Probably a really really really stupid question, but I'll ask it any ways...

[beegeforty4]

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I'm trying to get into this one medical school really bad (like seriously; really bad...I have a list of horrible things I would consider doing if they would accept me). I plan to go into the Navy though to pay for the med school.

So the question is (adcoms would probably be best to answer), does it help any -- even the smallest bit -- if I have a letter from the Navy saying that they will be paying for 100% of my medical school expenses if accepted to their school?

(If you bitch at me for this being a stupid question I'll refer you back to the thread title.)

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm trying to get into this one medical school really bad (like seriously; really bad...I have a list of horrible things I would consider doing if they would accept me). I plan to go into the Navy though to pay for the med school.

So the question is (adcoms would probably be best to answer), does it help any -- even the smallest bit -- if I have a letter from the Navy saying that they will be paying for 100% of my medical school expenses if accepted to their school?

(If you bitch at me for this being a stupid question I'll refer you back to the thread title.)

I'm guessing, but I doubt it helps -- plenty of people who get rejected from med school were evidently able to afford it.
FWIW, it is a big mistake to focus in on a single med school. You can have a favorite, but even people with the best stats should be willing to go to several, because schools have their own ideas about who is a "good fit". Many folks will be applying to 15-25 schools to give themselves reasonable chances.

 

[ryandote]

but not great either - Everybody who plans on doing the military will end up having the military pay 100% of their tuition. On the other hand, I doubt you will be able to get a letter/promise from the Navy to pay 100% of anything until you are accepted into medical school.

Try the military medicine forum to figure out how it all works - but your plan isn't going to get you any closer to medical school.

 

[weathertalk]

Med schools don't care if you can pay or not. If you can pay, great. If you can't pay, you can take out loans for the entire cost of tuition.

Also, I agree with the above posters that you should not fixate yourself on a single school. You cant' really compare schools unless you've visited them, spoken with students and faculty, acquired a "gut feel," really examined the curriculum, walked around the surrounding area, etc. By my last interview, my top choices had changed entirely.

 

[beegeforty4]

Since when does HPSP accept you before you have a med school admission in hand?

They do if you have above a 29 on your MCAT, above a 3.5 GPA, and are in good physical condition and pass the security clearance.

The Navy recruiter I'm talking to was the one who offered to have his commanding officer write the letter.

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

Also, I agree with the above posters that you should not fixate yourself on a single school. You cant' really compare schools unless you've visited them, spoken with students and faculty, acquired a "gut feel," really examined the curriculum, walked around the surrounding area, etc. By my last interview, my top choices had changed entirely.

This is so true. At the start of my application season, I was obsessed with a certain school. I knew for sure I wanted to go there, blabbered on about it to anyone who would listen, and was generally settled. The school was even in my hometown, and since I had been there many times before, I figured nothing could change my mind.

That is... until I went and interviewed at a few other schools. And I started to realize that there were places that would be an even better fit for me. Long story short, my "dream school" put me on the WL, but several of the other schools accepted me. And you know what? All of the schools were right- I really was a better fit elsewhere. Thus, I will not be matriculating at the "dream school" even if I get off the WL (reminds me, I should probably have myself removed from the list) but will go to someplace that suits me much better.

The same may very well happen to you. Don't close yourself off to discovering some surprising things during this process! It's all part of the... erm... "fun."

 

[beegeforty4]

FWIW, it is a big mistake to focus in on a single med school. You can have a favorite, but even people with the best stats should be willing to go to several, because schools have their own ideas about who is a "good fit". Many folks will be applying to 15-25 schools to give themselves reasonable chances.

I'm not focusing on one school I have applied to others, I just was curious if it helped any. I've already interviewed at the school (and others) and know it will be a good fit.

Thanks for the feedback though.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

They do if you have above a 29 on your MCAT, above a 3.5 GPA, and are in good physical condition and pass the security clearance.

The Navy recruiter I'm talking to was the one who offered to have his commanding officer write the letter.

Ah....they must be getting desperate.

 

[Law2Doc]

I've already interviewed at the school (and others) and know it will be a good fit.

You misunderstand me. It is the schools that also have to decide if you are a good fit, not just vice versa. Plenty of applicants with good stats get rejected by schools for not being a "good fit" for their class each cycle.