2008-2009 UMass Secondary Application Thread

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I just got the waitlist e-mail about two minutes ago! Hopefully that means more good news for everyone who hasn't heard yet. My last name starts with an M by the way.

Congratulations on being waitlisted!
 
My last name begins with R, so I suspect my wait-list email, if it comes at all, will be awhile in coming.

And I scratched my damn cornea. The morning is not off to a good start.
 
Thanks, Suenya! I hope everyone else hears something soon!!
 
Congrats to all those who have been accepted and waitlisted!

I feel like I'm in a similar situation to a lot of you and maybe you have some insight. I'm into a school that I am very excited about, but UMass is still my top choice (financially, in particular, how could I possibly turn it down?). I want to make plans, find housing, etc. at the school I'm probably going to though. How long do you think I should wait for UMass? Granted, most WL movement will happen right after May 15th. So, if by June 1st I haven't heard, would it be safe to say my chances are slim and I should move on with my life? June 15th? What is everyone else planning to do?

Thanks!
 
Interviewed, No News

virusgirl: GPA - 3.66, MCAT - 33T, interviewed 9/17/08, no decision
rajon: GPA-3.65, MCAT-33, interviewed 10/21/08, no decision
dj02339: interviewed 10/28/08, no decision
rara: interviewed 11/19/08, no decision
rowdy: interviewed 11/19/08, no decision
J515: interviewed 12/9/08, no decision
thompa: GPA - 3.63, MCAT - 35, interviewed 12/9/08, no decision
envirodoc: GPA-3.4, MCAT-27, Re-Applicant, interviewed 12/16/08, no decision
erawka: interviewed 12/16/08, no decision
Silentbull: interviewed 1/28/09, no decision
NorthShoreMD: GPA-3.53, MCAT-28, interviewed 2/3/09, no decision
smdh: interviewed 2/6/09, no decision
Tiptop: interviewed 2/10/09, no decision
tabrazinski: interviewed 10/21/08, no decision
Suenya: interviewed 11/18/08, no decision


Interviewed, Wait-listed

bassplease: interviewed 10/15/09, waitlisted 4/14/09
kpm986: GPA-3.62, MCAT-32, interviewed 10/15/08, waitlisted 5/1
scrubs' friend: interviewed 11/6/09-ish, waitlisted 4/13/09
shanoon1113: interviewed 11/16/09?, waitlisted 4/13/09
bgqks: GPA- 3.54 MCAT-33S interviewed 11/19/08, waitlisted 4/23/09
eleven eleven: interviewed 12/10/08, waitlisted 4/13/09
umass_md: interviewed 1/13/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
stayinalive: interviewed late jan, waitlisted 4/13/09
chocolateMD: interviewed 2/1x/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
MadMnkey: interviewed 2/25/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
IceMD: interviewed ?, waitlisted 4/13/09
stayinalive: interviewed ?, waitlisted 4/13/09
philios: interviewed?, waitlisted 4/13/09
Lolo8507:GPA 3.5 MCAT 33Q interviewed 12/10, waitlisted 4/23

Interviewed, Waitlisted, Accepted

jka: interviewed 10/8/08, waitllisted 4/13/09; undergrad 3.0, post-grad 3.95, 32Q; reapplicant (I: 3/19/08, waitlisted 4/25/08, Rejected 8/08); and size 8 (on a good day); Scorpio; Accepted 4/30
hoyastudent09: interviewed 12/19/08, waitlisted 4/13/09, accepted 4/30

Interviewed, Accepted

linguini: I: 9/16, A: 10/17
Zpiff - I: 9/16; A: 11/21
floffles - I: 9/16 A: 1/23
dtmandell - I: 9/17; A:10/17
AL12S - I: 9/29; A: 11/21
snowflake2 - I: 9/29; A: 11/21
scrubslover: I: 10/21 A: 1/23
ashley51087 - I: 10/22; A: 11/21
SteelCity126 I: 10/28; A: 11/21
dma111 - I:10/?; A: 2/17
bluetango - I:10/?; A: 2/17
Steve16 I:11/18 A:1/23
Lacheln: I:12/? A:3/06
MADocMaybe - GPA: 3.3, MCAT: 32Q, I: 1/14; A: 3/06
majestic red - I: 1/28; A:2/17
skyline42 - I: 3/4 A: 3/13
eelxiv - GPA 3.5, MCAT 32R I: 1/7 A: 2/17[/QUOTE]
 
Hi guys,

Question: I was wondering if someone could please explain to me - as if I were a 4 yr old - what's the deal with the waitlist being alphabetical? so, once you are on the waitlist it all depends on your last name? did the adcom actually explicitly admit to this or is it more of a rumor?

Thank you!
 
Hi guys,

Question: I was wondering if someone could please explain to me - as if I were a 4 yr old - what's the deal with the waitlist being alphabetical? so, once you are on the waitlist it all depends on your last name? did the adcom actually explicitly admit to this or is it more of a rumor?

Thank you!

The theory is this: (and it is just a theory)

When adcom decides to waitlist a batch of people, they won't do them randomly throughout the day, but instead send them out one at a time, in the order you might expect.

So someone with the last name Adams gets a waitlist email at 2pm, everyone freaks out.

At 2:30pm, Ms. Dellerson gets a waitlist email.

At 4:00pm, Mr. Thomas gets a waitlist email, and Mr. Newman knows he probably won't get one that day, since they've already gotten to T.

As jka said, her last name begins with A, and she was the first on the thread to be waitlisted both this year and last. The purpose of the theory is to guess if it's worth continuing to freak out refreshing your email, or if you, like Mr. Newman, have already likely been passed by.

Unlikely it has anything to do with acceptances though, since those seem to be in such teeny batches. Also probably not too relevant anymore, since the huge batch waitlists seem to have already happened.

Make sense?🙂
 
iheartsnow, i think that if youve already gotten into a school that you are really excited about then you should just take that!! feel lucky that you have that option. others on the waitlist have nothing, and would love to be in your position. leave the waitlist for those who really really really want and NEED it!

Seriously? You're trying to guilt someone into giving up their first choice school? 🙄 Come on...

Iheartsnow - I had set June 1st as my deadline for final decision. I figured that would give a couple of weeks for the post-may 15th shuffling to happen, but still leave 2 months for move planning. If UMass was my top choice I might make the deadline Mid-June because supposedly the logistics (finding housing/roommate) of moving to Worcester are not something to worry about.
 
iheartsnow, i think that if youve already gotten into a school that you are really excited about then you should just take that!! feel lucky that you have that option. others on the waitlist have nothing, and would love to be in your position. leave the waitlist for those who really really really want and NEED it!

holdingmybreath, iheartsnow: are you guys on the waitlist? if so, when were you waitlisted?
 
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iheartsnow, i think that if youve already gotten into a school that you are really excited about then you should just take that!! feel lucky that you have that option. others on the waitlist have nothing, and would love to be in your position. leave the waitlist for those who really really really want and NEED it!

holdingmybreath, this is neither realistic nor fair. I am not even wait-listed at UMass and have an acceptance at another school, but UMass is hands-down my first choice, and if I have the opportunity to go on the wait-list, I am going to do it. To be perfectly blunt, I think it's selfish to ask people to forgo a chance at their first choice school just to oblige you. Tulane will cost approximately $300,000 + interest when all is said and done, and I am not prepared to give up on the possibility, however small it may be, that UMass will accept me simply to increase your chances. Getting into medical school is a competitive process, and I don't think there is anything wrong with an individual maximizing their own chances.

There are plenty of people who have been accepted at UMass who are competitive enough to have merit scholarships at other schools, but you don't see me exhorting those individuals to go somewhere else in order to increase my chances at UMass. Those people have earned their acceptances, and it is their right to decide where to go as they see fit. Those on the wait-list have also earned their places, and I'm not going to ask them to withdraw so that I can get on the list. We take a lot of pride on this thread in being supportive of each other no matter who has what outcome, and while I (and everyone else) will ultimately act in their own best interests, I would never -- NEVER -- ask someone to give up an acceptance or wait-list position just to make me happy.
 
iheartsnow, my plan is to go to New Orleans in mid-June to sign a lease for July 1 or July 15. If UMass comes through after that point, I suppose I will have to break my lease, but I wouldn't wait much longer than that. I know that schools can technically accept from the wait-list right up until matriculation, but I would guess (and this is my GUESS) that there will not be a huge amount of wait-list movement after mid-June. If it hasn't happened by then, I wouldn't count on it happening at all. At that point, I will happily attend my second-choice, completely-awesome-in-every-way-except-for-the-mind-numbing-COA school.
 
iheartsnow, i think that if youve already gotten into a school that you are really excited about then you should just take that!! feel lucky that you have that option. others on the waitlist have nothing, and would love to be in your position. leave the waitlist for those who really really really want and NEED it!

Along with what Lacheln and virusgirl already said, don't forget that there's a waitlist going at ihearsnow's other school too. Everyone on that list is hoping she will get into UMass and open up another spot at their school.

In the end, there are 150-odd med schools, with 100-whatever seats each, and each of those seats will go to a person who really wants and needs that seat. Whatever IHS decides from this point on, in the end she'll take exactly one of those seats at just one school, and other people will have gotten spots off waitlists at whatever schools she declines acceptances at.

The waiting part of this process sucks, and I do feel for you. But the suggestion that IHS should give up a chance for her numer-one school because she got in somewhere else first is laughable.
 
jka, hoya: congratulations! Very exciting!
 
The theory is this: (and it is just a theory)

When adcom decides to waitlist a batch of people, they won't do them randomly throughout the day, but instead send them out one at a time, in the order you might expect.

So someone with the last name Adams gets a waitlist email at 2pm, everyone freaks out.

At 2:30pm, Ms. Dellerson gets a waitlist email.

At 4:00pm, Mr. Thomas gets a waitlist email, and Mr. Newman knows he probably won't get one that day, since they've already gotten to T.

As jka said, her last name begins with A, and she was the first on the thread to be waitlisted both this year and last. The purpose of the theory is to guess if it's worth continuing to freak out refreshing your email, or if you, like Mr. Newman, have already likely been passed by.

Unlikely it has anything to do with acceptances though, since those seem to be in such teeny batches. Also probably not too relevant anymore, since the huge batch waitlists seem to have already happened.

Make sense?🙂

so wait, are you saying the theory is that it is alphabetically over the course of a day? or it is alphabetically over the course of the month or two the emails are going out? sorry if i'm just being *****ic...
 
so wait, are you saying the theory is that it is alphabetically over the course of a day? or it is alphabetically over the course of the month or two the emails are going out? sorry if i'm just being *****ic...

Just over a day - haha, this is getting so silly. No special secret trickery, I promise. Just, if you had a bunch of people to individually email over the course of an afternoon, and a spreadsheet with their names on it, wouldn't you just make your way down the list?

That's all the alphabetical thing is, nothing so mysterious or exciting 🙂
 
Just over a day - haha, this is getting so silly. No special secret trickery, I promise. Just, if you had a bunch of people to individually email over the course of an afternoon, and a spreadsheet with their names on it, wouldn't you just make your way down the list?

That's all the alphabetical thing is, nothing so mysterious or exciting 🙂

haha, ok. thanks. this process brings out the crazy in all of us! 🙂
 
yikes! didn't mean to get everyone so worked up! i didnt mean to be unsupportive, im just frustrated with the medical school admission process in general. apologies! im actually a nice person, believe it or not 🙂
 
yikes! didn't mean to get everyone so worked up! i didnt mean to be unsupportive, im just frustrated with the medical school admission process in general. apologies! im actually a nice person, believe it or not 🙂

While I wouldn't say it, for the reasons above (I would want to go to my top choice school instead of a lower choice, and so should anyone that really wants to go somewhere too!), I would be lying if I said similar things didn't cross my mind from time to time. Not having anything but waitlist and a non-responsive UMass is pretty stressful.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, it's really helpful.

umass_md. yes i was waitlisted on 4/21. I'll add it to the list (personally, those lists stress me out to no end, but I guess others do find it helpful).
 
Interviewed, No News

virusgirl: GPA - 3.66, MCAT - 33T, interviewed 9/17/08, no decision
rajon: GPA-3.65, MCAT-33, interviewed 10/21/08, no decision
dj02339: interviewed 10/28/08, no decision
rara: interviewed 11/19/08, no decision
rowdy: interviewed 11/19/08, no decision
J515: interviewed 12/9/08, no decision
thompa: GPA - 3.63, MCAT - 35, interviewed 12/9/08, no decision
envirodoc: GPA-3.4, MCAT-27, Re-Applicant, interviewed 12/16/08, no decision
erawka: interviewed 12/16/08, no decision
Silentbull: interviewed 1/28/09, no decision
NorthShoreMD: GPA-3.53, MCAT-28, interviewed 2/3/09, no decision
smdh: interviewed 2/6/09, no decision
Tiptop: interviewed 2/10/09, no decision
tabrazinski: interviewed 10/21/08, no decision
Suenya: interviewed 11/18/08, no decision


Interviewed, Wait-listed

bassplease: interviewed 10/15/09, waitlisted 4/14/09
kpm986: GPA-3.62, MCAT-32, interviewed 10/15/08, waitlisted 5/1
scrubs' friend: interviewed 11/6/09-ish, waitlisted 4/13/09
shanoon1113: interviewed 11/16/09?, waitlisted 4/13/09
bgqks: GPA- 3.54 MCAT-33S interviewed 11/19/08, waitlisted 4/23/09
eleven eleven: interviewed 12/10/08, waitlisted 4/13/09
umass_md: interviewed 1/13/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
stayinalive: interviewed late jan, waitlisted 4/13/09
chocolateMD: interviewed 2/1x/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
MadMnkey: interviewed 2/25/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
IceMD: interviewed ?, waitlisted 4/13/09
stayinalive: interviewed ?, waitlisted 4/13/09
philios: interviewed?, waitlisted 4/13/09
Lolo8507:GPA 3.5 MCAT 33Q interviewed 12/10, waitlisted 4/23
iheartsnow: interviewed 10/1/08, waitlisted 4/21/09

Interviewed, Waitlisted, Accepted

jka: interviewed 10/8/08, waitllisted 4/13/09; undergrad 3.0, post-grad 3.95, 32Q; reapplicant (I: 3/19/08, waitlisted 4/25/08, Rejected 8/08); and size 8 (on a good day); Scorpio; Accepted 4/30
hoyastudent09: interviewed 12/19/08, waitlisted 4/13/09, accepted 4/30

Interviewed, Accepted

linguini: I: 9/16, A: 10/17
Zpiff - I: 9/16; A: 11/21
floffles - I: 9/16 A: 1/23
dtmandell - I: 9/17; A:10/17
AL12S - I: 9/29; A: 11/21
snowflake2 - I: 9/29; A: 11/21
scrubslover: I: 10/21 A: 1/23
ashley51087 - I: 10/22; A: 11/21
SteelCity126 I: 10/28; A: 11/21
dma111 - I:10/?; A: 2/17
bluetango - I:10/?; A: 2/17
Steve16 I:11/18 A:1/23
Lacheln: I:12/? A:3/06
MADocMaybe - GPA: 3.3, MCAT: 32Q, I: 1/14; A: 3/06
majestic red - I: 1/28; A:2/17
skyline42 - I: 3/4 A: 3/13
eelxiv - GPA 3.5, MCAT 32R I: 1/7 A: 2/17
 
Well, if things go this year like they did last year, then some of us should start seeing rejection letters soon... sweet! Good luck to everyone. I think I'm signing off this thread now. If I hear anything I'll throw it up for data collection purposes. It's been a pleasure sort of getting to know some of you!

R
 
Well, if things go this year like they did last year, then some of us should start seeing rejection letters soon... sweet! Good luck to everyone. I think I'm signing off this thread now. If I hear anything I'll throw it up for data collection purposes. It's been a pleasure sort of getting to know some of you!

R

Bye Rowdy!! Come back and visit. And always feel free to drink and post..
 
virusgirl: GPA - 3.66, MCAT - 33T, interviewed 9/17/08, no decision
rajon: GPA-3.65, MCAT-33, interviewed 10/21/08, no decision
dj02339: interviewed 10/28/08, no decision
rara: interviewed 11/19/08, no decision
rowdy: interviewed 11/19/08, no decision
J515: interviewed 12/9/08, no decision
thompa: GPA - 3.63, MCAT - 35, interviewed 12/9/08, no decision
envirodoc: GPA-3.4, MCAT-27, Re-Applicant, interviewed 12/16/08, no decision
erawka: interviewed 12/16/08, no decision
Silentbull: interviewed 1/28/09, no decision
NorthShoreMD: GPA-3.53, MCAT-28, interviewed 2/3/09, no decision
smdh: interviewed 2/6/09, no decision

tabrazinski: interviewed 10/21/08, no decision
Suenya: interviewed 11/18/08, no decision


Interviewed, Wait-listed
Tiptop: interviewed 2/10/09, waitlisted 4/29
bassplease: interviewed 10/15/09, waitlisted 4/14/09
kpm986: GPA-3.62, MCAT-32, interviewed 10/15/08, waitlisted 5/1
scrubs' friend: interviewed 11/6/09-ish, waitlisted 4/13/09
shanoon1113: interviewed 11/16/09?, waitlisted 4/13/09
bgqks: GPA- 3.54 MCAT-33S interviewed 11/19/08, waitlisted 4/23/09
eleven eleven: interviewed 12/10/08, waitlisted 4/13/09
umass_md: interviewed 1/13/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
stayinalive: interviewed late jan, waitlisted 4/13/09
chocolateMD: interviewed 2/1x/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
MadMnkey: interviewed 2/25/09, waitlisted 4/13/09
IceMD: interviewed ?, waitlisted 4/13/09
stayinalive: interviewed ?, waitlisted 4/13/09
philios: interviewed?, waitlisted 4/13/09
Lolo8507:GPA 3.5 MCAT 33Q interviewed 12/10, waitlisted 4/23
iheartsnow: interviewed 10/1/08, waitlisted 4/21/09

Interviewed, Waitlisted, Accepted

jka: interviewed 10/8/08, waitllisted 4/13/09; undergrad 3.0, post-grad 3.95, 32Q; reapplicant (I: 3/19/08, waitlisted 4/25/08, Rejected 8/08); and size 8 (on a good day); Scorpio; Accepted 4/30
hoyastudent09: interviewed 12/19/08, waitlisted 4/13/09, accepted 4/30

Interviewed, Accepted

linguini: I: 9/16, A: 10/17
Zpiff - I: 9/16; A: 11/21
floffles - I: 9/16 A: 1/23
dtmandell - I: 9/17; A:10/17
AL12S - I: 9/29; A: 11/21
snowflake2 - I: 9/29; A: 11/21
scrubslover: I: 10/21 A: 1/23
ashley51087 - I: 10/22; A: 11/21
SteelCity126 I: 10/28; A: 11/21
dma111 - I:10/?; A: 2/17
bluetango - I:10/?; A: 2/17
Steve16 I:11/18 A:1/23
Lacheln: I:12/? A:3/06
MADocMaybe - GPA: 3.3, MCAT: 32Q, I: 1/14; A: 3/06
majestic red - I: 1/28; A:2/17
skyline42 - I: 3/4 A: 3/13
eelxiv - GPA 3.5, MCAT 32R I: 1/7 A: 2/17
 
HUGE CONGRATS to hoya and jka!! 😀 I think this early movement is a great sign for others on the waitlist.

And from a few pages ago (sorry I've been MIA!) it was nice meeting you too virusgirl! Although I didn't realize it either 🙂
 
Well, if things go this year like they did last year, then some of us should start seeing rejection letters soon... sweet! Good luck to everyone. I think I'm signing off this thread now. If I hear anything I'll throw it up for data collection purposes. It's been a pleasure sort of getting to know some of you!

R

Never give up hope 😀
 
Does anyone by any chance have the E-mail address of the admissions office?

Thanks
 
Still waiting.... no news is good news?
Anyone hear anything lately?

I feel like I am in a no news coma... and that letter is coming for me...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T-MBzZNmMA[/youtube]


Oh and CONGRATS JKA AND HOYA!!
 
This week seems quite so far.




A little too quiet...
 
O! Rejection letter, I can feel you getting closer, but I will not believe it! :scared:
 
Just a heads up to those who still have not heard back, I called today and they said all letters were mailed a few days ago, so we should all be hearing from them soon.

Good luck to everyone! 😀
 
This week seems quite so far.




A little too quiet...

Hopefully, the adcom has gotten off their slow butts and are actually meeting this week. I get it, UMass, you've successfully turned me into your little beyatch!!😡 Now hurry up and just decide so that I can have some of my dignity back!!
 
Just a heads up to those who still have not heard back, I called today and they said all letters were mailed a few days ago, so we should all be hearing from them soon.

Good luck to everyone! 😀

Hrm. If it's all letters, that doesn't seem like good news. Aren't only rejections paper mail, and the rest email?
 
Yah I think that means if you havent heard, a letter (rejection) is on the way...at least thats the way it was when i was rejected two years ago. I think accepts/waitlists are by email.
 
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That's exactly what I feared. I was sorta hoping they might waitlist a few more people after the 15th though >.<
 
That's exactly what I feared. I was sorta hoping they might waitlist a few more people after the 15th though >.<

They still might. I'm not holding out too much hope for me, but if you check out last year's thread, you'll see there was a mass rejecting around this time, and then out of the woodwork came all these people who still hadn't heard anything at all. Some of them went on to be accepted closer to the 15th without even a waitlist notice first. Umass works in mysterious ways!

Anyway, I'd say at this point don't bank on a late acceptance, but don't assume you're 100% a goner either. It's not over til we're holding the rejection letters in our hands (which may be soon). Good luck everyone🙂
 
Got my rejection today. Just a word to all who haven't heard its coming. Atleast now I can just move on from all this horribleness. Congrats to those who are going somewhere, and for those who aren't perhaps we will be in a class together someday... Goodbye sdn.
 
Got my rejection today. Just a word to all who haven't heard its coming. Atleast now I can just move on from all this horribleness. Congrats to those who are going somewhere, and for those who aren't perhaps we will be in a class together someday... Goodbye sdn.

I am so sorry smdh. did your status change on the website?
 
no change in the status... got a text from my dad at home saying they got the letter... thanks for all the support
 
no change in the status... got a text from my dad at home saying they got the letter... thanks for all the support

I'm so sorry and my heart goes out to you. I will probably get mine today as well...
 
I'm sorry to hear it smdh. That sucks. 🙁 I know you were a reapp too - there are a lot of people out there who have made it in after multiple tries, go pamper yourself a bit and keep your chin up. 🙂
 
Just called home to get the mail checked: rejected too.
 
Sorry to hear the bad news guys 🙁

I agree completely with what Lacheln said. If becoming a physician is something you are still passionate about even after getting your butt royally kicked by UMass then keep improving your application and try again. I think jka is a great example of what can happen if you stay positive, improve your weak spots, and be persistent in your career goal. Good luck to you guys :luck:
 
So sorry to hear about the rejections 🙁 It is UMASS's loss!
I truly agree with Lancheln and Linguini, stay focused on your goals and aspirations and you will reach them! Best of luck to all!
 
Hey guys just to reiterate... stick with it if you are passionate about it, and you can get in somewhere; even if medicine takes you to a DO school or the caribbean. I applied once, and only had one interview at UMass, got rejected in May, did a Master's Program, reapplied, etc etc....and in the end it only gave me more perspective that this is really what I want to do, and in the end it is something you will keep with you for the rest of your career, because you wont take it for granted.

I know it sucks not getting in now, and its ok to feel disappointed, just dont lose faith, because if you really want it, you will get it, just be persistent and dont let anyone tell you that you cant do it!
 
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