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bigredmed writes: Any school with an acceptance rate of 90%+ needs to be assumed of having a screening process of potential applicants until proven otherwise.
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Indeed, the Bowdoin webpage for health profession advising says
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When considering these statistics, it is important to keep in mind that we encourage individuals to apply when they are in a position to be realistic candidates.
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<p>Screening processes may not be so as overt to say "no, you can't apply, because we won't write you a committee letter". Practices may include things like telling a candidate that they can't support an application to medical school and then providing information on other programs (PA, or grad school). What the school considers a realistic candidate and what I as a former Kaplan instructor and current medical student (thus I'm familiar with a ton of people who have gone or were going through the application process) think is a realistic candidate may not be the same thing.</p>
<p>The other thing to keep in mind, is that even if there are schools that don't screen as rigorously as I'm suggesting and still maintain an 85%+ acceptance rates, it doesn't mean that schools with much lower acceptance rates are horrible places to be pre-med. Because some schools do screen, that means that the thousands of other schools that don't are at an inherent disadvantage when comparing these rates. Many students know that they aren't realistic candidates but apply anyway, even while they are searching for jobs and other programs to start after graduation. Applying to medical school and getting rejected is the needed closure they desire, and so they apply without any intent to ever get accepted. One of my good friends did this hoping just to get an interview at our home state public medical school. Just surviving the first round of cuts would have been validating, and because her undergrad school didn't screen, she'd have been a point against them if anyone was comparing acceptance rates.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who responded!</p>