what separates the best from the better?

[med17]

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What distinguishes applicants you get admitted into the top 10 medical schools to those who get into the top 20 or top 50 medical schools?

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do special if I want to get into a top 5-10 medical school..

 

[Slowpoke]

GPA/MCAT to be captain obvious. But there are also run of the mill things that we've all learned to enjoy - volunteering, research, and community service. I want to say that the "best" are the ones who take an EC they are passionate about and excels tremendously in it.

 

[Web MD]

If you have to ask then you don't have it

 

[MacVA]

Founding a not for profit organization.

 

[Web MD]

Sorry, forgot to clarify what it is. It's 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure and 50% pain and 100% reason to remember the name

 

[Brittanyboop115]

Sorry, forgot to clarify what it is. It's 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure and 50% pain and 100% reason to remember the name

LMAO!! The only reason I know this is a song is from watching the new "The Karate Kid" movie

 

[quiltlady]

An Olympic medal would probably do it, or winning a Metropolitan opera audition, creating a Fortune 500 company, Saving several lives. You need to do something better than average.

 

[med17]

but what's average?

 

[pelliper]

What distinguishes applicants you get admitted into the top 10 medical schools to those who get into the top 20 or top 50 medical schools?

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do special if I want to get into a top 5-10 medical school..

High GPA/MCAT (for non-URMs, LizzyM around 74, i.e. GPA 3.8 + 36 MCAT) and experiences that show dedication and leadership. Stellar LORs will come from your experiences. It also helps if you've done something creative and original (like founding a non-profit or winning a national award/fellowship). Above all, a good life's lesson to remember is that success comes from dedication and passion, not the other way around. Have fun, focus on doing the things that you enjoy doing, and that acceptance will come to you.

Also, research is pretty heavily emphasized in the "Top 10" seeing as the US news ranking is a research ranking. You can get in without research but it may be very difficult.

 

[crixx]

Curing cancer couldn't hurt either

 

[88pich14]

High GPA/MCAT (for non-URMs, LizzyM around 74, i.e. GPA 3.8 + 36 MCAT) and experiences that show dedication and leadership. Stellar LORs will come from your experiences. It also helps if you've done something creative and original (like founding a non-profit or winning a national award/fellowship). Above all, a good life's lesson to remember is that success comes from dedication and passion, not the other way around. Have fun, focus on doing the things that you enjoy doing, and that acceptance will come to you.

Also, research is pretty heavily emphasized in the "Top 10" seeing as the US news ranking is a research ranking. You can get in without research but it may be very difficult.

👍

 

[Holy Frans]

Start a charity in your name.

 

[airplanes]

Getting your application to the top 1-5% numbers wise, activities wise, essay wise. That's half of it, the other half is luck.

 

[aza]

Certainly there plenty of people at top schools who've done things that make you say 'wow'!
But in my experience, not most of them!

I've more frequently met kids who had just the done 'the usual' but they just did at least one (usually more) aspects of it better than the vast majority of us.

So it's not like you HAVE to have done something 'special' or awe-inspiring.

Nothing you do is any guarantee. It's a crapshoot in a lot of ways.

 

[med17]

Getting your application to the top 1-5% numbers wise, activities wise, essay wise. That's half of it, the other half is luck.

elaboration on activities wise?

 

[s1lver]

I would imagine someone with a very competitive GPA and MCAT and good ECs and competed in the Olympics.

 

[NotAsking4Much]

They want the "future leaders of medicine."

So it could be in research, policy, clinical, etc...Anything. Just you do whatever you do with passion, initiative, and one step above everyone else.

 

[Rickybobby]

A really large penis. Check.

 

[Narmerguy]

Yeah, that's the question we'd all like to know the answer too isn't it?

 

[Ischemic]

I personally suggest a more fun and entertaining way of weaseling your way into a top 10 med school than volunteering and doing research ... go sleep with the adcoms

 

[Law2Doc]

I personally suggest a more fun and entertaining way of weaseling your way into a top 10 med school than volunteering and doing research ... go sleep with the adcoms

Only gives you enough leverage if you film it, and they are married.

 

[ThaliaNox]

At the 5-10 versus 11-20 level the differences are not really there. Whether an excellent applicant gets into one or the other can be a bit of a crapshoot. The key, though, is that to have that chance at all one must start out as an excellent applicant.

 

[Kaustikos]

Only gives you enough leverage if you film it, and they are married.

Then what? Do I still sell it after I get in? I'm not familiar with this application process. Would the school pay for the hosting fees? Do they require a cut of the profit for said video?


Also, pay for a new wing for their hospital.

 

[Narmerguy]

Only gives you enough leverage if you film it, and they are married.

Hmm, I think engaged might be enough to get the job done, though they're usually old enough to be past that stage.

 

[GoodmanBrown]

High GPA/MCAT (for non-URMs, LizzyM around 74, i.e. GPA 3.8 + 36 MCAT) and experiences that show dedication and leadership. Stellar LORs will come from your experiences. It also helps if you've done something creative and original (like founding a non-profit or winning a national award/fellowship).

Also, research is pretty heavily emphasized in the "Top 10" seeing as the US news ranking is a research ranking. You can get in without research but it may be very difficult.

👍 👎 All this and a lot of luck. Basically, does something on your stellar app catch the eye of an adcom who's wading through thousands of stellar apps? All of the above is basically just to get your foot in the door.

 

[Neuronix]

I'm trying to figure out what I need to do special if I want to get into a top 5-10 medical school..

Why do you want to get into a top 5-10 medical school? If you can answer that with something other than because USNews said so or some kind of prestige answer, you have a good chance.

When I interview here at *big name med school*, I often ask applicants why they want to come here. I usually get really stupid answers. That's a real simple way to get the post-interview rejection.

 

[Web MD]

In spite of what many other posters have claimed, I still maintain that it's only 10% luck

 

[SnYpaJY]

If you have to ask then you don't have it

Sorry, forgot to clarify what it is. It's 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure and 50% pain and 100% reason to remember the name

Hilarious. This guy knows what he's talking about.