first round of applications: what is viewed?

[ThaDude]

---

Members do not see this ad.

After submitting your application on AMCAS or AACOMAS, what all do medical school adcoms look at first? I understand GPA and MCAT are viewed initially, but is the rest of the application viewed at the same time? Personal Statement, Activities, LORs etc. I suppose this may vary from school to school? I hope I make sense in how I ask this.

 

[Goro]

Here's what I look at:

Age of applicant (I have interview questions based upon this, and no, I'm not sharing)
GPA year by year, and MCAT score(s)
Coursework and class grades
Whether or not there's a doctor in the family (I have interview questions based upon this too)
LORs
EC list
Secondary essays
PS

After submitting your application on AMCAS or AACOMAS, what all do medical school adcoms look at first? I understand GPA and MCAT are viewed initially, but is the rest of the application viewed at the same time? Personal Statement, Activities, LORs etc. I suppose this may vary from school to school? I hope I make sense in how I ask this.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Here's what I look at:

Age of applicant (I have interview questions based upon this, and no, I'm not sharing)
GPA year by year, and MCAT score(s)
Coursework and class grades
Whether or not there's a doctor in the family (I have interview questions based upon this too)
LORs
EC list
Secondary essays
PS

This in order of importance I take it?

 

[gyngyn]

I'll bite:
1 MCAT (including multiples)
2 gpas
3 secondary
4 primary: SES, IA's, previous aps, undergrad, EC's...
5 PS
6 LOR's
I also check to see how carefully they followed instructions in each component.
This is the order in which they are read. Not exactly the order of importance.

 

[NonTrad16]

Here's what I look at:

Age of applicant (I have interview questions based upon this, and no, I'm not sharing)
GPA year by year, and MCAT score(s)
Coursework and class grades
Whether or not there's a doctor in the family (I have interview questions based upon this too)
LORs
EC list
Secondary essays
PS

Do applications request info regarding family MD's?

I'd be interested to have an interview with you since I satisfy both criteria for extra questions. We'd have so much to talk about! 😉

 

[Goro]

Just for me; my colleagues will have their own views. I believe one of the Adcoms here has stated something like all PS's tend to blur into one and he seldom reads them.

This in order of importance I take it?

AACOMAS does.

Do applications request info regarding family MD's?

😉

 

[ThaDude]

I can imagine many do look the same after awhile. I certainly hope I will have captured the attention of my readers to at least read through the first 5 or so lines 🙂

 

[ThaDude]

Thank you for that table, gonnif. Based off it, would it be reasonable to assume disadvantaged applicant status and statement would fall into 'Medium' and Experiences? Or does that receive a separate consideration altogether?

 

[GypsyHummus]

Regaurding the coursework section you detailed, what if someone was taking easier classes/easier major to preserved his/her GPA? Like a general studies major? Assuming they aced classes like intro to German dance while taking 1 pre rec a year, would you or your ADCOM peers hold it against them?

Here's what I look at:

Age of applicant (I have interview questions based upon this, and no, I'm not sharing)
GPA year by year, and MCAT score(s)
Coursework and class grades
Whether or not there's a doctor in the family (I have interview questions based upon this too)
LORs
EC list
Secondary essays
PS

 

[Goro]

I look less for that someone took easy classes (an urban legend on SDN, BTW) than for challenging classes.

Do you people really think that legions of pre-meds are taking sculpture, dance and art instead of Biostats, Physiology and Neuroscience????

An 4.0 is a 4.0.

Regaurding the coursework section you detailed, what if someone was taking easier classes/easier major to preserved his/her GPA? Like a general studies major? Assuming they aced classes like intro to German dance while taking 1 pre rec a year, would you or your ADCOM peers hold it against them?

 

[ThaDude]

I will do just that. Thanks again for your time🙂

 

[Eccesignum]

Does not having any doctors in the family at all potentially count against you? I'm the first on either side of the family in any area of healthcare whatsoever, heh.

 

[TraumaBlonde]

There are videos on the AAMC site. They're not the most entertaining, but they explain everything in detail.

 

[TraumaBlonde]

And not having a doctor in the family actually helps you