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How should you select where to apply to medical school? Accepted founder Linda Abraham sheds light on this important question. [Show summary] AACOMAS opens in May, and AMCAS opens in June, which means the new medical school application cycle is just around the corner. How should you decide where to apply? Accepted’s founder, Linda Abraham, will tell you in this podcast! What factors should you consider when deciding where to apply? [Show notes] Welcome to the 353rd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. I’ve decided to do a solo show for this podcast and address something that I’ve been thinking a lot about. I am so glad you decided to join me for this really important and fundamental show if you are considering or even committed to earning an MD or DO. Today I will address the topic of where to apply, the foundation of an effective medical school application. Imagine a Venn diagram with two circles overlapping. One circle label Schools You Want to Attend and the other circle is labeled Schools Likely to Want You. The schools where those circles overlap are the schools where you should apply. If it was just that simple, the podcast would be over. Taking a 30,000 foot view, it IS that simple, but I’d like to unwrap both those ideas and give you suggestions as to what you should consider in selecting the schools you would like to attend and also researching the schools to determine which are likely to want you. Naturally there is some overlap between the two, but I still think it’s instructive to approach the topic from this angle. I’d also like to touch on how many schools you should apply to. We typically recommend around 20 because individual school acceptance rates are so low - typically under 20% and in some cases under 10%. If you apply wisely to around 20 programs, you should have at least one and maybe more acceptances come next spring. Obviously, you also have to submit impressive primary and secondary applications and interview well, but we’re not going to discuss the application itself today. We’re going to focus on where to apply. What will make medical schools want you Medical schools where your stats align Stats are really important to consider. Look at the MSAR for MCAT and GPA ranges to see if you meet the general threshold. Ideally you want to be at or above averages across the board for at least 3-5 of the schools you apply to. You should try to be at or above the 25th percentile for most stats at 50%, or 10 if you apply to 20, of the schools you apply to. You can apply to 3-5 programs where your stats are weak, but you really want to attend and have strong fit, which I’ll get more into in a minute. Schools where you show you identify with their mission Make sure you read each school’s mission and/or values statement so that you can show you share them in secondaries and IVs. See what relevant clinical experience is necessary for MD programs, and DO exposure for DO programs. Look into the research some programs require, as well as their approach to medical education - PBL, team based, system-based, etc. Think about when have you enjoyed learning in that way or why you think you will like it. Look at their strengths and your interests – where do grads go into residencies? Admittedly your interests could change, but if they don’t you’ll be ahead of the game by coming from a program with strengths in your area of interest. hbspt.cta.load(58291, 'ac360b0f-fe6d-4846-8573-f8705e225171', {}); Make sure the schools’ values and your values mesh. For some programs, especially public state universities, there are requirements for percentages of in-state vs out-of-state students. Look at the more detailed stats in MSAR where you can see which programs have that preference. If there is a whopping difference between in-state and out-of-state acceptance rates, avoid those with a strong preference for in-state residents if you’re don’t have residency in that state.