nontraditional-friendly schools?

[glamqueen]

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Anyone want to suggest schools they know are renowned for being "friendly" to nontraditional applicants? I realize there is a forum for nontrad, but I thought it might get a little more traction here...

 

[Law2Doc]

Anyone want to suggest schools they know are renowned for being "friendly" to nontraditional applicants? I realize there is a forum for nontrad, but I thought it might get a little more traction here...

Moving -- Preallo is not the right board for a nontrad oriented thread.

That being said, you can find several threads in the last year on exactly this same topic if you look for them. If you are talking about admissions, I and some others would assert that ALL med schools are friendly to nontrads with adequate credentials. I personally think that by applying to the same dozen schools, nontrads bump each other out of certain programs when they would be better served applying more broadly. Some here argue though that some of the programs better cater to people with nontrad issues once they are admitted, if that's what you are asking.

 

[thegenius]

I more or less agree with Law2Doc, however I don't think that all med schools are equally open to nontraditionals. However it's an opinion that is very difficult to quantitatively measure.

I actually feel that the better schools, ones in the ~top 25, maybe top 30, have an easier time creating a diverse class w/ nontraditionals because they have a bigger pool of candidates to choose from. All schools want a diverse class, yet some schools have an easier time accomplishing that.

If the question is "What med schools have a higher percentage of non-trads as compared to the average med school?", I don't know that answer. That would probably be difficult to come by. I agree with those who advise applying broadly when applying for med school, rather than to a pool of med schools believe to be "non-trad friendly."

This what I discovered during my application process and from talking to a friend who was on a pre-medical advisory committee while a medical student at Harvard.

 

[ShyRem]

I think the bottom line is "apply where you are interested in and where you are competitive". Of course, even if a school is "non-trad friendly" if you have a 25 MCAT and a 3.2 GPA you won't have a good shot (except perhaps for some in-state schools).

Apply broadly. If your raw numbers aren't so hot, consider DO or carribean. Go for some reach schools - you never know what can happen unless you try.

 

[gotmeds?]

The whole "non-trad-friendly" school thing is probably overrated. I think what people are really asking a lot the time is, "which schools are more likely to overlook my low GPA, low MCAT score, etc." That one depends on the school. Some schools give more weight to GPA or MCAT or interviews or whatever.

Being a non-trad doesn't really get you a free pass on any of the requirements that traditional students need to get accepted. You still need good numbers, volunteering, clinical experience, strong LORs, and preferably some research. If you're a good applicant then you'll find that pretty much every school is non-trad-friendly

 

[postbacker]

The whole "non-trad-friendly" school thing is probably overrated. I think what people are really asking a lot the time is, "which schools are more likely to overlook my low GPA, low MCAT score, etc." That one depends on the school. Some schools give more weight to GPA or MCAT or interviews or whatever.

Being a non-trad doesn't really get you a free pass on any of the requirements that traditional students need to get accepted. You still need good numbers, volunteering, clinical experience, strong LORs, and preferably some research. If you're a good applicant then you'll find that pretty much every school is non-trad-friendly

I think you are right that many non-trads feel this way, but I certainly do not. In fact, as a non trad myself, I feel like I need to have "better than average" scores, stats, etc., than the typical trad science major hotshot right out of school. I don't expect any med school to cut me any slack for below average stats. Where non trads can really shine is in life experiences, but to get to that point in the process where med schools notice me, I am working hard to be every bit as competitive as the trads...

 

[QofQuimica]

Being a non-trad doesn't really get you a free pass on any of the requirements that traditional students need to get accepted. You still need good numbers, volunteering, clinical experience, strong LORs, and preferably some research. If you're a good applicant then you'll find that pretty much every school is non-trad-friendly

Agree with this. No med schools will refuse to consider a qualified nontrad applicant who meets their requirements (including state residency requirements).

OP, your best bet is to apply to your state schools and other schools that take residents of your state and where you meet their qualifications. If your stats are subpar, work on raising them before you apply. Best of to you. 🙂