Reminder to apply to some "safety" schools

[yungspleen]

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As this application cycle comes to a close, I just want to offer some advice. I'm sure a lot of people have already heard this advice, but for those who are just now using this site in preparation for the next cycle, it might be a good thing to hear. A lot of you were probably at the top of your high school class and have done pretty well in undergrad. I was getting my application ready last year and decided to come up with a list of about 25 schools I wanted to apply to. What I didn't realize was how cookie-cutter my extracurriculars were. I had all the boxes checked off but nothing unique that really stood out. I posted my school list on the what are my chances forum and it was heavily criticized, so I went back to the drawing board.

I dramatically changed the school list. I took off a bunch of top-20's and added schools with average LizzyM's 5+ points below mine. I was fortunate enough to receive 7 interviews and 2 acceptances so far. Of those 7 interviews, only 1 school was on my original list, and the 2 acceptances were at schools I had never even considered applying to.

Basically, my advice is that you need to look at your application critically. Put yourself in the shoes of the admissions committee and read the activities section of your application. If you can't see them saying "wow that's really interesting" or "what an impressive activity!" then don't fill your school list with schools around your average LizzyM. The majority of the schools should be 3+ points below your average LizzyM in my opinion. I saw a lot of high-stats applicants on here end up with no acceptances and having to reapply because their school list was unrealistic.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't fill your list with some reaches. I'm just saying it's best to play it safe. A lot of us have family members who don't understand medical school admissions and think you're a shoe-in at a top-20 school and fill you with blind confidence. Just be realistic. This is just my opinion based on my experience, and others may have different opinions.

Good luck with the upcoming cycle!

 

[efle]

The majority of the schools should be 3+ points below your average LizzyM in my opinion.

I don't know that I can second an approach this extreme! I def agree about erring on the side of caution through this process and having a broad range of schools though.

 

[Lord Kek]

Is your LizzyM extremely skewed towards GPA or MCAT? How were your EC's? This is really odd honestly. Congrats though!

 

[coffeeandcodeine]

I think this advice mostly applies to the top schools, where simply having great scores and EC boxes checked often isn't quite enough.

That said, I want to add my own advice, which is to apply to your dream schools! Because you never know which ones might come through and accept you. Similar to OP, I might not be holding acceptances right now if I had applied to my original school list. Fortunately, I was advised to reach a little higher than I thought was possible for me, and it worked out. So I think the lesson is to apply broadly within schools that reasonably fit your stats. You really don't know (unless you're a superstar) where your acceptances might come from.

 

[Lawpy]

Just want to clarify that there is no concept of safety schools in medical school admissions. The closest thing to a safety school is a state school in favorable states (with high IS favoritism).

 

[efle]

I think this advice mostly applies to the top schools, where simply having great scores and EC boxes checked often isn't quite enough.

That said, I want to add my own advice, which is to apply to your dream schools! Because you never know which ones might come through and accept you. Similar to OP, I might not be holding acceptances right now if I had applied to my original school list. Fortunately, I was advised to reach a little higher than I thought was possible for me, and it worked out. So I think the lesson is to apply broadly within schools that reasonably fit your stats. You really don't know (unless you're a superstar) where your acceptances might come from.

Wait hold up, you were under-valuing your own app to such an extent, that your original list would have entirely yield-protected you out of an admit? Weren't you a HYP grad with an MCAT in the top percent or two?

 

[Goro]

Just want to clarify that there is no concept of safety schools in medical school admissions. The closest thing to a safety school is a state school in favorable states (with high IS favoritism).

In the MD world, I'd say the closest thing top a safety school is your state school, unless you live in CA.
DO schools foot the bill more, in reality. We don't mind.

 

[coffeeandcodeine]

Wait hold up, you were under-valuing your own app to such an extent, that your original list would have entirely yield-protected you out of an admit? Weren't you a HYP grad with an MCAT in the top percent or two?

Haha yes, although my GPA was around the 10th percentile for most of my accepts. Originally I was aiming for upper mid tier schools (think emory, hofstra, rochester) plus my state schools, which seemed really reasonable to me at the time. I started out with only 3 top 20s on my list. My mentor fortunately slapped some sense into me before my apps went out, and I added the schools to which I was accepted. But my original list (which I just expanded) didn't yield a single acceptance. 😳 Considering those are all really good schools, I'm not even sure I can believe it was yield protection.

 

[Lawpy]

In the MD world, I'd say the closest thing top a safety school is your state school, unless you live in CA.
DO schools foot the bill more, in reality. We don't mind.

eh i think it depends on the state. i doubt state schools in Massachusetts and Maryland are really safety schools as opposed to state schools in Louisiana and North Dakota.

also idk if UWash is a safety school for WWAMI applicants. that always confuses me. same with the new school Washington State.

 

[Goro]

eh i think it depends on the state. i doubt state schools in Massachusetts and Maryland are really safety schools as opposed to state schools in Louisiana and North Dakota.

also idk if UWash is a safety school for WWAMI applicants. that always confuses me. same with the new school Washington State.

True...I just didn't want to go through a list of US geography.

 

[efle]

Haha yes, although my GPA was around the 10th percentile for most of my accepts. Originally I was aiming for upper mid tier schools (think emory, hofstra, rochester) plus my state schools, which seemed really reasonable to me at the time. I started out with only 3 top 20s on my list. My mentor fortunately slapped some sense into me before my apps went out, and I added the schools to which I was accepted. But my original list (which I just expanded) didn't yield a single acceptance. 😳 Considering those are all really good schools, I'm not even sure I can believe it was yield protection.

Considering the places you ended up admitted iirc, I think it probs was still yield protection.