<p>If so, what is/are it/they? :)</p>
<p>Son’s back-up was job offers for i-banking or a pe firm or continued research with a biotech firm or b school. He gave himself one cycle for ms apps.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>D1’s back up plan was to re-apply next cycle. Her next back-up was Medical & Health physics. (She had an acceptance to a MS program in her pocket and was considering if she wanted to do a PhD program.)</p>
<p>D2’s will be to be regroup and re-apply and if that fails, then go into MS program in biomed or neural engineering specializing in neural imaging.</p>
<p>Finish up MPH, which I’m working on while in med school.</p>
<p>Nope. Not a thought given to it. She applied broadly and we are are from a state (Texas) where her stats, resume, and interviewing skillz meant she was going to med school somewhere. Other states? … she would have had a plan and that plan would have been to fix the problem area and re-apply while doing something resume building that would support her. Most probably as a research assistant. But that’s really just speculation as we never discussed it.</p>
<p>For D1, med school is the backup plan. Plan A was creative writing :rolleyes:, so Plan B was always ‘highly likely’.</p>
<p>Geez…a back up plan? DS hasn’t chosen a major yet!</p>
<p>I was a straight bio major, so I didn’t really have a back-up plan other than to reapply until I eventually got in (I could not do research for a career). I suppose if things really got bad I would have tried to get into a P.A. or dentistry program, but that would have been a big pain and more of a Plan C or D.</p>
<p>Backup plan if I don’t get into M.D school: A. D.O school. B. Foreign Medical school C. P.A School. D. Nursing school - later becoming a nurse pract E. Being a NYC cop and getting promoted to the big ranks. But I’m 100% sure that I’ll have a medical related job</p>
<p>Yeah, it takes some careful planning. I switched to a ChemE major from a straight Chemistry major so I’ll go into industry for a year if med school doesn’t work out and see how things are next cycle.</p>
<p>I do not remember the details, but a dear sorority sister of mine INSISTED she was going to be a doctor someday. I do not remember her as a top-notch student. Low and behold, she did not get into medical school and the following year she applied to a med school in the Caribbean. She was accepted, completed med school, and now has a family practice in our state. My DD is planning on medical school, so I know there is hope!!</p>
<p>Is it uncommon or somewhat common for pre med students to apply to graduate schools for a different degree, along with medical schools?</p>
<p>I have never thought about a back-up.</p>
<p>@ cortana</p>
<p>To apply during the same cycle? Very uncommon. </p>
<p>(Applying during the same cycle will be held out as proof that you’re not 100% all out committed to medicine and could tank your chances for med school admission. </p>
<p>Also applying to medical school is a long and exhausting process. Applying to graduate school–also a long and exhausting process. You really don’t want to be doing both at once.)</p>
<p>To apply afterwards or before? Not at all uncommon. (D1’s classmates hold MBAs, MS/MAs in a variety of fields, JDs and PhDs. And unsuccessful applicants need to consider their future career plans and make whatever decision is best for them.)</p>
<p>WOWmom,</p>
<p>If you are applying outside the AMCAS system how would they know you are applying to other degree granting programs?</p>
<p>Actually they wouldn’t unless you’re applying to grad school at the same university where the med school is located.</p>
<p>But the issue could arise if your letter writers have loose lips and mention other programs you’re applying…</p>
<p>Win the lotto.</p>
<p>Just had a call from a good friend who was looking for some advice so I came here to ask the experts as this is out of my wheelhouse! 
Her S took his MCAT this summer and got a 37, has a GPA of around 3.8 at a very small midwest LAC. The family is ecstatic over his scores and he plans on applying to top med programs. Is there such a thing as a “safety” school or are they all “reaches” when it comes to med school? Just made me nervous to hear where he was applying and that there is no back up plan.</p>
<p>I’d definitely apply to top programs with a 37 and 3.8 assuming he also has all the other “stuff” in place (eg shadowing, research, volunteering, leadership, recommendation letters, etc). There’s no such thing as a safety, but the closest thing would probably be his state school because state schools traditionally accept the majority of their applicants from in state, so his chances of acceptance there would be best regardless of his stats. A 3.8/37 (with EC bases covered) with a good strategy (ie applying in June, completing secondaries in August, applying broadly, willingness to apply to schools that are outside the top 20 or whatever, willingness to attend any school to which he applied) should yield at least a few acceptances. Good luck to him!</p>
<p>There is no such thing as “safety school” when it comes to medical school admissions. (Please tattoo this on every applicant’s forehead…) Admissions can be very unpredictable since there are so many soft factors beyond stats.</p>
<p>MCAT +GPA only guarantees that an applicants file will get looked at by the adcomm. It doesn’t guarantee anything else.</p>
<p>Every year high stats applicants DO NOT ACCEPTED TO ANY MEDICAL SCHOOL. </p>
<p>IMO applying ONLY to top schools is a recipe for disaster. The applicant should apply to a range of schools, including all or at least some of his in-state public med schools.</p>