Who used an inside connection

[ohplease]

---

Members do not see this ad.

From speaking to interviewers and people who've been through the process it seems that as much as 50% of top notch medical schools' students got in partly because they had a connection with someone in the school or on the adcom. Does anyone know if this is really that widespread or less than I speculated.

 

[GATORade]

From speaking to interviewers and people who've been through the process it seems that as much as 50% of top notch medical schools' students got in partly because they had a connection with someone in the school or on the adcom. Does anyone know if this is really that widespread or less than I speculated.

I'm convinced that one of my connections landed me an interview that I otherwise wouldn't have gotten. However, that's about all it got me – I was quickly waitlisted. I may be wrong, but I believe that even with a strong relationship to the school, your connection can only get you an interview at best. The acceptance part is up to you. Furthermore, if your stats are way out of line with the school's average, there isn't much that your connection can do in terms of landing you an acceptance. Like I said, I may be wrong.

 

[masterMood]

obviously anyone who hasn't revealed that they did!

 

[ohplease]

I guess it depends on how strong the connection is as to whether you get an interview or get in. I'm not saying people get in solely on connections, but it gives them the edge when considering many relatively equal applicants.

 

[Sundarban1]

as much as 50% of top notch medical schools' students got in partly because they had a connection with someone in the school or on the adcom.QUOTE]

50% 😕 this sounds inflated to me.
If they are top notch students, I'm not so sure knowing someone is that much of a help. Additionally, adcoms are made up of many voting members. Knowing 1 person may get you an interview, but does not get you a mojority vote or admission.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

I think part of the reason you see these people getting in is partly because they know a lot about the school. For example, interview questions, staff, what expectations there are, what they are looking for and how to improve your areas. If you have a close connection you know what to fix and what to do more than the person that doesnt. I have some schools, one top tier that I am very close to and keep up with on what I am doing. Therefore, they really know my face before even looking at the application, know my story, beyond just the black and white. I know though that if I don't have close to the average I will really not be getting in.

Hey you know what they say, its all about connections

 

[DrYo12]

From speaking to interviewers and people who've been through the process it seems that as much as 50% of top notch medical schools' students got in partly because they had a connection with someone in the school or on the adcom. Does anyone know if this is really that widespread or less than I speculated.

I am pretty sure that my application received attention at some schools that it would not normall have just because of my letter writers. No nobel laureates, nobody famous, but people who have been in the field doing this for a long time whose word carries some undefineable amount of weight.

for what its worth anyway... 🙄

 

[Sarikate]

I think being the offspring of an alum or professor can help you land an interview. I'm 100% sure that this kind of connection helped me get an interview at one of my top schools. But I don't think it guarantees an acceptance!

 

[dopaminophile]

There's no question in my mind that there is at least some benefit to having a connection to the school. I suppose that the quality of the connection is what defines how must weight it holds when the ADCOM votes. If your aunt is the chair of the admissions committee, then probably that holds some weight. If your cousin's friend is a post-doc on a research team affiliated with the school, then probably that's not gonna do much for you. My guess is that even friends of friends of individuals on the adcom won't do much more than get you an interview. Probably though, if a friend of a friend is a former dean of the med school and they wrote a brilliant recommendation for you, I would think that could hold some weight in a meeting. I'd like to sit on the adcom of whichever school I attend so that I can see how much this stuff actually plays in and to what degree.

 

[cytoborg]

Hmm, I'd say only a handful of my classmates (at a top 10) are VIPs...and they are exceptionally cool people with amazing talents, who will make great doctors, so I firmly believe they are completely deserving of their spots. Maybe their connections did help them make it through the crapshoot that is the admissions process, but I'm sure these people were qualified to get in "on their own" as well. The rest of us (including myself) come from a very wide range of backgrounds, many from blue-collar backgrounds, no physicans in the family, first to go to college type of situations. I for one am glad that connections don't seem to play much of a role in the process, or I would have been screwed.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

Hmm, I'd say only a handful of my classmates (at a top 10) are VIPs...and they are exceptionally cool people with amazing talents, who will make great doctors, so I firmly believe they are completely deserving of their spots. Maybe their connections did help them make it through the crapshoot that is the admissions process, but I'm sure these people were qualified to get in "on their own" as well. The rest of us (including myself) come from a very wide range of backgrounds, many from blue-collar backgrounds, no physicans in the family, first to go to college type of situations. I for one am glad that connections don't seem to play much of a role in the process, or I would have been screwed.

Cyto do you go to Stanford by chance? Reason I ask is because Stanford really likes the whole journey thing. I mean it seems they want first time docs and first time college kids and such.

 

[doogyhowser]

no inside track here...damn.


i am willing to sleep my way to the top though 👍