Help me add some safeties

[Gospe1]

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I believe I am a competitive applicant but the closer I get to submitting my ERAS, the more uneasy I get about not having enough safeties. Should I add more safeties? Which ones?

School: Top 15 med school
Step 1: 245
3rd year: Honors in Medicine, Peds. High Pass in everything else
Location: I'm on the East Coast

Applying to:
Cedars-Sinai
Loma Linda
Stanford
UC Irvine
UCSD
UCSF
UCLA
USC
Yale
Beth Israel Deaconess
Brigham
MGH
Tufts
Mt. Sinai
Cornell Columbia
NYU
Albert Einstein
UPenn
Jefferson
Duke
Oregon UWash

 

[michigangirl]

My first impression is that you should be absolutely fine without adding any "safeties" to the list. Good luck!

 

[MTGas2B]

Oregon UWash

Despite east coast views of the west, OHSU and University of Washington are two separate programs, they're even in two different states. 😀

 

[Gern Blansten]

Assuming top quarter of your class and no black marks on your Dean's letter, you probably don't need any others.

 

[johnmiller]

Assuming top quarter of your class and no black marks on your Dean's letter, you probably don't need any others.

Would this advice change for someone who has similar stats and a similar list of programs, but isn't from a top 15 school?

 

[Gern Blansten]

Would this advice change for someone who has similar stats and a similar list of programs, but isn't from a top 15 school?

I have never seen this mythical top 15 list.
Obviously, some schools have better name recognition and carry a bit more clout, then there are some that few have heard of (maybe they are a new school; ie less than 20 years old)

My guess would be that the answer would be the same. Let your safeties be the programs in your region of the country where the programs will recruit heavily from.

 

[El Dooderino]

you have plenty of "safeties" on your list. Be careful with them though, I got rejected from the ones I was "overqualified" for because that can look at your numbers and get a sense if you'd go there or not. Two interviews I didn't get were from the lowest ranked programs on my list

 

[Nooblet]

.

 

[ashkenazi1234]

You could probably call them up before they send you a rejection and let them know you are interested in them. That way it doesn't seem like you are just adding them to your eras list just because you could click the check box. I second the experience of getting rejected from a lower tier school in socal even though I interviewed at top east coasters. Just gotta play the game smart, show interest if you really want to be somewhere.

 

[Gern Blansten]

Agree with above. A phone call that lets them know that you have ties to the area would solve the problem in most cases. Some actually personalize their personal statements to state their reason for their interest in a specific program. Probably time consuming to do it for very many, but if there is one in particular you really want, not a bad use of your time.

 

[jennyboo]

Don't add any more. If anything there are a few you could afford to trim off -- but your list is fine as is.

 

[epidural man]

Despite east coast views of the west, OHSU and University of Washington are two separate programs, they're even in two different states. 😀

(stupid stupid easties.....)

On a different note, when I was in Puerto Rico, I would tell people I was from Idaho (and since they think that in the US, there are 4 places - New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Florida), almost everyone would reply - So is Idaho upstate or in New Jersey?

 

[epidural man]

I believe I am a competitive applicant but the closer I get to submitting my ERAS, the more uneasy I get about not having enough safeties. Should I add more safeties? Which ones?

School: Top 15 med school
Step 1: 245
3rd year: Honors in Medicine, Peds. High Pass in everything else
Location: I'm on the East Coast

Applying to:
Cedars-Sinai
Loma Linda
Stanford
UC Irvine
UCSD
UCSF
UCLA
USC
Yale
Beth Israel Deaconess
Brigham
MGH
Tufts
Mt. Sinai
Cornell Columbia
NYU
Albert Einstein
UPenn
Jefferson
Duke
Oregon UWash

If you want another safe bet, add SLU, and while there, go to WashU - a good program.

That way you could have UWash, and WashU on your list.

 

[Gospe1]

I just can't see myself living in St. Louis. Right now, I'd favor location over the strength of the program. I think I'll try my luck with my list. My application is ready to submit 9/1. I'll let you guys know how the rest of the process goes.

Another question though: how do I convince the Cali schools I want to move to California. I have family in California (though not immediate family) and I come from the Southwest. Any ideas?

 

[TexasGas]

Thought this was a Fantasy Football thread. Disappointed 😡

 

[Orin]

Thought this was a Fantasy Football thread. Disappointed 😡

I concur.