2013-2014 Panic Thread

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rudziutki said:
Maybe I am misinterpreting you, but I made a thread a few months ago saying that schools should do a basic screen before sending secondaries, and go from there. I wonder how much time I wasted writing secondaries for schools that never gave my application the time of day on their end.
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No, that's not really what I meant (although I'm also a proponent of schools not wasting my time or money). It was more of a poetic plea for schools to not pass up perfectly acceptable candidates who are capable AND have a passion for a career in medicine. Many have written about having zero interview invites or just waitlists despite having good stats/ECs that would probably pass a secondary screen, if there were one, but for whatever reason schools just aren't selecting them or accepting them. Some people want this very badly and would make great doctors but they may not get into a school and that's sad. That's why I wish schools could see into our souls and see our yearning. The basic credentials check part was because often times wanting something is not enough, you have to be capable too.
 
ttothemac said:
I wish you all the luck, especially because you're an Avatar fan.
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Thanks, I hope everything works out for you, too. Plus Avatar is one of the greatest animated series' of all time (at least in my opinion) and my personal favorite. 😀
 
"juliuspepperwood said:
It bothers me that the 3 ii's I had were at 3 of the last schools I had secondaries complete at. What are the ~25+ other schools doing? (aside from the ones that rejected me)
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Nakazima said:
OMG this so so much. In exact same position and losing hope with the earlier apps.
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Me too, although I'm more intrigued than losing hope, so far. My solo II arrived quickly from the last secondary I received and completed. Believe me, I'm thankful and grateful to have one, especially from that school, but it is sort of funny....
 
Donald Kimball said:
Rejected from ECU several months ago. Rejected from UNC last week. Just rejected from Georgetown. Sitting on 3 decent waitlists, and 1 likely rejection pool. No further interviews in the pipeline.

There are likely several reasons why I'm being rejected, but I want to know exactly why, and the uncertainty is killing me. These rejections likely bode poorly for my waitlists.
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I'm just sitting on wait lists as well. But it certainly is better than nothing.
 
fingerscrossed92 said:
Top choice school that I had my heart set on sent me a rejection, no positive news from anywhere else. For now I am just giving up. Do what you will adcoms.
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I'm really sorry to hear that...I hope the rest of the cycle goes well for you, though. Keep your chin up
 
SDNers!

Despite the misfortunes that plague us during the application cycle, I think we all owe it to ourselves to break away from the torture of neurotic email checking and drafting letters of interest to spend time with those that we love and bring us cheer this holiday season. For starters, here's a gem from last week:



Happy holidays, and let the new year bring us better news! (Otherwise I'll bring out my pasta maker and throw a fresh pasta party with everyone in this thread in 2014)
 
ReadyToRumble said:
No, that's not really what I meant (although I'm also a proponent of schools not wasting my time or money). It was more of a poetic plea for schools to not pass up perfectly acceptable candidates who are capable AND have a passion for a career in medicine. Many have written about having zero interview invites or just waitlists despite having good stats/ECs that would probably pass a secondary screen, if there were one, but for whatever reason schools just aren't selecting them or accepting them. Some people want this very badly and would make great doctors but they may not get into a school and that's sad. That's why I wish schools could see into our souls and see our yearning. The basic credentials check part was because often times wanting something is not enough, you have to be capable too.
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So, should adcoms ignore the other applicants with higher scores/stats, and try to discern passion from a few pieces of paper?? Remember, this is all about supply and demand. Too much demand increases the bar. Facts of life on this one. I've been rejected by 5 schools, and I got 5 interviews, 3 of them from reach schools. No real rhyme or reason why some like my app, and others just outright rejected it from my perspective, but these adcoms are picking and choosing to form the best class they can. They can only interview so many, and I certainly appreciated not spending hundreds of dollars traveling to interviews when my chance of acceptance is less than 20%. I think a 50/50 shot at a place from an interview is a good ratio, and would not want it to go a lot lower by interviewing more candidates, and creating false hope, and lower bank accounts.
 
Great White Buffalo said:
So, should adcoms ignore the other applicants with higher scores/stats, and try to discern passion from a few pieces of paper?? Remember, this is all about supply and demand. Too much demand increases the bar. Facts of life on this one. I've been rejected by 5 schools, and I got 5 interviews, 3 of them from reach schools. No real rhyme or reason why some like my app, and others just outright rejected it from my perspective, but these adcoms are picking and choosing to form the best class they can. They can only interview so many, and I certainly appreciated not spending hundreds of dollars traveling to interviews when my chance of acceptance is less than 20%. I think a 50/50 shot at a place from an interview is a good ratio, and would not want it to go a lot lower by interviewing more candidates, and creating false hope, and lower bank accounts.
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Yeah. I would definitely prefer those schools who interview 1200 people for a class of 100 (ehm Albany) to just reject more people pre-interview. At some point you just don't have the money to go anymore.
 
LuciusVorenus said:
Yeah. I would definitely prefer those schools who interview 1200 people for a class of 100 (ehm Albany) to just reject more people pre-interview. At some point you just don't have the money to go anymore.
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Yes, I've said it on multiple threads, this whole process really is unfair to folks in lower SES who can't afford to apply to 20 schools, travel a lot on short notice, travel the world for culture experiences, get the best test prep, etc. I wonder if there is a way to create a charity for lower SES to support their dream of just applying to medical school??
 
Great White Buffalo said:
Yes, I've said it on multiple threads, this whole process really is unfair to folks in lower SES who can't afford to apply to 20 schools, travel a lot on short notice, travel the world for culture experiences, get the best test prep, etc. I wonder if there is a way to create a charity for lower SES to support their dream of just applying to medical school??
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Sounds like a good EC 😉
 
Great White Buffalo said:
Yes, I've said it on multiple threads, this whole process really is unfair to folks in lower SES who can't afford to apply to 20 schools, travel a lot on short notice, travel the world for culture experiences, get the best test prep, etc. I wonder if there is a way to create a charity for lower SES to support their dream of just applying to medical school??
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There is FAP to directly help with the costs of application and MCAT prep. Students at schools host interviewees so they don't need to pay for a hotel. To even get to the application stage, the government provides student loans and grants to allow people to get the needed college education. You can get plenty of experience in your community for free at hospitals and charities.

The only parts not covered are extra test prep such as buying books and practice exams and paying for travel. If you hold a part time job, you should be able to cover those.

Obviously wealthy students will have an easier time of it and can afford to get those international ECs and high cost test prep(which is NOT needed btw, using the books is good enough if you have good study skills). They can also afford the last minute notice travel costs.

I have a hard time believing a charity could actually work to go further than this unless it was for a few individuals per year. There are so many more worthy causes than helping people get ultra high paying and desirable careers.

TL/DR Such help already exists and it is unlikely people would give much more to help it.
 
LuciusVorenus said:
Sounds like a good EC 😉
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Maybe take a gap year to look into this.
V5RED said:
There is FAP to directly help with the costs of application and MCAT prep. Students at schools host interviewees so they don't need to pay for a hotel. To even get to the application stage, the government provides student loans and grants to allow people to get the needed college education. You can get plenty of experience in your community for free at hospitals and charities.

The only parts not covered are extra test prep such as buying books and practice exams and paying for travel. If you hold a part time job, you should be able to cover those.

Obviously wealthy students will have an easier time of it and can afford to get those international ECs and high cost test prep(which is NOT needed btw, using the books is good enough if you have good study skills). They can also afford the last minute notice travel costs.

I have a hard time believing a charity could actually work to go further than this unless it was for a few individuals per year. There are so many more worthy causes than helping people get ultra high paying and desirable careers.

TL/DR Such help already exists and it is unlikely people would give much more to help it.
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I think SES diversity in graduate schools is a worthy cause, but good points.
 
Great White Buffalo said:
I think SES diversity in graduate schools is a worthy cause, but good points.
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I agree with both you and V5RED, but such help would only be truly beneficial if it were applied across all education levels starting from elementary school, where wealthy kids already get a clear leg up on poor kids. But that sounds nearly impossible haha
 
Just got my Fall grades, 4.0. I sooo wish this was enough to update schools about haha. I organized an awareness week at school with speakers and activities, maybe I could add that too (though it's a yearly endeavor that I already mentioned in my apps).

Dear Diary: The silence continues....I can't help but look back at my past failures and wonder if this will soon be counted among their ranks...

Happy Holiday's and/or break everyone!!
 
QuiteAConundrum said:
Just got my Fall grades, 4.0. I sooo wish this was enough to update schools about haha. I organized an awareness week at school with speakers and activities, maybe I could add that too (though it's a yearly endeavor that I already mentioned in my apps).

Dear Diary: The silence continues....I can't help but look back at my past failures and wonder if this will soon be counted among their ranks...

Happy Holiday's and/or break everyone!!
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Might as well? It can't hurt to update them I don't think. Worst that could happen is they still find your app lack luster, best that could happen is that they give you an interview. Lots of people say wait until very significant developments but then wouldn't tons more interview invites be gone by then?
 
lalalaaaaaa said:
It's much harder for applicants to screen themselves out than for admissions committees to screen applicants based on their own guidelines. Most schools have relatively vague guidelines for what they are looking for based on MSAR and websites: 3.65 GPA, 33 MCAT, volunteering, passion for service, some exposure to healthcare, research. So many people fit the criteria for so many schools that most solid applicants could easily apply to 20 school thinking they are a good "fit". However it SHOULD be the schools screening out applicants before we give them 100 bucks a piece (plus the 30 from AMCAS just to add a school), particularly if there is a set system in place to reject most applications, and especially because schools are getting so many applications. If I spend 100 dollars and get a rejection a day later without eyes giving my application a fair look, I think that is unfair. Just don't send me a secondary and we can go our separate ways.

ps i know i make some assumptions in this but the main point is that I think school who don't screen just want the money which I don't think is right.
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I am of a similar opinion, if no human eyes are ever going to look at my application due to my stats, couldn't they have determined that before I spent any money on the secondary. I feel if a computer is going to autoscreen me out based on stats, then the secondary I submitted is nothing new to add.
 
TheShaker said:
Interviewer: Alright, Shaker, this was a great interview! I'll see you next year! *wink wink nudge nudge* 😉

Rejected five days after interview. I don't even... :bored:
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Sorry to hear that. This is exactly why I always take interviewer's comments with a grain of salt. The interview is one component of your application, and I know (straight from my interviewer's e-mails) that I've killed interviews but have been put on wait lists due to my cGPA.
 
TheShaker said:
Interviewer: Alright, Shaker, this was a great interview! I'll see you next year! *wink wink nudge nudge* 😉

Rejected five days after interview. I don't even... :bored:
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I liked your post not because I'm an @$$, but because I snorted my coffee on Xmas day reading it.

I know the feeling. Something similar happened to me: I called EVMS asking if there is a status update because it was a significant few months, and they said, "Oh, sorry, yeah, you slipped through the cracks! Thank you for contacting us! We'll be in touch shortly!" Rejection few hours later.
 
All I want for Christmas is an Iron Man suit, BMW i8, Playstation 4, Breaking Bad BlueRay set, a R2-D2 droid, a remote control helicopter.... oh, and an ii.....

IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!?!
 
SCX1 said:
Hey guys, I don't know if this is a big "no-no" or not regarding interviewing etiquette, but at one of my interviews, I brought in with me a Starbuck coffee I just bought. I didn't think much of it since I didn't want to throw it away right after I have just bought it. Is this as bad as chewing gum during an interview?
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One of my interviewers actually bought me a coffee on the way to his office, so I would think that it's fine (unless it was a test... that I failed). But, realistically, they're all doctors. They get it.
 
Waiting to hear back from schools over the holidays is definitely not cool, trying to stay busy but still on my mind.... Let's hope 2014 brings good news for everyone!
 
LostinLift said:
Waiting to hear back from schools over the holidays is definitely not cool, trying to stay busy but still on my mind.... Let's hope 2014 brings good news for everyone!
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Ad com vacation time = update letter crafting 😉 At least you know acceptances aren't diminishing daily for at least two weeks or so
 
No news since Thanksgiving...Still waiting II from 9 schools, but the list of colleges who are still interviewing is declining and the pressure is cooking....

SANTA WHY DID YOU FORGET ABOUT ME!?! WHY!!!!

Praying for some good news in January...

Slash - does anyone know when Adcomms will be back in business?
 
Stayed away as long as I could, time to start panicking again 😢😢😢😢😢
 
Except for one post-interview decision pending, have not heard anything for a while. I hate the wait. I am really hoping 2014 will bring us all good news!
 
So I was going through my neatly organized excel sheet with school I applied to, here is what I noted:

School Applied: 25
Pre-Interview Rejection: 5
Pre-Interview Hold: 3
Interview Invite: 4
- 3 of which have decision pending
- 1 Wait listed
Schools I have heard NOTHING FROM: 14

Some takeaways:
- Heard SOMETHING from 48% of the schools applied
- Interviews from 33% of the schools I heard from and 16% of total schools applied
- Have NOT heard anything from 56% of the schools applied!

This was done to make myself feel a little less panicky than for you guys but I though you guys might be interested.

My question for you guys: What percent of schools have you heard nothing from?
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
So I was going through my neatly organized excel sheet with school I applied to, here is what I noted:

School Applied: 25
Pre-Interview Rejection: 5
Pre-Interview Hold: 3
Interview Invite: 4
- 3 of which have decision pending
- 1 Wait listed
Schools I have heard NOTHING FROM: 14

Some takeaways:
- Heard SOMETHING from 48% of the schools applied
- Interviews from 33% of the schools I heard from and 16% of total schools applied
- Have NOT heard anything from 56% of the schools applied!

This was done to make myself feel a little less panicky than for you guys but I though you guys might be interested.

My question for you guys: What percent of schools have you heard nothing from?
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You have 3 decisions pending, which are very good odds. I think you should hold your panic until after you hear back from those 3 decisions.
 
I've been accepted, but I just want to include the fact that I haven't heard from ~50% of the schools to which I applied. Wake just posted a statement that they're only 50% through with the interview season.

ADMISSIONS UPDATE - 8,001 applications have been received to date, up 8% from last year's total. We're mid way in the interview process, finishing up around mid March. There are 53 offers out for places in the class (rolling admissions).

AMCAS is still experiencing delay. They've received 47,212 applications so far, up 3.45% up from this time last year. WFSM applications represent a 17% share of the total applications submitted.

It isn't over till it's over.

GL
 
T3ckFr3s said:
You have 3 decisions pending, which are very good odds. I think you should hold your panic until after you hear back from those 3 decisions.
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I agree that I definitely shouldn't be as worried as I am, but this process is extremely stressful so its hard not to worry. One of the main reasons I am worried is because I interviewed at those three schools long time ago! The oldest one being in september!
 
I've heard from approx. 50% of the schools I applied to. Got 8 II, with 2 waitlists and no acceptances yet.

Terrified I'm going to break some kind of record for the lowest acceptance:interview ratio of all time.

As far as I know, I am socially normal and a decent interviewee. Not sure what my problem is :/
 
jetsfan1234 said:
I've heard from approx. 50% of the schools I applied to. Got 8 II, with 2 waitlists and no acceptances yet.

Terrified I'm going to break some kind of record for the lowest acceptance:interview ratio of all time.

As far as I know, I am socially normal and a decent interviewee. Not sure what my problem is :/
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That is 8 more II's than many people on this thread can say they have lol Just relax and enjoy the holidays. I'm sure you'll get in to at least one of the 8 schools that have interviewed you.
 
hopefloatsss said:
No news since Thanksgiving...Still waiting II from 9 schools, but the list of colleges who are still interviewing is declining and the pressure is cooking....

SANTA WHY DID YOU FORGET ABOUT ME!?! WHY!!!!

Praying for some good news in January...

Slash - does anyone know when Adcomms will be back in business?
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I can actually answer this. I've been emailing schools and receiving their auto-response emails that they will be out of the office until January 2nd (n=3). Additionally (n=4), this is the status page for Temple's secondary:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS. OUR OFFICE WILL CLOSE AT 3:00 PM ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20TH AND REOPEN AT 8:30 AM ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND.

(I figured they would open back up Thursday. I've been looking at academic calendars at medical schools and trying to get over the fact that winter break will no longer be 4-5 weeks.)

Santa may have forgotten you but I'm sure your NYE resolution to get accepted to medical school will come true.
 
Been waiting for mail from Pennsylvania for a while, just got a letter in the mail from Pennsylvania. Opened it up in excitement. Result: a notice from the Navy to consider my life as a medical student and what's waiting for me beyond. I have been doing nothing but this, but thank you Navy Reserve for the friendly reminder!
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
I agree that I definitely shouldn't be as worried as I am, but this process is extremely stressful so its hard not to worry. One of the main reasons I am worried is because I interviewed at those three schools long time ago! The oldest one being in september!
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Deleted.
 
Last edited:
calstan said:
I can totally relate to that sentiment. I have 2 decisions pending with only 1 upcoming interview in Feb and I cannot stop checking my inbox every thirty minutes or so.
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Good luck on those decisions pending and the upcoming interview!
 
BlackBox said:
I've been accepted, but I just want to include the fact that I haven't heard from ~50% of the schools to which I applied. Wake just posted a statement that they're only 50% through with the interview season.

ADMISSIONS UPDATE - 8,001 applications have been received to date, up 8% from last year's total. We're mid way in the interview process, finishing up around mid March. There are 53 offers out for places in the class (rolling admissions).

AMCAS is still experiencing delay. They've received 47,212 applications so far, up 3.45% up from this time last year. WFSM applications represent a 17% share of the total applications submitted.

It isn't over till it's over.

GL[/quote
I applied to about 20 schools
No rejections nor any II
3.85. Gpa 31 MCAT
Currently a clinical assistant for a doctors practice
Great EC
I'm beyond panic point
Only things is my primary was sent in in aug and AAMC took 8 weeks to process it
Replied to secondaries by mid oct and nov
Not sure what this means
Geez maybe this really is rocket surgery!
I just don't understand why this process is so long...
It's the not knowing which is the worst
But working on Plan B
Still believing no news is good news!
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Keep your chin up! I dont think schools have even gotten to your application yet since you probably weren't complete till late Nov or eary Dec. This is good because at least they haven't silently reject you yet..
 
Thank-you
gobigorgohome22 said:
Keep your chin up! I dont think schools have even gotten to your application yet since you probably weren't complete till late Nov or eary Dec. This is good because at least they haven't silently reject you yet..[/quotThank
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