Average # of Apps?

[Kahkeetsee]

I would be interested to know in how many schools people have applied to? Are we talking under 10? more than 10? 20?

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[Resident Alien]

I think (feel free to correct me) that the average is 10-11 schools. Its much higher for California applicants.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Actually, I think it is around 15. It could even be as high as 17, but I'm not sure.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Actually, I think...

That doesn't even make sense. Oh well, ya know what I mean.

 

[mpp]

I can't remember where I saw it and I can't seem to find it again but in the last application the average number of schools applied to for each applicant was 11.7.

This year I applied to 10. I think that was too few...no acceptances yet.

 

[WonderBoy]

I am planning on applying to 20+ schools. Costs are high but I am hoping to apply just once. Admissions is a crapshoot. Increase you chances by applying to more schools.

 

[Purifyer]

I've read alot (on this board) about californians having a hard time to get into med. What's the deal with that? Small number of schools in California?

 

[Wednesday]

California has TOO MANY PEOPLE!!!

 

[brandonite]

A lot of people in California, and not many schools. There are what, five state schools and three private schools? And three of their nine schools are top 20, and two are top 10 (Stanford, UCSF), so they draw thousands of applications from across the country. Compare that to New York, which has a pile of private schools and a bunch of state schools (4 SUNY's, I think, NYU, Sinai, Cornell, Colubmia, Albany, Rochester...).

 

[megkudos]

It really depends on your stats too. If you think you might have a hard time getting in apply to more schools. If you have solid scores than you probably only need to apply to 10-15. But plan what schools to apply to well...I would suggest talking to a premed advisor about where to apply. THe advisor at my school gave me good advice based on my stats.

 

[mpp]

The idea that Californians have a harder time getting into medical school than applicants from other states is just another pre-med rumor.
Applicants from most other states have a harder time. Check the <a href="http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/famg22001a.htm" target="_blank">stats</a> from last year. The previous years are very similar. California always lands somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Last year a fewer percentage of applicants got accepted from 28 other states compared to California. California was the 21st in terms of percentage of applicants accepted (47.9 percent accepted). New Jersey had the highest (56 percent accepted) and Wyoming the least (only 34.3 percent of applicants were accepted).

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Thank you mpp! I didn't want to have to say it again.

FL = VERY LARGE STATE

Schools:
UF
USF
Miami
FSU (small class & hard to get into if you want to specialize)

That's it!

 

[mpp]

Florida is 38 on the list at 41.9 percent of applicants accepted.

By the way, just in out-of-state accepted applicants, California is the 12th best. You guys do very well when applying out of state!

 

[irongirl]

I applied to ten schools, and I think that was too many. My opinion: if you don't get into the first 10 schools, you probably won't get into the next 10 schools. If you are a strong candidate, be confident but also be realistic and apply to schools where the average gpa and mcat scores are close to yours. Also throw in a couple long shots and a couple fall back schools. If you're independently wealthy... go ahead and apply to 20, what have you got to lose? I didn't have the resources to fly all over the country, so I just took the first 5 interviews that came along, now I'm turning the rest of them down.

 

[YBee]

I think Ca is considered more difficult, because for a lot of states, a candidate w/reasonably strong stats WILL get into his state school (think: University of OK). Even tho' CA has five state schools, they are all so competitive, that strong stats don't guarantee an entrance to any one of them.

Thus Californians tend to apply to all their state schools, plus a ton of private schools as well. I applied to 19 schools, which is a lot, but I can't say for sure that any of them will let me in. They don't sit together and say "hey at least one of us should let her in" It's done by each school individually. So I don't agree w/what irongirl said.

Now, this idea that Ca-ites have a hard time may be a misconception. However their status in getting in may be good b/c they apply to more schools too. Better 'safe' or as close to safe as one can be, than sorry. Of course, as soon as I get in somewhere, I will not keep traveling around the country going on interviews, but until then, I have to. The one place where I decide not to interview may be the one that would have let me in.

 

[katiep]

irongirl,

I don't agree with the apply only to 10 schools, because the next 10 wouldn't get you in either.

Example: I know a girl who applied to 30 schools last year, and only got into Harvard and one other school which was not top 50. That's it. That second school was definitely not in her top 10 list out of the 30 she applied to. So if she didn't make Harvard, she would have been lucky to have had that other choice.

I know many other such stories. My point is: apply to as many schools as you financially can, strong credentials or not, because your chances at any one school is part luck plus everything else.

I, for one, only applied to Harvard. Because my stats are sooo strong that there's no way they will not accept me.

 

[Jamier2]

Originally posted by brandonite:
•A lot of people in California, and not many schools. There are what, five state schools and three private schools? And three of their nine schools are top 20...•••

Whoa, maybe I didn't pay enough attention in Math, but I thought five and three made eight, not nine.

 

[md2be06]

Originally posted by SwampMan:
•Thank you mpp! I didn't want to have to say it again.

FL = VERY LARGE STATE

Schools:
UF
USF
Miami
FSU (small class & hard to get into if you want to specialize)

That's it!•••

Of the nine states with &gt; 1000 applicants, Florida has the lowest percentage of matriculants at 41.9%, NJ has the highest at 56%. It sucks, almost 60% of Florida residents don't get in. We need more seats!!!

 

[Amy B]

I applied to 7 schools.

Received only 2 rejections. One of them from Hawaii (wasn't a native hawaiian, darn I hoped they wouldn't have noticed that )

Withdrew from 1 school (didn't want to fly across country for interview around the 9-11 diaster)

3 schools are still interested

And the remaining one, well I think it has lost me, cause I haven't heard anything for MONTHS (UNC)

I think if your stats are good 10 or less will be enough.

 

[DesperatelySeekingMD]

What about us who don't even have a state...DC doesn't have any "state" schools or agreements with other states to be considered in-state in admissions or tuition!

I applied to 19 schools just because I was worried about not having the state school option. Admissions can be very fickle...remember that when you apply. I would apply to a few more than you think if you are in doubt. I feel like I have been very lucky throughout the process, so in retrospect I would have applied to less...oh that 20/20 hindsight.

 

[SMW]

22 schools. Have heard from 12 schools (2 interviews completed, 1 acceptance, 4 rejections, 6 more interviews scheduled). 10 schools still not heard from. As an Alaska resident my state school is UWSOM, where they have 10 (whoo-hoo!) slots reserved for Alaskans. My acceptance was from a non-top 50 school that will be quite expensive to attend. I'm just glad I didn't only apply to the 10 schools I'm waiting to hear from! They would have constituted a reasonable range of schools for me to apply to, except for the fact that they don't include my "state" school.

 

[YBee]

Originally posted by katiep:
•

I, for one, only applied to Harvard. Because my stats are sooo strong that there's no way they will not accept me.•••

Have you been accepted there yet?

 

[katiep]

No, not yet. But I'm confident I will. It's my 5th year applying in a row, and I'm sure my time will come. I've ignored the "students who applied for admission to HMS on two prior occasions also are ineligible" notice.

 

[merlin]

Seriously? Wow, now thats some dediction. Hope all goes well this year.

 

[ssd]

katiep is right. pick one school and apply year after year until they finally accept you. i graduated high school with a 2.4 gpa, and decided that i would skip college entirely and go directly into a medical program. this is my 17th consecutive year applying for admittance to harvard, but i haven't heard anything yet this year. i'm thinking about taking some undergraduate art history classes if i don't make the cut again this year. i figure that might help me make it over the proverbial hump. keep the positive mental attitude and things will work out in the end.

 

[watto]

I second ssd's thoughts.

I would also suggest phoning the admissions office as much as possible requesting status checks and sending in your secondary application with a few foil Garfield balloons. The extra bit of whimsy is appreciated by adcoms and it will give you that added edge you need.

 

[EpiII]

I am a CA resident.

I applied to the 8 CA schools and the UCLA/Drew program as well. 9 total primaries.