Getting into another state school = realistic goal or nearly impossible?

[Chris127]

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Hey all,

Just wanted to hear what you guys think about getting into other state schools for med school. I am currently at a big state university, however, if I could choose, I would prefer to go to a few other state schools (UNC, my old home 🙂 )

BUT, a few have informed me that depsite how nice my app may look, it is just not a realistic goal to apply to another state school, simply because most state schools naturally take more students from in state.

Anyone have any comments on this? Thanks

 

[relentless11]

If you applied to the med schools in the University of California.....and are not a resident. It is most likely impossible to get in unless you have a spectacular ...like epic application. Then you have a slim chance of getting in. However UCLA is an oddball and might take more people compared to other schools.

My friends who are now residents in other states are encouraged NOT to waste their money applying to the UC's. Conversely, we here in CA are encouraged to apply to private schools outside of CA rather than public schools for the same reason.

Since these state schools use state $$$, they are required to favor those that pay state taxes. However some programs have no bias, such as MSTP's. I believe some public school in Oregon flat says they will take residents only, but if you do MSTP they don't care where you are from, aslong as you have a decent MSTP level application.

 

[BerkeleyMD]

Hey all,

Just wanted to hear what you guys think about getting into other state schools for med school. I am currently at a big state university, however, if I could choose, I would prefer to go to a few other state schools (UNC, my old home 🙂 )

BUT, a few have informed me that depsite how nice my app may look, it is just not a realistic goal to apply to another state school, simply because most state schools naturally take more students from in state.

Anyone have any comments on this? Thanks

Do your research, and find out which schools take in out of state students. I got into UIC and didn't hear a thing from any of my state schools.

 

[Depakote]

Research the schools you are applying to.

as stated above, some schools only take instate residents, but some schools will take 50% or better out of state (U of Michigan for example). You just need to find out before you waste the applicaiton fee.

Do know you'll have bias against you when you apply in most places though, you'll need to be a better candidate for fewer spots. And you'll be looking at OOS tuition for at least the first year (some places will let you emmigrate after that).

 

[QofQuimica]

Hey all,

Just wanted to hear what you guys think about getting into other state schools for med school. I am currently at a big state university, however, if I could choose, I would prefer to go to a few other state schools (UNC, my old home 🙂 )

BUT, a few have informed me that depsite how nice my app may look, it is just not a realistic goal to apply to another state school, simply because most state schools naturally take more students from in state.

Anyone have any comments on this? Thanks

It depends on your ties with the state and also that school's policy. Some state schools, like U Mich, take a large number of OOS students. Others, like UAB, don't. But I'm an alum of U of AL and a former state resident, so I have strong ties to the state of AL, and they did accept me even though I'm a FL resident now. I would definitely look at the MSAR and maybe even contact the schools that interest you to discuss your application.

 

[xraygray]

UNC takes a pretty decent number of out of staters...especially if you have some ties to the state

 

[DCDAWG]

It depends on your ties with the state and also that school's policy. Some state schools, like U Mich, take a large number of OOS students. Others, like UAB, don't. But I'm an alum of U of AL and a former state resident, so I have strong ties to the state of AL, and they did accept me even though I'm a FL resident now. I would definitely look at the MSAR and maybe even contact the schools that interest you to discuss your application.

Rumor has it that UAB wont look at an OOS unless they have at least all 10's in each MCAT section. Schools like MCG have a policy of not having more than 5% of the class out of state each year, and many times these OOSers I believe are MD/PHDs.
There are a few schools that are OOS friendly- Im not sure but I think MCW is 50% OOS, and Vermont is as well, for example.

 

[QofQuimica]

Rumor has it that UAB wont look at an OOS unless they have at least all 10's in each MCAT section. Schools like MCG have a policy of not having more than 5% of the class out of state each year, and many times these OOSers I believe are MD/PHDs.
There are a few schools that are OOS friendly- Im not sure but I think MCW is 50% OOS, and Vermont is as well, for example.

I don't know if UAB has an MCAT cut-off. But they do definitely ask on both the secondary and in the interviews why you want to come to AL. If you don't have a good explanation, I think that will make your chances very slim.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Just another note - at UAB such things might change in the next few years with the new Dean.

 

[Kazema]

I'm at a state school right now as an out of stater, think there's maybe 10 or 15 others in a class of 140. Our admissions dean has the policy of looking at apps no matter what the numbers are. Of course, you still need the numbers, but you won't get filtered out by a computer at least.

So it's not impossible.

 

[MollyMalone]

There are a few schools that are OOS friendly- Im not sure but I think MCW is 50% OOS, and Vermont is as well, for example.

MCW isn't a state school, it's private. Wisconsin's state school, UWisc, takes ~15% of the class from OOS, with a 20% acceptance rate for OOS applicants last year.

 

[Wahina]

UNC takes a pretty decent number of out of staters...especially if you have some ties to the state

Maybe if you have ties to the state... I have great stats, EC's, etc. and am accepted at a few top 10's and I didn't even get a secondary from UNC. I'm not saying that I would have been accepted, but I would think my app was at least worthy of a secondary if they don't mind out of staters. Only 39 out of 2198 out of states were accepted last year (1.8%) according to USNews. Compared to 60 out of 2514 for UCSF (2.4%). So I would argue that UNC is one of the toughest places to get into out of state, probably except for UWashinton which doesn't take out of state at all except from the surrounding area. Granted, I don't have any ties to UNC, so that might have hurt.

 

[Touchdown]

I dont know about acceptances but I got interviews at EVMS and MCO as an out of stater this year, and have by no means a perfect app.

 

[Rafa]

The only non-residency state school I'm applying to is UCSF. It comes down to whether I'd attend the NRSS over one of my own state schools if I honestly got into both.

*Hint*: This is part of how you avoid being in that situation of having acceptances from schools you don't really want to attend. If you apply to a bunch of NRSS's you would never, truly in your heart hope to die actually *go* to, you'll just have spent that much more time, effort, and money on the NRSS's - time, effort, and cash that could have been used to strengthen your application to schools you'd actually attend.