New Record # Of Applicants in 2003.....?

[Guest idreamofmeds]

Is anyone else getting the feeling that the number of applicants for entry in 2004 (applying this Oct) will be really high? I will be and I think that there will be a new record set. Here's why (tell me if this is a bad conclusion to draw from these points): there was a record number of ppl in both orgo sections this year, the averages are better this year (in biochem, orgo...those are the only science courses I have, I'm in Phys/Psych) and frankly it just seems like a lot more ppl want to be doctors. Fine, I made a better case for it in my head.....but any thoughts? :eek

[Guest Shahenshah]

well this year has been a record year and I can only see every year from now setting new records since as of now medicine does look like one of the most secure professions to be in..the dot.coms have been a bust and really one profession that seems to have stood the test of times (atleast in most people's opinion) is medicine and most other health care fields..there are other reasons for this sudden rise of interest such as being able to be your own boss, and most importantly, actually directly impacting other's lives in a positive way..with the media paying so much attention to the health care these days, people are getting more informed/interested in medicine..another factor that might significantly increase the number of applications (not next year, but soon) is when the double cohort students start applying..however, on a more positive note, one thing that might offset next year's increase in applicants would be the opening of the new medical school

[Guest aneliz]

I really don't think that the double cohort is going to affect med school application numbers that much...not next year and probably not ever...some of them will apply in third year, some in fourth, some after a grad degree, etc...there is never going to be a huge cohort applying to post-grad or professional programs at the same time due to the widely divergent paths that people take to get there...

 

As for next year being a record year...maybe, maybe not. True overall applications were up this year BUT application numbers at UofT, Queens and UWO were all DOWN over last year. (Due to the earlier access to MCAT scores??) The overall increase is only due to a huge increase at Mac and a moderate increase at Ottawa....unless you have your heart set on Mac and only Mac, I don't think your odds are any worse now (or next year) than they would have been at any time in the last few years.

 

When it really comes down to it, no matter how many applicants there are in total, it is the same pool of people that are being interviewed at almost every school...(when you go to multiple interviews you see the same faces) Given the number of seats and the fact that one person can fill only one spot, if you get an interview you have ~50% chance of getting in somewhere - maybe not your first choice but its still an acceptance. I don't anticipate that this aspect of the med school admissions game will be changing any time soon...the schools are still going to interview the same number of people so, if you get an interview, your odds of getting in are still the same as they have always been. The key to getting in is to jump the necessary hoops to get an interview. The only potential effect of having more applicants in total is to push the GPA and MCAT cuts up a bit, however, I don't think that they will go up to much. Realistically, there are not going to be enough people with high enough marks or MCAT scores to push the cuts up to unattainable levels. Don't worry. Concentrate on making your application the best it can be - that is the sole component of the admissions circus that you have any control over!

 

Good luck!