Predicting Future Acceptances From Current Ones

[grump]

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I interviewed at a several Top 5 schools. I also recently got into a Top 3. I'm super grateful and excited, but it's probably not my top choice. How much does one Top 3 acceptance predict future success at other Top 3 schools? Do these schools all tend to accept the same candidates?

 

[efle]

Not that well unfortunately. Most of the top 10s have yield rates of 40-50%+ which mathematically means that they are not accepting from the same pool except for the occasional superstars. It's very common to see people with one or two Top 5-10 admits with no luck at the others.

If it isn't your top choice though, then go to your top choice! Being "top 3" doesn't mean it's going to change where you land for residency!

Edit: I should also add it depends a lot on the schools in question. UCSF does most of its selection pre-II and admits more than double the percent of interviewed students as Penn does, for example.

 

[piii]

It doesn't predict anything

 

[FlowRate]

Depends. I went to a top 3. I met several people who claimed they only applied to a few schools, and I sort of believed it. But they were obvious mega-superstars. It's almost an "if you have to ask, then it's not you" situation. That doesn't mean you won't get in to other top 3's, but you'd know if you were so legit that you were virtually guaranteed acceptance wherever you applied.

These people had multiple publications, had done research at one of the top 3's, scored near-perfect on MCAT, had perfect academic records, were legitimately good people with EC's that reflected their altruistic ways, and often had some sort of diversity flair.

 

[Yorick]

Is there a difference between top 5 and top 3 schools or am I missing something? I do hope you get into top 2 or even top 1 schools OP

 

[Goro]

If you ask 10 people what the Top 5 schools are, you're going to get 11 different answers.

Is there a difference between top 5 and top 3 schools or am I missing something? I do hope you get into top 2 or even top 1 schools OP

 

[FlowRate]

If you ask 10 people what the Top 5 schools are, you're going to get 11 different answers.

But top 3 is usually some combination of stanford, harvard, johns hopkins, penn, and maybe one other that's popular that year. So there's your top 5, lol. Similarly, ask people what the top 5 is, and you now have a good idea of your top 10.

 

[Goro]

Your point?

WashU
U Chicago
U Penn

Someone else might say Harvard, Yale, UCSF.

There are probably at least 10 top three schools!

But top 3 is usually some combination of stanford, harvard, johns hopkins, penn, and maybe one other that's popular that year. So there's your top 5, lol. Similarly, ask people what the top 5 is, and you now have a good idea of your top 10.

 

[FlowRate]

Your point?

WashU
U Chicago
U Penn

Someone else might say Harvard, Yale, UCSF.

There are probably at least 10 top three schools!

My point was that I was just pointing out what people usually mean when they say those things.

What's your point?

 

[Goro]

I think that we're talking past each other, and that we actually agree!

My point was that I was just pointing out what people usually mean when they say those things.

What's your point?