How many schools did you apply to...

[dukie04]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm new so I apologize if this has been discussed. I've just been reading messages and it seems like people have applied to a lot of med schools. At my school, they tell us that you should do about 10 because statistically it doesnt improve much after that (apply to 10 or to 20 you'll still get the same amount of acceptances). So, how many has everyone applied to and how many have given you interviews and acceptances? Just want to see if what they tell us is actually true. They tend to lie haha. (I'm only a Junior so I haven't applied yet but I just found this board a couple days ago and was really excited it was so active.)

 

[johnstoner]

i applied to 20

i think you should apply to as many as you can handle...don't sell yourself short.

 

[SunnyS81]

It's been discussed before, but I"m horrible at searching. From what I remember, I think the mean was around 13-14.

Personally, I sent my AMCAS to 14, and did 13 secondaries (realized 14 was a bit too much, so I didn't do Tulane). I think the standard is between 10 and 15. From my experience (still in the process), I think 12-13 is probably a decent number. That is enough that you can apply to a variety of schools. If you are from California, people apply to over 20, although I doubt there is any statistical validity behind that decision. If you don't think you have much of a chance based on gpa and mcat, I think more is probably better too.

Just my $.02.

 

[Street Philosopher]

26
i think i applied to WAY TOO MANY.

 

[CRAZYTERP]

i applied to 24 i think, i lost track after 20....

 

[myhc]

i applied to 20. got 19 secondaries, got 8 interviews and counting

 

[Bounty]

Hi Dukie
I chose not to follow Dean Singer's advice since I am a California resident and I need all the help i can get. I think I submitted 29 schools to amcas and returned 23 secondaries (yeah i got a little lazy!)
Good luck with everything!
bounty

 

[DrBravesgirl]

i ended up designating 22 on amcas and returning 20 secondaries (stanford has yet to contact me, and pitt's is still driving me insane). in hindsight, i probably applied to too many. of course, i didn't realize that i'd have an acceptance by oct. 15th, either, soooo....

 

[kiping]

my advisor told everyonei know to apply to 20 at least.

 

[dukie04]

Thanks for all replies. I'll probably end up applying to a mad amount of schools. I just want my state school though.

Bounty - seriously, everyone I talk to takes the PMAC handbook as the Bible so good to see someone else not paying attention. I feel like a lot of the stuff in there is crap esp. if you aren't trying for Harvard, Duke, etc. I mean a year of calc...waste of time and effort. First day of Physics McNairy is like you don't need calc...grr...

 

[BigRedStress]

38 schools
4 rejections
2 holds
4 interviews

man, i hope more invites come this week.

 

[surfdevl02]

Hey Bounty and Dukie04-
What year are you guys/gals at Duke? I graduated this past Spring, 2002 and miss Duke sooo much already!! I know a lot of people say bad things about Dean Singer but she's a great premed advisor. I talked to the Dean of Admissions at Tulane and he said that Dean Singer, along with the dean for MIT, are two of the most respected Premed Advisors in the Country, saying something about how they're the most organized advisors and write the most descriptive committee letters. Also, he said the way we send our letters of rec electronically to schools is so helpful and efficient for them. She's a lot better than kids at Duke give her credit for.

Surfdevl02

 

[Bounty]

Oh i definitely wasn't knocking Dean Singer. I agree - she is great and knows a lot about this process. I just needed to apply to more schools than she suggested in the HPAC manual.

 

[dukie04]

I've been on way too long. Browsing through old posts about my state school. But this paper aint finishing its self...so this will be it.

Anyway, class of 2004 as the screenname indicates 🙂

No, I completely agree Dean Singer is doing great. However, I continue to think the PMAC handbook and a lot of info is geared to people wanting to go to a top ten school. Like Blackmon (1/2 year adviser) told a girl I know that if she didn't take physics at Duke then she wouldn't get into med school (period). They do not realize not everyone is shooting for a big name school. Like me...I can't afford another four years at a pricey institution...

Are you in med school now?

 

[hokiedoc]

I only applied to 4 schools. It has been great. Minimal amount of secondaries so I could give each one my best. So far I have been accepted to 2 of the four. Rejected at one, and am waiting on the last one. Good luck!!! Go for your state schools if that is where you want to go.

 

[PelicanMan]

I applied to 15 schools. and I just finished my last secondary today.

Last year I applied to 15 schools, and got 4 interviews.

So far I have gotten 2 interviews this year.

 

[Doctor Octopus]

I applied to 13 schools, sent in 12 secondaries (the 13th went in the trash), had 5 interviews so far, have 2 interviews coming up, and have 2 acceptances. No rejections or waitlists so far...

 

[vm26]

8 schools, 7 are in NY, just completed secondaries so no interviews yet, we'll soon see if I should have applied to more

 

[Woots32]

Applied to 12, filled out 12 secondaries (started drinking heavily around secondary #7), been on 7 interviews, have 2 more scheduled.

I want to curl up in my sock drawer, and sleep for days. 🙂

 

[PrincessCKNY]

Applied to 37 schools, got 27 secondaries, planning to turn in 26 (6 more to go...yeesh), 4 interview invites, 3 rejections, 2 holds for interview

 

[abw]

Hi!

I applied to 23 schools, received 18 secondaries (umdnj, both campuses don't ask for secondaries), filled out 16.

2 rejections, 5 "hold", and 3 interviews

 

[chopsuey]

i'm applying to 15 schools, but have only done the primaries for 14 of them so far....i've done all 14 secondaries.

current status: 4 interview invites: 1 interview done, 3 coming up. 2 hold-for-interviews. no waitlists or rejections quite yet. 1 acceptance.

good luck! 🙂

 

[JZZZZZZZs]

Ok...get ready...I think I have all you people beat for applying to the most schools. (Is there an unofficial contest on SDN for that title because I think I've clenched it.)
I applied to 42 schools! Yep! 42 schools! 😱
Completed 27 secondaries, got 3 rejections and have 7 more secondaries to go. Still waiting to hear from the UC's, and Northwestern (poopy. Nothing from them. Not even an acknowledgement of AMCAS receipt.) No interviews yet but anxiously waiting.....
Good luck to everyone in this process and don't apply to as many schools as I did. 😀

 

[Veilside]

during one of my interviews, there was this one girl who was applying to 48 schools. and i think she had almost all of the secondaries done if i remember correctly.