Yeah I cannot be 100% certain because don't know which school you are talking about but, in general, most applicants are pushed to end of cycle w very limited early offers. That dosnt mean you won't be accepted-- keep them informed that you are still interested and provide major updates
Some schools may only give out notifications on a certain date -- one of the schools where I interviewed last year told everyone we would find out in March, even when we interviewed in October. It was a long wait!! Other times, they'll let a few folks know early and then waitlist many others. The school may respond letting you know more information about where you stand. But if they do not readily provide you an update, I personally found that it was better not to ask. They likely do not know exactly when you personally would hear. With an update of interest, you have given them the chance to share information, but also opened the door for you to reaffirm your interest again later down the road and at that time ask for any updates on your status. A month is still pretty early out, but it's almost always a good idea to stick your foot in the door and show some interest if you haven't yet! That is, of course, just my personal suggestion and another option for you to consider. Did you receive a confirmation when you submitted your secondary for each school? It is pretty normal to not hear from a good amount of schools for a while. Some may be "silent rejections," but others may still be considering your application. It's even possible to pick up interviews as late as say January/Feb, especially if you're silently on a "waitlist" and some applicants cancel their interviews upon other acceptances. Hey friend! Easier said than done, but try not to be anxious.
Even if the school you mentioned said they are "rolling," they may mean the latter as I described above, in that some applicants will know quickly and others (or oftentimes most) will be put on some version of a waitlist. As it looks like another SDN'er has mentioned, don't freak out if you are still waiting!!! Remember that many of those who get the early offers will end up getting many, many offers and might not end up at your school of interest in the end. It's a long, long cycle, but know that even if you're waiting until April 30 (my situation this past year), it can still work out for the best!
Did you follow-up with the program after your interview to express your interest? If not, this could be an appropriate time to do that. I would not suggest just emailing to ask when decisions will be handed out... although I doubt this is something that could actually hurt your admission, I suggest being craftier about it!
If you have not already contacted them, one idea is to send an "update of interest." This was something I used a lot last year to both reaffirm my interest in a school, show how I might fit in, and let them know what I was doing in my senior year of college. A typical letter of this format might express that you really enjoyed your interview experience, give them a specific researcher who you spoke with whose lab you'd love to learn more about because it's a great fit for you, and have maybe a sentence on any kind of update that you have (an award you've won since the interview, a talk you've given, etc).
The trick is to do the above in as few words possible (not like my posts ugh sorry lol I'm a chatterbox) so that programs don't have to read too much.
Let me know if you have any questions, and good luck to all!!
Check to make sure that the schools you applied to don't have a biochem requirement before dropping the course (many do). I'm guessing you don't want to spend the summer after graduation taking an accelerated biochem course, so taking it next semester may be the better option. BS vs BA probably won't make a difference, but they are technically different degrees, so you will need to notify the schools.
By Biochem I meant Biochem II, I already took Biochem I.
Can all schools see offers after Feb 10 or only the schools that have given you an offer? (just double checking because I have seen conflicting info on SDN)
Only schools where you hold an open offer can see your other open offers. Once you decline an offer, that school will disappear from the list.
Thanks
I, too, was surprised the first time I saw the number of applicants that turned down MD-PhD offers. At our program, we have 2 or 3 every year that decline our offer to do the MD at Harvard. A similar number decline MD-PhD offers at other schools to do the MD at our school. They were not accepted by our MD-PhD initially, and about half of them will apply to transfer into the program during the first two years of med school.
Sorry for poorly wording that. When I wrote that, I meant that even for my program, which is an early-interview (we start interviewing in August), we still had 10 interview slots available. Clearly, today, our interview cycle has been completed.
Perhaps have few others chime in, but I doubt they will be annoyed as long as you keep the email very short. However, I also doubt an additional presentation will really be a deal breaker either way at this point. I am hoping for the best for you!
I like your chances of getting a offer. Seven programs saw you as being competitive for an interview; that is a good sign. Unless you bombed all the interviews, there is a good chance that at least one of the schools will make a waitlist offer. From data presented a few years ago, I believe that 85% of individuals who get at least one MD-PhD interview will get an acceptance.
Thank you very much for your response and advice!
Thanks for the advice! However, I know my application is lacking on the "MD" side as well as a subpar MCAT score, which is why I am anxious about getting of the waitlist. Nevertheless, patience is imperative at this point.
