Why are Tufts and BU frequently labeled as low yield?

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Miss_Premed

Miss_Premed

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Just wondering what is meant when people say that schools like Tufts and BU are low yield? I have seen it a few times in the WAMC forum and was just curious?

Thank you!
 
Low yield or low tier?
 
Low yield meaning they get a ton of applications but can only accept so many.

I personally applied to both this cycle, and will say that if you don't have something that makes you feel like you "fit" there or will make you stand out, then don't apply. There might be better choices that will increase your odds.
 
Since you quoted my post, I will quote my own as well:

Low Yield generally means that for most applicants, the time, effort, and money invested in applying to these particularly schools could better be used elsewhere. In general, these are schools with a very high volume of applicants or a very low interview:applicant ratio.
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Candidates with stronger applications will have a better shot at getting into schools overall, so for these applicants, the return on investment for applying to a few more schools that have low yield will not be worth the time, effort, and money. However, for more marginal or borderline candidates, the chances of getting into a school (any school) is lower, and therefore increasing the number of schools they apply to may appreciably increase their chances of getting accepted. Once all the non-low yield schools have been applied to, they will have to dip into the low yield schools.
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Thank you! I didn't want to derail that other thread asking for clarification! Though I must not have followed the threat all the way to your answer! /:

I noticed that both BU and Tufts offer interviews to a fairly high number of instate applicants (I think around 20%) so in that case would it be worth considering those schools a decent chance for mass residents when compiling a school list? As opposed to a low yield or low chance group?
 
I actually don't know why Tufts and BU are mentioned as low yield. They interview ~8-9% of OOS applicants, which is typical for a ton of schools. Eg here are schools that interviewed 7-10% of OOS applicants last year


Northwestern University Feinberg School of Med
Ohio State University College of Medicine
Hofstra North Shore
University of Vermont College of Medicine
University at Buffalo State Uni. of NY School of Med
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Albany Medical College
Medical College of Georgia at Regents University
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Med
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School
Boston University School of Medicine
Emory University School of Med
University of Rochester School of Med and Denistry
Georgetown University School of Med
The University of Toledo College of Medicine
New York Medical College
Pennsylvania State University College of Med
Creighton University School of Med
Medical College of Wisconsin
Meharry Medical College
Duke University School of Med
Tufts University School of Medicine
Sidney Kimmel Med at Thomas Jefferson University
University of Minnesota Medical School
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Med
Florida International Uni. Wertheim College of Med
George Washington University School of Med
The Commonwealth Medical College
Mayo Medical School
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
University of Colorado School of Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Temple University School of Medicine
Drexel University College of Med
University of Arizona College of Medicine
University of Tennessee Health Sci Center College of Med
University of Kansas School of Medicine
 
@efle

I agree that the distinction between low-yield and not low-yield is very vaguely defined, but if you look at that list, apart from a couple schools, you can divide all of them into three broad categories:

1. Schools with high in-state preference
2. Top tier / highly competitive schools
3. Commonly acknowledge "low yield" schools (i.e. GW)

Generally, applicants will be steered away from these schools unless they are either high level applicants (for the top tier schools) or marginal applicants (in which case applying to a higher number of schools + low-yield schools may be beneficial)

The ones that stand out to me as most commonly recommended to many applicants and not classified as low-yield are as follows:

VCU (they do actually accept a lot of OOS students)
Hofstra (but only with a high MCAT or undergrad pedigree)
Rochester (mid-tier school, of which there appear to be few)
Stony Brook (arguably low-yield anyway)

The other schools on this list are either not generally recommended, only recommended to marginal applicants, or are self-selected for by the applicants themselves.
 
WedgeDawg said:
@efle

I agree that the distinction between low-yield and not low-yield is very vaguely defined, but if you look at that list, apart from a couple schools, you can divide all of them into three broad categories:

1. Schools with high in-state preference
2. Top tier / highly competitive schools
3. Commonly acknowledge "low yield" schools (i.e. GW)

Generally, applicants will be steered away from these schools unless they are either high level applicants (for the top tier schools) or marginal applicants (in which case applying to a higher number of schools + low-yield schools may be beneficial)

The ones that stand out to me as most commonly recommended to many applicants and not classified as low-yield are as follows:

VCU (they do actually accept a lot of OOS students)
Hofstra (but only with a high MCAT or undergrad pedigree)
Rochester (mid-tier school, of which there appear to be few)
Stony Brook (arguably low-yield anyway)

The other schools on this list are either not generally recommended, only recommended to marginal applicants, or are self-selected for by the applicants themselves.
Click to expand...
I dunno. Excluding CA schools from the list (I'm instate for them and don't have an easy way to check where they fall), there are out of 118 schools only 27 schools that interview more than 10% of OOS apps but 62 that interview less than 8%.

Calling any schools in that 53rd-77th percentile range "low-yield" when really anyone interviewing 8 or 9% is above average yield just doesn't make sense to me.
 
efle said:
I dunno. Excluding CA schools from the list (I'm instate for them and don't have an easy way to check where they fall), there are out of 118 schools only 27 schools that interview more than 10% of OOS apps but 62 that interview less than 8%.

Calling any schools in that 53rd-77th percentile range "low-yield" when really anyone interviewing 8 or 9% is above average yield just doesn't make sense to me.
Click to expand...

Perhaps then a more useful indicator is looking at not only applicant to interview ratios, but also applicant to matriculant or interview to matriculant ratios, as well as number of applications. However, as more and more applicants apply to more and more schools, the line between "low-yield" and other schools will become less distinct.

I might argue that the most important thing to take into account is the probability of getting an interview from a given school, which is a factor both of everything stated above as well as the applicant's profile. Until we come up with a more systematic way to approach this, we will have to make due with generalizations to help applicants target schools where they have the highest chance of interviewing.
 
WedgeDawg said:
Perhaps then a more useful indicator is looking at not only applicant to interview ratios, but also applicant to matriculant or interview to matriculant ratios, as well as number of applications. However, as more and more applicants apply to more and more schools, the line between "low-yield" and other schools will become less distinct.

I might argue that the most important thing to take into account is the probability of getting an interview from a given school, which is a factor both of everything stated above as well as the applicant's profile. Until we come up with a more systematic way to approach this, we will have to make due with generalizations to help applicants target schools where they have the highest chance of interviewing.
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The real trick is to be so ****ing special you can just apply wherevs and go to your favorite on a scholarship!

Man, I would kill to see data on stuff like per-school % interviewed batched by LizzyM
 
efle said:
The real trick is to be so ****ing special you can just apply wherevs and go to your favorite on a scholarship!

Man, I would kill to see data on stuff like per-school % interviewed batched by LizzyM
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, no school would want to publish that and taking data from sdn would probably significantly skew the results 🙁
 
Miss_Premed said:
Just wondering what is meant when people say that schools like Tufts and BU are low yield? I have seen it a few times in the WAMC forum and was just curious?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Every applicant in their twenties would love to go to school in Boston. It's known as a great city for young people (except in terms of rent). Most don't have the grades for Harvard. So BU and Tufts get a ton of applications, far more than schools of better than their caliber in less-popular locations. Which means it's going to be very hard to distinguish yourself from the competition. I think that's what makes them low yield.
 
Law2Doc said:
Every applicant in their twenties would love to go to school in Boston. It's known as a great city for young people (except in terms of rent). Most don't have the grades for Harvard. So BU and Tufts get a ton of applications, far more than schools of better than their caliber in less-popular locations. Which means it's going to be very hard to distinguish yourself from the competition. I think that's what makes them low yield.
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^This.

Prime places for young people to live, and both schools are ranked pretty well and match well = lots of people wanting to go. Also both seem to have at least some desire for non-trad/more well-rounded applicants which additionally attracts more applicants. All this and more adds up to tons of people applying to each and although I'm sure a fair amount aren't qualified and get screened quickly, it still leaves a pretty low chance and if money is tight, quite often there are other good school options for people to apply to that may have a better overall chance for them. Personally I think it depends on the individual applicant as well as their goals on whether or not it is worth it for them to apply, personally I thought it was for me and I applied and interviewed at both schools and don't regret it in the least.
 
One question that I don't think got answered....do BU and Tufts make more sense for in-state applicants? In other words, does in-state status (even knowing these are privates) even partially ameliorate the low yield issue?

And another related question....do other schools with huge numbers of apps from average candidates, like say NYMC and Albany, show a regional preference? Would candidates from MA, CT, VT, etc enjoy a little more consideration because of presumption of greater likelihood of accepting an acceptance?
 
WedgeDawg said:
Perhaps then a more useful indicator is looking at not only applicant to interview ratios, but also applicant to matriculant or interview to matriculant ratios, as well as number of applications. However, as more and more applicants apply to more and more schools, the line between "low-yield" and other schools will become less distinct.

I might argue that the most important thing to take into account is the probability of getting an interview from a given school, which is a factor both of everything stated above as well as the applicant's profile. Until we come up with a more systematic way to approach this, we will have to make due with generalizations to help applicants target schools where they have the highest chance of interviewing.
Click to expand...

With the increasing shift to standardized online applications, it seems like the average number of schools applied to per applicant increases as well, further advantaging the wealthier applicants for whom "It's just another $100" is not a barrier. Not that anyone has the time to complete 40 secondaries well, but it's not unheard of anymore to apply to 40+ schools. Yikes!

Can you imagine being on the receiving end of 10,000 applications and having to read a gazillion personal statements? (not that one person has to read them all, but still...) That's what schools with average-to-low stats and no strong in-state mandate face, and that's what makes them low-yield.

I know it's easy to toss out another few hundred of Mom & Dad's money for more applications -- but far better to narrow your focus, decide what kind of medical school you want and are qualified for, then tailor your application to fit the mission of those schools -- rural, primary care, research. If your stats are such that you need to apply to this tier of schools, you'll have to stand out from an increasingly large crowd. Don't count on 'just the odds' -- because increasingly, they're not in your favor.
 
Yes I definitely think that trying to distinguish myself from 10000 applicants would be crazy! However Tufts for example interviews like 19% of instate applicants. (At least according to MSAR latest data) is this just a fluke or is their a true instate preference? I am from mass so I'm just wondering if I should include Tufts and BU as "low yield" for my personal school list, or if they are more attainable for an instate student.
 
Law2Doc said:
Every applicant in their twenties would love to go to school in Boston. It's known as a great city for young people (except in terms of rent). Most don't have the grades for Harvard. So BU and Tufts get a ton of applications, far more than schools of better than their caliber in less-popular locations. Which means it's going to be very hard to distinguish yourself from the competition. I think that's what makes them low yield.
Click to expand...

This is what I was going to say. I don't stand a snowball's chances in hell of getting into Harvard, but I'm drawn to Boston, so I'll probably apply to one or both of these schools anyway.
 
DokterMom said:
With the increasing shift to standardized online applications, it seems like the average number of schools applied to per applicant increases as well, further advantaging the wealthier applicants for whom "It's just another $100" is not a barrier. Not that anyone has the time to complete 40 secondaries well, but it's not unheard of anymore to apply to 40+ schools. Yikes!

Can you imagine being on the receiving end of 10,000 applications and having to read a gazillion personal statements? (not that one person has to read them all, but still...) That's what schools with average-to-low stats and no strong in-state mandate face, and that's what makes them low-yield.

I know it's easy to toss out another few hundred of Mom & Dad's money for more applications -- but far better to narrow your focus, decide what kind of medical school you want and are qualified for, then tailor your application to fit the mission of those schools -- rural, primary care, research. If your stats are such that you need to apply to this tier of schools, you'll have to stand out from an increasingly large crowd. Don't count on 'just the odds' -- because increasingly, they're not in your favor.
Click to expand...
Average to Low stats?

I don't have access to the MSAR anymore but according to at least one site the stats are:
Tufts - 3.7 / 34 http://medical-schools.startclass.com/l/73/Tufts-University-School-of-Medicine
BU - 3.8 / 35 http://medical-schools.startclass.com/l/43/Boston-University-School-of-Medicine

I wonder how many schools you consider to have high stats...
 
lmn said:
Average to Low stats?

I don't have access to the MSAR anymore but according to at least one site the stats are:
Tufts - 3.7 / 34 http://medical-schools.startclass.com/l/73/Tufts-University-School-of-Medicine
BU - 3.8 / 35 http://medical-schools.startclass.com/l/43/Boston-University-School-of-Medicine

I wonder how many schools you consider to have high stats...
Click to expand...

Good point! I was not referring specifically to Tufts and BU, but to those schools that do have average to low stats.
 
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Law2Doc said:
Every applicant in their twenties would love to go to school in Boston. It's known as a great city for young people (except in terms of rent). Most don't have the grades for Harvard. So BU and Tufts get a ton of applications, far more than schools of better than their caliber in less-popular locations. Which means it's going to be very hard to distinguish yourself from the competition. I think that's what makes them low yield.
Click to expand...
I would give a finger or so on my left hand to end up in Boston for med school.
Or, in a more realistic vein, a few hundred bucks for the chance.

I see a few hundred bucks now as a gamble which could either save me thousands in the future, get my dream location, or perhaps pay off with an amazing school. Maybe even more than one of those things!

(and no, thread, it's not my parents' money.)
 
So does that mean that the in state advantage applies to non-State schools like BU and Tufts?
 
efle said:
I've poked around there a few times, a lot of their numbers are wrong / old
Click to expand...

At cursory glance most of them seem accurate, but I really can't be bothered to check, MSAR is king.
 
Miss_Premed said:
Just wondering what is meant when people say that schools like Tufts and BU are low yield? I have seen it a few times in the WAMC forum and was just curious?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

I think they may have said or meant low chances of admissions because I know for a fact that BU (as well as Georgetown, GWU, etc.) are some of the most applied to programs in the country so naturally you've got lower chances.
 
DrayDaze said:
So does that mean that the in state advantage applies to non-State schools like BU and Tufts?
Click to expand...

The MSAR will tell you. Buy it if you're planning on applying. My guess would be no for BU though solely based on the fact that BU is private.
 
DokterMom said:
With the increasing shift to standardized online applications, it seems like the average number of schools applied to per applicant increases as well, further advantaging the wealthier applicants for whom "It's just another $100" is not a barrier. Not that anyone has the time to complete 40 secondaries well, but it's not unheard of anymore to apply to 40+ schools. Yikes!

Can you imagine being on the receiving end of 10,000 applications and having to read a gazillion personal statements? (not that one person has to read them all, but still...) That's what schools with average-to-low stats and no strong in-state mandate face, and that's what makes them low-yield.

I know it's easy to toss out another few hundred of Mom & Dad's money for more applications -- but far better to narrow your focus, decide what kind of medical school you want and are qualified for, then tailor your application to fit the mission of those schools -- rural, primary care, research. If your stats are such that you need to apply to this tier of schools, you'll have to stand out from an increasingly large crowd. Don't count on 'just the odds' -- because increasingly, they're not in your favor.
Click to expand...

Is it me, or do a lot of schools seem to have overlapping missions? "To train the next generation of leaders in medicine......patient care, education, and research". I am just an applicant, but I must be missing something.
 
PatrickStarMDPHD said:
Is it me, or do a lot of schools seem to have overlapping missions? "To train the next generation of leaders in medicine......patient care, education, and research". I am just an applicant, but I must be missing something.
Click to expand...

They absolutely do have overlapping/parallel missions. Find the 'mission type' that's the best fit for you and go that direction.
 
BU admissions is a total crap-shoot. They take a lot of students from BS/MD programs, and the dean even admitted how random their admissions process is on interview days.

mehc012 said:
I would give a finger or so on my left hand to end up in Boston for med school.
Or, in a more realistic vein, a few hundred bucks for the chance.

I see a few hundred bucks now as a gamble which could either save me thousands in the future, get my dream location, or perhaps pay off with an amazing school. Maybe even more than one of those things!

(and no, thread, it's not my parents' money.)
Click to expand...

You'd be giving a lot more than just that amount of your parents' money since both Tufts and BU are some of the most expensive schools in the country and offer some of the most minimal financial aid out of all medical schools. I don't think your parents would be too thrilled about that.
 
BasedMD said:
BU admissions is a total crap-shoot. They take a lot of students from BS/MD programs, and the dean even admitted how random their admissions process is on interview days.



You'd be giving a lot more than just that amount of your parents' money since both Tufts and BU are some of the most expensive schools in the country and offer some of the most minimal financial aid out of all medical schools. I don't think your parents would be too thrilled about that.
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Fortunately, my parents are spending zero on applications and again, zero, on medical school. They also spent zero on MCAT prep or my postbacc classes or the car I got to get myself to the multiple jobs I took during my gap years, or...yeah, methinks someone failed to read to the end of the post they quoted.
 
mehc012 said:
Fortunately, my parents are spending zero on applications and again, zero, on medical school. They also spent zero on MCAT prep or my postbacc classes or the car I got to get myself to the multiple jobs I took during my gap years, or...yeah, methinks someone failed to read to the end of the post they quoted.
Click to expand...

Nah, your parents are going to take away your internet privileges when they find out how much they're spending on your application for sure.

I was just poking fun at the enormous chip on your shoulder you have against people who are privileged and don't share your circumstances that hardly make you unique, which you evidently feel the need to constantly brag and be validated about. You should really fix that attitude before practicing medicine because affluence doesn't make someone's circumstances and reasons for practicing medicine any less valid than yours regardless of how you seem to think.

Same goes for affluent patients. Being affluent doesn't make their circumstances less valid. Discrimination against "haves" is still discrimination. There are plenty of people whose circumstances are far worse than yours and make yours look like a total walk-in-the-park.
 
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BasedMD said:
Nah, your parents are going to take away your internet privileges when they find out how much they're spending on your application for sure.

I was just poking fun at the enormous chip on your shoulder you have against people who are privileged and don't share your circumstances that hardly make you unique, which you evidently feel the need to constantly brag and be validated about. You should really fix that attitude before practicing medicine because affluence doesn't make someone's circumstances and reasons for practicing medicine any less valid than yours regardless of how you seem to think.

Same goes for affluent patients. Being affluent doesn't make their circumstances less valid. Discrimination against "haves" is still discrimination. There are plenty of people whose circumstances are far worse than yours and make yours look like a total walk-in-the-park.
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Wait, what?
I only mentioned the parents' money thing because it was brought up right before I posted as an explanation for why some people are willing to throw money at the application cycle. More specifically, I read this:
DokterMom said:
I know it's easy to toss out another few hundred of Mom & Dad's money for more applications...
Click to expand...
...and just wanted to put forth that hey, even those spending their own money might see it as a worthwhile gamble!

Other than that, I have no idea wtf you are talking about, but it seems to have gone beyond 'poking fun' and into 'seriously upset about something' territory. I don't recall having ever responded to one of your posts before, and I feel that your reaction is overly vehement for the comments I've made in this thread, so I'm just going to back away slowly now before I unintentionally cross another invisible line. :whoa:
 
PatrickStarMDPHD said:
Is it me, or do a lot of schools seem to have overlapping missions? "To train the next generation of leaders in medicine......patient care, education, and research". I am just an applicant, but I must be missing something.
Click to expand...

I was just talking about this the other day. The majority of schools have this mission.
 
northernlights15 said:
I was just talking about this the other day. The majority of schools have this mission.
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Yes, originally in mission statements isn't rewarded at all. Most are just reworded versions of each other.

mehc012 said:
Wait, what?
I only mentioned the parents' money thing because it was brought up right before I posted as an explanation for why some people are willing to throw money at the application cycle. More specifically, I read this:

...and just wanted to put forth that hey, even those spending their own money might see it as a worthwhile gamble!

Other than that, I have no idea wtf you are talking about, but it seems to have gone beyond 'poking fun' and into 'seriously upset about something' territory. I don't recall having ever responded to one of your posts before, and I feel that your reaction is overly vehement for the comments I've made in this thread, so I'm just going to back away slowly now before I unintentionally cross another invisible line. :whoa:
Click to expand...

You should work on developing some self-awareness. It'd really help you out.
 
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DokterMom said: ↑
I know it's easy to toss out another few hundred of Mom & Dad's money for more applications...


mehc012 said:
...and just wanted to put forth that hey, even those spending their own money might see it as a worthwhile gamble!

Other than that, I have no idea wtf you are talking about, but it seems to have gone beyond 'poking fun' and into 'seriously upset about something' territory. I don't recall having ever responded to one of your posts before, and I feel that your reaction is overly vehement for the comments I've made in this thread, so I'm just going to back away slowly now before I unintentionally cross another invisible line. :whoa:
Click to expand...

😕😱😵

Huh? I certainly wasn't talking to you (or really, to any person in particular), but rather to the 'stereotypical upper-middle-class, parents still pay my bills' kids -- of which there are MANY -- who would rather simply click on a drop-down to submit yet another application than spend another two hours researching the school to see if it's truly appropriate.

I have nothing but respect for applicants paying their own way -- In fact, I would strongly prefer it if applicants spending Mommy & Daddy's money would treat those funds with the same discretion they might use for their own money.
 
DokterMom said:
😕😱😵

Huh? I certainly wasn't talking to you (or really, to any person in particular), but rather to the 'stereotypical upper-middle-class, parents still pay my bills' kids -- of which there are MANY -- who would rather simply click on a drop-down to submit yet another application than spend another two hours researching the school to see if it's truly appropriate.

I have nothing but respect for applicants paying their own way -- In fact, I would strongly prefer it if applicants spending Mommy & Daddy's money would treat those funds with the same discretion they might use for their own money.
Click to expand...
Whoa whoa. I'm fine with things getting blown off track with BasedMD...I don't even know them and I don't know why they're so angry at me..

You, I have utmost respect for.
I know you weren't talking about me, and I didn't mean to imply in any way that you were, or that I disagreed with what you were saying. I am sorry to drag you into this, I was simply quoting you to point out to BasedMD why I mentioned parental income in the first place, since my small, tangential mention of it seems to have greatly upset them.

From my perspective, it basically went:

DokterMom: Some people find it easier to throw money at things and apply everywhere than to sit down and research schools...particularly if it's their parents' money.
Mehc012: Throwing money at applications isn't necessarily a bad gamble, though...I am choosing to spend extra money now in hopes of a payoff later (side note, since it's been mentioned, I'm throwing my own money at things, not my parents')
BasedMD: Rawr mehc012 you suck because you hate rich people and think you're special.
Mehc012: Wait, sh!7, what?
*Tries to explain*
*Doesn't help*
*Pulls DokterMom into the mess with her*
*Is sorry for that*
 
Tufts is the kind of place that really seems to accept holistically, not just based on number crunching. If you have a legitimate interest in under-served urban or rural health, nutrition, cardiology, etc., and can prove it, than I you stand a much better chance of interview/acceptance there.

People call it "low yield" because if you are just someone with a 37/3.7 applying here because its not as hard to get in as Harvard, they are going to toss your file out the window (as they should).
 
👍 Glad we're good :highfive:

And as you point out, 'applying broadly' is not the same thing as 'shot-gunning' applications
 
mehc012 said:
Whoa whoa. I'm fine with things getting blown off track with BasedMD...I don't even know them and I don't know why they're so angry at me..

You, I have utmost respect for.
I know you weren't talking about me, and I didn't mean to imply in any way that you were, or that I disagreed with what you were saying. I am sorry to drag you into this, I was simply quoting you to point out to BasedMD why I mentioned parental income in the first place, since my small, tangential mention of it seems to have greatly upset them.

From my perspective, it basically went:

DokterMom: Some people find it easier to throw money at things and apply everywhere than to sit down and research schools...particularly if it's their parents' money.
Mehc012: Throwing money at applications isn't necessarily a bad gamble, though...I am choosing to spend extra money now in hopes of a payoff later (side note, since it's been mentioned, I'm throwing my own money at things, not my parents')
BasedMD: Rawr mehc012 you suck because you hate rich people and think you're special.
Mehc012: Wait, sh!7, what?
*Tries to explain*
*Doesn't help*
*Pulls DokterMom into the mess with her*
*Is sorry for that*
Click to expand...

Between the seemingly random attack on mehc012 and the BU trash-talking...is anyone else getting vibes that this is a mrh125 respawn? 😵
 
DogIsGoodDogIsGreat said:
My undergrad sGPA is <3.0 and I'm not a MA resident. I interviewed at both Tufts (accepted) and BU (waitlisted). If someone had told me not to bother applying to those two schools this past cycle because they're low yield, I'd be in a world of trouble right now.
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I realize this thread is old and you might not see this reply, but I was just curious what your other stats are. Your post gives me hope, lol. I'm hoping to transition from a PhD program to an MD track (looking to defend summer 2018, applying for 2018 entering class). My research just isn't as clinically relevant as I'd like. Anyway, my undergrad GPA was also <3.0 and based on posts I've seen here I know people would think my chances of getting in are nonexistent. Obviously people like you prove that GPA isn't all. I was just wondering if you could comment on how you rounded out your app?
 
Pepe18 said:
Not the person you asked, but in case they don't reply someone getting into any med school with a gpa below 3.0 has a unique story. The key is finding what your unique story is because knowing someone else's won't help you. My app was greatly helped by a unique story (my gpa was low, but greater than 3.0) and I didn't do anything to round it out. I had normal premed stuff + the stuff that interests me outside of medicine + my stories.
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Thanks for your input! I should clarify I guess that my cGPA was 3.23 and my sGPA was lower, maybe below 3.0 (I think, I haven't actually looked in a while because I am trying to focus on studying for the MCAT and not psych myself out too much), which was mainly due to a poor showing in PChem. I guess I'm just a little lost on how to address the lower GPA without sounding like I'm making excuses for myself (I'm from a low-income, rural family) and/or raise any further concerns (I was chronically sick and injured in undergrad, but my health is on track now and I don't want them to think I can't physically handle it). I guess I just have to focus on all the ways I've grown as a person and as a scientist since undergrad and highlight why these are better indicators of my potential as a physician-scientist than my uGPA is?

Anyway, I'm kind of rambling now, but thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it!
 
BasedMD said:
BU admissions is a total crap-shoot. They take a lot of students from BS/MD programs, and the dean even admitted how random their admissions process is on interview days.

You'd be giving a lot more than just that amount of your parents' money since both Tufts and BU are some of the most expensive schools in the country and offer some of the most minimal financial aid out of all medical schools. I don't think your parents would be too thrilled about that.
Click to expand...

The 2015 class profile had 41 "pathway" students, 5 MD/PhD, and 134 4yr MD, so that right there is almost a quarter of the class.

Are there stats on med school financial aid? I actually get a decent amount of school loan and grant from both merit/need at BU, but know that a lot of people don't get any
 
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