What's a quick and concise why to say I like the area a school is in in secondaries?

[mrh125]

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*quick and concise way to say I like the environment your school is in
I really want to comment on all the areas the schools i'm applying at are in. What would be a clear concise and intelligent-sounding way to say "Hey i really dig your urban/rural environment and the community your school is in"? ideas?

 

[snowflakes]

"I am drawn to the rural/urban environment of X school because....."

 

[lmn]

How will that area help you become the type of physician you would want to be?

 

[el_duderino]

My advice would be don't try unless you genuinely mean it.

 

[LizzyM]

Be sure you know where the school is located. It is pretty laughable when people thing that Cornell is in Ithaca and UCONN is in Storrs and Northwestern is in Evanston. Unless you've lived in the area or at least visited, it might be best not to make that a major point in your secondary.

 

[mrh125]

Be sure you know where the school is located. It is pretty laughable when people thing that Cornell is in Ithaca and UCONN is in Storrs and Northwestern is in Evanston. Unless you've lived in the area or at least visited, it might be best not to make that a major point in your secondary.

Thanks for your response. As someone who reads applications and is exposed to students trying to do this all the time in secondary, would it be fair to say that when students bring it up it's often to their detriment and they hang themselves with it? I don't want to be the geographically ignorant person who acts like he's been to all these areas when I haven't, but if I could find something unique about school's area even if I haven't been there that i'd like to explore, would it be worth including? It'd also be something else for me to inquire about at an interview.

 

[el_duderino]

If you haven't been there, don't talk about how awesome it is. It will show and it will make it look like you're just making crap up to make yourself look good.

 

[LizzyM]

If you haven't been there, don't talk about how awesome it is. It will show and it will make it look like you're just making crap up to make yourself look good.

So true.... like saying that you like the urban, inner-city environment when the place is in a posh neighborhood.

Far better to spend 20-30 minutes exploring the school's website and making note of the curriculum, extra curriculars, etc and noting what attracts you to that school and why you think that the school is a good fit with your learning style, interests, etc.

 

[lobo.solo]

Bad idea. People will see through it. But of course you can try an see how it goes during the interview stage.

 

[mrh125]

Bad idea. People will see through it. But of course you can try an see how it goes during the interview stage.

Good call. I won't bother then I'm only really bothering putting it in secondaries if I can honestly say something like the area's similar to what I grew up, I have family ties there, or i'm interested in working in <type of area it has there>. During interviews I'll definitely talk about the area. I'd like to ask questions about activities in the area and whatnot, since it is where I'm spending my next 4 years of my life.

 

[snowflakes]

Good call. I won't bother then I'm only really bothering putting it in secondaries if I can honestly say something like the area's similar to what I grew up, I have family ties there, or i'm interested in working in <type of area it has there>. During interviews I'll definitely talk about the area. I'd like to ask questions about activities in the area and whatnot, since it is where I'm spending my next 4 years of my life.

Yes. If you are honestly drawn to something about the area, then say so. But if you are not, do not try to come up with something about the area of every school, just to say something. I missed the part where you said you were going to talk about the area of every school. That's a bad idea.

Also, if you say you are interested in working in a rural area, for example, then it usually helps to tie it into your previous experiences working in rural areas and how you've demonstrated it's something you want to continue with in medical school.