Telling school that they are your top choice in secondaries?

[north236]

Is it okay to explicitly tell a school that they are your top choice in a secondary? If so, how should we phrase it? This is for my state school and I would 100% go there if accepted.

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[Goro]

They won't believe you any more than a hot chick in a bar believes the guy who tells her "but I'll still respect you in the morning"

 

[north236]

They won't believe you any mor that a hot chick in a bar believes the guy who tells her "but I'll still respect you in the morning"

Hahah, even if I've proved it with my connections to the school? I just want to add a line at the end of my "why us" essay that states that this school is top choice/i would definitely go there if accepted, but I'm just not sure if it is appropiate or how I should word it...

Just wondering if it would hurt my application at all

 

[LindaAccepted]

Use that line to tell them more about why it is your top choice than that it is your top choice. Better use of space. And they're more likely to believe it.

 

[gyngyn]

Just wondering if it would hurt my application at all

We might think you are pandering (at best) and philandering (at worst).
The time to tell us is after you have interviewed and toward the end of the cycle (if you are not accepted).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Keep it professional. "Why us" is not an invitation for a Letter of Intent. Even if you're applying Early Decision, where it's obvious you want to attend the specific program, ii's still not good form.

Yes, it should hopefully be apparent from your other elements of your application. Show how you have been engaged with the school previously when it comes to networking with faculty/working in a lab at the school, being part of pipeline programs or recruitment events, or meeting students or alumni at various conferences. But you don't need to play the LOI card. Show you match with their mission. Don't make others think you're a stalker-type applicant.

 

[newolduser]

Is it okay to explicitly tell a school that they are your top choice in a secondary? If so, how should we phrase it? This is for my state school and I would 100% go there if accepted.

In opposition to what everyone else has said in this thread, I clearly laid out why a school was my number one, including location and family ties, and explicitly told them they were my number one. And I received an early II and will be interviewing there next week. My MCAT is below their median but my GPA is above, so it's not necessarily a stats thing.

I think AdComs can see through any pandering, but I was also being completely genuine in my love for the school. Again though, judging by what others in this thread have said, YMMV. Just wanted to give you another perspective.

 

[newolduser]

Thanks for your perspective! How did you phrase saying that they were your number one if you dont mind me asking?

Sure thing!

I legit said something along the lines of: "I have strong ties to [city] because of [financial reason] and [emotional reason]. Additionally, we have [family members] here, allowing for a strong support system. Due to this and factors discussed earlier in my application, [school] is my #1 choice."

Some of the earlier factors were in a "Why Us" essay and included touring the facilities multiple times and being highly impressed, as well as being under the care of doctors who had students from that school there for clinical rotations and how awesome the students were.

Like I said, YMMV. I'm a non-trad who has basically built my life in the city the school is located in, and I did everything I could to match their ideal student. Additionally, I got an LoR from an RN/outreach coordinator at one of the schools that students rotate through. Not sure if that had an influence, but I wanted the school to know I was serious about going there. If they had had an early decision program, I would have applied. Hope this helps!

 

[SooConfused]

Sure thing!

I legit said something along the lines of: "I have strong ties to [city] because of [financial reason] and [emotional reason]. Additionally, we have [family members] here, allowing for a strong support system. Due to this and factors discussed earlier in my application, [school] is my #1 choice."

Some of the earlier factors were in a "Why Us" essay and included touring the facilities multiple times and being highly impressed, as well as being under the care of doctors who had students from that school there for clinical rotations and how awesome the students were.

Like I said, YMMV. I'm a non-trad who has basically built my life in the city the school is located in, and I did everything I could to match their ideal student. Additionally, I got an LoR from an RN/outreach coordinator at one of the schools that students rotate through. Not sure if that had an influence, but I wanted the school to know I was serious about going there. If they had had an early decision program, I would have applied. Hope this helps!

@north236 -- it appears as though you posted seeking advice, received 4 replies from advisors/adcoms telling you one thing and one response from an applicant telling you what you want to hear, and that you are going with the latter.

I urge you to resist the urge, because @gyngyn is right. What you really, really, really, really want is totally irrelevant to adcoms until AFTER they have established interest in you, which means post-interview. Coming off as desperate in a secondary is more likely to be a turn-off than a turn-on, just like in most interactions in life.

@newolduser is in a unique situation, and unless your circumstances map precisely to theirs, what might have worked for them is unlikely to work for you. My vote would be to go with the collective wisdom of the advisors/adcoms who do this for a living and have seen thousands of applicants like you over the years.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I also want to note that @newolduser is not contradicting our advice that much. As @LindaAccepted advised, the rationale behind the argument that the program is their top choice seems to be very well thought out and with specific points that would resonate. We advise based on our experience and on probabilities, but there is always some possibility that it might work. Just keep the general advice here in mind: keep it professional, and make sure you are well-reasoned in showing your fit, engagement, and commitment.

There are the rare applicants I have worked with who insist on a very short list (like fewer than 5 schools due to personal circumstances). One needs to be very thoughtful about approaching the programs before applying and making sure you are seen as a valuable future colleague. You have to make the evaluators really comfortable with you and confident in your sincerity to be loyal and true to your word and your intentions.

 

[newolduser]

I just wanted to stop by and say I got my A yesterday from the school I told was #1. In the acceptance call, my telling them they were #1 was mentioned, but so were my activities and my MMI score. So again, as said earlier, YMMV, but I wanted to provide a modicum of hope. It *can* work out, but there's no guarantee (which is why I applied to 20+ schools).

 

[gyngyn]

can you tell them that at an interview or is that cringe

Cringe.

 

[gyngyn]

rip i did that at a school. thats a bummer, even if its true?

We're used to it. That doesn't mean it's recommended.

 

[gyngyn]

not to beat a dead horse, but do you think that it could have hurt my chances? or it will just be ignored as many people say this. sorry, thanks so much for any insight!

Heaven only knows.

 

[tompremed]

How about this " ....(describe how you are a good match to their program)... for these reasons, your SOM is one of my top choices...."?

 

[TheDataKing]

They won't believe you any mor that a hot chick in a bar believes the guy who tells her "but I'll still respect you in the morning"

Are we really back to throwing misogynistic comments around?

 

[Goro]

Are we really back to throwing misogynistic comments around?

Oh, spare us. It's an analogy, not a political or sociological statement.

 

[TheDataKing]

Oh, spare us. It's an analogy, not a political or sociological statement.

It’s tasteless nonetheless and as times have changed through the decades, perhaps one could think of a different analogy going forward? It’s little things that make the world a better place. I apologize if my language was too much of an accusation or perceived as an attack on character; the intention was neither.

 

[newolduser]

It’s tasteless nonetheless and as times have changed through the decades, perhaps one could think of a different analogy going forward? It’s little things that make the world a better place. I apologize if my language was too much of an accusation or perceived as an attack on character; the intention was neither.

Honestly, from an applicant perspective, when I read what @Goro wrote, it made me hope that he wasn't an AdCom at any school I was applying to, but I also felt powerless to say something because of the role he plays on this site. So I appreciate you bringing it up @TheDataKing

 

[Goro]

Honestly, from an applicant perspective, when I read what @Goro wrote, it made me hope that he wasn't an AdCom at any school I was applying to, but I also felt powerless to say something because of the role he plays on this site. So I appreciate you bringing it up @TheDataKing

Try modeling good SDN behavior and use the Ignore function.

And I hope that you didn't apply to NYC med schools. My people will eat you alive.

 

[throwaway198773]

Try modeling good SDN behavior and use the Ignore function.

And I hope that you didn't apply to NYC med schools. My people will eat you alive.

"My people will eat you alive"

 

[Kierkegaard's Bud]

It’s tasteless nonetheless and as times have changed through the decades, perhaps one could think of a different analogy going forward? It’s little things that make the world a better place. I apologize if my language was too much of an accusation or perceived as an attack on character; the intention was neither.

Empathy is the "little thing" you didn't have to understand the context that @Goro used in the analogy before throwing around a word like "misogynistic"