Overqualifed vs. underqualified applicants

[Hierophant]

Due to limited resources, adcomms likely only extend interview invites to applications that match historical standards for not only succeeding in med school, but also matriculating to that specific school. A school may receive 10,000 applications but only be able to interview ~1000. Of the remaining 9000 applicants, what portion are not extended an invite simply because they are unlikely to matriculate? What kind of qualities lead adcomms to believe an applicant is unlikely to matriculate? Is it an exceptionally high MCAT and GPA?Outstanding experiences? Or residency in states like Texas or states with several public medical schools? A combination of all the above?

I understand that this practice will vary among schools (I doubt Harvard etc. consider how likely an applicant is to matriculate), so I am most curious about lower and mid tier schools.

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[Goro]

The schools that practice resource protection use historical data based upon stats of interviewees that go elsewhere. MD schools can see where you're holding acceptances, and, I believe, where you finally end up.

As such, Admissions deans know who is more likely to stick around and who will bolt for Pitt, Yale or Penn.

 

[LizzyM]

If you have the stats and other credentials to be admitted to NYU, Cornell or Columbia but you also apply to Albany and NYMC, would it be any surprise that Albany & NYMC choose not to interview you? I suspect that this yield protection is more likely at the lower tier schools than at the higher tier where everyone is competing for the cream of the crop, even if it means a lower yield (proportion of offers that are accepted is "the yield").

 

[efle]

GPA might not be a very common reason to yield protect, almost all med schools have very high medians and ranges that extend up near perfect.

More the MCAT I'd bet.

 

[gyngyn]

Some very well-regarded schools highly value non-cognitive attributes and also receive a very significant proportion of high stats applicants. These schools do not need to interview high stats applicants who do not embody their values. Their resources are spent on applicants who have both.

 

[Hierophant]

I'm not surprised that schools practice yield protection, and I can see how some of the more prestigious schools can afford to be extremely choosy. Now I'm starting to wonder how lower tier schools balance resource protection with matriculating the best possible/most qualified class.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm not surprised that schools practice yield protection, and I can see how some of the more prestigious schools can afford to be extremely choosy. Now I'm starting to wonder how lower tier schools balance resource protection with matriculating the best possible/most qualified class.

The same way that most guys get a good looking prom date without even asking the most gorgeous girls in the class. You know who you have a chance with and who is out of your league no matter how much she might flirt with everyone.

Then there are those guys who will ask someone who is out of their league and suffer the sting of being turned down.

 

[efle]

Then there are those guys who will ask someone who is out of their league and suffer the sting of being turned down.

Don't forget the guys that offer the gorgeous girls a great deal of money to go with them!

 

[May real name is...]

Don't forget the guys that offer the gorgeous girls a great deal of money to go with them!

The same way that most guys get a good looking prom date without even asking the most gorgeous girls in the class. You know who you have a chance with and who is out of your league no matter how much she might flirt with everyone.

Then there are those guys who will ask someone who is out of their league and suffer the sting of being turned down.

But what about the underdog story?

 

[efle]

But what about the underdog story?

Sure, not all the pretty girls are superficial. Might snag one by being interesting

 

[mango135]

Should I worry about this happening to me if I have a 3.6, but a 514 MCAT. Do DO schools do this?

 

[efle]

Should I worry about this happening to me if I have a 3.6, but a 514 MCAT. Do DO schools do this?

Doubt it, a 33 is in pretty much every schools range, especially with a 3.6

 

[musicalfeet]

The schools that practice resource protection use historical data based upon stats of interviewees that go elsewhere. MD schools can see where you're holding acceptances, and, I believe, where you finally end up.

As such, Admissions deans know who is more likely to stick around and who will bolt for Pitt, Yale or Penn.

I feel like this is what they call being a good "fit" for a school (that's not numbers driven). Last cycle, I thought it was interesting that schools I basically had minimal interest in (like, the only reason I'd want to go there is if it was the only school that accepted me) showed minimal interest in return. And I was really happy with all the schools that offered me II (they were all on the upper third/half of my list), even if I didn't go to all of them.

 

[lams11]

Some very well-regarded schools highly value non-cognitive attributes and also receive a very significant proportion of high stats applicants. These schools do not need to interview high stats applicants who do not embody their values. Their resources are spent on applicants who have both.

Can you list what schools fall into this category please?

 

[Hierophant]

The same way that most guys get a good looking prom date without even asking the most gorgeous girls in the class. You know who you have a chance with and who is out of your league no matter how much she might flirt with everyone.

Then there are those guys who will ask someone who is out of their league and suffer the sting of being turned down.

I spent a little too long personifying my application trying to figure out the caliber of prom date it would be

 

[gyngyn]

Can you list what schools fall into this category please?

You can probably guess.

 

[Goro]

Nope, we'll interview all comers if your stats meet our minims. I've interview kids with a4.0 and 40 MCAT.

You are competitive for a LOT of MD schools. Harvard won't be one of them, Tulane will be. The wisest thing to do will be to invest in MSAR are target schools whose median stats are closest to your own. Pay very careful attention to the Acceptance Information tabs.

Should I worry about this happening to me if I have a 3.6, but a 514 MCAT. Do DO schools do this?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Can you list what schools fall into this category please?

The UCs, Mayo, and Duke seem to fall into this category. Look for schools in the top 20/25 that have broad stat ranges.


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[efle]

I've interview kids with a4.0 and 40 MCAT.

How often do they matriculate??

 

[Goro]

The two I interviewed got rejected due to personality defects.

The n's are always small, but they happen. I have one current student who is UCSF caliber in stats. So maybe five per app cycle, and we net one of them?

How often do they matriculate??

 

[gyngyn]

The two I interviewed got rejected due to personality defects.

The n's are always small, but they happen. I have one current student who is UCSF caliber in stats. So maybe five per app cycle, and we net one of them?

We get hundreds of applicants with these stats. We simply can't interview all of them (and a lot of the other ones are better in ways that we are looking for).