Could applying to more schools be cheaper than applying to fewer?

[oompaloompadoompadeedo]

Hear me out...

I want a disclaimer that I hate that I am writing this because I think no one should have to apply to more than 10 schools under any circumstance but...

If you factor in how much you pay for applying for schools and for tuition at medical schools, it seems to me, that if you are able to haggle with schools because you hold multiple acceptances (e.g. School A offered me 10K a year, can you offer more?), you could save more money by applying to many schools to increase you "haggling" power. I'm not sure how often this occurs or how successful people are, but I thought others would find this interesting. All about expected value.

Of course, this would only be true in circumstances, for the right person, with the right schools and would be ruined if everyone tried doing this.

Thoughts?

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[GoodWillShunting]

This assumes you are worth "haggling" over.

The better way to think about this is: "If I apply to less schools and don't get it, I'll have even more expenses next cycle".

Do it right, do it once.


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[JustAPhD]

^Yeah. More like if I apply broadly and get accepted then I don't have to go through the expenses of another app season and will be a doctor one year earlier (year of attending salary).

 

[Frogger27]

Yeah, I have no haggling power. I applied to a lot of schools because I'm a desperate below, stat applicant and applying more than once would have been more costly (opportunity cost?)

 

[doctorbob23]

If you under apply and don't get in you made an investment with zero return. You'll have to spend money again next cycle. Apply like cpr..hard and fast

 

[Lawpy]

If you factor in how much you pay for applying for schools and for tuition at medical schools, it seems to me, that if you are able to haggle with schools because you hold multiple acceptances (e.g. School A offered me 10K a year, can you offer more?), you could save more money by applying to many schools to increase you "haggling" power. I'm not sure how often this occurs or how successful people are, but I thought others would find this interesting. All about expected value.

The bold is based on a weak assumption that you have multiple acceptances (many actually have only one), and you are highly sought after (i.e. you're a superstar with the ability to haggle with schools and get some scholarships/generous financial aid)

The objective for longer and better school lists (most suitable to your stats and application profile) is to get accepted into at least one medical school successfully. You do not want to end up having to reapply just because you applied to too few schools.

That said, finances and fit are important, so applying to too many schools is a bad idea. An optimal list consists of 20-30 schools. It's excessive to apply to >35, and risky to apply to <15, but in the end, this depends on your application profile.

 

[ciestar]

just under half of all matriculating medical students had a single acceptance to medical school. Therefore of the total pool of applicants
60% get rejected
20% get a single acceptance
20% get more than one acceptance

except for the very, very few truly outstanding top students, medical schools do not compete much on financial aid as they easily get a WL applicant to take any spot turned down by an acceptee.

This.
10 II ans 1 acceptance.
Granted, my interviewing skills are..apparently poor. But this. Apply to enough schools to give you the best chance OVERALL. There is no such thing as haggling, well there is, but it shouldn't factor into putting together a school list as so many of us tend to really overestimate certain pieces of ourselves. And, as you said, people on a WL with no acceptances would gladly take your spot and not argue numbers.

Just do it right the first time. Get in the first time, don't make yourself a reapplicant for such a silly reason.

 

[partypantss]

This.
10 II ans 1 acceptance.
Granted, my interviewing skills are..apparently poor. But this. Apply to enough schools to give you the best chance OVERALL. There is no such thing as haggling, well there is, but it shouldn't factor into putting together a school list as so many of us tend to really overestimate certain pieces of ourselves. And, as you said, people on a WL with no acceptances would gladly take your spot and not argue numbers.

Just do it right the first time. Get in the first time, don't make yourself a reapplicant for such a silly reason.

Oh god, your interview to acceptance ratio is terrifying to me. I'm so afraid of becoming one of the horror stories about getting so many IIs and coming out empty handed

 

[Lawpy]

This.
10 II ans 1 acceptance.
Granted, my interviewing skills are..apparently poor. But this. Apply to enough schools to give you the best chance OVERALL. There is no such thing as haggling, well there is, but it shouldn't factor into putting together a school list as so many of us tend to really overestimate certain pieces of ourselves. And, as you said, people on a WL with no acceptances would gladly take your spot and not argue numbers.

Just do it right the first time. Get in the first time, don't make yourself a reapplicant for such a silly reason.

Oh god, your interview to acceptance ratio is terrifying to me. I'm so afraid of becoming one of the horror stories about getting so many IIs and coming out empty handed

yesh something likely went wrong with interviewing. normally, the expected interview/acceptance ratio is roughly 3:1, so i'd expect at least 3 acceptances from 10 IIs

 

[787593]

Hear me out...

I want a disclaimer that I hate that I am writing this because I think no one should have to apply to more than 10 schools under any circumstance but...

If you factor in how much you pay for applying for schools and for tuition at medical schools, it seems to me, that if you are able to haggle with schools because you hold multiple acceptances (e.g. School A offered me 10K a year, can you offer more?), you could save more money by applying to many schools to increase you "haggling" power. I'm not sure how often this occurs or how successful people are, but I thought others would find this interesting. All about expected value.

Of course, this would only be true in circumstances, for the right person, with the right schools and would be ruined if everyone tried doing this.

Thoughts?

How is applying to more schools a cheaper option? Simple.

Have the AAMC institute a "buy/apply 20, get 10 free deal."

That way it's worth it to apply to 30, rather than 19. Reducing the cost/app.

 

[Astra]

How is applying to more schools a cheaper option? Simple.

Have the AAMC institute a "buy/apply 20, get 10 free deal."

That way it's worth it to apply to 30, rather than 19. Reducing the cost/app.

Then people who apply to 30 for an advantage would apply to 40 schools since everyone is getting to 30 for free

 

[787593]

Then people who apply to 30 for an advantage would apply to 40 schools since everyone is getting to 30 for free

Tartar sauce :/

 

[ciestar]

yesh something likely went wrong with interviewing. normally, the expected interview/acceptance ratio is roughly 3:1, so i'd expect at least 3 acceptances from 10 IIs

Yeah, to say that is an understatement. Wasnt a great feeling, but made me appreciate the one acceptance i did get so much more