Do state schools look down on newer residents?

[ImmunoNut]

Hi everybody, I'm wanting to go to KU. However, I graduated from college in Missouri and grew up on the missouri side of kansas city. I am currently living and working in Kansas and by the time I enter medical school will have lived/worked here for 2 years. So when I apply next cycle, I will be in-state, but I will have only been there a year. Do you think that will hurt me?

Also, I only have a 29 MCAT. I have been considering whether or not I should retake it. They only require a 28 for EDP at KU though.

Any advice would be muchly appreciated

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hi everybody, I'm wanting to go to KU. However, I graduated from college in Missouri and grew up on the missouri side of kansas city. I am currently living and working in Kansas and by the time I enter medical school will have lived/worked here for 2 years. So when I apply next cycle, I will be in-state, but I will have only been there a year. Do you think that will hurt me?

Also, I only have a 29 MCAT. I have been considering whether or not I should retake it. They only require a 28 for EDP at KU though.

Any advice would be muchly appreciated

If you meet the school's residency requirements, you are in-state. I don't think they look further into it than that.

As for whether you want to retake, is the score balanced? Is it comparable to how you were doing on practice tests? Without this kind of info no one can answer that question.

 

[ImmunoNut]

Sorry, it is balanced, 10, 10, and 9 on PS. I was scoring above a 30 on all my practice tests, highest being 35, before I took. However I fell sick with pneumonia before the test and had just left the hospital a couple of days before I took the MCAT. I feel STRONGLY that I could do better if I retook, but there are no guarantees of course, so I am not sure if it is worth to retake if my score already meets the requirement for EDP for the school of my choice.

 

[NonTradMed]

Your state status shouldn't matter since you are instate....I don't believe they rank based on seniority for that. Your 29 is iffy....I know how you feel. What's your other stats like?

 

[ImmunoNut]

My gpa is a 4.0. My undergrad is kind of unknown though...believe me, i worked my ass off for that gpa, but they might assume that I went to an easy school. I did do 3 semesters at MU though and also 4.0'ed there so maybe that will help? I somewhat feel that my high gpa and iffy MCAT look weird and will make them think I went to an easy school. I have lots of clinical experience - I worked as a hospital phlebotomist for 3 years and interned with a general surgeon for a semester.

Ok after writing that out I feel even more that I should retake.

 

[Law2Doc]

Sorry, it is balanced, 10, 10, and 9 on PS. I was scoring above a 30 on all my practice tests, highest being 35, before I took. However I fell sick with pneumonia before the test and had just left the hospital a couple of days before I took the MCAT. I feel STRONGLY that I could do better if I retook, but there are no guarantees of course, so I am not sure if it is worth to retake if my score already meets the requirement for EDP for the school of my choice.

Don't get your heart set on a single school. That being said, I'd probably stick with a balanced 29 if you don't have dreams of top ranked schools.

 

[lilnoelle]

I'm an out of state student attending KU Med this year. I'm originally from Iowa but have lived in Kansas City for about 8 years (4 of which was college). I had a 28N on my MCAT(breakdown 12V 9B and 7P) and about a 3.8 GPA from an unknown college. Your numbers are better than mine, I'm out of state and I got in. Now, I'm not saying your golden or anything, but I would say that you certainly have a chance.
One thing that improved my chances is my rural upbringing and intent to go into primary rural care. I also had a fantastic interview with a good ol farmboy turned family practitioner. But other than these things, my application was certainly nothing to brag about. I had basically no clinical experience and no research experience.
About your MCAT, retake it if you want.... but I wouldn't. I hated taking that test. I'd apply EDP if I were you (and you really want to attend Kansas)
and then if that doesn't work, apply regular cycle. Last year they accepted something like 90% of their EDP applicants, this year was less because the applicants tripled.

 

[ImmunoNut]

Wow, we do have similar backgrounds, this gives me a lot of hope! I really REALLY want to attend kansas...due to family being here, spouse having a job here, and just because I like KU. I did not grow up on a farm but spent most of my summers on my grandfather's farm and I also intend to do rural primary care. Thanks for your input - it's nice to hear that they accepted many of their EDP applicants.

 

[lilnoelle]

Maybe I should clarify that I didn't apply EDP, the info I left was given from a current EDP applicant.
I also have a husband with a job in KC and own a home here so I had reason to hope to stay in KC. If you feel like you want a second option, you can do like I did and apply at KCUMB's program as well. I really liked their school and had I not gotten an acceptance at KU would've attended there in a heartbeat.
pm me if you want to ask me any questions.
Oh, and I just thought of something, if you live in Kansas City or thereabouts, you maybe considered "in state" at Mizzou as well. Obviously this option would mean moving, but if you are wanting a better chance at getting in, that might be an option.
Obviously if your applying EDP then the above and KCUMB as well are not going to happen.

 

[blueperson]

Here is another angle... I lived in one state for 26 years and have been away for 7. If I moved back there or even applied as a non-resident would they consider me more than other "non-residents" since I grew up there and received two degrees there?