How to properly choose schools and complete secondaries? (california style)

[Haybrant]

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Hi,
Im choosing the schools I wish to apply to on the AMCAS application. Being a california resident ive already got 25-30 schools down but im curious what is the best way to go about doing this. I have decent enough numbers that I would expect a secondary from many of the schools but I dont really have the time (motivation/desire?) to fill out 20-25 secondaries (unless they overlap very well.) It would kinda suck to get secondaries and end up either not doing some or turning them in really late. Could someone comment on what it is like applying to so many schools, and also how to choose back-up schools. Of my list I have ~10 schools Id consider a back-up. Im a Cal student with a 3.7/32 with good research/decent ec's/good LOR's (but then again, who doesnt?)--> should i be applying to more back-ups with these numbers?

 

[Haybrant]

Anyone know how i can find out how Cal students do at certain schools...this might help me limit my list of schools to apply to. Any ideas?

 

[Code Brown]

Anyone know how i can find out how Cal students do at certain schools...this might help me limit my list of schools to apply to. Any ideas?

Go onto the website of the school you are interested in, and have a look at what the breakdown (also called class profile) is for their 2003 entering class (or whatever is available). I'm from Cali and had the same worries myself. Good luck.

 

[sunflower79]

The Career Center (Patti will hate me for saying this!) has a handout listing what schools are most popular for Cal applicants. I have no idea why those schools are on that list, but it's a start.

The advice for CA residents is the same for everyone. You'll find them at all schools accepting out-of-state folks. Look at your MSAR for that list.

I would apply to *no more than 25-30 schools.* Otherwise the secondaries are a crazy deluge. I applied to more than that and I couldn't even finish them all, I was so sick of them. Don't apply to schools you would hate to attend; for me that left out vandy and mayo and mcw for geographical reasons. Otherwise, look at which schools came to recruit. When I was an undergrad at Cal there was a med school fair. Most of those schools were on my list.

good luck 🙂
~sunflower

 

[the other Dr.]

Hi,
Im choosing the schools I wish to apply to on the AMCAS application. Being a california resident ive already got 25-30 schools down but im curious what is the best way to go about doing this. I have decent enough numbers that I would expect a secondary from many of the schools but I dont really have the time (motivation/desire?) to fill out 20-25 secondaries (unless they overlap very well.) It would kinda suck to get secondaries and end up either not doing some or turning them in really late. Could someone comment on what it is like applying to so many schools, and also how to choose back-up schools. Of my list I have ~10 schools Id consider a back-up. Im a Cal student with a 3.7/32 with good research/decent ec's/good LOR's (but then again, who doesnt?)--> should i be applying to more back-ups with these numbers?

I think you should definitely apply to 20-25 being from Cali. I feel your pain, as I have already recieved around 15 secondaries and there are some online that I have started already without getting invited. It seems crazy, but I have spent a great deal of time organizing an excel spreadsheet with links to secondaries and created a manilla folder for each school with important info on it. I feel that it is much more managable this way. Once you get started you realize that many of the essays overlap and you just might need to change the word count around. Of course some suck becasue there are so many essays, but you don't have to do all of them! I applied to 40 schools because I want options and Im from California. I hope that I will be able to go on a few interviews and find the best place for me. You never know it might be somewhere you least expect! 🙂

 

[CookieMonstr]

Anyone know how i can find out how Cal students do at certain schools...this might help me limit my list of schools to apply to. Any ideas?

you should try this website: www.mdapplicants.com

 

[Haybrant]

you should try this website: www.mdapplicants.com

according to mdapplicant cal students have a 34 mcat average...i have trouble believing that

 

[bkmonkey]

Could someone comment on what it is like applying to so many schools, and also how to choose back-up schools. Of my list I have ~10 schools Id consider a back-up. Im a Cal student with a 3.7/32 with good research/decent ec's/good LOR's (but then again, who doesnt?)--> should i be applying to more back-ups with these numbers?

As you said, those numbers are nothing spectacular. They aren't a guarantee you will be accepted anywhere. I would definitely do all of the secondaries you receive. Why did you apply to schools if you didn't plan on doing their secondaries? As for back-up schools, I don't really think you should consider any schools backup schools (unless some of these 10 are in the carribean). Unless you're guaranteed to get into some schools, you don't really have backup schools. Good luck!

 

[Haybrant]

So how does one find out where they would not want to go? Is this only about location? To med schools really have such different personalities?

The Career Center (Patti will hate me for saying this!) has a handout listing what schools are most popular for Cal applicants. I have no idea why those schools are on that list, but it's a start.

The advice for CA residents is the same for everyone. You'll find them at all schools accepting out-of-state folks. Look at your MSAR for that list.

I would apply to *no more than 25-30 schools.* Otherwise the secondaries are a crazy deluge. I applied to more than that and I couldn't even finish them all, I was so sick of them. Don't apply to schools you would hate to attend; for me that left out vandy and mayo and mcw for geographical reasons. Otherwise, look at which schools came to recruit. When I was an undergrad at Cal there was a med school fair. Most of those schools were on my list.

good luck 🙂
~sunflower

 

[Haybrant]

As you said, those numbers are nothing spectacular. They aren't a guarantee you will be accepted anywhere. I would definitely do all of the secondaries you receive. Why did you apply to schools if you didn't plan on doing their secondaries? As for back-up schools, I don't really think you should consider any schools backup schools (unless some of these 10 are in the carribean). Unless you're guaranteed to get into some schools, you don't really have backup schools. Good luck!

I see what you are saying, but do you really think I dont have a good chance anywhere?? I didnt really expect my numbers alone to get me in somewhere but I think my research is good and my interviewing is good. Does that not count for anything....

 

[bkmonkey]

Haybrant-

Yes, schools have different personalities. Other than location, you have to find a curriculum that fits you best (pbl vs. lecture, blended, etc.), facilities you will be happy in, ability to do rotations abroad, etc. On amsa's site, there is a med school rating system that current medical students fill out. It is definitely worth checking out. Follow this link:

http://www.amsa.org/premed/medsurvey/

 

[bkmonkey]

I see what you are saying, but do you really think I dont have a good chance anywhere?? I didnt really expect my numbers alone to get me in somewhere but I think my research is good and my interviewing is good. Does that not count for anything....

I think you have a good chance with those numbers. Research and interviews are very important to your application. All I am saying is be careful in your expectations. You should pick schools that you will know you will be happy attending. All it takes is one acceptance to become a doctor.

 

[Haybrant]

thanks for the link!

Haybrant-

Yes, schools have different personalities. Other than location, you have to find a curriculum that fits you best (pbl vs. lecture, blended, etc.), facilities you will be happy in, ability to do rotations abroad, etc. On amsa's site, there is a med school rating system that current medical students fill out. It is definitely worth checking out. Follow this link:

http://www.amsa.org/premed/medsurvey/

 

[Haybrant]

I think you have a good chance with those numbers. Research and interviews are very important to your application. All I am saying is be careful in your expectations. You should pick schools that you will know you will be happy attending. All it takes is one acceptance to become a doctor.

Makes sense...i think i had the wrong definition of 'back-up'...i plan to take all the school's i apply to seriously

 

[somekevinguy]

I would caution against being overconfident...your numbers are decent, but not really enough to separate you from thousands of others out there. Interviewing/research etc should help you out there.

also, the career center has a website that shows how cal students have done at the top 20 med schools and the cali schools. finally, i would say md applicants is a good resource, in that the majority of the profiles are accurate. however, being self-selected, the profiles are deifnitely going to reflect numbers on the higher end. that being said, you can see how folks from Cal with relatively good numbers fare.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I have a friend at Cal with 3.8/39 applying to 25 schools, I thinks it's crazy but everyone there is paranoid.

 

[edgardo]

sup y'all,

question: is it a Cal thing for students to be paranoid? or is it for all california residents? I've been getting confliciting feedback about this. I moved her 1+ years ago after college and started working. When deciding where to be a resident on my AMCAS application, I put California because after being here for a while, I really like it and want to stay. However, I only applied to 11 schools. My premed advisor told me because there are so many quality applicants out of California, that I should be careful, but what do you all think? Should I have applied to more schools?

 

[10minutes]

sup y'all,

question: is it a Cal thing for students to be paranoid? or is it for all california residents? I've been getting confliciting feedback about this. I moved her 1+ years ago after college and started working. When deciding where to be a resident on my AMCAS application, I put California because after being here for a while, I really like it and want to stay. However, I only applied to 11 schools. My premed advisor told me because there are so many quality applicants out of California, that I should be careful, but what do you all think? Should I have applied to more schools?

All California med schools are very competitive. Look at their acceptance rates. If you are California resident, you should apply to more schools.

 

[ZOT! ZOT!]

I see what you are saying, but do you really think I dont have a good chance anywhere?? I didnt really expect my numbers alone to get me in somewhere but I think my research is good and my interviewing is good. Does that not count for anything....

If you have a strong/catchy/lucky remainder of an application (ECs, Essay), you will get an interview to every CA school with those numbers. UCLA might be the only iffy one because their class MCAT goes from 24-42. I think you will do well in the application cycle, barring any personality flaws that might kill your chances during an interview. I applied with a 29/3.7 and got into 4 schools, 2 being in CA.

Don't let anyone tell you you are not in good shape, let alone a MONKEY! hehe... I would say 25 schools, including UVM, NYMC, and Rosalind Franklin.

Good Luck, buddy!!

 

[bkmonkey]

Don't let anyone tell you you are not in good shape, let alone a MONKEY! hehe... I would say 25 schools, including UVM, NYMC, and Rosalind Franklin.

Please...don't get all discriminitory just because I'm a monkey. Careful, sometimes monkeys throw sh#t at people. I didn't tell the op he was in bad shape, I just advised that there really aren't any guarantees.

 

[Howard Roark]

private school but cheap 👍
give it a look

http://www.mayo.edu/mms/

good luck

 

[ZOT! ZOT!]

private school but cheap 👍
give it a look

http://www.mayo.edu/mms/

good luck

Waste of money. Class size of 42.

 

[premedgeek]

private school but cheap 👍
give it a look

http://www.mayo.edu/mms/

good luck

I heard only gay/lesbian, and really anal people go there. Is this true?

 

[Haybrant]

i didnt even consider applying to mayo when i heard their class size is so small; why is it like this and what are they all about?

 

[sunflower79]

private school but cheap 👍
give it a look

http://www.mayo.edu/mms/

good luck

does this guy get paid to advertise for mms? 😕

anyway, who wants to be stuck with 40 other ppl for 4 years in Minnesota? I'm in a class of 150 and I feel claustrophobic enough.

 

[Howard Roark]

one of the highest USMLE averages in the nation (236 !!!!! last year) - maybe the highest (UPENN ??)
class size of 42 (which is GREAT-- 10:1 prof:student ratio)
the second best hospital in the country (and #1 in many areas)
waste of money? --- EVERYBODY gets a scholarship (the most you pay is ~11,000 per YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The Honor Roll

When U.S. News identifies the top hospitals in 17 specialties every year, a handful (only 14 this year) are singled out as Honor Roll centers?hospitals that excelled not in one or two specialties but in six or more. Rank in the Honor Roll is based on total points: Hospitals got 2 points for ranking at or near the top in a specialty and 1 point for the next rung down (details below)

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
32 points in 16 specialties
👍 Mayo Clinic 👍 , Rochester, Minn. <<------------------------------------------ 😀
28 points in 14 specialties
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
24 points in 13 specialties
Cleveland Clinic
24 points in 12 specialties
UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
23 points in 14 specialties
(TIE) Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.
18 points in 10 specialties
(TIE) University of California, San Francisco Medical Center
18 points in 10 specialties
Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis
17 points in 11 specialties
(TIE) New York-Presbyterian Hospital
17 points in 10 specialties
(TIE) University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle
17 points in 10 specialties
University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor
13 points in 9 specialties
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
12 points in 8 specialties
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
11 points in 6 specialties
Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, Calif.
10 points in 7 specialties

Specifically, Mayo Ranked

#1 in Neurology and neurosurgery 😀
#1 in Orthopedics 😀
#1 in Hormonal disorders 😀
#1 in Rheumatology 😀
#1 in Digestive disorders 😀
#2 in Gynecology
#2 in Respiratory disorders
#2 in Heart and heart surgery
#3 in Kidney disease
#3 in Urology
#4 in Ear, nose, and throat
#5 in Cancer
#5 in Rehabilitation
#7 in Geriatrics
#10 in Ophthalmology
#10 in Psychiatry
#18 in Pediatrics


http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health...l/honorroll.htm
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health...osp_6611490.htm


the numbers speak for themselves
just want to make sure people know about mayo so they apply and give it a shot - its worth it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Howard Roark]

I heard only gay/lesbian, and really anal people go there. Is this true?

there are a few gay/lesbian students. i dont think the students are more/less anal than anywhere else. i mean they are at the MAYO CLINIC!!!! they know they got it made

 

[Howard Roark]

i didnt even consider applying to mayo when i heard their class size is so small; why is it like this and what are they all about?

they are all about only accepting ~42 of the highest quality applicants, giving everybody a scholarship (lowest average graduate debt of any medical school) so that each student can choose a specialty without worrying too much about their financial situation.

why would a small class size make you not apply? that is why I DID apply to mayo!!!!!!!!!!!!!