2012-2013 Panic Thread

[Trauma Triad]

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We have very similar stats, experiences (and you have more leadership no doubt)! You'll get some love from NY soon enough. I'm just sitting on silences from all of my california schools.

Sorry about the Cali silence man, I hear that can be super rough, I feel like maybe we just have to endure a little more pain before things get better, hopefully some of my schools are just going through by submission date and I am at the bottom of some piles, idk

 

[theherowedeserv]

Everyday, I die just a little bit more.

 

[drscholls]

Everyday, I die just a little bit more.

Every day I get a little bit closer to carpal tunnel syndrome from clicking ctr+R 1000 times.

 

[askamsky51]

Every day I get a little bit closer to carpal tunnel syndrome from clicking ctr+R 1000 times.

F5 works just as well... less dexterity involved too.

 

[Snegopady]

Rowan's masterpiece:

Dear [name],

Thank you for your interest in our program. As you know, the medical school applications process is highly competitive, and each medical school receives an extremely large number of applications. You will not be granted an interview with our Admissions Committee. We understand your disappointment, and we wish to inform you that our decisions are not made on any individual datum. Each full AMCAS and secondary application is screened for many indicators of success, readiness, and fit with our mission. We do not turn any applicant away lightly, as we understand the level of preparation you have put into this stage of your education.
We appreciate your inquiries into our program, and wish you the best in your future career.

With best wishes,

--I'm not sure which is worse, their apparent lack of caring or their terrible attempt at the use of the word "datum." 👎

Compare that to BU:

Dear Mr/Ms. [Last Name],
The Committee on Admissions of Boston University School of Medicine has completed its review of your application. It is with great regret that I inform you that we will be unable to offer an interview this year. This is a disappointment, as much for those who are responsible for the decision as it may be for you, the candidate who is turned away.

Most of the candidates we are considering this year are qualified to attend medical school and are likely to make important contributions to our profession and to society. Sadly, with more than 100 applicants for every seat in the class, we are forced to deny many exceptional people.

We acknowledge and respect your accomplishments and recognize that our inability to offer you an opportunity to complete the admissions process is a loss for Boston University. Please accept our best wishes for all your future endeavors.
Sincerely,

--note how much better this is! I felt awful about being rejected but this letter made me feel like they still thought I deserved to go somewhere and be a physician. 👍

At least Rowan tried. U Chicago's reply was just "The committee has finished its review and has decided not to pursue your application any further."

You're a great school but I would have appreciated a thank you at least. But hey that's just me...

 

[PreMedOrDead]

At least Rowan tried. U Chicago's reply was just "The committee has finished its review and has decided not to pursue your application any further."

You're a great school but I would have appreciated a thank you at least. But hey that's just me...

I'm fine with:

Dear [Applicant],

Thanks for the $$, but we've decided not to interview you.

Peace, yo.
XXX Medical School Admissions

As long as they're quick about it, it doesn't matter how they generically inform me that I'm not suited for their school. Everyone gets the same email, and when it comes down to it they still don't think you're what it takes (numbers, ECs, interest, personality, etc) to go to their school. I guess I don't need it to be all touchy-feely. 😕

 

[Procyon]

I think a copy pasta is in order so that we can all gauge just how terrible they are. 😀

Haha, it was through a snail mail, I'll have to dig up the letter when I get home. Basically they labeled me an "uncompetitive applicant" or something like that. Thanks, dudes.

 

[Wassupboy]

I'm fine with:

Dear [Applicant],

Thanks for the $$, but we've decided not to interview you.

Peace, yo.
XXX Medical School Admissions

As long as they're quick about it, it doesn't matter how they generically inform me that I'm not suited for their school. Everyone gets the same email, and when it comes down to it they still don't think you're what it takes (numbers, ECs, interest, personality, etc) to go to their school. I guess I don't need it to be all touchy-feely. 😕

True but you mentioned being fine with a thank you which is also fine by me. I agree with previous poster that it rubs one the wrong way if the school neglects to even say that. Basic courtesy no?

 

[Wassupboy]

Haha, it was through a snail mail, I'll have to dig up the letter when I get home. Basically they labeled me an "uncompetitive applicant" or something like that. Thanks, dudes.

I would love to see what they have to say. Put it up here once you get the chance. Thx

 

[doctorwho101]

I'm fine with:

Dear [Applicant],

Thanks for the $$, but we've decided not to interview you.

Peace, yo.
XXX Medical School Admissions

As long as they're quick about it, it doesn't matter how they generically inform me that I'm not suited for their school. Everyone gets the same email, and when it comes down to it they still don't think you're what it takes (numbers, ECs, interest, personality, etc) to go to their school. I guess I don't need it to be all touchy-feely. 😕

Personally, it takes the sting out the rejection a little if I feel like I got a fair shake from the adcom. This is a deeply personal process where you ask strangers to consider your potential for your future, where you talk about your failures and why you should be allowed to fulfill your dreams, and I take offense at the idea that the school couldn't be bothered to acknowledge the overall investment you put into the process (especially if it's just a form letter that they plan on sending out to every rejected person--seriously, it is worth the ten minutes it should take to make it not horrible). I also take umbrage at schools like Cooper that pretend that they care but you know from how they rejected you that they just skimmed your app to reject you faster.

I suppose that, practically, it doesn't matter whether there's even a pretense of empathy but it humanizes the process. I feel like a generic "thanks but nope" letter would just make it seem like I was never considered a person who could become a physician but a series of numbers. Given the number of numerically lower applicants who get accepted every year, I like to think that there's a truly holistic review of applications.

Having said all that, I definitely prefer alacrity to compassion. I have exactly zero patience for adcoms that made their decision about me in three weeks and won't say anything to me/give me false hope by placing me on in a holding pattern with no intention of interviewing me.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

I'm fine with:

Dear [Applicant],

Thanks for the $$, but we've decided not to interview you.

Peace, yo.
XXX Medical School Admissions

As long as they're quick about it, it doesn't matter how they generically inform me that I'm not suited for their school. Everyone gets the same email, and when it comes down to it they still don't think you're what it takes (numbers, ECs, interest, personality, etc) to go to their school. I guess I don't need it to be all touchy-feely. 😕

Personally, it takes the sting out the rejection a little if I feel like I got a fair shake from the adcom. This is a deeply personal process where you ask strangers to consider your potential for your future, where you talk about your failures and why you should be allowed to fulfill your dreams, and I take offense at the idea that the school couldn't be bothered to acknowledge the overall investment you put into the process (especially if it's just a form letter that they plan on sending out to every rejected person--seriously, it is worth the then minutes it should take to make it not horrible). I also take umbrage at schools like Cooper that pretend that they care but you know from how they rejected you that they just skimmed your app to reject you faster.

I suppose that, practically, it doesn't matter whether there's even a pretense of empathy but it humanizes the process. I feel like a generic "thanks but nope" letter would just make it seem like I was never considered a person who could become a physician but a series of numbers. Given the number of numerically lower applicants who get accepted every year, I like to think that there's a truly holistic review of applications.

Having said all that, I definitely prefer alacrity to compassion. I have exactly zero patience for adcoms that made their decision about me in three weeks and won't say anything to me/give me false hope by placing me on in a holding pattern with no intention of interviewing me.

Brad Pitt from Moneyball:

"Would you rather take one bullet to the head versus five bullets to the chest and bleed to death?"

I guess it depends on the applicant, but in the end "compassion" in the letter with the same result will make you feel the same.

So I agree with you guys.

 

[Irish Football]

^The book was so much better than the movie. Both really good though.

 

[Batman MD]

So I am not panicking, but I do have a situation that I feel needs to be addressed (it's somewhat my fault). I was running through my applications, checking to see if anyone had any silent changes and noticed that one school had a communication history of sending an email of completion. I never received that email. I checked my spam folder and found three completion emails, but my spam folder only goes back 30 days before the emails get deleted. I know I should have taken more care setting up contacts for each school, but now what should I do? Some of my schools don't have online update profiles. Woof.

 

[Ravizzle]

U can always call schools and check up on the status!

Sent from my Galaxy S2

 

[Batman MD]

U can always call schools and check up on the status!

Sent from my Galaxy S2

Most of the schools request that we don't contact in regards to status updates though! Bleh.

 

[SilverCat]

Is this rejection letter personalized enough for all of you wanting better rejection letters?

Dear Applicant,

Your application is awful. There is no way we would ever consider you as a member of our med school class, and we're sure this comes a disappointment to you. Wait, it doesn't; knowing how bad your application is, you should have expected this.

Rest assured we gave your application thorough consideration. We chuckled at your pathetic MCAT scores and grades; we snickered as we skimmed through your EC descriptions. You spent a month on a medical mission trip? Ha! We have fifty candidates who lived in Africa for ten years and and spent 80 hours a week feeding AIDS orphans. You did research for a year? We have twenty other applicants who are currently publishing papers in Nature on their cures for cancer.

You can imagine the laughter at our adcom meetings as we read your personal statement--its grammatical errors and trite cliches were hilarious. We're re-reading it at every meeting for the comedy value--it serves to brighten our dismal day.

We wish you the best in your future endeavors. We're confident there's some McDonald's restaurant that will hire you if all else fails--which it looks like it might, just seeing how terrible of person you are.

Best regards,

Scumbag School of Medicine

P.S. Thank you for submitting your 200$ secondary payment.

 

[Ravizzle]

Most of the schools request that we don't contact in regards to status updates though! Bleh.

U can let them know u have problems with email going to spam and just realized.

Sent from my Galaxy S2

 

[Irish Football]

Is this rejection letter personalized enough for all of you wanting better rejection letters?

Dear Applicant,

Your application is awful. There is no way we would ever consider you as a member of our med school class, and we're sure this comes a disappointment to you. Wait, it doesn't; knowing how bad your application is, you should have expected this.

Rest assured we gave your application thorough consideration. We chuckled at your pathetic MCAT scores and grades; we snickered as we skimmed through your EC descriptions. You spent a month on a medical mission trip? Ha! We have fifty candidates who lived in Africa for ten years and and spent 80 hours a week feeding AIDS orphans. You did research for a year? We have twenty other applicants who are currently publishing papers in Nature on their cures for cancer.

You can imagine the laughter at our adcom meetings as we read your personal statement--its grammatical errors and trite cliches were hilarious. We're re-reading it at every meeting for the comedy value--it serves to brighten our dismal day.

We wish you the best in your future endeavors. We're confidant there's some McDonald's restaurant that will hire you if all else fails--which it looks like it might, just seeing how terrible of person you are.

Best regards,

Scumbag School of Medicine

P.S. Thank you for submitting your 200$ secondary payment.

Haha, this is great!

 

[leeyuhang]

Sorry about the Cali silence man, I hear that can be super rough, I feel like maybe we just have to endure a little more pain before things get better, hopefully some of my schools are just going through by submission date and I am at the bottom of some piles, idk

haha for sure. if it makes you feel better I completed around the same time as you for all of my schools and im still waiting to hear back from... 29!

 

[Raiden2012]

Is this rejection letter personalized enough for all of you wanting better rejection letters?

Dear Applicant,

Your application is awful. There is no way we would ever consider you as a member of our med school class, and we're sure this comes a disappointment to you. Wait, it doesn't; knowing how bad your application is, you should have expected this.

Rest assured we gave your application thorough consideration. We chuckled at your pathetic MCAT scores and grades; we snickered as we skimmed through your EC descriptions. You spent a month on a medical mission trip? Ha! We have fifty candidates who lived in Africa for ten years and and spent 80 hours a week feeding AIDS orphans. You did research for a year? We have twenty other applicants who are currently publishing papers in Nature on their cures for cancer.

You can imagine the laughter at our adcom meetings as we read your personal statement--its grammatical errors and trite cliches were hilarious. We're re-reading it at every meeting for the comedy value--it serves to brighten our dismal day.

We wish you the best in your future endeavors. We're confidant there's some McDonald's restaurant that will hire you if all else fails--which it looks like it might, just seeing how terrible of person you are.

Best regards,

Scumbag School of Medicine

P.S. Thank you for submitting your 200$ secondary payment.

Lol brilliant. Spelling error for "confident" though. If I were an applicant to scumbag school, I would have replied with "At least my spelling is above 1st grade level." Thanks for the hilarity!

 

[adrogen]

.

 

[SilverCat]

Lol brilliant. Spelling error for "confident" though. If I were an applicant to scumbag school, I would have replied with "At least my spelling is above 1st grade level." Thanks for the hilarity!

Lol, embarrassing. I'm such a grammar nazi, too! These four finals really have fried my brain.

 

[sinombre]

Complete lat aug/early sept for most schools. It has been around 2 months now... 1 II, 1R and nothing else from 20+ schools. What do y'all think...?

In the wise words of Cheechoo:

 

[adrogen]

I've been at this party for way too long!

 

[sinombre]

I've been at this party for way too long!

Seriously. On the bright side, I've been finding really creative ways to waste time.

 

[adrogen]

It's hard to relax and I find it hard to get my mind off med school business >_>. Sigh...

 

[AtlasCarraway]

Silence from my top 2 schools despite being at the first interview day for each. Wait listed at my last choice safety school. This is frustrating.

 

[drscholls]

Panic panic panic panic panic

cute joke

panic panic panic

Sees someone get an ii from a school I'm waiting to hear from

panic panic panic panic

 

[williamiv4]

Panic panic panic panic panic

cute joke

panic panic panic

Sees someone get an ii from a school I'm waiting to hear from

panic panic panic panic

Story of our lives

 

[Fivo]

Silence from my top 2 schools despite being at the first interview day for each. Wait listed at my last choice safety school. This is frustrating.

This is exactly what I'm afraid of My panic will remain until an acceptance is in hand!

 

[wizedw]

Silence from my top 2 schools despite being at the first interview day for each. Wait listed at my last choice safety school. This is frustrating.

Heard back from 4 schools. 3 wait lists and a rejection. 🙁

 

[Maxine450]

If I applied to 28 schools, and was rejected from 8, two interviews, how feasible is it that I will get additional interviews after being complete late July - mid August? Is it possible that I'll only get 2 interviews this whole cycle? Does that happen? I wish people who have done this before would weigh in.

 

[stolen_biscuit]

If I applied to 28 schools, and was rejected from 8, two interviews, how feasible is it that I will get additional interviews after being complete late July - mid August? Is it possible that I'll only get 2 interviews this whole cycle? Does that happen? I wish people who have done this before would weigh in.

I was complete about that time and thought I was done, but I got another interview (state school) this morning. It made me feel much more optimistic (I'm sure that will quickly wear off)...maybe it really is too early to worry, like everyone keeps telling me. My last ii was in August or the first week of September, so there was a huge gap!

I'm sure it happens, but I don't think you are doomed yet.

 

[mtou]

3.9 + gpa 37 mcat 🙂) complete around mid-august, but still no II!

just posting this to contribute to this threadddddd

 

[SilverCat]

3.9 + gpa 37 mcat 🙂) complete around mid-august, but still no II!

just posting this to contribute to this threadddddd

Wow. What is wrong with this cycle?😕

 

[ACal]

Wow. What is wrong with this cycle?😕

Schools are just tooooooo slowwwwww

 

[Fivo]

Guys. My life has been threatened over posting in this thread (not srs). But isn't this thread for anyone that basically hasn't received an acceptance anywhere? I mean, if you have 1 interview, are you no longer allowed to post here? 2 interviews? Where does it end? When I see guys/girls that had 3 or 4 interviews and got waitlisted or rejected from all of them, it makes me panic. Please guys and girls, your definition of panic may be different, so please don't turn anyone away. That is all 😎

 

[cheechootrain]

Guys. My life has been threatened over posting in this thread (not srs). But isn't this thread for anyone that basically hasn't received an acceptance anywhere? I mean, if you have 1 interview, are you no longer allowed to post here? 2 interviews? Where does it end? When I see guys/girls that had 3 or 4 interviews and got waitlisted or rejected from all of them, it makes me panic. Please guys and girls, your definition of panic may be different, so please don't turn anyone away. That is all 😎

👍

I agree. I have the right to panic. I have 5 rejections and no interview invites. If you have an interview invite, get your baggage out of here. However, if you get rejected after attending the interview or waitlisted, then come back in!

 

[cheechootrain]

 

[The Beyonder]

Guys. My life has been threatened over posting in this thread (not srs). But isn't this thread for anyone that basically hasn't received an acceptance anywhere? I mean, if you have 1 interview, are you no longer allowed to post here? 2 interviews? Where does it end? When I see guys/girls that had 3 or 4 interviews and got waitlisted or rejected from all of them, it makes me panic. Please guys and girls, your definition of panic may be different, so please don't turn anyone away. That is all 😎

Fivo, I think your impressive list of II may make someone on this thread panic even more. I think that's the reason for the pushback.

And First!!!

 

[Irish Football]

Guys. My life has been threatened over posting in this thread (not srs). But isn't this thread for anyone that basically hasn't received an acceptance anywhere? I mean, if you have 1 interview, are you no longer allowed to post here? 2 interviews? Where does it end? When I see guys/girls that had 3 or 4 interviews and got waitlisted or rejected from all of them, it makes me panic. Please guys and girls, your definition of panic may be different, so please don't turn anyone away. That is all 😎

There should be different threads for different levels of panic.
2012-2013 "Uncomfortable with Situation" Thread
2012-2013 "Kind of Panicking" Thread
2012-2013 "Panic" Thread
2012-2013 "Really Panicking" Thread
2012-2013 "Hyperventilating" Thread
2012-2013 "On Suicide Watch" Thread

 

[cheechootrain]

there should be different threads for different levels of panic.
2012-2013 "uncomfortable with situation" thread
2012-2013 "kind of panicking" thread
2012-2013 "panic" thread
2012-2013 "really panicking" thread
2012-2013 "hyperventilating" thread
2012-2013 "on suicide watch" thread

+1

 

[punkedoutriffs]

I think the line should be drawn at acceptance. Once that happens, panic is no longer justified. But until that happens, the prospect of maybe having to wait an extra year or two while substantially building up my app and then going through THE ENTIRE PROCESS AGAIN terrifies me. I'd rather eat a poop hotdog. I mean, the people that make videos like 2 girls 1 cup probably only got paid a couple grand. What's that compared to an attending's yearly salary?

 

[doctorwho101]

+1 share your loveeeeeeeeee

 

[FrontierPsych]

If I applied to 28 schools, and was rejected from 8, two interviews, how feasible is it that I will get additional interviews after being complete late July - mid August? Is it possible that I'll only get 2 interviews this whole cycle? Does that happen? I wish people who have done this before would weigh in.

Don't worry, you're fine.

 

[Maxine450]

Yeah, that's not helpful.

 

[SilverCat]

Yeah, that's not helpful.

OK, here's what will happen- you're not going to get any more interviews at all this cycle. You will be waitlisted and ultimately rejected at those two interviews. Crushed and humiliated, you're going to reapply next cycle after some improvement in your application, wind up with eight interviews, get six waitlists and two acceptances, and matriculate at one of those schools with a full ride scholarship. I, with my crystal ball that can see everyone's future, will make billions off of the stock market, retire to a Beverly Hills mansion, and live happily ever after.

Seriously, you have to calm down. First of all, look on the bright side--you have two interviews, which means two chances at a med school acceptance. Second, many people will get interviews in December and January, and from those interviews, get acceptances.We can't predict what will happen, but getting interviews is definitely a good sign.

And yes, I am very worried myself, with my lack of acceptances and only one interview left, and bored- school's cancelled for tomorrow because of Sandy and I'm going to be seated in front of my computer all day, staring at my depressingly empty inbox.

 

[woodside9]

So...I don't know if this has been discussed elsewhere, but will Sandy prevent most East coast med schools from sending out emails, giving out interviews/rejections, etc. tomorrow? This process has made me actually look forward to weekdays so much

 

[squat]

One Interview and apparently it did not go as well as I thought because I have my first official rejection.

SO sorry. Interviewing scares me...it's like going before a judge, not even knowing what the charges are, or what country you're in...

 

[squat]

every day i get a little bit closer to carpal tunnel syndrome from clicking ctr+r 1000 times.

+1
Really.
Earilier this month, I was noticing this really odd pain in my wrist. Took me a while to realize it was from all the last-minute secondaries (the week my 9/1 MCAT scores were released). And refreshing. Lots and Lots of "refreshing."