Secondary Screening

[BeMD13]

My MCAT was less than stellar and I was worried my app might just get tossed out. I'm getting secondaries from schools that supposedly screen but does that matter? I'm wondering if you pass their low mark does this mean someone is going to read your essay?

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[Espressso]

I think if you get passed any screening, they will look over your app.

 

[Espressso]

But! They won't get to your app, until all parts of your application are submitted and received. That's why people stress a quick secondary turn around. If they give you a secondary, you should try to get that in ASAP.

 

[Goro]

Other Adcom members here have assured us that secondaries get read, but be aware that secondaries are often a tax on the hopelessly naïve, if not pathologically optimistic.

My MCAT was less than stellar and I was worried my app might just get tossed out. I'm getting secondaries from schools that supposedly screen but does that matter? I'm wondering if you pass their low mark does this mean someone is going to read your essay?

 

[BeMD13]

Other Adcom members here have assured us that secondaries get read, but be aware that secondaries are often a tax on the hopelessly naïve, if not pathologically optimistic.

I emailed a specific school asking about the screening process and my low score but I never heard back. Would you say this is the equivalent of a virtual middle finger? I decided not to designate them on my primary app.

 

[Goro]

No, it's vacation time, and they're deluged with 1000s of apps anyway.

Patience is a virtue.

I emailed a specific school asking about the screening process and my low score but I never heard back. Would you say this is the equivalent of a virtual middle finger? I decided not to designate them on my primary app.

 

[wizzed101]

Is there a list of "donation" schools for OOS? I read on the UW thread that they will just toss your app out before secondary. I'd like a list of schools with similar practice...

 

[gyngyn]

Is there a list of "donation" schools for OOS? I read on the UW thread that they will just toss your app out before secondary. I'd like a list of schools with similar practice...

You can consider schools where your stats are at or below the tenth percentile a donation. Add schools that take very few OOS. Include mission based schools where you don't fit the mission.

 

[wizzed101]

You can consider schools where your stats are at or below the tenth percentile a donation. Add schools that take very few OOS. Include mission based schools where you don't fit the mission.

I see. Can you clarify how few is few? 5%? 10%? 20%? I mainly look at CA schools.

I read on UCLA site that they don't have any in-state bias but 85% of their class is in-state (!?), citing that Californian are more likely to stay in California. It sounds like even such prestigious schools as UCLA are conscious about yield. I am from Texas. Given that there are many Californian settling in Texas, is my chance of getting to in CA schools shot?

 

[meddesire]

Just a quick question...
How to know which schools don't do the secondary screening aside from going to that school's thread? I mean a list of schools...
Would most schools do or don't do the secondary screening?

 

[sunshinefl]

Just a quick question...
How to know which schools don't do the secondary screening aside from going to that school's thread? I mean a list of schools...
Would most schools do or don't do the secondary screening?

MSAR gives the practices for sending a secondary by school.

 

[gyngyn]

I see. Can you clarify how few is few? 5%? 10%? 20%? I mainly look at CA schools.

I read on UCLA site that they don't have any in-state bias but 85% of their class is in-state (!?), citing that Californian are more likely to stay in California. It sounds like even such prestigious schools as UCLA are conscious about yield. I am from Texas. Given that there are many Californian settling in Texas, is my chance of getting to in CA schools shot?

Last year, 910/6520 CA applicants matriculated IS. 1528 had to leave.
Only 303 CA seats went to OOS applicants. 75 of these were at Loma Linda and 57 were at Stanford. If you are neither Adventist nor Stanford material, that leaves 171 seats for OOS. Almost 4 thousand OOS applicants applied to UCLA and USC. If we use that for the denominator, the odds of CA acceptance are 171/~4,000. Not quite lottery odds, but definitely donation territory.

The odds of getting an interview from a CA school if you are from TX is vanishingly small unless you are recruitment material and/or attended school at a CA undergrad that has an associated medical school.
We know that you will stay in TX. Only 215 Texans matriculated OOS last year!

 

[Efflorescence]

You can consider schools where your stats are at or below the tenth percentile a donation.

I almost did not apply to my dream school because my MCAT was at the bottom 10th percentile on MSAR (GPA at median, non-URM). I ended up applying late, was accepted, and will be matriculating in two weeks. However, this is a school with a strong IS bias (75% of class is IS). I'm still surprised I got in.

 

[salemstein]

MSAR gives the practices for sending a secondary by school.

I went on MSAR and couldn't find it... Could you clarify which tab it is under? Thanks!

 

[meddesire]

I don't see it either...need more clarification. Thanks!

 

[BeMD13]

I almost did not apply to my dream school because my MCAT was at the bottom 10th percentile on MSAR (GPA at median, non-URM). I ended up applying late, was accepted, and will be matriculating in two weeks. However, this is a school with a strong IS bias (75% of class is IS). I'm still surprised I got in.

You give me hope.

 

[sunshinefl]

I went on MSAR and couldn't find it... Could you clarify which tab it is under? Thanks!

I don't see it either...need more clarification. Thanks!

It's in the "application deadlines and requirements tab", second to bottom. Then look at "secondary application" within the page.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

I mainly look at CA schools.

I read on UCLA site that they don't have any in-state bias but 85% of their class is in-state (!?), citing that Californian are more likely to stay in California. It sounds like even such prestigious schools as UCLA are conscious about yield. I am from Texas. Given that there are many Californian settling in Texas, is my chance of getting to in CA schools shot?

Last year, 910/6520 CA applicants matriculated IS. 1528 had to leave.
Only 303 CA seats went to OOS applicants. 75 of these were at Loma Linda. That leaves 228. 57 of these were at Stanford. If you are neither Adventist nor Stanford material, that leaves 171 seats for OOS. Almost 4 thousand OOS applicants applied to UCLA and USC. If we use that for the denominator, the odds of CA acceptance are 171/~4,000. Not quite lottery odds, but definitely donation territory.

I attended both UCLA and USC, volunteered extensively within each of their healthcare systems, had the grades to be competitive and didn't get interviewed at either. They don't favor IS students, but because of the overwhelming number of in-state apps, they tend to have high class percentage.

For rule of thumb, avoid state schools if you don't have significant ties to the state or exceed the requirements of their core mission. So rule out, UCSF, UW, OHSU, FSU, UF, UWSMPH, CU, UCR, UCincy, UH-Burns, FIU... and i'm sure there are others.

 

[BeMD13]

If you don't pass the screening for a secondary, will they tell you or do they just leave you to sit around hoping for awhile until it sinks in?

 

[anonymoose1640]

If you don't pass the screening for a secondary, will they tell you or do they just leave you to sit around hoping for awhile until it sinks in?

Usually, you'll get a rejection email when the school sends their first batch of rejections (for some schools, that's Sept/Oct, others it's Dec., others it's March). Until you are formally rejected, your file is open to being re-reviewed so even if you don't get a secondary immediately there's still a chance you might get one later on. Past October, if you haven't gotten the secondary you can usually assume that's a rejection. Hope that helps, good luck with your applications!

 

[believe <3]

I almost did not apply to my dream school because my MCAT was at the bottom 10th percentile on MSAR (GPA at median, non-URM). I ended up applying late, was accepted, and will be matriculating in two weeks. However, this is a school with a strong IS bias (75% of class is IS). I'm still surprised I got in.

Wow that's a dream come true. Can I ask which school that is? And if you don't mind can you share your stats?

 

[wizzed101]

I attended both UCLA and USC, volunteered extensively within each of their healthcare systems, had the grades to be competitive and didn't get interviewed at either. They don't favor IS students, but because of the overwhelming number of in-state apps, they tend to have high class percentage.

For rule of thumb, avoid state schools if you don't have significant ties to the state or exceed the requirements of their core mission. So rule out, UCSF, UW, OHSU, FSU, UF, UWSMPH, CU, UCR, UCincy, UH-Burns, FIU... and i'm sure there are others.

UCSF is out too? 🙁

On their website, they list only 71% in-state. How do you find the "mission?"

Is it the short paragraph on schools' websites like ""At UCSF, our mission is to advance health worldwide, and we are attracting some of the nation’s best and brightest students to help us achieve that goal. One of the reasons our students come to UCSF is to work in a culture of discovery and innovation. They work closely with a wonderful community of faculty and help them solve important problems in healthcare today, in areas such as molecular medicine, clinical and translational research, medical education scholarship, and optimizing clinical care delivery."

What I got from that statement was they wanted research, research and research.

The only school I found that was very detailed about whom they were looking for was Pritzker via the transcripts of their podcast.

 

[BeMD13]

UCSF is out too? 🙁

On their website, they list only 71% in-state. How do you find the "mission?"

Is it the short paragraph on schools' websites like ""At UCSF, our mission is to advance health worldwide, and we are attracting some of the nation’s best and brightest students to help us achieve that goal. One of the reasons our students come to UCSF is to work in a culture of discovery and innovation. They work closely with a wonderful community of faculty and help them solve important problems in healthcare today, in areas such as molecular medicine, clinical and translational research, medical education scholarship, and optimizing clinical care delivery."

What I got from that statement was they wanted research, research and research.

The only school I found that was very detailed about whom they were looking for was Pritzker via the transcripts of their podcast.

Yeah, that's exactly it. Just skim it and read between the lines. Mine are all places that basically scream primary care.

 

[deleted482591]

UCincy

I heard people say otherwise about Cincinnati?

 

[CyrilFiggis]

I heard people say otherwise about Cincinnati?

Maybe. My list also included schools with specific missions. My goals didn't align with Cincy so that's a personal addition, sorry.

 

[tantacles]

My MCAT was less than stellar and I was worried my app might just get tossed out. I'm getting secondaries from schools that supposedly screen but does that matter? I'm wondering if you pass their low mark does this mean someone is going to read your essay?

It might be wise to give us real numbers. Every school is different, and knowing your actual MCAT score would give us actual insight.

 

[tantacles]

I emailed a specific school asking about the screening process and my low score but I never heard back. Would you say this is the equivalent of a virtual middle finger? I decided not to designate them on my primary app.

Schools will likely not tell you anything about their screening process because if they were open with that information, they would get less money from secondaries. They have no motivation to tell you.

 

[Efflorescence]

Wow that's a dream come true. Can I ask which school that is? And if you don't mind can you share your stats?

Yes, it is a dream come true! I joke that I got my fairytale ... there's no Prince Charming, but I'd so much rather have this! I'm going to BCM. For the sake of anonymity, I'd rather not share my stats, but you can probably figure it out if you look at MSAR. If I was OOS, I would not have had a chance.

Good luck to you!