Holy smack! How many schools does a person need to apply to?
A friend is applying this cycle. She's a late applicant. (No, I didn't say "old" applicant.) She took her MCAT in September and just got her personal statement finished last month. Just yesterday she confessed that she was thinking of sending applications off to "a couple more schools--just to be safe." Oh, I forgot to mention that she has already sent her application to 22 schools. Twenty-two schools! As an "older" applicant (mid-twenties) her rationale is that she must do everything she can to secure her spot this year, as time is money.
With the wisdom that comes with age, I kindly suggested that she might say to herself, "I've done my research and I know that these five schools are well-within my grasp," take a couple of deep breaths, and just chill. Her response was, "Yeah, but I think that there are a couple more schools that I could have applied to that don't have their deadline until next week." I just smile. "If it makes you sleep better, then do it."
Is that what I have to look forward to? Second-guessing, trying to maximize every possible chance I've got to get in? Hmm. Probably. I'm taking steps to avoid finding myself in that same up-against-the-wall scenario my friend is in.
Here's my game plan:
First (and kind of duh), I'm applying early. I've got my personal statement in the works and I'm scheduled to take the MCAT in April. That leaves me with May to enter transcript data, shepherd my letters of recommendations in, and fill in all those time-consuming, irritating parts of the AMCAS application.
Second, I'm including a few DO schools in my application. It seems like some individuals view DO programs as an after-thought. ("Oh, no, I didn't get in to the MD programs I thought I was a shoo-in for...quick, scramble, hit up the DO schools before their deadlines.") DO program usually have later deadlines than MD programs. I really believe that the fresher the reviewer's eyes are when he or she looks over my application, the better odds I have.
Finally, I'm prepping myself for the inevitable. I know that next fall will take me to the brink of insanity as I wait to hear back from the schools I pick. Knowing what's on the horizon, I'm working on a coping strategy that includes staying away from Student Doctor Network next fall (I love the site, but I know when I'm in the midst of my craziness I don't need to be seeking advice from other crazies), training for a few races (at least one half-marathon and maybe an early-spring marathon), and getting a message before each interview.
So stick around and see what happens Fall 2012. Hopefully I won't be telling myself that two dozen applications really isn't that many.
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