"Backup" schools?

[brianmartin]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Someone recently told me that I didn't have enough "backup" schools and this got me worried. Is this true? I would love to go to any of the schools on my list so far...do I need to add more?

I'm an Oregon resident, applying as early as I can
MD apps: http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=9541

OHSU
UCSF
USC
Colorado
Northwestern
Mount Sinai
Cornell
Drexel
Wake Forest
Tufts
Vanderbilt
University of Vermont
St. Louis
University of Arizona
Boston University

 

[pride4jc727]

Quite frankly, I don't think there is such thing as a backup medical school.

 

[brianmartin]

That's what I thought too, but I've heard bad stories of people thinking they have a really good app and applying just to top schools, and getting no acceptances.

 

[benzene21]

Its hard enough to get into med schools that, I agree, there really is no such thing as a "back up" school. If anything, a DO school would be a backup. When somebody tells you to add more back-up schools, I guess they just mean don't apply to just Harvard, Yale, Johns-Hopkins, Pitt, etc. It seems like you have a good mix though...perhaps consider looking at other schools that have average MCAT scores around or below what yours are because those are the schools where you have the best chance at acceptance

 

[mdgator]

You should do everything you can to increase your chance of being accepted. You're applying to several very competitive schools, (and they all are), so just realize that nothing is guaranteed, even with a good MCAT. My advice would be to find at least 4 or 5 more schools that accept a good number of OOS students...schools who don't have an average MCAT score of 34+, and add them to your list. There are plenty of them out there.

 

[-Goose-]

Someone recently told me that I didn't have enough "backup" schools and this got me worried. Is this true? I would love to go to any of the schools on my list so far...do I need to add more?

I'm an Oregon resident, applying as early as I can
MD apps: http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=9541

OHSU
UCSF
USC
Colorado
Northwestern
Mount Sinai
Cornell
Drexel
Wake Forest
Tufts
Vanderbilt
University of Vermont
St. Louis
University of Arizona
Boston University

While I would probably add a few more schools to be safe, you have a good mix of reaches and not-so-reaches. Consider adding NYMC, MCW, Loyola, Rush, etc.

 

[Textuality]

I think you're fine. You can add Jefferson though if you like Philly.