ROL Creation

[GopherBrain]

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This is HARD! The first few programs are easy, but from #4 onward I don't have any idea how things will turn out! I have five programs that could potentially end up as my #4...

Anyone else agonizing?

 

[swedcrip]

I'm more agonized about #1. I doubt you wouldn't match one of your top 3 anyway so in retrospect you might be spending a lot of time worrying unnecessarily.

Send me the list of schools and I'll rank them for you. 😀

 

[drgirl]

I'm in the same boat as you GopherBrain. My top 5 are definite and then it just gets all confused. I know someone who is submitting their list tomorrow too! Help, I think I gotta set a deadline for myself otherwise I'll be just making the 1/18, 12 pm PST deadline! 😕
The top programs just stood out to me but it's hard to rank the lower ones--they all have equal advantages and disadvantages....

 

[GopherBrain]

I doubt you wouldn't match one of your top 3 anyway so in retrospect you might be spending a lot of time worrying unnecessarily.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I think that there is a good chance that I will end up at #4. The first three are pretty competitive.

 

[scm]

how many are you guys ranking? i think i may rank maybe 7-8 of the 12 i interviewed at...there were certainly a few places i would rather not goto..

indeed, im pretty sure about #1 and #2 (i think my #2 is probably more competitive actually), but i have 3 places for #3 and on..the middle ones are rough, the last few will be no prob. im going to take at least a few days to think about it/talk to some people..might just chose by location at this point, since they are all good places..

kinda absurd that these decisions are based to some degree on impressions generated by a day-long visit somewhere. alas..

scm

 

[crackerjack]

the problem im having is that there is no clear winner among the places i interviewed at. none were perfect, 100% awesome. so, i have a whole bunch of #2s, if that makes any sense.
i heard some statistic, from the nrmp match last year (combining all specialties, not early match though) that something like 68% of american grads got their #1... and if thats the regular match, and considering neuro isnt supposed to be that competitive, i think that means we have a pretty good shot at getting what we want-- at least top 3. although as aforementioned by some of you i think that the programs that are hanging around my top 3 are all very competitive places.
im definitely waiting until the last minute to send mine in. next day air and the whole shebang. had another "i didnt match" nightmare last night. ugh.

 

[crackerjack]

hey, did anyone do a second visit? anyone planning on doing one or know anyone doing one? one or two places i went i didnt get a good feel for at ALL, but... its a little late now, right?
i heard that a good chunk of people believe that if you want to let a place know theyre number 1, either do a second visit or write a letter. to be honest, i dont know anyone whos actually done a second visit.
???

 

[kerimwedding]

Mt Sinai, JHU, Emory

 

[matt481]

the problem im having is that there is no clear winner among the places i interviewed at. none were perfect, 100% awesome. so, i have a whole bunch of #2s, if that makes any sense.

I feel your pain crackerjack. I have about 4 #2's and no real # 1 yet. It will be next day air for me also!

 

[marchiafava]

I sent out my ROL ovenight mail, today. I must have looked it over for mistakes 20 times! It's nerve-racking sealing the envelope and sending it off. I ranked 5 programs and my top 3 are mayo(rochester), cleveland clinic(ohio), cornell. I didn't do any second looks but did contact my top programs. I actually spoke to a couple of programs about second looks, and they said that there really is no reason to do a second look unless you didn't interview with someone you wanted to talk to or see something. They said it doesn't help at all. Good luck to you all.

 

[scm]

hey great list! just curious, what did you say to your #2 and #3 when you talked to them? I'm not sure how to phrase things..
good luck!
much thanks
scm

 

[drgirl]

hey, did anyone do a second visit? anyone planning on doing one or know anyone doing one? one or two places i went i didnt get a good feel for at ALL, but... its a little late now, right?
i heard that a good chunk of people believe that if you want to let a place know theyre number 1, either do a second visit or write a letter. to be honest, i dont know anyone whos actually done a second visit.
???

I don't know of anyone who did a second look. The only program that really encouraged them was Mt. Sinai. I think writing a letter and telling them they're #1 is fine--I'm saying that to my #1 and telling nos. 2 and 3 that i am ranking them very high.
I visited 15 places and am ranking 12.....am hoping that I match in my top 5 at least 😱
I'm stressed now 🙁
good luck to you all!!!

 

[GopherBrain]

In regards to contacting programs, my advisor had some advice. I'm sure he wouldn't mind my sharing it.

I don't think that telling programs you are ranking them number 1 hurts,
but it also doesn't help much. We have all been burned too many times by
such statements that proved false in the final analysis, so that little if
any weight is put on them. Everybody ranks candidates based on how they
stack up against everyone else (given the subjective criteria being used)
and whether there is a reasonable chance that they will get that candidate.
The big name programs believe, rightly or wrongly, that they can have anyone
they want, so telling that you're ranking them at the top is not very
meaningful. The programs that might be influenced by your saying you will
rank them at the top are generally going to be the ones that you won't rank
at the top, leading to the lack of credibility I mentioned at the outset of
this digression. Do what feels right to you, it can't hurt, but won't
really help much either.

I don't think I will contact anyone. My top three are the types of programs that everyone ranks highly, and I wouldn't feel right telling my #4 that I am ranking them "highly".

 

[tofurious]

I remember this guy last year who had "great" interviews at his top three places and was shocked to find out that he had matched at his number 5. While it may be true that 70% of US seniors matched at their number 1s, keep in mind that they didn't all match at Partners or JHU as their number ones (many U Wisconsins or Kaisers). Still, good luck to everyone and hope you are happy with the match outcome!

 

[scm]

I agree/totally understand what you guys are saying, and obviously this holds especially true for places like MGH and so on where many quality people are ranking them #1. On the otherhand, some programs do move people up in their rank list if you tell them they are your #1. i think it's important to consider this. i know this from talking to residents, comments made by Pds this yr/PDs of other programs I've talked to etc... Many programs simply would rather have someone who actually really wanted to go there... A good number of people look very similar on paper/after interviews, if said program hears that one of them is ranking them #1, they might move them up/it might make the difference vs. other candidates-they'd rather have a resident who ranked them 1/really wanted to go there most vs having a resident wind up there who ranked them #3 or #4 etc. but please, feel free to post if youve heard differently..



on the otherhand, im not sure about contacting places that are your #2 and on, and letting them know you are "ranking them highly", was thinking about doing this, but i'm sure everyone tells them this and its pretty meaningless..you are, however, conveying that they are not your #1..

 

[syrinx]

I'll wait until close to the 18th to submit my list. I still need to gather my thoughts and figure out what program qualities are truly the most important to me. I have 4 or 5 that could be #1. I guess it may come down to location, location, location. I'm also waiting to be contacted by programs in the next few weeks and see where they stand. I've already gotten a phone call from one PD. I emailed the PD at one of my potential #1s and got a very encouraging response. Not sure what to make of these things.

 

[GopherBrain]

My ROL is finally done. I triple-checked it, slapped on my sticker, and it is ready for a trip to the post office on Monday.