Great "safety" schools

[marrah214]

Hi all,

I'm a pretty competitive applicant (3.8-3.9 GPA, 38R MCAT, lots of community service and international health research experience), applying to some pretty competitive schools (Pitt, Penn, Harvard, BU, UW, Oregon, UCSF, Mayo, Northwestern).

I think it's time to add a few "safety" schools to my list, and I wouldn't mind not compromising my medical school ideal: innovative curriculum with problem-based learning, interesting student body (diverse and/or non-traditional), global health education and action, etc. Do you know of lesser-known (less competitive) medical schools with these qualities?

Any comments will be helpful! Thanks for answering this difficult (impossible?) call.

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[Phoenix.]

Check out GWU (amazing global health opportunities and focus, but I wouldn't say their curriculum is innovative), and Loyola (everything else you asked for, but not as much of a focus on global health (although many students go on one of their summer international immersion programs)). I wouldn't necessarily call them safeties though. I honestly think that the only "real" safety is your state school if you have very competitive stats. Some low-mid tier schools may not even interview someone with your stats assuming that you wouldn't end up at their school anyway.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

drexel, tulane, st louis, Wake forest

 

[drizzt3117]

Adding safety schools near the deadline? Not sure it will help that much but you can give it a shot. The usual suspects, RFU, Temple, Drexel, Tulane, Wake, Rush, Loyola (maybe). I wouldn't add GW, you're probably going to get screened out for having too high of stats. What's your state of residence?

 

[bellacnella]

Adding safety schools near the deadline? Not sure it will help that much but you can give it a shot. The usual suspects, RFU, Temple, Drexel, Tulane, Wake, Rush, Loyola (maybe). I wouldn't add GW, you're probably going to get screened out for having too high of stats. What's your state of residence?

GW may not screen her, and she is interested in global health...it might be worth a shot. i dont think of it as a safety school though since so many people do get put on hold

 

[Dienekes]

Hi all,

I'm a pretty competitive applicant (3.8-3.9 GPA, 38R MCAT, lots of community service and international health research experience), applying to some pretty competitive schools (Pitt, Penn, Harvard, BU, UW, Oregon, UCSF, Mayo, Northwestern).

I think it's time to add a few "safety" schools to my list, and I wouldn't mind not compromising my medical school ideal: innovative curriculum with problem-based learning, interesting student body (diverse and/or non-traditional), global health education and action, etc. Do you know of lesser-known (less competitive) medical schools with these qualities?

Any comments will be helpful! Thanks for answering this difficult (impossible?) call.

There is no such thing as a safety school.

 

[PilSeungKorea]

Adding safety schools near the deadline? Not sure it will help that much but you can give it a shot. The usual suspects, RFU, Temple, Drexel, Tulane, Wake, Rush, Loyola (maybe). I wouldn't add GW, you're probably going to get screened out for having too high of stats. What's your state of residence?

You forgot NYMC, EVMS and Wayne State 😛

Seriously, the only safety school for anyones is Ross

 

[jbrice1639]

Hi all,

I'm a pretty competitive applicant (3.8-3.9 GPA, 38R MCAT, lots of community service and international health research experience), applying to some pretty competitive schools (Pitt, Penn, Harvard, BU, UW, Oregon, UCSF, Mayo, Northwestern).

I think it's time to add a few "safety" schools to my list, and I wouldn't mind not compromising my medical school ideal: innovative curriculum with problem-based learning, interesting student body (diverse and/or non-traditional), global health education and action, etc. Do you know of lesser-known (less competitive) medical schools with these qualities?

Any comments will be helpful! Thanks for answering this difficult (impossible?) call.

if you're big on global health and service, loyola would probably be a place you'd be happy...

 

[postbacker]

I echo what others are saying - no such thing as a "safety" med school - with the possible exception if you are fortunate enough to have a state school that is not ranked in the USNEWs or is not ballyhooed on SDN and is also heavily skewed towards in-state applicants...states that immediately come to mind are LA, Miss, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida...plenty of others, too...we hear far less from residents of these states on SDN because their options are frankly "better" than for those of us in the "other" states...many of these applicants are able to limit the number of apps to a handful of schools and they don't have to play the "apply broadly" game the rest of us do...

 

[etf]

I echo what others are saying - no such thing as a "safety" med school - with the possible exception if you are fortunate enough to have a state school that is not ranked in the USNEWs or is not ballyhooed on SDN and is also heavily skewed towards in-state applicants...states that immediately come to mind are LA, Miss, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida...plenty of others, too...we hear far less from residents of these states on SDN because their options are frankly "better" than for those of us in the "other" states...many of these applicants are able to limit the number of apps to a handful of schools and they don't have to play the "apply broadly" game the rest of us do...

but then they are stuck living in alabama...or florida...

 

[ADeadLois]

Hi all,

I'm a pretty competitive applicant (3.8-3.9 GPA, 38R MCAT, lots of community service and international health research experience), applying to some pretty competitive schools (Pitt, Penn, Harvard, BU, UW, Oregon, UCSF, Mayo, Northwestern).

I think it's time to add a few "safety" schools to my list, and I wouldn't mind not compromising my medical school ideal: innovative curriculum with problem-based learning, interesting student body (diverse and/or non-traditional), global health education and action, etc. Do you know of lesser-known (less competitive) medical schools with these qualities?

Any comments will be helpful! Thanks for answering this difficult (impossible?) call.

A few days with PBL and you won't consider it "innovative" or "ideal"

 

[tacrum43]

Adding safety schools near the deadline? Not sure it will help that much but you can give it a shot. The usual suspects, RFU, Temple, Drexel, Tulane, Wake, Rush, Loyola (maybe). I wouldn't add GW, you're probably going to get screened out for having too high of stats. What's your state of residence?

Dude seriously, for someone who decided not to even apply to GW you sure do spend a lot of time talking about it (here and in the GW hold thread).

OP, I'd say that GW is worth a shot if its opportunities in global health (and other aspects) interest you. Just be sure to mention your strong interest in that area in your secondary.

Also, with your stats you might try Washington U in St. Louis. A far cry from a backup, but they do really like high stats. Also, Cornell (again, not exactly a backup) has a PBL curriculum.

 

[pandulce321]

but then they are stuck living in alabama...or florida...

I resent that Florida comment. I'll have you know that my state paid for my undergrad tuition and I received an amazing education. Additionally, I have seen tons of love from my state schools this application cycle. Maybe you should watch your words 😛

 

[Phoenix.]

I resent that Florida comment. I'll have you know that my state paid for my undergrad tuition and I received an amazing education. Additionally, I have seen tons of love from my state schools this application cycle. Maybe you should watch your words 😛

We're all just jealous of you floridians. 😉

 

[drizzt3117]

Dude seriously, for someone who decided not to even apply to GW you sure do spend a lot of time talking about it (here and in the GW hold thread).

Yeah, I guess so. I have nothing against GW, I have lots of classmates that go there and I think it's a great school. I mostly posted because I wanted to clear up two misconceptions, the first, which is what is discussed here, that it's a good safety school for people with high stats because of the low average matriculant stats, which IMO isn't true at all, the second, which was by the GW poster, that they take people with lower stats on purpose and could fill their class with someone with high stat applicants if they wanted.

Look, GW is what it is, a great school with awesome clinical opportunities, great international health, public health, and public policy resources, and a diverse class that is located in a great city. They take people that they think will fit well with the class, with what the school's ideals are, and that they feel want to go to GW. There's nothing wrong with that, and in fact it's what most schools do, and what they should do.

I have serious issues with the concept of a safety school. First of all, its not particularly true that there are schools outside certain state schools that people have nearly 100% chance of admission at if they have stats and ECs that are above the matriculant averages. Secondly, I think the entire concept is disrespectful to the students, faculty, and staff who work hard to make each school as good as it can be. Yes, schools have different average stat ranges. Yes, schools have differing emphases on research or primary care. Yes, schools have different match lists. Ultimately each school provides a different experience that fits each individual physician-in-training differently and no matter where you go, you'll receive a quality education.

 

[45408]

Page through the MSAR, find some schools with average stats that are lower than yours, but make sure that they are willing to interview you. Lots of state schools won't really consider you - Hawaii or some Florida schools - and others may be willing to give you a chance with your numbers, such as UWisc. Rush is a private school, but take a look at how many OOS applicants they interview - not many at all!

 

[drizzt3117]

Page through the MSAR, find some schools with average stats that are lower than yours, but make sure that they are willing to interview you. Lots of state schools won't really consider you - Hawaii or some Florida schools - and others may be willing to give you a chance with your numbers, such as UWisc. Rush is a private school, but take a look at how many OOS applicants they interview - not many at all!

About Wisconsin, they changed their admissions policies this year. They are no longer interviewing all in-state students and are decreasing the amount of OOS interviews and acceptances they are granting. Dean Wall said that they would be interviewing 300-350 in state and accepting 75-80%, and interviewing 125-150 OOS and accepting 35%. I believe both IS/OOS interview numbers are lower than previous years, and the IS acceptance percentage is much higher while the OOS is about the same as historical percentages. She also said that they would be re-evaluating their waitlist policy but didn't elaborate. My guess is that this new policy will result in a class that is about 90% IS and 10% OOS but that's just speculation.

 

[Wylde]

About Wisconsin, they changed their admissions policies this year. They are no longer interviewing all in-state students and are decreasing the amount of OOS interviews and acceptances they are granting. Dean Wall said that they would be interviewing 300-350 in state and accepting 75-80%, and interviewing 125-150 OOS and accepting 35%. I believe both IS/OOS interview numbers are lower than previous years, and the IS acceptance percentage is much higher while the OOS is about the same as historical percentages. She also said that they would be re-evaluating their waitlist policy but didn't elaborate. My guess is that this new policy will result in a class that is about 90% IS and 10% OOS but that's just speculation.

Do you have a link to this information at all? I briefly skimmed their website again, but I couldn't find anything relating to this change in policy.

 

[drizzt3117]

Do you have a link to this information at all? I briefly skimmed their website again, but I couldn't find anything relating to this change in policy.

Nope, I'm not sure they elucidated that policy in writing anyways previously, beyond what they tell you about the secondary screen when they receive your AMCAS. They didn't tell us about the fact that not all in-state were receiving interviews anymore, but did say that 300-350 would be interviewed which is half of what was interviewed last year (628 I believe). The information on number of interviewees and acceptance percentage was told to us at the interview day. The chair of the admissions committee also spoke to us and clearly explained how the application evaluation process worked. I don't think I've ever heard of a school being so clear about the intricacies of their admissions process.

 

[crystalgreen]

are you talking about UW or MCW?

 

[Phoenix.]

are you talking about UW or MCW?

UW

 

[45408]

are you talking about UW or MCW?

UW. MCW doesn't really have in-state preference, although a lot of the class are Wisconsin residents.

 

[tacrum43]

Yeah, I guess so. I have nothing against GW, I have lots of classmates that go there and I think it's a great school. I mostly posted because I wanted to clear up two misconceptions, the first, which is what is discussed here, that it's a good safety school for people with high stats because of the low average matriculant stats, which IMO isn't true at all, the second, which was by the GW poster, that they take people with lower stats on purpose and could fill their class with someone with high stat applicants if they wanted.

Look, GW is what it is, a great school with awesome clinical opportunities, great international health, public health, and public policy resources, and a diverse class that is located in a great city. They take people that they think will fit well with the class, with what the school's ideals are, and that they feel want to go to GW. There's nothing wrong with that, and in fact it's what most schools do, and what they should do.

I have serious issues with the concept of a safety school. First of all, its not particularly true that there are schools outside certain state schools that people have nearly 100% chance of admission at if they have stats and ECs that are above the matriculant averages. Secondly, I think the entire concept is disrespectful to the students, faculty, and staff who work hard to make each school as good as it can be. Yes, schools have different average stat ranges. Yes, schools have differing emphases on research or primary care. Yes, schools have different match lists. Ultimately each school provides a different experience that fits each individual physician-in-training differently and no matter where you go, you'll receive a quality education.

Fair enough. 🙂

And I agree with you about the "safety school" thing. Med school admissions doesn't work like undergrad.

 

[Perrotfish]

I have serious issues with the concept of a safety school. First of all, its not particularly true that there are schools outside certain state schools that people have nearly 100% chance of admission at if they have stats and ECs that are above the matriculant averages. Secondly, I think the entire concept is disrespectful to the students, faculty, and staff who work hard to make each school as good as it can be. Yes, schools have different average stat ranges. Yes, schools have differing emphases on research or primary care. Yes, schools have different match lists. Ultimately each school provides a different experience that fits each individual physician-in-training differently and no matter where you go, you'll receive a quality education.

A safety school is a sure you're pretty sure you can get into, a safe bet. A school with an average of 3.5/30 is a safe bet for someone with a 3.9/38, same as undergrad.

 

[167649]

A safety school is a sure you're pretty sure you can get into, a safe bet. A school with an average of 3.5/30 is a safe bet for someone with a 3.9/38, same as undergrad.

A baseless statement. Look up the "GW hold" thread that people have been posting on for the past few weeks. GW mcat average is a ~28, and GPA average is ~ 3.5, but people with 3.9's and 37's are being rejected left and right, without interview.

Medical school works nothing like undergrad. Yes, in college admissions, you often hear the words "shoe-in" or "slam dunk" from your high school admissions counselor. Any pre-med advisor who uses these words is a horrible advisor.

The often safety labeled schools like GW, BU, NYMC, etc. etc. etc. are deceptively easier to get into, because when all 50,000 of us crack open the MSAR and say "wow, these schools have lower stats than me so Ill apply there as a backup!" These schools get more than 10,000 applications a year because everyone thinks this.

In reality, med schools are looking for people who will represent their unique curriculum and directions, not just stats. So if you don't fit in with the mission of those schools, you will be rejected. And if you are only applying there because you have high stats, they will wonder if you really want to go there, so they will reject you. And with 10k + applications for 150 spots, high stats alone makes no difference to them.

I would be willing to say that state schools impose a "significant advantage" for instaters, but even to call a state school a safety is not accurate. Safety implies a sure thing, a backup net in case your "top" choices fail. Does not exist in medical school.

 

[ADeadLois]

A safety school is a sure you're pretty sure you can get into, a safe bet. A school with an average of 3.5/30 is a safe bet for someone with a 3.9/38, same as undergrad.

Wow. Nothing personal, but this is probably the worst piece of advice you can give someone.

 

[doinmybest5840]

There is no such thing as a safety school.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

My thoughts exactly.

What about the caribbean?

 

[drizzt3117]

The easiest way to understand this is to compare it to law school where a candidate ha good idea of what schools they will get into, so they apply to 3-4 schools. How many non edp candidate top-tier candidates apply to less than 5 schools?

 

[drizzt3117]

What about the caribbean?

The Carribean is not a safety school, because it's not an option for most people. Safety schools are palatable options that one goes to if they don't get into their top choices. Do you think a top tier candidate is going to apply to Harvard, Yale, and St. Georges, and go to SGU if they fail to get into their two Ivy League choices?

GW, BU, etc... are looked at by some as safety schools because they are in attractive locations and are good schools with a lot of attractive features and low average matriculant stats. This is a bad way to look at it because BU/GW doesn't want to be people's backup plan and will reject people likely to go elsewhere that don't have a really strong interest in going to their school.

The only safety in medical school admissions is in numbers, and this is true for candidates with all sorts of qualifications. The 3.9/38 candidate can maximize their chances of getting into a good school by applying to a mix of 15-20 mid and top tier schools, while the 3.6/31 candidate can do the same by applying to a mix of 30 lower stat, mid-tier, and a few reach schools. The process is random and you never know what an individual school is looking for, but the best way to avoid getting shut out and having to reapply is to be realistic in your assessment of your chances and where to apply.

 

[167649]

The only safety in medical school admissions is in numbers, and this is true for candidates with all sorts of qualifications. The 3.9/38 candidate can maximize their chances of getting into a good school by applying to a mix of 15-20 mid and top tier schools, while the 3.6/31 candidate can do the same by applying to a mix of 30 lower stat, mid-tier, and a few reach schools. The process is random and you never know what an individual school is looking for, but the best way to avoid getting shut out and having to reapply is to be realistic in your assessment of your chances and where to apply.

Very, very well said. But I don't think a 3.6/31 has to apply to 30 schools.

 

[drizzt3117]

Very, very well said. But I don't think a 3.6/31 has to apply to 30 schools.

That's my natural bias being from CA, non-CA residents can probably get away with applying to 20-25 schools.

 

[Flopotomist]

Another vote for Loyola. We have a lot of service opportunities, and some amazing global health opportunities. After first year more than 50% of our class went on a school sponsored trip to places like Kenya, Uganda, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India (among other).

We have established elective rotations during clinical rotations available in South America, Vietnam, and Israel (and somewhere else I am forgetting).

Oh.. and the school is just friggin awesome!

PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Dienekes]

After first year more than 50% of our class went on a school sponsored trip to places like Kenya, Uganda, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India

I would be all over the India portion of the trip. The rest of it....not so much. Although Kenya would be great for sightseeing, I would not want to deliver care while I'm there.

Although in Uganda, I could finally put my "Idi Amin was my homeboy" shirt to good use.

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

Case Western, CCLCM, MSSM, and Rochester all offer the PBL thing, I think. Try those as backups... although CCLCM, at least, ain't nobody's backup.

 

[bellacnella]

I would be all over the India portion of the trip. The rest of it....not so much. Although Kenya would be great for sightseeing, I would not want to deliver care while I'm there.

Although in Uganda, I could finally put my "Idi Amin was my homeboy" shirt to good use.

I'm sorry I just don't get this post at all. These sounded like awesome opportunities to me.

 

[marrah214]

Adding safety schools near the deadline? Not sure it will help that much but you can give it a shot. The usual suspects, RFU, Temple, Drexel, Tulane, Wake, Rush, Loyola (maybe). I wouldn't add GW, you're probably going to get screened out for having too high of stats. What's your state of residence?

Pennsylvania

 

[SoFlaKnight]

I resent that Florida comment. I'll have you know that my state paid for my undergrad tuition and I received an amazing education. Additionally, I have seen tons of love from my state schools this application cycle. Maybe you should watch your words 😛

The Florida Lottery is a beautiful thing...plus 3 fairly highly regarded schools (USF, UF, UM) mean another 4 years in the Sunshine State are looking pretty good...

Oh yeah, and no state income tax👍

 

[Drogba]

Tulane sounds right. Good global health program (including one of the nation's few 4 year programs for a combined MD and an MPH in tropical medicine), good but not overdone problem based learning program, and very diverse student body. Also the school, though it would probably be a pretty good bet with your stats, remains highly respected with excellent residency match rates.

Tropical medicine is kind of an outdated term (at least in the US, I think its still used in the UK), does Tulane actually call their program by this name? I assume the program has a focus on infectious diseases.

 

[45408]

A school with an average of 3.5/30 is a safe bet for someone with a 3.9/38, same as undergrad.

You can say that, but you would be very very wrong.

 

[drizzt3117]

Pennsylvania

Jefferson, Drexel, Temple, PSU sound like good bets.

 

[Monarch Kong]

There only exist schools where you are more competitive. It's generally a dangerous mentality to think of a school as a "safety".

 

[dr midnight]

go to this site and type in your scores and see this is only a small picture
http://www.studentdoc.com/medfind.html