Too many schools?

[mercaptovizadeh]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am interested in applying MD/PhD
These are my stats:

GPA: 3.49 at Dartmouth, majored in physics and biochem
BCPM GPA: 3.49
MCAT: April 2003 - 34R (11P, 9V, R, 14B)
August 2004 - 40T (13P, 14V, T, 13B)
Doing a masters in physical chemistry -theoretical research.
Doing experimental research that ties into the theoretical research, at UCSF.
Have strong recommendations from professors in Russian, physics, chemistry, biology, a med school prof (and research advisor), another chem prof (and research advisor), and a person at UCSF (also research advisor).
ECs are OK, two clinical experiences, one overseas, one volunteering. A club here or there, a music organization, a religious organization. And most of the rest is research.

Is it overkill to apply to 35 schools? I was planning on applying to:

Baylor
BU
Stanford
Stony Brook
NYU
Mt. Sinai
Columbia
Cornell
Dartmouth
Emory
Wake Forest
UNC
UVA
Syracuse
Tufts
Duke
Mayo
UChicago
UMichigan
UWash
WashU
Hopkins
Harvard
Rochester
UCSF
UCSD
UCLA
OHSU
Colorado
Vanderbilt
Northwestern
UPitt
UPenn
Yale
Iowa

My interest is immunology. I applied in 2003, got two interviews, and was waitlisted at one place. I really don't want a repeat.

 

[Habari]

only if you know that you would attend each school on the list if accepted. i generally tell people that if a school they choose is the only one they get into, would they be willing to attend for 7-8 years through 2 degrees? if you can say yes - go for it.

you should fare much better with the application process this year. best of luck.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

many argue that applying broadly to multiple programs this early on in the game is rarely overkill. i agree with that since it's easy to check off a bunch of schools on AMCAS. the only problem is that this becomes EXPENSIVE really quick. based on your qualifications, i suspect you will be getting secondaries from at least 25 of those places and interview from a majority of those places. that's a lot! but hey, if you've got the money (i.e., if mommy and daddy don't mind helping out), go right ahead.

p.s. the problem with this is that you will realize if applying to 35 places was overkill when this process is done and over with. it's hard to tell at this stage of the game.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Man, that's like every NIH-funded MSTP except for...

Well, whatever 😀.

 

[bottles999]

I am interested in applying MD/PhD
These are my stats:

GPA: 3.49 at Dartmouth, majored in physics and biochem
BCPM GPA: 3.49
MCAT: April 2003 - 34R (11P, 9V, R, 14B)
August 2004 - 40T (13P, 14V, T, 13B)
Doing a masters in physical chemistry -theoretical research.
Doing experimental research that ties into the theoretical research, at UCSF.
Have strong recommendations from professors in Russian, physics, chemistry, biology, a med school prof (and research advisor), another chem prof (and research advisor), and a person at UCSF (also research advisor).
ECs are OK, two clinical experiences, one overseas, one volunteering. A club here or there, a music organization, a religious organization. And most of the rest is research.

Is it overkill to apply to 35 schools? I was planning on applying to:

WOW... I am in a similar boat as you in some respects as far as deciding where to go and have quite an extensive list too, about 25. One thing I really thought hard about was location besides reputation or specific research opportunities. As others mentioned 7 years is a long time and you really need to like where your at in addtion to the stimulating acidemic environement. I did a simple trade study like thing used the location as a weighting factor on it. That helpped wittle some of the selection down.

Good Luck!

 

[PostalWookie]

Think of how much it will suck to write 35 secondaries - at least half of those will have real essays. Plus from my experience, MSTP applications require more stuff to write

 

[microTAS]

35 is fine for primaries (economical scale-up)
35 is a real pain for secondaries.
35 is impossible for interviews.
Definitely cap the interviews if you think you'll get >15 interviews. You'll get in somewhere as long as you don't scare off your interviewers.

 

[whispers]

So what ended up happening?
Think mstp funded also look at the graduate track record publication and where did they go for residency did they match into research intesive instituions or research residencies

 

[dr.z]

I guess if you can afford to pay for all, go for it.