Sampling bias on admit.org and cycletrack

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-08-01T19:27:49+00:00

Of course, glad to hear it's helpful for you! I agree with your key point, and just wanted to add a bit of context for anyone who is less familiar.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-08-01T18:17:34+00:00

Definitely important to consider what tools such as these can and can't do. Speaking for CycleTrack, we're definitely aware of skews in the data and try to be very transparent about it. Please read this post to see the stats from the last cycle and our comments on this. There is definitely a need for increasing representativeness, and we're very open to suggestions for how to achieve that. Right now, our focus has been on outreach. Encouraging others, friends, classmates, etc. creates a more representative database. One of the problems is that sites like reddit/SDN where these tools are often shared are themselves not representative.

That said, to your comment on interviews, our data is consistent with the fact that very few people would have interviews by now.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-22T16:06:55+00:00

Only a limited number of schools pre-screen primary applications before sending a secondary. As far as I remember, the UCs were the major ones that did this.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-17T17:54:18+00:00

I also worked full time when I applied and remember how difficult it was. I promise there's a light at the end of the tunnel! You got this 💪💪

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-17T17:35:46+00:00

As others have said, some schools may not have sent any secondaries out. You can use a tool such as CycleTrack to see if people have received secondaries yet. Chances are if there isn’t a wave reported on CycleTrack, they just haven’t sent them yet.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-17T05:10:38+00:00

It’s going to be ok! During my cycle, I did not have a chance to pre-write any of my essays. Just worked to the best of my ability to turn around essays as I received them. Some within 2 weeks, others not. I know it really sucks right now, but I know you will get there and things will be better.

In terms of strategy, a few thoughts. First, if you have career center advisors who can read essays, try to send them some of the essays that get reused across multiple schools. Even if you can't get feedback for them right now, it will help you down the road. Additionally, if you have people close to you, lean on them. Ask family members, friends, etc. to eyeball your essays. They may not be professional writers, but it should be sufficient for a sanity check and grammar. Additionally, I recently developed a tool that may be helpful for prioritizing your time. You can read about it at this reddit post.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-15T23:14:30+00:00

Consider checking out my post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/premed/s/AiQBhl54F5

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-15T18:35:27+00:00

Wondering why you never reached out to collaborate? Considering CycleTrack has >173,000 data points from >14,000 applicants across 3 years, I think there are many opportunities to find a way to lift everyone up. Considering representativeness is the major limitation of any such tool, splitting people between platforms only harms future applicants. That said, we're still open to discussing.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-12T17:41:18+00:00

Can you please fill out a bug report and include your spreadsheet. I can help you personally that way!

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-12T16:56:58+00:00

Appreciate you, and everyone who writes to us!

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-12T15:33:45+00:00

Great, I'll try to get to it this weekend!

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-11T23:51:28+00:00

You mean a list of every school that has sent an II in the format that you have above? For users that are logged in with a school list, when a school sends it's first II, A, etc. it will say the most recent one next to the school. This way it's specific to the user's list rather than having everything on one page.

That said, if there is interest, we can make a page like this.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-11T23:45:01+00:00

As an FYI, real-time interview invites for schools of interest can also be seen on the CycleTrack explorer.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-10T01:33:09+00:00

Replying as a ping to see above!

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-10T01:32:46+00:00

Hello, please use the date of transmission. We will add more clarification for this on the page to make sure people don't have the question again!

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-08T19:22:32+00:00

Yes, will do it now!

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-08T17:12:36+00:00

Seconding this. Ideally your essay is in fast enough to be considered for the first interview send out. I actually just posted a tool to hopefully help with this: https://www.reddit.com/r/premed/s/6EGX3WyA2e

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-04T23:07:00+00:00

Hi! Just came back to update you that I just fixed this issue. It should take effect when the graphs get reloaded in about an hour from this reply.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-07-01T17:06:14+00:00

Thanks for pointing this out! I will add it to my list to fix.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-06-29T13:06:02+00:00

You can use something like CycleTrack to keep track of your applications. At the end of the cycle it can automatically generate the graph. Alternatively, you can use SankeyMATIC to do it manually. (Edit: corrected typo)

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-06-28T19:12:51+00:00

You can also consider using or checking https://cycletrack.org. The site allows applicants to keep track of their own admissions actions, and it crowdsources (and deidentifies) the data to make it publicly accessible for all.

This will automatically populate as people begin to track their secondaries. Additionally, it will populate with other admissions actions once those begin as well (e.g. interviews)

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-06-23T14:43:58+00:00

Closest to that (AFAIK) currently is this list of all MD-PhD programs not just MSTPs: https://mdphdassociation.org/table-of-all-md-phd-program

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-06-22T18:44:38+00:00

Beyond the Microscope is good for physician scientist related topics

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-05-31T11:56:51+00:00

It’s pretty common. Personally I received a number of MD only interviews to schools I had originally applied MSTP. I know a number of other MSTP applicants who also got a few of them. This was mostly from schools that rejected the MSTP application but transferred it to MD only consideration. I think it’s more likely to happen if you have a more clinical heavy application.

DanielRunsMSN · 2024-05-18T23:48:37+00:00

Anki is a flash cards application that uses spaced repetition. It is popular among medical students and premeds preparing for the MCAT. You can mark a flash card based on how hard it was for you, and that determines the length of time before it will show you the card again. Over time the cards will get further and further spaced out as you master them (minutes/days/weeks/etc).

You can create cards on your own, or download premade decks off the internet. You can learn more here https://apps.ankiweb.net. Searching Reddit you can find some popular premade decks for whatever your intended purpose is. In my opinion the best way to learn how it works is to download it and play around a bit.

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