MD - open houses nonexistant?

[estradiol9]

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Do allopathic medical schools have open houses? I've searched and can't seem to find much information but I've found open house information for osteopathic schools. Why is that the case?

IF an allopathic school does have an open house, when is it usually? I'm applying next cycle but would like to attend any open houses I can before then so I can decide if I want to apply to said school before I waste some $100 on an application.

 

[boobelle]

Do allopathic medical schools have open houses? I've searched and can't seem to find much information but I've found open house information for osteopathic schools. Why is that the case?

IF an allopathic school does have an open house, when is it usually? I'm applying next cycle but would like to attend any open houses I can before then so I can decide if I want to apply to said school before I waste some $100 on an application.

If they exist, I've never heard of it.

Frankly, that's most of the point of the (mandatory) interview day, where you spend the entire day on campus and do all the "open-house" activities in addition to being interviewed. This isn't like applying to college, where you can get away with only applying to a couple of schools...currently 56% of people who apply to med school each year don't get accepted *anywhere*, and plenty of people with solid applications get rejected (often because they did not apply broadly enough).

The way to pick schools is to research them. Get a copy of the MSAR. Go to their websites. If you feel so compelled that you need to physically go to campus beforehand, but it's something you'll likely have to arrange on your own...but personally I'd save your money for the transportation/hotel if and when you get invited to interview.

 

[gravitywave]

Do allopathic medical schools have open houses? I've searched and can't seem to find much information but I've found open house information for osteopathic schools. Why is that the case?

IF an allopathic school does have an open house, when is it usually? I'm applying next cycle but would like to attend any open houses I can before then so I can decide if I want to apply to said school before I waste some $100 on an application.

osteo schools sell themselves more aggressively than US allo schools do, frankly because the allo schools don't feel like they have to. the fact that the applicant/seat ratio for osteo is now higher than that of US allo might have some reconsidering that position, however.....

anyway, i guess i'm a little confused here... you don't want to spend $100 on a secondary, but you are willing to invest time and more money into traveling to a school 😕 you're better off just researching places using the MSAR and the intarwebs. talk to people too, maybe some of them know things. a couple things i'll mention will be that 1) location is huge (where do you see yourself living/working for the next four years) and 2) i think you'll be surprised at how much more similar med schools are to each other than they are different. it's really not like undergrad at all that way.

 

[EpicBearMan]

before I waste some $100 on an application.

I'm pretty sure it will cost you more than $100 in travel expenses to go visit the schools, besides the ones in your hometown. Most people apply to somewhere between 15-20 ish schools. It's just not feasible to go visit them before you apply.

 

[byurazorhog]

I echo what some of the above posters have said. I wouldn't just go to an open house if travel ended up costing me a couple of hundred extra dollars. Apply broadly, even to schools you don't even think you like to attend. Pre-meds have no leverage in the medical school admission process and this applies to those who think they have solid stats too.

But to answer your question regarding the existence of open houses, I've heard of and actually attended one before. My state allopathic school held one last April to provide information for the current cycle. Those in attendance got a chance to meet and ask questions of members of the admissions office and some of the faculty. It was a great event with good turn-out and I hope they do that again for those applying this year.

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Open house? I am not sure but these medical schools do have medical school tours over the summer. I attended one last year!

 

[Sammich117]

My school (FSU) is having open house this Saturday.

 

[drizzt3117]

osteo schools sell themselves more aggressively than US allo schools do, frankly because the allo schools don't feel like they have to. the fact that the applicant/seat ratio for osteo is now higher than that of US allo might have some reconsidering that position, however.....

Cuz allo schools don't have enough applicants? 🙄

anyway, i guess i'm a little confused here... you don't want to spend $100 on a secondary, but you are willing to invest time and more money into traveling to a school 😕 you're better off just researching places using the MSAR and the intarwebs. talk to people too, maybe some of them know things. a couple things i'll mention will be that 1) location is huge (where do you see yourself living/working for the next four years) and 2) i think you'll be surprised at how much more similar med schools are to each other than they are different. it's really not like undergrad at all that way.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Hopkins normally has two-three summer visit days for prospective students.

 

[Disinence2]

If you make friends with a student at the school they will likely show you around. Md schools are flooded with applicants, but I know a few do have "pre-med" days. Be sure to check out the website

 

[MilkmanAl]

UAMS has/had an open house at some point this week. I would've helped lead it, but it's a bit tough to get away from peds wards in the morning.

 

[apumic]

Many do do this, esp. for in-state applicants and such. Usually, your pre-med advisor is the one who will be told when these are, how to register, etc.

 

[estradiol9]

osteo schools sell themselves more aggressively than US allo schools do, frankly because the allo schools don't feel like they have to. the fact that the applicant/seat ratio for osteo is now higher than that of US allo might have some reconsidering that position, however.....

anyway, i guess i'm a little confused here... you don't want to spend $100 on a secondary, but you are willing to invest time and more money into traveling to a school 😕 you're better off just researching places using the MSAR and the intarwebs. talk to people too, maybe some of them know things. a couple things i'll mention will be that 1) location is huge (where do you see yourself living/working for the next four years) and 2) i think you'll be surprised at how much more similar med schools are to each other than they are different. it's really not like undergrad at all that way.

I am in close driving distance of a huge number of medical schools so I would still be saving money if they had open houses and I chose to/not to apply to that school. Of course, I would not bother going to an open house for a school on the other side of the country but as for the schools in NJ, NY, PA, and MD.. well I could easily drive to any of them to attend an open house.

 

[apumic]

I am in close driving distance of a huge number of medical schools so I would still be saving money if they had open houses and I chose to/not to apply to that school. Of course, I would not bother going to an open house for a school on the other side of the country but as for the schools in NJ, NY, PA, and MD.. well I could easily drive to any of them to attend an open house.

Call and find out then. Nevertheless, I still don't think you're going to find out much from simply walking around and, really, unless you're a very strong applicant (and you really won't fully know that until schools respond or don't respond), you probably won't have the luxury of being so choosy in where you apply. Just use the MSAR and pick schools that look good to you.

 

[mvenus929]

Both the school I currently attend and my state school have open houses for pre-med applicants, but I think it's generally done through the pre-med advisers at specific schools.

I hadn't ever been to my school (or the area around my school) prior to my interview, but I fell in love when I was here and my feelings were strengthened during second look. So, it's completely possible to get to know a school by the interview day, and follow up questions afterwards. If there's something specific in the area that you're looking for... the internet is your friend.

 

[Potatoman1800]

What are you going to get out of an "open house" or self-guided tour? How pretty the buildings are? You're not going to have access to anything interesting or relevant while there.

Walking up to students on campus and asking them questions might have variable responses.

Up to you really. I would just apply and see what happens during your cycle. When you interview, you can always spend an extra day before or after to check out the area. Staying with a student can also give you a candid perspective of the school and its program.

 

[misseskwee]

I am in close driving distance of a huge number of medical schools so I would still be saving money if they had open houses and I chose to/not to apply to that school. Of course, I would not bother going to an open house for a school on the other side of the country but as for the schools in NJ, NY, PA, and MD.. well I could easily drive to any of them to attend an open house.

Hofstra has an open house on oct22, saturday if you're still interested. I was looking through NY Schools websites and most only offer information sessions. But hofstra has one so I'm checking it out, also it's close to where I live. It's in Long island~

 

[CodeBlu]

Some of the schools have admissions webinars. Feinberg and OUWB come to mind.

 

[fletchffletch]

as for the schools in NJ, NY, PA, and MD.. well I could easily drive to any of them to attend an open house.

UMD does an open house in June

 

[penguinism]

Jefferson hosts open houses a couple of times each year. They give you a leg-up on the admissions process if you go.