If you had to do it all over again?

[Kashue]

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Which schools would you apply to that you didn't?
Which schools wouldn't you apply to?

Me:

Apply: Michigan, Baylor, UCSF, Emory.
Not apply: Boston, Drexel, Temple, Albany, UCHICAGO!!

 

[TRUE]

Apply: Columbia, Cornell
Not Apply: Boston, GW, Georgetown

 

[exmike]

I cant even list how many schools I would have NOT applied to. I applied to way to many. Pobably wouldve pared my list down to 30 or so instead of the 44 i applied to. Sheesh.

 

[TheFlash]

Would've applied to: Cornell, UCLA, UCSF, Baylor
Would've passed on: Michigan, Tufts, UNC, GW, Georgetown

Everything's clear in hindsight, eh?

 

[MNgrrl]

Originally posted by TheFlash

Everything's clear in hindsight, eh? [/B]

So true...

I would have skipped: Boston (this seems to be a theme), Drexel
Would have applied to: Pitt, Einstein, Jefferson

 

[Lux Aeterna]

Would have skipped: Dartmouth, Georgetown [dmouth- quick reject, I guess the easy secondary lured me in, Gtown- hated the med school @ the interview, withdrew-- not worth the $100 IMHO]

Would have still applied to all the places I have been rejected from.

Would have added: USC

Other that that, I've been pleased with my run this year, in light of the weakness of my sci gpa. If I hadn't tried at some schools that my advisor said were out of my reach, I would have never known if I could have made it.


Live and learn!

 

[kings2]

Just out of curiousity, why not Boston for all of you?

I will be applying this summer, MA resident and am definetly looking at the school. Why is it a turn off, aside from $

 

[exmike]

oh yeah, i wouldn't have donated $100 to the B.U. admissions/money laundering fund.

 

[taehong81]

Would have applied to: Baylor, Michigan, Chicago, Hopkins, UCLA
Would have not applied to: Wright State, Vandy

 

[jlee9531]

would have knocked off my list these schools:

Albany, BU, Finch, Drexel, GW, Georgetown, Loma Linda, Mayo, MCO, MCW, NYMC, Penn St., Rush, Temple, UIC, VCU...

would like to have added:

Hopkins, Emory, Baylor.

 

[Downhill Racer]

Also if a school sends you an email that based on your MCAT they want you to apply... trust me... its a scam, yup I'm talkin about you MCW. I'm not bitter, just poorer 🙂

Avoid: BU, Gtwn, Albany, Finch, MCW
Shoulda: Columbia, Stanford, Maryland, Northwestern, Miami

 

[morecowbell]

would NOT have applied at:

WashU, Cornell, UPitt

wasted 800+ applying/interviewing at these 3...for each his/her own..

 

[genome25]

i should had not applied to any ivy league schools! all of them asked me about parent affliation! i knew i had no chance...

 

[ForensicPath]

I would have applied to any school that accepts me and I would not have applied to any school that rejects me. Talk about a huge financial savings.

 

[ice_23]

Originally posted by ForensicPath
I would have applied to any school that accepts me and I would not have applied to any school that rejects me. Talk about a huge financial savings.

I second that.

-Ice

 

[docmemi]

i would not apply to harvard, hopkins, yale, and dartmouth. what a waste!

i would apply to boston u, einstein, mount sinai, and stanford (i would return my secondary!), washington u, and u washington, NYU.

 

[A.D.O.R.]

Would've applied to: medical schools in Hotlanta (ATL) and Flawda (FL)
Would've skipped: Stanford and Harvard

 

[CalBeE]

I would have skipped:
Georgetown (Self-explanatory)
Tufts
UVA (They don't even really consider foreign students)
U Penn (Same reason as UVA)

Should have applied:
Cornell (At least I should have given it a try)
Baylor (Heard they had good financial package for int'l students)

 

[Eraserhead]

If I had it to do over again I would only have applied to the CA schools and NYC schools... and then maybe a few back ups.

 

[adesua]

Originally posted by CalBeE
I would have skipped:
Georgetown (Self-explanatory)
Tufts
UVA (They don't even really consider foreign students)
U Penn (Same reason as UVA)

Hey CalBeE is it true that UPenn don't really consider international students?

Thanks.

 

[acab]

Apply: Hopkins, Baylor, Wash U.
Not Apply: Harvard.

 

[Gleevec]

Wouldnt have applied to: Pitt, UChicago, WashU, JHU

 

[CalBeE]

Originally posted by adesua
Hey CalBeE is it true that UPenn don't really consider international students?

Thanks.

They do, but I believe it's one of those schools where foreign students are in a separate pile for consideration and it's harder to get in.

Some other schools though, don't separate out int'l students' app, and you have similar chance of getting in as residents.

 

[kwanny]

would not apply: BU, Tufts, Northwestern, Einstein, USC
would apply: Baylor, UMich, JHU

 

[oldtimer]

Not: UChicago, Cornell, Vandy
Should: JHU, Columbia

 

[CalBeE]

Originally posted by oldtimer
Not: UChicago, Cornell, Vandy
Should: JHU, Columbia

Why No for Cornell and Yes for Columbia??

 

[Anka]

I would have skipped Drexel. Everywhere else I went I looked around and said, "Wow, this would be a great place to spend four years." I left Drexel thinking, "If that's the only place I get in, I'll reapply next year."

Anka

 

[ZekeMD]

Not Apply: UChicago, Duke, Mayo, MSU, Drexel, Mt. Sinai, Einstein, Cornell

Apply: Stanford, Baylor, Michigan, Wash U., UC's, Miami (need to have at least one warm place)

 

[bigbaubdi]

I should have applied to: WashU, UCSF, UPitt

I should not have applied to: GW

 

[antoniodlc]

Originally posted by Downhill Racer
Also if a school sends you an email that based on your MCAT they want you to apply... trust me... its a scam, yup I'm talkin about you MCW. I'm not bitter, just poorer 🙂

Avoid: BU, Gtwn, Albany, Finch, MCW
Shoulda: Columbia, Stanford, Maryland, Northwestern, Miami

that's kinda funny in that i had no intent on applying to mcw, until they sent me an e-mail. that was the first school i got into and most likely the school i will attend this fall. so it wasn't a scam for me...lol

 

[piotr13]

Why not Boston for the majority of you? What's wrong with BU?

 

[zinjanthropus]

.

 

[zinjanthropus]

the problem with BU is that EVERYONE applies and EVERYONE gives them 100 bux. now, if they took that huge amount of money from the admissions cycle and offered nice financial aid packages, it would be one thing, but they don't

i think since so many people apply to BU it makes a school with only moderatley competitive numbers a fairly competitive school with an expensive application process and expensive tuition even if you do get in (or even hear anything after you submit a secondary, which given the high number of applicants, is not even that likely)

i would have taken all the BU type schools off my list if i did it over again (basically anyone with an app fee over $65!). I would think more about the reality of going to one of these schools as well. As long as you get one acceptance at a state school, these places become not much of an option. Therefore, why did I waste the money applying to them if I wouldn't go to begin with?!

Not apply: BU, tufts, drexel, nymc, einstein

 

[felipe5]

not apply: harvard, einstein, mayo
apply: baylor, stanford, hopkins


also.......i woulda turned in all this crap earlier than october

 

[snapdad]

Originally posted by Downhill Racer
Also if a school sends you an email that based on your MCAT they want you to apply... trust me... its a scam, yup I'm talkin about you MCW. I'm not bitter, just poorer 🙂

YES!! Exact same thing happened to me, and I still haven't heard anything from them post-secondary, even though I was complete in August. Grrr. 😡

 

[Downhill Racer]

LOL about MCW, I guess our small sample size here shows 1 in 3 odds for accept... so I guess those ain't bad! I do think its a great school that gave me no love!!!

zinjanthropus -- I think you have something there... I think all future apps should examine private schools with high applicants...
I dont feel I received a fair shake there... and with the increasing number of applicants these days, this could be a trend where our limited money is used to finance rejections... none of the schools mentioned have provided any kind of "service"... I mean is it that hard to have an automated email reply stating that your application is still being considered or a status webpage that actually tells you something informative.... c'mon!! I think schools that have taken advantage of the strong determination of many of us pre-meds... and that is unfortunate... enough of this rant... 🙂

 

[No Egrets]

I would have applied to:
Duke (endured the secondary)
Columbia (endured the non-AMCAS ness)

I would NOT have applied to:
GW (what was I thinking? and they didn't even want me!)
Georgetown (would not attend over my state school)
BU (expensive app fee, too many applicants)

Basically, being a TX resident puts you at a considerable advantage given the quality of Baylor and UT Southwestern, as long as you can get into one of those! Then it makes places like GW and Gtown look like a big waste of money.

 

[greggth]

I would have applied to schools in Australia, Canada, and the UK. I want to go overseas.

 

[DannGee]

apply: WashU, NW'ern, Harvard

not apply: Mayo, MCW, Ohio State

 

[bokermmk]

Woulda:
Emory
Rochester
MSSM
AECOM

Woulda not:
SIU (too rural and primary care oriented)
Loyola (their application process is ridiculas and basically prohibits first time August MCATers to be directly admitted)
Mayo (too cold)
Harvard (awesome school, but I didnt realize that my high numbers really dont help me much there)

 

[gary5]

I interviewed recently at Georgetown, and the Dean of the Medical School presented us with a schematic of the architectural improvements they're making to their facilities that will be completed this summer. So, I never saw the really bad facilities that people talk about.

I'm assuming that's why Georgetown gets a bad rap. Correct?

 

[adesua]

Originally posted by CalBeE
They do, but I believe it's one of those schools where foreign students are in a separate pile for consideration and it's harder to get in.

Some other schools though, don't separate out int'l students' app, and you have similar chance of getting in as residents.

Thanks for the info CalBeE. Maybe we can start a thread on schools that are like this so that prospective international applicants will be wary.

 

[supereagles]

Originally posted by adesua
Thanks for the info CalBeE. Maybe we can start a thread on schools that are like this so that prospective international applicants will be wary.

Niga man, i hear you. I would have saved myself a lot of time and $$$ had i known about some of the things i know today. Anyway thanks to you good folks on SDN.

 

[essbe]

Originally posted by gary5
I interviewed recently at Georgetown, and the Dean of the Medical School presented us with a schematic of the architectural improvements they're making to their facilities that will be completed this summer. So, I never saw the really bad facilities that people talk about.

I'm assuming that's why Georgetown gets a bad rap. Correct?

I don't know why everyone knocks G-town so much. I recently interviewed there out of sheer curiosity since I'm local. I was very impressed with the deans' discussions about the curriculum and philosophy. I've interviewed/been accepted at higher-ranked schools, but G-town's deans were by far the most articulate about giving the school an identity unique from their peers. Granted, I was disappointed with the tour (and the guides), but my interviewer, a current MS4, was brilliant. I'd consider attending.

On another note,
Should have applied: Baylor, UMich, WashU, Cornell
Should not: GW, Dartmouth, UMD, Tufts

 

[rgporter]

I would have turned my AMCAS in the first day it was available.

Wouldn't apply: UCSF, Creighton, GW
Would apply: it depends, if I am not accepted to any of the out-of-state schools where I applied, I guess I would have applied to Utah.

 

[periodic]

Should have applied: UCLA, Emory, UMich
Should not have applied: GW, BU

Should have:

gotten my stuff in ASAP (finished secondaries in Sept.)
had my personal statement reviewed more (at least for my peace of mind)
scheduled more interviews in blocks to cut down traveling

and...

found a bag small enough to be carry-on that holds a suit nicely but has wheels

 

[Optimist]

Would: Columbia, Rochester, Tulane
Not: UChicago, St Louis, WashU, Creighton
(Actually I have nothing against Creighton whatsoever; it's a great school; I just don't think Omaha is the place for me. I felt terrible turning down my interview. 🙁 )

 

[Auricae]

45??? If you need to apply to 45 schools, maybe you should consider taking some time off and working on your resume...

Originally posted by Mr Reddly
Would not: Boston University.

Would have: applied to MORE.

I only finished about 45 of the secondaries.

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by Mr Reddly
Thanks for the suggestion. We'll see how things turn out. So far, 1 accept (arrived late october to Case), 2 no news yet (post interview... Remember, NU is not rolling), 4 waitlists (1 in cali), and 4 interviews declined (by me)... We'll see.

Actually I did work on the CV (35MCAT). The problem is a black mark from a longtime ago that still can overshadow what I've done lately. Thus 45 and would have done more to make sure I don't have to do this again like 1/2 the people who apply. And remember, I'm from Cali.

me too, almost exactly the same as you.

 

[LoneCoyote]

Would not:

Temple (why did I bother?)
Hawaii (cool pbl & community medicine focus but no chance as an out-of-stater)
Drew/UCLA (all their problems really turned me off from what sounded like a great program)

Would apply:
UCSF (I thought I had no chance but it would've been worth a shot)
UPitt (I've heard such good stuff about Pitt it might make the cold weather worth it)
USC (the cost made me skip it but it was a mistake to give up a Cali school)

Overall, I am glad I limited my applications to mostly California schools and a few others. Even though it is an agonizing, slow wait on the UCs, I am glad I did not have to fly all over to interview. I just hope it pays off in the end and I don't have to reapply!!