Does doing a thesis make a big difference in admissions?

[hugh2012]

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Does doing a thesis make a big difference in admissions? I am talking a significant difference between getting in and not. I'm wondering since im not interested in doing a thesis.

 

[alpinism]

No.

MCAT, GPA, and Clinical Experience are the big 3 that most programs look at in applications.

 

[Law2Doc]

Does doing a thesis make a big difference in admissions? I am talking a significant difference between getting in and not. I'm wondering since im not interested in doing a thesis.

There's no one thing you can have on your application that's going to be the difference in getting in. A thesis isn't of huge CV value -- most just assume your college makes you do it. However if this results in an additional degree, honor or publication that can look nice on the CV. But will it, by itself, get a borderline applicant in? Probably not.

 

[AlteredScale]

Does doing a thesis make a big difference in admissions? I am talking a significant difference between getting in and not. I'm wondering since im not interested in doing a thesis.

Not really. It's something many students can do so a good handful of applicants add it to their application.

A publication is probably worth a lot more in the process as not everything can hop onto a pub as first or second author.

 

[rocklobstr]

I believe schools like you to know the general research process, which can be learned in 1-2 semesters as an independent study, a thesis, etc. Although research isn't a requirement, keep in mind that the majority of applicants have some research experience.

However, as said above, GPA, MCAT, and clinical experience/volunteering are most important.

 

[getdown]

no

 

[neuro17]

Absolutely not. If anything it might take time away from other activities/scholarly pursuits that would have a bigger impact on your application.

 

[Goro]

Agree 100% with my learned colleague

There's no one thing you can have on your application that's going to be the difference in getting in. A thesis isn't of huge CV value -- most just assume your college makes you do it. However if this results in an additional degree, honor or publication that can look nice on the CV. But will it, by itself, get a borderline applicant in? Probably not.

 

[Wolf3D]

It's only of any value if something productive comes of it. Why are adcoms so snobby you ask? In this case it's because most senior thesis projects are half-assed and aren't of much intellectual value. On the other hand if you think you'd enjoy the work, by all means do it. Interest is the seed of all productivity.

Even if it is productive, it will never be the deciding factor for admission

 

[Lysinee]

It's like asking if your tie color matters on interview day. The answer is No.

 

[deleted482591]

MCAT, GPA, and Clinical Experience are the big 3 that most programs look at in applications.

Is clinical experience really up there? If a lot of applicants can get in without it or with a very minimal amount I don't think it's a big 3, right? One can "substitute" with research experience, correct?

 

[piii]

Is clinical experience really up there? If a lot of applicants can get in without it or with a very minimal amount I don't think it's a big 3, right? One can "substitute" with research experience, correct?

Incorrect. If you are applying for MD programs that are clinical, research can enhance your app but cannot substitute for honest and true clinical exposure and service.

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

It's like asking if your tie color matters on interview day. The answer is No.

What if your tie has a poop stain?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Don't do a thesis unless you actually want to. You'll be miserable. It also won't be a make or break factor for you getting into med school.

 

[AlteredScale]

Don't do a thesis unless you actually want to. You'll be miserable. It also won't be a make or break factor for you getting into med school.

Agrees, doing my honors thesis made life much much harder while being a TA and taking other UD coursework. Not fun. But the research was worth it.

 

[jqueb29]

I did an Honors thesis on the results of a year's worth of 20-25 hour weeks in the lab. I don't know how much of a difference it made, and it certainly wasn't as important as my GPA and MCAT, but every school I interviewed at asked me a decent bit about it and seemed to like it. Still, GPA and MCAT are easily the most important.

 

[Madacity]

i dont think the admissions comittee will care much about a thesis

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Don't do a thesis unless you actually want to. You'll be miserable. It also won't be a make or break factor for you getting into med school.

Was it something that came up in interviews? Did anyone actually notice it

 

[Law2Doc]

It's like asking if your tie color matters on interview day. The answer is No.

Actually consulting companies which help lawyers prepare for high end jury trials have done studies on this and demonstrated that certain color ties make people subconsciously come across as more or less trustworthy. So yeah, it probably does matter...

 

[Law2Doc]

Lol at people saying they don't matter. Don't understand how a mini PhD wouldn't matter for a research intensive MD school.

You think they'd care more about your peer tutoring gig or candy striping lol?

The problem is at 90% of places thesis paper = term paper, not "mini PhD". And that's why Adcoms don't put much weight on it.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Was it something that came up in interviews? Did anyone actually notice it

My thesis wasn't completed until May, well after my cycle was over. However, it indirectly helped in that my thesis was my main research activity (which I talked about) and was my biggest EC in general and my PI wrote my main LOR. I talked about my research on interviews and the fact that I had my own thing I was working on but I never explicitly talked about a "thesis". It did win me several awards though and ~$1000 in cash prizes which was nice.

 

[Law2Doc]

Mm. I guess my UG takes them more seriously because they're really rigorous here.

That may be, but there are many other schools that have ruined it for the rest.

 

[Law2Doc]

My thesis wasn't completed until May, well after my cycle was over. However, it indirectly helped in that my thesis was my main research activity (which I talked about) and was my biggest EC in general and my PI wrote my main LOR. I talked about my research on interviews and the fact that I had my own thing I was working on but I never explicitly talked about a "thesis". It did win me several awards though and ~$1000 in cash prizes which was nice.

The research and award was what would have looked good on your application. That it was a "thesis" really didn't add anything.

 

[WedgeDawg]

The research and award was what would have looked good on your application. That it was a "thesis" really didn't add anything.

I got a solid publication out of it too, but not until about a week before I started med school.

That's what gap years are for, kids!

 

[Lysinee]

Actually consulting companies which help lawyers prepare for high end jury trials have done studies on this and demonstrated that certain color ties make people subconsciously come across as more or less trustworthy. So yeah, it probably does matter...

Any idea what colors are more trustworthy. Maybe gray or blue?

 

[Wolf3D]

Lol at people saying they don't matter. Don't understand how a mini PhD wouldn't matter for a research intensive MD school.

lol u srs
Show me one senior thesis that is tantamount to a mini PhD or even comes anywhere close to being it and I will read it for once. Even at most top schools most people do not take them seriously. I have seen rigorous ones but nowhere near what would be a "mini PhD," which would be at least 1 first-author paper in at least a mid-range subfield journal

 

[Wolf3D]

Mm. I guess my UG takes them more seriously because they're really rigorous here.

u go Princeton bro?

 

[Wolf3D]

u go Princeton bro?

To clarify, Princeton is the only undergrad in this country where it is assumed that senior theses will be productive, intellectual, and rigorous as ****

 

[Goro]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

The problem is at 90% of places thesis paper = term paper, not "mini PhD". And that's why Adcoms don't put much weight on it.

 

[Annabell Lee]

The problem is at 90% of places thesis paper = term paper, not "mini PhD". And that's why Adcoms don't put much weight on it.

Is an honors thesis viewed the same way or is this more applicable to the "senior thesis" thing? Or will it depend on the level of research that went into it?

 

[Annabell Lee]

Honors means the exact same thing it does for grades; You are in the top whatever-% and were expected to put an amount of background research into your thesis that gives you enough knowledge on the topic to actually "defend" your line of thinking in front of a panel of department faculty. It won't be viewed any differently than any other un-published writing, because it didn't lead anywhere substantial. All you get is "honors" in the grade portion of your transcript.

THE ONLY way it would be any different is if it's published or an actual project. If you purely designed an experiment or put an idea on paper (for non-science theses), it will ALWAYS be evaluated the SAME way; as a conversation piece and a nice jumble of overly-technical terms that looks good on paper.

Thanks for the reply! The honors program at my school requires us to actually do an experiment/project and collect data for our thesis and I'm under the impression that most of the honors students that do their thesis in my major have gotten some form of publication out of it. (I haven't started mine yet.)

 

[Law2Doc]

Thanks for the reply! The honors program at my school requires us to actually do an experiment/project and collect data for our thesis and I'm under the impression that most of the honors students that do their thesis in my major have gotten some form of publication out of it. (I haven't started mine yet.)

The subsequent paper will look good on a CV. The thesis itself won't make a ripple.