Which schools as backups?

[DZM]

I remember seeing someone post recommended back up schools to apply to. Can someone please post those "back ups" for an applicant with about average stats?

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[Doctora Foxy]

MCPHU, Albany, Finch, GWU, SLU, Vermont, NYMC

 

[Trek]

Although it's statistically harder to get into most of those schools than Harvard/Hopkins. --Trek

 

[PlayaHata]

there is no such thing as a backup in this process

 

[Mr.D]

My sentiments are the same. There are schools with lower average requirements (GPA and MCAT) than others, but given the sheer volume of applicants these schools get (close to 10,000, almost twice the normal), it makes it almost as difficult to get into as one applying with solid numbers to a top school. And to make matters worst, if your numbers are just way much higher than their average, they'll just simply reject you because of the fear that they'll be wasting your time with you because of their assumption that you'll end up getting in somewhere better.

 

[Original]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Roger Rabbit:
•there is no such thing as a backup in this process•••••There is infact such a concept as a "backup school". However it varies from applicant to applicant depending on strength of apps, state of residence, URM-status, citizenship status and blah blah blah. That stellar applicant from Cali might absolutely want to matric @ stanford because of her family. But then regardless of her 40 MCAT, 4.0 gpa, and olympic gold medal, there's no telling whether or not she'll get accepted at Stanford. So what does she do? She applies to Harvard, WashU, Hopkins and a bunch of others. Stanford is her sole dream school while these others are technically just back-ups. Though for most of us, our back-up schools are not on the USNews top ten list.

 

[Mr.D]

I remember seeing someone post recommended back up schools to apply to. Can someone please post those "back ups" for an applicant with about average stats?

I think the OP is implying "guarantee" back-up schools, not simply like choice 2,3,4, and 5 if choice 1 doesn't materialize. You're right, people with stellar stats have the other nine top-10 schools as back-ups (schools that they'd also like to go to), but I believe the OP is talking about someone with average stats and the opportunity to get in at least somewhere for sure.

 

[Original]

Oh I see. If that's the case then there's certainly no such thing as a back-up school.

 

[el Scorcho]

I agree that backup schools are entirely in the context of the individual applicant, but I definately disagree that lower ranked, lower average accepted stat schools are harded to get into because of number of applications.
My advice is take an honest look at your application with the help of other people, like a pre-med advisor, for example, and then apply to schools in a range around your level, including a few you feel may be out of your range, and definately a few or more below where your stats are. I found this played out amazingly by the book for me. I applied to 12 schools. Four that I didn't think I had a chance at (no interviews from all 4), 4 that seemed to be about my range (3 interviews, 1 acceptance), and 4 that I used as my "back-ups" (4 interviews, 2 acceptances). I was also on 3 waitlists when I decided on my school. So yeah, there are back-ups, for me they were SLU, Creighton, Finch, and my state school.

 

[Doctor Octagonecologyst]

Apply to every school you'd be willing to attend, except those that will absolutely not accept you based of your residency. Due to the vast number of applicants, the results of the medical school application process are random, so designating a large number of schools is more important than including a few "backup" schools. You've probably heard about people being rejected by these "backup" schools and accepted at top tens. If you apply intelligently, who knows, maybe your story will be similar. This strategy is expensive, but it's really very little compared to the cost of medical school itself (or the cost of reapplying).

Good luck.

 

[SMW]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Doctor Octagonecologyst:
•Apply to every school you'd be willing to attend, except those that will absolutely not accept you based of your residency. Due to the vast number of applicants, the results of the medical school application process are random, so designating a large number of schools is more important than including a few "backup" schools. You've probably heard about people being rejected by these "backup" schools and accepted at top tens. If you apply intelligently, who knows, maybe your story will be similar. This strategy is expensive, but it's really very little compared to the cost of medical school itself (or the cost of reapplying).

Good luck.•••••Very good advice, Octogonecologyst! Welcome to SDN!! I was rejected from GW and accepted at a top 10. Although mostly I got into my "back-ups" and was rejected from my "reaches." I was also waitlisted (and it looks bad) from my state school.. The process is random enopugh that applicants need to do everything possible to increase their odds. Expect surprising things to happen.

 

[Doctor Octagonecologyst]

Thanks for the welcome, SMW, and I hope you enjoy Columbia.