For people who applied to > 30 schools: Why do you do it?

[ellaellaella]

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Do you think you have some problem with your application that you are worried about? like lower than 30 in mcat, or lower than 3.5 gpa, or lack of research, or 7 or lower score in a specific section of mcat or reapplicant?
Or you just applied to all these schools for the sake of it even though you dont see anything with your overall application.

 

[postbacker]

Most applicants who employ this shotgun strategy also seem to selectively submit secondaries, and then selectively accept interviews, and once they get an acceptance, they then severely limit the number of schools remaining under their consideration...it costs more $ up front, but it makes sense to me assuming strategic cuts are made as the process moves along...there is a practical limit to the number of interviews that anybody attends - I have heard of someone doing 12 or 13, but that is probably about the limit of anybody's stamina and wallet...

 

[ellaellaella]

Most applicants who employ this shotgun strategy also seem to selectively submit secondaries, and then selectively accept interviews, and once they get an acceptance, they then severely limit the number of schools remaining under their consideration...it costs more $ up front, but it makes sense to me assuming strategic cuts are made as the process moves along...there is a practical limit to the number of interviews that anybody attends - I have heard of someone doing 12 or 13, but that is probably about the limit of anybody's stamina and wallet...

it would be nice to know if these applicants who put more than 30 schools in the primary, actually followthrough during the secondary application process.

 

[postbacker]

it would be nice to know if these applicants who put more than 30 schools in the primary, actually followthrough during the secondary application process.

If you read a bunch of the posts and MDApps, you will see a pattern emerge - submit 30+ primaries, but then maybe only fill out 20 secondaries...people report real burnout and commitment issues on doing many more secondaries than that...of course part of the "20" includes the fact that someone is not going to get 30 secondary offers, either...

According to AMCAS, the average number of schools applied to is around 13 to 15 (I don't remember the exact number)...

Start with the goal in mind...if you want to have 1 to 3 acceptances, work backwards and estimate how many interviews you will need for that (say 7 to 10, maybe?)...how many secondaries will you need to get for that many interviews? Maybe 15 or so?

So how many primaries should you submit to get that number of secondaries? This is where it is most variable and depends on which schools you are applying to and your relative competitiveness, but it seems reasonable to me that you should submit 15 primaries at a minimum if you are a reasonably competitive applicant (30+ MCAT, 3.6+ GPA), again assuming that you are not simply applying to the top 15 schools listed in the USNews...i.e., apply broadly...

Sending out 30 primaries is not a ridiculous approach in this highly competitive process...but most people will do just as well with 15 or so well reasoned target schools...

 

[riceman04]

If you read a bunch of the posts and MDApps, you will see a pattern emerge - submit 30+ primaries, but then maybe only fill out 20 secondaries...people report real burnout and commitment issues on doing many more secondaries than that...of course part of the "20" includes the fact that someone is not going to get 30 secondary offers, either...

According to AMCAS, the average number of schools applied to is around 13 to 15 (I don't remember the exact number)...

Start with the goal in mind...if you want to have 1 to 3 acceptances, work backwards and estimate how many interviews you will need for that (say 7 to 10, maybe?)...how many secondaries will you need to get for that many interviews? Maybe 15 or so?

So how many primaries should you submit to get that number of secondaries? This is where it is most variable and depends on which schools you are applying to and your relative competitiveness, but it seems reasonable to me that you should submit 15 primaries at a minimum if you are a reasonably competitive applicant (30+ MCAT, 3.6+ GPA), again assuming that you are not simply applying to the top 15 schools listed in the USNews...i.e., apply broadly...

Sending out 30 primaries is not a ridiculous approach in this highly competitive process...but most people will do just as well with 15 or so well reasoned target schools...

Wow...and all this time I thouhgt you did not have a helpful bone in your body

 

[plauto]

I submitted to 28 schools, sent the secondary to 17, interviewed at 3 and canceled interview at 1 so far and hopefully after Oct. 15th cancel the rest of my interviews (which I don't have yet) since the 3 interviews were my top 3 schools. So, yes, I just chose the schools. Plus when I submitted my primary I did not have my MCAT scores yet so I went with a wide range of schools. I think that several people do that.

 

[postbacker]

Wow...and all this time I thouhgt you did not have a helpful bone in your body

It is part of the new "me." I still have an acerbic edge, but I think I have figured out a lot, and am willing to share what I know with anybody...

 

[2008orbust]

I submitted to 28 schools, sent the secondary to 17, interviewed at 3 and canceled interview at 1 so far and hopefully after Oct. 15th cancel the rest of my interviews (which I don't have yet) since the 3 interviews were my top 3 schools. So, yes, I just chose the schools. Plus when I submitted my primary I did not have my MCAT scores yet so I went with a wide range of schools. I think that several people do that.

It sounds like it is working great for you! The thing is, most people fresh out of UG already have tons of loans and no extra cash sitting around, so how do people swing the flow to apply to 30 schools?

 

[DianaUT06]

I applied to 30 this year because A) I'm a re-app and B) I ONLY applied within TX last year, which didn't love me enough (after 4 interviews) to take me! Mainly I want to broaden my chances this year, in case I have the same problem in TX again. I've had a couple of my TX interviewers ask why I applied OOS and I tell them about how I'm opening up some other doors in case I can't get in somewhere in TX...but then I reassure them that I absolutely hands-down want to stay and practice in TX so they might as well take me! Haha. 😉

EDIT: Oh, and yes I have filled out every secondary that I received!

 

[div0t17]

I applied to like 38 or so, because my GPA is a bit low, and I'm a reapplicant. I cannot afford to take another year to reapply, so I'm hoping for the best this time around. I applied more broadly than last time (14 schools), and only 4 schools which are the same this time around. It's such a crapshoot that you can't be sure no matter what. I've filled out all the secondaries sent to me, and am hoping that I get more interview invites...

 

[2008orbust]

I applied to like 38 or so, because my GPA is a bit low, and I'm a reapplicant. I cannot afford to take another year to reapply, so I'm hoping for the best this time around. I applied more broadly than last time (14 schools), and only 4 schools which are the same this time around. It's such a crapshoot that you can't be sure no matter what. I've filled out all the secondaries sent to me, and am hoping that I get more interview invites...

Yeah, but you only needed to apply to one, we are going to be classmates, I can feel it😀😀.

 

[BoilerWolverine]

I applied to close to 50 through AMCAS. I have completed 40, and didn't get secondaries from a few. So far, 5 rejections, 3 interviews. I had a low UGPA, but have graduate degrees/postbacc, a good MCAT, and had no idea who would be receptive to an unusual applicant like myself. So far, my interviews are at kind of random places (Cincinnati, Albany, Wayne), but I'm glad I applied to so many.

 

[ellaellaella]

I applied to close to 50 through AMCAS. I have completed 40, and didn't get secondaries from a few. So far, 5 rejections, 3 interviews. I had a low UGPA, but have graduate degrees/postbacc, a good MCAT, and had no idea who would be receptive to an unusual applicant like myself. So far, my interviews are at kind of random places (Cincinnati, Albany, Wayne), but I'm glad I applied to so many.

holysh** oh man..now i gotta add more schools

 

[postbacker]

I applied to close to 50 through AMCAS. I have completed 40, and didn't get secondaries from a few. So far, 5 rejections, 3 interviews. I had a low UGPA, but have graduate degrees/postbacc, a good MCAT, and had no idea who would be receptive to an unusual applicant like myself. So far, my interviews are at kind of random places (Cincinnati, Albany, Wayne), but I'm glad I applied to so many.

That is quite impressive...but taking a quick look at your MDApps, I think you could have easily culled 20 schools out with zero impact on your chances, namely places like Columbia, Stanford, etc...there have to be diminshing returns going over the 30 school mark, especially for someone with your GPA, but more power to you, and good luck!

 

[greg1184]

According to my premed advisor, the average amount of schools was 10.9. I applied to 14 schools + 1 (UMiami Boca). So far I have 3 interviews, 0 rejections. I am finding out about my first choice very soon.

 

[postbacker]

According to my premed advisor, the average amount of schools was 10.9. I applied to 14 schools + 1 (UMiami Boca). So far I have 3 interviews, 0 rejections. I am finding out about my first choice very soon.

That may be true for your UG school, but I am positive the national average is a little higher than that...regardless, it looks like you are doing quite well...

 

[nick_carraway]

Because of my sad GPA and my good but not exceptional MCAT score and my lack of much clinical experience at the time I submitted my primary, I returned every secondary that I received (40), and yes I would like to go to every school that I applied to. There are a few reaches in my list which bring the total so high, but I think a dream is worth $30+$100.

At any rate, so far the numbers don't looks so fantastic: 8 rejections, 3 holds, 15 secondaries still to be completed/received, 29 in the review process, and 1 interview.

Right now, I'm pretty happy that I applied to so many schools. I didn't want to go through this process with half-measures and look back on it with thoughts of what-if. Spending a lot of cash now means a lot less worry in the future and that peace of mind is worth every penny to me.

 

[caprisun]

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[flaahless]

Most applicants who employ this shotgun strategy also seem to selectively submit secondaries, and then selectively accept interviews, and once they get an acceptance, they then severely limit the number of schools remaining under their consideration...it costs more $ up front, but it makes sense to me assuming strategic cuts are made as the process moves along...there is a practical limit to the number of interviews that anybody attends - I have heard of someone doing 12 or 13, but that is probably about the limit of anybody's stamina and wallet...

Ditto. I applied to 30 schools because I had a 7 in the VR. I only did about 16 secondaries and I have 12 interviews. I'm only going to go to about 6 or 7 of them. I wish I didn't panic early on and apply to so many schools.

 

[littlealex]

I applied to 30 schools and turned in 28 secondaries. I did this because I have a less than 3.5 GPA. I have family money so an extra few thousand dollars in application fees are not worth the risk of not getting into a medical school.

 

[doinmybest5840]

I applied to 36 schools and I submitted secondaries for every school that sent it to me (33). The reason I applied to so many was due to my low GPA (see MDapps), and I knew it would severely limit my chances of getting in somewhere. I only want to go through the application process once, so I put everything into this cycle and hoped for the best. So far I have 5 rejections, 5 holds, 6 interviews (one of which I cancelled), and 1 acceptance.

 

[jochi1543]

I applied to 30+ because I'm an international applicant and also have a below average GPA (internationals usually have to be above average to be competitive). I didn't submit several secondaries because I decided a few schools were way too competitive (think Stony Brook for OOS with my stats) or located somewhere I couldn't afford to live (New York). I still have 2 secondaries I'm working on, and may submit another.

 

[Tropicana100]

I applied to approx 35 schools. It's impossible to predict where you'll get interviews, so I decided applied to any school that accepts a decent # of OOS applicants.

 

[Wylde]

Ditto. I applied to 30 schools because I had a 7 in the VR. I only did about 16 secondaries and I have 12 interviews. I'm only going to go to about 6 or 7 of them. I wish I didn't panic early on and apply to so many schools.

if you dont mind me asking, what was your gpa, total mcat, and ECs like?


roughly 🙂

 

[Funky]

i only submitted 24 secondaries but i'm thinking i should have submitted more. I'm a reapplicant and need to close the deal this season.

 

[WurangBlang]

I applied to 28 schools initially because my freaking verbal is 7 (my other stuff is pretty competitive i think). I am done with 21 schools and waiting for 4 more from UCs.

 

[Phoenix.]

I'm close in that I applied to 28 schools. The reasons: 1) I'm in my 30's and don't want to have to wait another year to start med school; 2) I'm a non-trad and wasn't exactly sure how my non-trad status and prior career would be perceived; 3) I completed my primary a month and a half before I got my MCAT score, so I applied very broadly; and 4) my 8 in PS made me a little insecure, so I ended up filling out all secondaries I received (although if I'd scored a 10 I probably would have dropped about five apps). So far so good though (8 invites)!

I honestly think that if you have the time and the money, 30 schools is totally doable, and for some people, it's actually a very good idea.

 

[BigRedPremed]

Most of the interviewees from CA I've met have actually applied to more schools than me. It's not hard to see why (5 interviews for me, not a single one from CA schools). I turned in secondaries to all 26 of my schools in a prompt manner. Hopefully, I'll get some CA interviews soon.

 

[plauto]

It sounds like it is working great for you! The thing is, most people fresh out of UG already have tons of loans and no extra cash sitting around, so how do people swing the flow to apply to 30 schools?

I consider it an investment. Think about how many thousands of dollars you'd be missing out on if you did not get in the first time around. Just give up dinners out, a sporty car, and a flat screen TV (most kids at my not rich state school have this stuff) and all of a sudden you have money to invest in applying for med school.

 

[bruinator]

Most of the interviewees from CA I've met have actually applied to more schools than me. It's not hard to see why (5 interviews for me, not a single one from CA schools). I turned in secondaries to all 26 of my schools in a prompt manner. Hopefully, I'll get some CA interviews soon.

I applied to 32 schools, of which I was rejected by one, didn't turn in a secondary for one, and didn't receive one secondary.

And the reason---i'm from CA. I got early interviews at 3 schools, invited to early interviews at 2 more, but absolutely no love from CA schools.

 

[foreverLaur]

because i am going to get in somewhere the first year i apply. i will i will i will!!!

 

[howdy2u]

I'm a late applicant...so I've decided to apply to MANY schools in order to increase my chances for acceptance(s)!

AMCAS (initial application): applied 40 schools
AMCAS (prior to verification, after receiving MCAT scores): added 6 more schools
Secondaries already finished and sent: 17 so far in last couple of days
Secondaries received, working on now, submitting this weekend/Monday: 9
Secondaries waiting to receive: 20 more (b/c just verified last week)

Q: How do we do so many schools?
A: Financially...beg family members, take out a loan, save in advance!!!
A: Mentally...just tell yourself that each essay is the last one!
A: Physically...get lots of coke (the brown stuff not the white) 😀

 

[aimsz88]

1) I'm a non trad, I don't know how I'll be received
2) MCAT is 33S, well balanced, but gpa sucks. 3.17 overall, 3.37 bcpm
3) Cali resident (also sucks)
4) I saved up money for this two years in advance! (I make piddly pay, even full time)
5) Trying not to have to repeat this again.

....but losing hope. No interviews. Complete at about half the schools I applied to.

Any advice, y'all? Encouragement, even?

😳

 

[etf]

Do you think you have some problem with your application that you are worried about? like lower than 30 in mcat, or lower than 3.5 gpa, or lack of research, or 7 or lower score in a specific section of mcat or reapplicant?
Or you just applied to all these schools for the sake of it even though you dont see anything with your overall application.

lower than 3.5 gpa: check
reapplicant after sending out 35 secondaries last time: check
made in California: double check

 

[drizzt3117]

I applied to 32 schools and have sent out 31 secondaries (all of the schools I applied to except for Mayo) I felt a lot of the essays were very similar and didn't really think the whole process was that time consuming. I have been working full time since May and I easily turned around most secondaries in 1-2 days at most. The only ones that took a little longer for me were Loyola (lots of essays that were a bit different), Yale (important and slightly diff essays), Rush (many essays), and UCD (9 essays and low word limits). I applied to a lot of schools because I was interested in many of them, am sort of a CA resident, and didn't know about how WI residency requirements worked, otherwise I may have applied to fewer schools. So far, 5 interviews, 2 rejections (but not ones that bothered me that much), I'm fairly content with how things are going.

 

[secants]

How much did it cost you guys to send that many applications? adding AMCAS and secondary fees...

 

[Phoenix.]

How much did it cost you guys to send that many applications? adding AMCAS and secondary fees...

For 28 schools (I didn't receive 3 secondaries):

$975: AMCAS Fees
$1935: Secondaries

 

[theNEWgirl]

How much did it cost you guys to send that many applications? adding AMCAS and secondary fees...

ridiculously large sum of money, I also applied 40+ allo schools, complete around 30 secondaries, 3 interviews so far, a couple of OOS rejections, and, 6 osteo schools, 6 interviews, 1 acceptance.

I have a decent overall and science gpa 3.83, but a mediocre mcat 10/10/9P. So I'm applying broadly because I really don't want to repeat this process AGAIN next year and think to myself, "damn it, I should have ...". You'll be in a huge debt out of med school, a few more couple thousands will not matter in comparison.

 

[drizzt3117]

ridiculously large sum of money, I also applied 40+ allo schools, complete around 30 secondaries, 3 interviews so far, a couple of OOS rejections, and, 6 osteo schools, 6 interviews, 1 acceptance.

I have a decent overall and science gpa 3.83, but a mediocre mcat 10/10/9P. So I'm applying broadly because I really don't want to repeat this process AGAIN next year and think to myself, "damn it, I should have ...". You'll be in a huge debt out of med school, a few more couple thousands will not matter in comparison.

Wow, almost 50 schools... that's a lot of work. I'm guessing 3.83/29 should get you a few allo acceptances, if everything else is up to snuff.

 

[MelnaisLacis]

I want to get into medical school this year 😉. I've applied secondarily to 40 schools. The reason being, I did 15 schools last year and didn't get in.
3.74 gpa and 34 mcat with a lot of volunteering/shadowing/clinical and some research just didn't cut it.

 

[drizzt3117]

I want to get into medical school this year 😉. I've applied secondarily to 40 schools. The reason being, I did 15 schools last year and didn't get in.
3.74 gpa and 34 mcat with a lot of volunteering/shadowing/clinical and some research just didn't cut it.

Huh? When did you apply last year, and to what schools?

 

[MelnaisLacis]

I applied early, was wait listed post interview at Columbia, Case, Colorado, SLU, and Penn State but every time I called, about monthly, they just said that there was not movement at all on the wait list. I found that rather odd, so this year I'm trying to avoid the wait list all together, hence the larger sample size.

 

[drizzt3117]

I applied early, was wait listed post interview at Columbia, Case, Colorado, SLU, and Penn State but every time I called, about monthly, they just said that there was not movement at all on the wait list. I found that rather odd, so this year I'm trying to avoid the wait list all together, hence the larger sample size.

Ouch... hmm... that's a good idea, but did you identify any particular issues with any of the interviews that may have contributed to getting a waitlist rather than an acceptance? Has a lot changed on your app since last year?

 

[MelnaisLacis]

Not a ton has changed. I did a lot more volunteering, but I graduated Aug 06 with my degree and was planning on getting into school, so unfortunately I didn't take any more classes. I'm interviewing again at Penn State this year so far. I think I must have just really sucked at the whole interview process. Not to mention the fact that my interviewer at Columbia was totally nuts. All he wanted to do was google earth all the places I had traveled to and my home address. Oh, I wrote all new essays and tweaked my PS too.

 

[drizzt3117]

Not to mention the fact that my interviewer at Columbia was totally nuts. All he wanted to do was google earth all the places I had traveled to and my home address. Oh, I wrote all new essays and tweaked my PS too.

Wow, that's wild... I guess that's the luck of the draw. Better luck this year!