Early Decision...

[secants]

Hello all,

I'm not sure if the ED option is like the undergrad option at many places but if one has the average MCAT/GPA for a school, is it worth doing ED there (granted it's your first pick and it's your state med school)? I find it risky that most reply around October 1 since it's kind of late applying to other schools at that point.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

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[Jolie South]

exactly!

if you want to apply EDP, i would suggest talking with someone in the admissions office at your school of choice. i believe that they will be pretty frank about what your chances are. if they don't sound too enthused about your app, it's better to apply during the regular cycle like everyone else.

 

[ninjapenguin]

I second contacting the admissions office regarding your options. Most schools will tell you if it's worth the risk. That being said, having an GPA and MCAT around the average of admitted students and being an in-state resident does make you competitive for admission. If you are sure and have your heart set on that particular school, I say go for it.

 

[DoctorPhud]

Hello all,

I'm not sure if the ED option is like the undergrad option at many places but if one has the average MCAT/GPA for a school, is it worth doing ED there (granted it's your first pick and it's your state med school)? I find it risky that most reply around October 1 since it's kind of late applying to other schools at that point.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I think that unless you reckon you are an absolute shoe-in for the place, or it's the only school you want to go to and you don't intend to apply anywhere else, EDP is an insanely bad idea.

From the MSAR book pie chart:
ED applicants as % of total applicants: 3%
Chance of getting an ED place: 1.4% = ~ half of ED apps
If you don't get accepted into an ED: 0.5% accepted in regular process, 1.1% fail to be accepted anywhere.

That shouldn't be too bad, but the ED pool is different from the regular pool ( which has a 50% acceptance, but with a decent number of under-qualified applicants).

Essentially, if you are good enough that you think ED has a good shot, then you will almost certainly find a place in the regular applications if you take the regular route and ignore ED. If you go ED and find yourself on the wrong side of that 50% mark for ED (which is more significant, because the applicants are probably more qualified), you run a real risk of being late and failing to get a place anywhere.

With numbers of applicants rising, and early applications being more prevalent this year than ever before (due to MCAT changes), post-ED applications could be even less fruitful than before.

If you think that your application is good enough to get in somewhere, but you can't say that you're a candidate that they will take one look at and say "We want this person right now!", then just do the regular system.

ED is a huge roll of the dice.

nehcmij86: Also remember that UCSF are applied to by almost every single person who fancies a life of medicine in California (including a lot of asian folks from SF who want to return home, which is a pretty reasonable thing to do - the trouble is; they usually have some really great numbers). Getting in there is hardhardhard.

 

[TheRealMD]

People who get accepted to EDP programs were going to get into that school anyway, but they've merely cut the middle man. It really is a shame for most people to have such exclusivity though. There is much to be gained criss-crossing the country looking at schools, even if it hurts your wallet.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I talked to someone on the ADCOMS from my number 1. He advised me to go ahead and apply EDP because he thinks ill have a good shot and it saves money, but he also told me that he cant guarantee anything and he said applying EDP doesnt really increase your chances of acceptance like some ppl think. It will save you money and show that you are committed to that school but it wont really improve your chances.

So even though the adcom advised me to go ahead and apply EDP, I am scared that I might blow the interview or something and am pretty sure I have decided against it because it is too risky.

So unless you are a super applicant and are confident that there is no way you can blow the interview, I would probably go regular decision.

 

[decafplease]

there's one by far top choice for me, UCSF, but i don't have the onions to apply ED and risk applying late

i don't even know if they have ED

They don't.