The Age Factor

[EGreenberg]

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Does young age play as a negative in an applicant. Now I've been accepted to my dream school, but some people say my age has a negative effect on my application. I finished college in 3 years and submitted my apps at 20 years old, whereas the average age of an applicant is something around 24-25.

Does age really matter?

 

[ICmyFuture]

obviously it doesn't b/c u just said u got in your dream school

 

[Long Dong]

Does young age play as a negative in an applicant. Now I've been accepted to my dream school, but some people say my age has a negative effect on my application. I finished college in 3 years and submitted my apps at 20 years old, whereas the average age of an applicant is something around 24-25.

Does age really matter?

Your on the late frate there was a 18 year old in my med school class. And this guy was 12 when he started. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-24-prodigy-school_x.htm

 

[Dral]

Kudos for getting into your dream school at such a young age. That's what this thread is about, right?

 

[EGreenberg]

no, this thread is because I'm wondering why out of 24 schools i applied to, I only got one interview. was it because of age, I had balanced MCAT, good essays and research

 

[Dral]

That's hard to say. I had a pretty good MCAT, GPA, a PhD, etc. I didn't even hear back from some schools.

Without knowing your stats and the schools you applied to, it's not easy to tell. Maybe you had a well balanced app, but applied to the top 25 schools. If you were wise in your choices of schools, I doubt age had much to do with it, although I don't know what goes through the minds of adm. committees.

 

[Long Dong]

no, this thread is because I'm wondering why out of 24 schools i applied to, I only got one interview. was it because of age, I had balanced MCAT, good essays and research

Does it really matter now that you've got your dream school. If you are dating Paris Hilton would you really care if Kathy Griffin won't go out with you.

 

[Bacchus]

Does it really matter now that you've got your dream school. If you are dating Paris Hilton would you really care if Kathy Griffin won't go out with you.

This is the almost perfect analogy. I wouldn't date Paris Hilton, haha.

 

[Dral]

Does it really matter now that you've got your dream school. If you are dating Paris Hilton would you really care if Kathy Griffin won't go out with you.

We can all hope that a future Doogie Howser is reading this forum and can have his fears put to rest. I mean...I could see Doogie and Paris together, right? 😆

 

[Long Dong]

This is the almost perfect analogy. I wouldn't date Paris Hilton, haha.

Okay bad choice paris, how about Megan Fox, my favorite is Tara Patrick pre boob job.

 

[jsanchez]

Does young age play as a negative in an applicant. Now I've been accepted to my dream school, but some people say my age has a negative effect on my application. I finished college in 3 years and submitted my apps at 20 years old, whereas the average age of an applicant is something around 24-25.

Does age really matter?

age does not matter, but maturity level will.

 

[starfishprime]

I think there's a question of maturity and life experience. Certainly, adcoms would be justified in doubting the sincerity of a 16 year old's interest in medicine, and would be less likely to doubt a late-20s career changer.

There's no obvious point where a person suddenly becomes less doubt-worthy, but I think a good cutoff is college graduation. There are more data points, anyway. So, my thought would be that your finishing college early and applying young might have had an effect. Anyway, you have to work harder to convince them that you're genuine and not foolishly naive.

 

[little pebble]

no, this thread is because I'm wondering why out of 24 schools i applied to, I only got one interview. was it because of age, I had balanced MCAT, good essays and research

Dude, it happens. Look at my MDApps file. Also it's a crap economy. I know that this is from PhD comics, but it's still true -- Guess Who's Going to Grad School?. Bad economies equal more applicant, which equal less interviews.

Moral of the story -- you're in your dream school and you have nothing to worry about but graduating and moving (if necessary). Aren't the stats for getting into a medical school like the Thunderdome? Or has it gotten worse?

to you, and quit second-guessing!

 

[LizzyM]

Did you have good clinical exposure? You mention MCAT, essays & research but not clinical ....

We always say "apply broadly" because many schools take <10% of their applicants.

If you came across in your essays as immature or naive, it could have hurt you at some schools.

Not targeting your applications well (schools that prefer instate students, schools that emphasize primary care when your focus seems to be research,) is another typical error.

 

[Raryn]

Whether it matters depends on who you ask.

With my experiences this cycle, I'm on the pessimistic side that says it probably does matter. But I could be wrong...

 

[FuturDocteur]

Well I also submitted my application at the age of 20 (and I am still 20) and I've been accepted. You shouldn't really worry especially since you've been accepted to your dream school. They believe you're capable and mature enough to be in med school. No one at my interviews ever questioned if I was sure I wanted to pursue medicine because of my young age. While I believe 20-year old applicants are in the minority, med schools definitely see lots of 20 year old applicants. If you check the age range at matriculation for most med schools, it can be from 20 (sometimes even 19) to 50ish. Age will not keep you out of med school nor deter you from being successful in med school.

 

[SiR99]

Age does matter

An Adcom from a top ten medical school told me this, I did not even ask, they felt it was important enough to bring up on their own.

They said that most people are surprised by the fact that age matters.

This is just one school though, but people should know that at some places, age matters.

 

[tennisball80]

Your on the late frate there was a 18 year old in my med school class. And this guy was 12 when he started. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-24-prodigy-school_x.htm

I wonder if he got any ECs prior going to medical school.

 

[starfishprime]

Well I also submitted my application at the age of 20 (and I am still 20) and I've been accepted.

Ditto.

 

[bluesmd]

i also applied when i was 20 and was accepted before i turned 21 recently. however, people have advised me that if i had couple a taken years off i could have gotten more interview invites and/or acceptances. but i don't know ...

 

[Long Dong]

Age does matter

An Adcom from a top ten medical school told me this, I did not even ask, they felt it was important enough to bring up on their own.

They said that most people are surprised by the fact that age matters.

This is just one school though, but people should know that at some places, age matters.

Well I went to UCLA (top ten med school) and again we had an 18 year old in my class when we started.

I wonder if he got any ECs prior going to medical school.

Well I know he plays to piano and did some cancer research.

i also applied when i was 20 and was accepted before i turned 21 recently. however, people have advised me that if i had couple a taken years off i could have gotten more interview invites and/or acceptances. but i don't know ...

Again you got accepted so I guess it doesn't matter that much.

 

[quiltlady]

There will be classmates who have done far more than you because they are older. They will be married with children, have lived abroad for years, have work experience in other professions. And there will be classmates close to your age who haven't done those things. If you got into your dream school, congratulations. You will find friends there.

 

[bluesmd]

Again you got accepted so I guess it doesn't matter that much.

yeah i know, i'm really happy to be accepted 🙂 i was just meaning to say i think it's uncertain if age is a factor at all

 

[SiR99]

Well I went to UCLA (top ten med school) and again we had an 18 year old in my class when we started.


Well I know he plays to piano and did some cancer research.



Again you got accepted so I guess it doesn't matter that much.

That is an exception, not a rule.

I should have said Top 5 school since the Adcom I talked to was from a one of those schools but I didnt think it would matter and I also said be aware that it happens at some schools not all, so apparently UCLA is not one of them.

 

[genius19]

What's the average age of students starting a 4 year MD program in US ?

 

[mvenus929]

I think it plays a role at many schools. Is it the factor that by itself will keep you out? Probably not. It's just another factor that they weigh against you. But, for you, it doesn't really matter now.

 

[movax]

Only thing that perturbs me is if adcoms reason, "This guy's 19, he can afford another year, another cycle. This other guy here can't..." (assuming equalish stats or whatnot).

But meh. Just have to hope you can prove yourself mature in an interview. 🙂

 

[metallica81788]

Only thing that perturbs me is if adcoms reason, "This guy's 19, he can afford another year, another cycle. This other guy here can't..." (assuming equalish stats or whatnot).

But meh. Just have to hope you can prove yourself mature in an interview. 🙂

That's how I feel. If they want to interview you, your age shouldn't make a difference if you can speak and act maturely.
Also, do schools see your age only what you put on AMCAS? Because I'll be 21 if I interview places, but my AMCAS age is 20. I feel like that makes a big difference. I'll be a traditional 4 year college grad, I'm just young.