Has anyone been contacted by programs?
And if you have e-mailed a program to tell them that they are your ‘#1 choice' or that you are ranking them ‘very highly', have they responded to you? And if so, what have they said in response?
Ok, so there are some rules here and read the NRMP to see those rules. Either side can express interest and there is no problem with that. Some recent publications have questioned this practice but....are you going to marry the person that expresses interest in you or the one that remains aloof...kinda no brainer. Anyway, it's all legal to express interest.
So then comes how you express interest. Anyone that says, "highly ranked," "ranked to match," "considered highly," "very interested," "very highly" is all nonsense talk (sorry to be blunt). It doesn't really mean anything. "Ranked to match" can mean that the program put you in the zone where they have traditionally matched but if they have an exceptionally great year, guess what, your s*** out of luck.
The only useful comment that you can tell a program or that a program can tell you is either: 1) you are ranked #1 (this is very specific and straight up) and 2) you are ranked into one of our dedicated match positions (meaning you are in the top 3 and they take 3 every year). In truth who cares if you are ranked 1, 2, or 3 if they take three. All three slots are the same for intensive purposes.
Secondly, don't ever expect anything from the response back. Also, don't ever ask where you are ranked since that is an NRMP violation. You can't solicit, you can only express...know the distinction.
I was told by multiple programs that I was going to be ranked #1. It carried weight and you have to respond to these with grace but with confidence. First off you have no obligation to tell them where you are ranking them and they should not ask it.
Other places called and said they were ranking me high...doesn't mean a darn thing when programs say that so don't put stock in it. Unless it's specific, it's doesn't mean much.
Finally, don't ever ever lie about ranking a place #1. If you going to say it, you better mean it because you will burn bridges otherwise and you don't want to do that in a small field where everybody tends to know everybody.
To answer your question, if you tell a program that you are "ranking them very highly," it doesn't mean a darn thing and saying such a thing may actually backfire. It's either #1 or don't bother. Just my opinion. If you say you are in my top X, that's just another way of saying you are ranking them #X. Would you want to be someone's #2 or #3? These programs may politely respond to you but they know that it doesn't mean anything.
