<p>...is TOMORROW!</p>
<p>Good luck to ALL my fellow Class of 2013 hopefuls. What are your medical school lists?</p>
<p>Myself:</p>
<ul>
<li>ALL of the California schools, public & Stanford (sans Loma Linda)</li>
<li>Weill Cornell Medical College (Dream. Upper East Side - how can you go wrong?)</li>
<li>Columbia P&S</li>
<li>Mount Sinai</li>
<li>New York University</li>
<li>Dartmouth (most connections)</li>
<li>Tufts University</li>
<li>Harvard (New Pathway)</li>
<li>Boston University</li>
<li>University of Pittsburgh</li>
<li>University of Michigan</li>
<li>University of Virginia</li>
<li>Northwestern</li>
<li>University of Chicago</li>
<li>University of Illinois, Chicago (legacy)</li>
<li>University of Pennsylvania</li>
<li>Jefferson Medical College</li>
<li>Drexel University</li>
<li>Penn State</li>
<li>Washington University, St. Louis (they love high GPA/MCAT)</li>
<li>Emory University</li>
<li>Vanderbilt University</li>
<li>Johns Hopkins (oh, why not?)</li>
</ul>
<p>Feel free to comment!</p>
<p>I am not applying this year but all of "my wish-list schools" are on your list. Did you really apply to more than 25 medical schools? How? Did that cost you an arm and a leg? Should I be thinking of applying to more than 10 schools? Should I apply basically everywhere? I really think that this might be just a little excessive, not to try and insult you at all. It's just that I only applied to one undergraduate school and then I went there. Now I had assurances I won't have this time (valedictorian in class of 504, absurd gpa, awesome recommendations, etc) and the competition wasn't nearly as stiff but 25 would be a huge jump from what I was thinking.</p>
<p>BigRedSoldier - I've always prided myself on being a beach-front SoCal girl, but everyone knows that California residency is quite possibly the worst thing that could happen to an applicant in the med-school admissions cycle. Literally, I've heard horror stories; unlike many other people with high GPA/MCAT who would otherwise consider their respective state institutions <em>safeties</em>, I don't have that luxury.</p>
<p>Therefore, I'm applying to a WIDE range of schools (more than half are dream colleges, others are reaches, and others are matches (I truly don't believe one can call ANY U.S. allopathic medical school a <em>safety</em>)), and, fortunately, my parents not only support me, but they can afford it.</p>
<p>Med school =/= undergrad admissions. Basically, if you had a pulse in HS, you would have been accepted SOMEWHERE. If you made somewhat of an effort in HS, you would have been accepted to a Top25. If you were somewhat well-rounded and won a few random awards in HS, you would have gone Ivy League. Med school admissions is another ball game entirely.</p>
<p>When it's your time, do yourself a favor, and apply to more than one medical school. The average applicant applies to 12 schools. The average California applicant applies to 20+.</p>
<p>The average is 20+ for California? Do the UC's and Stanford not favor in staters? Even so that's a big jump from 12. I'm a Florida resident (but don't like any Florida schools really) but anyways 12 is much closer to what I was thinking. (As I said my current number is 10.)</p>
<p>It's not that the UC's don't favor in-staters (although UCLA doesn't); it's that they favor in-staters and the acceptance rates are still only around 5-7% for residents. Stanford's in-state acceptance rate is actually slightly lower than its out-of-state acceptance rate.</p>
<p>I would say that the average for CA residents is around 25 schools. Although for someone with castlesinthesky's stats, it might be unnecessary to apply to so many schools, notice most of her schools are reach schools. If she can afford it, I guess there's no reason not to take a shot.</p>
<p>As med school admissions is getting tougher, I'd suggest 15 schools at least for the normal applicant.</p>
<p>Well this has been illuminating. Thanks for the information and the advice everyone! Good luck castlesinthesky!</p>
<p>CITS: CA residents do need a high number -- I was one of them -- but I think 28 is pushing it. Remember, you still need to do your secondaries in a timely fashion. If I were you, I'd skip BU, which has a really low admissions percentage, and all the out-of-state publics (PSU, UVa). (UIC is different if you're a legacy at the medical school itself; otherwise, scratch that too.) Safety is found in numbers, not any particular school, so unless you're tied to the Philadelphia area somehow, you might not want both Jefferson and Drexel.</p>
<p>Also should mention that many schools are suspicious of, rather than interested in, students with numbers way above their means. In some cases it can actually harm your application. If I were you, I wouldn't apply to any school whose mean is, say, more than seven points below yours; it's just too hard to convince them of your interest. (Again, exceptions for legacy and in-state.)</p>
<p>It's not just a question of money, it's also a question of time. You're going to be scrambling to spit out secondaries as fast as you can, and unless you're some marvelous kind of writer, it's going to be absolute chaos. I'm a pretty good writer and I only managed to put out 25; most students will struggle with 15-20. If I were you, I'd aim for a total number of schools between 20 and 25.</p>
<p>Also, be warned, that your secondaries will be even worse than the number appears because California secondaries are so brutal. UCD and UCLA in particular are absolute nightmares -- eight essays each. (If I were you, I would even consider not applying to UCD for this reason.)</p>
<p>I don't think 25 secondaries is quite as daunting as it sounds. For one thing, they all have the same questions so copy/paste comes in real handy. If you apply early (in June), you should be able to receive and finish your secondaries by late August. If you are applying later and have to complete secondaries while doing schoolwork, I see time as more of a factor. But, there's no reason for castlesinthesky to not be applying in June so, in my opinion, cost would be more of a factor than time. </p>
<p>I also applied to around 26 schools (like BDM) while working full-time. I don't know if my secondary essays would've been better if I had applied to fewer schools but I ended up with 13 interviews so they couldn't have been that bad. The secondaries filter in throughout late June, July, and early August so it's not like 26 secondaries come in at the same time. I was able keep my secondary queue under 5 schools at all times.</p>
<p>I also agree with eliminating schools like Penn State,UVA, and Drexel, etc.</p>
<p>Yeah -- but for CITS to get to (say) 23, she's got to eliminate five schools.</p>
<p>Jefferson, BU, UVA, Drexel, Penn State</p>
<p>Yes, that eliminates most of her lower-tier schools but with a 3.9 from an Ivy League college and a 40 MCAT, I'd be surprised if she can't get into one out of the Dartmouth, Mt. Sinai, NYU, UCLA/UCSD/UCD/UCI, Tufts, UIC group.</p>
<p>Those are the ones I'd have chosen, too -- again, assuming her legacy is actually at UIC Med, not just the university as a whole. Not sure what the OP means by "connections" to Dartmouth, but that's ripe for the plucking, too. If she's looking to add, Duke, Yale, and Case are all good choices -- but I wouldn't, in her shoes. Duke's secondary is a nightmare (as is their first year), Yale's curriculum is a bad fit for me (she might love it, though), and Case ... actually, Case is a pretty good choice so long as one's not too snobby about location. Especially with Lerner being free. Actually, OP might want to add Case.</p>
<p>I complete agree with eliminating Jefferson, BU, UVA, Drexel, and Penn State. If you're lucky, BU will give you an interview. The others will be delighted to pocket your application fee and reject you right after the secondary.</p>
<p>bluedevilmike & norcalguy: I completely forgot about Case Western and CCLCM(!). Thanks for the heads up.</p>
<p>*I am a double legacy at UIC medical school (parents met there, so cute!), not the general university.
*By "connections" at Dartmouth, I was referring to the fact that an uncle of mine is on the admissions committee. I've also shadowed doctors @ the medical school last summer who are also on the admissions committee.</p>
<p>Here's the problem (norcalguy pointed this out): by nixing Jefferson, Drexel, UVa, Penn State, and BU, I eliminate ALL of my "safety" schools, and am therefore only left with the UCs as well as schools in the Top 20 (the hardcore, XXX "research" institutions). Aside from UIC and Dartmouth, where I actually stand a chance of admission, it's totally up in the air. One summer research internship might not be enough "research". Whatever. My personal statement is amazing (wrote it in this tiny cafe in Paris over winter break) and peer-reviewed. I'm definitely adding Case/CCLCM, Duke, and keeping Michigan.</p>
<p>Michigan does that auto-interview thing, so it's not a classic OOS public and you're wise to keep it.</p>
<p>The problem with your so-called safety schools is that I think they're LESS likely to admit you than the other programs; and if they do, you're less likely to go. So the application time and fee is really kind of brutal given that there are very low returns to it on both ends. Again, "safety" is found in bulk rather than in any given program. Needing one sure program is a good idea if you're applying to seven schools; not only does no such thing exist in medical school, but it's not necessary with a larger number of programs anyway.</p>
<p>Put it this way: I have five state schools. Each school gave me a different outcome: one rejected me completely, one put me on hold and left me there, one put me on hold and then wanted to interview me, one interviewed and then waitlisted me, and one accepted me. The five outcomes, however, were in the EXACT reverse order of their supposed selectivity. (And no, I don't go to any of them.)</p>
<p>I think you're going to have trouble getting into Drexel, PSU, etc. (BU is a slightly different case; they just have a shockingly low admissions percentage.)</p>
<p>Again, I'd really really urge you not to hit 25 schools. The secondaries, especially if you've got Duke, UCLA, and UC Davis, are really really going to be a nightmare. USC and Stanford aren't pretty, either.</p>
<p>BU, Jefferson, Drexel (along w/ GWU and Georgetown) are the only med schools with 10,000+ applications. They are very yield protective (they have to be with so many applicants). I think you have as good a chance of getting into NYU or Dartmouth as you do of Jefferson or BU. I applied w/ similar stats to those three also and came out w/ not even an interview. Waste of money. </p>
<p>I would also be a little more discriminatory towards applying to top schools. Yes, they're hard to get in and, yes, you have to apply to many. Right now, you pretty much have every top school on your list. At least trim the list down to 2/3's the number of top schools as you have now.</p>
<p>Interesting. I was about to suggest Baylor, actually -- despite their in-state preference.</p>
<p>With a 3.9, 40MCAT, Ivy, and (probably) good extracurriculars exactly why is anything out of her league? I know these schools are very VERY very selective but how much higher can you go reasonably?</p>
<p>They're out of her league precisely because she has a 40 MCAT and a 3.9 GPA.</p>
<p>And what, that is not enough?</p>