Curious about connections while applying to school

[allopathicartist]

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Wanted to know how everyone feels about having a connection within a medical school you may possibly apply to? There is a allopathic med school located in my town that I would be thrilled to go to, though my application is not exactly their normal accepted student statistics. Through my job I've worked very closely for the past three years with someone extremely involved in their admissions process and has even wrote me recommendations for other things and had advised me numerous application questions. We have very positive interactions every time we work together and she knows my work ethic and background very well. Do you think having this connection has any weight if I was to apply to this specific school? Obviously it would be foolish to put all my eggs in this basket, but if it would help me get into a MD school then why not try!

 

[JustaDO]

One post above yours.

 

[allopathicartist]

Thanks for pointing me in that direction. I do feel like my situation it not really the same though.

My connection is someone I've known and worked personally with for years, not a friend of a friend of a friend or whatever the other posters situation is. I would think if there was any weight to this connection it would be because she had longer than a few hour interview to truly know me as an applicant, not as doing some favors simply because we have a friend in common.

Does anyone think this connection would HURT me if applying to this school?

 

[climbrunskirepeat]

Thanks for pointing me in that direction. I do feel like my situation it not really the same though.

My connection is someone I've known and worked personally with for years, not a friend of a friend of a friend or whatever the other posters situation is. I would think if there was any weight to this connection it would be because she had longer than a few hour interview to truly know me as an applicant, not as doing some favors simply because we have a friend in common.

Though interviews are typically conducted by a small group of people, larger committees make final decisions. With that, it might help you that this person will advocate for you, but they can only do so much. There isn't a reason not to apply, but this is so specific and lacking in information that you're not going to get a lot in terms of an answer here.

 

[Musculo]

I was connected to a medical school as I both attended there in a separate college as well as taught as an adjunct instructor. I also know quite a few faculty. I too was below their usual stats. It got me a nice HOLD email so far. YMMV

 

[Goro]

Thanks for pointing me in that direction. I do feel like my situation it not really the same though.

My connection is someone I've known and worked personally with for years, not a friend of a friend of a friend or whatever the other posters situation is. I would think if there was any weight to this connection it would be because she had longer than a few hour interview to truly know me as an applicant, not as doing some favors simply because we have a friend in common.

Does anyone think this connection would HURT me if applying to this school?

It might very well annoy the Admission Dean and his/her staff. At best, I foresee you getting an II, to be followed by a very polite spot on the wait list, to be followed by an even more polite rejection at the end of the cycle.

 

[gyngyn]

Members of the committee are generally required to recuse themselves from the deliberations of a candidate of whom they were a mentor.

 

[jarednogeek]

It sounds like you want to apply their anyway. So just apply and see what happens.