"unprecedented" number of applicants in 2008-2009 cycle

[eyang22286]

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so i know that the 2007-2008 cycle was the largest ever, and it seems like this cycle has only took a turn for the worst. i just got an email from BU about an "unprecedented" number of applicants that put them several weeks behind and resulting in their cutting interviewed applicants down to 10% (anyone else get that email?)

and it also seems like most other schools are going much slower this year. i had my secondary and LOR's in at rochester like back in july, and i just got an email from them this morning saying i'm complete

then there's USC's delay with adding LOR's to aplications

i guess applicant numbers are supposed to keep increasing this year, but does the fact that it went up seemingly so significantly this year that BU had to issue an email scare anyone else?

i don't think i'm just freaking out, but may i am..? any other takes?

 

[LizzyM]

At this point, I'm not sure if anyone knows if there will be more applications, or if it wil be the same number as last year but more are applying early. The advantage to applying early (an early invitation to interview) disappears if (almost) everyone applys early.

 

[amph119]

Regardless of whether or not it is increasing, it shouldn't have an effect on you! Stay positive, all you can do is give it your best shot, ya know? I know telling pre-meds not to worry about things like that is like telling me not to watch Cubs games instead of sleeping or getting work done (!), but you have to try, hahaha.

 

[FlowLimited]

I feel for you all.

 

[Lacheln]

I think Lizzy has hit on the main point. According to the MSAR, BU interviewed 9% last year, so their estimate for 10% this year is encouraging if anything. It does seem that a lot more people got the memo about applying early though, not our secret anymore.

 

[DrBowtie]

At this point, I'm not sure if anyone knows if there will be more applications, or if it wil be the same number as last year but more are applying early. The advantage to applying early (an early invitation to interview) disappears if (almost) everyone applys early.

Ditto. The new MCAT format is letting people apply earlier. It used to me a solid portion of the applicant pool wasn't dealt with until September/October.

 

[JackInTheBox]

Ditto. The new MCAT format is letting people apply earlier. It used to me a solid portion of the applicant pool wasn't dealt with until September/October.

Not to mention the new MCAT is much shorter. Some of the test to test increases that I've seen from people who took the paper and CBT are ridiculous. These people would have had to retake the old paper test several more times to get a score increase like that.

 

[phospho]

Not to mention the new MCAT is much shorter. Some of the test to test increases that I've seen from people who took the paper and CBT are ridiculous. These people would have had to retake the old paper test several more times to get a score increase like that.

but also, don't forget that the CBT takers have much less room to screw up...

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

At this point, I'm not sure if anyone knows if there will be more applications, or if it wil be the same number as last year but more are applying early. The advantage to applying early (an early invitation to interview) disappears if (almost) everyone applys early.

Another way to look at this is what VT told me last year..

"if most of the secondaries have been received by August and we receive your application in late October.."

Seems like applying early now is becoming like clinical experience; good to have, but not really a big deal because everyone else has it too.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Seems like applying early now is becoming like clinical experience; good to have, but not really a big deal because everyone else has it too.

This begs the question: What will become the new 'apply early'??

'Apply early with unmarked bills attached' maybe...

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Every year thinks they have the most competition.

 

[Lukkie]

At this point, I'm not sure if anyone knows if there will be more applications, or if it wil be the same number as last year but more are applying early. The advantage to applying early (an early invitation to interview) disappears if (almost) everyone applys early.

moreso, it becomes even more of a disadvantage to apply later

 

[LadyWolverine]

Every year thinks they have the most competition.

Amen.

 

[pancakesyrup]

Will this year beat 1996?
If so, then I cannot imagine how 2012 will be like........even with more med schools being built.
Perhaps its the slow economy causing this...................

 

[cheasus]

so i know that the 2007-2008 cycle was the largest ever, and it seems like this cycle has only took a turn for the worst. i just got an email from BU about an "unprecedented" number of applicants that put them several weeks behind and resulting in their cutting interviewed applicants down to 10% (anyone else get that email?)

and it also seems like most other schools are going much slower this year. i had my secondary and LOR's in at rochester like back in july, and i just got an email from them this morning saying i'm complete

then there's USC's delay with adding LOR's to aplications

i guess applicant numbers are supposed to keep increasing this year, but does the fact that it went up seemingly so significantly this year that BU had to issue an email scare anyone else?

i don't think i'm just freaking out, but may i am..? any other takes?

I had my secondary, fees and LORs sent to rochester on 8/8/2008 (not even all of them, just the required ones) and I was complete on 8/12/2008. I also received my interview invite from them on 8/21/2008 so they were really fast but everyone else has been super slow, especially Yale.

I also think that there must be more applicants this year as I saw the turn around time for amcas primary verifications were much shorter last year than this year (2 weeks vs 3 weeks when I applied). Of course this could mean that everyone is applying earlier... but I doubt that.

 

[Destro96]

The economy is always a good place to point a finger.

When entry level jobs are scarce, people will take every opportunity to hide in school until things improve.

I imagine that things are far worse for the law school applicants--they can make the decision much easier, as no pre-reqs are required.

 

[DrAnteater]

The economy is always a good place to point a finger.

When entry level jobs are scarce, people will take every opportunity to hide in school until things improve.

I imagine that things are far worse for the law school applicants--they can make the decision much easier, as no pre-reqs are required.

the supposed weakness in the economy started last august
i can't wait to see next summer's application cycle 😱

 

[pancakesyrup]

The economy is always a good place to point a finger.

When entry level jobs are scarce, people will take every opportunity to hide in school until things improve.

I imagine that things are far worse for the law school applicants--they can make the decision much easier, as no pre-reqs are required.

Well then, unless this is a depression, things should get better by 2012

 

[batman1983]

Not to mention the new MCAT is much shorter. Some of the test to test increases that I've seen from people who took the paper and CBT are ridiculous. These people would have had to retake the old paper test several more times to get a score increase like that.

The new MCAT has many advantages:
1. If you screw up, you can easily take it within the next couple weeks rather than wait at least another 3-4 months.
2. Because its shorter, there is also less material that can be covered which results in increase variability. Ive gotten as low as 31 to as high as 38 on practice exams.
Hopefully I get lucky tommorow and get asked questions on the stuff I covered.

 

[Kaustikos]

The new MCAT has many advantages:
1. If you screw up, you can easily take it within the next couple weeks rather than wait at least another 3-4 months.
2. Because its shorter, there is also less material that can be covered which results in increase variability. Ive gotten as low as 31 to as high as 38 on practice exams.
Hopefully I get lucky tommorow and get asked questions on the stuff I covered.

Jesus f'n christ, Bruce. Is there ANYTHING you don't do? You have the money already and Wayne manor....

 

[linguini]

The new MCAT has many advantages:
1. If you screw up, you can easily take it within the next couple weeks rather than wait at least another 3-4 months.
2. Because its shorter, there is also less material that can be covered which results in increase variability. Ive gotten as low as 31 to as high as 38 on practice exams.
Hopefully I get lucky tommorow and get asked questions on the stuff I covered.

I actually think #2 is a disadvantage. You still have to learn/memorize all the same stuff but you could certainly get an "unlucky" test (i.e. you chose to focus on different material than your particular MCAT). It doesn't always work out in your favor.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I actually think #2 is a disadvantage. You still have to learn/memorize all the same stuff but you could certainly get an "unlucky" test (i.e. you chose to focus on different material than your particular MCAT). It doesn't always work out in your favor.

Im living proof of this.

 

[JackInTheBox]

I actually think #2 is a disadvantage. You still have to learn/memorize all the same stuff but you could certainly get an "unlucky" test (i.e. you chose to focus on different material than your particular MCAT). It doesn't always work out in your favor.

You might get lucky, you might not, but with the changes in how often you can take it, the removal of the lifetime limit, and the overall shortening of the test (less mental fatigue toward the end), it adds up overall to an easier test.

 

[batman1983]

If you get unlucky in terms of what they ask you, you can easily just void it and take within the next couple weeks, as long as your not taking the last one of the year🙂. Ah crap, thats me.

 

[Food]

they're probably just using it as an excuse for what's reallllly causing the delays.

 

[RoadRunner17]

It always gets more and more competitive every year.

 

[njbmd]

so i know that the 2007-2008 cycle was the largest ever, and it seems like this cycle has only took a turn for the worst. i just got an email from BU about an "unprecedented" number of applicants that put them several weeks behind and resulting in their cutting interviewed applicants down to 10% (anyone else get that email?)

and it also seems like most other schools are going much slower this year. i had my secondary and LOR's in at rochester like back in july, and i just got an email from them this morning saying i'm complete

then there's USC's delay with adding LOR's to aplications

i guess applicant numbers are supposed to keep increasing this year, but does the fact that it went up seemingly so significantly this year that BU had to issue an email scare anyone else?

i don't think i'm just freaking out, but may i am..? any other takes?

Well, it's like this at my schools, when we fill the class, it's full and we start waitlisting folks who may or may not get off the waitlist. We didn't increase our class size and when the waitlist is full, it's full too. We are going to fill faster and earlier this year because most people applied early. If you applied early and were complete early, you have a better chance of getting an interview and not ending up on the waitlist if you meet our criteria for acceptance. If you are among the first on the waitlist, you have a greater chance of acceptance than if you are at the end of the waitlist. If you applied late and we have filled all of our interview slots, you are out of luck. Early application is still better than late application for people applying to non-rolling schools.

 

[RockyMD]

Well, it's like this at my schools, when we fill the class, it's full and we start waitlisting folks who may or may not get off the waitlist. We didn't increase our class size and when the waitlist is full, it's full too. We are going to fill faster and earlier this year because most people applied early. If you applied early and were complete early, you have a better chance of getting an interview and not ending up on the waitlist if you meet our criteria for acceptance. If you are among the first on the waitlist, you have a greater chance of acceptance than if you are at the end of the waitlist. If you applied late and we have filled all of our interview slots, you are out of luck. Early application is still better than late application for people applying to non-rolling schools.

Define late please. I'm marked complete at all of my schools by mid to end of Aug.

 

[NonTradMed]

Also keep in mind that we've been experiencing several years of enlarged incoming college students. The tail end of baby boomers' children are going into college in droves, four years later, a larger applicant pool for medical school emerges. This may increase the number of applicants.

Also remember that making everything electronic also made it easier to apply early, apply to more schools and apply faster. There might be an increase in applicants, but there may also be a larger jump in applications. Furthermore, there's also the economy. Every time it dips, a new med school applicant is minted. 🙂

 

[njbmd]

Define late please. I'm marked complete at all of my schools by mid to end of Aug.

In terms of late for you would be that you come behind those thousands of folks who were complete before you. You are late compared to those folks. In terms of my schools, you would be in line behind them in terms of evaluation of your materials, invitations to interviews and placed on the wait list should you be accepted after the class is filled. My point is that early is better unless you are applying to a school with rolling admissions, which my schools (and many others) are not.

Are you out of the running for many schools? The answer depends on the individual school but non-rolling admissions means that the applications are evaluated and considered on a first come/first served basis. In a year where applications have greatly increased (exponentially at one of my schools), the candidates who applied the earliest are at an advantage compared to those who applied later. At this point, it's the end of September and we have filled most of our interview slots clear into February. Those folks who applied later will be invited if slots open up (people elect not to accept our offer of interview).

At my other school, there are interview slots left but they are likely to fill pretty before the end of September meaning that our classes will be pretty much set before March. In terms of timing for us, this works. For the later applicants, it means interviewing for wait list or no interview at all. Bottom line: apply as early as possible and if not, apply to schools with rolling admissions and if not, you may want to wait until next year.

 

[flip26]

In terms of late for you would be that you come behind those thousands of folks who were complete before you. You are late compared to those folks. In terms of my schools, you would be in line behind them in terms of evaluation of your materials, invitations to interviews and placed on the wait list should you be accepted after the class is filled. My point is that early is better unless you are applying to a school with rolling admissions, which my schools (and many others) are not.

Are you out of the running for many schools? The answer depends on the individual school but non-rolling admissions means that the applications are evaluated and considered on a first come/first served basis. In a year where applications have greatly increased (exponentially at one of my schools), the candidates who applied the earliest are at an advantage compared to those who applied later. At this point, it's the end of September and we have filled most of our interview slots clear into February. Those folks who applied later will be invited if slots open up (people elect not to accept our offer of interview).

At my other school, there are interview slots left but they are likely to fill pretty before the end of September meaning that our classes will be pretty much set before March. In terms of timing for us, this works. For the later applicants, it means interviewing for wait list or no interview at all. Bottom line: apply as early as possible and if not, apply to schools with rolling admissions and if not, you may want to wait until next year.

Now I am confused...I thought non-rolling admissions were NOT evaluated on a FCFS basis...and that rolling admissions are FCFS for interviews and admissions decisions...some rolling schools will start issuing acceptances October 16, right? And non-rollers like Harvard make admissions decisions much later in the cycle?

Read the following link, and it defines rolling admissions the way I have always thought of it, and it links to an AAMC page that shows that 75 percent of med schools are rolling admissions....

http://testprep.about.com/od/mcatfaqs/f/MCAT_admissions.htm

With all due respect to njbmd, I think she has these definitions reversed...but that does not diminish the common wisdom to apply as early as possible...

 

[IssaErie]

my question is, why is it that crucial to apply early? I mean, I understand that theoretically schools hand out interviews as they receive applications, if they meet whatever requirements for that school, but can't the school also reserve a certain number of spots throughout the cycle- i.e. let's say oh, 20 spots a week for 20 weeks worth of interviewing throughout the cycle, so in essence, it's a non-issue if you interview later in the cycle or not? I understand that people are like well, if you start out with 400 acceptances, the further the cycle goes on, the number of seats diminishes, true...but, if they reserve an equal number each week they interview throughout, then what's it matter? Anyone?
TX ! 🙂

 

[QuaerensIntelle]

Isn't the mcat standardized? How can it be easier or harder if it is on a bell curve? No matter what, a given score = a certain percentage in the pool, correct?

 

[GATORochoCINCO]

If your like me and realistically shooting for a middle tier school, you have to think of this. A lot of these schools are well aware that some number of people are going to pass on acceptances for whatever reason, especially since these schools that people in my situation are trying to get into are other's 'fall-backs' and more power to those people. So, an accept goes out to all those that are qualified and the adcom has taken a shine to. If there are a lot of great applicants that apply early, get accepted, and hold their seat, then the seats diminish b/c schools want the best students. To my previous point that schools expect withdrawn accepts, if these students hold their seats along with us middle-o-the-road people that get in, and the upper-class students hold in a higher number than the adcom would seriously expect, then there are effectively less seats for people who come before the adcom later because of the upper-class kids, and rightfully so, holding seats at their 'fall-backs' and waiting on the Cases and Pitts and Yales of the med-school world. Thus, you see a lot of these middle tier schools have a lot of waitlist movement, but not everyone can go on the waitlist.

Just my theory.

my question is, why is it that crucial to apply early? I mean, I understand that theoretically schools hand out interviews as they receive applications, if they meet whatever requirements for that school, but can't the school also reserve a certain number of spots throughout the cycle- i.e. let's say oh, 20 spots a week for 20 weeks worth of interviewing throughout the cycle, so in essence, it's a non-issue if you interview later in the cycle or not? I understand that people are like well, if you start out with 400 acceptances, the further the cycle goes on, the number of seats diminishes, true...but, if they reserve an equal number each week they interview throughout, then what's it matter? Anyone?
TX ! 🙂