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Medical School Advising
Where to ApplyApplying to medical school is a highly competitive process, where the number of seats in U.S. schools far outstrips demand. The odds are even higher for nontraditional students. In 1998-1999, the overall acceptance rate was about 42%. Most students apply to about a dozen medical schools. The general
rule is that the less optimistic you are about your chances for
acceptance, the more schools you should apply to. You can base this in
part on the average MCAT scores and GPA for matriculants in 1998-1999.
State funded medical schools where you are a legal resident should offer the best chance of acceptance. In 1998, 27% of applicants matriculated at in-state schools. These schools tend to reserve 90 percent or more of their seats for in-state students. Any nonresidents accepted usually have exemplary credentials. Private schools are another option. Do not disregard them because of higher tuition costs. These schools are more financially independent and are not under the same restrictions as state funded schools. Because of this, some will cater to students who do not meet the qualifications of public state schools. Other considerations are whether you will have to relocate, the urban/rural character of the school, curriculum options, or special programs. Some schools may give preference to students in the same general part of the country, such as the Mid-Atlantic area. Find a characteristic you are interested in, such a strong primary care emphasis, strong research programs, or associations with other university. Refer to the Medical School Admission Requirements for detailed profiles on U.S. medical schools. Becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) may be a reasonable alternative to becoming a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). Osteopathic doctors are the legal and professional equivalent of medical doctors. They have a more holistic view of medicine and a stronger primary care focus. Osteopathic medical schools tend to look beyond the pure numbers, so they have a reputation for being more receptive toward nontraditional students. The average age of entering osteopathic students has been 26 years, which is higher than the average of those accepted in allopathic medical schools (24 years old). The following link is the U.S.
News Medical School Rankings which rates the top 50 schools by
academics, residency, selectivity, average undergrad GPA, average MCAT
score, acceptance rate, faculty/student ratio, tuition and fees, and
class size. |
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University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Med Society |
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