Tips for the Medical School Application Process
Posted by ireason on March 17, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Applying to medical school is, in my opinion, like a full-time job. It requires massive organization, meeting your own deadlines (crafted after the actual deadlines), and a lot of editing/writing skills. I have compiled a list of a few things that I found useful while I applied.
Things I found useful doing:
1. Excel Spreadsheet. I listed “process items” across the top (including payments, Letters of recommendation, application, transcripts, etc), and “schools/programs” down the side. This way, you can keep track of all the different required items for each school.
2. Buying supplies. In advance, I bought a bunch of yellow/brown big envelopes (to neatly insert a full stack of pages for each application, without needing to fold them. It looks more professional that way). I bought a bunch of stamps (for mailing), photo paper (for printing 2×2 pictures of myself), scissors (to trim the pictures), stapler, paperclips, sticky-notes (for listing random notes for a school/application).
3. Bookmarks. Bookmark each and every school’s webpage on your browser, for which you applied to. This way, you have each school’s information at your fingertips, just incase you need to write some things (which you will) in your essay targeted to a specific school.
4. Buy MSAR. This is the Medical School Admissions Requirements. Get the latest version. This is the book that tells you profile information about each medical school. This includes how many people are accepted, average MCAT scores, average GPAs, race/ethnicity breakdown of a recent entering class, and other goodies like that. It will also tell you (more importantly), if the the school gives preference to in-state residents. Make special note of this! Just because it may seem like a school does not have a high avg GPA/MCAT, it doesn’t mean it gives every application equal consideration. Some schools may take ONLY instate applicants, others will take a mix, and some schools will have its majority of its class made up by out of staters.
5. Be realistic. Only apply to schools that you have a fair shot at. If the average MCAT at a school is 36 or 37, and your MCAT is a 30 or 31, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll get into that school. Try to meet the average or higher for MCAT/GPA from what’s mentioned in the MSAR. If you are a couple points below, don’t sweat. Just beef up your essays and the rest of your application, and you’ll have a good shot. Also, only apply to schools for whom you’ve fulfilled (or surely will fulfill) the requirements for. You will find it very hard to argue with admissions representatives over 1 or 2 credit hours, over the phone. They aren’t really willing to bend the rules for one candidate.
6. Save money. The process cost me about $3,000. That’s a whole month’s salary for some people. Try to see if you can save some money prior to applying.
7. Work WELL AHEAD of deadlines. A school may say that the last date to apply is in January. However, if you get your application in by September, you are well ahead of the game, have a higher chance, and are more likely to be less stressed out during this process. The majority of medical schools accept on a rolling-basis. This means that as and when people complete their applications, they are reviewed, and acceptances or interviews are offered on a regular basis. The early bird really does get the worm, especially because the numbers of applicants to medical school are peaking these past few years.
Best of luck to all of you.
If you have specific questions, you are welcome to leave a comment or e-mail me. I check my e-mail pretty frequently. ireason9@gmail.com.
