How much does having parents who are faculty at the med school help

[freemontie]

Suppose someone is slightly below the average of the schools matriculating class (hypothetically, for specificity, let's say 3.7/32 school average and the applicant is 3.5/32).

Is having parents who are physician faculty at the med school an automatic shoo-in? Barely a consideration? Can someone quantify it- i.e. "like adding 5 points to your mcat"?

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[Abstractions]

It depends on a myriad of specific circumstances that makes it difficult generalize the impact (or lack thereof) it might have.

 

[gyngyn]

Suppose someone is slightly below the average of the schools matriculating class (hypothetically, for specificity, let's say 3.7/32 school average and the applicant is 3.5/32).

Is having parents who are physician faculty at the med school an automatic shoo-in? Barely a consideration? Can someone quantify it- i.e. "like adding 5 points to your mcat"?

With median stats, one is more likely to get an interview. That's about it at my school.

 

[EMDO2018]

You'll definitely get in, and the social and financial privilege of the US aristocracy is passed from one generation to the next while, people in the middle and the bottom struggle to make ends meet.

 

[JimmyB123]

A lot. You'll def get an ii. And if you know the dean, or ppl from admissions, even better. Connections are huge and not stressed on SDN for whatever reason. They are your best friend when you are a 3.5/31 candidate.

 

[freemontie]

You'll definitely get in, and the social and financial privilege of the US aristocracy is passed from one generation to the next while, people in the middle and the bottom struggle to make ends meet.

What? What aristocracy? My parents are academics and though upper-middle class, definitely not rich. Nor am I a markedly inferior candidate to their medical school.

Just....go incite your class riots somewhere else. This isn't the place for that.

 

[freemontie]

With median stats, one is more likely to get an interview. That's about it at my school.

Sad, but that's what I thought, thanks.

 

[EMDO2018]

What? What aristocracy? My parents are academics and though upper-middle class, definitely not rich. Nor am I a markedly inferior candidate to their medical school.

Just....go incite your class riots somewhere else. This isn't the place for that.

Most people who consider themselves "upper middle class" are doing better than 99% of people. If you have two parents who are physicians, even if they are academics, you grew up in the 1%.

 

[MrChance2]

.

 

[static brown]

Ironic how EMDO2018 who's an AA-URM is complaining about advantages in admissions. And as it turns out, a non-existant one at that. Focus on yourself and your own goals rather than who may or may not come from an upper-middle class family.

 

[freemontie]

Most people who consider themselves "upper middle class" are doing better than 99% of people. If you have two parents who are physicians, even if they are academics, you grew up in the 1%.

Put their heads on a pike!!!!

Seriously though, I'm not going to argue with you about my parent's financials. I'll just say that they're both in low paying specialties, they both immigrated to the US in their 30s, one of them is part-time, and they raised 4 kids. I wish that equaled the 1% but it is farrr from it ("12 year old toyotas" far). Maybe that makes you like me more (though it really shouldn't)?

Are you in med school already? Good luck on step 1's. Try to match into a high paying field if it interests you and you might ACTUALLY become part of the 1%...maybe.

 

[Goro]

It will get you an interview and possibly more. Legacies are real. But automatic shoo-in, no. If you bomb your interview, no parent wil be able to help you.

A 3.5 vs 3.7 is still in striking distance for a number of schools, parents or no parents.

Suppose someone is slightly below the average of the schools matriculating class (hypothetically, for specificity, let's say 3.7/32 school average and the applicant is 3.5/32).

Is having parents who are physician faculty at the med school an automatic shoo-in? Barely a consideration? Can someone quantify it- i.e. "like adding 5 points to your mcat"?

 

[Being]

I wish that equaled the 1% but it is farrr from it ("12 year old toyotas" far).

I have an uncle who is well within the 1%, and he drives a ~95 corolla. Priorities, I guess.

 

[Great White Buffalo]

THe advantage really comes from knowing what the medical school looks for, and how to build your application starting in Freshman year.
My dad had colleagues who sat on Ad Com, but I don't think it made a difference. Maybe schools give you a curtesy interview, but with so many stellar applicants, why would they take a spot for a lesser candidate?

 

[FrozenWilly701]

Deleted

 

[johnnytest]

If your parent is the Dean then automatic acceptance. lol

 

[nOchemallday]

THe advantage really comes from knowing what the medical school looks for, and how to build your application starting in Freshman year.
My dad had colleagues who sat on Ad Com, but I don't think it made a difference. Maybe schools give you a curtesy interview, but with so many stellar applicants, why would they take a spot for a lesser candidate?

This. You may not get anything more than a courtesy interview at the specific school at which your parent is faculty. But, especially if your parent is a member of an AdCom, you'll have all of the best info and resources to game the system from day 1. You'll likely have easier connections to garner you shadowing and/or clinical volunteering opportunities through your parent's position. Your parent will also likely (though this is a broad assumption) be well-off financially which has its own benefits in nearly every aspect of the American and post-secondary education systems.