Don't really want to finish my last 1-2 secondaries. Should I just withdraw?

[Suffer]

I have submitted 14 secondaries (Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Columbia, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, U Chicago, Baylor, Mayo, Sinai, Cornell, UW Madison, Dartmouth, MCW), 1 school I am applying to has no secondary (IU) and 1 I will finish soon (UMN). I have 2 schools left which I submitted a primary, Duke and WashU. I don't feel strongly about either school and of the schools of their caliber, I'd prefer Vanderbilt (my UG), Northwestern, or Baylor much, much more but would go to those if I got in but didn't get into those aforementioned 3. Not to mention, Duke's essay is a pain in the ass although WashU is doable

I do have 2 interview invites (Stanford, MCW) although I'm pretty sure what got me over the hump for Stanford was a good secondary/reasons I wanted to go to that school (so may not push me over the edge for all schools). My GPA is 3.87/3.90 sGPA with upward trend and 518 MCAT

I'm pretty confident I won't put together a good Duke secondary at this time. I'm behind the curve stat wise for WashU and if I do choose to do their optional secondaries, I'm not sure how good they will be. Should I just take the $40 hit and withdraw or should I put together something for one/both? My only concern is that I am not maximizing my chances at getting into one of the schools of this caliber. Money isn't a huge issue but I don't want to throw away $100 for nothing

Also: FWIW, I looked at my UG's stats and ~20/80 kids got into my school's med school (or maybe it was chose to matriculate? Can't remember), with only ~5-15 kids having a GPA/MCAT combo as good as or better than mine. These were stats from 2 cycles ago

TLDR: Have 2 secondaries left for good schools, don't think I can write great ones for both. I also feel least passionate about going to those two of all the schools I applied to of their caliber. However, I want to maximize my chances of getting into a school of their caliber...

Thanks

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[Suffer]

@gyngyn @Lucca @WedgeDawg wrong sub forum sorry. Can someone help me move to pre-MD forum?

 

[Ismet]

Moving to pre-MD

 

[Suffer]

Moving to pre-MD

Thanks!

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

If you won't be happy at those schools, let the spot go to someone who will

 

[Suffer]

If you won't be happy at those schools, let the spot go to someone who will

There are only a few schools that I actually have compelling reasons to go there. I guess I was trying to say that I don't have as strong of a reason to go there not that I wouldn't be happy

 

[ciestar]

You said you don't wanna go. That enough is a reason to not submit their secondaries.

 

[Suffer]

You said you don't wanna go. That enough is a reason to not submit their secondaries.

It's not that I don't want to go, but if I got into a school I preferred more I'd withdraw. Problem is that I'm not guaranteed to get into one of my more preferred schools especially since I don't know how strong my interview skills are

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

There are only a few schools that I actually have compelling reasons to go there. I guess I was trying to say that I don't have as strong of a reason to go there not that I wouldn't be happy

If is isn't because of location, it isn't a compelling reason.

Just when you need @Goro to give someone a reality check like a boss...

 

[efle]

That's a very short and top heavy list, even for someone with a 3.9/36

I'd not only finish out WashU for sure since it's such a quick one, but probably also look at adding a couple more places with short secondaries, unless you would be 100% content to go to your state program and never wonder "what ifs" about the t20s you're skipping over

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

You have a top-heavy list that is not very long, and your reason boils down to laziness. Why would you possibly **** yourself over because you don't feel like finishing two secondaries?

 

[gyngyn]

Re-applicants with strong stats are at a significant disadvantage.
Make your first application the only one.

 

[Suffer]

You have a top-heavy list that is not very long, and your reason boils down to laziness. Why would you possibly **** yourself over because you don't feel like finishing two secondaries?

I'm worried I would be wasting time+effort because I can't put together a good secondary (in addition to my school work+interview prep). Duke's secondary is very comprehensive and I don't know if I have a good response for at least one of the questions. Although I might just be overthinking things

Re-applicants with strong stats are at a significant disadvantage.
Make your first application the only one.

What might be some "match" schools I could add to my list? I think my understanding of match vs reach is a little off

 

[efle]

I'm worried I would be wasting time+effort because I can't put together a good secondary (in addition to my school work+interview prep). Duke's secondary is very comprehensive and I don't know if I have a good response for at least one of the questions. Although I might just be overthinking things



What might be some "match" schools I could add to my list? I think my understanding of match vs reach is a little off

A handful that I think would be almost certain to generate some interviews: Case western, Einstein, USC, UVA, Emory, Rochester. Maybe even Cincy and OSU if you want to play even more cautious.

 

[efle]

Even just adding more t20s is an improvement, though. Your stats are high enough that the match/reach line is blurred, since the places where you'd be average can be so picky and unpredictable. I personally experienced this in a big way, like one school ranked in the teens offered a big merit scholarship, meanwhile two peers with similar stats ranked right around it did not even interview me. If you keep your list very short like this, you might end up leaving off a place that would have loved you!

 

[2018throwaway]

Re-applicants with strong stats are at a significant disadvantage.
Make your first application the only one.

Even just adding more t20s is an improvement, though. Your stats are high enough that the match/reach line is blurred, since the places where you'd be average can be so picky and unpredictable. I personally experienced this in a big way, like one school ranked in the teens offered a big merit scholarship, meanwhile two peers with similar stats ranked right around it did not even interview me. If you keep your list very short like this, you might end up leaving off a place that would have loved you!

How many would you recommend for him? I'd guess they're a wisconsin, Minnesota or Indiana resident so they don't have to apply to like 30 like Texas/Cali/NY kids right?

 

[efle]

How many would you recommend for him? I'd guess they're a wisconsin, Minnesota or Indiana resident so they don't have to apply to like 30 like Texas/Cali/NY kids right?

If they'd be perfectly happy at their state program and are from a place like Indiana, then it's a lot safer to have a short list like this. If they want to go to a big-name research powerhouse, it gets unpredictable because of how competitive those schools are, and you really should apply to any and all of the top schools that you can see yourself attending.

 

[efle]

I can actually think of 3 premed friends from undergrad, all with 3.8+/35+ stats, that are now each attending the only t20 they got into. If they'd gotten lazy and been unlucky about which secondary to leave unfinished, they would be at their state schools instead, which they were not too excited about.

 

[WheezyBaby]

You have a top-heavy list that is not very long, and your reason boils down to laziness. Why would you possibly **** yourself over because you don't feel like finishing two secondaries?

This. You've worked 4 years. Don't chit the bed out of laziness. In the time you waste writing this post and reading this thread and debating whether to do them, you could be done. Suck it up ya frickin nancy

 

[kb1900]

I can actually think of 3 premed friends from undergrad, all with 3.8+/35+ stats, that are now each attending the only t20 they got into. If they'd gotten lazy and been unlucky about which secondary to leave unfinished, they would be at their state schools instead, which they were not too excited about.

This.

 

[Gurby]

With only 2 II's at this point in the cycle, with those stats, and that short/top-heavy of a list, I'd be really concerned about not getting in anywhere if I was OP. Call me risk-averse but I'd add 10 schools in the 10-40 range. Especially at top schools it's so easy to just not get picked for whatever reason.

 

[Suffer]

With only 2 II's at this point in the cycle, with those stats, and that short/top-heavy of a list, I'd be really concerned about not getting in anywhere if I was OP.

Is 2 really behind the curve? I know most of my apps were completed in August, so I wasn't as early as everyone else

 

[kb1900]

Is 2 really behind the curve? I know most of my apps were completed in August, so I wasn't as early as everyone else

it’s not behind the curve. It’s that you can have 6 interviews at the top schools and end up on 6 WLs that don’t move past the top 10 people.

 

[Gurby]

it’s not behind the curve. It’s that you can have 6 interviews at the top schools and end up on 6 WLs that don’t move past the top 10 people.

Ask me how I know this is true.

You'll probably get in somewhere as is... But it would be really bad if you didn't. Seems ludicrous to me to not apply to more (and lower ranked) places.

 

[Suffer]

it’s not behind the curve. It’s that you can have 6 interviews at the top schools and end up on 6 WLs that don’t move past the top 10 people.

Ask me how I know this is true.

You'll probably get in somewhere as is... But it would be really bad if you didn't. Seems ludicrous to me to not apply to more (and lower ranked) places.

Wait this is only true if I wouldn't be happy at my state school right (UW Madison, Mcw if that counts as one)?

 

[Gurby]

Wait this is only true if I wouldn't be happy at my state school right (UW Madison, Mcw if that counts as one)?

Don't take anything for granted at this point... I got straight up rejected from my state school and the other low ranked school I interviewed at. Maybe it was yield protection, maybe I rubbed somebody the wrong way in an interview, who knows. If you go into it with the attitude that the school should be a slam-dunk acceptance for you, if that comes across in an interview it won't go well for you.