Schools that aren't "number ******"?

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Jezzielin

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I posted this in a different thread and got some responses, but I was wondering if anyone knows of others... thanks! :D


Add to the list, or if you disagree on these feel free to post that too!

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Saint Luis University
UTSouthwestern
UVM
UTMB
Drexel
Rosalind Franklin
NYMC
Albany Medical College


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If you are from out of state and don't have good numbers I would not apply to UTSW or UTMB.
 
Be careful applying to TX schools if you're an OOS applicant. If so then your numbers better be stellar.

That said, take some advice from a (hopefully) wise old salt: ALL schools are "numbers ******" to some degree or another. Don't be fooled into thinking a sub-par application will be overlooked at these schools. If this is the case then you may be in for a bumper crop of disappointment.

Good luck. :thumbup:
 
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The reason that most of these schools can worry less about numbers and more about the applicants as a whole is because they are private. Granted, many, many private institutions will be difficult if your GPA is lower, but bear in mind that private schools don't offer the kind of federal financial aid that state institutions can offer. Most private schools are going to have a few scholarships, but you will be taking out a majority of your education expenses and living expenses in the form of loans. For state institutions, they can offer grants and scholarships and alternate sources of funding that are not readily available through private schools. This being said, state schools have a serious interest in taking a calculated risk in selecting their students.

Students with better 'numbers' present a better financial risk and since state schools are funded via state and federal money, there are many, MANY more restrictions as to the criteria that can be used to fill a medical school class. Laws that apply to state schools aren't always expected or required of private schools.

These schools that don't focus on numbers are focused on everything else. If your numbers aren't great, you'd better have some pretty fantastic extracurriculars, as well as an explanation for your numbers. Someone who just didn't perform well and doesn't have a reason for it, well, that's going to be extremely difficult to convince anyone that you are a worthwhile risk for medical school. This is the reason that most of these schools are considered 'non-trad' friendly. They don't have the kinds of restrictions on them that others schools have and can really look for the applicant to be a 'whole' package.

:luck:
 
Can anyone list me some private institutions? My numbers aren't that bad, but I was just wondering. Thanks!
 
This is always such a difficult question - theoretically, most schools (aside from JHU, WashU and Columbia) are NOT really number ******. That is, a lot of students are accepted with MCATs below, at, or slightly above 30 and GPAs ranging from 3.4ish - 4.0. If you have something else in your application to set you apart - extensive work experience, volunteerism up the whazoo, stellar recs, president/dictator of a small country, etc. - you'll be looked at regardless. Also, a lot of schools really do play the "fit" card, and tend to accept those students who are going to contribute to their institution, etc. (Which makes sense, I guess!)

Given my application experience and my friends' experiences, I would say that Yale, Harvard, Penn, Cornell, NYU, Stanford, Mount Sinai, Albert Einstein, BU, SUNYs (if in state) and Case tended to interview and accept people with perfectly-fine-but-not-too-stellar MCATs (at or slightly above 30), stellar GPAs (> 3.8) and a lot of work experience. Since I'm a postbacc student, and my sample size is about 10, take all of this with a grain of salt! Most of the these schools (in particular Harvard, Penn, Yale, Stanford) turn down fabulous on-paper applicants and accept students who had that special something in their application - and I'm not talking numbers.
 
Most of the these schools (in particular Harvard, Penn, Yale, Stanford) turn down fabulous on-paper applicants and accept students who had that special something in their application - and I'm not talking numbers.

What would be something special? Like publications? Anything else? Don't these schools have cut offs?
 
Tulane isn't a number *****. But after looking at their tuition costs, they appear to be money ******.
 
I know it's been said a million times but after having been through it and seen my friends go through it this process is extremely random. I would say that a majority of the applicants have very similar numbers. I had a 3.9, 3.8 and a 31R mcat and though I didn't apply to a lot of big name back east ivies felt great about having been accepted to solid programs at my state school, at Emory, and at Pritzker (where I will attend). Anyway, I thought I would be competitive at schools like Case and USC but I didn't even get an interview and yet was accepted in early November to Chicago (which was a reach school for me). I have friends with very similar numbers and experiences who still have zero acceptances and several waitlists. Sooooo...it's random.
I will say that Vanderbilt was the only one to reject me without any consideration.
 
Jezzielin said:
What would be something special? Like publications? Anything else? Don't these schools have cut offs?
No, something *special* - I don't know, a lot of community service, starting a medically-related business, working for 10+ years, having a PhD - something that 95% of applicants will NOT have.

I don't know if school's have specific cut-offs or not; you should do some research. Call the schools about which you're particularly concerned. I've heard that with Harvard you need to hit 10s in everything (but I know someone who's heading there next year and didn't do that...so, go figure). Don't get so hung up in the numbers...as the above poster said, a lot of this process is random.
 
i had a gpa of 3.6 and a 32 mcat and i got an interview at columbia but was flat out rejected by a lot of other lower tier schools. i'll be the first one to back the statment that a lot of this process is random.
 
MechE said:
Tulane isn't a number *****. But after looking at their tuition costs, they appear to be money ******.
Wouldn't that be a normal *****?
 
nockamura said:
Wouldn't that be a normal *****?

Ok that made me laugh out loud. :laugh: :thumbup:
 
lane said:
i don't know about UTSW not being a number *****...
Yeah, it's a research school and likes the numbers. UTSA and TX Tech are not number ******.
 
nockamura said:
Wouldn't that be a normal *****?

No, normal ****** have reasonable rates and say things like, "Put a 50 on the dresser and don't let the dog out when you leave." Tulane, on the other hand, will have the Alumni Association contact you after graduation.
 
Florida State is not a number *****. They want to produce primary care physicians and are interested in people who look forward to working with Florida's aging population. Unfortunately, the school is for Florida residents only.
 
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