rejected at your state school with certain numbers?

[meanderson]

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We've all heard stories of 3.8/35-37 applicants getting the boot from tons of schools....even tons of seemingly "easy" schools to get into. But it seems like every time I read one of these posts the schools providing the ding are either private schools or state schools which accept a good % of out of state students.

I'm wondering if there are many 3.8/36 applicants who got rejected from public schools whose class is composed almost solely of in-state residents. Schools like University of South Carolina, Medical College of Georgia, University of Tenessee, South Alabama, LSU, UNC, UAB, University of Arkansas, etc.....

Excluding schools like UCLA, UCSD, etc......

 

[macdown]

I've been rejected from my state school twice, University of Minnesota, once in college and then this year. Although they claim the majority of students come from in-state, its not so true. Tuition is almost equal that of many private schools, so by and large there is no advantage to stay in state, unless you have a burning desire be a Golden Gopher and riot every year when they win the Hockey National Title.

My stats: GPA Undergrad: 3.50 University of St Thomas (St Paul, MN)
Graduate: 3.75 Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
MCAT: 30, don't remember on the writting sample.

 

[meanderson]

3.5/30 is good, but those are virtually right at Uminn's averages right? I'm wondering if there are any 3.8/36 applicants who have been rejected by their state schools.....

 

[Special Kay]

Don't understand what happened. 3.8 GPA from Ivy League level college, although my MCAT was only mediocre. North Carolina resident and got reject, post-interview, from ECU and UNC. Didn't even get on the waitlist. How depressing is that!

 

[meanderson]

a mediocre 27 or a mediocre 32?

 

[Special Kay]

I'd prefer not to say exactly but my mcat was definitely in their range. Ironically, I got waitlisted at Med Univ of SC and I was out-of-state there.

Also, as I'm sure you know, getting into med school isn't all about numbers. And applying to med school can be totally random sometimes.

 

[cytanaka]

3.85 @ UC Berkeley, 38
Put on hold at my state school: Univ Maryland.

I'm never rooting for the terps again...

 

[Adcadet]

no offense macdown, but I think your stats are a bit low. The avg. MCAT at MN is 30.8 (http://www.meded.umn.edu/admissions/admissionstats.htm) and undergrad GPA is 3.67. And of course, it's always hard to evaluate graduate school GPA. Minnesota does heavily favor in-state applicants - I believe they accepted about 15% of in-state applicants and less than 5% out of state. Now, I know us Minnesotans are great, but I think the accept rates show clear preference for in-state. And yes, the tuition at MN is high for a state school, but this has nothing to do with in-state/out-state preference.

 

[udbluehen]

4.0/37R Also on hold at my state school U of Maryland, yet accepted at UVa, and Temple, and waitlisted at Yale

 

[conure]

Another great opportunity to state the following....

"Its not all about the numbers"

 

[meanderson]

So maryland seems to be one state school that will ding high stat in-staters. Looking at their web page, it seems they place a very high level of importance on valuable clinical experience(outside of just volunteering in an ER). Any chance you guys lack good clinical exposure?

 

[ShaylaFinn]

"a mediocre 32" ? And what's up with the Univ. of Maryland?

 

[ckat]

3.49 gpa from Ivy league
33P mcat

rejected from SUNY Downstate
waitlisted at SUNY Stony Brook

I did research at Stony Brook in High School (semi-finalist in Westinghouse) and did some research in college there as well.

currently working in a hospital (lots of clinical experience this year)

lots of other research experience.

good recs, good extracurriculars

my interviewer said i had a competitive application, and to sit tight. =P

Why won't they let me in???

 

[erininseattle]

If any of you on the waitlist at Maryland have gotten in at U.Washington (my state school and I'm on the waitlist)- maybe we could work something out . I'm surprised both of you were waitlisted- but maybe your stats are too high. Mine aren't as spectacular as yours, but my interviewer still asked why I would want to come to Maryland rather than a place like Hopkins. Maybe they thought you would go somewhere else with such high stats.

 

[irlandesa]

Originally posted by meanderson
So maryland seems to be one state school that will ding high stat in-staters. Looking at their web page, it seems they place a very high level of importance on valuable clinical experience(outside of just volunteering in an ER). Any chance you guys lack good clinical exposure?

well, it might be a bit of a sweeping generalization that UMAB dings high stat in-staters, and being on hold is not akin to rejection (depends from year to year). I had average stats, about the same as Maryland's averages, in-state, got interviewed, interviews went great, worked at UMAB for 2 years in research, 3 letters of rec from UMAB professors, and had good, but not spectacular clinical experience.. ended up with a "hold" which became a waitlist which became a rejection. I think Marylanders in general have a hard time of staying in-state b/c UMAB is the only state med school in a relatively population dense state. And they do pay attention to stats, as all schools do. My "connections", clinical/work experience, and great interviews just didn't compensate for that 9 in VR, just as super-high stats probably wouldn't completely override a relative lack of clinical exposure. I did get 2 other acceptances at US MD schools though, so it worked out OK.

 

[erininseattle]

Maybe Maryland is accepting more out-of-state (and less in-state) so they can stick it to us with the tuition- 55K total budget- ouch!

 

[udbluehen]

I understand the poster who pointed out that numbers aren't everything. Perhaps my volunteer and clinical experiences aren't up to Maryland's standards, but I have spent the last 3.5 years volunteering and working in a local family practice, in all aspects of the practice, from pateint check-in/vitals to office laboratory work to insurance processing. I also spent a few days with a doctor in Guinea-Bissau (West Africa) on a volunteer trip last summer. I realize though that many applicants have spent more time volunteering or working in the hospital, so perhaps I'm deficient in that respect. In any case, I'm really hoping to make it at Yale off the waitlist. If I don't, I'll probably try applying to the NIH post-bac IRTP for a year while reapplying to medical schools and trying to diversify my clinical experiences. Good luck to everyone else on hold at UMaryland.

 

[meanderson]

>>I understand the poster who pointed out that numbers aren't >>everything. Perhaps my volunteer and clinical experiences >>aren't up to Maryland's standards, but I have spent the last >>3.5 years volunteering and working in a local family practice, in >>all aspects of the practice, from pateint check-in/vitals to office >>laboratory work to insurance processing. I also spent a few >>days with a doctor in Guinea-Bissau (West Africa) on a >>volunteer trip last summer.

Jeeez.....a 4.0 gpa and a 37. Absolutely *perfect* academic credentials. You have 3.5 years(!) of relevant clinical experience and have obviously shown a long-term committment to medicine. I understand that this process can be hard to figure out sometimes, but I think it is absolutely ridiculous that your state school didn't accept you outright. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. You deserve to go to yale and I hope you get in.

 

[conure]

Originally posted by udbluehen
In any case, I'm really hoping to make it at Yale off the waitlist. If I don't, I'll probably try applying to the NIH post-bac IRTP for a year while reapplying to medical schools and trying to diversify my clinical experiences.

Wait, you are going to reapply yet you have been accepted at UVa and Temple? Why not attend?

 

[VienneseWaltz]

I can think of 2 reasons why someone with great numbers would be rejected from his or her state school.

(1) This person's state school's primary interest is in churning out family docs who will remain in the state to practice, but the applicant obviously has bigger plans. This is one reason that I established residency in NC when I moved from SC. I am interested in health policy work in addition to practicing, so I am not what USC is looking for. (MUSC might have been more interested, though.) I was told by my pre-med advisor (before I moved) that I might be one of those people who gets into Harvard but gets rejected by her state school. (BTW, I did not get into Harvard.)

(2) This person walks in with a sense of entitlement. Med schools know when you think you're doing them a big favor by interviewing with them. Please don't flame me for this--I am NOT saying this is the case for any person who has posted on this thread, but I know it happens sometimes.

meanderson, relax. You have a healthy sense of humility, but I think you are worrying more than necessary. You have some great experiences. If you do as well on the MCAT as you have in your practice exams, you will be a strong applicant, and I don't see MCG rejecting you, especially if you tell them you are serious about them.

 

[HouseHead]

Originally posted by conure
Wait, [udbluehen] you are going to reapply yet you have been accepted at UVa and Temple? Why not attend?

You've got to be kidding me. 🙄

I'm smelling either b.s. or stupidity (on the part of udbluehen). If it's the former- whatever, flamebait. If it's stupidity, then it's also insanely selfish ego, and I hope you don't take the acceptances, and then don't get in anywhere ever again.

I was rejected by SUNY Downstate and waitlisted (unsuccessfully) w/ 3.65/39 last year. Rejected by both pre-interview this year (3.51/39), but accepted by Upstate and Buffalo.

I think the SUNY schools aren't as "easy" as many other state schools, and will probably be even harder in years to come.

 

[cytanaka]

my clinical is pretty strong: i was a full time emt in los angeles for about a year, doing all 911 response. plus i volunteered in a homeless clinic and have a decent research background. I'm not sure what's up with umd

 

[udbluehen]

Why not accept the acceptance at UVa?

I may well end up doing just that, but with the recent 10% tuition hike and the posibility of further tuition hikes, and the fact that I'm a little disappointed with a few other aspects of UVa's med program, I'm not entirely sure I want to spendthe next four years accruing 140,000+ debt there, as it looks like I would with the tuition hikes and limited financial aid there. If any of what I said came across as B.S. or stupidity, I'm sorry, perhaps my decision right now is clouded by anticipation for the Yale waitlist, and disappointment in receiving my financial aid from virginia. I am still strongly considering attending UVa, it is just a difficult decision. I've already declined Temple, because I did and still do favor UVa over Temple, so Temple is no longer an option.

Good luck to everyone else, and I'm sorry if I've stirred up any other posters.

 

[aquaboy]

Originally posted by udbluehen
Why not accept the acceptance at UVa?

I may well end up doing just that, but with the recent 10% tuition hike and the posibility of further tuition hikes, and the fact that I'm a little disappointed with a few other aspects of UVa's med program, I'm not entirely sure I want to spendthe next four years accruing 140,000+ debt there, as it looks like I would with the tuition hikes and limited financial aid there. If any of what I said came across as B.S. or stupidity, I'm sorry, perhaps my decision right now is clouded by anticipation for the Yale waitlist, and disappointment in receiving my financial aid from virginia. I am still strongly considering attending UVa, it is just a difficult decision. I've already declined Temple, because I did and still do favor UVa over Temple, so Temple is no longer an option.

Good luck to everyone else, and I'm sorry if I've stirred up any other posters.

What do you mean the lack of financial aid at UVa. I was under the impression they can give up to 13K for out of state students in need-based scholarships. I hope you got atleast some of that in your financial aid package. Unless your parents make a ton or you have a lot of $$ you should qualify for it. I am waiting for my finanical aid package and I hope it brings good tidings of great joy.😱

 

[irlandesa]

Originally posted by aquaboy
What do you mean the lack of financial aid at UVa. I was under the impression they can give up to 13K for out of state students in need-based scholarships. I hope you got atleast some of that in your financial aid package. Unless your parents make a ton or you have a lot of $$ you should qualify for it. I am waiting for my finanical aid package and I hope it brings good tidings of great joy.😱

$140 K doesn't sound that awful for a private school, especially one like UVA. I think in the end it comes down to how much you really want to be a doctor. I really can't see that going to UVA would preclude you from getting into a competitive residency or going into the specialty of your choice; if anything it would help. For me, to be admitted into med school was a tremendous honor, and would have been regardless of my MCAT score. speaking of which, the idea that a 30 MCAT and 3.5 GPA are too low to get into U Minn or equivalent state schools is just BS. I have a friend who was an Iowa resident who got into U Minn-TC with 3.5 (U Iowa undergrad) and 31S (on a retake) and is now an M2 there. My MCAT score was 1.3 points below my current school's average for the class of '05, and GPA only .7 above. anyway, it doesn't matter b/c no one cares where you went to undergrad or what your MCAT score was or what the date on your acceptance letter was once you step in the door on the first day of orientation.

 

[geldrop]

Downstate tossed me 3.7/35 in my face for their md/phd program and then for their MD program also. Buffalo waitlisted me at the last section.

Wonder why, I actually wanted to attend there. Oh well guess my life insurance rates will not go up.

 

[Resident Alien]

wright state rejected me last year with 33/3.9 (they did interview me though).