What Schools Normally favor Non-traditional students

[mnbv4184]

Hey everyone,
I am a non traditional student applying for the 2010 Application year.
I wanted to start this forum to give other non traditional students some idea of what schools they may show a bit more favor to non traditional students.

So if anyone knows of a school that likes to accept us career changers let everyone know.

Here a couple that I think do, but correct me if I am wrong
Phili school: Jeffereson, Temple, Drexel I have heard are more apt to accept non traditional students. Anyone else know of any?

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[dangit]

Hey everyone,
I am a non traditional student applying for the 2010 Application year.
I wanted to start this forum to give other non traditional students some idea of what schools they may show a bit more favor to non traditional students.

So if anyone knows of a school that likes to accept us career changers let everyone know.

Here a couple that I think do, but correct me if I am wrong
Phili school: Jeffereson, Temple, Drexel I have heard are more apt to accept non traditional students. Anyone else know of any?

YOu might find better answers in the nontraditional section of this forum. good luck!

also, nontraditional applicants have success with osteopathic schools as well, or in some cases more success at DO schools than MD schools.

 

[Alvarez13]

I've been out of school for 2 years and am doing the same thing as you are.

To be honest, I don't think any school out there really thinks "hey, nontrad, thumbs up for that guy". Age doesn't really matter much unless you're in your 60s.

The bad thing about being premed is you're not in school mode anymore, you forgot things you learned in college, and possibly have more to be responsible for. What's good though is you have a unique prospective and additional skills/experience. You know what it's like to have a real job and probably have very strong reasons for switching to medicine. You need to use these unique features to your advantage. Med schools are looking for diverse student bodies and want students who can add something to the school.

 

[bioteach]

Osteo schools have higher average age-of-matriculants than Allo schools overall. I am a non-trad (30 yrs old) and was waitlisted at CU, which is known for having a large non-trad population. I was "just another non-trad" and didn't really stand out there. Most of the people I interviewed with there were not straight out of undergrand.

However, I ended up getting accepted to U of Toledo, which has a fairly low average matriculant age. I was the only non-trad on my interview day. They loved me and I was accepted straight away.

Of course, I don't know if U of Toledo receives fewer non-trad applications than CU, but if everyone else is hitting up a school because they think it is "non-trad friendly" it may be in your best interest to go the other direction. Schools care very much about having a "balanced" class, and you may get to be the token oldster.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hey everyone,
I am a non traditional student applying for the 2010 Application year.
I wanted to start this forum to give other non traditional students some idea of what schools they may show a bit more favor to non traditional students.

So if anyone knows of a school that likes to accept us career changers let everyone know.

Here a couple that I think do, but correct me if I am wrong
Phili school: Jeffereson, Temple, Drexel I have heard are more apt to accept non traditional students. Anyone else know of any?

I'm moving this to the nontrad board. I note that this question has been asked many many many many times on this board, so if you do a search you can save yourself some time. That being said, I will restate what I've said in many of the other threads -- ALL med schools are going to be open to qualified nontrads. You will find someone over 30 at every US allo med school. If you put up the best numbers and are an interesting applicant there is no med school that isn't going to take a look at you. So I think nontrads often tend to shoot themselves in the foot trying to apply only to schools that are "nontrad friendly" when they actually would have a better shot and be happier at one of the schools not on this list. I also note that in the name of diversity, very few schools are going to take a ton of nontrads -- a few equals diversity, a lot is loss of diversity -- so to the extent there is a list of schools that most nontrads apply to you actually DECREASE your odds of getting in because you create competition amongst nontrads which didn't exist when folks simply applied without focusing on this kind of thing. Ignore these non-trad friendly lists and apply where your stats dictate, and you will be fine.

Now an argument might be made that nontrads might be happier in places with other nontrads, or schools might have more of a history of accomodation for folks with family obligations etc., but to the extent your question focused on the admissions aspects of being an nontrad (ie where will nontrads get in -- places the "like to accept us") then I think my above answer is the right one. ALL med schools are friendly to qualified nontrads. NONE will bend over backwards for less than qualified folks. So you really are simply going to be treated as a regular applicant anywhere and shouldn't waste time on this kind of thing. Just my two cents.

 

[sarahg]

The University of Miami says on their admissions page that they encourage non-trads to apply.

 

[Verse]

Also, GWU seems to like non-trads, from their website + video

 

[slambizzle]

The University of Miami says on their admissions page that they encourage non-trads to apply.

But, FWIW, Miami only take FL residents even though it's ostensibly private.

I think Tulane is non-trad friendly.

 

[Law2Doc]

But, FWIW, Miami only take FL residents even though it's ostensibly private.

I think Tulane is non-trad friendly.

Again, if we are talking admissions, ALL US MED SCHOOLS ARE NONTRAD FRIENDLY. It only hurts you to try and single out those that are "more" nontrad friendly. That won't increase your admissions odds, it will only increase the number of nontrads applying that you have to compete with for that "age diversity" slot. Foolish tactic. Apply to the place you want to go -- if they take you they are friendly enough.

 

[Verse]

But, FWIW, Miami only take FL residents even though it's ostensibly private.

I think Tulane is non-trad friendly.

Really? It look like from msar that miami takes a decent number of OOS (52 matriculated)

 

[Nasrudin]

Of course what law2doc said. And then?

Does anybody prefer a geriatric group for anything? Besides a bingo or bridge squad...? Openly hostile, no. But a preference for the selection of...hardly.

 

[QofQuimica]

But, FWIW, Miami only take FL residents even though it's ostensibly private.

No, that's not true. Miami *is* private, not ostensibly private, and it's the most OOS-friendly allo school in the state of FL. OOS applicants who meet the minimum GPA/MCAT requirements are encouraged to apply. However, they do give some preference to FL residents b/c they also get state funding.

OP, the most friendly schools for applicants of any age are almost always going to be their state schools. Especially for people who live in states with lots of schools that protect seats for their own state residents (like FL), you'll have a huge advantage just by applying in-state. It sounds like you might be in Pennsylvania. In that case, make sure you apply to Penn State and whatever other state schools you have, if any.

 

[vtucci]

The University of South Florida COM takes a number of out of state students (I was one of five my year) and is extremely non-trad friendly. We had 1/4 of the class over 25 when starting medical school including a few in their forties and some in their late thirties. I highly recommend it to any non-trads. It was a very nurturing and compassionate environment.

The University of Florida also offered me an interview but I have a tie with the school so I do not know how many OOS they take each year.

Also, for UMiami- keep in mind that the GPA requirements for instate and out-of-state are different and even when you meet the required GPA, if you are out-of-state, it is often harder to get an interview invite and acceptance than if you are instate.

Good luck.

 

[dragonfly99]

Agree w/applying to all your state schools.
Also, medical schools that are familiar with the place(s) you did your undergrad premed courses may be more likely to accept you...for most of us that includes our state schools and probably private schools in the region of our undergraduate school(s).

I do think there are some schools that are a little more friendly, vs. less friendly, to nontrads, but I don't think it pays that much to try and pick out specific "non trad friendly" schools. However, in terms of private schools, I have heard x several times that Northwestern likes to take some older students to balance out the young ones in their 7 year combined degree program.

 

[doctor712]

But, FWIW, Miami only take FL residents even though it's ostensibly private.

I think Tulane is non-trad friendly.

from what i hear, this has already changed, and is changing. take a look at stats from this year and last....

D712

edit: this has been answered....i really do need to read the ENTIRE thread before replying!