Neptune Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Hi all, To cut a long story short, for a variety of personal and practical reasons I am applying to only one medical school for admission in fall 2010. Does anyone have a sense if the admissions committee would view this as a good thing or a bad thing? or if they would care at all? I'm currently trying to decide if I should devote a part of my personal statement to explaining why I am doing this, or perhaps include an explanation in the section where I can mention 'other considerations'. Any thoughts or experience with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w8kg6 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 It's a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a41 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Besides being a bad idea, admissions comittees might question if you really want to go to med school or not. Although I know of someone who only applied to Mac is doing his surgery residency now. He was in a non-life sci program and couldn't be bothered to take the prereqs or write the MCAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neptune Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 It's a bad thing. Care to elaborate as to why this is so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 It's not a good thing. There's a lot of luck involved with getting into med school and if you only have one lottery ticket, your chances are greatly reduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Besides being a bad idea, admissions comittees might question if you really want to go to med school or not. Although I know of someone who only applied to Mac is doing his surgery residency now. He was in a non-life sci program and couldn't be bothered to take the prereqs or write the MCAT. LOL, it's kinda funny how someone couldn't be bothered to do the aforementioned things and then proceed onto one of the most demanding residencies. But back to the OP, yeah, I definitely wouldn't advertise it to the adcom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neptune Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Besides being a bad idea, admissions comittees might question if you really want to go to med school or not. Just because I'm not desperate to get into any old school that will take me as soon as possible doesn't mean I don't want to go to medical school. I have been living, studying and working all across Canada and in various overseas countries for several years, but for a number of reasons, I would now like to study and live in a particular place. If it means reapplying to the same school for several years in a row, so be it. If nothing happens after three years then I'll sit down for a re-think, but hopefully I'll not have to cross that bridge. Attending medical school is a priority of mine, but I think it would be unfair of me to place my desire to attend medical school above the desires and needs of my spouse and members of my extended family. I'm surprised that by taking their needs into account, and sitting down with them and coming to a collective decision that the best option for all of us is to focus on this one University, is bad. For a number of reasons we simply don't have the 'locational' flexibility that many other people do. I used to have it, but I don't anymore. These things happen in life, and you have to learn to deal with them and adjust your plans if necessary. Anyway, thanks for the input everyone. I won't mention it in the application, but if I get quizzed about it I'll answer honestly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC_Ma Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 It's not a good thing. There's a lot of luck involved with getting into med school and if you only have one lottery ticket, your chances are greatly reduced. This summarized it all. I think adcoms don't really care, it's your own chance that's reduced by only applying for 1 school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neptune Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 This summarized it all. I think adcoms don't really care, it's your own chance that's reduced by only applying for 1 school Thanks, that's more was I was getting after with my question. Of course I'm aware of the fact that my chances of getting into medical school are reduced if I only apply to one place, but that's a risk I am willing to take. I was more concerned whether or not this fact would directly lead to me being evaluated as a 'less worthy' candidate. As in they might dock me a point or two on my overall evaluation. So long as the individual school won't really care, I'm fine with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 haha you can always apply to other schools and decline them if you're afraid that it will look bad to university #1 of choice. That's gonna cost ya, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnface Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Bad thing for you....good thing for everyone else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewfieMike Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 ^ bahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreaM Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Just because I'm not desperate to get into any old school that will take me as soon as possible doesn't mean I don't want to go to medical school. I have been living, studying and working all across Canada and in various overseas countries for several years, but for a number of reasons, I would now like to study and live in a particular place. If it means reapplying to the same school for several years in a row, so be it. If nothing happens after three years then I'll sit down for a re-think, but hopefully I'll not have to cross that bridge. Attending medical school is a priority of mine, but I think it would be unfair of me to place my desire to attend medical school above the desires and needs of my spouse and members of my extended family. I'm surprised that by taking their needs into account, and sitting down with them and coming to a collective decision that the best option for all of us is to focus on this one University, is bad. For a number of reasons we simply don't have the 'locational' flexibility that many other people do. I used to have it, but I don't anymore. These things happen in life, and you have to learn to deal with them and adjust your plans if necessary. Anyway, thanks for the input everyone. I won't mention it in the application, but if I get quizzed about it I'll answer honestly. I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm only applying to UBC, because for family reasons leaving BC isn't an option. I don't know a whole lot about other applications, but it doesn't even ask on UBC's app if you have applied anywhere else and I don't think it would matter to the adcom if you had or not. Yes applying braodly might increase your chances a little, but if you can't move then you can't move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 This summarized it all. I think adcoms don't really care, it's your own chance that's reduced by only applying for 1 school Unless you tell them, how are they even going to know? I didn't think a particular school has any idea which other schools you applied to, so how could they look at it in a positive or negative light? Sounds like you have your heart set on something relevant to a particular place and would be willing to take the risk you won't get in there. Wouldn't recommend applying to only one school as there is a lot of luck involved, but it sounds like you are willing to take multiple shots at it anyway. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neptune Posted September 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Unless you tell them, how are they even going to know? I didn't think a particular school has any idea which other schools you applied to, so how could they look at it in a positive or negative light? Well I have had one medical school interview before and I was asked straight out if I had applied to any other universities or not. So they are clearly interested in this information... Regardless, I have my answer ready should I be asked this question again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 In Ontario, I was under the impression that most schools had a policy about not asking questions like that pertaining to other interviews you may have, or what your ranking of schools is.... I may be wrong however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Microbiodude Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Most schools have a standard set of question they'll ask and they more than likely will not ask you which schools you've applied to. The adcoms are also aware of the "lottery" of the application process so they really couldn't be concerned with how many schools you're applying to. They may ask you why you chose their school and then its up to your discretion what you want to say to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 In Ontario, I was under the impression that most schools had a policy about not asking questions like that pertaining to other interviews you may have, or what your ranking of schools is.... I may be wrong however. Yeah exactly - pretty sure they shouldn't ask you that. Everyone's interview experience is different, but in the four I had none asked anything related where I applied. Just never came up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Hi all, To cut a long story short, for a variety of personal and practical reasons I am applying to only one medical school for admission in fall 2010. Does anyone have a sense if the admissions committee would view this as a good thing or a bad thing? or if they would care at all? I'm currently trying to decide if I should devote a part of my personal statement to explaining why I am doing this, or perhaps include an explanation in the section where I can mention 'other considerations'. Any thoughts or experience with this? How would they know you only applied to one school? And why would you tell them? If you can only apply to one, then apply to one. There is no good or bad about it. Yes, it's tough to get in and applying to more increases your chances but if you are unable to apply to more, one is better than none. Do your best with that application and show them that you really want to be at their school. Admissions committees shouldn't know how many schools you've applied to and there's no benefit for you in bringing that up in an interview. I never got asked about where else I applied. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atreides Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 I wouldn't worry about it from an adcom position. Firstly, they are not really supposed to ask you about where else you applied so they wouldn't know you did only apply to one school. Secondly, several people in my class only applied to one school, so presumeably it is possible to apply to one school and get in. I feel like it is relatively common for people to only apply to Ottawa or McMaster due to not writing MCAT so applying to only one school shouldn't seem too odd. Finally, you have a good reason, not that I'm suggesting I am in a position to judge the appropriateness of your reasons for anything, but they would completely understand family obligations, I would guess it would show you have values and are willing to forgo personal gain for the what is best for others, so even if they do ask you it should go fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrManhattan Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 What is with these long posts? The answer is simple: it won't make any difference whatsoever. Canadian admissions are quite different from the US. Your reasons are perfectly valid, no need to waste money applying all around. I know plenty of people who applied to only one school, and/or only got one interview, and/or one acceptance. Just give it a shot and see what happens. Q.E.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medisforme Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 One also needs to take the competitiveness of the applicant into consideration. While a 3.7 29mcat might make one borderline competitive as an IP applicant in BC, Alta, Man etc... Your chances of getting into med school will not be increased by applying to OOP schools, no matter how many you apply at. I think a large chunk of applicants are in the boat where they are only competitive at the schools in their province. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badapple Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Overall i'm quite sure it's a bad thing b/c from what i've heard there is some; not much, but some luck involved Here is a good website for this question http://www.ouac.on.ca/omsas/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayven Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 If the applicant has a realistic chance at a certain med school then by not applying there they are obviously limiting themselves. Whereas there doesn't seem to be a negative consequence to applying besides the application fee and effort. So yes, it is a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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