Pulled this compilation of gems from last year's thread--best of luck to everyone this week!
{originally posted by @Luckystr1ke}
"First and foremost, congratulations. The fact that you are still waiting for acceptances in March means one thing and one thing only: you have interviewed at the some of the greatest institutions of medical education in the world. You are among the finest applicants in the entire 2013-2014 (insert 2016-2017) application pool. For that, you deserve to be proud.
As you may have already experienced, the medical school application process is extremely unpredictable. There are so many subjective variables that go into whether or not you are accepted at a given school. Far too often, we make the mistake of interpreting the list of schools we are accepted/rejected from as a reflection of our intrinsic worth. However, that’s the wrong way to think about things. The fact that you’ve been selected for interviews means that you’ve been identified as folks who have demonstrated excellence to this point and who are projected to continue demonstrating excellence for the rest of your careers. THAT is what you should take away from this process. The dreams that you have of impacting this world are no longer just far-fetched ideals – they should now be realistic expectations.
When the news of your admissions decisions comes forward, remember to be gracious in all things. You may be unbelievably excited by your results, and that’s okay. Just always remember that there are others who worked every bit as hard as you but haven’t enjoyed the success you’re enjoying. You may be heartbroken by your results, and that’s okay too. Just always remember that you have still already been tremendously blessed.
No matter what happens this month, always remember that you are the pride and joy of your family. You are the fulfillment of the dreams your parents have dreamt since the days they prepared to bring you into this world. You have completed a grueling process and have been accepted to medical school. You have represented your loved ones proudly and carried your family's legacy one step forward. You should be proud of yourselves. I, for one, am proud of you."
{originally posted by @Anonymous1991}
"I came into this application cycle feeling as if I was a very strong applicant, and that a school like Harvard was well within my reach. What I have learned, however, both through my cycle results and from fellow applicants on the interview trail, is that I was quite mistaken. At first I was incredibly bitter about being passed over for other applicants because of clinical exposure, volunteer experience, etc. - things that at the time I considered all "part of the game" of medical school admissions. Looking back now, though, I am truly humbled as I consider the accomplishments and experiences of people like you, sitting here waiting to hear back from such a prestigious school.
I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt to not even get the chance to interview at Harvard, but truthfully I have now grown to think that I probably didn't deserve to. You all have done amazing things with your lives thus far, and will, without a doubt, grow to become amazing physicians - something you should remember regardless of the content of your decision today. In short, take a second today to think back to all that you have done up to this point in your lives, and all you have done to get to where you are now. I think sometimes we all get so caught up in the stress and insanity of this process that we don't ever stop to give ourselves credit for what we have already accomplished. You are all deserving of a great medical education, and should know that your experiences and success thus far inspire people like me to continue to push ourselves throughout our education and to strive to achieve even more. So good luck today - I hope to work with some of you down the line in our careers!"
{orginally posted by @TheKDizzle}
"I just want to take this minute to remind everyone that the limiting factor in the admissions process at most schools, Harvard included, is the number of seats available, not the talent in the applicant pool. Each and every one of you is incredibly talented and capable of just about anything. Whether you get in or not at one particular school does not change that AT ALL. Harvard could fill its class over again with qualified people who would succeed and do great here.
It is hard not to take these things personally with the amount of work and effort we all have put into our medical school goals, but medical school decisions are NOT reflective of our qualities, abilities, or "worthiness". Those are things that are demonstrated with dedication over long periods of time, and you have all already done so. Tomorrow doesn't change that. We would be lucky to have you guys join us!
Best of luck for tomorrow everyone (or whatever day of the week we hear back)!