How many schools?

[lovesfall]

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How many schools are you guys all applying to? It seems like everyone is applying to 10+ schools on the low side and to me that seems excessive. Are people really planning to pack up and move their families or move from their families for med school?

 

[mspeedwagon]

It'll depend on my MCAT score. My SO moved to NY for medical school while I remained in CA. I'm open to any state that has a school that will accept me (the higher my MCAT score the fewer schools I'll apply to, but likely 25 M.D. and 5 D.O. programs).

The last thing I want to do is to have to come this far and not to apply to enough schools. I want to be in a position to turn down interviews and not be in a position to need to re-apply.

 

[lovesfall]

Hey - a fellow monitor! 🙂 I'm impressed you managed to take any classes with that job. Travel and trying to manage class work almost killed me last year.

Thanks for the input, though. With your grades and experience, 25 seems like a lot though I think you have a lot more state schools than we do out here in the midwest. I guess I thought that this year I'd test the waters and maybe next year apply to more if needed, but my budget for returning secondaries is pretty tight since I'm still financing my education. Are you hoping to get some scholarships or just to get in?

 

[theseeker4]

How many schools are you guys all applying to? I'm only doing 4 because realistically I'm not planning to go out of state or even to one that's in-state but too far away from my SO's work. It seems like everyone is applying to 10+ schools on the low side and to me that seems excessive. Are people really planning to pack up and move their families or move from their families for med school?

I applied to a single school and was successful last cycle, but I would have applied to more, some of which would have required us to move, if I wasn't successful. Moving my family would have been a better choice than giving up because I didnt want to make that sacrifice.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Wait... there is another monitor on SDN... holy smokes! That made my day 🙂.

Yes, traveling and taking organic chemistry was hell! Studying at the Hilton does have it's perks though (paid room service and a lot of quiet time). I switched positions and will be monitoring locally more. I'm taking physics I and II labs and possibly o-chem lab this fall so we shall see how it goes (after that just G-Chem II and the MCAT and I'm done).

What state are you in? I'm planning to apply primarily in NY though will consider surrounding states. I'm not looking in my own state much (that's the plan currently at least).

I think MCAT score will determine my final list, but I feel a lot of people regret not applying to enough schools... I've almost never heard anyone complain that they applied to too many schools (once back in college, but the person applied to over 50 and couldn't keep up with secondaries).

Hey - a fellow monitor! 🙂 I'm impressed you managed to take any classes with that job. Travel and trying to manage class work almost killed me last year.

 

[qwerty2012]

My philosophy is..when the time is set apply to every single school you can possibly afford. Worst is to wondering to yourself "hmm I should have applied to so and so last cycle"

For me right now, the quality of education takes precedent of everything.

 

[lovesfall]

Wait... there is another monitor on SDN... holy smokes! That made my day 🙂.

Yes, traveling and taking organic chemistry was hell! Studying at the Hilton does have it's perks though (paid room service and a lot of quiet time). I switched positions and will be monitoring locally more. I'm taking physics I and II labs and possibly o-chem lab this fall so we shall see how it goes (after that just G-Chem II and the MCAT and I'm done).

What state are you in? I'm planning to apply primarily in NY though will consider surrounding states. I'm not looking in my own state much (that's the plan currently at least).

I think MCAT score will determine my final list, but I feel a lot of people regret not applying to enough schools... I've almost never heard anyone complain that they applied to too many schools (once back in college, but the person applied to over 50 and couldn't keep up with secondaries).

Your rationale does make a lot more sense given that you are trying to get in as an out-of-stater, especially out east. I've always been kind of a minimalist in terms of applying to schools. I only applied to two colleges when I was in high school. The most I ever applied to was 11 when I was going for a PhD, and I actually made it in. I think those programs are even more selective than med schools since each school only admits 3-4 students out of a pool of several hundred applicants. My thought is that since I do want to go in state, if I'm not competitive here my odds probably won't be much better anywhere else. 🙂

Anyway, good luck with MCAT! I was really stressed about mine but I ended up doing better than I thought.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Given you are Michigan, I have to agree with you; you are more likely to get into your state school than an OOS school (though, you run the risk of having a bad interview and no fall back). The state schools aren't CA state schools (in terms of stats). I'm anything, but a minimalist. I applied to probably about 30 college as an undergrad... had about a dozen acceptances back then (hoping for the same with med school).

And, I still have till the spring of 2013 to gear up for the MACT and am kind of stressed about (I'm sure the stress will kick in more as it gets closer).

My thought is that since I do want to go in state, if I'm not competitive here my odds probably won't be much better anywhere else. 🙂

Anyway, good luck with MCAT! I was really stressed about mine but I ended up doing better than I thought.

 

[HipChick]

I'm in Michigan -- so I am "lucky" in that there are only 5 in-state schools...

There are six soon to be seven schools: MSUCOM,MSUCHM, UofM, Wayne, Oakland, Central, and Western is in the making.

I'll apply to all Michigan schools (6) as well as five out of state. But I guess I should gear up for the MCAT (2013) first

 

[eablackwell]

As many have said it depends on stats as well as school choice. Since you are planning to apply to in-state schools, I don't think your school choice is a problem.

Non-trads usually apply to more schools, just because our histories are a little different than most and some schools take better to that than others. Also, often our stats are slightly lower.

I applied to 9 schools in the beginning of my app cycle, then I got spooked in August and applied to 3 more OOS ones, costing me over $300. I got lucky and got an early interview and acceptance in October, which means I largely wasted money. However, there are many stories of people who did not apply to many schools and then come up empty handed. It's always somewhat of a gamble either way.

That being said, I would not apply to any schools that you are not willing to attend. If the only schools you are willing to go to are 5 or 6 in your state, then apply to those. It doesn't help you to be accepted to a school that you will turn down anyway.

 

[xxstevecxx]

I applied to 12 DO initially and 5 MD. I have since applied to 5 more DO. There is no such thing as excessive when the goal is to get into medical school, IMHO.

 

[notbobtrustme]

I applied 6 MD and 1 DO. Was accepted to DO and 1 MD off the waitlist.

 

[abolt18]

10 DO for me.

 

[lovesfall]

Thanks for all your feedback, everyone. (Even though it makes me anxious and slightly neurotic!)

Ultimately, my thought is that if I'm not competitive in state, I won't be competitive anywhere. I compared my stats to the schools I'm applying to, and I think I'm average to above average in all of them, not even counting work experience (in healthcare field). So, 4 it is. I think my application is pretty strong overall and I am pretty confident that if I can land an interview I can land a spot. So... fingers crossed! It just doesn't seem smart to me to spend more money than you need to for no real gain. I read stuff on the other board about kids opening new lines of credit to fund their med apps and thinking about that makes me queasy. Why would you want to take out more high-interest credit when if all goes well you'll be in school and unable to repay it? At least my worst case scenario is that I don't get in this year, I get another month and some of vacation time, a whole extra year of salary, build a bigger med school egg, and maybe take a few months off before I leave for school the next year. I don't think I'd be too broken up about it.

Anyway, thanks again for your input and good luck to everyone applying next year!

 

[notbobtrustme]

I deliberately didn't apply to programs where I know people on the admissions boards because I felt like it would be unethical.

Take every advantage you can get. Don't play by some made-up set of rules which no one else is going to follow. If you have connections, use them. That's the whole point of connections.

 

[theseeker4]

Take every advantage you can get. Don't play by some made-up set of rules which no one else is going to follow. If you have connections, use them. That's the whole point of connections.

This. It isn't like you are bribing someone to let you in. If the admissions committee members believe they are too close to you to objectively assess you, they will recuse themselves. Do not avoid applying to a school because you are worried about the ethics of it. Your situation is not at all a conflict on your part.

 

[Law2Doc]

How many schools are you guys all applying to? I'm only doing 4 because realistically I'm not planning to go out of state or even to one that's in-state but too far away from my SO's work. It seems like everyone is applying to 10+ schools on the low side and to me that seems excessive. Are people really planning to pack up and move their families or move from their families for med school?

In general the very competitive folks can sometimes get away with applying to 10 or fewer schools. The less competitive folks, or folks with red flags, probably want to apply to 20 or more. You have to realize that half of all applicants don't get into med school, and that is even after a lot of self selection. A large portion of admissions decision is based on "good fit", so applying to more places increases your odds that you are what a particular place is looking for. Since nontrads don't always have a good sense of what places like the added diversity of an older face, or worse flock to supposedly "nontrad friendly" places where they are competing with each other to be that one old face, you generally see nontrads applying to a greater number of places. In general you have to remember that it's not totally about what you want or what your numbers are competitive for -- there is a ton of subjectivity in admissions. So even a superstar probably can't count on 4-5 places. We see it every year, someone with crazy high numbers who doesn't get in because they only applied to a few places thinking they were a shoo-in.

 

[pkwraith]

At least my worst case scenario is that I don't get in this year, I get another month and some of vacation time, a whole extra year of salary, build a bigger med school egg, and maybe take a few months off before I leave for school the next year. I don't think I'd be too broken up about it.

That's not really the worst case scenario (of available probable scenarios). Reapplicants have a more difficult time, so applying unsuccessfully for multiple years after the first rejection is not an unlikely result. For most people, successfully applying to 10+ schools the first year is cheaper in the long run then applying to 4 school, then 8 schools, than 20 schools (in desperation), and get nothing.

For all else, it's just a matter of valuation. People who value a medical career more than a temporary instability of living situation will choose to bite the bullet and maximize the chances of acceptance, and move if they have to. From what I see, most people make a pretty rational judgement, from a number-point. I have seen some irrational numbers (from a statistical pov) like 50+ on the forums, but those are the extremes rather than the norms.

 

[PostHaste]

I applied to a single school and was successful last cycle, but I would have applied to more, some of which would have required us to move, if I wasn't successful. Moving my family would have been a better choice than giving up because I didnt want to make that sacrifice.

This was my experience, too. Like the above poster said, it's up to what you value.

 

[Law2Doc]

... I have seen some irrational numbers (from a statistical pov) like 50+ on the forums, but those are the extremes rather than the norms.

I would actually suggest that "statistical pov" is what gets people in trouble a lot. Schools aren't accepting people at random. They are accepting people based on credentials, interview skills, and "good fit". It does you no good to say "gee statistically most people with my MCAT who got in applied to just a dozen schools" if you are a harder sell on the "good fit" aspect. I think this is where a lot of nontrads get into trouble, because med school adcoms have different takes on what will nicely round out their class, and you may have to apply to more places to hit on that adcom who thinks a 40 year old geologist is just what this class is missing. So I personal have the view of erring on the side of applying (too) widely and broadly. Worst case scenario is it costs a few hundred extra bucks and you have to decline some interviews.

You never want to just apply to a few with the notion that you can always apply to more next year. Being a reapplicant is a disadvantage. You have to show substantial improvement in the year since you applied to get the same consideration. It's much easier and smarter to get all your ducks in a row and apply to more places the first time. One shot, one kill.

 

[thlaxer]

So I personal have the view of erring on the side of applying (too) widely and broadly. Worst case scenario is it costs a few hundred extra bucks and you have to decline some interviews.

Agree with this, the application process is expensive, but it's not something I would want to cheap out on. Assuming you're competitive, spending a few hundred more dollars and getting an acceptance is much better than applying to too few schools and not being accepted anywhere (and then having to reapply in the future).

 

[DrDreams]

Agree with this, the application process is expensive, but it's not something I would want to cheap out on. Assuming you're competitive, spending a few hundred more dollars and getting an acceptance is much better than applying to too few schools and not being accepted anywhere (and then having to reapply in the future).

This will definitely be my approach. However, I just want to put this out there and I dont know how true it is, my health advisor told me if your application is a bit weaker, you shouldnt apply to more schools. I think it should be the opposite though 😕

 

[LOVEDMU]

Hi everyone!🙂

I am a reapplicant this cycle. I need some advice on what schools to apply to based on my mediocre stats.Last September, I submitted my primary apps to 13 schools (about half MD, half DO)...I realized it was going to require a lot of luck to get accepted based on the circumstances. I received only 1 interview where I got the waitlist.

• Major: Biology
• Minor: Chemistry
• Honors science club 2 years
• Graduated in 3 years
• 3.48 science GPA
• 3.55 cumulative GPA
• 23O MCAT (retook and waiting for new score which is most likely higher)
• So far 10 months of volunteering for the hospital (~100 hours)
• Taught two classes at the hospital as a volunteer. (~5 hours)
• Been working in an ER for 4 years (registration clerk)
• Have worked in an assisted living facility for 6 years
• Shadowed a lot at work and outside of work. Outside of work have shadowed 71 hours so far. Still shadowing.

I submitted my primary apps two weeks ago and am waiting for them to get verified as well as waiting for the new MCAT score to release (Sept 5th). Which schools do you think I stand a chance? So far I designated: DMU, KCUMB, Midwestern , A.T. Still, Creighton, University of Iowa, Rosalind Franklin, Loyola University, and St. Louis University.

Also to mention, I am not born in the U.S. I lived for awhile in Germany (but was born in the Balkans) so I speak at least 3 languages fluently. I think this won't hurt my chances. Let me know what you guys think!!

Thanks!! 😀

 

[notbobtrustme]

That 23 MCAT kills your application. Everything else, which is fairly cookie cutter anyways, is essentially inconsequential.

 

[MedPR]

I applied to 34 (MD/DO).

 

[ArmyWife1153]

I'm applying widely and broadly.
There are 7 state schools for me to apply to.
I will move my family (thankfully with a supportive husband) wherever I get into. I've been on the med school dream train for a decade now and I'm not going to limit my chances with geography.