Any downsides to applying to a school?

[deleted1095841]

Suppose there is a school X I want to avoid, but I prefer matching there compared to going unmatched.
If I apply to X, and get an interview, and I rank them last on the match list, is there any downside? In other words, could that prevent me from matching at any of my other choices?

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[ontiquicuo]

No. If they are last on your list and you match there, you wouldn't have matched anywhere else.

The only drawback I see is cost.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

No.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

The major drawback is matching somewhere you're miserable. Whether that's better than not matching is up to you.

That said, there are plenty of threads here about people who have matched at the last spot on their lists and are despondent. Then, 6 months later, they post about how happy they are and about how that program would have been much higher on their list.

 

[GoSpursGo]

The major drawback is matching somewhere you're miserable. Whether that's better than not matching is up to you.

That said, there are plenty of threads here about people who have matched at the last spot on their lists and are despondent. Then, 6 months later, they post about how happy they are and about how that program would have been much higher on their list.

In addition to the whole "is matching at a place I'm miserable better or worse than not matching" thing and the "lots of people who match low on their list wind up happy" thing, there is another obvious piece here--why don't you just apply, and if you get an interview you can decide after the interview whether or not it is worth ranking? Then you'll have the context of having met some of the people at the program and be able to compare them against the other places you've interviewed, as well as have a better idea of what your backup plan is in case you don't match.