Diminishing Returns-TMDSAS vs AACOMAS vs. AMCAS

[Beast11]

Greetings all:

While I am waiting to get AMCAS to certify me, I am staring at my VISA bill and wondering.... I know that I wanted to go to Osteopathic, which requires some more OMM of the PS and should be done by the end of the week. However, I wanted your opinion about diminishing returns for applications.

AMCAS: Right now I had 10 schools. All VA school since that is where I am (currently) living. I also tried to apply to all CA schools since I lived there for several years in the rat race. I plan on asking all the CA Adcom's to consider me a CA resident since I was a longtime taxpayer, and personal circumstances (i.e. life sucked, decided I wanted to be a doctor and had to move back home to another state to retool) necessitated the move. My (older) classwork is not CA based, so do you think the CA gambit will work?

Other than CA and VA schools, I tried a few "local" and likely reach schools (Duke, Hopkins) and a couple of the legendary non-trad friendly (Drexel, Pitt)


Which leads to my (second) question: Lets assume that I bite the bullet and drop $1K more than what I have to increase my chances-what would give the most bang for the buck

AMCAS: Add a lot more schools (completely randomly) and hope that it is just the $30 plus ups to the original app?

AACOMAS: Give the same AMCAS application (very minor retooling-like a line in the PS to say I want to be osteopathic) and apply to a broad swath (not only the in-state VCOM, but all the usual suspects.)

TMDSAS: I like Texas, and (if I understand the texas stats correctly from the app. site) my GPA would climb significantly since TX does not count +/- grades and the "only" detriments are my age and I am out of state (in aggregate I may have a 5-10% chance). With those low odds, would it be worth peppering the Texas schools (i.e. if I can pass the gate, odds for matching for non-trads has been fairly nice?)

Any thoughts? Thanks in Advance!

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[Beast11]

I hit send before rereading. I didn't mean to imply that I had $1K for just the primaries. I am so strapped that I would have to seriously consider the secondary fees since I am acting on the assumption that a number of schools may ask for the secondary to get the fee even if I wasn't really realistic (Question #3 for you: I know that the upper echelon reach schools-Duke, Harvard, Hopkins may do this, but how about Yale which was "friendlier" or conversely, are there mainstream state schools that have a bad reputation for false positive secondaries?)

I need to figure how to get to the interview where I can shine-at which point my Visa card will have to take more hits. Sheesh.

Thanks again

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

You didn't give your stats. Although the TMDSAS application doesn't cost that much (I think it will cost you < $200 to apply to all 7 schools,) 3 of the secondaries have fees (of about $50 each.) The secondaries are automatic and mandatory -- you must fill them out BEFORE your application is considered. Call it about $350 total to apply to the 7 TX state schools (not counting Baylor, but counting TCOM.) It's a bargain compared to AMCAS, but, like you said, you are competing for a 10% chance of getting in, since TX state schools (including TCOM) are required by law to fill 90% of their class from in-state.

Some TX schools have a reputation for being non-trad friendly (UTHSC-SA, in particular,) and others seem, at least, receptive. We'll see how my interviews (if any) go this year. If you are an outstanding applicant, I would say go for it if there is a school here that you really want to go to.

Good Luck,

Jota

 

[the brown note]

I hit send before rereading. I didn't mean to imply that I had $1K for just the primaries. I am so strapped that I would have to seriously consider the secondary fees since I am acting on the assumption that a number of schools may ask for the secondary to get the fee even if I wasn't really realistic (Question #3 for you: I know that the upper echelon reach schools-Duke, Harvard, Hopkins may do this, but how about Yale which was "friendlier" or conversely, are there mainstream state schools that have a bad reputation for false positive secondaries?)

Unfortunately, many schools will give you the secondary "unscreened," which means they don't look at your file to determine whether or not you have a realistic chance at the school before sending the secondary. The MSAR (Medical School Admissions Requirements) states on the second page for each school whether or not a secondary is required, how much it costs, and to whom it's sent (e.g., "all applicants," "screened applicants," etc.).

FWIW, I applied to 20 AMCAS schools last year, and only 4 were screened (and even then, for a couple of those schools, the screening was set really low, like 2.75 GPA and 26 MCAT, which would NOT be competitive at those schools, so it wasn't much of a screen). So be prepared to pay ~$50-110 (I think my average was closer to $100) for each AMCAS secondary that doesn't screen.