Waitlist Support Group

[The Buff OP]

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[Psai]

Man people with acceptances making a thread about waitlists? Being on a waitlist without any acceptances is the worst, especially if you don't know how well the list moves.

 

[3838]

I don't know, I've spent so much time thinking about the various schools I've interviewed at I feel like I have them pretty well ranked in my head. The only thing that would make it difficult is if I got offered a spot off of the waitlist with a drastically different financial package than I expected. Though, seeing as I was on the waitlist to begin with this seems unlikely!

I wish this were true for me. But I just don't know anymore. I just don't know...

Also hope for the waitlisters!!! I just got off a waitlist Still on another though...

 

[sourdoughllama]

Man people with acceptances making a thread about waitlists? Being on a waitlist without any acceptances is the worst, especially if you don't know how well the list moves.

That's what the panic thread is for - this is for the rest of us whiny babies who want more

 

[Medicalhopeful]

That's what the panic thread is for - this is for the rest of us whiny babies who want more

haha We can't complain but anything at this point will be icing on a very delicious cake! I am waiting on my top choices! UCD and UCLA!! I'm sending an update letter to ucla today. Best of luck everyone!

 

[orthogenes]

So the waitlist positions that I'm holding onto fall in to two categories: ranked and unranked. I assume I should keep sending updates and LoIs to schools where I am on an unranked waitlist but what about schools where I am on a ranked waitlist? Will continued letters have any effect or at this point is there nothing to do but wait?

It probably depends on the school. Is the list completely ranked (like #46, or "zoned" like you're in the top 1/3)? UC told us that if we are in the top 1/3 they select based on the metrics of the class they have that have accepted them so far (if low on non trades, they will look ate top 1/3 for more non trades), etc. I imagine LOIs might make a difference if the ranks are in tiers not actual numbers. That's totally a WAG.

 

[orthogenes]

Man people with acceptances making a thread about waitlists? Being on a waitlist without any acceptances is the worst, especially if you don't know how well the list moves.

I don't have any acceptances (yet?)...

 

[badooda]

3 waitlists and no acceptance...... fml

 

[Cambover]

A real bummer about waitlists is that I won't be able to go on second looks if I am eventually accepted.

 

[fbtkdrbs]

A real bummer about waitlists is that I won't be able to go on second looks if I am eventually accepted.

On a bright side, you are saving money

 

[gyngyn]

On a bright side, you are saving money

"Second looks" are largely a waste of resources for all.

 

[CUAnes12]

Three waitlists, two decisions pending. Since it's past March 30th, I'm pretty sure those two pendings are not acceptances. Really would like to avoid a re-re-application.

 

[EMME25]

So, I'll be sending another update letter to both of the waitlists I am on. However, I like both schools more than the one I am currently in (though I am honored to be accepted and will be very happy there). I want to send one of them a letter of intent.

I am honestly not sure which of the two wait list schools I would rather attend. The cost (if you include cost of living) would probably come out the same. I think I lean slightly towards BU to be closer to family. BU has the advantage of being in the same city as my sister, and I had a slightly better feeling from the school when I visited- but there has been almost no wait-list movement the past couple of years. WashU has the advantage of being in a more livable city, smaller class size, and at least anecdotally, some significant waitlist movement (though I have a feeling the waitlist is huuuge).

Would it be a waste to send a letter of intent to Boston when there is such a small chance of getting off the list? Should I send it to WashU, where it at least seems more likely to get off the list?

Finally, if I were offered a significant financial package to any of the three schools, that would most likely seal the deal for me. Can I even send a letter of intent if a scholarship could lure me away?

 

[CyberMaxx]

That feeling when your boss/mentor tells you there is no point to staying on the waitlist at your number one because they take the best in the country and you're just not good enough...

 

[Great White Buffalo]

That feeling when your boss/mentor tells you there is no point to staying on the waitlist at your number one because they take the best in the country and you're just not good enough...

Ouch!! Hope this guy/gal didn't write you a LOR.

 

[plumazul]

"Second looks" are largely a waste of resources for all.

I disagree. Perhaps I'm an exception, but I don't think I'd make a fully informed decision without revisits.

 

[plumazul]

That feeling when your boss/mentor tells you there is no point to staying on the waitlist at your number one because they take the best in the country and you're just not good enough...

Perhaps he/she is goading you to stay on?

 

[chi11]

If we are accepted off of a waitlist after May 15, how long will we have to respond if we were already holding an acceptance to another school?

 

[487806]

"Second looks" are largely a waste of resources for all.

That's what I heard.

And your new avatar is somehow spooky

 

[Solaire]

I'm sitting on 1 waitlist here (my school calls it the alternate list). Ahh... it'll be a long summer.

I don't think I'll be reapplying this next cycle in any case. Anyone have advice on this? Main reason being that I don't have the time to really study and re-take the MCAT (sitting on a 31... 11 10 10 PS/ V/ B) between now and June.

Over this past year though, I have been working full time as a lab tech, and volunteering/shadowing a decent amount (I've also been catching up with some hobbies and interests as well). I'll have an additional 2-3 letters from my experiences.

 

[SweetDee04]

Should we take it upon ourselves to send financial aid information to schools where we've been waitlisted/no decision? I've sent information to schools that have sent financial aid emails (and added all schools to FAFSA), but if we haven't been accepted and they haven't sent an email, should we go to the website and find what they want and then send it?

 

[gyngyn]

And your new avatar is somehow spooky

You're afraid of purple cauliflower ?

 

[487806]

You're afraid of cauliflower?

... that's cauliflower? I guess that dye contrast... Kinda... Spooked it

I'll watch what I eat now

 

[Amba]

Found out today that I'd be $320K in debt at my current top choice, so now I'm planning on going to my state school. It's a great school, but I've been trying for many, many years to move out of the state. Hopefully one of these six WLs come through... *sigh*

 

[BestDoctorEver]

I'm on 9 wait lists. I'm lucky enough to have a few great acceptances, but all this wait list tension is driving me nuts nonetheless. Every time I get an email from a med.*.edu address, I nearly have a heart attack.

NVM

 

[fbtkdrbs]

Found out today that I'd be $320K in debt at my current top choice, so now I'm planning on going to my state school. It's a great school, but I've been trying for many, many years to move out of the state. Hopefully one of these six WLs come through... *sigh*

Sorry to hear that. That is also my fear and I am really crossing my fingers for one of my waitlist schools to accept me.....

 

[BestDoctorEver]

I got into my #2 and waitlisted at my #1, and it is nerve wracking waiting to hear from my #1 even if I already know I will be starting med school in a few months anyway. I really feel for people who are only waitlisted with no other acceptance(s) to fall back on. This process is INSANE!

 

[LisaBrown]

How much waitlist movement is there usually?

 

[mshopeful17]

me interviewed at ONE school and got wait listed at that one school…have a post bacc program acceptance but me reeeeealllllllly just wants to start med school now me don't know whether to retake MCAT and reapply or wait or do post bacc arghhhh

 

[EMME25]

Any thoughts on my earlier post? For a letter of intent do I go with my gut school or go with the school that has more waitlist movement (historically)?

 

[Amba]

Any thoughts on my earlier post? For a letter of intent do me go wit my gut school or go wit the school that has more waitlist movement (historically)?

From reading your post earlier, I say don't send one at all. You seem pretty flippant about it, and there is no rule saying that it is necessary to send one to get off a waitlist.

I'm not trying to sound harsh, but I don't want you to end up in a situation where you've written and sent a letter of intent and then finances make you want to change your mind. LOIs should be reserved for those who truly would go to one school over every other, independent of any other factors. That being said, LOIs are largely worthless in terms of helping your chances anyway (at least that's the consensus around here).

 

[EMME25]

Thanks Amba!

Edit: I'd like to specify that the argh replaced a simple t h a n k s

 

[UltimateforFun]

3 WL and 1 acceptance. I am not set on sending a letter of intent but I really want to send a letter of reaffirmed interest to Pitt. I have no updates though. Is it worth it or should I wait until my grades from this current semester come up around May 15th?

 

[BolloX]

Next week all the AMCAS schools will be able to see the full reports (including waitlist) for all their applicants. I would think that if a school needs to fill a spot, that they would be more inclined to make an offer to someone who has not yet received an acceptance. So for all of you with only waitlist spots, this cycle is far from over.

Is it really April 1 that they can see this information? I thought it was mid-May; or maybe I'm confusing events.

 

[Turd_Ferguson]

Also, is whether or not a waitlist candidate already has an acceptance a thing that adcoms really actually care about when picking from the waitlist? Or is this just hopeful speculation? Maybe we could get a former adcom member to chime in on this.

 

[brrenters]

5 waitlists here. Thankful I have an acceptance, but having to wait til May-June to start hearing back is no fun

 

[gyngyn]

Is it really April 1 that they can see this information? I thought it was mid-May; or maybe I'm confusing events.

We can see them now (April 1).

 

[fbtkdrbs]

May 15th is coming up soon!

 

[Runican]

May 15th is coming up soon!

41 days!!

 

[T3ckFr3s]

One more month until May 15th.....!!!

 

[fbtkdrbs]

I am glad you brought this back.

 

[masaraksh]

No, a school must make a decision (either WL or Accept) before they can see your other acceptances. (or lack thereof)

Schools should not be able to see your status elsewhere unless they accept you. Whats the freaking point if they can WL you and then make a decision.

 

[Amba]

Schools should not be able to see your status elsewhere unless they accept you. Whats the freaking point if they can WL you and then make a decision.

I tend to agree with this. I sort of feel like I'm being watched through a one-way mirror. Schools are progressively privy to more and more information about us as applicants, but from our end everything is opaque. There are a couple schools that I was waitlisted at back in October, and I haven't received a single email from them since then. It's been half a year already!

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Please correct me if I've misunderstood the timing:

On April 1st, AMCAS schools that have waitlisted a student can see if that student has other acceptances. Silent rejection or no-decision schools can not see anything until they choose WL or accepted. That is, after April 1st, schools will be able to see where else their WLed applicants have been accepted and/or waitlisted.

By May 15th, applicants must notify which school they will attending, and therefore drop all other acceptances. Deposits are due. Applicants may not hold more than one school's acceptance. Typically, between May 15th and the start of that school's med school, waitlisted applicants may be tendered an offer until that school's class fills.

After June 1, May 15 for M.D.-Ph.D. programs, any school that plans to make an acceptance offer to an applicant already known to have been accepted by another school or program for that entering class ensure that the other school or program is advised of this offer at the time that the offer is made.

 

[BolloX]

--That is, after April 1st, schools will be able to see where else their WLed applicants have been accepted and/or waitlisted.--

I'm curious whether schools can see both where an applicant has been accepted AND whether an applicant has been waitlisted and where. That is, can they see whether an applicant has been waitlisted at 7 schools versus just one?

 

[gyngyn]

I'm curious whether schools can see both where an applicant has been accepted AND whether an applicant has been waitlisted and where. That is, can they see whether an applicant has been waitlisted at 7 schools versus just one?

We cannot see where anyone has been waitlisted or rejected, ever.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Revised with gyngyn's new info:

This is my understanding. Between 4/1 - 4/15 your status looks like this, you're rejected at school A, accepted at schools B-E, and waitlisted at F-G. Schools B-E can see your full report. By 5/15, you decide to attend school D. But on 6/15, school H decided to accept you. If you accept their offer, then school H would have to call school D to let them know.

 

[gyngyn]

Revised with gyngyn's new info:

This is my understanding. Between 4/1 - 4/15 your status looks like this, you're rejected at school A, accepted at schools B-E, and waitlisted at F-G. Schools B-E can see your full report. By 5/15, you decide to attend school D. But on 6/15, school H decided to accept you. If you accept their offer, then school H would have to call school D to let them know.

We have to call the donor school when we decide to make an offer from our waitlist after June 1st (whether the student accepts or not).

 

[BrawnsNBrain]

Good luck everyone.

I had a friend get accepted ~1month before classes started so there's always hope.

 

[The Chemist]

No acceptances. One waitlist...incidentally at my dream school. Fingers crossed.