2013-2014 Panic Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Members don't see this ad.
medschoolmyname said:
Anyone care to look over my list of remaining schools and tell me which ones I should give up on?

NYMC
U of Vermont
Medical College of Wisconsin
U of Toledo
Creighton
Emory
Oakland William
U of Illinois
Western Michigan
UC Irvine
Albany
Loma Linda
Penn State
Northeast Ohio

No interviews from any. Any I should hold out hope for? Any I should just forget about.
Click to expand...

UVM interviews pretty late so if you are interested try sending some love. Last year they interviewed into April.
 
Received two pre-interview rejection emails today, that too back to back. One of them was actually one of my favorites! 'Tis been a sad day! 🙁
 
Still sitting on waitlists at EVMS, NYMC, WF, and VTC. Got a recent interview invite to GW, but I'm still worried. Reading about waitlists not moving much at NYMC and EVMS bothers me.

I hope we all make it.
 
So at this point I've been rejected by almost every school I applied to except for a few programs that have yet to send me a formal rejection (MSTP interviewing season is more or less over at this point so silence = rejection) and a single top 10 I interviewed at where I'm currently on "continued" status.

In other words, my only hope of getting into a school this cycle lies entirely on me getting accepted by a top 10. I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming.
 
OCDOCDOCD said:
So at this point I've been rejected by almost every school I applied to except for a few programs that have yet to send me a formal rejection (MSTP interviewing season is more or less over at this point so silence = rejection) and a single top 10 I interviewed at where I'm currently on "continued" status.

In other words, my only hope of getting into a school this cycle lies entirely on me getting accepted by a top 10. I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming.
Click to expand...

Shot too high? Did you have any safeties?
 
OCDOCDOCD said:
So at this point I've been rejected by almost every school I applied to except for a few programs that have yet to send me a formal rejection (MSTP interviewing season is more or less over at this point so silence = rejection) and a single top 10 I interviewed at where I'm currently on "continued" status.

In other words, my only hope of getting into a school this cycle lies entirely on me getting accepted by a top 10. I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming.
Click to expand...
hey at least u got an interview
 
snowwhat said:
Shot too high? Did you have any safeties?
Click to expand...
I applied to a range of schools and tried to pick out several "safeties" ("safety" being even more of a dubious term in MD/PhD admissions than it is in MD, especially since there is no such thing as IS/OOS distinction at any MD/PhD program). Unfortunately applying MD/PhD tends to limit you to the top 40-50 schools since virtually all the MSTPs are located within that range along with the non-MSTP MD/PhD programs worth attending. Regardless, I probably did apply a little bit too top heavy, but my IIs were also very random; I had 1 top 10 II, 1 top 20, a couple 20-30, and a couple 30-40. That was out of 18 schools. There were a couple of additional schools I was considering for more safeties, but I realized that even if they ended up being my only acceptances I would be very hesitant to attend, so there was no point in applying to those schools.
medschoolmyname said:
hey at least u got an interview
Click to expand...
True, but no acceptance is still no acceptance. Hell, I'd argue that getting IIs and still winding up with nowhere to matriculate is worse than getting no IIs. At least with no IIs you're only out your application fees and have to deal with the idea that you were likely rejected because your stats/ECs weren't up to snuff. When you get IIs followed by nothing but rejections, you're out application fees and several thousand dollars worth of interview expenses, and while you get the ego boost of having gotten IIs, you also get to deal with the idea that you were rejected because the schools didn't like you as a person.
 
OCDOCDOCD said:
I applied to a range of schools and tried to pick out several "safeties" ("safety" being even more of a dubious term in MD/PhD admissions than it is in MD, especially since there is no such thing as IS/OOS distinction at any MD/PhD program). Unfortunately applying MD/PhD tends to limit you to the top 40-50 schools since virtually all the MSTPs are located within that range along with the non-MSTP MD/PhD programs worth attending. Regardless, I probably did apply a little bit too top heavy, but my IIs were also very random; I had 1 top 10 II, 1 top 20, a couple 20-30, and a couple 30-40. That was out of 18 schools. There were a couple of additional schools I was considering for more safeties, but I realized that even if they ended up being my only acceptances I would be very hesitant to attend, so there was no point in applying to those schools.

True, but no acceptance is still no acceptance. Hell, I'd argue that getting IIs and still winding up with nowhere to matriculate is worse than getting no IIs. At least with no IIs you're only out your application fees and have to deal with the idea that you were likely rejected because your stats/ECs weren't up to snuff. When you get IIs followed by nothing but rejections, you're out application fees and several thousand dollars worth of interview expenses, and while you get the ego boost of having gotten IIs, you also get to deal with the idea that you were rejected because the schools didn't like you as a person.
Click to expand...

This isn't EXACTLY true and I think a lot of people don't realize it. The thing about interviews is that SOMETIMES they don't have much to do with the overall admissions decision. They're just sort of a standard procedure in order for the admissions committee to fully consider your application. But in the end, it could still be your stats and extracurriculars that hold you back. Two years ago, I applied with zero shadowing, zero research, and minimal volunteering and STILL got two interviews but no acceptances. The reason I didn't get accepted had nothing to do with my interviews, I feel they went really well. And I'll admit I was a little annoyed that the schools interviewed me knowing full well the limitations of my application and that they really had no intention of accepting me. Even this cycle, one of the schools that interviewed me ended up not accepting me due to lack of volunteering, even though they knew damn well going into the interview I didn't have it. According to the director of admissions, I didn't really stand a chance because of it. This one was a bit more aggravating since I had to fly out to the school.

Anyway, yeah, I'm not an expert, but sometimes I think schools interview you even though they know you don't have much of a shot. I call it wasting time, I guess they see it differently. But just because you don't get accepted somewhere doesn't necessarily mean they don't like you as a person, they just don't like your application. I had an interview this past week. My interviewer really liked me and told me he'd do his best to help me get accepted because he's on the admissions board. But there is STILL a reasonable chance I WON'T get accepted due to something in my application that isn't good enough for them. It's hard. The application process is damn hard.
 
Last edited:
user12 said:
This isn't EXACTLY true and I think a lot of people don't realize it. The thing about interviews is that SOMETIMES they don't have much to do with the overall admissions decision. They're just sort of a standard procedure in order for the admissions committee to fully consider your application. But in the end, it could still be your stats and extracurriculars that hold you back. Two years ago, I interviewed with zero shadowing, zero research, and minimal volunteering and STILL got two interviews but no acceptances. The reason I didn't get accepted had nothing to do with my interviews, I feel they went really well. And I'll admit I was a little annoyed that the schools interviewed me knowing full well the limitations of my application and that they really had no intention of accepting me. Even this cycle, one of the schools that interviewed me ended up not accepting me due to lack of volunteering, even though they knew damn well going into the interview I didn't have it. According to the director of admissions, I didn't really stand a chance because of it. This one was a bit more aggravating since I had to fly out to the school.

Anyway, yeah, I'm not an expert, but sometimes I think schools interview you even though they know you don't have much of a shot. I call it wasting time, I guess they see it differently. But just because you don't get accepted somewhere doesn't necessarily mean they don't like you as a person, they just don't like your application. I had an interview this past week. My interviewer really liked me and told me he'd do his best to help me get accepted because he's on the admissions board. But there is STILL a reasonable chance I WON'T get accepted due to something in my application that isn't good enough for them. It's hard. The application process is damn hard.
Click to expand...

+1 absolutely pisses me off. Wastes my money and time and what for?
 
user12 said:
This isn't EXACTLY true and I think a lot of people don't realize it. The thing about interviews is that SOMETIMES they don't have much to do with the overall admissions decision. They're just sort of a standard procedure in order for the admissions committee to fully consider your application. But in the end, it could still be your stats and extracurriculars that hold you back. Two years ago, I applied with zero shadowing, zero research, and minimal volunteering and STILL got two interviews but no acceptances. The reason I didn't get accepted had nothing to do with my interviews, I feel they went really well. And I'll admit I was a little annoyed that the schools interviewed me knowing full well the limitations of my application and that they really had no intention of accepting me. Even this cycle, one of the schools that interviewed me ended up not accepting me due to lack of volunteering, even though they knew damn well going into the interview I didn't have it. According to the director of admissions, I didn't really stand a chance because of it. This one was a bit more aggravating since I had to fly out to the school.

Anyway, yeah, I'm not an expert, but sometimes I think schools interview you even though they know you don't have much of a shot. I call it wasting time, I guess they see it differently. But just because you don't get accepted somewhere doesn't necessarily mean they don't like you as a person, they just don't like your application. I had an interview this past week. My interviewer really liked me and told me he'd do his best to help me get accepted because he's on the admissions board. But there is STILL a reasonable chance I WON'T get accepted due to something in my application that isn't good enough for them. It's hard. The application process is damn hard.
Click to expand...

Yes, yes, and yes! This also accounts for people who say, "oh my friend thought he really nailed the interview it but didn't get in" and "oh my friend thought he really bombed the interview but still got in, you never know!". Of course there's always the possibility that people don't know how to gauge their performance but usually they actually did gauge their performance roughly accurately and what you wrote about is really going on. Sometimes an application is just deemed subpar in the ad com's eyes and they're interviewing you for goodness knows what reason but you won't really have a chance of getting in. Other times an application is deemed superb and so long as you don't completely self-implode during the interview, you're in. Still, from the outsider's view, much of it seems like decisions in the ad com room are made à la South Park's financial crisis executive decision room (substitute "acceptance" for "bailout"):

 
Last edited:
ReadyToRumble said:
Yes, yes, and yes! This also accounts for people who say, "oh my friend thought he really nailed the interview it but didn't get in" and "oh my friend thought he really bombed the interview but still got in, you never know!". Of course there's always the possibility that people don't know how to gauge their performance but usually they actually did gauge their performance roughly accurately and what you wrote about is really going on. Sometimes an application is just deemed subpar in the ad com's eyes and they're interviewing you for goodness knows what reason but you won't really have a chance of getting in. Other times an application is deemed superb and so long as you don't completely self-implode during the interview, you're in. Still, from the outsider's view, much of it seems like decisions in the ad com room are made à la South Park's financial crisis executive decision room (substitute "acceptance" for "bailout"):

Click to expand...


It sounds right that the interview is for some people to blow and that others are lucky to even be interviewing. What makes little sense is why they'd interview people if they had NO intention of accepting them in the first place. I'd imagine that's what the pre-interview rejections are for.
 
gumdrops said:
It sounds right that the interview is for some people to blow and that others are lucky to even be interviewing. What makes little sense is why they'd interview people if they had NO intention of accepting them in the first place. I'd imagine that's what the pre-interview rejections are for.
Click to expand...

I had an interview like this back in the fall. My stats were wayy too low for the school, when I got the II I initially thought it was a mistake. I still think it might have been. When I went to the (open file) interview, the guy asked me a few questions about my bad grades and then basically told me to gtfo.

I have spent the past months obsessing over this interview and replaying it in my head, because it was such a reach for me and it's by far my top choice. But sadly, I most likely have no chance in hell +pity+
 
QuinnTheEskimo said:
I had an interview like this back in the fall. My stats were wayy too low for the school, when I got the II I initially thought it was a mistake. I still think it might have been. When I went to the (open file) interview, the guy asked me a few questions about my bad grades and then basically told me to gtfo.

I have spent the past months obsessing over this interview and replaying it in my head, because it was such a reach for me and it's by far my top choice. But sadly, I most likely have no chance in hell +pity+
Click to expand...

That really, really sucks. I'm sorry that happened. If that were my first interview, I would have pooped bricks.

Maybe this was one of those interviews where they saw if you could withstand some brutal questioning? Other applicants have mentioned similarly combative interviewers and receiving acceptances after rolling with the punches politely and not getting fazed. Your reaction is not at all unfounded though.
 
QuinnTheEskimo said:
I had an interview like this back in the fall. My stats were wayy too low for the school, when I got the II I initially thought it was a mistake. I still think it might have been. When I went to the (open file) interview, the guy asked me a few questions about my bad grades and then basically told me to gtfo.

I have spent the past months obsessing over this interview and replaying it in my head, because it was such a reach for me and it's by far my top choice. But sadly, I most likely have no chance in hell +pity+
Click to expand...
gumdrops said:
That really, really sucks. I'm sorry that happened. If that were my first interview, I would have pooped bricks.

Maybe this was one of those interviews where they saw if you could withstand some brutal questioning? Other applicants have mentioned similarly combative interviewers and receiving acceptances after rolling with the punches politely and not getting fazed. Your reaction is not at all unfounded though.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking that people who screen applications and interviewers are not the same set of people. I got the first round of II at mount sinai only to be destroyed by my interviewer and subsequently rejected. She didn't like me from the moment I walked in - as in she thought my app was not up to par for the school. They should really communicate better rather than waste people's time and money, or get interviewers who don't make up their minds before interviews. I hope she's not as rude to her patients as she was to me
 
Another day....I've been dreaming vividly about being accepted. Too bad that's only a 33% chance. When do you think I should expect to hear back from my one II location if I interviewed in mid-January?

Also - a friend didn't match into the Texas Application this year...she's on a waitlist. And its her second time around. Now I'm paranoid that's going to be me...🙁

Hang tough everyone.
 
Still have yet to receive ANY post interview response and its freaking me the eff out. Totally starting to feel like this guy

coffee-sylvester-cat.gif
 
March is slowly creeping up, and I'm terrified and excited for it at the same time because that's when I've noticed there's some wait list movement (but only like one or two spots) 🙁
 
This quote always makes me feel better when considering the admissions process:

"A guy will say, "Well, I make my luck." And the same guy walks down the street and a piano that's been hoisted drops on his head. The truth of the matter is your life is very much out of your control."-Woody Allen (still a good quote, no matter what you think of the guy).

When it comes down to it, there is a HUGE element of luck to this. Your application may have been read by someone who had a terrible day and discarded to the reject pile. Your interviewer and you may not have clicked at all. At the same time, that element of luck can favor you to the same degree as well. If you get the outcome you want, it's because you had some luck along the way as well. Maybe someone declined the interview invite you received who would have been accepted over you. You never know.

This process should not have any bearing on anyone's self-worth for that reason. We're all at the mercy of others now. We just have to wait and keep going because stuff does have a very funny way of working out for the best.
 
So panicked. Talked to a friend yesterday who graduated with me, had a 0.1 lower GPA but six points higher on his MCAT, who applied last year and had only one interview in January at our alma mater like me.. and he was waitlisted two weeks later and ultimately didn't get into medical school. He is having a lot better cycle this year...but...:-/ yikes.

Anyone have any success stories of things like this? I've been really optimistic/refusing to make serious backup plans...but this kind of jolted me awake.
 
I'm waiting to hear back from two schools post-interview this Friday! I received a phone call last week from the school's area code and I almost had a heart attack! It was a false alarm!
 
hopefloatsss said:
So panicked. Talked to a friend yesterday who graduated with me, had a 0.1 lower GPA but six points higher on his MCAT, who applied last year and had only one interview in January at our alma mater like me.. and he was waitlisted two weeks later and ultimately didn't get into medical school. He is having a lot better cycle this year...but...:-/ yikes.

Anyone have any success stories of things like this? I've been really optimistic/refusing to make serious backup plans...but this kind of jolted me awake.
Click to expand...

I have. First cycle one interview at my state school. Then reapplied and have had 5 interviews this cycle! Average stats especially for SDN.
 
Lol, thanks for the attempt. But I wouldn't call those success stories. UGHHH, my optimism keeps wavering.
 
T3ckFr3s said:
Lol, thanks for the attempt. But I wouldn't call those success stories. UGHHH, my optimism keeps wavering.
Click to expand...

At my first interview, an M1 told me he had interviewed in April, been waitlisted, and was still accepted for that year.

Some schools are still giving out IIs through next month. Hang in there! You might get another invite and be accepted within a month from now, and all of this worrying will have been for naught.
 
hopefloatsss said:
So panicked. Talked to a friend yesterday who graduated with me, had a 0.1 lower GPA but six points higher on his MCAT, who applied last year and had only one interview in January at our alma mater like me.. and he was waitlisted two weeks later and ultimately didn't get into medical school. He is having a lot better cycle this year...but...:-/ yikes.

Anyone have any success stories of things like this? I've been really optimistic/refusing to make serious backup plans...but this kind of jolted me awake.
Click to expand...

I applied late last year, was waitlisted at my first choice, and never got off. I applied early this year, was interviewed mid-September and accepted in the first round. It can happen, you just have to demonstrate improvement.
 
Feeling like this is the end. Re-applicant without the happy ending of others on this site. 18 schools, 3 ii's resulting in 2 rejects and a wait list (not priority). I'm still pre-interview at 9 schools, but I remember this feeling well from last cycle, when I got no ii's: mid February, no word, for me ended up being all rejections.
 
DrCharlemagne said:
I applied late last year, was waitlisted at my first choice, and never got off. I applied early this year, was interviewed mid-September and accepted in the first round. It can happen, you just have to demonstrate improvement.
Click to expand...

What improvements did you make? Congrats btw.
 
ekdoctobe said:
Feeling like this is the end. Re-applicant without the happy ending of others on this site. 18 schools, 3 ii's resulting in 2 rejects and a wait list (not priority). I'm still pre-interview at 9 schools, but I remember this feeling well from last cycle, when I got no ii's: mid February, no word, for me ended up being all rejections.
Click to expand...
Don't feel like that. Apply again, if need be. Perhaps ask the school what else you can improve on? But I really hope you get in somewhere this cycle! First-time applicant with no happy ending yet, but I realize that you're in a much tougher position than me. For me personally, it feels bad when I see my top-choice sending II invites to other applicants who already have several other IIs/acceptances. And I'm here waiting and praying for just one II invite from them. Just that one II is all I want! 🤔
 
Member 552728 said:
Don't feel like that. Apply again, if need be. Perhaps ask the school what else you can improve on? But I really hope you get in somewhere this cycle! First-time applicant with no happy ending yet, but I realize that you're in a much tougher position than me. For me personally, it feels bad when I see my top-choice sending II invites to other applicants who already have several other IIs/acceptances. And I'm here waiting and praying for just one II invite from them. Just that one II is all I want! 🤔
Click to expand...
Yeah, I know the feeling all too well. Einstein was my top choice...I sort of networked my way into an interview, thought it went amazingly well, and then a few hours ago, pow. I think for me the worst part is that last cycle I consoled myself by saying that I only got rejected because they didn't get to know me through an interview. Now that I've had three, I have no such cover. They got to know me, AND they rejected me.
 
ekdoctobe said:
Yeah, I know the feeling all too well. Einstein was my top choice...I sort of networked my way into an interview, thought it went amazingly well, and then a few hours ago, pow. I think for me the worst part is that last cycle I consoled myself by saying that I only got rejected because they didn't get to know me through an interview. Now that I've had three, I have no such cover. They got to know me, AND they rejected me.
Click to expand...
I guess I am still in that previous cycle stage, you mentioned. I interview well (according to others who have interviewed me for other purposes), and I know for sure that I will perform well if USF interviews me. It is my top choice, and I just wish they gave me a chance. So many things about the school interest me, and I absolutely love the school for many many reasons!
Don't worry too much. Somebody older whom I know (a very brilliant person, I must say) was on a medical school's waitlist, and got accepted a few weeks before their start date. Now, that person is a doctor at Mass. General, and a prof. at Harvard Medical School. Boom! That's life.
 
Yeah. I'm gearing up for round three of this epic battle. Hopefully it won't come to that but why not be prepared?
 
ekdoctobe said:
Yeah. I'm gearing up for round three of this epic battle. Hopefully it won't come to that but why not be prepared?
Click to expand...

Three interview invites means you have a solid app. Did anyone do any interview prep with you beforehand?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

riolustan
Standard mid-cycle silence panic post
Replies
3
Views
1K
candbgirl
C
wysdoc
  • Sticky
*~*~*~* Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*~*
2 3 4
Replies
151
Views
9K
wysdoc
wysdoc
chilly_md
  • Sticky
*~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*
2
Replies
83
Views
9K
ghermione1900
ghermione1900
chilly_md
~*~*~*~*~* Official Letters of Evaluation Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*~*~
2
Replies
70
Views
4K
chilly_md
chilly_md
chilly_md
*~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2024-2025 *~*~*~*
Replies
24
Views
9K
diltiazemm
diltiazemm
Top