Age stats?

Does anyone know how to find out detailed stats on the ages of those matriculating to various med-schools?
About all of them claim to not discriminate based on race, age, sex, etc… and I’d like to find out which schools actually do accept older students with competitive GPA’s and MCAT scores (ie… 3.5 gpa… 30 mcat)
Thank you,
Johnny

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Does anyone know how to find out detailed stats on the ages of those matriculating to various med-schools?





About all of them claim to not discriminate based on race, age, sex, etc… and I’d like to find out which schools actually do accept older students with competitive GPA’s and MCAT scores (ie… 3.5 gpa… 30 mcat)





Thank you,


Johnny







Hi there,


A list, George Washington University, Howard University, University of Maryland, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia and Case Western Reserve. They all accepted me at age 45 and knew that I would start medical school at age 46. Ended up with a full-ride scholarship from Howard so the decision was pretty easy to make as to which one I would attend. I am a 2002 graduate from Howard University College of Medicine. “HU 02, Medicine is what we do!” GPA was well above 3.5 and MCATs were above 35.





Natalie

To follow Dr. Belle’s format, I applied to 6 school and was accepted to Vanderbilt, University of Maryland, Georgetown and Uniformed Services University (with age waiver) at the age of 31 (for OPM, I am a youngster ). I withdrew from one school and was rejected without interview at another. My GPA was also well above 3.5, both undergrad and post-bacc, with a 33 MCAT. I decided to attend the University of Maryland to be close to my family. I am the 5th oldest person in my class.
Never once in my interviews was age a question. Actually, I think my experience outside of college was my greatest asset, as that was the focus of all of my interviews. I also turned a potential “weakness” into an asset in that I said that being married would help me because my husband is my greatest cheerleader in this endeavor and that he already took care of the house, cleaning, cooking, etc, freeing me to focus on school. I think my GPA and MCAT showed that I could do the work, so my interviewers focused on getting to know me.
Tara

Johnny, you can ask schools for their mean and median ages, and for the range of ages of people in the last few matriculating classes. Median is MUCH better than mean IMHO; it is still conventional to enter med school immediately after completion of college, and all those 22 y/o’s kinda skew the mean to the young side.
Here at GWU, which is rightly considered to be a particularly receptive place for non-traditional students, the mean age has been running around 21-point-something. If you went only by that stat, you’d freak out and not apply. But I think something like 20 people in my class - over 12% - were from GWU’s 7-year BA/MD program, which means that they were entering med school after their third year of college. That skews the mean down pretty handily.
However, when I was studying school statistics before applying, I came across a median for GWU of, hmmmm, 26 or 29, something much more reassuring than the mean. I remember sharing this with a 40 y/o guy in my o-chem lab who brightly said, “Hey! So they take geezers!” and we both had a good laugh.
Unfortunately means, medians, and age ranges are not statistics that are uniformly reported by med schools either on their own websites or in the statistical compilations of AMCAS or AACOMAS. You’ll have to work with your list of schools you’re interested in, and contact them for that information if it isn’t easily findable.
Finally, don’t get too hung up on identifying schools that have the age range that includes YOU. Consider that you could be the person who gives them a chance to stretch their age range to heretofore-unappreciated heights!

Thank you all for your info. It was very helpful.
Johnny

My alma mater Kirksville College of Osteo Med actively seeks a braod representation of ages & life experience. In my class of ~165, there were at least 20+ of age 30 or better, two of which were in their early 40s. Iwas the 4th oldest - 37 at graduation, but there was a large cluster at the 33~35 y/o @ graduation. And, there was a huge %-age of folks w/ children…most had 1 each, but many of them added #2 or #3 while in med school. For the purposes of trivia, the oldest guy in my class (41 at the start) had child #6 during our second year.
As an old, married &/or family person - you’d fit right in at KCOM.
Now, with all of that anecdotal BS stated…allow me to reformat your own question. I am sure that there are several programs out there less inclined to accept nontrads. However, I think the more critical element of applying as a nontrad is how YOU present yourself in the context of portraying your age & experience as an asset vs something for which you are apologetis & trying to make amends for. I think Tara touched on this concept.
In essence, as an applicant to med school (this applies to anyone of any age), you are making a business proposal to the med schools. As with any business venture, you seek to maximize the potential for return while simultaneously minimizing the exposure to risk. Meaning, if I admit “Joe/Jane Blow” how certain am I that he/she will not only graduate & become a licensed physician; but also will he/she project an attractive image of the level of quality of the products turned out by this med school.
Now, esp if you are already a business person, the ‘how to’ should more clear. Identify the strengths you canbring to the bargaining table that would be seen as advantageous by the med schools & substantiate their presence in your application & interviews.
Yes, it is wise to attempt to compile a nontrad friendly list. This will allow you to direct your efforts to programs with a history of opennessto nontrads. But, I would caution you that I doubt that there are any programs that would reject an attractive applicant, one that fulfills their business model requirements, simply cause you’re a bit older…that is not smart business. But such a nontrad friendly list would serve to maximize your odds of gaining entry by one, applying the conceptsI have outlinedabove & two, directing them towards programs already receptive.
Best of luck & success to you!

According to a demographic sheet handed out by the University of Iowa, they only accept 2-3 people each year over the age of 30. Of course, the sheet didn’t give any information on how many people over that age applied. However, if those numbers were derived from an applicant pool of as few as say 100, it makes ones chances pretty slim.





On the other hand, I’ve heard (from here and other sources) that both Oregon and Minnesota encourage older applicants, but my residency status is working against me in both those cases. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

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According to a demographic sheet handed out by the University of Iowa, they only accept 2-3 people each year over the age of 30. Of course, the sheet didn’t give any information on how many people over that age applied. However, if those numbers were derived from an applicant pool of as few as say 100, it makes ones chances pretty slim.
On the other hand, I’ve heard (from here and other sources) that both Oregon and Minnesota encourage older applicants, but my residency status is working against me in both those cases. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.


Hi there,
You can read “anything” into statistics from previous years. I can tell you from personal experience, that if you make your application as competitive as possible, then you greatly increase your chances of getting into any medical school. You can’t look at the raw numbers from past years and make conclusions about the future chances of getting into School X or School Y. If you have a special interest in a particular school, present a complete and competitive application, your chances are just as good as a traditional student. The numbers of non-traditional applicants are up at every school in the country so making lists based on past years are pretty meaningless. You are going to be responsible for selling yourself in the most positive light. If you fail to get into School X or School Y, you can’t use age as the sole determining factor. This is why it makes good sense to look into some of the professional folks who advise non-traditional applicants. This is money well spent because you can greatly increase your chances of admission by knowing how to work the admissions system.
Natalie

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On the other hand, I’ve heard (from here and other sources) that both Oregon and Minnesota encourage older applicants, but my residency status is working against me in both those cases. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.


OHSU has a good reputation for non-traditional applicants, but state residency is an issue. Remember that when you look at the MSAR stats regarding out-of-state matriculants that those numbers include WICHE folks as well.
Cheers,
Judy

I hear a lot of midwest and east coast schools, but no west coast- has anyone interviewed at a west coast school, or had any contact with them to get a feel for thier view towards nontrads?
If not, I guess it’s back to the snow (brrrrrrrr)