MD Not really sure what to do anymore

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LoMyRe

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I have a 3.8/3.8/36, tons of research, and all the other regular ECs (clinical, non clinical, shadowing, etc).

I applied to 30 schools this cycle and was fortunate to receive 8 interviews. So I'm assuming I don't have any red flags in my app (bad letters, that kind of thing).

Needless to say I was feeling really great at the beginning of this cycle. But now that my interview results are coming back I'm starting to panic. A lot.

Mt Sinai - Wait listed
Northwestern - Hold until March
Iowa - Still waiting to hear back
Downstate - Wait listed
Case - Wait listed
CCLCM - Still waiting to hear back
USC - Wait listed (my dream school :()
NYU - Still waiting to hear back

The reason I'm freaking out is because I felt like my Case and USC interview went the best (one of them went for over an hour over the time given and another ended with how I should contact the person again when I get accepted...). So since I've been wait listed at both of those I don't have high hopes for the ones that haven't replied yet. I've gotten used to opening my email and seeing "Alternate list" or "hold" :(. Apparently I have the personality of a rock?

I don't know I'm just ridiculously sad that I might be in the 7% of the people with my GPA/MCAT that end up having to reapply. I had to take out loans to apply this cycle and I'm going to have to pay back those loans while trying to save up money for a new cycle. If I can't do that I have to retake the MCAT (it'll expire by then).

What do you guys think are the chances that I'll get some good news once wait lists start moving. Maybe @gyngyn @Catalystik @Goro can help? Do any of these schools accept a lot of students off the wait list (USC and Case especially). Or should I start looking for a job...

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I see students come off the waitlist at Case, USC and Northwestern every year . I frankly do not have an independent recollection of the others, but I'm pretty sure they do too. You can check old school specific threads to confirm. With those stats and that many interviews, I'm going to go out on a limb here and infer that your interviews may not be going as well as they might.
 
I see students come off the waitlist at Case, USC and Northwestern every year . I frankly do not have an independent recollection of the others, but I'm pretty sure they do too. You can check old school specific threads to confirm. With those stats and that many interviews, I'm going to go out on a limb here and infer that your interviews may not be going as well as they might.

To be honest I think it's mostly my student interviews. I have a hard time with more structured interviews and almost all of my student interviews have been structured. I tried practicing a lot between interviews and I definitely got better as time went but I feel like it's too late now. I'm worried that if it IS my interviews it'll keep me from getting off of any wait lists compared to someone who may have had a good interview but was wait listed because of stats or something else on their primary.

Reapplying scares me. A lot. Mostly because of the money and the fact that there doesn't seem to be a lot I can improve on until next cycle.
 
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To be honest I think it's mostly my student interviews. I have a hard time with more structured interviews and almost all of my student interviews have been structured. I tried practicing a lot between interviews and I definitely got better as time went but I feel like it's too late now. I'm worried that if it IS my interviews it'll keep me from getting off of any wait lists compared to someone who may have had a good interview but was wait listed because of stats or something else on their primary.

Reapplying scares me. A lot. Mostly because of the money and the fact that there doesn't seem to be a lot I can improve on until next cycle.
Hang in there. With that many chances, someone will probably bite.
 
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hey LoMyRe, you seem like a great applicant. sometimes competition can just be really fierce. just hang in there. many students are holding multiple acceptances right now. as they begin to pick where they want to go, slots will open up quickly! there is a high chance that you will receive at least one, if not more admits. that being said, do have a backup plan just in case. best of luck!
 
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I have a 3.8/3.8/36, tons of research, and all the other regular ECs (clinical, non clinical, shadowing, etc).

I applied to 30 schools this cycle and was fortunate to receive 8 interviews. So I'm assuming I don't have any red flags in my app (bad letters, that kind of thing).

Needless to say I was feeling really great at the beginning of this cycle. But now that my interview results are coming back I'm starting to panic. A lot.

Mt Sinai - Wait listed
Northwestern - Hold until March
Iowa - Still waiting to hear back
Downstate - Wait listed
Case - Wait listed
CCLCM - Still waiting to hear back
USC - Wait listed (my dream school :()
NYU - Still waiting to hear back

The reason I'm freaking out is because I felt like my Case and USC interview went the best (one of them went for over an hour over the time given and another ended with how I should contact the person again when I get accepted...). So since I've been wait listed at both of those I don't have high hopes for the ones that haven't replied yet. I've gotten used to opening my email and seeing "Alternate list" or "hold" :(. Apparently I have the personality of a rock?

I don't know I'm just ridiculously sad that I might be in the 7% of the people with my GPA/MCAT that end up having to reapply. I had to take out loans to apply this cycle and I'm going to have to pay back those loans while trying to save up money for a new cycle. If I can't do that I have to retake the MCAT (it'll expire by then).

What do you guys think are the chances that I'll get some good news once wait lists start moving. Maybe @gyngyn @Catalystik @Goro can help? Do any of these schools accept a lot of students off the wait list (USC and Case especially). Or should I start looking for a job...
Chances are good that you'll end up with at least 2 acceptances if your other ECs are comprehensive and as substantive as your "tons of research."

This process can be very humbling. Stay strong during the stressful wait.
 
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Chances are good that you'll end up with at least 2 acceptances if your other ECs are comprehensive and as substantive as your "tons of research."

This process can be very humbling. Stay strong during the stressful wait.

It really is! Hopefully I have good news to report back in the next few months.
 
Hang in there. With that many chances, someone will probably bite.
hey LoMyRe, you seem like a great applicant. sometimes competition can just be really fierce. just hang in there. many students are holding multiple acceptances right now. as they begin to pick where they want to go, slots will open up quickly! there is a high chance that you will receive at least one, if not more admits. that being said, do have a backup plan just in case. best of luck!
Chances are good that you'll end up with at least 2 acceptances if your other ECs are comprehensive and as substantive as your "tons of research."

This process can be very humbling. Stay strong during the stressful wait.

I just got into NYU! What a relief. I also got an interview at UCI (my alma mater woo) right after this post - I think it went very very well compared to all my other interviews. I feel so fortunate. I can relax until May 15th now when USC starts making wait list decisions (still my first choice so I'm not COMPLETELY stress free yet!) but I can finally have a good night's sleep. Thank you all for your kind words :)
 
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I just got into NYU! What a relief. I also got an interview at UCI (my alma mater woo) right after this post - I think it went very very well compared to all my other interviews. I feel so fortunate. I can relax until May 15th now when USC starts making wait list decisions (still my first choice so I'm not COMPLETELY stress free yet!) but I can finally have a good night's sleep. Thank you all for your kind words :)
Congrats! You're going to be a doctor!
 
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hey congratS!!! all the best :)
 
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Congratulations!

Time for some Letters of Interest to show the wait-list schools you're still interested in that you are still interested. Plan a 'campaign' so that an expression of interest / update arrives shortly before each major acceptance wave, and execute per plan.

And congratulations again!
 
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Congrats! You're going to be a doctor!

Yeah!! Congratulations.

Hi sorry to bother you guys again!

I actually ended up getting into Northwestern too (yay!) but I think I'm going to end up holding onto my NYU acceptance. At the same time, I'm still really hoping to get off the wait list at USC so I had some follow up questions about wait lists!

1. We were told not to email updates until May (it was implied May 15th) but from last years thread it seems like people were accepted off the wait list starting May 14th. Is it safe to send an email today or tomorrow morning?

2. Is it ok to email the dean directly or should we be sending emails to the general SOM email?

3. While I feel like my interview went "okay" I had some personal problems the night before/morning of the interview (I got no sleep and didn't even have time to comb my hair!) so I kind of want to use this opportunity to show how much I want to go to USC hoping it'll help out at least a little bit but then again it seemed like USC really hates updates so should I just stick to a little 5 sentence paragraph instead?

Thank you all again :]
 
Hi sorry to bother you guys again!

I actually ended up getting into Northwestern too (yay!) but I think I'm going to end up holding onto my NYU acceptance. At the same time, I'm still really hoping to get off the wait list at USC so I had some follow up questions about wait lists!

1. We were told not to email updates until May (it was implied May 15th) but from last years thread it seems like people were accepted off the wait list starting May 14th. Is it safe to send an email today or tomorrow morning?

2. Is it ok to email the dean directly or should we be sending emails to the general SOM email?

3. While I feel like my interview went "okay" I had some personal problems the night before/morning of the interview (I got no sleep and didn't even have time to comb my hair!) so I kind of want to use this opportunity to show how much I want to go to USC hoping it'll help out at least a little bit but then again it seemed like USC really hates updates so should I just stick to a little 5 sentence paragraph instead?

Thank you all again :]
At this point, just knowing that you prefer USC should be enough for them. Did they give you instructions on when to contact them? Has there been waitlist movement on the school specific thread this year?
 
I actually ended up getting into Northwestern too (yay!) but I think I'm going to end up holding onto my NYU acceptance. At the same time, I'm still really hoping to get off the wait list at USC so I had some follow up questions about wait lists!
It's awesome that you got into NU, too.

I have no special insight into the USC waitlist process, so I can't help with your questions. If anyone on the old School-Specific threads is still active on SDN, you might shoot them a PM with your questions.
 
At this point, just knowing that you prefer USC should be enough for them. Did they give you instructions on when to contact them? Has there been waitlist movement on the school specific thread this year?

So remaining on the wait list after May 15th with a quick email explicitly stating I prefer USC is enough? We were told to send a short email mid may and some other interviewees I've asked have said May 15th exactly (this is what I assumed at first too) but others from last year have said earlier since there was movement on the 13th/14th that year. But no movement so far this year! Since people are already withdrawing now that financial aid for most schools are out I'm thinking of sending it tomorrow just in case? I know I'm kind of being paranoid about just a few days but I really don't want to mess anything up here!

It's awesome that you got into NU, too.

I have no special insight into the USC waitlist process, so I can't help with your questions. If anyone on the old School-Specific threads is still active on SDN, you might shoot them a PM with your questions.

I know I'm so happy! Thanks again :)
 
So remaining on the wait list after May 15th with a quick email explicitly stating I prefer USC is enough? We were told to send a short email mid may and some other interviewees I've asked have said May 15th exactly (this is what I assumed at first too) but others from last year have said earlier since there was movement on the 13th/14th that year. But no movement so far this year! Since people are already withdrawing now that financial aid for most schools are out I'm thinking of sending it tomorrow just in case? I know I'm kind of being paranoid about just a few days but I really don't want to mess anything up here!
If there was a specific date before which you are instructed not to contact them I would follow that instruction. This can be one of the ways that schools evaluate the maturity of the candidates. Since you have seen no evidence of waitlist movement it sounds safe to hold until the 15th anyway...
 
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If there was a specific date before which you are instructed not to contact them I would follow that instruction. This can be one of the ways that schools evaluate the maturity of the candidates. Since you have seen no evidence of waitlist movement it sounds safe to hold until the 15th anyway...

I was worried about the whole not following instructions thing so I'm glad I asked! I guess if there IS movement earlier than the 15th a single email probably wouldn't affect my chances too much anyways.
 
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