What to Consider When Choosing Schools

[Cristobal16]

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I'd like to start a discussion on what the most important factors are in choosing schools. Here's a link to an article I wrote on what I took into consideration, including a list of the schools to which I applied. Transparent, I know, but I've got nothing to hide.

I'd also like to ask what everyone uses when looking at "rankings." Is there a central ranking system that everyone knows about? What factors go into the rankings? When I was choosing, I just looked around the internet and found lists of schools, then sort of took a mental average, assuming that it would be somewhat accurate. I'm sure a lot of the rankings depend on research, funding, notoriety, etc., but maybe there's a list somewhere...?

Anyway, hopefully this can spur some discussion that might shed a little light on the whole ranking system, as well as help people prioritize in choosing their schools...

How I Chose My Schools

 

[aSagacious]

Poorly disguised spam is poorly disguised (please stop posting about your blog, if people want to read it they will).

 

[CodeBlu]

poorly disguised spam is poorly disguised (please stop posting about your blog, if people want to read it they will).

🙂

 

[flatearth22]

Seems like you just applied to a bunch of boring midwest schools 👎

 

[aSagacious]

Seems like you just applied to a bunch of boring midwest schools 👎

...as Flatearth readily dismisses 4 top 20 schools at a whim 🙄

(inb4 NickNaylor)

 

[flatearth22]

...as Flatearth readily dismisses 4 top 20 schools at a whim 🙄

Nothing wrong with OP's choice or the schools themselves. But the way the thread was titled you figure there would be more in depth research into the different schools' mission statements, strengths, curricula, etc. and OP would choose a list of schools that are geographically diverse and reflect what he is looking for in a med school. It really just seems like he picked a bunch of midwest states and applied to all the med schools there.

 

[aSagacious]

...the way the thread was titled you figure there would be more in depth research into the different schools' mission statements, strengths, curricula, etc. and OP would choose a list of schools that are geographically diverse and reflect what he is looking for in a med school. It really just seems like he picked a bunch of midwest states and applied to all the med schools there.

Quoted from his blog: "I considered several criteria: number of students accepted from my undergraduate institution in the past decade, location, in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates, national ranking, and average MCAT scores of accepted individuals."

Agreed, not the most stringent screen.

 

[MrBird]

Quoted from his blog: "I considered several criteria: number of students accepted from my undergraduate institution in the past decade, location, in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rates, national ranking, and average MCAT scores of accepted individuals."

Agreed, not the most stringent screen.

mmmm sarcasm.

 

[Buttermellow]

Seems like you just applied to a bunch of boring midwest schools 👎

Wow, way to make a rude generalization about all the schools in a huge part of our country.

 

[Andnosoupforyou]

What to Consider When Choosing Schools

-does it require calculas.

 

[Cristobal16]

Poorly disguised spam is poorly disguised (please stop posting about your blog, if people want to read it they will).

Congratulations on your perfect ability to judge others' intentions. There's no way you just shot down someone's honest attempt at creating a discussion by labeling it as "cleverly disguised spam." The reason I linked to a post on my blog was simply to not have to rewrite or paraphrase everything I had written just to get a discussion going on here.

Remember the old adage? If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all... Might be nice to try it out... 🙂

 

[Cristobal16]

Nothing wrong with OP's choice or the schools themselves. But the way the thread was titled you figure there would be more in depth research into the different schools' mission statements, strengths, curricula, etc. and OP would choose a list of schools that are geographically diverse and reflect what he is looking for in a med school. It really just seems like he picked a bunch of midwest states and applied to all the med schools there.

i agree that it may appear that way. However, beggars can't be choosers, and until you've got multiple acceptances on the table, I'm willing to bet that most applicants feel a little like beggars. I assure you I'll be taking mission statements, strengths, grading, classroom styles and more into consideration if I end up getting a choice between schools. However, if I only applied to the schools I consider perfect 10s in every category without being realistic about the statistics involved, I'd be very likely to end up getting in nowhere.

Part of this is probably my fault, as I didn't specify exactly why geography is a big concern. My wife has started a nursing program, which means that she will most likely not be moving with me for the first year and a half of medical school. While we will probably have to live apart during that time, it would be nice to have the option of driving to see her from time to time - something that would not be possible if I ended up in some far-flung location. Hence, the large selection of midwest schools.

 

[ponyo]

Congratulations on your perfect ability to judge others' intentions. There's no way you just shot down someone's honest attempt at creating a discussion by labeling it as "cleverly disguised spam." The reason I linked to a post on my blog was simply to not have to rewrite or paraphrase everything I had written just to get a discussion going on here.

Remember the old adage? If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all... Might be nice to try it out... 🙂

Maybe next time instead of posting a link to your blog, which just seems like self-promotion, you could just paste the content. That way there will be no misunderstandings.

 

[Ilikepi]

Remember the old adage? If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all... Might be nice to try it out... 🙂

You're new here, aren't you?

Welcome to SDN.

 

[Cristobal16]

Maybe next time instead of posting a link to your blog, which just seems like self-promotion, you could just paste the content. That way there will be no misunderstandings.

Good call, great advice. Thanks!

 

[Cristobal16]

You're new here, aren't you?

Welcome to SDN.

Haha. I'm learning, I guess...