2013-2014 Panic Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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T3ckFr3s said:
I've been on 2 wait lists since November. I feel like my cycle peaked very early because after those 2 initial interviews, I've gotten nothing but rejections and silence.

Are the schools you're waiting on non-rolling?
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I feel the same way. My cycle started off well but downhill from there. All the schools I am waiting on are rolling 🙁. Its like I was good enough to get interviews but the admission committee cant seem to decide what to do with me.
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
I feel the same way. My cycle started off well but downhill from there. All the schools I am waiting on are rolling 🙁. Its like I was good enough to get interviews but the admission committee cant seem to decide what to do with me.
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That's very strange that they wouldn't reach a decision for 5 months. Have you tried calling to see what's going on?
 
T3ckFr3s said:
That's very strange that they wouldn't reach a decision for 5 months. Have you tried calling to see what's going on?
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I have but Its just impossible to get through the admistrative staff so I have kind of given up and just decided to wait. I did talk to a member of the admission commitee recently who basically said "just hang on"

I should also clarify that not all of the decision pending interviews were in sep.
1 was in late September, 1 in late October, 1 in November.
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
I have but Its just impossible to get through the admistrative staff so I have kind of given up and just decided to wait. I did talk to a member of the admission commitee recently who basically said "just hang on"

I should also clarify that not all of the decision pending interviews were in sep.
1 was in late September, 1 in late October, 1 in November.
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Haha still, for rolling admissions schools to take more than 2 months to reach a decision (or at least a wait list) is ridiculous.
 
T3ckFr3s said:
Haha still, for rolling admissions schools. Taking more than 2 months to reach a decision (or at least a wait list) is ridiculous.
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Yeah! It's so annoying!!!! One of those schools meets about 2-3 times a month but the other two only meet once a month.
 
DrCharlemagne said:
So what's the consensus on withdrawing applications before inevitable rejection? I feel like a wimp for admitting that every "Thanks but no thanks" email eats a bit of my ego, but the rejections can really undermine my sense of self-worth. How do y'all buck up and deal with rejections? or is there more than one person on here who quits before they're dismissed?
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I would never withdraw an application. Even though I'm 99% sure that my remaining schools are rejections, I still think there's a very slim chance for an interview. I just assume it's a rejection and carry on with my life -- that way, I'm just be pleasantly surprised (theoretically 😵) with an interview.

There's no real drawback to waiting it out. This whole process is ego-bruising, but you just can't take it personally.
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
Totally agree with you guys! I HAVE TO GET OFF waitlist!!

Just out of curiosity, how many schools are you waiting to hear from?

I have 1 waitlist, 3 decision pending (since SEPTEMBER!!! - assuming waitlists or rejections), 1 interview later this month (at a school that emailed saying they have filled their class and are interviewing for alternate list spots)

Good Luck to you guys!
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I'm sitting on 3 wait lists and 1 decision pending. But I have acceptances so that's why I said mine is a first world problem haha
 
Anyone know which schools are known for giving late interview invites (February-April?) Wondering if I should give up hope.
 
DrCharlemagne said:
So what's the consensus on withdrawing applications before inevitable rejection? I feel like a wimp for admitting that every "Thanks but no thanks" email eats a bit of my ego, but the rejections can really undermine my sense of self-worth. How do y'all buck up and deal with rejections? or is there more than one person on here who quits before they're dismissed?
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I feel miserable and desperate in my self pity, I bitch and complain to friends
Yet all the while I plan on applying again. The misery does lift, I get inspired just by the kindness from others on this thread. I'm not a solid 10 in the misery dept anymore but a solid 6 ha! The drive and energy will come back when I reapply.
 
One hold and one more rejection. Just 2 more schools and it is over F*CKKKKK!!! This SUX.
You know what is worse that getting up from a nightmare?
Ans: Waking up to an email stating you were rejected! Ouch! From one nightmare to daymare LOL
I'm totally gonna be in *bitch mode* all day! Watch out world!
 
QuinnTheEskimo said:
Anyone know which schools are known for giving late interview invites (February-April?) Wondering if I should give up hope.
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I believe NYMC and Downstate offer some late interviews. This is only based on friends that received late interviews in previous years, so the sample size is small. Maybe try to look through school specific threads and see where people are still receiving interview invites.

I could have sworn that you posted in another thread that you were accepted and sent in your deposit (the thread about going low-tier or deferring a year). Are you just in panic because you want to go to a "higher tier" school? If you don't mind me asking, where were you accepted? If this is the case, I wouldn't pay too much attention to rank and just pat yourself on the back for being accepted.
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
Woke up to a rejection this morning. Even though it hurts, I am honestly glad to hear some news even if it is a rejection....

One of my best friends found out that she got into Law school. I am honestly so happy for her but I wish I had some good news to share also. It hurts so much when I have to say "nothing yet" when people ask where I have been accepted.
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Yep that's my life. Hang in there!
 
sourdoughllama said:
I'm sitting on 3 wait lists and 1 decision pending. But I have acceptances so that's why I said mine is a first world problem haha
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I have 3 waitlists , 1 post interview deferral, one silence post interview since early October , 3 decisions pending ( one from a school with a small class size and extremely large interviewing pool) .... Not gonna cry myself to sleep at night since last year I had silence the whole way through * atleast I'm a player in this game instead of a bystander like last year
 
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Decided to prepare another update letter. I think last one got me 1 interview maybe this one can get me another......

As a side note, I have gotten soo good at making myself sound like the bomb during this application cycle (primary->secondaries->interviews->update letters). I can make running half a mile sound like climbing Everest lol. :laugh::laugh:
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
Decided to prepare another update letter. I think last one got me 1 interview maybe this one can get me another......

As a side note, I have gotten soo good at making myself sound like the bomb during this application cycle (primary->secondaries->interviews->update letters). I can make running half a mile sound like climbing Everest lol. :laugh::laugh:
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I should have you write mine! My updates aren't getting me anywhere.
 
Maeby Funke said:
I should have you write mine! My updates aren't getting me anywhere.
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I wouldn't be opposed to looking over yours if you decide to write another and need another set of eyes. BUT buyer beware, Im currently applying also and im sure our school lists would cross at a few places.
 
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What are you guys doing to keep you sane (besides work, school, and venting on SDN 😛)?
 
Sumtingwong said:
What are you guys doing to keep you sane (besides work, school, and venting on SDN 😛)?
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I work a LOT, but I make time to treat myself. My typical make me feel good things are: yoga, books, home cooked
Gourmet meals, trips to the zoo, and sinful desserts. I've actually had to increase the yoga to compensate for the stress eating.
 
Sumtingwong said:
What are you guys doing to keep you sane (besides work, school, and venting on SDN 😛)?
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Weightlifting, yoga...and, oh yeah, Jersey Shore. Because few things are more stress-relieving than watching a bunch of juiced up drama llamas going at it.

giphy.gif
 
Another nightmare. Dreamt I was rejected from the only school I had an interview at...I still remember my reaction. I just held my breath and froze. It felt like it was a death sentence.

Guess my day can only go up from here?
 
Sumtingwong said:
What are you guys doing to keep you sane (besides work, school, and venting on SDN 😛)?
Click to expand...

I knit, I'm trying to teach myself how to use Anki, I play with my cat, I run, I read journal articles that are tangentially related to my work, I run some more, I stare at yarn on the internets, and I try to support people on SDN since I gained so much from the forum myself.

Sumtingwong said:
Another nightmare. Dreamt I was rejected from the only school I had an interview at...I still remember my reaction. I just held my breath and froze. It felt like it was a death sentence.

Guess my day can only go up from here?
Click to expand...

You know what can also make your day better? Candy. I propose mandatory candy day on SDN. GO GET CANDY.
 
I thought I add to the universal void of drifting in infinite space. 2 waitlist at DO, 1 DO acceptance, alternate list at GWU, and 1 decision pending for State school. I want more interview invitations! PLEASE! MCAT: 29, 3.7gpa.
 
Sumtingwong said:
Another nightmare. Dreamt I was rejected from the only school I had an interview at...I still remember my reaction. I just held my breath and froze. It felt like it was a death sentence.

Guess my day can only go up from here?
Click to expand...

Hang in there! I think all of us got that one time or another!
 
I keep dreaming that I get off one of my wait lists. Rather wake up with relief than disappointment.
 
DrCharlemagne said:
I knit, I'm trying to teach myself how to use Anki, I play with my cat, I run, I read journal articles that are tangentially related to my work, I run some more, I stare at yarn on the internets, and I try to support people on SDN since I gained so much from the forum myself.



You know what can also make your day better? Candy. I propose mandatory candy day on SDN. GO GET CANDY.
Click to expand...
Better than pi day! In my HS march 14 was always a big event, never forgot it.
 
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T3ckFr3s said:
I keep dreaming that I get off one of my wait lists. Rather wake up with relief than disappointment.
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I remember this all too well. Every night became a battle for me to fall asleep. I kept worrying about whether I'd get in or not and couldn't fall asleep. And when I did, I usually had a dream of being accepted, rejected, or waitlisted. Hang in there though. Rooting for you and sending good thoughts your way!
 
Sorry for posting all the time, but this thread has become my home.

Anyways, I was wondering if you guys can tell me why we see so much acceptance movement starting April 1st if AAMC says that May 15 is the official date applicants with multiple acceptances have to drop to only one acceptance?

Who else is counting down the days until April?!
 
I think most students get their financial packages by April. So that's when they'll typically decide on a school.
 
GOK<3 said:
Not even one damn interview! WTFFFFFFF?! Good luck guys I'm gonna go and do some soul searching and plan my next move. I am so emotionally exhausted.
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Same here. I have no idea what to make of it. I have good scores and everything... makes no sense
 
^ Was it a late application maybe? That ends up hurting even the most qualified applicants.
 
SLM914 said:
Same here. I have no idea what to make of it. I have good scores and everything... makes no sense
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I think I applied late, but there could be a zillion other things wrong in my app 🙁
 
Ah these last few weeks have been brutal. Out of the 20 schools to which I applied, I have interviewed (and been waitlisted) at two. Ironically, my top two choices. BUT from what I hear, the chances of getting off of waitlists are slim if you're not already accepted somewhere else (i.e. you can say, even though I have other acceptances, your school is my number 1).

I am sitting on a pile of rejections and waiting for the last 6 to do the deed. I applied late and I'm sure it played a large part, but now I am worried that if I reapply in June, there wont be anything vastly different about my application....and admissions committees will not think I put in enough effort?

If I reapplied in June, I would be able to add more volunteer experience and maybe a publication (we're working on it now). What do you guys think?
It just feels like if I reapply I have to add something extraordinary...:/ Should I maybe take another year off?
 
Since it sounds like the main factor holding you back was a late application (as opposed to marks, I'm assuming), and you have a couple of updates to include, it might be worth it to apply in June, first day. I would do so in your shoes, but that's me.

I also applied late, but since I have nothing significant to add except for coursework and a couple of hobby ECs, which don't seem as significant as your developments, I'm going to work on my weaknesses and reapply in 2015.
 
Sumtingwong said:
Another nightmare. Dreamt I was rejected from the only school I had an interview at...I still remember my reaction. I just held my breath and froze. It felt like it was a death sentence.
Click to expand...

I had my one and only interview thus far recently, and I've been waking up in the middle of the night thinking of things I should've said....but I haven't started dreaming about rejections yet. Oh, dear. LOL
My fingers are crossed for you!
 
vfom said:
Ah these last few weeks have been brutal. Out of the 20 schools to which I applied, I have interviewed (and been waitlisted) at two. Ironically, my top two choices. BUT from what I hear, the chances of getting off of waitlists are slim if you're not already accepted somewhere else (i.e. you can say, even though I have other acceptances, your school is my number 1).

I am sitting on a pile of rejections and waiting for the last 6 to do the deed. I applied late and I'm sure it played a large part, but now I am worried that if I reapply in June, there wont be anything vastly different about my application....and admissions committees will not think I put in enough effort?

If I reapplied in June, I would be able to add more volunteer experience and maybe a publication (we're working on it now). What do you guys think?
It just feels like if I reapply I have to add something extraordinary...:/ Should I maybe take another year off?
Click to expand...

I'm in a very similar situation as yourself. Two interviews this cycle, two wait lists. I'm thinking about applying to an SMP, but obviously I'm holding that as a last resort. I say by the end of March/April is when I'll make my move. Still, I can't help but stay hopeful for these wait lists, especially since I've been fairly aggressive with my updates/LOI.
 
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vfom said:
Ah these last few weeks have been brutal. Out of the 20 schools to which I applied, I have interviewed (and been waitlisted) at two. Ironically, my top two choices. BUT from what I hear, the chances of getting off of waitlists are slim if you're not already accepted somewhere else (i.e. you can say, even though I have other acceptances, your school is my number 1).

I am sitting on a pile of rejections and waiting for the last 6 to do the deed. I applied late and I'm sure it played a large part, but now I am worried that if I reapply in June, there wont be anything vastly different about my application....and admissions committees will not think I put in enough effort?

If I reapplied in June, I would be able to add more volunteer experience and maybe a publication (we're working on it now). What do you guys think?
It just feels like if I reapply I have to add something extraordinary...:/ Should I maybe take another year off?
Click to expand...

Actually, I've heard of many people who applied late and got very few interviews, then reapplied and changed literally nothing about their application (except, I assume, maybe their personal statement and the wording of some secondaries) and got lots of interviews! Applying late has more of an effect than people think.
 
I still haven't heard ANYTHING from 13 schools (applied to 25)!!!!
They are most likely going to be rejections. Its evil for these schools to keep stringing you along! I wish they would just say "we dont like you" and reject you during the cycle instead to waiting till at the end of the cycle!
 
gobigorgohome22 said:
I still haven't heard ANYTHING from 13 schools (applied to 25)!!!!
They are most likely going to be rejections. Its evil for these schools to keep stringing you along! I wish they would just say "we dont like you" and reject you during the cycle instead to waiting till at the end of the cycle!
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Me too, I haven't 'heard' anything from some schools but with some of them I just assume its a rejection 🙂(). I have organized all my application data into a a color-coded GoogleDocs spreadsheet. I record everything from school, program, primary/secondary deadlines, fees, when i sent what in, when things were marked complete, whether i sent an update letter, and whether i got an II. For schools that have rejected me, I highlight the entire row in red. Right now, that spreadsheet looks like a massacre.
 
T3ckFr3s said:
I'm in a very similar situation as yourself. Two interviews this cycle, two wait lists. I'm thinking about applying to an SMP, but obviously I'm holding that as a last resort. I say by the end of March/April is when I'll make my move. Still, I can't help but stay hopeful for these wait lists, especially since I've been fairly aggressive with my updates/LOI.
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I'm looking into SMP also, but I keep thinking if we got at least one interview, that may indicate that our current stats are not TOO bad and that tuition for an SMP may not be worth it. Who knows.
masaraksh said:
Me too, I haven't 'heard' anything from some schools but with some of them I just assume its a rejection 🙂(). I have organized all my application data into a a color-coded GoogleDocs spreadsheet. I record everything from school, program, primary/secondary deadlines, fees, when i sent what in, when things were marked complete, whether i sent an update letter, and whether i got an II. For schools that have rejected me, I highlight the entire row in red. Right now, that spreadsheet looks like a massacre.
Click to expand...
I have one too, except mine is black for all the schools that rejected me...so I'm basically looking at a black screen 😛
 
Sumtingwong said:
I'm looking into SMP also, but I keep thinking if we got at least one interview, that may indicate that our current stats are not TOO bad and that tuition for an SMP may not be worth it. Who knows.
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Exactly, especially since I've been reading that being waitlisted mean that your stats are good enough to be accepted. SMP tuition is also ridiculous for a degree that has no other use except for getting into med school.
 
@T3ckFr3s I would agree with you about SMP tuition being crazy high for such a worthless degree BUT even during one of my interviews (before my SMP) I was told to do one. I even spoke to another interview at a different school after not receiving an acceptance and she said I was great but my GPA was too low.

I think getting an interview just puts you in a smaller group for comparison. and if your "cumulative score" (GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars, PS, interview) falls short when compared to other interviewees, you will be rejected.
 
Cheetah13 said:
@T3ckFr3s I would agree with you about SMP tuition being crazy high for such a worthless degree BUT even during one of my interviews (before my SMP) I was told to do one. I even spoke to another interview at a different school after not receiving an acceptance and she said I was great but my GPA was too low.

I think getting an interview just puts you in a smaller group for comparison. and if your "cumulative score" (GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars, PS, interview) falls short when compared to other interviewees, you will be rejected.
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That's the thing though, I have yet to be rejected post-interview. I've been wait listed (top 1/3) with <3.5 cGPA. That tells me that the adcom can look past my GPA.

I agree with you though, I believe that if you have less than a 3.2 GPA, I would totally recommend a SMP.

For me it's a matter of determining if my GPA is really that big of a deal and if its worth the risk of an SMP for next cycle. I'm also considering just reapplying and redoing all my essays + apply earlier. The good news about going through this cycle is I know exactly how I should be writing for my applications.
 
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