Start of a new Journey - advice

[driven]

Hey guys,

Before you pack up and leave us, we need an information dump. Where is the best place to get ratings for these schools, acceptance %, GPA/MCAT avg, etc. Do you recommend any books? Is "Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) 2003-2004" worth buying. Does it have any more/valuable info than the ones published commercially by kaplan, barrons, etc?

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[serpiente]

Definitely get the MSAR. It is the only "official" publication. The data in the Kaplan books etc. is not always 100% accurate.

 

[mpp]

The MSAR is probably worth it as it is the most accurate source of information. The <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/med/medindex.htm" target="_blank">U.S. News</a> rankings are helpful as well as they allow you to show schools' stats side-by-side and sort according to different criteria. They don't have information for all schools however as some do not participate in the U.S. News surveys. It costs $10 to get a password to view all this info on-line.

I think the commercial books (Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton, etc.) tend to become outdated quickly. They can be helpful for some information but I would not spend the bucks for a new one. Find a used one on e-bay for something or check with your pre-med advisor or career center at school...they probably have copies sitting around.

 

[m2006]

Yes, if you want to buy a book, MSAR is the one. You can count on it to be correct and it is one of the few sources that breaks interviews and acceptances down by resident vs. non-resident (particularly helpful for those pesky state schools). Each of the others (kaplan and the like) may have tidbits of info. I looked at most of them in the bookstore, but didn't see a need to buy them. It's worth owning or having access to a copy when you want to know exact dates and numbers.

 

[mpp]

By the way, U.S. News also breaks down admissions criteria by in-state/out-of-state residents.

Lastly, don't forget that SDN can be invaluable in finding out information. You can find people that have been accepted at schools that have a similar profile (GPA/MCAT/Undergrad Institution/Major/Research Experience/Volunteer Experience/etc.) as you to find out schools at which you might have a better chance of being admitted.

 

[Green912]

I was at Borders a couple of weeks ago and thumbed through the "2002 guide to Medical Schools". I think that was the title. Anyway it went through every School and gave a description as well as most of the info you're asking about. Good excuse to get some coffee!

 

[driven]

You guys are the best. Just placed an order for the MSAR .. Thanks

 

[Doctora Foxy]

And as SMW pointed out very wisely a while ago, the descriptions of schools in the MSAR are written BY the schools. That will let you know exactly what the school is looking for in an applicant. The info is also useful to know right before you go on the interview.

 

[SMW]

Did I say that? Thanks for the kind words, Foxy! Plus the MSAR has a very good financial aid section.

 

[oldman]

you can also find copies of the MSAR in libraries. They were in my local public library as well as in my school's library. (that's for the college cheapskates out there)

 

[vyc]

the MSAR is my bible.

no, just kidding.

but echoing everyone else, it really is helpful for applying.

good luck!

 

[amonkeybutt]

also, i would recommend getting a few books that will help you write your personal statement (if you need that sort of help). and start working on that NOW if you are applying for this round. good luck!

 

[driven]

I was looking through the web as well for any additional info as I am waiting for the MSAR. Princton Review has a pretty cool website too. There was another website that I found last fall, but I lost it now. Do any of you have any accurate websites for recommendations ?

 

[whoanelly]

My favorite websites have been:

this one, OF COURSE!!
medicalgold.com
interviewfeedback.com
usnews.com
review.com (online Princeton review)
<a href="http://www.amsa.org/resource/cardev/medresults.cfm" target="_blank">www.amsa.org/resource/cardev/medresults.cfm</a> (med students rate their own school)
<a href="http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~ericwang/" target="_blank">www.bol.ucla.edu/~ericwang/</a> (advice about interviews, wait lists, etc..)
<a href="http://www.mcwmd.com" target="_blank">www.mcwmd.com</a> (good coverage of residency matchlists)

and the report of the Stanford Senate that also gives stats on how many people get pulled off of waitlists after June (but only for 13 schools--still, it's interesting.) I can't find that URL--does someone else have it?

<a href="http://www.medplaza.com/premed/index.php3--has" target="_blank">www.medplaza.com/premed/index.php3--has</a> links to lots of other sites

I didn't use it, but <a href="http://www.accepted.com/medical/" target="_blank">www.accepted.com/medical/</a> has sample essays.

That's all I can think of for now.
Good luck!!!

 

[TommyGunn04]

Here's some random advice. Spend a LOT of time learning about schools before deciding where to apply, and apply to places where you would WANT to go. If you hate the midwest and don't want to life in St. Louis, DON'T apply to WashU. I made the mistake of applying to certain schools simply because of their name.

Ultimately, your happiness should be very important. I applied to a number of schools that I should've known I wouldn't like, so I ended up wasting a lot of money on application fees and travel costs.

So check out the MSAR, and especially the school websites, and talk to anyone and everyone you know who is finishing up the application process right now. They know a lot about these schools, and can help give you an impression of each. You just have to remember to take it with a grain of salt, seeing as we often get very different impressions of certain schools. Anyway, that's my random 2 cents...

 

[vyc]

tommygun is SO right.

 

[driven]

Thanks TommyGunn04, but don't I need to increase my chances of getting in. I know I dislike the Midwest, but since I lived in Chicago for 2 yrs, I was still going to apply to some schools out there. What are your thoughts...

Any "less competitive", since easy is not the appropriate word here for Medschool, in the East?

 

[mpp]

<a href="http://www.med.stanford.edu/senate/01-02/01-11-14%20Att%20B1%20Admissions%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">Here</a> is the interesting Stanford report that whoanelly mentioned.

Another interesting site is the <a href="http://www.studentdoc.com/medfind.html" target="_blank">Medical School Finder</a> at studentdoc.com. You enter in your stats and it matches the best schools to which you should apply. I think the stats are a bit old within the program however.