@mom2collegekids, these were California residents, white, upper middle class, except for the CC transfer who lived in an upscale area, but whose father had been out of work for a couple of years by the time she went to college (hence the CC: to save money.) None was an athlete. One attended UCLA, one Cal, the other UCSB. The UCSB CC transfer did have a compelling story, I suppose: she was a professional ballet dancer who suffered a career-ending injury at 18, and then found out there was no money for her college. All are now in med school or in residency. The Cal English grad did take a year off during college, teaching English and shadowing/volunteering in a rural clinic in Uganda.
Interestingly, as California residents, they all applied to California med schools, in addition to many others. The only one who got into a CA med school was the CC transfer, but she also ended up out of state. All 3 attend(ed) med schools in the mid-west.
Sounds like the Cal English applicant had very meaningful medically-related experiences, spending a year volunteering/shadowing in a rural clinic in Uganda.
The ballet dancer may have had a compelling story.
It doesn’t surprise me that all 3 ended up at OOS SOMs. With only 1200 med school seats in Calif (and not all go to Calif students), yet there are about 5000 students from Calif undergrads applying to US MD schools every year, for there to be about a 50% acceptance rate, a whole bunch need to get seats OOS.
And, the competition for med school admissions is getting more challenging each year.
The vast majority (last I heard it was 2/3rds) of California residents accepted to medical schools were only accepted OOS. Compared to those state medical schools that almost exclusively take only in-state applicants, being accepted to medical school is much more difficult for California residents.
Yes, you’re undoubtedly right about California residents & med schools. My husband reminded me about yet another UC grad we know – phi beta kappa, magna cum laude, etc. etc. from a top UC – didn’t get into a single CA med school. Apparently, there was a computer problem when she was taking the MCATs and it rattled her nerves so that she didn’t get her usual stellar test score. She did end up in med school, but considering she got just about ever honor available at her UC, to not get into a single CA med school – wow.