Med Schools accept 2x what they expect to matriculate, right?

[Pewl]

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I was under the impression that med schools generally accept twice the number of people that they expect to matriculate. Is this a reasonable estimate?

 

[Bluntman]

I was under the impression that med schools generally accept twice the number of people that they expect to matriculate. Is this a reasonable estimate?

It varies a lot. Check out all the stats on U.S. News - they have it all. Offhand tho, I'd say your average is a bit high.

 

[thegenius]

It's close to 2x. For some schools it might even exceed 2x. Michigan told us interviewers that they accept about 300 for a class of 170. Last year they did NOT dip into the waitlist. So it was right around 300.

 

[NapeSpikes]

Depends on the school. Drexel accepts way more than two times while Harvard accepts significantly less.

 

[JimiThing]

To be more specific, all schools, including law, business, and regular old college, calculate what percentage of accepted students matriculate, and base the number of acceptances they award on that trend. Some go even further, and track what percentage of each sub category (black, white, hispanic, gay, etc.) and base some of their numbers on this as well. So a place like Harvard can accept fewer than 2x (since most people that get into Harvard go to Harvard), where as a place like the Hollywood Upstairs Medical College would accept much more than 2x.

 

[Pewl]

To be more specific, all schools, including law, business, and regular old college, calculate what percentage of accepted students matriculate, and base the number of acceptances they award on that trend. Some go even further, and track what percentage of each sub category (black, white, hispanic, gay, etc.) and base some of their numbers on this as well. So a place like Harvard can accept fewer than 2x (since most people that get into Harvard go to Harvard), where as a place like the Hollywood Upstairs Medical College would accept much more than 2x.

HAHAHA "Hollywood Upstairs Medical College!" But that's where Dr. Nick Riviera went to school!

"Hi, everybody!"

"Hi, Dr. Nick!"

 

[doctorFred]

alright, so this begs the question (which has probably already been answered, so i apologize,) what happens if a school has 150 spots, has accepted 250 applicants, and 160 of them choose to matriculate? i've heard of schools moving people from the waitlist to the accepted list, but can you be "bumped" off the accepted list, as if it were an overbooked airline?

 

[Karim]

I am wondering the same exact thing..."Even though we accepted you earlier, we changed our minds. I'm sorry for making you all excited. We'll take that! (your acceptance 😀)"

 

[little_late_MD]

I am wondering the same exact thing..."Even though we accepted you earlier, we changed our minds. I'm sorry for making you all excited. We'll take that! (your acceptance 😀)"

I don't believe that would be possible, as an acceptance would seem to be a contract. Although, I imagine they have some teeny tiny print on there that says "Admissions status is subject to change at any time for any reason..." However, it would look pretty bad on a school if they started rescinding admissions. I think if they over-admitted they would most likely just eat it for that term, and reduce their acceptances the next year.

But since I don't know for sure, I'm kinda talking out of my rectum right now.

 

[Em1]

I know some schools don't accept any more than they can take.

For example, a given school might have 150 spots, so they'll send out 150 acceptances and only offer additional spots as people turn them down.

I don't know exactly which schools do it like that, but it means a lot more people will be pulled off the wait list.

 

[themadchemist]

I don't believe that would be possible, as an acceptance would seem to be a contract. Although, I imagine they have some teeny tiny print on there that says "Admissions status is subject to change at any time for any reason..." However, it would look pretty bad on a school if they started rescinding admissions. I think if they over-admitted they would most likely just eat it for that term, and reduce their acceptances the next year.

But since I don't know for sure, I'm kinda talking out of my rectum right now.

No, you're not talking out of your rectum, that would require vocal cords down there. You're talking straight out of your mouth and no BS either. That's what schools usually do.

I don't know whether an acceptance is a contract per se, but I feel like rescinding an acceptance would be something actionable in a court of law.

 

[LizzyM]

I was talking with a Dean of Admissions about this just the other day and the Dean recalled that a few years ago Cornell had a better yield (accepted offers/offers) than expected and they offered some of them a free year of tuition plus free housing (in their posh NYC neighborhood???) for the year they took off.

It is an expensive mistake so Deans and adcoms try to avoid it.

 

[Labslave]

It's close to 2x. For some schools it might even exceed 2x. Michigan told us interviewers that they accept about 300 for a class of 170. Last year they did NOT dip into the waitlist. So it was right around 300.

Actually, they offered admission to 375 students last year and had 177 accept for a class of 170 (Dr. Ruiz told me this himself). For the extra students, they just bit the bullet and took on 7 more students. According to the same source, the number of students they plan on accepting for this year is going to be reduced to 350 or even 325...normally, they fill about 1/3 of their class from the waitlist. In any event, it looks like the theory you guys have developed is dead on (no offers for admission are rescinded).

 

[ShyRem]

I know some schools don't accept any more than they can take.

For example, a given school might have 150 spots, so they'll send out 150 acceptances and only offer additional spots as people turn them down.

I don't know exactly which schools do it like that, but it means a lot more people will be pulled off the wait list.

VCU does this. They have 184 seats and at any one time after March 15 they have exactly 184 acceptances out. No more. But this also means that on Monday (the first acceptance day) they will only hand out about 20 acceptances. 🙁

 

[sunnyjohn]

I was talking with a Dean of Admissions about this just the other day and the Dean recalled that a few years ago Cornell had a better yield (accepted offers/offers) than expected and they offered some of them a free year of tuition plus free housing (in their posh NYC neighborhood???) for the year they took off.

It is an expensive mistake so Deans and adcoms try to avoid it.

Hell. I'd grab that and do a stupid happy dance!

Almost like winning the Mega Millions.
😛

 

[45408]

This year's M1 class at UWisc is 164 or so, instead of the 150 that it usually is. They did overbook the class, but they have enough seats in the auditorium, and their accreditation is for some number above 164 students, so they just swallowed the lump. They'll likely have a smaller number of acceptances this year though. 😉

 

[BradenDO]

That happened to KCUMB last year, and they offered students a discount in tuition if they would wait and start a year later.