How do you answer "Why School X?" on secondaries?

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radioactive15

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The real reasons that I (along with nearly all other applicants) chose to apply to a particular medical school is because
1) their accepted MCAT& GPA ranges fall within your own
2) the school itself or professors are well-renowned
3) the location is desirable
4) the students match well
5) Mix of above

Obviously you can't mention any of those in the "Why School X?" question, so what do you write to make your answer sound appropriate and non-generic?

Every medical school trains their students to become doctors, and most missions say something along the generic lines of "To train and educate students with quality medical care and science knowledge"

MOST missions don't provide anything unique so it would be awkward to say "Your school's mission is in sync with my passions".

How do you answer the Why School X question? Tips or advice on how to approach the question would suffice

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The real reasons that I (along with nearly all other applicants) chose to apply to a particular medical school is because
1) their accepted MCAT& GPA ranges fall within your own
2) the school itself or professors are well-renowned
3) the location is desirable
4) the students match well
5) Mix of above

Obviously you can't mention any of those in the "Why School X?" question, so what do you write to make your answer sound appropriate and non-generic?

Every medical school trains their students to become doctors, and most missions say something along the generic lines of "To train and educate students with quality medical care and science knowledge"

MOST missions don't provide anything unique so it would be awkward to say "Your school's mission is in sync with my passions".

How do you answer the Why School X question? Tips or advice on how to approach the question would suffice
Does the school have early clinical exposure?
Do you have a preference for/experience with their curriculum approach (traditional lecture, block, systems-based, PBL)?
Are there a wide variety of clinical sites?
Is there an option for an international rotation in 4th year?
Are there opportunities for free clinic involvement early on?
Is there particularly strong research productivity in an area related to your interests?
Are there recreational opportunities nearby unique to your interests (mention toward the end)?
Do you have a support system nearby (mention this last)?
 
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I think about it like this...

2) the school itself or professors are well-renowned- Does the school have established clinical sites? Are faculty at the school performing cutting-edge research in a field you are interested in and hope to contribute to?

3) the location is desirable - What about the location is desirable? Is it desirable because it is in an urban/rural area and that is the population you are hoping to work with? Does the hospital/institution have a history of treating a diverse population of people and you believe you will receive great clinical exposure?

4) the students match well - Why do they match well? Is there something unique about their curriculum plan, or early clinical exposure? Do they have a designated research project/opportunity?

Edit: @Catalystik beat me to it! :)
 
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I would look at the stuff on their website that they pride themselves on. If it looks like you are looking for the same stuff they think they are good at, they may think you are a better fit.
 
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The real reasons that I (along with nearly all other applicants) chose to apply to a particular medical school is because
1) their accepted MCAT& GPA ranges fall within your own
2) the school itself or professors are well-renowned
3) the location is desirable
4) the students match well
5) Mix of above

Obviously you can't mention any of those in the "Why School X?" question, so what do you write to make your answer sound appropriate and non-generic?

Every medical school trains their students to become doctors, and most missions say something along the generic lines of "To train and educate students with quality medical care and science knowledge"

MOST missions don't provide anything unique so it would be awkward to say "Your school's mission is in sync with my passions".

How do you answer the Why School X question? Tips or advice on how to approach the question would suffice
 
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Reactions: 1 user
I'd add maybe the history of the medical school or if you've ever interacted with a physician/student who was in some way affiliated.

Wikipedia can be surprisingly helpful. One of the schools I applied to I wrote about how I read and enjoyed a book writen by a former student of the school.
 
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look on their website, see if they have something or offers some unique experience that stands out to you and focus on that. Ultimately we all know it's all BS anyway, you'll say just about anything and everything to get in except your true intentions although we all know/share those same intentions.
 
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