Interviews at Top Schools but Rejection/Silence from others

[grump]

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I am extremely shocked and grateful to have had the opportunity to interview at 4 "Top 10" schools (as ranked by USNWR), including three "Top 3" schools. But I did not receive an interview from schools ranked much, much, much lower on most of these rankings.

I understand that rankings are somewhat of a silly way to understand selectivity, but I was wondering if anyone has any insight into why I may have been successful at traditionally more selective and prestigious schools and less successful at schools that I considered to be safety schools for me?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Because it's more about fit than anything else. Does your profile fit the profile of an applicant who typically interviews at a school? If so, you're much more likely to get an interview there than at a place where you don't have that same level of fit. That's why the idea of a "safety" in med school admissions is misleading.

 

[Lucca]

do u have very high stats (78+ LM) with a heavy basic science back ground? What was your full school list? It could be that you are being placed in the "low yield, wait for later" pile at schools that, like Wedge said, you are not the best fit for, or whose stats are much lower and consider you low yield, while at top schools you might be a pretty typical interviewee so you were picked up right away. In any case, I would feel very good with 4 interviews at those institutions. Nothing is guaranteed -- obviously -- but your post-interview chances of being accepted at one of those schools should be favorable.

If it's any consolation, I have a friend in the current cycle here in Texas who received interviews to top 10 schools before hearing anything back from Texas, so you are not completely alone.

 

[grump]

Because it's more about fit than anything else. Does your profile fit the profile of an applicant who typically interviews at a school? If so, you're much more likely to get an interview there than at a place where you don't have that same level of fit. That's why the idea of a "safety" in med school admissions is misleading.

How would I go about assessing the profile of a typical applicant who interviews at a given school? I always thought most schools were more similar than different...What are examples of differences between schools and how they influence the type of students who are admitted?

 

[grump]

do u have very high stats (78+ LM) with a heavy basic science back ground? What was your full school list? It could be that you are being placed in the "low yield, wait for later" pile at schools that, like Wedge said, you are not the best fit for, or whose stats are much lower and consider you low yield, while at top schools you might be a pretty typical interviewee so you were picked up right away. In any case, I would feel very good with 4 interviews at those institutions. Nothing is guaranteed -- obviously -- but your post-interview chances of being accepted at one of those schools should be favorable.

If it's any consolation, I have a friend in the current cycle here in Texas who received interviews to top 10 schools before hearing anything back from Texas, so you are not completely alone.

Yes I have high stats, strong ECs, and strong awards. So you think it's possible I was screened out for having an application that was too competitive? It would be awful if someone were too competitive for lower ranked schools and not competitive enough for top schools! 🙁

Thank you though! This definitely helps me rationalize why I got such disappointing news from some schools. But I'm still very happy about my interview offers.

 

[ciestar]

Yes I have high stats, strong ECs, and strong awards. So you think it's possible I was screened out for having an application that was too competitive? It would be awful if someone were too competitive for lower ranked schools and not competitive enough for top schools! 🙁

Thank you though! This definitely helps me rationalize why I got such disappointing news from some schools. But I'm still very happy about my interview offers.

Unfortunately it's something sometimes referred to a yield protection. Schools tend to avoid interviewing candidates they think would never matriculate there and think that their school is only being used as a "safety". (That and many of the "lower-tier" schools that receive a lot of applications are low yield overall).

It may not seem just or fair, but when you're far and above their median gpa/mcat, they do tend to screen them out and then target applicants more within their range, as these types of applicants aren't getting interviews from Harvard, they're getting interviews from their own target schools, and these schools know this.

 

[gyngyn]

It's resource management.
Applicants have no limit on the number of schools to which they can apply. Schools only have the time and resources to interview a small percentage of these applicants. There is no sense in interviewing hundreds of applicants who are likely to go elsewhere.

 

[WedgeDawg]

How would I go about assessing the profile of a typical applicant who interviews at a given school? I always thought most schools were more similar than different...What are examples of differences between schools and how they influence the type of students who are admitted?

Use my applicant rating system (see my sig)

 

[Psai]

No one is too competitive for medical school. It's not like the application committee is sitting around going well this girl has a 4.0/525 she's too smart to be a doctor so let's reject. Every school has superstars.

 

[aldol16]

I think that as the cycle progresses, you'll notice, if you applied broadly, that the schools you get IIs from are all from a certain ranking band. The process is a two-way street and schools are assessing whether or not you fit their conception of what their typical student looks like.

 

[Goro]

Based upon historic norms, schools interview people who they believe are most likely to attend. Hence, Drexel and Loyola will be taking a pass on you. This is known as resource protection, because interview spaces and resources are finite.

I am extremely shocked and grateful to have had the opportunity to interview at 4 "Top 10" schools (as ranked by USNWR), including three "Top 3" schools. But I did not receive an interview from schools ranked much, much, much lower on most of these rankings.

I understand that rankings are somewhat of a silly way to understand selectivity, but I was wondering if anyone has any insight into why I may have been successful at traditionally more selective and prestigious schools and less successful at schools that I considered to be safety schools for me?