2009-2010 Stanford Application Thread

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it happens. i was interviewed at a couple of "top 10" schools and didn't get in anywhere either when i applied.

did you apply "broadly" at all? or just top schools? it's just, getting an interview at stanford is very tough, just like mayo. seems like if you get to that step, you've got something great going for you. to be shutout then seems impossible
 
did you apply "broadly" at all? or just top schools? it's just, getting an interview at stanford is very tough, just like mayo. seems like if you get to that step, you've got something great going for you. to be shutout then seems impossible

i'd say that i could have applied a little more broadly than i did (which i'm doing this time around). it wasn't like i only applied at top schools though. i ended up on several waitlists and none of them ended up working out.
 
i'd say that i could have applied a little more broadly than i did (which i'm doing this time around). it wasn't like i only applied at top schools though. i ended up on several waitlists and none of them ended up working out.

(that said i think that my story is not super common, though i've seen others post like robocop that have had impressive interviews that are reapplying this year)
 
how did you manage to get an interview at stanford and then not get in anywhere? not trying to be mean, just a little worried if this is common.


Maybe because I am also applying as an international student? I did interview at Stanford and another top 10 school (tied with Stanford this year at number 6 on US News) and got waitlisted by both of them. I also did apply very broadly, from top 10 all the way down to unranked schools. Even my premed advisor said he has never seen anything like this. For this cycle, I was complete at most schools by late August and already received 7 rejections. The best news for me is an LOR request from Mayo and that's it. Right now, I just want to get into A med school.
 
(that said i think that my story is not super common, though i've seen others post like robocop that have had impressive interviews that are reapplying this year)

Thank you TheFreak now at least I know someone who was in the same boat as me last cycle. How is your application going so far this year? Better luck this time around?
 
Maybe because I am also applying as an international student? I did interview at Stanford and another top 10 school (tied with Stanford this year at number 6 on US News) and got waitlisted by both of them. I also did apply very broadly, from top 10 all the way down to unranked schools. Even my premed advisor said he has never seen anything like this. For this cycle, I was complete at most schools by late August and already received 7 rejections. The best news for me is an LOR request from Mayo and that's it. Right now, I just want to get into A med school.

thats rough man. good luck. keep us posted on things - im definitely rooting for you.
 
Maybe because I am also applying as an international student? I did interview at Stanford and another top 10 school (tied with Stanford this year at number 6 on US News) and got waitlisted by both of them. I also did apply very broadly, from top 10 all the way down to unranked schools. Even my premed advisor said he has never seen anything like this. For this cycle, I was complete at most schools by late August and already received 7 rejections. The best news for me is an LOR request from Mayo and that's it. Right now, I just want to get into A med school.

chill..i wasn't trying to me mean. just curious
 
Thank you TheFreak now at least I know someone who was in the same boat as me last cycle. How is your application going so far this year? Better luck this time around?

yeah it definitely is nice to know there are others out there. we can take this to pm so we dont take over this thread, but this cycle is going fairly well so far for me.
 
chill..i wasn't trying to me mean. just curious

sorry JasonE if my post seems confrontational. I figured I would just give out my profile a bit to see if anyone else was in the same boat as me last cycle.
 
chill..i wasn't trying to me mean. just curious

Why does he need to chill? I didn't see any hint of anger in his response. Poor guy is trying to get into med school a second time and gave a genuine answer to your question.

Edit: Also, how is there anyone already worried their application is done for? You're applying to easily one of the most competitive medical schools in the country. It's been a month and a half since the secondary was released. Like 5 people have gotten interviews. If you're already panicking, I hate to think how much stress you're going to feel during the rest of the process, medical school, residency and beyond.
 
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was my mistake. ppl can read into things differently when its just text. of course i feel bad for the guy, thats a lot to go through. most ppl i know who are international didnt even bother to apply to med school because the odds are so stacked against you.
 
it happens. i was interviewed at a couple of "top 10" schools and didn't get in anywhere either when i applied.

Maybe because I am also applying as an international student? I did interview at Stanford and another top 10 school (tied with Stanford this year at number 6 on US News) and got waitlisted by both of them. I also did apply very broadly, from top 10 all the way down to unranked schools. Even my premed advisor said he has never seen anything like this. For this cycle, I was complete at most schools by late August and already received 7 rejections. The best news for me is an LOR request from Mayo and that's it. Right now, I just want to get into A med school.

This stuff really scares me =(

I am an international student too and have been lucky to have some interviews this cycle but all schools that I have been to assume that I will get in somewhere else. I just went for an interview today where the guy was super nice to me, I loved the interview but at the end he was like "where else did you get interviews from?" and then said I would get in some other place so why would I go to his school. I answered as best as I could but this seems to happen to me a lot.

Now reading these posts about waitlists despite interviewing makes me sad.

Good Luck to you both! I am sure you are great applicants and will do well. keep hanging in there.
 
This stuff really scares me =(

I am an international student too and have been lucky to have some interviews this cycle but all schools that I have been to assume that I will get in somewhere else. I just went for an interview today where the guy was super nice to me, I loved the interview but at the end he was like "where else did you get interviews from?" and then said I would get in some other place so why would I go to his school. I answered as best as I could but this seems to happen to me a lot.

Now reading these posts about waitlists despite interviewing makes me sad.

Good Luck to you both! I am sure you are great applicants and will do well. keep hanging in there.

thanks dude. you too. just hang in there.
 
But truebelief, from your mdapp, all the schools that you have attended interviews or even invited you for interviews are top schools. I don't understand how they could have said "but you are going to get in some other (better??) places." I am an international student, too. (actually we have very similar story, Boston rejection, penn state hold, mayo and harvard invite, etc....But now I am starting to get worried, too.🙁


This stuff really scares me =(

I am an international student too and have been lucky to have some interviews this cycle but all schools that I have been to assume that I will get in somewhere else. I just went for an interview today where the guy was super nice to me, I loved the interview but at the end he was like "where else did you get interviews from?" and then said I would get in some other place so why would I go to his school. I answered as best as I could but this seems to happen to me a lot.

Now reading these posts about waitlists despite interviewing makes me sad.

Good Luck to you both! I am sure you are great applicants and will do well. keep hanging in there.
 
But truebelief, from your mdapp, all the schools that you have attended interviews or even invited you for interviews are top schools. I don't understand how they could have said "but you are going to get in some other (better??) places." I am an international student, too. (actually we have very similar story, Boston rejection, penn state hold, mayo and harvard invite, etc....But now I am starting to get worried, too.🙁

precisely my point. PM me if you want to discuss specifics about these particular schools. I didn't think posting specific details on forums would be appropriate.
 
So I got an interview from USC and sent Stanford an "in the area" e-mail. This morning the interview manager sent me an e-mail asking "What is the purpose of your visit in California?" Basically, what is the purpose of asking this question..................? Should I say I want to spend my thanksgiving weekend in LA or that I have an interview in California, both of which are true 🙂 ? Are they trying to make sure you have legitimate reasons to be in Cali or are they going to be unhappy if you are in the area for another interview?
 
I'd go with honesty. If they want to interview you they must know that other schools do too.

I second this. I also tend to think that if you tell them you are going there just to spend your thanksgiving it might be a little strange. Tell them both reasons and mention the name of the school you are interviewing at.
Good Luck!
 
I'd go with honesty. If they want to interview you they must know that other schools do too.

I was told by my 4th year med friend who worked on the adcom at her school, to drop the names of the schools that you are interviewing at. they may even call the schools to make sure. so yea, say USC invited you.
 
Any news from Stanford so far? Have they actually started interviews? I was complete 8/14.....still waiting for so many schools....
 
Any news from Stanford so far? Have they actually started interviews? I was complete 8/14.....still waiting for so many schools....

I'm in the same boat. Been waiting since the beginning of August and I haven't heard anything!
 
Any news from Stanford so far? Have they actually started interviews? I was complete 8/14.....still waiting for so many schools....

Yes, Stanford is in its third week of interviews right now. The school moves pretty slowly and deliberately in terms of inviting applicants for interviews. So far, each interview day has only had about 1-3 people. Gotta be patient waiting for this school!
 
Got an interview invite this week after sending an in the area email last week! I was complete mid-August. Can't wait to go to CA!!!
 
+1. I feel like the west coast hates me🙁

there's a premed tutor at my school who claims that stanford brings the east coasters out for interviews in january to woo them with the awesome weather 😀

plus pharaoh you've got some *amazing* interviews, chin up
 
there's a premed tutor at my school who claims that stanford brings the east coasters out for interviews in january to woo them with the awesome weather 😀

plus pharaoh you've got some *amazing* interviews, chin up

Haha I know jla. It's just that I love CA. If anything I'd love to visit for a weekend in the late fall/winter. Winter weather in the Midwest is a NIGHTMARE!

BTW, you have some phenomenal interviews yourself.
 
there's a premed tutor at my school who claims that stanford brings the east coasters out for interviews in january to woo them with the awesome weather 😀

plus pharaoh you've got some *amazing* interviews, chin up

Haha, Bay Area weather isn't 70 and sunny year round, it actually gets really cool and wet up here, but thats why I love it. Still nothing compared to the hell of winter most of the country sees.
 
Haha, Bay Area weather isn't 70 and sunny year round, it actually gets really cool and wet up here, but thats why I love it. Still nothing compared to the hell of winter most of the country sees.

lol if it isn't below freezing, i don't call it winter 🙂

what does it get down to in cali? 50? 😀
 
actually, i've hit 45 degrees before

haha honestly, it's never that cold here but it does rain a lot. i think one march it rained 28/31 days... and i'm not exaggerating
 
actually, i've hit 45 degrees before

haha honestly, it's never that cold here but it does rain a lot. i think one march it rained 28/31 days... and i'm not exaggerating

But Palo Alto's inland-ness makes it much warmer/sunnier than SF, doesn't it? When I visited it went from about 80 and sunny with a light breeze at Stanford to 50, foggy, and blustery when I arrived in the Mission District. Had to pull clothes out of the suitcase just to survive the cold! 😛
 
anyone know the best way to get to Stanford from SFO?
 
anyone know the best way to get to Stanford from SFO?

You can save youself time and possibly money by renting a car at SFO and driving...could be worth a cost comparison. Can take 30 minutes - 45 minutes to drive, depending on traffic of course.
 
take the BART to Millbrae, and then the Caltrain from Millbrae to Palo Alto, and then the Marguerite (Stanford Free Shuttle) to get to wherever you need to be on campus.

looked this up. $8.45 and no headache of driving. we have a winner. thanks a lot
 
My sister went here and the weather is very nice. You are not going to be unhappy once you lived here. The campus is very clean and well kept. The people that attend Stanford is incredibly gifted and seem to be very happy. It is my school of choice but I have to wait and see until next cycle.🙂
 
I've had my application completed since mid August and I haven't heard a word from them... does this mean that they don't want to interview me? I feel like they're interviewing people who applied later than August... 😕
 
My sister went here and the weather is very nice. You are not going to be unhappy once you lived here. The campus is very clean and well kept. The people that attend Stanford is incredibly gifted and seem to be very happy. It is my school of choice but I have to wait and see until next cycle.🙂

Stanford is absolutely beautiful. I am doing my masters here and I am hoping to stay here for medical school. I'm from so cal so it's nice to have some kind of seasons. I hope stanford loves me as much as I love them!!!
 
Haha, Bay Area weather isn't 70 and sunny year round, it actually gets really cool and wet up here, but thats why I love it. Still nothing compared to the hell of winter most of the country sees.

in palo alto, its 70 and sunny a lot of the time. its not like berkeley at all
 
is stanford planning on interviewing anymore?! what is taking them so long :scared:
 
is stanford planning on interviewing anymore?! what is taking them so long :scared:

Well I think they interview until April, interview a total of < 500 applicants, and only invite 1-3 ppl per day so I think we may be waiting a while...
 
Yea, I just interviewed yesterday. 2 of us. So it'll take a while, but it works out well.
 
Yea, I just interviewed yesterday. 2 of us. So it'll take a while, but it works out well.


Jolt21 you have incredible interview invites! Makes me feel like a loser. What'd you do? Build free clinics in Africa? Publish 349383984 papers in cell?
 
Yea, I just interviewed yesterday. 2 of us. So it'll take a while, but it works out well.

Yeah, man. Congrats on all the sick interviews! So what did you think of Stanford?!?
 
Also, does anyone know how long Stanford's interview season runs? I heard it goes as far as April but I almost can't believe that that's true...
 
Congrats, how'd you like it? My friends seem to LOVE it at Stanford.
Yeah, man. Congrats on all the sick interviews! So what did you think of Stanford?!?
it's incredible. absolutely ridiculous. i was more impressed than i was at harvard
Jolt21 you have incredible interview invites! Makes me feel like a loser. What'd you do? Build free clinics in Africa? Publish 349383984 papers in cell?
lol, thanks. nah, just take it easy and live life
 
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