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[doinmybest5840]

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OP... I think some of these schools like Mount Sinai, NYU are very competitive median 35s, and median GPAs of +3.75. Arizona and some of the other state schools you have listed don't take a lot of OOSs unless they are exceptional. Better not to waste your parent's money on those kind of schools and concentrate on where you have the best shot, otherwise you might find yourself a bit too bogged down later on. Pore over the MSAR a little bit more and you should find that the DOs and the michigan schools have the most promise. Good luck.

The Arizona school is a DO school. As for Mt. Sinai and NYU, they're just dream schools that I'm having trouble letting go of. I've been looking at the MSAR more lately, but I still have last year's, so I have to wait for updated stats until I meet with my advisor tomorrow.

 

[MaiPenRai]

I applied to 26 schools and was accepted several places. I am very happy, but sometimes I wish I had applied to a few others similar to the ones I seemed to like best (my school didn't allow us to apply to more than 20...I got them to extend it a bit) just because it seemed like everyone was so excited about them on SDN and I didn't even consider them. I know I applied to too many "easier" schools....and didn't get interviews at any of them. Applying to a lot of schools that you WANT to go to is ok. Applying to a lot to be "sure" you'll be accepted is not quite rational. Honestly, all of these schools are looking for about the same thing. If 20 schools don't even think twice about you, the 21st probably won't either (I am not saying this applies to you, of course, just using it as an example). The "lower" schools are not easier to get into! They have twice as many applicants as other schools, so their accepted percentage is actually much lower than other schools.

Advice for you: If you like DO schools and really want to go DO, great, apply to that many. If you just want to be accepted and would rather go to an MD school, choose a few of your favorites and apply there. Then apply to a few of the "easier" privates that you WANT to go to. These are not really easier, but you know what I mean. Apply to the state schools in MI and a few other state schools if you really want to go there. Check if they are friendly to OOS. If you really have all the money you want, apply to ALL of your DREAM schools (these are not necessarily Harvard). Why not? If you're rejected by all of them, at least you can look back in 20 years and know that you tried instead of always wondering...

 

[Tyronebiggums]

Apply to as many schools as you can afford. You will have a better chance at getting multiple acceptances and therefore you can have choices. Also, spending an extra 3 or 4 grand now will be worth it if it means you don't have to take a year off. That year off is one less year of doctor's salary so not spending the extra 3 or 4 grand if you have it could end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary and thousands in tuition for a post-bac or master's program. I applied to around 39 schools with a 34 and a 3.6 and I got to choose between 7 schools and I only got 9 interview requests so it wasn't like the top 50 medical schools were throwing themselves at me.

 

[Dr2Bee]

20-25 MD and 5-6 DO schools. start off with that...apply early and broadly. and if interviews dont start to roll in by oct-nov, then add a few more. but its really up to your comfort level. Its a lot of applications to do and it will take a lot of time and money while in school, so plan accordingly.

 

[leftmid]

Preallopathically, mediocre applicants can't take anything for grant. Without Michigan State and Wayne State, the OP will have no choice but to join the annual crap shooting festival with the excessive number of qualified OOS applicants, especially the ubiquitous Californians. The strong parity in this area of the bell curve gives the OP no choice but to factor luck in.

And I had already bet that the OP would do 40 regardless. S/he wants to be a doctor sooner. The only way to prevent him or her from doing this is to unify all the applications in to a single process like residency matching. Now I think that s/he should do 36 MD's, 3 DO's + either St.George or Ross standing by.

 

[FlipFlops33]

I think it is a little too early to start worrying about being rejected. Applying to med school really is a crapshoot. But right now, you are doing everything right...you've already got your MCAT scores and you are applying early.

I got a 29 on the MCAT and had a 3.3 GPA overall and got into University of AZ (still waitlisted at 2 other schools). My bf also got a 29 and had a 3.6 GPA and got into Tufts. In my kaplan class, our instructor said one of his past students got into Harvard with a 30 (not sure what her GPA was). I knew a guy who had a 36 MCAT and 3.8 GPA and did not get into med school the first year he applied. There is no magic MCAT/GPA/EC combo that will get you in.

I applied to 21 schools, and in retrospect probably would have applied to less. I know when you are getting ready to apply, you are worried about eliminating that school that just might accept you. I applied to a lot of the SUNY schools, University of Vermont, and Rush...all of which favor in state residents. I agree with others-try to eliminate some of the schools where the chance of getting in as an OOS are slim. Secondaries take a lot of time too...

Good luck!

 

[nick_carraway]

I have nearly the same stats as you, with a 3.3 GPA and 32 MCAT but I'm from CA.

I'm shooting for ~37 schools. I know how the OP feels that you don't want to sacrifice a school that you have a reasonable chance of getting into. Someone from UCD applied to 40 schools and his only acceptance was from OK. I don't know his stats, but if he had whittled his list down any more, OK would probably be eliminated.

If it's financially feasible, I think it's worth it to keep all the schools on the list. If you feel like you could go to school there and you think you have an okay shot, I say go for it. Do you really want to go through all of this again if you can avoid it? For forsaking a $30 primary and a $50 secondary and 8-10 hours of your time per school, you could save an entire year of mental trauma and $150,000.

I regret many decisions in college and I don't want something like choosing schools to be another one.

Good luck, OP!!

 

[ClockworkDoc]

My waitlists are not going anywhere. I was hoping you could suggest some places for me to apply. Here is my mdapp from 2007. My application really has not changed from 2007, so I think I will end up sending the same letters and writing new essays.

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=05481

 

[postbacker]

My waitlists are not going anywhere. I was hoping you could suggest some places for me to apply. Here is my mdapp from 2007. My application really has not changed from 2007, so I think I will end up sending the same letters and writing new essays.

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=05481

Your total volunteer hours may be on the low end - too bad you didn't really boost those numbers this year - they want to see recent, "fresh" activities. Also - did I see any shadowing? They seem to love that stuff...try to get someone to read over your PS...consider getting some interview counseling...

 

[xxbruinxx]

OP---

I'm in a similar bind...trying to fig. out which schools to apply to. I am a reapplicant, and probably going to apply to about 30 schools. I won't be applying DO just yet.

Here's my 2 cents:
the secondaries --> people are right in saying that these are important and time consuming, however, once you get started and do several, you obviously notice patterns. I certainly did my research on a school before writing a secondary essay so that I knew exactly why I wanted to go to XYZ school.

Also, DO NOT APPLY TO A SCHOOL IF YOU'RE GOING TO WITHDRAW PRE-SECONDARY (unless you are holding an acceptance). It's a waste of money, especially for those schools that send secondaries to everyone. I don't understand why people do this. Fig. out if you're a good fit for that school before paying $30 to apply to it.

Another thing about these secondaries: the best written essays will not make up for weak scores, but they will help if done properly. Secondary essays are not too long, or as open-ended (most of the time) as the personal statement. There's a set question to answer - maybe 1-2 paragraphs, or until you get your point across.

Maybe you should hold off on DO and Caribbean schools until later in the year since their deadlines are further out and also since your #'s are average/fairly competitive for MD schools. Like someone else said, wait and see if you get secondaries from schools that screen, see if you get interviews come Sept/October, and then apply to DO's.

I'm not sure how the DO app. works, but if it's similar to AMCAS in re: to processing, etc, maybe what you could do is submit the DO app early (ie. June), adding just one school just so that it can go through the verification/processing ordeal. Then, later, around Sept.Oct, if you feel you need to apply to DO, you can just add more schools and your app is sent to them virtually instantaneously.

I hope this helps. I'm trying to make up my mind as well since I will be working full-time during application season. I think you should be ok, especially if you're a strong writer.

 

[mongrel]

My waitlists are not going anywhere. I was hoping you could suggest some places for me to apply. Here is my mdapp from 2007. My application really has not changed from 2007, so I think I will end up sending the same letters and writing new essays.

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=05481

Hey DoctorNick, did you get any feedback from the adcoms that rejected you post-interview? I'm curious because I'm applying this year and your application looks pretty dern solid. Good luck with the waitlists- I'm sure you'll come out on top.

 

[leftmid]

I wouldn't worry about the expense when it is affordable. Sometimes, luxury does benefit. I know someone who over-applied just because of the lack of experience. In stead of the over all number of 31 that he did, he could have gone by with only 8 in-state schools. But what he did was not a waste at all. His younger brother did 31+2 in the following year and got the only one-interview-one-acceptance in one of the last two schools that were added on by his older brother.

(The older brother also applied to Harvard just for a bragging right. At least he got a confirmation that one can get interview offer therefrom without a single second in research.)