Emailing medical schools to ask if I'm competitive, do I trust their answers?

[deleted555445]

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I have a weird application, so I emailed a couple of schools to see if I was competitive based off of a few quick points about me (didn't send them my whole app). One got back to me saying they have accepted applicants with similar applicants, which is the kinda the vague answer I expected. One said it sounded like I would be competitive depending on what the rest of my app looked like, which I was surprised to hear such a forward answer. Should I trust that these schools would tell me if I had no shot? Or will they always inspire hope for that sweet secondary $$?

 

[deleted314957]

If you want to be a physician you will just have to go ahead and apply. You MAY be qualified for admission. If so, you MAY get an acceptance.
Easy, huh?

 

[deleted1066189]

What are you stats? It's kinda late in the cycle to apply now, for MD at least.

 

[deleted555445]

If you want to be a physician you will just have to go ahead and apply. You MAY be qualified for admission. If so, you MAY get an acceptance.
Easy, huh?

Sigh, I thought I might get some holier than though answers. Applications are expensive so asking schools whether I am competitive felt like an important question. My situation is fairly unique so I wanted to talk directly with someone if I could. I’m guessing schools would just say yes to get application money but as no one else had asked looking through a brief google search I thought I’d ask. I’d appreciate any additional thoughts you have on whether asking schools directly has any value.

 

[deleted555445]

What are you stats? It's kinda late in the cycle to apply now, for MD at least.

Not applying this year, next year. I’m a low GPA high MCAT applicant. Mostly I’m just interested if there is any benefit in asking schools directly about your competitiveness, or whether they’ll always just tell you to apply. I’ve seen people mention talking with school recruiters can help you determine where you’d be a good fit, but I just don’t trust that schools will give you a straightforward/legitimate answer.

 

[squids82]

You might be able to contact a target school that offers ED for an appointment to determine if you would be a good fit for ED. That would give you some insight if possible

 

[deleted555445]

You might be able to contact a target school that offers ED for an appointment to determine if you would be a good fit for ED. That would give you some insight if possible

I actually really like that idea... is it disingenuous to do that if you have no intention of applying ED though?

 

[squids82]

I actually really like that idea... is it disingenuous to do that if you have no intention of applying ED though?

There's always a possibility you apply EDP if you really like the school so not necessarily

 

[deleted555445]

There's always a possibility you apply EDP if you really like the school so not necessarily

I think I’ll probably do this, thanks for the advice!

 

[PigsHaveWings]

Not applying this year, next year. I’m a low GPA high MCAT applicant. Mostly I’m just interested if there is any benefit in asking schools directly about your competitiveness, or whether they’ll always just tell you to apply. I’ve seen people mention talking with school recruiters can help you determine where you’d be a good fit, but I just don’t trust that schools will give you a straightforward/legitimate answer.

Most of these schools have close to 10 thousand applicants, and are understaffed to answer questions like this. For questions like this, you will probably receive a generic cut and paste reply email and nothing specific. Best is to study the MSAR to see if you are competitive for that school,

 

[bpinyourarea]

Schools will always encourage you to apply & pull the 'holistic evaluation' card, because $$$$. They will always benefit from another application, so I don't see any scenario where a school will tell you're not competitive.

If you take a look at the recent thread with the 485 MCAT -- even then, schools will not tell you that you're not competitive.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Best thing to do would be to match your stats to MSAR. If you're additionally concerned or anxious, bring it to your schools pre med office, and if that doesn't satiate you find a private evaluator. But most can eyeball their chances with a combination of the first two items.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[deleted555445]

thanks everyone, i'm mostly just struggling with a weird application with disparate stats, but this question probably wasn't worth posting as i already knew the likely answer going in, that schools will always tell you to apply unless they legitimately have a cutoff.