pitt's abnormally high acceptance rate

[base16]

hi, i'm new to this forum, but i was accepted to pitt about two weeks ago. I'm happy about it, no doubt. I don't know if I'm being dumb or not, but Pitt's really high acceptance rate post-interview (I heard they accepted more tan 450 students last year...some schools don't even interview that many), and thus lack of selectivity, kinda detracted from the whole "feeling special" about the school. I know this sounds really trolly because the admissions process is so arduous, but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all. Peers that were in the process last year state things like "everyone gets in there,' and I really don't like that.

I'm also unsure about the residency matching from the school...I know that it is difficult to qualitatively assess it, but I looked at the match lists of two dozens schools (USNews ranking: 16-40), and I really do not feel like there is much of an objective difference when it comes to the quality of the hospital one places in. (Compare to higher ranked schools, where their lists are littered with MassGen/Hopkins/Hosp. of the University of Penn) 😕

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[riceman04]

hi, i'm new to this forum, but i was accepted to pitt about two weeks ago. I'm happy about it, no doubt. I don't know if I'm being dumb or not, but Pitt's really high acceptance rate post-interview (I heard they accepted more tan 450 students last year...some schools don't even interview that many), and thus lack of selectivity, kinda detracted from the whole "feeling special" about the school. I know this sounds really trolly because the admissions process is so arduous, but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all. Peers that were in the process last year state things like "everyone gets in there,' and I really don't like that.

I'm also unsure about the residency matching from the school...I know that it is difficult to qualitatively assess it, but I looked at the match lists of two dozens schools (USNews ranking: 16-40), and I really do not feel like there is much of an objective difference when it comes to the quality of the hospital one places in. (Compare to higher ranked schools, where their lists are littered with MassGen/Hopkins/Hosp. of the University of Penn) 😕

you said it best...

TROLL!!! 😡 😡 🙄 🙄 😛 😛

 

[otemd]

I know how you feel..I felt sort of the same way when I got into Case. Be proud of yourself though!

 

[happydays]

hi, i'm new to this forum, but i was accepted to pitt about two weeks ago. I'm happy about it, no doubt. I don't know if I'm being dumb or not, but Pitt's really high acceptance rate post-interview (I heard they accepted more tan 450 students last year...some schools don't even interview that many), and thus lack of selectivity, kinda detracted from the whole "feeling special" about the school. I know this sounds really trolly because the admissions process is so arduous, but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all. Peers that were in the process last year state things like "everyone gets in there,' and I really don't like that.

I'm also unsure about the residency matching from the school...I know that it is difficult to qualitatively assess it, but I looked at the match lists of two dozens schools (USNews ranking: 16-40), and I really do not feel like there is much of an objective difference when it comes to the quality of the hospital one places in. (Compare to higher ranked schools, where their lists are littered with MassGen/Hopkins/Hosp. of the University of Penn) 😕

post interview acceptance high = good job at screening applicants to interview.

 

[otemd]

More like post interview acceptance high means that they know they will lose a lot of people to other schools.

 

[wowzer]

More like post interview acceptance high means that they know they will lose a lot of people to other schools.

it's really unfortunate, pitt's too good of a school to lose so many ppl post-interview

 

[happydays]

it's really unfortunate, pitt's too good of a school to lose so many ppl post-interview

Even Hopkins accept almost twice their class size. There are just very many good applicants out there and they tend to hold multiple acceptances.

 

[Rafa]

There's a certain benefit to when schools massively reject the majority of applicants, but accept the majority of folks who interview. It's beneficial because, A.) if you get rejected quickly, you can start focusing on the rest of your flock sooner, and B.) if you get an interview, you'll know you're 3/4ths of the way through the door. At that point, all you've got to do is answer questions, smile, and not drool during the interview.

 

[BigRedZippo]

I don't know how accurate the numbers are, but most schools accept anywhere from 150-200% of the final class size. Harvard, Hopkins and probably UCSF may get away with closer to 130-150%, but still, everyone has preferences and the may just decide to go elsewhere.

I can tell you that Pitt is an extremely strong school and you'll come out of there knowing medicine and being looked upon as an upper-tier residency candidate (no, I don't go to Pitt). You just need to deal with the cold and that steep hill that goes up to Scafie (sp?) 🙂

 

[drmota]

but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all.

i'm sorry to break it to you and i don't wanna sound like a diick but... you're not special. you're a competitive applicant that got into a great school. there are LOTS of other great applicants of your stature. you're not special. get off your high horse. my good friend goes to pitt and loves it btw. she got off the WAITLIST there with a 3.7 and 36 MCAT out of UC Berkeley. your post pissed me off if you can't tell.
-dr. mota

 

[otemd]

Most schools do let in around 250 for a final class size of just over 100. 450 seems awfully high though.

 

[silas2642]

Even Hopkins accept almost twice their class size. There are just very many good applicants out there and they tend to hold multiple acceptances.

Agreed. For whatever reason, all schools will have plenty of applicants whose first choice is not them. This could be for location, cost, the school didn't feel right on interview day (friend of mine interviewed there last year and she HATED it), etc. There are so many different factors that come into play when choosing a medical school, assuming one is fortunate enough to have a choice.

 

[p00psicleSTICK]

I know how you feel..I felt sort of the same way when I got into Case. Be proud of yourself though!

Case has an acceptance rate of 8.3% which is not that high.

 

[BOBODR]

Case has an acceptance rate of 8.3% which is not that high.

Seriously, to the person who started this thread, what do you want? For us to feel bad for you and tell you how special you are? I mean you are complaining because you got into a top 20 school but they accept more people then you would like them to? Glad I didnt interview at Pitt because that would mean I had the chance to be your classmate and I wouldnt want to be.

 

[veenut]

hi, i'm new to this forum, but i was accepted to pitt about two weeks ago. I'm happy about it, no doubt. I don't know if I'm being dumb or not, but Pitt's really high acceptance rate post-interview (I heard they accepted more tan 450 students last year...some schools don't even interview that many), and thus lack of selectivity, kinda detracted from the whole "feeling special" about the school. I know this sounds really trolly because the admissions process is so arduous, but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all. Peers that were in the process last year state things like "everyone gets in there,' and I really don't like that.

I'm also unsure about the residency matching from the school...I know that it is difficult to qualitatively assess it, but I looked at the match lists of two dozens schools (USNews ranking: 16-40), and I really do not feel like there is much of an objective difference when it comes to the quality of the hospital one places in. (Compare to higher ranked schools, where their lists are littered with MassGen/Hopkins/Hosp. of the University of Penn) 😕

before you post this kind of stuff, you should realize that there are plenty of people each year who don't get in ANYWHERE and would give their left arm to get into med school, let alone one like Pitt. if you define the quality of a school based on how many people it rejects, you've got problems.

 

[mjc48]

hey guys, i'm new to the forum. i just got into HMS, and i found out, to my surprise, that they took other students as well. i was under the impression that i was special enough to comprise the entire matriculating class of 2006. damnit. i may end up going to hopkins, since they offered to make me tenured faculty in their graduate program.

 

[bubbleyum]

boy do i wish i could even get an interview there so i can feel "unspecial."

 

[riceman04]

hey guys, i'm new to the forum. i just got into HMS, and i found out, to my surprise, that they took other students as well. i was under the impression that i was special enough to comprise the entire matriculating class of 2006. damnit. i may end up going to hopkins, since they offered to make me tenured faculty in their graduate program.

 

[Sanctuary]

hi, i'm new to this forum, but i was accepted to pitt about two weeks ago. I'm happy about it, no doubt. I don't know if I'm being dumb or not, but Pitt's really high acceptance rate post-interview (I heard they accepted more tan 450 students last year...some schools don't even interview that many), and thus lack of selectivity, kinda detracted from the whole "feeling special" about the school. I know this sounds really trolly because the admissions process is so arduous, but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all. Peers that were in the process last year state things like "everyone gets in there,' and I really don't like that.

I'm also unsure about the residency matching from the school...I know that it is difficult to qualitatively assess it, but I looked at the match lists of two dozens schools (USNews ranking: 16-40), and I really do not feel like there is much of an objective difference when it comes to the quality of the hospital one places in. (Compare to higher ranked schools, where their lists are littered with MassGen/Hopkins/Hosp. of the University of Penn) 😕

You are right. I would personally be very offended if they offered me a spot along with 449 other people. How dare they offer so many spots! Do they not know what special, unique snowflakes we all are? As a general rule, I do not accept any offers that are also offered to more than 100 other people, for that would be lowering myself to their level and that is beyond me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go into the living room and do a hand stand while yelling for my mother to LOOK AT ME.

Sincerely,

Deprived Child

 

[LT2]

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go into the living room and do a hand stand while yelling for my mother to LOOK AT ME.

 

[prana_md]

This post is very demonstrative of the, ahem ... diversity ... of applicants on SDN. I got into Pitt, which was a "reach" school for me and I've never been happier (except back when I did a perfect cartwheel) but for other SDNers, Pitt's a safety (you know the type: "Which would you choose: Hopkins or HMS?")

 

[gbbdoc]

hi, i'm new to this forum, but i was accepted to pitt about two weeks ago. I'm happy about it, no doubt. I don't know if I'm being dumb or not, but Pitt's really high acceptance rate post-interview (I heard they accepted more tan 450 students last year...some schools don't even interview that many), and thus lack of selectivity, kinda detracted from the whole "feeling special" about the school. I know this sounds really trolly because the admissions process is so arduous, but there's that little feeling in me that my being accepted wasn't special at all. Peers that were in the process last year state things like "everyone gets in there,' and I really don't like that.

I'm also unsure about the residency matching from the school...I know that it is difficult to qualitatively assess it, but I looked at the match lists of two dozens schools (USNews ranking: 16-40), and I really do not feel like there is much of an objective difference when it comes to the quality of the hospital one places in. (Compare to higher ranked schools, where their lists are littered with MassGen/Hopkins/Hosp. of the University of Penn) 😕

If you feel so damn unspecial how about keeping it to yourself, telling them you don't want to attend and opening a spot for someone who might actually appreciate the opportunity a school like Pitt offers.

 

[Rafa]

Sanctuary and mjc48 are hereby awarded with 'SDN Pre-Allopathic Forum Posts of the Day' in Category: Humor! 🙂

 

[ti89]

Well look at other schools that us news puts in that range:

Acceptance rate post interview: Acceptances/interviewed * 100

All data taken from usnews.com

School / Interviewed / Accepted / Percentage

Emory / 774 / 323 / 41.73
UCSD / 532 / 283 / 53.20
Cornell / 765 / 222 / 29.00
Case West. / 831 / 448 / 53.91
NW / 874 / 337 / 38.55
Baylor / 623 / 309 / 49.60
UPitt / 897 / 454 / 50.61



I think that is a pretty good indication of ones ranked near UPitt +/- 5 on usnews. Cornell stands out as low as doew NW. The one that stands out as low is cornell and probably understandable as it is an Ivy league and small class size in general.

Overall looking at SDN yes it seems quite a few have been accepted including myself but I think that is just a coincidence that quite a few who got into UPitt are posting here and nothing more.

 

[base16]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

 

[attaboybambeeks]

You are right. I would personally be very offended if they offered me a spot along with 449 other people. How dare they offer so many spots! Do they not know what special, unique snowflakes we all are? As a general rule, I do not accept any offers that are also offered to more than 100 other people, for that would be lowering myself to their level and that is beyond me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go into the living room and do a hand stand while yelling for my mother to LOOK AT ME.

Sincerely,

Deprived Child

ONE OF THE BEST POSTS IVE READ....LOL

 

[silas2642]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

Wow-- You're an arrogant idiot. Who the hell do you think you are that you're worried that you might be attending a school that is beneath when you "deserve better." Let's put it this way: there are very few medical school applicants who "deserve" a place in ANY medical school, and I'm pretty certain that you are not one of these people. If you're so great, then I would suggest picking a school from your choice of two and then graduating first in your class (since you are obviously so brilliant) so that the rest of us can stand back in awe as you match into dermatology. Have fun popping pimples, butthead.

 

[silas2642]

Anyone think that base16 is a troll? I hope he is, but I can't be sure. Perhaps I should start a poll.

 

[wowzer]

can someone put this douchebag out of his/her misery. i'm sick of people ripping on my med school.

 

[Lorrayne]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

What makes you so sure that you can get in "Somewhere better ranked and more selective" next year if you couldn't cut it this year?? If you want to get into a competitive specialty, just do well wherever you go.

 

[ti89]

Anyone think that base16 is a troll? I hope he is, but I can't be sure. Perhaps I should start a poll.

Its so obvious s/he is a troll. Has a whole 2 posts.

So to the OP:

and finally

 

[cockatiel]

First time reader, and first time poster here. From this particular thread, I can see that many people like this come from an angle of complete self-entitlement, meaning they only care about themselves, their image and the name they piggyback throughout life thinking it will open all the doors. Truth is, if you have ever worked a full-time job, traveled outside of your relative surroundings, or really had an effect on the people you serve (as doctors are expected to on a daily level), you would realize a career in medicine is about how you perform in the field, and the networks you make while executing that performance. It's not about the school you went to in the end, or your rank in how many (which is too many for you) applicants were accepted. In fact, there are many highly qualified students that don't get in every year, I mean thousands; and the 20 % of all residency positions that they would have filled are taken by foreign medical graduates (you can lookup these statistics in NEJM or JAMA). The system works against many qualified students because there are too few spaces to accomodate the majority of qualified applicants. Some of us get lucky at ramdom, and some of us must reapply, or give up the idea of medical school altogether. Count your blessings silas2642, because your clinical instructors and patients don't want to hear you whining about feeling unspecial at your alma mater 4 years from now. God is on your side in this case, and you should remember that every day.

 

[Will Ferrell]

*sniff*sniff* I smell troll. Is that you, pittmedicine?

 

[cockatiel]

I did not apply to Pitt, so you're not smelling anything 🙂 I am an unbiased observer who had to put my two cents into this thread.

 

[DrBowtie]

I did not apply to Pitt, so you're not smelling anything 🙂 I am an unbiased observer who had to put my two cents into this thread.

He was referring to the OP.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

My first impulse was to react with anger. But then I realized that this would be entirely unproductive, since either the OP is a troll or he is too arrogant to be 'guilted' into feeling grateful for something that is a true gift - an acceptance to an excellent medical school.

Instead, I will suggest that the OP educate himself on Pitt and look at the truly hard facts - publications. Pitt is a superb school in a sizable number of disciplines (robotics, engineering, immunology, neuroscience, organ transplantation, and pharmacology come to mind), and looking at publications in these fields will attest to that. This is what really matters for a research-school. If he cannot appreciate a school like Pitt because they accept a lot of people (likely because many of them think as he does) or because they do not carry the name recognition amongst the ignorant public of comparable (or weaker) schools like Mayo or the University of Chicago or Georgetown or Dartmouth, then perhaps there is someone who can.

 

[golftrippy]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

No offense, but its been mentioned on this forum and personally by me to an adcom member at UNC...if you get into any med school and don't go, then you've showed that your desire was not in fact to be a doctor, but was to go into the career because of prestige...if you want to be a doctor and wouldn't go anywhere to accomplish that then you need to re-think the desire. If any adcom member knew you felt this way, you would not be accepted...period.

 

[Will Ferrell]

I did not apply to Pitt, so you're not smelling anything 🙂 I am an unbiased observer who had to put my two cents into this thread.

i was referring to base. 🙂

*Edit: nevermind, brettB posted it.

 

[dabigv13]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

trolllll

 

[hypersomniac_]

trolllll

yes, this is terrible flamebait

 

[base16]

Well look at other schools that us news puts in that range:

Acceptance rate post interview: Acceptances/interviewed * 100

All data taken from usnews.com

School / Interviewed / Accepted / Percentage

Emory / 774 / 323 / 41.73
UCSD / 532 / 283 / 53.20
Cornell / 765 / 222 / 29.00
Case West. / 831 / 448 / 53.91
NW / 874 / 337 / 38.55
Baylor / 623 / 309 / 49.60
UPitt / 897 / 454 / 50.61






I think that is a pretty good indication of ones ranked near UPitt +/- 5 on usnews. Cornell stands out as low as doew NW. The one that stands out as low is cornell and probably understandable as it is an Ivy league and small class size in general.

Overall looking at SDN yes it seems quite a few have been accepted including myself but I think that is just a coincidence that quite a few who got into UPitt are posting here and nothing more.

Out of 5000 who applied to pitt, probably only 2000 completed their application and didn't withdraw. even look on mdapplicants...half the people withdraw from pitt cause they get into somewhere better post-interview, and a lot for other reasons too. looking at last year's profiles for those who applied/received a final decision from pitt, very few people were not accepted, or waitlisted and not offered an admission. (A lot of the profiles were incomplete, so it just LOOKs like ppl weren't accepted) So, the admissions rate is more like 25% overall, and around 80% post-interview

 

[MrBurns10]

Out of 5000 who applied to pitt, probably only 2000 completed their application and didn't withdraw. even look on mdapplicants...half the people withdraw from pitt cause they get into somewhere better post-interview, and a lot for other reasons too. looking at last year's profiles for those who applied/received a final decision from pitt, very few people were not accepted, or waitlisted and not offered an admission. (A lot of the profiles were incomplete, so it just LOOKs like ppl weren't accepted) So, the admissions rate is more like 25% overall, and around 80% post-interview

This is true at a lot of schools...at no school does every single applicant who submits a primary also submit a secondary; yes, including the elusive Harvard. ALL schools have higher acceptance rates than what is found in US News. Look, Pitt is in the top 20 for a reason...if you can't see why, then simply withdraw your application and give your spot to someone who would appreciate the opportunity to go to such a great school.

 

[beponychick]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

you are disgusting!!!! 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

 

[NunoBR]

i'm sorry if my posts offended people, that is really not my motive here. I just want to make sure that the school that I attend reflects the extent of my academic ability, and I don't want to go somewhere if I know that I was deserving of better. I'm sure Pitt is a great school, but again the match lists for competitive specialities like dermatology, cardiovascular, etc...well, it really sucks. It's only one of two schools I've gotten into so far, and I do not want to go there if I can reapply next year and get into somewhere better ranked and more selective. And I don't want it to be an unfair b**ch when I'm applying for these competitive specialities, and all the spots are taken by mediocre Harvard/Hopkins med students.

Pitt is a great school.
You really should get off your high horse.
If you get into some schools this year (especially if they are comparable to Pitt) and do not go in the hopes of reapllying somewhere better, I can almost be sure you will NOT get in anywhere next year.
Anyone in their right mind would see this as absurd.
What school you go to does not matter as much as you think it does.

You know what you should do?
Drop all your acceptances and pick another career.

 

[Saluki]

base16-
I don't want to be mean, but if Pitt is the best school that you get into, maybe the school is reflective of your academic ability... Maybe not; the process is somewhat random, but still....
just my 2 cents

 

[Saluki]

triplicate post- stupid computer...

 

[Saluki]

whoops- duplicate post