2012-2013 Panic Thread

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So, yesterday was no bueno. Two pre-interview rejections and my first post-interview decision: waitlisted.

There are two things about this process that really depress me: (1) No avenue for academic renewal in AMCAS. I feel like schools might be hesitant to give me a shot because my AMCAS cGPA is well below their average. (2) You can't resubmit for next cycle while holding a spot on any waitlist from this cycle (is this really true??)
 
So, yesterday was no bueno. Two pre-interview rejections and my first post-interview decision: waitlisted.

There are two things about this process that really depress me: (1) No avenue for academic renewal in AMCAS. I feel like schools might be hesitant to give me a shot because my AMCAS cGPA is well below their average. (2) You can't resubmit for next cycle while holding a spot on any waitlist from this cycle (is this really true??)

Oh man I really hope #2 isn't true
 
So, yesterday was no bueno. Two pre-interview rejections and my first post-interview decision: waitlisted.

There are two things about this process that really depress me: (1) No avenue for academic renewal in AMCAS. I feel like schools might be hesitant to give me a shot because my AMCAS cGPA is well below their average. (2) You can't resubmit for next cycle while holding a spot on any waitlist from this cycle (is this really true??)

Really? I thought you could? GW told us to being reapplying for next year even if we're still waitlisted.
 
Well in that case, I really hope it isn't true. I've heard from a couple of different folks (none of them authorities on the matter) that you couldn't reapply while on a waitlist, but it really doesn't make sense to me, considering that many applicants who are waitlisted are victims of late submissions in the first place. Anybody know for sure? I looked around AMCAS but couldn't find anything definitive.
 
My friend was waitlisted last cycle, applied this cycle, and got accepted. So that's not true!
 
Quick google search came up with this and a number of other threads about reapplying while on a waitlist

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=919462

I personally know people who have done this so I know it's possible. It would be ridiculous to have to wait. You do lose the money in the application if you do get accepted, but it's probably worth it to hedge your bets. The thread above talks about how to balance that out too.

Good luck!

My friend was waitlisted last cycle, applied this cycle, and got accepted. So that's not true!

👍 You guys are the best!! And that is fantastic news! Sorry to others for spreading misinformation 😳
 
Well, since we're talking about misleading information, I just heard that if you reapply to the same schools that you were waitlisted/rejected from before, even with an improved application, they won't reconsider you?? Is this true? Any insights?
 
I just got that info from one of the reapplying threads. I didn't think it was true. I really hope not because the three interviews I had were my favorites.
 
Interesting. I took the different approach. I was very engaging with other applicants, and with the faculty and maybe what people would have called a "weirdo." In my opinion, I always felt that the other applicants would be my colleagues one day. I would see them either in medical school, in residency, in my fellowships, or in my work somewhere along the way. I feel interacting with strangers helps show your ability to communicate and interact with people, even if you'll never see that person again.

Who knows, though? You might.

But I definitely see the other side of that argument. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth. Oh well!

Oogie


This brings up a good point. My undergrad hosts an interview weekend for invited applicants to a certain honors program. What many students don't know, is that EVERYONE gets to have input as to whether you're selected. So, if you show poor "people skills" with the receptionist, she has the right to make a notation in your application file. Same with "host students". So, not only do you have to impress those who interview you, you have to demonstrate that you behave well with "the common man" (so to speak).

I don't know if some/any SOMs allow input from others, but that may be the case. If a secretary tells an Adcom that John Doe was rude during phone calls or upon arrival for the interview, that could seal your fate.
 
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This brings up a good point. My undergrad hosts an interview weekend for invited applicants to a certain honors program. What many students don't know, is that EVERYONE gets to have input as to whether you're selected. So, if you show poor "people skills" with the receptionist, she has the right to make a notiation in your application file. Same with "host students". So, not only do you have to impress those who interview you, you have to demonstrate that you behave well with "the common man" (so to speak).

I don't know if some/any SOMs allow input from others, but that may be the case. If a secretary tells an Adcom that John Doe was rude during phone calls or upon arrival for the interview, that could seal your fate.

I remember reading somewhere about somebody who got rejected for being rude to a janitor. Said janitor brought the student's behavior to the adcom's attention and there you go.
 
Poor JD, just had to say that there was a penny stuck in the automatic door to the janitor. Forever sealed his fate.
 
I've been wait listed at five schools and I plan on sending updates to all the schools I've been wait listed at. I have also heard of people requesting second interviews, although this is less common. My friend did this at WVA and got in off the WL. Can anyone else comment on how prevalent this practice is and if its something I should consider doing. Thanks a lot.
 
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:laugh: No, no you're not. I've just calmed down a bit after I accepted that I'll probably be a reapplicant.

Lol, that lasted for about 2 days for me before its calming effect suddenly disappeared.
 
:laugh: No, no you're not. I've just calmed down a bit after I accepted that I'll probably be a reapplicant.

+1. It's sad, because I love all the schools I interviewed at, especially the last two. I just don't feel much hope, seeing as I'm the underdog in GPA/MCAT and if LizzyM is right with her steps analogy I'm pretty much screwed... I feel like the wildcard.

I remember at one of my interviews the Dean had his talk and he looked STRAIGHT AT ME and went "We don't care much about numbers, we understand that people are more than just numbers, and that numbers aren't always the best predictor of med school success."

I remember thinking, "yeah, right." This school has a ridiculously high average GPA and MCAT. I fall below their 10th percentile. I'm OOS and it's a state school. Not keeping my hopes up, but if I get in I would honestly be the happiest person.
 
Just thought I'd throw in my experiences to calm some fears about being a reapplicant. That being said - I AM a successful reapplicant.

1. This depends on the school I'm sure, but, I applied to a lot of the same schools that I was straight up rejected from (pre-interview) last year. I applied to 12 schools last year. This year, I applied to 10 (didn't reapply to other 2) of the same schools plus I added 6 new schools. I got 5 interviews out of the 10 schools I was a reapplicant at, and 2 out of the 6 new ones. If you improve your application, applying again won't hold you back.

2. This isn't my personal experiences, but that of my friends. I know of people who were rejected or waitlisted post-interview from schools last year. They reapplied this year and got interview invites again from the same schools. It definitely happens. Several of them have even been accepted to said schools.

Hopefully this calms some of your fears about [possibly] being a reapplicant! 🙂
 
+1. It's sad, because I love all the schools I interviewed at, especially the last two. I just don't feel much hope, seeing as I'm the underdog in GPA/MCAT and if LizzyM is right with her steps analogy I'm pretty much screwed... I feel like the wildcard.

I remember at one of my interviews the Dean had his talk and he looked STRAIGHT AT ME and went "We don't care much about numbers, we understand that people are more than just numbers, and that numbers aren't always the best predictor of med school success."

I remember thinking, "yeah, right." This school has a ridiculously high average GPA and MCAT. I fall below their 10th percentile. I'm OOS and it's a state school. Not keeping my hopes up, but if I get in I would honestly be the happiest person.

Omg I feel the exact same way. I feel like I was way out of my league at most of these schools and the LizzyM ladder thing straight depressed me. My MCAT is nowhere near their avg. plus I'm international. I hope we can make it through but sometimes the panic is hard to fend off.
 
I remember at one of my interviews the Dean had his talk and he looked STRAIGHT AT ME and went "We don't care much about numbers, we understand that people are more than just numbers, and that numbers aren't always the best predictor of med school success."


That's like the guy who always dates the most beautiful women claiming that he really doesn't care about looks...

It probably would be more honest for that Dean to have said something like, "Yes, stats do matter, but we try to use a holistic approach when determining who we'll accept and who we think will become an excellent physician. We won't just rubber stamp an application just because he's got a 39 MCAT and a 4.0 GPA. We'll take the 31 MCAT, 3.6 GPA student who shines in all the other areas over the top stats student with a bad attitude."
 
Just thought I'd throw in my experiences to calm some fears about being a reapplicant. That being said - I AM a successful reapplicant.

1. This depends on the school I'm sure, but, I applied to a lot of the same schools that I was straight up rejected from (pre-interview) last year. I applied to 12 schools last year. This year, I applied to 10 (didn't reapply to other 2) of the same schools plus I added 6 new schools. I got 5 interviews out of the 10 schools I was a reapplicant at, and 2 out of the 6 new ones. If you improve your application, applying again won't hold you back.

2. This isn't my personal experiences, but that of my friends. I know of people who were rejected or waitlisted post-interview from schools last year. They reapplied this year and got interview invites again from the same schools. It definitely happens. Several of them have even been accepted to said schools.

Hopefully this calms some of your fears about [possibly] being a reapplicant! 🙂

Everyone else will probably just continue on with their conversations, but thank you for stopping by and putting your two cents in. Would you mind sharing what you did to improve your application?
 
Just thought I'd throw in my experiences to calm some fears about being a reapplicant. That being said - I AM a successful reapplicant.

1. This depends on the school I'm sure, but, I applied to a lot of the same schools that I was straight up rejected from (pre-interview) last year. I applied to 12 schools last year. This year, I applied to 10 (didn't reapply to other 2) of the same schools plus I added 6 new schools. I got 5 interviews out of the 10 schools I was a reapplicant at, and 2 out of the 6 new ones. If you improve your application, applying again won't hold you back.

2. This isn't my personal experiences, but that of my friends. I know of people who were rejected or waitlisted post-interview from schools last year. They reapplied this year and got interview invites again from the same schools. It definitely happens. Several of them have even been accepted to said schools.

Hopefully this calms some of your fears about [possibly] being a reapplicant! 🙂
i second this. I have received over twice as many interviews this year as last year- now 7 total (with the SAME mcat score btw) i was totally worried about being a reapplicant just like you all are, and I even started looking into alternate career paths as I prepared my application last summer because I had heard so many negative things about reapplying, but get your apps in early and it will work out the way it's supposed to. GL EVERYONE
 
My grand total this year:

29 secondaries completed
11 invites
1 post-interview rejection
1 post- interview hold
2 post- interview deferred
2 post- interview wait lists
3 post- interview we don't care how many months you wait, keep waiting, and we'll reject you in May

1 interview to attend with very low post- interview acceptance rate

1 post- interview decision coming in late February. Best interview all cycle- may still have a shot. Last chance, essentially.

It's been fun. /sarcasm/
 
My grand total this year:

29 secondaries completed
11 invites
1 post-interview rejection
1 post- interview hold
2 post- interview deferred
2 post- interview wait lists
3 post- interview we don't care how many months you wait, keep waiting, and we'll reject you in May

1 interview to attend with very low post- interview acceptance rate

1 post- interview decision coming in late February. Best interview all cycle- may still have a shot. Last chance, essentially.

It's been fun. /sarcasm/
Wow that's crazy you haven't gotten an acceptance yet with 11 interviews! Hopefully you will get at least one acceptance out of the schools you're waiting to hear from.
 
My grand total this year:

29 secondaries completed
11 invites
1 post-interview rejection
1 post- interview hold
2 post- interview deferred
2 post- interview wait lists
3 post- interview we don't care how many months you wait, keep waiting, and we'll reject you in May

1 interview to attend with very low post- interview acceptance rate

1 post- interview decision coming in late February. Best interview all cycle- may still have a shot. Last chance, essentially.

It's been fun. /sarcasm/

sorry to hear about all the post-interview cr*p.. but still -- 11 interviews..wish i had that.
 
My grand total this year:

29 secondaries completed
11 invites
1 post-interview rejection
1 post- interview hold
2 post- interview deferred
2 post- interview wait lists
3 post- interview we don't care how many months you wait, keep waiting, and we'll reject you in May

1 interview to attend with very low post- interview acceptance rate

1 post- interview decision coming in late February. Best interview all cycle- may still have a shot. Last chance, essentially.

It's been fun. /sarcasm/


What's the difference between a post-interview hold and deferred?

I hope you get some good news soon. Did you apply to a lot of reaches? Are these schools that usually don't make their decisions until March? Does your app have any "issues"?

:luck:
 
Looks like I'm in the waitlist/rejection been at Hofstra as acceptances from right before my interview and 1 week after my interview have come out. There is a lot of waitlist movement at Hofstra. I just wanted a breather!
 
My grand total this year:

26 secondaries completed
11 invites
1 post-interview rejection
1 post- interview hold
2 post- interview deferred
2 post- interview wait lists
3 post- interview we don't care how many months you wait, keep waiting, and we'll reject you in May

1 interview to attend with very low post- interview acceptance rate

1 post- interview decision coming in late February. Best interview all cycle- may still have a shot. Last chance, essentially.

It's been fun. /sarcasm/

Yikes! I feel like my chances are shot with this:

27 schools
26 secondaries
1 pre-secondary rejection
12 pre-interview rejections
10 silences
4 Invites
1 post-interview rejection
2 pending (prediction: rejection and waitlist)
1 interview to go.

I love the schools I interviewed at and I would be happy at any of them, I just want at least one of them to just accept me so that I could start my life!
 
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Yikes! I feel like my chances are shot with this:

25 schools
4 IIs
1 post-interview rejection
2 pending (prediction: rejection and waitlist)
1 interview to go.

I love the schools I interviewed at and I would be happy at any of them, I just want at least one of them to just accept me so that I could start my life!

There are always worse off that you. I'm in the same boat, minus the one interview to go, and my post interview is a WL (only 3ii total).

I also know that there are others with 1ii. I just need to be happy with what I got and the fact that I have a shot even as a very late applicant.
 
WL from first of three top 20 schools @_@. Terribleeee first interview, so not expected (the fact it's not a rejection makes me excited...)
 
14 schools
4 II
1 post interview rejection
2 silences
1 still to go to

I really don't interview well. Tell it to me straight guys what are my chances of having to reapply
 
14 schools
4 II
1 post interview rejection
2 silences
1 still to go to

I really don't interview well. Tell it to me straight guys what are my chances of having to reapply

I would say focus on your last interview. Just remember, they invite you to an interview because they already like you. Stay positive, you got this!
 
I will jump in.

20 schools
5 II (1 more pending; AdCom at the school told me they just haven't scheduled it yet)
I turned down 1 II - This was probably a mistake, I know, but I couldn't see myself attending, and the flight tickets, and so on would have been expensive
3 waitlists
1 more to go (This one is next week. I am really nervous about it since I really like the school. One nice thing is that this school is known for making decisions quickly.)

To sum it up: It has been a lot of waiting and some more waiting, and, you said it, even more waiting.
 
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16 schools
15 secondaries
1 pre-secondary rejection
2 pre-interview rejections

3 IIs
2 WLs
1 pending :xf:

*sigh*
 
Ugh

10 schools
10 secondaries
2 pre-interview rejections
6 silent
2 IIs
1 interview pending (should know next week - 75% acceptance rate! :xf:)
1 interview in two weeks
 
9 schools
9 secondaries
4 pre interview rejections
2 silences
3 interviews

:scared:
 
Well, as of yesterday I am officially waiting for a spot on the wait list. At least I will know within a month if I am on the wait list. Then I have to wait another month or two in order to know which tier.

On the bright side, I got a DO interview invite yesterday and the confirmation email stated they accept a very high percentage of those they interview. So I am 2 for 3 as far as DO school interviews and I should hear from the third school this week if I am getting an interview. So I feel that I will be attending medical school next fall but I have no idea which school, which degree, or which part of the country, for that matter.
 
24 schools
23 secondaries
4 interviews
1 post interview rejection
3 silence post interview
12 rejections pre interview
6 silence pre interview

Wow, you're almost like my app-twin... (I just have 4 more silences than you).
 
31 Secondaries
11 Rejections
2 Pre-Interview holds
17 Silence
1 Interview (from a highly ranked school...???)
- missed the first few rounds of acceptance at this school and probably gonna be waitlisted in March

Didn't think I had any serious problems in my app, but obviously I was wrong...

Do I win? 😳 🙁 👎 :laugh:
 
15 top-10 schools
17 secondaries
5 auto-interviews pre-secondary submission
20 more interviews
accepted everywhere

Hang in there everyone, it looks like most of you with multiple wait lists have a good shot of getting in. I'm on the waitlist at my top choice so I feel your collective pain. Stay strong fellow panic-ers (panickers?)!
 
20 US schools (top heavy)
2 pre-secondary rejections
18 secondaries
6 rejections pre-interview
11 silence pre-interview
1 interview
1 post-interview decision pending

4 Canadian schools
2 pre-interview rejections
1 interview-invite decision pending
1 interview invite
 
15 top-10 schools
17 secondaries
5 auto-interviews pre-secondary submission
20 more interviews
accepted everywhere

Hang in there everyone, it looks like most of you with multiple wait lists have a good shot of getting in. I'm on the waitlist at my top choice so I feel your collective pain. Stay strong fellow panic-ers (panickers?)!

dang homie beasting it this year. am i reading things right? 25 interviews? haha
 
40 Primaries
34 secondaries
18 rejections
16 silences
2 II
1 II Waitlist/reject (will know in March) the other I haven't attended
 
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