How can my wife and I get into the same school?

[someday soon?]

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My wife and I are going to be applying to medical school next year and we are trying to find any way that can improve our chances of getting accepted at the same school. We have not decided if we want to go MD or DO yet. My wife has slightly lower grades, 3.35, but she has just decided on medicine and I am confident that she will have immaculate grades during the next year because she has something to work for now. My GPA is 3.9.
I know that there is a way to participate in the match as a couple but I have never heard of applying to med school as a couple and I am worried that my wife will give up the opportunity of becoming a physician if we get accepted at seperate institutions.
Any info is appreciated.

 

[ckent]

If your wife does get in somewhere, she could transfer to where you are after first year or maybe even before the school year starts, I don't know how that works. But in theory, anywhere your wife gets into, you will get into too so you could just choose your med school based on wherever your wife gets into.

 

[sleepwhenimdead]

I'm not sure if there are certain programs for you, but I wanted to wish you luck. I've just completed 2nd year and it would be easier if my wife was going through the same type of stress. She has her own, I will not forget that, but it sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Off to bed, been studying way too much today. Good luck.

 

[PersephoneInSneakers]

SomedaySoon, I had a friend who went through this process w/her fiancee, and she said that she (she happened to be the somewhat weaker candidate of the two) was advised to mention in interviews that her fiancee was also an applicant and that they wished to attend the same school. Her reasoning was, if she's a borderline candidate at University X, and her fiancee would be a more likely candidate for admission at X, that when they're deciding her fate, the school might be more likely to accept her as part of a a package deal with her fiancee, a very strong candidate, than on her own. I keep editing this message for clarity's sake...I hope that made some sense...anyway, they did end up getting into the same (DO) school. It's just one couple's experience, but maybe it'll help you. Run it by an advisor or something first, though. 🙂

Best of luck, I hope it all works out.

 

[none]

This sounds really, really difficult. I wish you luck.

 

[jbfuq]

Someday, it can be done. Both my wife and I applied last year, she was accepted and I was put on the waitlist. I applied again this year and was accepted. It may take reapplying but it can be done. Good luck with everything.

 

[praying mantis]

Would you settle for different schools in the same city? I have a few friends that have taken this route. Philly is a great city with many schools (including one D.O.). Maybe living in the same city going to different schools will be a better option than the same school.

 

[boo_yah]

Med schools don't like to break up couples and if you get in somewhere, she will be given special consideration.
You are likely to get in together somewhere if you make it known that you are married and want to attend the same school in your interviews.
So speak up!
And good luck to you both! It's really neat that you both want to go to med school.

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

At least aim for schools close by each other. Like an above poster said, if your wife is accepted at a place, then you should be too, considering your stats are higher. However, that isn't always the case. My boyfriend of 2.5 years and I were accepted to the same school for this year and here is my advice:

Get application materials in EARLY!! If a school has rolling admissions, getting everything in early is the key. An average candidate looks good in November, but looks bad in March when there are plenty of better applicants to choose from.

Be realistic. Apply to back up schools. Remember that if you just want to go to school together, then it doesn't matter where. If it DOES matter to you where you go, then you two may not get into the same school.

I wouldn't mention that you both are applying unless asked at an interview. I was careful to not bring up my boyfriend because I didn't want to seem like I was a wishy-washy girl and wanted to go where he did, would base my decision on him, and wanted to be accepted just because he already was...2 interviewers did ask if I was seeing anyone and what he did, so it did come up in the conversation. Being married is a different story than dating, so basing your decision on each other's acceptances isn't a bad thing.

Good luck. I hope that I helped and if you need more help, feel free to email or PM me.

 

[English Chick]

I've been doing pretty much this same thing this year ... little different. I'm getting married in Aug. and my finance applied to physics Ph.D. programs this year. We talked about it, and decided that the *name* on his diploma would matter more in terms of allowing him to follow his goals (like working in academia), so he picked the five or six top schools and I applied to all the medical schools in those areas. (This is easier than it sounds, b/c major universities tend to be in major metropolitan areas where there are other universities ... not always, of course.) The story doesn't end as happily as I'd like ... he was accepted to the top two schools (both in California), so I withdrew my East Coast applicaitons and canceled some interviews. I was accepted to four schools in Cali, which I know I shouldn't complain about (and I'm not!), but the timing worked out in such a way that the best option is for him to stay at Stanford and for me to attend Davis, which is ~100 miles from here. *sigh*

Anyway, despite this rather deflated report--it's been an incredibly frustrating year for me--I do have one piece of advice for you. Absolutely tell your interviewers about your situation. I interviewed at seven schools. At three, I didn't explain about my wedding and my geographical limitations. I was waitlisted and two of these and rejected from the other. At four schools, I did explain my situation--and was accepted to all four. I don't think that's coincidence.

Good luck to you!

 

[rajneel1]

your wife can't transfer after the first year. med school doesn't work like that. no medical school is required to accept your wife if you get in somewhere. she can't transfer like that either after teh first year or before! it is up to the subjective part of the admissions process to decide whether they will give your wife an edge if you are already accepted to that medical school.

 

[paean]

How I would go about this:

1. Apply to a lot of schools. Concentrate on geographical areas with several schools, (New York, Philadelphia, Boston) and your state schools.

2. Once one of you has an interview, write a very nice letter explaining your situation. Say that you would very much like to go to the same school (do not threaten that you won't go unless you are a package deal) tell they how much you both love their school. Say that you hope they will interview your spouse as well, and accept you both together.

 

[paean]

3. Talk about it briefly with you interviewer or the admissions staff. (If your interviewer doesn't bring it up, just ask the admissions staff what they think the best way for you both to approach being accepted together.) Expect to get some derisive reactions, but also some positive ones.

4. Once the school knows your situation, keep them updated like you normally would of you interest in their program. If one of you is accepted or plans to attend a school in the region, make sure you mention that as another reason you want to get off their waitlist. (Ex. you wife gets into Mt. Sinai, you are waitlisted at NYU, tell them that you would choose them over you acceptance to Harvard not only because you love them, but also to continue to live with your wife).

Good luck.

 

[UCLA2000]

If a school wants one of you bad enough then they'll take both of you as long as you make it clear that you're a package deal.