with all the schools and columns for due dates, LOR reqs, secondaries, II, verified complete, etc. It'll get crazy keeping track of secondaries and complete files with 24 schools. It might also be beneficial to keep a file with info on all the schools, especially if you like doing research on schools from old SDN threads and find yourself forgetting and/or mixing up information. 😉

Also, with that many schools, there will likely be a lot of reusing/editing secondaries you wrote for other schools. Remember to double check school names! 😀

 

[coolingglasses]

Although I wholeheartedly support the idea of applying broadly, 24 DO is a little excessive. There must be about 12 schools with strong regional bias. PCOM's, UNE, MSU, Pikeville, NYCOM, TCOM, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Jersey, VCOM's and the one up northwest come to mind.

You could easily cut down on 4 schools and still be "applying broadly". What's the point of applying to 24 schools when you will end up filling only 10 secondaries at best? That's close to $500 down the drain. I understand that few hundreds are a drop in a bucket when considering the total bill of medical education, but you could still be wise and conservative in your selection without jeopardizing your chances.

I could be wrong, but this is my opinion.

P.S. My magic number was 15, but ended up applying to only 12 (4 competitive, 5 mild, and 3 less competitive schools)

15 was the number my advisor gave me. But I can tell you right now, had I listened to this forum strongly about regional bias, I never would've applied to PNWU or WVSOM, both of which I had interviews to and the latter of which I got accepted to.

When your numbers are low, you really don't know. I had a long-term connection to the PNW, but I hadn't lived there since 2004 so I was still taking a chance. Meanwhile, of the five or six DO schools in the Midwest, only one interviewed me and even then I hadn't expected them to.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

15 was the number my advisor gave me. But I can tell you right now, had I listened to this forum strongly about regional bias, I never would've applied to PNWU or WVSOM, both of which I had interviews to and the latter of which I got accepted to.

When your numbers are low, you really don't know. I had a long-term connection to the PNW, but I hadn't lived there since 2004 so I was still taking a chance. Meanwhile, of the five or six DO schools in the Midwest, only one interviewed me and even then I hadn't expected them to.

I agree that WVSOM isn't as regionally biased as it is perceived. In fact, I applied to this school. However, others, like the ones I mentioned in my previous thread, have historically shown significant favoritism toward residents of their regions.

 

[as1212559]

Do pcom and nycom actually have a regional bias or is this just something derived from Sdn? Also, while wvsom is a state school they draw a large amount of students from elsewhere. And I still maintain that avoiding those schools is silly. Sdn would have laughed at me for applying to the school I will be attending.

That said 24 schools is probably excessive but whatever floats your boat and wallet.