To all the junior/senior pre-meds and med students out there

[Vera18]

How many schools did you, or are you going to, apply to?

Of those:
How many were Reach schools?
How many were Best Match schools?
How many were Safety schools?

I just want to see what the average number is.

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[SigurRos]

why compare to others? It makes you sound as neurotic as I am
(just kidding)


20 schools, 10 reaches, 5 middle, 5 safety

 

[deleted36260]

6.... I'm in Texas

Sure, some will say it's foolish, but if I can't get in here as a resident, it seems like I probably need a year to polish things up for a reapplying next year (which I would then do AMCAS) anyways.

 

[silverlining1]

6.... I'm in Texas

Sure, some will say it's foolish, but if I can't get in here as a resident, it seems like I probably need a year to polish things up for a reapplying next year (which I would then do AMCAS) anyways.

I'm in a similar boat, but I'm from California I applied to 7 schools, all in-state. I think they're all reaches =p I would rather reapply than get in now to a school that is far away.

 

[TheRealMD]

6.... I'm in Texas

Sure, some will say it's foolish, but if I can't get in here as a resident, it seems like I probably need a year to polish things up for a reapplying next year (which I would then do AMCAS) anyways.

Lol, Texas doesn't count. It's the exception to the rule for applying to med school if you have slightly better than good stats (3.6/30).

 

[jochi1543]

I've applied to 32 schools. Based on my stats, I don't think there are any "safeties," so everything is either a reach or a match. *shrugs* Also, the schools I don't particularly want to go to are not necessarily the ones with the lower stats, location and costs are the 2 major factors for me.

 

[dazlindz]

12 schools

1 safety, 1 match, 10 reaches... wow i think i sound pretty neurotic...

but really... are harvard/yale/columbia/cornell/uchicago/stanford/upenn/jhu all on the same level? or are there higher reaches than others? b/c unless i were extremely cocky, i wouldn't count any of them as matches...

 

[TheRealMD]

12 schools

1 safety, 1 match, 10 reaches... wow i think i sound pretty neurotic...

but really... are harvard/yale/columbia/cornell/uchicago/stanford/upenn/jhu all on the same level? or are there higher reaches than others? b/c unless i were extremely cocky, i wouldn't count any of them as matches...

For most people I'd say they are. A person who gets an acceptance from Harvard is MUCH more likely to get one from Yale or any other school in that list based simple on the selectivity factor. While chances will vary from one school to the next, those schools are just a league of their own because the next "step" down in competitiveness and prestige "isn't for a while", so to speak.

 

[jhu1]

How many schools did you, or are you going to, apply to?

Of those:
How many were Reach schools?
How many were Best Match schools?
How many were Safety schools?

I just want to see what the average number is.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=5469097#post5469097

 

[drizzt3117]

30 (counting CW/CCLCM as two diff schools)

5 Safety 10 Match 15 Reach is my estimate but some people may evaluate my chances differently.

 

[Vera18]

I've applied to 32 schools. Based on my stats, I don't think there are any "safeties," so everything is either a reach or a match. *shrugs* Also, the schools I don't particularly want to go to are not necessarily the ones with the lower stats, location and costs are the 2 major factors for me.

Wow, 32 schools.. that's a lot

 

[Vera18]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=5469097#post5469097

thx

 

[Vera18]

So far the average number of schools is 18.

I also noticed that ppl are applying to twice as many {if not more} Reach schools as they are to Best Matches. Is that normal?

Normally the trend is supposed to form a bell curve:
1 or 2 Reach
5 Best Match
2 to 3 Safety

So is everyone shooting at the stars, hoping to get lucky, or is that how you're advised to apply to med school?

 

[Mobius1985]

I applied to 5 schools. Zero reach (didn't want to waste my application dollars), 4 match, 1 safety.

 

[dazlindz]

So far the average number of schools is 18.

I also noticed that ppl are applying to twice as many {if not more} Reach schools as they are to Best Matches. Is that normal?

Normally the trend is supposed to form a bell curve:
1 or 2 Reach
5 Best Match
2 to 3 Safety

So is everyone shooting at the stars, hoping to get lucky, or is that how you're advised to apply to med school?

Well I just applied to the schools where I'd really like to be, and they're mostly reaches it also means i don't really have a top choice... i'll be happy at any of the places i applied.

I guess I'm counting on the fact that I'll be able to get into at least one school on my list (crosses fingers)... my stats are above average, so here's to hoping =)

 

[sanchopanza]

The respective definitions for "reach" and "best match" is subjective, anyway. To an extent, all medical schools are reaches for all applicants, because there are no true "safeties." I don't care what your stats are.

 

[vinniekan]

How many schools did you, or are you going to, apply to?

Of those:
How many were Reach schools?
How many were Best Match schools?
How many were Safety schools?

I just want to see what the average number is.

I have never heard of any medical schools to be considered safety schools? then again, I am not an MD either, so what do I know

 

[maxflash04]

I have never heard of any medical schools to be considered safety schools? then again, I am not an MD either, so what do I know

heh

 

[jochi1543]

Wow, 32 schools.. that's a lot

Well, I'm applying as a foreign student, so it's more of an uphill battle for me than for a US citizen/permanent resident. Plus while I have ties to a few states, I don't hold state residency anywhere, so no state school for me to fall back on - I'm OOS everywhere. I do have in-province residency status at 2 schools in Canada, but Canadian schools are quite hard to get into, although I think U of A and esp. U of C are a bit less competitive than some other Canadian schools for in-province applicants, so I'm hoping for some luck there.

 

[prospectivederm]

Students should apply to medical school only after they have taken their MCAT correct??

 

[drizzt3117]

Students should apply to medical school only after they have taken their MCAT correct??

not necessarily. You can apply, then take the test, but most schools won't look at your app until your scores come in.

 

[inaminute]

Students should apply to medical school only after they have taken their MCAT correct??

no. You can bypass the MCAT and AMCAS altogether by going in person to the school you wish to attend and asking to see the chair of the admissions committee. They will chat with you and ask you how your grades are, what your family connections are, and how you THINK you'll do on the MCAT. If they are impressed, abracadabra, you're in.

 

[Pausey]

22 schools:
10 reach
5 good chance
7 safety

 

[drizzt3117]

no. You can bypass the MCAT and AMCAS altogether by going in person to the school you wish to attend and asking to see the chair of the admissions committee. They will chat with you and ask you how your grades are, what your family connections are, and how you THINK you'll do on the MCAT. If they are impressed, abracadabra, you're in.

QFT, I did that and it worked great!

 

[Law2Doc]

Students should apply to medical school only after they have taken their MCAT correct??

If you are taking/retaking the test at a late date (August), it pays to apply before you take it so you can be complete at a reasonably competitive date. However you cannot possibly know whether any school is a "reach" or a "safety" until you take it, so you probably have to apply more broadly.

 

[UD912]

I havn't exactly narrowed down the schools I plan on applying to yet, but I'm gonna say around 10-15. I live in NJ and want to go to school in-state or at least in the area (between DC and NYC, including Philly area) so just about every school in that region will be getting my app

 

[corbis11]

I applied to about 7 reaches and the rest are matches, I think. I'm not really a safety anywhere.

 

[badasshairday]

Cali resident.

29 schools.

I didn't count up all the reach/match/safetyrolleyes: like there is such thing as a safety).

Off the top of my head, I'll say probably 6-7 reaches, 15 match, 6-7 "safety"

The irony is that of my 6 or 7 reach schools, 4 of them are cali schools, UCSF, Stanford, UCLA, UCSD.

 

[doinmybest5840]

36 schools:
4 reach
32 others

That's about as specific as I got in terms of your breakdown.

 

[QofQuimica]

22 schools. I didn't know beforehand which ones would be reaches versus matches, which is why I applied to so many. Hopefully I won't have to do that for residencies.

OP, your best bet is to apply to your state school(s); those are usually the schools where your odds of getting in are highest. Be careful though. I am actually opposed to considering *any* school to be a "safety." That wasn't an accidental omission of "safety schools" on my part; always keep it in the back of your mind that nothing is guaranteed in love, war, or medical school admissions.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Applying to just 1 -- at least until 1 October, then we'll see where I stand.

 

[qtpai]

15 top tier schools, all of my in-state schools (Texas). I either get a cheap education or an elite one.

 

[Summer Sweet]

I'm in a similar boat, but I'm from California I applied to 7 schools, all in-state. I think they're all reaches =p I would rather reapply than get in now to a school that is far away.

I was under the impression that most of the California schools were pretty competitive to get into. I want to get into an in-state school too, especially one that is within driving distance from home, but chances are I'll probably apply to a bunch of nearby states. I'd rather get accepted at a school where I'm at least comfortable with the students and environment, than to reapply. We're not getting any younger, right

 

[mvenus929]

9 schools... I'd say:
3 reach
5 match
1 safety (and I only really consider it a safety because they gave me an interview with the EDP applicants, instead of with most of the regular applicants)