Is applying to 50 schools ridiculous?

[whole9yards]

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Hey Guys!

I submitted my primary mid-June and was verified at the beginning of July. I initially decided to apply to 35 schools, and have completed 25/35 secondaries thus far.

As of yet, I have received 1 rejection from Mayo, and have not heard back from any of the other schools (some of my friends are already receiving Interview invites).

I applied to almost all of the top 20 schools, and I am now realizing that this might have been a mistake, since I probably should have applied to more middle-ranked schools due to my GPA/MCAT (3.63c/3.59s and 32S).

Therefore, I am trying to determine whether or not I should apply to 15 more middle-ranked schools where my stats are a better match. I think it would be a good idea and would give me a better shot at getting interviews/invites, and ultimately, may yield more acceptances. However, that would bring my total number of schools to 50, which is ridiculously high.

What do you guys think? Should I go for it, or should I just apply to 5 more schools rather than 15 more?

Thanks in advance!!

**Also, money isn't an issue because I have FAP, so I only have to pay $30 a school**

The schools I have applied to are:
(not yet done with secondaries): duke, vanderbilt, tufts, new york medical college, UCSF, wayne state, UCLA, albany, mount sinai, Northwestern, penn state

(secondaries completed): UCSD, hopkins, Brown, Case, Harvard, Ohio State, UCI, Emory, Albert Einstein, GW, Stanford, USC, St. Louis, U Pitt, Columbia, U Mich, Cornell, UCD, NYU, U Penn, Mayo, Yale, Dartmouth, Wash U

The schools I want to add are 15 out of the following 17: Rosalind Franklin, Creighton, Drexel, Hofstra, Thomas Jefferson, Rush, Tulane, Temple, USU, Rochester, University of Utah, Howard, Loyola, Wake Forest, V Tech, Vermont, and MC Wisconsin

 

[Ruhroh]

If you have the money and are not scared of secondary burnout, apply to as many as you like. Selecting top schools with those stats was probably wasted effort.

 

[Narmerguy]

Moving to WAMC.

 

[TipToad]

I wouldn't. Do you even want to go to some of the schools that you've applied to? And the MONEY. Applying to 15 more schools would cost at least $500 just for the primary app.

 

[whole9yards]

I wouldn't. Do you even want to go to some of the schools that you've applied to? And the MONEY. Applying to 15 more schools would cost at least $500 just for the primary app.

Thanks for your response!
I definitely want to go to all of the schools I applied to, I looked into them quite in depth prior to selecting them, but they are very competitive. I would be willing to spend the $500, if it means getting in somewhere and not having to reapply next cycle!

 

[Ironmandoc]

Thanks for your response!
I definitely want to go to all of the schools I applied to, I looked into them quite in depth prior to selecting them, but they are very competitive. I would be willing to spend the $500, if it means getting in somewhere and not having to reapply next cycle!

495 bucks for 15 primaries...then you have secondary app fees which could run you from 500-1000 on top of the 495. Then, any interviews are going to cost a bunch in travel. Adding 15 schools could potentially add thousands.

The worst part...writing essays for 15 secondaries. I wrote 16 total and almost killed myself, I can't imagine 50. That would take months!!

 

[PreMedOrDead]

I wouldn't. Do you even want to go to some of the schools that you've applied to? And the MONEY. Applying to 15 more schools would cost at least $500 just for the primary app.

FAP

I thought it only paid for 14 schools though. Does it pay for ALL schools' secondaries?

50 schools, even with FAP would leave you paying for 36 of them. $34*36+$100*36= $4824

And that's just in I/II apps....

 

[whole9yards]

Hey!

Thanks for the response!
Yes, FAP covers all schools secondaries, so it will only be the $500 for the primary fees.

I wonder if aside from the fee's/writing, if applying to 50 schools is just ridiculous. Has anyone heard of someone that has applied to that many?

 

[baylorgirl]

i'm from texas so most the people i encounter only apply to the 9 texas schools, so 50 sounds like a big number, but I have heard of 30 schools. Honestly if you like all the schools you plan on applying to and don't mind the money or work, then go for it. It's better to go all in now than having to face a possibility of reapplying next year (which would be just as much money and time consuming). best of luck!

 

[UrshumMurshum]

"Is applying to 50 schools ridiculous?"

Yes.

 

[235009]

you definitely need to apply to more schools that are in your MCAT range. you almost certainly will not get into any top 20 schools. i think you'll get better advice if you post the list of schools you have already applied to, which ones you've already filled out the secondaries to and which you plan on adding. I would say 10 to 15 more schools that you have a chance at would be a good idea and definitely put the secondaries of the top 20 schools on the backburner until you finish all the secondaries of the schools you actually have a shot at.

 

[whole9yards]

Thanks for the response!

The schools I have applied to are:
(not yet done with secondaries): duke, vanderbilt, tufts, new york medical college, UCSF, wayne state, UCLA, albany, mount sinai, Northwestern, penn state

(secondaries completed): UCSD, hopkins, Brown, Case, Harvard, Ohio State, UCI, Emory, Albert Einstein, GW, Stanford, USC, St. Louis, U Pitt, Columbia, U Mich, Cornell, UCD, NYU, U Penn, Mayo, Yale, Dartmouth, Wash U

The schools I want to add are 15 out of the following 17: Rosalind Franklin, Creighton, Drexel, Hofstra, Thomas Jefferson, Rush, Tulane, Temple, USU, Rochester, University of Utah, Howard, Loyola, Wake Forest, V Tech, Vermont, and MC Wisconsin

 

[carnelian]

How are you selecting schools???

Normally I would definitely advise against applying to 50 schools... However, seeing that the ones you currently have are all reaches, adding more schools within your range is probably a good idea. Also, as skinMD already said, prioritize secondaries for the schools within your range and stop working on the reaches (ie. duke, vanderbilt, UCs, etc.)! What's your state of residency? You might want to apply to more state schools. Also, it'd do you more good to spend more time on each secondary, instead of rushing through everything...

 

[whole9yards]

How are you selecting schools???

Normally I would definitely advise against applying to 50 schools... However, seeing that the ones you currently have are all reaches, adding more schools within your range is probably a good idea. Also, as skinMD already said, prioritize secondaries for the schools within your range and stop working on the reaches (ie. duke, vanderbilt, UCs, etc.)! What's your state of residency? You might want to apply to more state schools. Also, it'd do you more good to spend more time on each secondary, instead of rushing through everything...

Thanks for the advice!!!
I am a CA resident. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts, I really appreciate it. I think I will add the following 15 schools: Franklin, Creighton, Drexel, Hofstra, Jefferson, Rush, Tulane, Temple, USU, Rochester, Loyola, Wake Forest, V Tech, Vermont, MC Wisconsin

They are more in my range and aren't as competitive as the ones I have already applied to 🙂
Thank you!

 

[La Presse]

You are crazy. lol. I would just apply to 30 max. IS and OOS safeties.

 

[235009]

Thanks for the advice!!!
I am a CA resident. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts, I really appreciate it. I think I will add the following 15 schools: Franklin, Creighton, Drexel, Hofstra, Jefferson, Rush, Tulane, Temple, USU, Rochester, Loyola, Wake Forest, V Tech, Vermont, MC Wisconsin

They are more in my range and aren't as competitive as the ones I have already applied to 🙂
Thank you!

those 15 look pretty good. have you checked in the MSAR the OOS interview rates at the states schools you are picking? are they favorable?

 

[grapepopsicle]

What do your ECs look like? Research?

 

[AllDay24]

.

 

[flodhi1]

As crazy as this may sound, if you feel comfortable and have a peace of mind by applying to 50 schools without financially burdening yourself then sure go ahead. I know it's rough for CA residents and it's important that you apply in a timely manner (early) and as broadly as you can. With that being said I feel like you might have wasted your money on some of the schools you applied to but hey who knows you might get lucky. I would have applied to 35-40 schools tops based on your state residency and stats but hey God bless you on 50. Also don't forget to apply to VCU and NYMC they have a history of accepting a decent amount of California residents. Good luck!

 

[pre med 2014]

if you are really set on the top schools, taking a year off and getting some meaningful work experience, volunteer experience and general life experience could set you over the edge. Still a risk though, I would recommend just to apply to more mid-tier schools whatever that means.

 

[2tim17]

nope, i think it's less ridiculous than having to reapply again

 

[eHombre]

Thanks for the advice!!!
I am a CA resident. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts, I really appreciate it. I think I will add the following 15 schools: Franklin, Creighton, Drexel, Hofstra, Jefferson, Rush, Tulane, Temple, USU, Rochester, Loyola, Wake Forest, V Tech, Vermont, MC Wisconsin

They are more in my range and aren't as competitive as the ones I have already applied to 🙂
Thank you!

Drexel, Jefferson, Temple, Franklin, Tufts, Tulane, NY Med, GW are all terrible safety schools (they receive >10k apps/yr). I mean, go ahead and apply anyway, but just saying. Have you looked at Iowa-Carver? Great school, relatively few applications.

 

[Adele358]

You got FAP? I sent a PM to your inbox.

 

[Doctor246853]

Good news: you will get in somewhere
Bad news: you wasted a lot of money

 

[jsak]

Take it from me. I am currently applying to 60 schools and I decided not to apply to about 10 of them so effectively I have like 50 schools im applying to. I've completed about 25 secondaries so far and I'm waiting on another 10.

Is it ridiculously hard to do this? Yes...is it a ridiculous amount of money? Yes but I have very bad stats and you can notice here:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=938710

 

[Gnomo]

You wasted your money applying to about ten of those schools.

 

[coolingglasses]

Take it from me. I am currently applying to 60 schools and I decided not to apply to about 10 of them so effectively I have like 50 schools im applying to. I've completed about 25 secondaries so far and I'm waiting on another 10.

Is it ridiculously hard to do this? Yes...is it a ridiculous amount of money? Yes but I have very bad stats and you can notice here:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=938710

Even by MD standards those aren't horrible stats.

My goodness, 60 schools. My pre-med advisor told me to stick with 15 and I thought I was pushing the envelope by doing 20-21.

 

[jsak]

Even by MD standards those aren't horrible stats.

My goodness, 60 schools. My pre-med advisor told me to stick with 15 and I thought I was pushing the envelope by doing 20-21.

Someone once said, "You'll miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

So...honestly I'm a pessimist and I need to make sure I get into at least one school...or else I will cry...haha

 

[dextor2003]

Take it from me. I am currently applying to 60 schools and I decided not to apply to about 10 of them so effectively I have like 50 schools im applying to. I've completed about 25 secondaries so far and I'm waiting on another 10.

Is it ridiculously hard to do this? Yes...is it a ridiculous amount of money? Yes but I have very bad stats and you can notice here:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=938710

We have practically the same stats. In fact, yours are even better than mine. But I only applied to half the number you applied to--and that too because I'm having state residency issues. Otherwise, I would've applied to ~15. But I understand wanting to be safe than sorry..

To the OP: go for it.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Take it from me. I am currently applying to 60 schools and I decided not to apply to about 10 of them so effectively I have like 50 schools im applying to. I've completed about 25 secondaries so far and I'm waiting on another 10.

Is it ridiculously hard to do this? Yes...is it a ridiculous amount of money? Yes but I have very bad stats and you can notice here:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=938710

Why, oh why, are you applying to 50 schools with those stats?! C'mon man, save yourself some time, money, and sanity and just cut that number down. Don't get me wrong, I understand the "better safe than sorry" approach, but you are being REALLY, REALLY SAFE.

 

[jsak]

Well I'm a nontrad so I got the time and the money is an investment in my future.

I'm just afraid and I don't want to be a disappointment hahaha

 

[whole9yards]

Hey guys,

So I ended up applying to the extra schools (51 total). Yes, the secondaries were very time consuming, and im realizing that I didn't need to apply to the extra schools because I got interviews from 7 of the schools I originally applied to, for a total of 10 interviews.

Interviews are from: U Michigan, UCSD, UCI, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Case Western, Einstein, Temple, U Vermont, USU

I'm still waiting to hear back from 35 schools, and I honestly just wanna go to a UC, so I probably will reject any non-california schools once I find out if Im in a UC.

Ultimately (and this is for students applying in the future who are unsure if they want to apply to more schools to increase your chances), you will probably get a bunch of invites, just wait. Don't doubt your stats, EC's, but it doesn't hurt to apply to more schools. The invites I got from the extra schools I applied to were actually very helpful. Interviewing at U Vermont and USU prepared me for Dartmouth for example, and I realized that I actually really like Vermont. So its worth it, but its also a lot of work and not exactly necessary.

 

[Lucky Louie]

Applying to 60 schools is similar to what I was seeing when I applied to college. When it's free, the sky is the limit. Of course, I know it's different this time around. For college, you'll definitely get in somewhere, but there's not the same guarentee with med schools. At the same time, I really think it's bloating the system. You applied to some of those schools where you haven't much chance. Why bother? Even though it didn't cost you anything, it did ..... in your time and in their time. Why not whittle down your list to a smaller number, to the ones you really like and where you're a better fit.


This comment from another student is what I mean:

In retrospect, shouldn't have applied. ..... Rejected; not hurt since I completely expected it. Oh well

 

[dextor2003]

This comment from another student is what I mean:

Haha, this is the first (and probably the last) time in my life my "work" has been cited. Thank you 🙂

 

[Moosepig]

Hey guys,
I'm still waiting to hear back from 35 schools.

That is the most ridiculous sentence I have ever seen, hahaha. But more power to you man, its your money and your time, congratulations on 10! interviews.