Hey guys!
Man, crappy day today I guess. This is my official cheer-up post.
To those of you coming here: congrats! I've seen a few interviewees around and it's sort of a surreal experience. Come to our lectures! And if a particularly annoying, chatty, chipper first year comes to talk to you, you can assume it's me 😉. Oh and thanks to the SDNer that told me he applied because of me at his interview! I was totally honored.
Now, to those of you who have gotten bad news:
first of all, I'm sorry. While people who are not in this process can't understand why it really sucks to receive a rejection (especially your first one), I do. You get so psyched about applying, and hear so many great things about a school, and imagine yourself there, and then they just go and stomp on your heart (although hey, look at it this way, at least Vandy didn't take your money first!). Unfortunately, for 99% of us, that's part of the process. And to be honest, looking back, it's sort of the most important part. A lot of the people who apply to and expect to get into schools of the Vandy caliber are the same people who haven't gotten a B since the fifth grade and who can't fathom a world in which they don't get something they have worked for. There's nothing wrong with that, if you put in the work, you should get the results. However, things dont always work out that way. It's not personal. It really DOESN'T mean that they don't think you'll be a great doctor. They just don't see you in their particular school, for whatever reason.
And what you really have to think about, then, is that if they don't think you belong at that particular school, it means you don't. Period. Forget all the thoughts you had of yourself wearing the school colors, and all the stuff you've heard from people that made you think it'd be the bestest school ever for you. The admission people know who they're looking for, and if you're not it, it means you wouldn't belong with the other people they're picking as well. I promise you this is the case. Admission people aren't sadistic psychopaths trying to make everyone suffer, nor are they trying to create a totally homogeneous class. They are trying to create a sort of amalgamate that has to be just right, and if you don't fit, it doesn't mean you're stupid.
So, buck up. Those of you with a few interviews already: count your blessings and SERIOUSLY, quit whining. There are people out there with no interviews at all who'd die to be in the position of having received their first rejection (from vandy of all places) after a few interviews. Those of you who don't have interviews yet: it's SO early. So very very early. There is still tons of time for you to hear back from tons of schools. Breathe. This is a marathon. Do what you have to do, present yourself as well as you possibly can, and when you get your first interview, have a good attitude, smile, and be nice. Don't fall for schools you haven't interviewed at, it's just pointless. Enjoy the fact that you're THIS close to doing what you've always wanted to do while lots of people haven't even made it this far.
Good luck to all!
Were you in the 7/14 email or 8/4 email group??
everybody!
