How much bearing does a parent being an alumni hold?

[ThrowawayMD]

I apologize if I come across as whiny but this has been bothering me and I just wanted some input. I have a couple friends and a friend of a friend who have interviews at two particular schools that I also applied to.

My dilemma is that I objectively have a better application then all of them, yet I still don't have interviews at these schools. I have a much better MCAT (up to >10 points better), research with a publication and a poster (they don't have any research), WAY more leadership, volunteer work (they have essentially none), and a very similar GPA. I also applied earlier in the cycle, have great letters (some struggled to find writers last minute), and have been told my personal statement is also very very good. The only thing the three of them have in common is that their parents and other family members are alumni of these schools. Is this just the way she goes? I know admissions are a crap shoot but I honestly wasn't expecting this...

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[21Rush12]

Admissions are not a crapshoot.

Any number of factors could be at play. You could be above the range for this school, their ties to the school could be perceived as a likelihood to attend. Also, there is no accounting for fit and your objective assessment of yourself may not be the same as the various admissions committees.

 

[begoood95]

Having family who are alumni can on occasion get you the "courtesy interview." This will usually happen so long as said person with ties isn't an outright terrible applicant.

I understand the frustration, but yeah, this is sometimes "just the way she goes." If your MCAT is solid, and the rest of your application as competitive as you make it sound, then I'm sure you'll be fine! It's not over yet, keep your head up and continue working on your application

 

[ThrowawayMD]

Admissions are not a crapshoot.

Any number of factors could be at play. You could be above the range for this school, their ties to the school could be perceived as a likelihood to attend. Also, there is no accounting for fit and your objective assessment of yourself may not be the same as the various admissions committees.

I'm not above the range, they're just well below. For example, MCAT's below the schools 10th percentile. Also, I have very strong ties to the school as well but in different and apparently not as significant regards. I do agree with your last point though, I guess there's nothing to be done about that.

 

[ThrowawayMD]

Having family who are alumni can on occasion get you the "courtesy interview." This will usually happen so long as said person with ties isn't an outright terrible applicant.

I understand the frustration, but yeah, this is sometimes "just the way she goes." If your MCAT is solid, and the rest of your application as competitive as you make it sound, then I'm sure you'll be fine! It's not over yet, keep your head up and continue working on your application

I figured that could be the case, it's just very surprising. I have had some other luck this cycle but I'm only competitive compared to them, not really to the rest of the folks around here haha.

 

[Spectar]

They'll get the interviews, but if their stats aren't close to the schools median, they probably won't get in at the end.

 

[efle]

I'm not above the range, they're just well below. For example, MCAT's below the schools 10th percentile.

This has nothing to do with randomness in admissions. They're getting courtesy interviews, because a wasted interview slot is better than pissing off an alumnus from the school's perspective.

 

[ThrowawayMD]

This has nothing to do with randomness in admissions. They're getting courtesy interviews, because a wasted interview slot is better than pissing off an alumnus from the school's perspective.

Isn't interviewing and not accepting them afterwards also going to piss them off?

 

[efle]

Isn't interviewing and not accepting them afterwards also going to piss them off?

"Your kid wasn't even worth talking to and seriously considering" vs "Unfortunately competition has become extremely competitive..."

The parent isn't going to be ridiculous about it, they know not every doctor's kid can just waltz into the place that mom/dad got their MD. But they are at least going to want to think their kid's app wasn't immediately tossed in the trash.

And if you take it to an extreme and look at the children of huuuge donors or high-up faculty leadership, you very well might see it move someone into the admit pile.

 

[878956]

I think it matters more than we would like to believe. There is a reason why some of these schools ask if you have any family that graduated from the college or family that is associated with the college. I would imagine those kinds of connection lend themselves to some favoritism.

 

[ThrowawayMD]

"Your kid wasn't even worth talking to and seriously considering" vs "Unfortunately competition has become extremely competitive..."

The parent isn't going to be ridiculous about it, they know not every doctor's kid can just waltz into the place that mom/dad got their MD. But they are at least going to want to think their kid's app wasn't immediately tossed in the trash.

And if you take it to an extreme and look at the children of huuuge donors or high-up faculty leadership, you very well might see it move someone into the admit pile.

In some situations the parent isn't going to be ridiculous about it, but in two of these instances there has been hefty correspondence between the alumni/ prospective student and admissions committee members. I guess time will tell.

 

[ThrowawayMD]

I think it matters more than we would like to believe. There is a reason why some of these schools ask if you have any family that graduated from the college or family that is associated with the college. I would imagine those kinds of connection lend themselves to some favoritism.

In one of my interviews I was asked who I knew that went to their school, as if they expected me to know someone. Regardless, my friends have had opportunities to speak with admissions committee's members because of their parents involvement. Opportunities that don't exist for most of us.

 

[Moose A Moose]

Too much.

 

[efle]

In some situations the parent isn't going to be ridiculous about it, but in two of these instances there has been hefty correspondence between the alumni/ prospective student and admissions committee members. I guess time will tell.

Answering your friend's kid's questions about how their app is viewed by admissions is a very different thing than giving them a seat in the class. If they really do have sub-10th percentile scores and otherwise weak apps like you describe, they are def not getting in just because mom/dad was class of 198x

 

[Lannister]

It definitely matters more than people on SDN like to believe, unfortunately. Generally, having a parent who is an alumnus won't help someone who is way below average get accepted, but it does significantly increases a mediocre applicant's chances. That's life.

 

[Goro]

Isn't interviewing and not accepting them afterwards also going to piss them off?

What will happen is that they will get a very nice interview, followed by a very polite spot on the waitlist, to be followed by an even more polite rejection at the end of the cycle.

 

[donutzebra]

I don't have any parental connections to any of the medical schools to which I'm applying, either.
A more optimistic way to think of it is to think far into the future: after you get accepted, you could be the alumnus that gives your future kids that boost to get into a school. I had the same thinking when I was applying to colleges.
You could start your own legacy! Assuming you want children, and assuming your future children want to go to medical school, of course.

 

[Cornfed101]

This is true in most places in life... who you know can be just as important as what you know. You are trying to set yourself apart from a slew of applicants. Having a legacy connection can give you a slight boost. Obviously if you are a terrible applicant it won’t save you.

 

[rabbott1971]

"Legacy Status" is a third tier (lowest) criterion for admission committees, meaning it has a small importance, but more than none. See Table 1.

https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/mcatguide.pdf

 

[fingerscrossed14]

I have a parent who went to my top state med school, my stats are higher than their averages (especially for in state matriculants) I've gotten interviews and acceptances at other great schools (using basically the same secondary essays) and still no word from this state school. It is really disappointing and I wish the fact that my parent went there would help but for me this has not been the case

 

[workaholic181]

I apologize if I come across as whiny but this has been bothering me and I just wanted some input. I have a couple friends and a friend of a friend who have interviews at two particular schools that I also applied to.

My dilemma is that I objectively have a better application then all of them, yet I still don't have interviews at these schools. I have a much better MCAT (up to >10 points better), research with a publication and a poster (they don't have any research), WAY more leadership, volunteer work (they have essentially none), and a very similar GPA. I also applied earlier in the cycle, have great letters (some struggled to find writers last minute), and have been told my personal statement is also very very good. The only thing the three of them have in common is that their parents and other family members are alumni of these schools. Is this just the way she goes? I know admissions are a crap shoot but I honestly wasn't expecting this...

I know someone with not great stats that got an MD interview at his parent's alma mater, and thus far that's his only II. It is what it is OP. Don't get too hung up on these handful of schools.

 

[Osminog]

"Legacy Status" is a third tier (lowest) criterion for admission committees, meaning it has a small importance, but more than none. See Table 1.

Self-report study...

 

[HomeSkool]

My med school will auto-interview my direct family members as long as they have a reasonable GPA/MCAT (i.e., they'll get an II there more easily than other applicants). Past that, they have to get in on their own merits. So if their GPA/MCAT are on the low end but their ECs are great and they nail the interview, then they may get an acceptance where they may not have even had an II without their connection to me. But if my name really was the deciding factor in their II, they would need to have a really impressive interview (like, walk on water or something).

 

[skk_]

"Legacy Status" is a third tier (lowest) criterion for admission committees, meaning it has a small importance, but more than none. See Table 1.

https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/mcatguide.pdf

I always found this table hilarious, since while they've categorized the results of the survey into "low (2.5 and lower)", "mid (2.5 to 3)", and "high (3 and higher)" importance tiers, they used a scale where 1 = not important, but 2 = somewhat important, 3 = important, and 4 = very important, and all three tiers include responses that extend well beyond the start of "somewhat important" range. It always came across more as "adcoms value everything" more than anything else

As a counterpoint to the importance of legacy status to admission committees, here's a link to Duke's Alumni Magazine from 2010 where they very explicitly state on page 13 regarding medical school admissions: "All children of Duke medical alumni automatically receive an interview."

 

[aldol16]

One thing that everybody on here needs to do is to stop looking at other people and comparing yourself to them. These false comparisons don't stop when you get into med school - you'll want to look at other people then, too, and if they happen to be doing more than you or if they get a position that you feel you deserved more, you'll be disappointed again. So you might as well stop here and just focus on your own application and not worry about what happens with other people. This is just the way the world works. Medicine is more insulated than other professions but in many, if not most, professions, knowing the right person can get you the job over someone else who might be a little more qualified than you.

 

[878956]

Sonth

"Legacy Status" is a third tier (lowest) criterion for admission committees, meaning it has a small importance, but more than none. See Table 1.

https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/mcatguide.pdf

ey

"Legacy Status" is a third tier (lowest) criterion for admission committees, meaning it has a small importance, but more than none. See Table 1.

https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/mcatguide.pdf

So they say....

 

[ThrowawayMD]

I just wanted to provide an update: one of these gentlemen were accepted.

 

[Lucca]

I always found this table hilarious, since while they've categorized the results of the survey into "low (2.5 and lower)", "mid (2.5 to 3)", and "high (3 and higher)" importance tiers, they used a scale where 1 = not important, but 2 = somewhat important, 3 = important, and 4 = very important, and all three tiers include responses that extend well beyond the start of "somewhat important" range. It always came across more as "adcoms value everything" more than anything else

As a counterpoint to the importance of legacy status to admission committees, here's a link to Duke's Alumni Magazine from 2010 where they very explicitly state on page 13 regarding medical school admissions: "All children of Duke medical alumni automatically receive an interview."

how did this juicy information slip SDNs fingers for all these years. It does say it right there on the page.

 

[Med Ed]

As a counterpoint to the importance of legacy status to admission committees, here's a link to Duke's Alumni Magazine from 2010 where they very explicitly state on page 13 regarding medical school admissions: "All children of Duke medical alumni automatically receive an interview."

I would need to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. The journalism majors who crank out these rags screw up information all the time.

 

[seren1051]

As a counterpoint to the importance of legacy status to admission committees, here's a link to Duke's Alumni Magazine from 2010 where they very explicitly state on page 13 regarding medical school admissions: "All children of Duke medical alumni automatically receive an interview."

Damn, I didn't apply to Duke as I was sick of writing more secondaries. Now I feel sorry for my future children

 

[Sharknad0]

Meanwhile I'm hoping I can use a fellowship alumni legacy

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Of course it matters. Welcome to the real world where who you know will take you farther than what you know ever could.

 

[NicMouse64]

Having family who are alumni can on occasion get you the "courtesy interview." This will usually happen so long as said person with ties isn't an outright terrible applicant.

I understand the frustration, but yeah, this is sometimes "just the way she goes." If your MCAT is solid, and the rest of your application as competitive as you make it sound, then I'm sure you'll be fine! It's not over yet, keep your head up and continue working on your application

Got an II at a school where a sibling attends. Have a good application and some other II from other schools. Is this still considered a "courtesy interview".?

 

[begoood95]

Got an II at a school where a sibling attends. Have a good application and some other II from other schools. Is this still considered a "courtesy interview".?

If you have a good application that is par for the course for said school, I’d say it was just a plain ol II! The sibling being there was probably just another “+1” for you, if anything. Go show ‘em who’s boss.

 

[Gray Fox]

Of course it matters. Welcome to the real world where who you know will take you farther than what you know ever could.

Legacy invites are real. Who you know matters. Where your parents went to school matters. Not even surprised by it anymore, seen it way too many times. The system is broken. Med school is the closest thing to a meritocracy, but still a long way to go. Residency is worse, trust me.

 

[Fireball99999999955555]

Having family who are alumni can on occasion get you the "courtesy interview." This will usually happen so long as said person with ties isn't an outright terrible applicant.

I have to disagree. I was rejected pre-interview at a school were I would have been a legacy and I have in range stats for that school. Simply having a parent, relative, etc. that went to a school is not special. You need someone who actively works at that school or has influence at the time of your app for it to matter.

 

[Lannister]

I have to disagree. I was rejected pre-interview at a school were I would have been a legacy and I have in range stats for that school. Simply having a parent, relative, etc. that went to a school is not special. You need someone who actively works at that school or has influence at the time of your app for it to matter.

Not the case at my school. Having a parent that went there matters. Not a ton, but it certainly has an impact.

 

[Robin-jay]

Too much.