Deciding on schools if you have high stats

[Maneuver]

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How would you decide on which schools to apply if your stats were hypothetically:

3.9+ and 36+ [from a low tier Undergrad]
Average Research (1 pub)
Lots (1000hours) of Clinical Exp

I've looked at the medschool spreadsheet that floats around SDN, wasn't that helpful.

I don't have much money. I plan to apply to 17 schools. Obviously I will apply to all the CA schools, this will leave 9 slots for upper, middle, and lower tiers across the nation.


Since I'm in california, how would I make an arbitrary decision between schools i've never visited like MCW vs Drexel vs Ros franklin vs.... How do I choose which middle tiers to apply to.

 

[Maneuver]

Obviously I'll exclude schools that don't typically accept OOS students, however among the other schools, the decision seems almost arbitrary. I've been looking at pictures of the campus and am almost tempted to decide based on how attractive the campus looks

 

[armybound]

Same as I'd choose schools to apply to with any types of stats.

1) Location
2) Cost
3) Chances of being accepted

 

[flip26]

Same as I'd choose schools to apply to with any types of stats.

1) Location
2) Cost
3) Chances of being accepted

Exactly correct, and I would add #4) if accepted, would I attend this school over, say, my 'least desirable' instate school? My example: I live in VA, and I assumed (correctly) that I would get accepted at either VCU or EVMS, thus I limited the number of "low tier" schools I applied to where I could not see myself attending over either of these. So I did not apply to schools like SLU, Creighton, etc, although there is nothing wrong with them.

OP, your stats are fine, but don't let it go to your head or dictate where you apply. Stats are only one part of this game - your "low tier undergrad" will not be very helpful to you at the top 20 type schools, for instance.

 

[Maneuver]

Initially I thought I would apply to 30 schools but it seems the cost is prohibitive, so it's really important that I pick my best shots.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[LizzyM]

With a LizzyM score of 75 you are average or above average at just about every school in America. I wouldn't waste money on the lower tier schools. Decide what you want in a school (research focus, big city, suburb, small town, lectures/self-directed learning, PBL, grading system, etc) and write the secondary like it is a love letter.

Some schools resent being "safeties" and they will shun you knowing that it is likely that you'll have other options.

 

[futureIDdoc]

Some schools will shun you.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

With a LizzyM score of 75 you are average or above average at just about every school in America. I wouldn't waste money on the lower tier schools. Decide what you want in a school (research focus, big city, suburb, small town, lectures/self-directed learning, PBL, grading system, etc) and write the secondary like it is a love letter.

Some schools resent being "safeties" and they will shun you knowing that it is likely that you'll have other options.

When do they usually "shun" a person they think won't matriculate? What if you have high stats but really want to go to a school that tends to rank low? Would they at least give you a chance at a secondary so you could express your interest or would they just throw your primary away?

 

[mmmcdowe]

When do they usually "shun" a person they think won't matriculate? What if you have high stats but really want to go to a school that tends to rank low? Would they at least give you a chance at a secondary so you could express your interest or would they just throw your primary away?

Most schools tend to give everyone a secondary.

 

[armybound]

Most schools tend to give everyone a secondary.

ehhhh

 

[LizzyM]

When do they usually "shun" a person they think won't matriculate? What if you have high stats but really want to go to a school that tends to rank low? Would they at least give you a chance at a secondary so you could express your interest or would they just throw your primary away?

A half-ass secondary essay to a third rank school by someone with a 3.9/39 is a red flag. Add a second red flag if the applicant has strong ties to a top tier school (med school legacy or faculty member's kid + undergrad alumnus+ work history).

If you want to attend a school that has a LizzyM score well below your own score, you need to write a very strong secondary describing quite explicitely why you are a good fit for the school and the characteristics of the school that are most attractive to you.