<p>^
I actually was orginal looking at counseling and clinical programs, but the people who do research in my area of interest are almost universally in school psych. :)</p>
<p>Several of my friends (kinesiology majors) didn’t get in to med school the first time around - one is doing a one year master’s in medical ethics, the other is working with a school exercise intervention program before applying again. </p>
<p>We had a senior luncheon for all the kids in the major at the end of school in which we all went around and shared our plans for next year, and I found it a little surprising that the majority of kids seem to be taking time off and working before applying to grad school. Some of that may be due to just wanting to get a breather from school for a while, but IMHO, work experience can also be very useful in its applications for grad programs, especially if the work experience is in your area of interest.</p>
<p>“I have heard, but cannot reference, that slightly over 50% of med school applicants are accepted at at least one of the schools they applied to.”</p>
<p>It’s usually around 45-50% of applicants getting into an allopathic medical school. I think last year, it was around 40% and the acceptance rate is projected to drop because of the increased number of applicants. You might think that 50% is a high percentage, but it’s actually quite low when you take into account the number of people who decide not even to apply (after doing poorly in a premed course or the MCAT).</p>
<p>“Some of this has to do with the “top tier” schools. One can attend a bottom tier med school and still be a doctor. It would be relatively unusual these days for one to attend a bottom tier Ph.D. program and then be employed full-time in academia.”</p>
<p>Are you comparing the difficulty of getting into any med school versus getting into a top PhD program?</p>
<p>Son is a first year student at an osteopathic medical school, he applied to 15 MD and DO schools. His back up plan was a one year post bac program and then reapply. There were over 3200 applications for 120 slots in his class. I think the competition will only increase next year.</p>
<p>I was comparing the difficulty of getting a working degree. An MD from any med school is a working degree. A Ph.D. from any graduate program, for academia, is generally speaking not.</p>
<p>The percentage of folks who decide not to apply for med school is not likely any higher than the percentage who decide not to apply to Ph.D. programs.</p>
<p>Anyhow, a 40-50% chance of admission in any one year would seem pretty good to me, especially as one can improve one’s chances year over year. As big a challenge as getting in would seem to be to pay for it.</p>
<p>MomofWildChild, I’m a lawyer, I live in New York, and I agree with your assessment. The Wall Street collapse took its toll on even the “white-shoe” firms. Lots of graduating JDs are looking at bleak prospects. Government jobs aren’t an option either, as the state placed a hiring freeze on all positions last August. (BTW, as for the remark upthread about government lawyers working only 40 hours a week, I beg to differ. My H is one of those government lawyers, and he works well beyond 40/a week. One would be quite surprised at just how hard lawyers in civil service positions work. I’ve done it myself, so I know.)</p>
<p>^^My husband just had a golf caddy who was an attorney laid off from a law firm in Cleveland.^^</p>