2014-2015 Waitlist Support Group

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Interviewed at 6 programs in the USNWR top 10. Waitlisted at 5, rejected from 1.

Pretty disappointed as I've always felt a bit like an "underdog" (from a rural area, not really a "science person", went to a state school, kind of late to the pre-med game, etc.) and I felt excited to be interviewing at schools that, 5 or 6 years ago, I never thought I'd even visit in my lifetime. It sucked to hear back from them one at a time, bad news each time.

Luckily I have several acceptances so I'll be going somewhere, but right now I'm feeling disappointed to have come so close to a top-tier school, then failed completely. Very grateful for this thread.

I feel that, buddy. This is very near my situation. Are you writing a LOI? I'm currently drafting one for my top choice and hoping for the best.

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30 MCAT (10,10,10), sGPA around 3.6. Applied to 18 schools. 7 II: 1 acceptance, 2 waitlists, 2 deferral/under consideration, 2 haven't heard back from yet.

The waitttt is killing meee.
 
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I feel that, buddy. This is very near my situation. Are you writing a LOI? I'm currently drafting one for my top choice and hoping for the best.

I wrote update letters but I'm not sure how much a LOI will help my situation. I say go for it, though. Couldn't hurt, and if you don't get in, you don't want to end up asking yourself, "What if I had only written that letter?"

Good luck!
 
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5 IIs / 26 MD schools
3 waitlists
1 pending
1 accept

I'm a reapp (one of the schools im waitlisted at now, was the only one that interviewed/waitlisted me last time).

So glad I have an acceptance (especially at a school I really liked) b/c I seriously thought I was gonna be waitlisted/rejected at every school since my numbers aren't great. I just wish that all the schools would either rank the list or have smaller waitlists, so you could have more realistic expectations & plan accordingly.
 
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20 applications
5 IIs
3 acceptances, 1 waitlist, 1 waiting to hear back

of course the waitlist is the one i really want to go to :(
 
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I'm joining in.
18 MD apps, 1 DO app.
3 MD II, 3 waitlists.
1 DO II, decision in a month probably.

So stressful not knowing what I will be doing this Fall.
 
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I'm joining in.
18 MD apps, 1 DO app.
3 MD II, 3 waitlists.
1 DO II, decision in a month probably.

So stressful not knowing what I will be doing this Fall.

that last part is the worst part. I'm expecting to be on 7 waitlists just twiddling my thumbs through May and June. it sucks lol
 
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I just wish that all the schools would either rank the list or have smaller waitlists, so you could have more realistic expectations & plan accordingly.
Nah, man... the last thing you want is a ranked waitlist (well, I guess if you're at the top...)

Regarding unranked waitlists, all sources I seem to find point to "If you demonstrate interest, it can only help you" while ranked, you are helpless (especially if you're at the bottom, and you don't know that)

I'm expecting to be on 7 waitlists just twiddling my thumbs through May and June. it sucks lol

gluck DoctorLacrosse
I think I've seen you around since the start of the cycle
rooting for ya
Are they all ranked? :-/

On a related note, @ridethecliche Do you know how UM's list works? I thought it was ranked (...but they are receptive to letter of interest?)
 
Nah, man... the last thing you want is a ranked waitlist (well, I guess if you're at the top...)

Regarding unranked waitlists, all sources I seem to find point to "If you demonstrate interest, it can only help you" while ranked, you are helpless (especially if you're at the bottom, and you don't know that)



gluck DoctorLacrosse
I think I've seen you around since the start of the cycle
rooting for ya
Are they all ranked? :-/

On a related note, @ridethecliche Do you know how UM's list works? I thought it was ranked (...but they are receptive to letter of interest?)

thanks a lot, I appreciate that! I've sent updates where helpful, one I'm on (high priority) in already ranked so nothing I can do. just gotta wait and hope things work out how they should.
 
Nah, man... the last thing you want is a ranked waitlist (well, I guess if you're at the top...)

Regarding unranked waitlists, all sources I seem to find point to "If you demonstrate interest, it can only help you" while ranked, you are helpless (especially if you're at the bottom, and you don't know that)

Idk some of these schools have 300+ more people on their waitlist, and yes sending in LOIs might help you, that's how I got my II the first time I applied, but my other LOIs didn't get me an acceptance. I really don't think they do "that much." Especially if you've already said why you wanted to go there and don't have update about saving a baby from falling off a cliff in a "third world country" while writing a publication and becoming chief scribe.

Bottomline, I think LOIs only help if you're already on the top of their list and are torn between interviewing/accepting you. So I rather know I'm on a HPWL or the bottom 3rd of the waitlist, so I'm not wasting my time sending in LOIs and looking up apartments "just in case." Luckily, I had a plan B when I was waiting till August for my first cycle & it wasn't binding so I could leave if I got the call, but this isn't always the case.
 
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All my money is on one pony -- 1 waitlist. Youch. This will be a simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying several weeks.

7 years since I decided to switch focuses, finished my bachelor's, applied to post-baccs, completed a post-bacc, and researched my life away. It all comes down to this: subjective ranking and other candidates' decisions....
 
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So it's been five days since the waitlist hammer fell at Penn, my top choice. I finally regrouped enough to read their waitlist FAQ today and saw they only accept 12-25 out of about 100 off the list in May. From posts here, it seems that there is no consensus about letters of intent at top schools, but I know I wouldn't sleep well at night if I didn't write one.
 
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II at 1 school and 1 waitlist. I don't know if I will be invited to anymore interviews since the cycle is almost over..... I still have a little hope though
 
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Good luck to all of you that are on multiple waitlists, that has to be very frustrating.

My numbers:
10 MD apps... 4 II... 2 waitlists, 1 acceptance (thankfully!) and waiting on 1 more.



I do feel that May will be a good month for all of us that have been waitlisted at our top choices. Because students that have multiple acceptances have to let go of all but 1 on April 30th, so many spots will open up.
 
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I'm on a pretty massive number of waitlists, and have yet to hear back from one school. Since I snagged my state school, I might be dead in water on these waitlists. tbh not really excited to attend my state school.
 
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Does anyone know how waitlist movement is generally in the UCs?
 
So I know the WL at EVMS is ranked, but apparently they pull from all ranks? Can anyone shed more light on this?

Is this a school to which if you demonstrate your interest, you may be rewarded? Or will it not help much at all?
 
My understanding is that FIU has a lot of waitlist movement, so I trust things will work out :)

New, state school--I imagine that it does. I've got my fingers crossed, but am (begrudgingly) prepared to resubmit on June 1st.
 
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So I know the WL at EVMS is ranked, but apparently they pull from all ranks? Can anyone shed more light on this?

Is this a school to which if you demonstrate your interest, you may be rewarded? Or will it not help much at all?

I heard EVMS pulls off the waitlist according to gender and IS/OOS balance. so like if a OOS guy withdraws his acceptance, an OOS guy is taken off the WL to fill his spot. If you look at old EVMS threads, this seems to be the case.
 
3 II - 1 DO, 2 MD.
Waitlisted at all three... fml.
 
Does anyone know how waitlist movement is generally in the UCs?

I would guess that this varies depending on what UC you're waiting on! My two UC waitlists gave me very different impressions of how much the waitlist was used per year.
 
New, state school--I imagine that it does. I've got my fingers crossed, but am (begrudgingly) prepared to resubmit on June 1st.

Same boat. I'm hoping for the best. Only a little over a month until April 30th!
 
3.8 cGPA
3.8 sGPA
34 MCAT

10 applications
9 pre-II rejections
1 interview
1 waitlist

What an application cycle
 
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3.8 cGPA
3.8 sGPA
34 MCAT

10 applications
9 pre-II rejections
1 interview
1 waitlist

What an application cycle

Whoa my application was very similar to your except im canadian and i had 3 interviews 3 acceptances.

It really is a crapshoot out there isnt it
 
It definitely might be but I know the reasons for my rejections: error ridden PS, very late primary and secondary apps (deadline submission), and average or below-average ECs.
 
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It definitely might be but I know the reasons for my rejections: error ridden PS, very late primary and secondary apps (deadline submission), and average or below-average ECs.

I was complete rather late as well! my interviews were in late jan/early feb, pretty late right? my EC's were above average though i'd say

Goodluck with your waitlists though!
 
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How are everyone's updates coming along? I've been addressing some of the weaker areas of my app but I'm wondering how I should approach writing this thing. I would like for it to be more conversational than curt.
 
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Mine have been ignored the last three years, so I haven't bothered with them this year. I have more important things to worry about.
 
Sorry to hear that. Good luck with the waitlist!
 
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Alright people, my anxiety has spiked again. I had almost lost hope for my top choice and state school (which actually felt kind of nice being at peace with the process). Anyway, I find out yesterday that i'm on the top priority waitlist (top 1/3) and they expect a lot of movement off the waitlist. Gah!! Wish me luck -- or send me your extra ativan.
 
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gahh 4II's, 2 waitlists, 1 rejection, and 1 still waiting to hear. this wait thoughh
 
To all of those that are not yet holding an acceptance, I was you last year. 2 II, 2 waitlists at this time in 2014. I followed last year's version of this same thread, hopeful as acceptances rolled out to others, while simultaneously jealous. I was fortunate to get called off the waitlist at the school which was also my top choice. So far, I've honored each of our blocks as an MS1. Keep the hope alive, it's all of you that appreciate it the most!
 
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I just got off the waitlist at my top choice and dropped everything else like it was hot; have faith y'all.
 
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So everyone here will understand why tomorrow I'm calling two schools' offices: very close or after the offices officially close I got calls on the number I gave to the schools where I'm wait listed and these schools actually see movement from wait lists at this time of year. Supposedly I've been offered acceptances from both but... yeah I don't think so, given the day and the timing. I'm pretty positive it is a "joke" but I still have to call just in case because of course I do. (Didn't know the voices and lately my cell has been returning Unknown on all incoming calls, thanks, AT&T, so there's no number to try to call back.)

This right here is why I really hate April Fool's. It isn't a joke if both sides don't laugh wholeheartedly. It's just cruel. I'm willing to bet no one makes the calls for those offers on April 1 for just this reason.
 
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So everyone here will understand why tomorrow I'm calling two schools' offices: very close or after the offices officially close I got calls on the number I gave to the schools where I'm wait listed and these schools actually see movement from wait lists at this time of year. Supposedly I've been offered acceptances from both but... yeah I don't think so, given the day and the timing. I'm pretty positive it is a "joke" but I still have to call just in case because of course I do. (Didn't know the voices and lately my cell has been returning Unknown on all incoming calls, thanks, AT&T, so there's no number to try to call back.)

This right here is why I really hate April Fool's. It isn't a joke if both sides don't laugh wholeheartedly. It's just cruel. I'm willing to bet no one makes the calls for those offers on April 1 for just this reason.
Go look on the Jefferson thread. Calls were made, and they were serious.
 
I'll post and join the train. 4 II, 3 waitlists, 1 waiting to hear. In the same boat right now as this time last year, hoping for a different result.
 
Go look on the Jefferson thread. Calls were made, and they were serious.

Yeah, but not for my schools' threads, though (I also understand that mine also back it up with email and there's nothing there in the one I use for application, just the one from AMCAS about the traffic rules that I think everyone got today). I stayed professional and all so it's not like I swore at anyone over the phone. It just didn't seem right. But then what do I know, it's not like I've gotten such a call from a medical school before.

Yay, I get to second guess all night long!

*Post edited because of experiencing posting weirdness.*
 
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