waitlist?

[halflife94]

So I found out I was "waitlisted" at a program a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't a great program but it was local so I was kinda bummed. Last week I get an email saying that they want to interview me. Do you think it is even worth going? My pride says no and I do have a fair number of offers. Why would a program even bother to send you a waitlist email? Won't that just let the students know that we are not in their upper echelon of candidates they wish to interview especially if you are going to send out another round of invites a week later? Doesn't make sense to me -HL

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[happyabe]

Well, it's great that you have a number of interviews already. I am also a fourth-year with a good number of interviews, but I have not been waitlisted yet at any programs. However, these are my thoughts. If a program is not taking you very seriously, then they will waitlist you and consider you after they've reviewed the "better" applicants. If those applicants don't accept an interview offer, then they'll go down to the "hold" or "waitlisted" applicants like yourself to interview. My theory is, if it's one of your favorite programs, then take them seriously. If not, and if you've got a good number of other interviews without first being waitlisted, then don't take that program too seriously and move on. Maybe this is the more arrogant way of thinking, but if they're not taking you seriously, why should you take them seriously? You're obviously a good candidate with other interviews, so good luck!

 

[halflife94]

Those were my thoughts as well. I have interviews at some much better places and was a little irritated by the waitlist. Maybe it is arrogrance but I was just like what the heck?

 

[smittma1]

At Johns Hopkins, we can only interview about 20% of our applicants. An interviewee has about an 85% of matching to the program, if Johns Hopkins is his/her first choice. These numbers have important implications for applicants on a waitlist.

1. Your application may be every bit as strong as that of an invited applicant. Invitation decisions are necessarily somewhat arbitrary.

2. It would be foolish to let wounded pride stand in the way of an 85% chance of matching.

Of course, the details apply only to my program, but all programs face the same challenges in reviewing applications and probably operate in a similar fashion.

Scott Mittman
Program Director
Johns Hopkins

 

[Surfer]

At Johns Hopkins, we can only interview about 20% of our applicants. An interviewee has about an 85% of matching to the program, if Johns Hopkins is his/her first choice. These numbers have important implications for applicants on a waitlist.

1. Your application may be every bit as strong as that of an invited applicant. Invitation decisions are necessarily somewhat arbitrary.

2. It would be foolish to let wounded pride stand in the way of an 85% chance of matching.

Of course, the details apply only to my program, but all programs face the same challenges in reviewing applications and probably operate in a similar fashion.

Scott Mittman
Program Director
Johns Hopkins

I can speak from personal experience. I matched to my alltime dream program, after being wait-listed. My pride can take a backseat to the fact that I will love going to work every day. I am very thankful that the program saw something in my worth inviting to an interview, even if it took a few cancellations for that chance to be open. If you like the program JUMP at the chance to interview there.

 

[Gern Blansten]

At Johns Hopkins, we can only interview about 20% of our applicants. An interviewee has about an 85% of matching to the program, if Johns Hopkins is his/her first choice. These numbers have important implications for applicants on a waitlist.

1. Your application may be every bit as strong as that of an invited applicant. Invitation decisions are necessarily somewhat arbitrary.

2. It would be foolish to let wounded pride stand in the way of an 85% chance of matching.

Of course, the details apply only to my program, but all programs face the same challenges in reviewing applications and probably operate in a similar fashion.

Scott Mittman
Program Director
Johns Hopkins

Very well stated and I agree completely. I think this is how many programs work. The applicant quality is very high across the board this year. Once your foot is in the door, you will be considered just as all of the other candidates will be. If funds were unlimited, I am sure many programs would interview far more candidates because there are so many that are extremely qualified.

 

[anesguy1012]

All I know is that it would be nice if all directors operated like Scott Mittman. He seems to look at the applicant as a whole, as I have noticed many top notch programs do, as compared to other places that have cutoffs right away and never see the applicant. It's unreasonable and a mistake to overlook many applicants because of a bad day on a test or some situation that happened while in medical school that affected his/her progress. When I'm a director someday, I will want to talk to those students who I have seen overcome struggles. To me, those who are most successful are those who have failed the most (at least that's what Bill Gates said!). Although, I wouldn't know because I was an average applicant with nothing extreme in either direction.