Why School X?

[peterockduke]

I hated this question as an undergrad too. Now, I really hate it. If this isn't the most annoying question on every application. Who could possibly have gone or seen all these schools?

I just want to be a doc, I don't care where I get educated at as long as it is in the continental United States. I have a penchant for public schools b/c of the insane tuition of the private ones though I'm guessing I'll get need based scholarships.

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

That is all, my whining is done.

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[AverageMan]

Well, I like (insert school name here) because of the superb exposure to clinical medicine within the first two years. I also like the facilities that the students have available to them, as well as the emphasis on technology that (School name) has. The friendly environment of the school is also a big plus.

Or something like that

 

[peterockduke]

Don't forget to mention prestigious faculty member Dr. Idontwashmysack or how (school x) helps the community...
Or how (school x) is in blah blah part of the country, a place you want to be b/c you obviously give a flying $hit!

Isn't whats important that you just want to be a doc and have already jumped through the hoops?



So few people can really put any novel input on this question. It's not that I can't bull****, but I did major in two sciences to avoid it (sorry, poli sci/art history majors). I like USC's application quite a bit... but they even had to go and ruin it w/ this question.

 

[Catalyst]

"It's not that I can't bull****, but I did major in two sciences to avoid it (sorry, poli sci/art history majors)."

I can't even describe how offensive this statement is, I am waiting for the onslaught by others

Sachin

 

[Amy B]

Just a friendly reminder.... If you copy paste this type of essay, make sure you delete the other school's name. I almost forgot to delete a part about one school after copy/pasting it into another school's application. I don't think the adcoms would have wanted to hear about someone else's school.

 

[Outer Space]

Originally posted by SachinG
"It's not that I can't bull****, but I did major in two sciences to avoid it (sorry, poli sci/art history majors)."

I can't even describe how offensive this statement is, I am waiting for the onslaught by others

Sachin

I dont think it's offensive. I took bunches of humanity classes (mostly philosophy) and to do well on papers you really have to become profficient in bs'ing. Once you get the style and the structure, the actual details are "fill in the blank." This is true for science critique papers too though.

 

[Anka]

I was a literature major. I found that the only way I could get through the amount of writing I had to do was by being absolutely honest, because it was the easiest way to be consistent, interesting, and passionate. Perhaps, if I had been less lazy, I would have learned how to BS. But who am I to deny that prize to those who have fought so valiantly for it?

The easiest way to answer the question, "why do you want to go here" is to tell the truth. Why do you want to go there? What is compelling about the place? Why would you choose it over the hundreds of schools you didn't apply to? Then tell the truth. If it's because Hopkins has a great reputation, tell them that and include a sentance on why you need Hopkins stamped on your forhead. But, if you've been practicing the fine art of BSing, you may be practiced enough at this point to do it easily. More power to you. It'll get even easier with time.


--Anka

 

[4 Ever]

yeah so to a few of the schools i should write the following as my reason for applying:

"well i really want to go to X university, however there is the possibility that I will not get into my top choices so you are basically my safety net in case I dont get in elsewhere. I dont really want to come to your institution but if i have to, i will"

thatll really get us in if we write that

 

[Anka]

K kiddo, I said honest, not stupid or insulting. Focus on why you chose to apply there over the 100 of schools you didn't apply to, not on why you placed this school in 10th place.

Anka

 

[peterockduke]

Of all the things to go after... yes there are some marshemllow majors out there. I minored in literature... don't think lit is without your bs'ers considering that there is an entire stereotype for a literature bs'er (ie - thick rimmed black glasses, dark clothes etc). I love literature but I don't get bent out of shape if someone says something derogatory about it. My Russian Literature class had 3000+ pages of reading and would put almost all my other classes to shame.

I find most poli sci classes to be pre-law grade inflation machines. Both majors I mentioned have grades determined on how well you spin as oppossed to what you're spinning. This was an aside and a joking aside at that, not something you should get bent out of shape about.

I see people post highly bigoted and derogatory statements... but playfully make fun of art history/poli sci and someone finds this offensive. Is this where you put your foot down?
You sure you have your priorities right?

 

[Anka]

I was only half serious about the lit thing -- I just don't get why anyone would waste their time doing lit if all they were doing was BSing (then, I went to a school where 50% of the people majored in EE or CS).

I was serious about not spinning total BS on the application. Most of us can come up with good things to say about most schools, and good, true things at that. So, if we focus on why we chose the school over 100 other schools rather than on why it's at the bottom of the list we did apply to, we win. Also, if you wind up at the school, you can use your essay to remind yourself about the positives of that school while dealing with the disappointment of not getting your first choice.

Anka

 

[Catalyst]

"I see people post highly bigoted and derogatory statements... but playfully make fun of art history/poli sci and someone finds this offensive. Is this where you put your foot down?
You sure you have your priorities right?"

Dude, chill before you start questioning people's priorities. I usually object to highly bigoted and derogatory statements when I see them (although I must admit I don't read many other forums here besides the Pre-Allopathic). After reading your other judgmental messages on this board (e.g. your statements about other people's "inferior" colleges) it was difficult for me to gauge the playfulness of your statement about art history/poli sci. So, I may have taken it too seriously, relax. My bad man.

At my school, I have seen poli sci classes that certainly are not grade inflation machines. Since my experiences (or should I say I've seen the experiences of friends, I'm an international music major) have been different from yours, it was then easy for me to object to your statement about poli sci/art history classes being full of BS'ed material. I know several people here who've tried to BS in these classes and have been given very low grades.

and I'm spent..

Sachin

 

[plusminus]

The easiest way to answer the question, "why do you want to go here" is to tell the truth. Why do you want to go there? What is compelling about the place? Why would you choose it over the hundreds of schools you didn't apply to? Then tell the truth. If it's because Hopkins has a great reputation, tell them that and include a sentance on why you need Hopkins stamped on your forhead. But, if you've been practicing the fine art of BSing, you may be practiced enough at this point to do it easily. More power to you. It'll get even easier with time.

For people who apply to 15+ schools, most of the schools are either chosen by USNEWS ranking, location, cost, or just to spread the risk, all which are really not good reasons to bring up in an interview.

"Tulane is ranked in the top 50 in USNEWS and I believe it will be a good fit for me."

"Well I love the cardinals so St. Louis will work out well."

Basically you need to look up something about the school you are trying to get into and LIE!!!! (common strategies are the curriculum (whoopdy-dooo), the affiliated hospitals (big deal), and the facilities (who gives a ***)

 

[Outer Space]

Originally posted by plusminus


Basically you need to look up something about the school you are trying to get into and LIE!!!! (common strategies are the curriculum (whoopdy-dooo), the affiliated hospitals (big deal), and the facilities (who gives a ***)

One thing you can do, is look up the school in lexis nexis academic universe (if your school has that search program) and see what news articles has been written about it in the last 5 years. Also, special programs the school has or is very proud of - make sure to call them by name. See what research projects the students have been doing - you can always say "With my research experience, I was very excited to see research X going on at this school and blah blah." Also, what cool professors/people work at this school (I love school's X empahasis on women's health. Especially I am impressed with Dr. R's project on bringing female condoms to the underserved populations. If accepted, I would love to participate in this study.) Etc Etc. Try to find really unique things about the school and support them with your own interests and experiences (of course it's all a lie, but who cares, you're just buttering up the adcoms). I wouldn't name location/fin aid/or other things that are out of control of the school as the reason. Curriculum is OK if they're really proud of it.

 

[Naphtali]

(Bear in mind that I interviewed last year, and am in med school now, so I'm now free to blow smoke out my ass.)

The reply I had never given, but wish I had...

Interviewer: So, Naphtali, why do you want to attend this school?

Naphtali: Hell... I applied to a lot of schools. This school is just one of many. I feel I'm a qualified applicant, and my record speaks for itself. Why should I attend this school? I don't know-- you tell me.

Naphtali

 

[plusminus]

I'd like to ask some of the interviewers why THEY work for the school. Lets see them make up some BS, when all they really want to say is, "Hey, It's a job."

 

[peterockduke]

I know, this surgeon I was shadowing put me on the spot with that question as I was following him. Apparently social work reasons and an interest in biological sciences still qualified as a "you don't know why" answer.

I then asked him why he became a doctor and his answer was sorry as hell! Something about how he was a biomed engineer and wanted to research/develop a certain type of artificial joint. It made no sense... all he told me is why he wanted to research, not why he wanted to be a MD. I wanted to contradict him but I'd probably have shattered from his icey glare....

Don't ever shadow a really famous doc that works ~90+hrs / week <shudder>...

 

[Tezzie]

The most helpfull thing that i have found out is this:

Some (if not most) "big" schools have an alumni publication. Most of them have for all schools but some even have for medical school alumni (eg Hopkins). Now most of them are in existance in order to blow their own horn and ask for money but you can find tons of information about the schools and professors in there.

If you are lucky enough to have relatives who are alumni of schools that you are applying to then ask them. If not then there is a subscription service. Plus i have found plenty of them at my schools library.

Yes i do know that i am not interested in the Mesopotomian language converted in C++ but if it gets 5 pages in the magazine then it's good enough for me

When it comes to medical school you can also find plenty of info and you can always say "I read about the exciting research of Prof X on subject Y and i would kill to be a part of the project". Some of them are interesting , others aren't.

I am not sure how good it's gonna work but i will tell you once my acceptances or rejections start coming in