More competitive this year than the last?

[fuzzywuz]

So who thinks this year will be more competitive than the year before?

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[MilkmanAl]

I seriously doubt it. There are many new schools opening up, and a large number of the existing schools are increasing their class sizes dramatically. The applicant pool would have to increase by 10% or more for this coming cycle to be more competitive.

 

[scrubswannabe]

i think every year, the people applying claim that it must be the most competitive this year
but i dont think its the case

 

[flip26]

The game is pretty much the same year after year. The goalposts aren't moving - there may be more people jostling around on the field - but you are either competitive or you are not.

The one thing you can control in the process is where you apply and how early you submit, as well as how quickly you return secondaries...that is how you gain an edge in the crowded field...

Applicants seem to get a little more savvy each year. I wonder how much higher the traffic is on SDN now versus last year or the year before that - my guess is it is much higher, and possibly an indicator that applicants are figuring out this process a little better than they used to...

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Im gonna have to say this past year 2008, 2007 or possibly 2009 will be the most competitive...2009 might be slightly less competitive due to some schools increasing their enrollment and the opening of two florida schools.

 

[Tensyle]

I think it will be equally as competitive, if not more. Only a few more spots are opening up, but the applicant pool remains enormous.

Apply early!!!

 

[chad5871]

Anyone else scared?

 

[RoadRunner17]

It will only feel that way because you'll have a vested interest in this particular cycle... so relax.

 

[Character]

Anyone else scared?

slap! get a hold of yourself!! (while shaking you vigorously)

 

[chad5871]

slap! get a hold of yourself!! (while shaking you vigorously)

Ah, much better.

 

[bozz]

A lot of schools median MCATs went up significantly, something I noticed in the MSAR

it's def. not getting less competitive

 

[ColKurtz]

Yeah, MCAT scores are higher now too.

 

[chad5871]

Yeah, MCAT scores are higher now too.

From the speculation I've heard, it could be due to the fact that it is much easier to retake the MCAT, and so many applicants are applying with multiple MCAT scores. I wonder how these students' MCATs are calculated into these statistics - is just the highest score averaged in? the most recent? all of them averaged together? I wish we had stats on how many times the average applicant took the MCAT.

 

[LizzyM]

Will the cost of travel (gas, airfares) cause top applicants to choose to interview at fewer schools? Will this make it possible for second tier applicants to be tapped for interviews?

Hard to say what might happen in the coming cycle.

 

[chad5871]

Will the cost of travel (gas, airfares) cause top applicants to choose to interview at fewer schools? Will this make it possible for second tier applicants to be tapped for interviews?

Hard to say what might happen in the coming cycle.

It's going to be CRAZY! I'm very excited to see what happens... I am just waiting until June 4th because then the drama will unfold.

 

[redlight]

I seriously doubt it. There are many new schools opening up, and a large number of the existing schools are increasing their class sizes dramatically. The applicant pool would have to increase by 10% or more for this coming cycle to be more competitive.

i cannot remember my source atm, but i heard 4 new schools were opening this year and this would total in about 200 new seats.. not that much of an impact, methinks.

and where are you getting the info about increased school sizes? are they mostly/all public schools or mostly/all private? a healthy mix? (ahah, even though i cant remember my own)

 

[fuzzywuz]

There was an article on AAMC saying that they want to increase med school capacity by X% by 2013 (correct me if I'm wrong)...

But yeah, you can probably find it on AAMC.

 

[chad5871]

There was an article on AAMC saying that they want to increase med school capacity by X% by 2013 (correct me if I'm wrong)...

But yeah, you can probably find it on AAMC.

I thought it was the AMA that called for the increase? And wasn't it something crazy like 25%? I can't remember exactly what it was, as I heard it at VCU's pre-med open house, but I do know that VCU is building a brand new medical school building for additional living space and classroom space for med students.

 

[fuzzywuz]

my baddd lol

yup AMA

 

[LizzyM]

The self-limiting step in the equation is M3 slots in clinical settings. Med schools need to find more affiliated hospital slots and more clinical faculty (to do bedside teaching and supervision) in order to increase class size. This is easier said than done.

 

[lisichka]

The self-limiting step in the equation is M3 slots in clinical settings. Med schools need to find more affiliated hospital slots and more clinical faculty (to do bedside teaching and supervision) in order to increase class size. This is easier said than done.

the hospital that is close by me is a very big, luxury medical center. however it is not affiliated with any medical school. it seems that many medical students could be trained there. at least 300 students. my question is WHY there are no med students there?
is it because the hospital is unwilling to compromise patients' comfort level by letting in students? seems like such a waste

 

[chad5871]

The self-limiting step in the equation is M3 slots in clinical settings. Med schools need to find more affiliated hospital slots and more clinical faculty (to do bedside teaching and supervision) in order to increase class size. This is easier said than done.

Very very true. I don't know how many of you are aware of this, but VCU is planning to open a new critical care hospital on its campus which will add 232 beds. The new hospital is scheduled to open in the Fall. Exciting times at VCU!

But back on subject - I think that we will see an increase in the number of applicants this year again, and because of the computerized MCAT more people will be able to retake and it will then be more competitive. Good luck Class of 2013!

 

[PsychEpathic]

Your avatar is scary...

Yeah, MCAT scores are higher now too.

 

[chad5871]

The most competitive year is always the year that you apply.

Just like the line you don't pick at the grocery store always goes faster....

 

[Raryn]

There will be ~10 new schools open by 2012 is what I understand (incl. 2 in CA, UCR and UCM... UCMerced is supposed to be opening their school in my hometown of Fresno). Unfortunately, thats not for a while.

I think this year will be just as competitive as last year. I heard that more schools will be screening pre-secondary because they had trouble going through the volume of applications last year as well.

 

[chad5871]

There will be ~10 new schools open by 2012 is what I understand (incl. 2 in CA, UCR and UCM... UCMerced is supposed to be opening their school in my hometown of Fresno). Unfortunately, thats not for a while.

I think this year will be just as competitive as last year. I heard that more schools will be screening pre-secondary because they had trouble going through the volume of applications last year as well.

Where did you hear this from? At least I'll save some money. I calculated the cost of secondaries if I get one from every school I'm applying to - and it's over $2000.

 

[bozz]

oops

 

[PainKiller69]

If anything, you should be considered lucky. Class of '11 undergrad broke records in applicant and rejection rates. Class of '12 broke the class of '11 records. I suspect when those classes, the class of '15 and '16 (medical school), will break records.

 

[Raryn]

Where did you hear this from? At least I'll save some money. I calculated the cost of secondaries if I get one from every school I'm applying to - and it's over $2000.

I was at a conference and there was an official there from the UC Davis admissions people that said they had so many secondaries completed that they had trouble getting through them all. He said that the easy fix was that now they're gonna screen pre-secondary to lessen the load once all that ancillary info starts coming in. Also said they werent the only ones that experienced the same difficulty, as it was a record application season.

 

[Character]

i hope not, bc i am getting less competitive each year

 

[chad5871]

I was at a conference and there was an official there from the UC Davis admissions people that said they had so many secondaries completed that they had trouble getting through them all. He said that the easy fix was that now they're gonna screen pre-secondary to lessen the load once all that ancillary info starts coming in. Also said they werent the only ones that experienced the same difficulty, as it was a record application season.

I wish AMCAS would release some preliminary statistical data so we could see just how much more "competitive" it was. It shouldn't be too hard to calculate the applicant pool's average MCAT and GPA, right?

 

[iduwanna]

I thought it was the AMA that called for the increase? And wasn't it something crazy like 25%? I can't remember exactly what it was, as I heard it at VCU's pre-med open house, but I do know that VCU is building a brand new medical school building for additional living space and classroom space for med students.

Isn't the AMA just a lobby group that doesn't have any real power though?

Don't get your hopes up because of anything they say.

 

[Asp]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/education/09admissions.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Extrapolate that four years, and we see med school demand will rise for a couple years, then level off. Supply is catching up though, so it's tough to say when competitiveness will peak.

 

[supertrooper66]

From the speculation I've heard, it could be due to the fact that it is much easier to retake the MCAT, and so many applicants are applying with multiple MCAT scores. I wonder how these students' MCATs are calculated into these statistics - is just the highest score averaged in? the most recent? all of them averaged together? I wish we had stats on how many times the average applicant took the MCAT.

they generally take the highest score.

some schools, like GW, take your highest subscores! hahaha a cheap way to boost their stats!

some schools take your more recent score.

either way, my most recent score is going to better than my first one i just took. so i'm not toooo worried.

 

[SirGecko]

Going on population data I'd say the amount of people applying should peak in three to four years. This year was the peak for the amount of people applying for university admissions due to it being the peak for a baby boom of sorts back in 1989-1990.

 

[flip26]

Going on population data I'd say the amount of people applying should peak in three to four years. This year was the peak for the amount of people applying for university admissions due to it being the peak for a baby boom of sorts back in 1989-1990.

I just read the same recently about the high point of high school seniors being hit this year - the college world is all abuzz with the woes of super competitive admissions this year - so I agree with you, with one caveat - if the physician compensation continues to go down as it has for the last decade, and nothing "gives" on the health care reform issue to improve this situation, only the most dedicated people are going to pursue medicine, and that may temper the number of applicants a bit...

 

[LizzyM]

I just read the same recently about the high point of high school seniors being hit this year - the college world is all abuzz with the woes of super competitive admissions this year - so I agree with you, with one caveat - if the physician compensation continues to go down as it has for the last decade, and nothing "gives" on the health care reform issue to improve this situation, only the most dedicated people are going to pursue medicine, and that may temper the number of applicants a bit...

I agree. But non-trads can trickle into the system if situations change in the outside world. The 2003 and 2004 cycles had people who left business after 9/11, for example. Movement of jobs off-shore can mean more non-trads looking for job security that seems better in medicine than in other fields (although medical tourism may change that, too).

 

[chad5871]

I thought of something else today, too. If last cycle was so competitive and there were not as many spots, that means that there will probably be more reapplicants than usual this year too.