rank question

[ozzie20]

So the story is that we're supposed to rank 10 to "be assured" a spot, but since you can rank categorical and advanced, (they're technically different spots, and programs also have different categorical and advanced lists) does that mean you should rank 10 different spots total, or 10 different programs? Then mathematically if you had 5 programs you liked, and they all had categorical and advanced, you'd only have to rank those 5, as opposed to 10 different programs, supposing again having both categorical and advanced slots, thus 20 spots on that rank order list.

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[amyl]

i believe when everyone says you should rank 10, they mean programs.

 

[RickKane]

I would agree that most people mean 10 programs when talking about how many interviews to do but I think that number is artificially inflated. I doubt the stats posted by the by the NRMP counts a slot for a categorical and a slot for an advance position as one entity within the same program....In other world I think to hit the magic 8-10 number with your rank list you really only need 6-8 interviews depending on how many programs offer both adv and cat spots.

That being said...to be on the safe side I'm going on 10 interviews. I'd hate to find out my theory was wrong on March 17.

 

[Dr Serenity]

10 is an AVERAGE...a super-stellar applicant probably needs less, a not-so-stellar applicant may need more. Just keep that in mind. I will say, though, that X Program Categorical and X Program Advanced count as 2 programs for the purposes of making your ROL.

 

[DrDre']

What about suprasellar applicants (oh, that's for neurosurgery...)

Or soup or cellar...

Sorry. Think maybe I am losing my mind.

10 is an AVERAGE...a

super-stellar

applicant probably needs less, a not-so-stellar applicant may need more. Just keep that in mind. I will say, though, that X Program Categorical and X Program Advanced count as 2 programs for the purposes of making your ROL.

 

[lord_jeebus]

10 is an AVERAGE...a super-stellar applicant probably needs less, a not-so-stellar applicant may need more. Just keep that in mind. I will say, though, that X Program Categorical and X Program Advanced count as 2 programs for the purposes of making your ROL.

10 is a number where essentially everyone matches somewhere. Not an average of anything.

 

[Dr Serenity]

What about suprasellar applicants (oh, that's for neurosurgery...)

Or soup or cellar...

Sorry. Think maybe I am losing my mind.

They don't need to go through the match. They're guaranteed a spot, no questions asked.

 

[Dr Serenity]

10 is a number where essentially everyone matches somewhere. Not an average of anything.

Is that implied in the "charting outcomes in the match" document?

I'm pretty sure that there have been marginal candidates in the past who ranked >10 on their ROL, and yet they didn't match...so it would make sense to me that 10 is an average.

I think that if you're a decent applicant, 10 will likely be enough, if 10 is indeed the "magic number". BUT...if your application is mediocre, then you may need more. So...my question to you is how is 10 "not an average of anything?"

 

[lord_jeebus]

Is that implied in the "charting outcomes in the match" document?

I'm pretty sure that there have been marginal candidates in the past who ranked >10 on their ROL, and yet they didn't match...so it would make sense to me that 10 is an average.

I think that if you're a decent applicant, 10 will likely be enough, if 10 is indeed the "magic number". BUT...if your application is mediocre, then you may need more. So...my question to you is how is 10 "not an average of anything?"

Take a look at the document yourself. 84/85 US seniors who ranked 10 programs matched. 238/240 seniors who ranked 10-12 programs matched. If you're really paranoid, no one who ranked 13 or more programs failed to match.

It is true that the average (well, median) candidate who matches ranks 10 programs, but that's not quite what we're talking about.

If you are not a US senior, things are different.

 

[Dr Serenity]

It is true that the average (well, median) candidate who matches ranks 10 programs, but that's not quite what we're talking about.

Point well taken about median vs. average.

Point also taken re: what's being discussed on this thread. Didn't mean to hijack the thread or anything...

Continue discussion.

/hijack

 

[bubalus]

Rank anything unless you'd rather not match than go there. If you think you only need 10 and therefore you don't rank several, you could end up in a world of hurt come match Monday when you get the call.

Remeber, crazy things occasionally happen. Occsionally the great guy stellar applicants don't match for random reasons. You pay your money and roll the dice, so stack the odds in your favor.