2014-2015 Waitlist Support Group

[LSD-25]

8 interviews, 1 rejection (Harvard), 7 waitlists Sent letter of intent to 1 school, was wondering if I would have a better shot by sending letters of interest to all 6 other schools, or just the ones I would most like to go to...All of the schools are ones I'd be willing to go to, but would my chances of getting into at least 1 school be better if I didn't send a letter of interest to all of them (since they might talk to each other)?

I agree w/ gyngyn, don't bother bc they have so little value. Plus save your time and energy for something WAY more worthwhile. Letters of interest are a lot of work for so little return. Schools already know you're interested in them because you applied, interviewed, and haven't withdrawn your app.

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[PolicyDoc41]

I agree w/ gyngyn, don't bother bc they have so little value. Plus save your time and energy for something WAY more worthwhile. Letters of interest are a lot of work for so little return. Schools already know you're interested in them because you applied, interviewed, and haven't withdrawn your app.

Confused though, because my pre-medical advisor recommended that I send letters of interest, seeing as I have no outright acceptances... and what is the "something WAY more worthwhile" that I should be saving my time and energy for?

 

[PolicyDoc41]

The reason these LOI's have so little value is illustrated by your question. We know that you have promiscuously sent them to any school that interviewed you!

Confused though, since my pre-med advisor said to send the letters of interest...so, just send 3? (or would adcomms still think that I sent them to everyone?)

 

[LSD-25]

Confused though, because my pre-medical advisor recommended that I send letters of interest, seeing as I have no outright acceptances... and what is the "something WAY more worthwhile" that I should be saving my time and energy for?

I would focus on getting feedback about your app from the schools and prepping to reapply. love letters (LOIs) really dont do much of anything.

 

[Kanyeezy23]

I would focus on getting feedback about your app from the schools and prepping to reapply. love letters (LOIs) really dont do much of anything.

Let's not get carried away and say they are useless. They clearly serve a purpose. I have heard from deans of admission that sending an LOI will increase your chance of getting off a WL because it shows them that you'll accept the offer if extended (or at least be more likely to accept than students that did not send an LOI).

 

[TheSummit]

Let's not get carried away and say they are useless. They clearly serve a purpose. I have heard from deans of admission that sending an LOI will increase your chance of getting off a WL because it shows them that you'll accept the offer if extended (or at least be more likely to accept than students that did not send an LOI).

Sure it will help if you already have acceptances...Schools can see if you are holding any acceptances, and a LOI from someone with 0 acceptances is really useless because they know you will accept the offer. gyngyn has stated this many times throughout this thread. And this applies to policydoc41 who holds 0 acceptances.

 

[schiffbased]

as a wait listed candidate, can schools see the list of schools that accepted you (and you responded "yes!") but ultimately withdrew from? and can they see any schools that offered you an acceptance, but you declined immediately upon receiving the e-mail?

 

[gyngyn]

as a wait listed candidate, can schools see the list of schools that accepted you (and you responded "yes!") but ultimately withdrew from? and can they see any schools that offered you an acceptance, but you declined immediately upon receiving the e-mail?

On any given day we can see where you are holding acceptances.
There is no archive unless we make one.

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

On any given day we can see where you are holding acceptances.
There is no archive unless we make one.

Do D.O schools have the same system in place with one another ?

 

[gyngyn]

Do D.O schools have the same system in place with one another ?

No.

 

[smooki]

No.

So MD school can't see if we are holding DO acceptances and vice versa?

 

[gyngyn]

So MD school can't see if we are holding DO acceptances and vice versa?

That's right.

 

[Spritsker]

I was deferred by my top choice early on this cycle and have not heard back, my understanding is that it's an "unofficial" waitlist. Does that mean this school cannot see my other acceptances? I was accepted to 3 other schools, none of which are as highly ranked but one of which is my state school which is cheaper. Sent a couple updates to the school through the cycle to showcase my continued interest but not sure what else I can do at this point.

 

[gyngyn]

I was deferred by my top choice early on this cycle and have not heard back, my understanding is that it's an "unofficial" waitlist. Does that mean this school cannot see my other acceptances? I was accepted to 3 other schools, none of which are as highly ranked but one of which is my state school which is cheaper. Sent a couple updates to the school through the cycle to showcase my continued interest but not sure what else I can do at this point.

If they have given you a decision and registered it with AMCAS, they have been able to see your acceptances for a couple of months now.

 

[Spritsker]

If they have given you a decision and registered it with AMCAS, they have been able to see your acceptances for a couple of months now.

Ah I see, so deferral is considered a decision very similar to the waitlist and they will know about the other schools. Thank you.

 

[TheSummit]

If they have given you a decision and registered it with AMCAS, they have been able to see your acceptances for a couple of months now.

Ah I see, so deferral is considered a decision very similar to the waitlist and they will know about the other schools. Thank you.

Wait....what? So all of these holds/defers are actually decisions..... Schools are able to see our acceptances by basically making no decisions at all and leaving us at limbo... sounds like a cruel joke.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Wait....what? So all of these holds/defers are actually decisions..... Schools are able to see our acceptances by basically making no decisions at all and leaving us at limbo... sounds like a cruel joke.

I'm not surprised. this process is very much a joke for applicants lol

 

[Promethean]

Just stopping by to say that I am thinking of all my waitlisted friends and wishing you all the best luck in the coming days. Hard to word that so that it doesn't sound like "May the odds be ever in your favor!" Med school admission does have something of a Hunger Games / Battle Royale vibe to it at times.

It is strange to hear @gyngyn and others talk about highly desirable, sought after applicants. As if the schools must compete for us. Intellectually, I may know that is reality, but from the applicant perspective adcoms must have to disperse crowds of top applicants with pepper spray in order to get to work each day. With so many awesome people languishing on waitlists without acceptances, it would seem as if filling a class with exceptional people would be easy to do.

It is such a high stakes game of musical chairs... I wonder if there will ever be a med school edition of the Match?

 

[gyngyn]

Wait....what? So all of these holds/defers are actually decisions..... Schools are able to see our acceptances by basically making no decisions at all and leaving us at limbo... sounds like a cruel joke.

If this is a post interview decision, yes the odds are good that it is a waitlist.
Deferrals that are assigned before interview do not result in access to the Alternate List acceptance report.

 

[TheSummit]

If this is a post interview decision, yes the odds are good that it is a waitlist.
Deferrals that are assigned before interview do not result in access to the Alternate List acceptance report.

I would be fine if these 'holds/defers' were actually waitlist.....In this case, defer = decision =/= waitlist.
I quote Tufts for example:
Applicants who have been notified of a deferred decision will continue to be reviewed by the Committee throughout the interview season and can be offered admission at any time subsequent to their Committee review. These applicants will be eligible to move to our Wait list (see link below) which becomes active in the late spring.
http://medicine.tufts.edu/Admissions/Info-for-Interviewed-Applicants

To make things even more frustrating, Tufts have not rejected anyone post interview...

 

[Temerit]

It is such a high stakes game of musical chairs... I wonder if there will ever be a med school edition of the Match?

That would be a dream compared to this process.

321 days and counting since submitting my AMCAS.

 

[RedPhys]

Just submitted a second letter of continued interest/slight intent (I'm not a fan of straight up "If accepted, I will come" .. sounds a bit too desperate imo), as the time for re-review drawns near.

Whether it actually has, or will have, any effect, I don't (and won't) know, but at least I'll feel like I did something. Now, to sit back and wait for all this to pass.

 

[mshopeful17]

Just stopping by to say that I am thinking of all my waitlisted friends and wishing you all the best luck in the coming days. Hard to word that so that it doesn't sound like "May the odds be ever in your favor!" Med school admission does have something of a Hunger Games / Battle Royale vibe to it at times.

It is strange to hear @gyngyn and others talk about highly desirable, sought after applicants. As if the schools must compete for us. Intellectually, I may know that is reality, but from the applicant perspective adcoms must have to disperse crowds of top applicants with pepper spray in order to get to work each day. With so many awesome people languishing on waitlists without acceptances, it would seem as if filling a class with exceptional people would be easy to do.

It is such a high stakes game of musical chairs... I wonder if there will ever be a med school edition of the Match?

There is in Texas! Yet, I am still waitlisted. blah.

 

[LetMeInOK]

It is such a high stakes game of musical chairs... I wonder if there will ever be a med school edition of the Match?

I know Texas does this, but why doesn't AMCAS do this. Is it a bigger hassle?

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

Just a few more days until waitlists start moving in earnest. Hang in there guys, we got this!

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Just submitted a second letter of continued interest/slight intent (I'm not a fan of straight up "If accepted, I will come" .. sounds a bit too desperate imo), as the time for re-review drawns near.

Whether it actually has, or will have, any effect, I don't (and won't) know, but at least I'll feel like I did something. Now, to sit back and wait for all this to pass.

Crap, I need to get on that. Was your 2nd one short, sweet, and to the point? I feel like I hit all the high points in my first one way back.

 

[RedPhys]

Crap, I need to get on that. Was your 2nd one short, sweet, and to the point? I feel like I hit all the high points in my first one way back.

The opposite. My first one was short and kept it brief to one paragraph.
My second one was almost an entire page long (I was more descriptive as to why the school is still my number one, personal reasons as to why the school would lead to more growth as a person ..) Not sure if it was a bit overboard in its appeal to emotion, but it's my last shot, so I felt like giving it all I had (plus, I got inspiration by some SDN user's letter of interest/intent ...)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Ace Khalifa]

The opposite. My first one was short and kept it brief to one paragraph.
My second one was almost an entire page long (I was more descriptive as to why the school is still my number one, personal reasons as to why the school would lead to more growth as a person ..) Not sure if it was a bit overboard in its appeal to emotion, but it's my last shot, so I felt like giving it all I had (plus, I got inspiration by some SDN user's letter of interest/intent ...)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Hmm okay. I guess I'll send another one after April 30th. I'll try to think of new compelling reasons (and perhaps remind them of my first LOI's points lol).

 

[keevwu]

If this is a post interview decision, yes the odds are good that it is a waitlist.
Deferrals that are assigned before interview do not result in access to the Alternate List acceptance report.

UCR and UCLA don't say anything to post-interview applicants they don't accept right away. Does this mean they can't see anything for these applicants?

 

[gyngyn]

UCR and UCLA don't say anything to post-interview applicants they don't accept right away. Does this mean they can't see anything for these applicants?

If no decision has been sent to AMCAS, they do not have access to acceptances.

 

[RedPhys]

Hmm okay. I guess I'll send another one after April 30th. I'll try to think of new compelling reasons (and perhaps remind them of my first LOI's points lol).

UMiami? I'm rooting for you, but that place sure has issues regarding their administrative staff (and I speak from my family's experiences with the med school administration...).

 

[Ace Khalifa]

UMiami? I'm rooting for you, but that place sure has issues regarding their administrative staff (and I speak from my family's experiences with the med school administration...).

Yes, UM. I really really really want to go there. I just wish I knew my place on the waitlist and how many people have already come off the waitlist.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

Two of my waitlists started heavy movement today. hope feels like it's dwindling...

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Finally got my first acceptance today after being on 5 waitlists. Don't give up hope everyone

 

[prdv]

Finally got my first acceptance today after being on 5 waitlists. Don't give up hope everyone

And so it begins...

Crossing my fingers I get as lucky as you. I'm also on 5 WLs!

 

[ridethecliche]

8 interviews, 1 rejection (Harvard), 7 waitlists Sent letter of intent to 1 school, was wondering if I would have a better shot by sending letters of interest to all 6 other schools, or just the ones I would most like to go to...All of the schools are ones I'd be willing to go to, but would my chances of getting into at least 1 school be better if I didn't send a letter of interest to all of them (since they might talk to each other)?

Send them all letters.

 

[tizhang]

And so it begins...

Crossing my fingers I get as lucky as you. I'm also on 5 WLs!

Same! I'm on 5WLs and hoping like crazy to get some love from any of the schools. I sent out update letters rather than LOIs hoping that they're more useful or valuable.

 

[gyngyn]

Send them all letters.

This is why we don't believe them!

 

[noleknight16]

I sent LOIs only to the schools I am legitimately really, really wanted to attend. Hopefully they didn't get dismissed as insincere :/

 

[gyngyn]

I sent LOIs only to the schools I am legitimately really, really wanted to attend. Hopefully they didn't get dismissed as insincere :/

Like words of love, soft and tender, they are all sincere in the moment.

 

[ridethecliche]

This is why we don't believe them!

Like words of love, soft and tender, they are all sincere in the moment.

<3

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

Hmm I wonder how fast the med Schools respond to applicants withdrawing their acceptances.

 

[gyngyn]

Hmm I wonder how fast the med Schools respond to applicants withdrawing their acceptances.

Depends on how overstocked we are.

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

Depends on how overstocked we are.

So what im trying to ask is that say 4 people drop from your school tomorrow, does the adcom meet and decide what 4 applicants to pull off the list or is it already pre determined? Also how fast would you contact them ?

 

[gyngyn]

So what im trying to ask is that say 4 people drop from your school tomorrow, does the adcom meet and decide what 4 applicants to pull off the list or is it already pre determined? Also how fast would you contact them ?

Many more than that would have to drop before most schools will get to the waitlist.
We calculate the overage necessary to fill. This could be twice the class size or more. When that point is reached (some time this month or next), the time frame for making offers does not permit the leisurely pace of committee meetings. The list can be stratified by the committee in such a way as to make routine meetings unnecessary.

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

Many more than that would have to drop before most schools will get to the waitlist.
We calculate the overage necessary to fill. This could be twice the class size or more. When that point is reached (some time this month or next), the time frame for making offers does not permit the leisurely pace of committee meetings. The list can be stratified by the committee in such a way as to make routine meetings unnecessary.

So what your saying is they'll accept people who arent on the waitlist before they start accepting waitlist applicants? That doesn't make sense .

 

[gyngyn]

So what your saying is they'll accept people who arent on the waitlist before they start accepting waitlist applicants? That doesn't make sense .

Schools accept 2 to 3 times the number needed, outright. Thus, there is sometimes no need to draw from the waitlist for weeks or months (or at all!). A hundred students could withdraw before hitting the desired class size.

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

Schools accept 2 to 3 times the number needed, outright. Thus, there is sometimes no need to draw from the waitlist for weeks or months (or at all!). A hundred students could withdraw before hitting the desired class size.

wow that is slightly discouraging. I thought wait list was better than a rejection but damn the two seem pretty similar after reading that . Thanks for the info though!

 

[gyngyn]

wow that is slightly discouraging. I thought wait list was better than a rejection but damn the two seem pretty similar after reading that . Thanks for the info though!

It's not that bad. Schools are so risk averse (regarding having too many matriculants) that we calculate the over-acceptances with the goal that we will just run out! This is why almost all schools draw from the waitlist, even the very tippy top.

 

[Dr Stephen T Colbert DFA]

How I feel when I see students complaining about/withdrawing from my top schools