Rolling Admissions - do you find out about uncompetitive schools first?

[student113]

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Hi guys, I'm wondering if there's the general trend that the less competitive schools offer acceptances earlier than, say, middle-upper tier schools and good state ones (UC's, SUNY, etc.)

I'm asking because my girlfriend is applying to PhD programs and we'd like to be in the same city. So since those are due in the winter, I'm wondering what are the chances that I'll get in somewhere desirable before her apps are due.

I realize that depends on my definition of desirable. I'd really like any of the UC schools, SUNY stony brook, a few privates on the east coast (Mount Sinai, Cornell,) and any top schools if I'm lucky. But in general, is there such a trend? If so, when could I expect to hear about the schools I mentioned?

 

[DRIN]

There's no such thing as an uncompetitive medical school in the United States.

 

[student113]

Okay, "relatively uncompetitive." A "relative safety" school that isn't safe for anybody. A random state school compared to Harvard.

 

[slowbutsteady]

No.

 

[zayka]

Since top-tiers are more likely to be non-rolling, you will probably wait longer from them. My guess is that otherwise, it wouldn't matter, but your application may have a higher chance of being on hold at a top school.

 

[physicsnerd42]

Only a very few schools (*cough* Harvard *cough*, etc.) do anything other than rolling admissions. The schools with rolling admissions all start accepting candidates in the fall, and it has more to do with how competitive the candidates are than how competitive the schools are. So, no.

Honestly, it's tough to coordinate med and grad school since you could be like one guy at my med school who got in on the first day of orientation in August. Yay waitlists!

 

[JaggerPlate]

An uncompetitive allopathic school .... great oxymoron.

 

[Chemdude]

Only a very few schools (*cough* Harvard *cough*, etc.) do anything other than rolling admissions. The schools with rolling admissions all start accepting candidates in the fall, and it has more to do with how competitive the candidates are than how competitive the schools are. So, no.

Honestly, it's tough to coordinate med and grad school since you could be like one guy at my med school who got in on the first day of orientation in August. Yay waitlists!

Are you serious?! The first day of orientation? Wow. Someone dropped out of medical school on the first day of orientation....haha

So, if you get accepted to a school early on, but you applied to Harvard, what do you do? Don't you have to accept/decline the offer within a specific time period?

 

[dw2158]

Since top-tiers are more likely to be non-rolling, you will probably wait longer from them. My guess is that otherwise, it wouldn't matter, but your application may have a higher chance of being on hold at a top school.

yes but there are always exceptions-- hopkins, for example. plus, just because a school is rolling doesn't mean you'll be accepted early... you may still have to wait until the late winter/early spring for an answer.

 

[physicsnerd42]

Are you serious?! The first day of orientation? Wow. Someone dropped out of medical school on the first day of orientation....haha

So, if you get accepted to a school early on, but you applied to Harvard, what do you do? Don't you have to accept/decline the offer within a specific time period?

The rumor I heard was that someone got kicked out the week before orientation for lying on their app. Since I never met the person, I'll never know for sure.

Schools with non-rolling admissions let you know in mid-March. You're allowed to hold multiple acceptances until May 15. You typically have to accept offers within a certain period of time, but at most allopathic school's I'm familiar with (the osteopathic schools tend to charge RIDICULOUS fees to hold a spot) the fee to hold a spot is nothing/very little and is sometimes refundable.

 

[Amadelphous]

I realize that depends on my definition of desirable. I'd really like any of the UC schools, SUNY stony brook, a few privates on the east coast (Mount Sinai, Cornell,) and any top schools if I'm lucky. But in general, is there such a trend? If so, when could I expect to hear about the schools I mentioned?

Everyone is making really good points...I just had to ask, Cornell doesn't count as a top school?