"Why do you want to go to our school?"

[Aggro]

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If you're filling out or have filled out secondaries, I'm sure you've encountered this question. At first, I thought this question would be relatively easy. I'd go to the school's website, spend some time reading about the mission statement, the curriculum, the research opportunities, etc. Then, I'd write about what makes the school different from the others and call it a day.

And there's the issue.

I've gone through the websites and curricula for ten schools, and I haven't found a single important difference. Every school has two years of core learning and two years of clerkships. In the first two years, you're introduced to patients and taught to take histories and whatnot while receiving an education in all things biology, anatomy, and physiology. You'll also get some humanity-type classes on things like what it means to be a physician and how to make ethical decisions and how to properly interact with patients. You'll probably have a faculty or fourth-year mentor. Every school has about 40 student groups for specialty interests, cultural interests, and student activities. Every school has support for students having difficulty with course work or other stressors. Every school has a nationally-renowned hospital. Almost every school grants access to simulation centers and giant libraries.

So...what do you talk about? Do you just rehash the same details for every school and try to make them sound unique and interesting? Do you drop names of important physicians that work there? Is it acceptable to mention that one of the best things about the school is its location (like, Miami)?

I really just want to say, "Well, I want to become a doctor, and your school is as good as any. You're in a great area, you have a top-notch football team, and Playboy ranked you as #6 for the hottest student body."

vvvvvvv sigh

 

[xmsr3]

Thank god someone finally said what we all think.

When U of IA Carver asks me, "We realize you probably applied to many schools why us?" The real answer is:

Yours is just a run of the mill school located in the flattest most boring part of the country.

The greatest thing about studying medicine in Iowa is that there is absolutely nothing else to do, so there are no distractions!

Of course you can't say that so here is my approach.

I am really great at writing eloquent, grandiose essays that sound as if they were written by a committee consisting of Lincoln, Jefferson and the Obama speech writing team.

Instead of trying to jam a bunch of facts about an individual school I just cut and paste a truely magnificent essay I wrote for USUHS, the only school I actually want to go to, which I recamped for Pritzker and now just change the name of the school that is mentioned exactly once.

The strategy is to talk myself up, about my dedication to a life of challenge and excellence and making a difference by serving my country and humanity.

I flatter their school several times, mentioning the prestige and world class medical education and explain how I share their philosophy of creating a better world for all that inhabit it.

I mention that I will be a naval doctor and enrolling under HPSP scholarship and that, if they grant me the honor of attending their fine institution they will serve as a launching pad for the career of a naval physician dedicated to a life time of continued medical education and a pursuit of professional excellence.

Is it a risky move? sure, perhaps the admissions officer reading it will be offended that I didn't mention how friendly the people of the corn state are, or how majestic the oceans of corn appear during sunset, or how damned cold the winters are, with not a hill in sight to break up the winds.

But I am confident that, at the end of the day, GPA and MCAT are what really count and that, as long as you can wow them with your mad word smithing skillz, you should get in somewhere.

Hopefully its at Hawaii, Miami or San Diego, but if Podunk Alabama is the only school that takes you, (or in reality East Tenessee State) then just suck it up for 4 years, do a residency somewhere else and when you become a liscenced doctor you can move to paradise and enjoy the good life your so richly deserve.

 

[loveoforganic]

Podunk alabama? >.< UAB is awesome

 

[olemissbabydoc]

It doesn't matter if its the same as other schools... something is different. for example, if you like alabama, say "the area is wonderful and the medical opportunities here will be extensive in my field of interest".

schools don't compare secondaries. if you like the idea of PBL and all your schools offer it, mention it in all the essays.

 

[Aggro]

Okey. I mean, I liked all the things I mentioned in the OP, but when I saw that they were qualities shared by most every school, I didn't know if I they were still worth talking about.

 

[SketchsaurusRex]

Podunk alabama? >.< UAB is awesome

Today in podunk Alabama I witnessed a diaper clad child playing on the dusty floor beside the counter at the liquor store. She even waved at me as her shirtless, farmer tanned father and I exchanged money and Patron.

and yes, UAB IS ****ING AWESOME.

 

[NickNaylor]

I don't think location is quite the answer they're looking for...

 

[xmsr3]

The point is that you're better off writing a truely great essay that can be used for any school.

That way you can get the secondaries out faster which will help with rolling admissions.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

The point is that you're better off writing a truely great essay that can be used for any school.

That way you can get the secondaries out faster which will help with rolling admissions.

Pretty much. And there's SOMETHING you like about the school or you wouldn't have applied. So just change up a couple thing in the "main essay" with each school and you're good to go.

 

[Omni]

Here are a bunch of differences:
The Ladies (if you are a guy)
Cultural surroundings
Area (safe or not)
Environment
Doesn't necessarily have to be academic. If you want to write it based on the curriculum, I'd say the best course of action here would be to ask students from that school. They'd be able to tell you better than what you'd find on the school websites

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Ah, yes, the ubiquitous inteview question. I posed the same thing to a new hire just the other day, "Why do you want to work here?"

The obvious answer, that you can't share for employment, "Uh, well, I like to eat so I need you to pay me and in return I'll take part in the meaningless day-to-day tasks of your operation."

For school and I the answer is, "You're in-state, and I won't have to move away, plus it'll be cheaper and more convenient." However, I'll obviously have to make up some b.s. about merits or something. Sometimes you wish life were more to the point than it usually is.

 

[Jli]

It's good that you did research, hey maybe you could go onto campus and ask some students, whats good about the school. I would state the environment and area, I personally love sub-urban area. Well, Good Luck.

 

[sleepy12]

If you can figure out what the school is known for, or which department is ranked really high, you could say you want to go there because you are interested in that. Also, if you are interested in urban medicine or rural medicine and a school has that you can also say that.

 

[Wheee]

Is it a risky move? sure, perhaps the admissions officer reading it will be offended that I didn't mention how friendly the people of the corn state are, or how majestic the oceans of corn appear during sunset, or how damned cold the winters are, with not a hill in sight to break up the winds.

Also because of the lack of hills, along with the snow in those cold winters, Iowa gets a lot of canceled class days because of "blowing snow." Yeah. Blowing snow. What else do you expect in winter??

(i still like Iowa, by the way...I just think blowing snow advisories are dumb)

back to the original post, I'm having issues with this too. I feel like I'm just regurgitating the viewbook and website. What's killing me is the schools I'm applying to because their numbers aren't as high, but I obviously can't say that. Boo to this question. I'm sucking up way too much.