Worth applying to these competitive programs?

[ThrowawayAccount123]

Hi! 4th-year student here applying to psych. Would love your humble opinion on whether it's even worth spending the time/money applying to the following psych programs:

UCSF
Stanford
UCLA
UCSD
MGH
Columbia
Cornell
Mt Sinai
NYU
Duke
UNC
UPenn
UPMC
UW

Quick stats: top-50 MD school, ~35th percentile grades, honored psych and IM, 209 Step 1, 240 Step 2, very few ECs (a couple meaningful students orgs, no research unfortunately), great LORs (I think), no failures/red flags

I'm of course applying to dozens more less competitive programs, but I just wanted to hear your perspective on which of the above programs are even worth applying to, if any.

Thanks for your time!

 

[ExcaliburPrime1]

I think it's reasonable to apply to some of these but I wouldn't apply to all of them. Just go for the ones you think you would definitely attend. It's easy at this point to go overboard on applying and you may say something like: "These programs are so good, I'd move there in a heartbeat if I match!!" but the reality is often different. In your shoes I'd pick 3 of the above that you most want to go to (e.g. makes sense with any geographic restrictions you have, liked what you saw when checking out their program materials on the website) and leave it at that.

 

[TexasPhysician]

I agree that picking your top 3-5 out of those is fine. Keep in mind that your step 1 is low for those programs, so you need plenty of safeties as well.


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[Lunzio]

Just curious of the possibility for interviews at these programs in the eyes of a DO applicant (specifically with 250+/260+ Step 1/2).

Sorry to hijack!

 

[FlowRate]

There's a WAMC thread.

You are no bad enough to be auto-screened out of most of those programs.

 

[clozareal]

You are begging the question: Why do you want to go to one of those places? Just because they are competitive? Without more information, it's difficult to tell you whether you should apply to any one, some, or all of those programs. What's important to you? Geography? Prestige? Certain patient populations? Call schedule?

 

[ThrowawayAccount123]

You are begging the question: Why do you want to go to one of those places? Just because they are competitive? Without more information, it's difficult to tell you whether you should apply to any one, some, or all of those programs. What's important to you? Geography? Prestige? Certain patient populations? Call schedule?

Thanks! I was just curious whether it’s even worth the time researching what I like about them if they’re far too competitive for me anyway

 

[Doc1401]

The list does not really make much sense because there is a spread of competitiveness in that list, even large geographical differences. How come you are not listing Michigan, Wash U, Johns Hopkins, Emory, which are very competitive psychiatry programs? Which Mount Sinai are you wanting to apply to? I suggest that you research more into various programs and reflect on what you want to achieve.

 

[HarryMTieboutMD]

The list does not really make much sense because there is a spread of competitiveness in that list, even large geographical differences. How come you are not listing Michigan, Wash U, Johns Hopkins, Emory, which are very competitive psychiatry programs? Which Mount Sinai are you wanting to apply to? I suggest that you research more into various programs and reflect on what you want to achieve.

In terms of clinical training, faculty, and academic power, these programs are of generally in the same calibre of the ones listed above(ok sure MGH, UCSF, UCLA and Columbia are the powerhouses and in a different category) but all 4 of these programs offer the highest quality training and have plenty of legends on faculty. However, because of geographic reasons and some program specific things they are not nearly as sought after or competitive than, say, the big 4 NYC programs. I would pick any of these programs over Sinai, Cornell, or NYU anyway because no one in their respective regions overshadows them

 

[Mailbird]

Hi! 4th-year student here applying to psych. Would love your humble opinion on whether it's even worth spending the time/money applying to the following psych programs:

UCSF
Stanford
UCLA
UCSD
MGH
Columbia
Cornell
Mt Sinai
NYU
Duke
UNC
UPenn
UPMC
UW

Quick stats: top-50 MD school, ~35th percentile grades, honored psych and IM, 209 Step 1, 240 Step 2, very few ECs (a couple meaningful students orgs, no research unfortunately), great LORs (I think), no failures/red flags

I'm of course applying to dozens more less competitive programs, but I just wanted to hear your perspective on which of the above programs are even worth applying to, if any.

Thanks for your time!

 

[leslieknope2]

How much is a few dollars per program worth to you ten years from now?

 

[clozareal]

Thanks! I was just curious whether it’s even worth the time researching what I like about them if they’re far too competitive for me anyway

I've seen people with your stats match at those places so I think it's definitely worth your time if you really want to go to those places.