2018-2019 Waitlist Support Thread

[striveandexcel]

I got waitlisted at my #1 choice med school. I'm also waiting to hear back from other places I interviewed at. I was wondering when people start planning for a potential gap year. I'm scared that I won't be able to find anything interesting to do if I start planning too late

Also, I'm not sure if I should go ahead and start studying for the MCAT again. I got a decent score the first time, but I think I'd have a shot at some top-tier schools if I increased my score by around 5 points.

I am a non-trad working in research. But the present contract of employment is only till end of March. So, I am scared about the same thing.. don’t know if I can secure a good year ahead if I really have to reapply next cycle.

Having the same thought about MCAT studying too. Wanting to get a fresh and higher score for better chances.

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[EasyEveryoneWouldDoIt]

curious how much WL movement there will be this week. Tomorrow is the first day you can select "plan to enroll"

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

curious how much WL movement there will be this week. Tomorrow is the first day you can select "plan to enroll"

From what I’ve heard, the prediction is “a little.” But that’s all speculation. We can’t even predict how many people will use that option (assuming their school doesn’t require it).

 

[EasyEveryoneWouldDoIt]

i have one school i am WL i am hoping for movement on sooner than later and silently hoping to hear back this week and the other WL school i already withdraw

 

[Jor1234]

Traffic Rules Question: If already admitted to one school can you stay on the waitlist for another after April 30th? Can't find anything about it in the traffic rules.

 

[wysdoc]

Traffic Rules Question: If already admitted to one school can you stay on the waitlist for another after April 30th? Can't find anything about it in the traffic rules.

Yes. If you are hanging on to more than one admission right now you need to choose one, decline the others by April 30. You may stay on WLs for schools you might prefer to the one you are admitted to.

 

[Jor1234]

I guess I'm asking if the school I'm accepted to will rescind my acceptance after April 30th if I stay on the waitlist at another because of this traffic rule.

1. Making an offer of admission to an applicant who has already matriculated at another school could result in the other school having an unfilled slot in its class. Each school is encouraged to take reasonable measures, including asking applicants under consideration whether they have already matriculated at another medical school, and carefully consider that information when deciding whether to make an offer to an applicant.

 

[M&L]

Traffic Rules Question: If already admitted to one school can you stay on the waitlist for another after April 30th? Can't find anything about it in the traffic rules.

You can stay on waitlists up to matriculation day

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

I guess I'm asking if the school I'm accepted to will rescind my acceptance after April 30th if I stay on the waitlist at another because of this traffic rule.

1. Making an offer of admission to an applicant who has already matriculated at another school could result in the other school having an unfilled slot in its class. Each school is encouraged to take reasonable measures, including asking applicants under consideration whether they have already matriculated at another medical school, and carefully consider that information when deciding whether to make an offer to an applicant.

Matriculated in this instance means starting school.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Yes. If you are hanging on to more than one admission right now you need to choose one, decline the others by April 30. You may stay on WLs for schools you might prefer to the one you are admitted to.

In addition, you should be down to 3 acceptances by April 15.

 

[wysdoc]

I guess I'm asking if the school I'm accepted to will rescind my acceptance after April 30th if I stay on the waitlist at another because of this traffic rule.

1. Making an offer of admission to an applicant who has already matriculated at another school could result in the other school having an unfilled slot in its class. Each school is encouraged to take reasonable measures, including asking applicants under consideration whether they have already matriculated at another medical school, and carefully consider that information when deciding whether to make an offer to an applicant.

You CAN stay one or more WL past April 30 because being on a WL is not the same as being OFFERED an admission.
And yes, as @gorowannabe said, "already matriculated" means you have started school, which includes orientation activities.

Super complicated sometimes, @Jor1234, so I understand why you want to be sure of what you're signing and doing

 

[phillykat96]

I've completed 8 interviews, deferred at 2, waitlisted at 5, haven't heard back from one. Two interviews are left to be completed. Being on a waitlist sucks, especially if I have to re-apply. Blah.

 

[ZukosRedemption]

I've completed 8 interviews, deferred at 2, waitlisted at 5, haven't heard back from one. Two interviews are left to be completed. Being on a waitlist sucks, especially if I have to re-apply. Blah.

I think you have a very high chance of getting in somewhere! Fingers crossed

 

[Sheiko]

Just got my third post-interview rejection, still on two waitlists and two scghools to hear from. Starting to lose hope over here

 

[OchemOficionado]

Just got my third post-interview rejection, still on two waitlists and two scghools to hear from. Starting to lose hope over here

You’re waiting on 4 decisions still so odds are great.

 

[M&L]

You’re waiting on 4 decisions still so odds are great.

Yeah ... waiting on two decisions , and have 3 WL

 

[southpaw3]

I'm pretty sure schools are playing things safer this cycle and putting more people on WLs as a result of the traffic changes. I would imagine that there will be quite a bit of WL movement in late March/April!

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

I'm pretty sure schools are playing things safer this cycle and putting more people on WLs as a result of the traffic changes. I would imagine that there will be quite a bit of WL movement in late March/April!

WL movement in March and first half of April will only happen IF your peers release their acceptances as soon as they know they would not go to said school. But my concern from what I see every year, even in undergrad admissions, is that some people like to collect acceptances like trophies. Not catch and release. This year, they are recommended to go to only 3 by April 15th, but until April 15th, may hold an infinite number.

Obviously, some will wait for second looks and others need financial aid information, but TBH, there is no incentive, other than good will to their fellow med school applicants, to release any acceptances before April 15th. I do see some good sportsmanship on this site, in this regard, so going to hope that those on SDN do the right thing and release A's as soon as they can start eliminating some of their options. I insist upon this from my advisees. The applicants themselves even feel better, with fewer fake choices "complicating" their decisions.

(Edited to reflect that going down to 3 choices by April 15th is only suggested, not mandated)

 

[OchemOficionado]

WL movement in March and first half of April will only happen IF your peers release their acceptances as soon as they know they would not go to said school. But my concern from what I see every year, even in undergrad admissions, is that some people like to collect acceptances like trophies. Not catch and release. This year, they will have to go to only 3 by April 15th, but until April 15th, may hold an infinite number.

Gonnif posted that the down to 3 by 4/15 is merely a suggestion and it won’t be enforced.

 

[Sheiko]

You’re waiting on 4 decisions still so odds are great.

Thanks, I really hope so. Im already a reapplicant and dont knownif i can do this a third time

 

[teenyfish]

Thanks, I really hope so. Im already a reapplicant and dont knownif i can do this a third time

I believe in you!

 

[ChickRick16]

I recently got waitlisted at my top choice school and am pretty devastated. I currently live with my SO in the same city as this school, and I currently work at this school/hospital and love everything about it. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the acceptances I have. But I can't help but feel sad and disappointed at the situation. I hope the wait until spring won't be a long one...

 

[southpaw3]

I recently got waitlisted at my top choice school and am pretty devastated. I currently live with my SO in the same city as this school, and I currently work at this school/hospital and love everything about it. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for the acceptances I have. But I can't help but feel sad and disappointed at the situation. I hope the wait until spring won't be a long one...

It's totally reasonable to be disappointed, especially since you have a strong connection to the school and already live in the area. But hopefully you'll get pulled off the WL before you have to start thinking about moving. Does your school give you a # on the WL?

 

[ChickRick16]

It's totally reasonable to be disappointed, especially since you have a strong connection to the school and already live in the area. But hopefully you'll get pulled off the WL before you have to start thinking about moving. Does your school give you a # on the WL?

Unfortunately no. But they are super receptive to updates/LOinterest/LOintent/etc. so I will definitely be taking advantage of that in the coming weeks!

 

[Crusher of Souls]

2 waitlists, 3 deferrals, 1 silent deferral, 1 TBD. No more upcoming interviews. Grateful to have had so many interviews and no post-II rejections, but the uncertainty is driving me crazy.

As @phillykat96 mentioned earlier, this is even more frustrating as we start prepping for reapplication. Especially when this many interviews means my weaknesses are more likely due to interviewing ability rather than my application.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

2 waitlists, 3 deferrals, 1 silent deferral, 1 TBD. No more upcoming interviews. Grateful to have had so many interviews and no post-II rejections, but the uncertainty is driving me crazy.

As @phillykat96 mentioned earlier, this is even more frustrating as we start prepping for reapplication. Especially when this many interviews means my weaknesses are more likely due to interviewing ability rather than my application.

What is the difference between a WL and a deferral? Is that like at QCOM where they put you on a hold list to look at you again later?

 

[southpaw3]

2 waitlists, 3 deferrals, 1 silent deferral, 1 TBD. No more upcoming interviews. Grateful to have had so many interviews and no post-II rejections, but the uncertainty is driving me crazy.

As @phillykat96 mentioned earlier, this is even more frustrating as we start prepping for reapplication. Especially when this many interviews means my weaknesses are more likely due to interviewing ability rather than my application.

I wouldn’t totally assume that it’s your interview skills that are keeping you from getting an acceptance. I truly think a lot of very qualified applicants are waitlisted at this point because there are more applicants than spots available and schools aren’t as confident about sending outright acceptances since they have no idea which applicants are going to accept offers. I wouldn’t be surprised if you get pulled off a WL after people start declining offers.

I know it seems logical to assume that if you get an II and then a WL then the issue must be the interview, but I personally know someone who got an interview and later was told that her MCAT was the weakest part of her app and ultimately what kept her out. There are so many factors at play, so it’s hard to try and come up with a simple explanation.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I wouldn’t totally assume that it’s your interview skills that are keeping you from getting an acceptance. I truly think a lot of very qualified applicants are waitlisted at this point because there are more applicants than spots available and schools aren’t as confident about sending outright acceptances since they have no idea which applicants are going to accept offers. I wouldn’t be surprised if you get pulled off a WL after people start declining offers.

I know it seems logical to assume that if you get an II and then a WL then the issue must be the interview, but I personally know someone who got an interview and later was told that her MCAT was the weakest part of her app and ultimately what kept her out. There are so many factors at play, so it’s hard to try and come up with a simple explanation.

LizzyM's staircase analogy is very apt.

 

[Crusher of Souls]

What is the difference between a WL and a deferral? Is that like at QCOM where they put you on a hold list to look at you again later?

I think so. My understanding is a deferral means I am still actively considered for an open seat at each up coming admissions meeting. Waitlist means I could only get a seat if an accepted applicant decides to decline their acceptance.

 

[bkf22]

2 waitlists and 1 pending post-II decision from my top choice. I am starting to feel like I am going to go insane!

 

[M&L]

2 waitlists and 1 pending post-II decision from my top choice. I am starting to feel like I am going to go insane!

Join the club ))))

 

[Sheiko]

I believe in you!

That's very kind of you to say, thanks!

 

[roadtosurgeon]

Joining this thread.
Currently on 3 waitlists but I feel down because these were the schools where I felt that I did really well in the interview. Some interviewers even responded back to my thank you note saying that I was an outstanding applicant.
I still have 7 more schools to hear back from post-II but they are all T10 schools and I am not expecting much from them.
This process is really so agonizing!

 

[lilqt123]

Got waitlisted at my top choice today *sigh* and this is my second waitlist from my only 2 MD IIs. Super grateful for my DO acceptances, but still a little disappointed that I couldn't snag an immediate MD acceptance. But at least one good thing has come out of this cycle - the extreme patience that I've learned throughout this whole process.

 

[965978]

Joining this thread.
Currently on 3 waitlists but I feel down because these were the schools where I felt that I did really well in the interview. Some interviewers even responded back to my thank you note saying that I was an outstanding applicant.
I still have 7 more schools to hear back from post-II but they are all T10 schools and I am not expecting much from them.
This process is really so agonizing!

 

[Wannabemdee]

If you are still waiting for 7 schools post interview I have no doubt whatsoever you will receive an acceptance somewhere!

 

[roadtosurgeon]

I am grateful I had the chance to interview with amazing schools. I guess I’m still worried because I don’t expect to be accepted or even waitlisted from the schools I’m waiting to hear back from.

 

[965978]

I am grateful I had the chance to interview with amazing schools. I guess I’m still worried because I don’t expect to be accepted or even waitlisted from the schools I’m waiting to hear back from.

Relax! Some schools have seriously changed their waitlist management since the new rules have come out. Every ADCOM and their mom on here has been saying that waitlist movement will be high this year.

 

[965978]

My mood swings this cycle:
-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> ->

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

I am grateful I had the chance to interview with amazing schools. I guess I’m still worried because I don’t expect to be accepted or even waitlisted from the schools I’m waiting to hear back from.

It is really good to have low expectations through this process, but if you had 10 interviews, and at least 7 were from T10 institutions, it is very likely that you will end up with some acceptances. (If this does NOT happen, you will need some serious help with interviewing skills next time - or you need to find a 4 leaf clover!)

Clearly your application is compelling enough for all these top schools to want to meet you In person, so I would expect that you should get accepted from at least one of the seven T10 places. However, if you are a traditional, ORM, with no hard luck story and you did not cure cancer, with stats that are high-normal (40-65th percentile for top schools), you are also perfect "waitlist fodder" for many top schools. Meaning, they would love to have you and you would be a great fit, and you would do well, but there are already 500-800+ applicants on the interview trail with "better" applications in that they almost cured cancer, or they were green berets and/or have a hard luck story and/or provide needed diversity. All of these "T10" schools invited a lot of this same group of 500-800 students and they are all hoping that those students will choose them. (I have seen that some on SDN are already sitting on 8-14 acceptances!) But after May 1, (and hopefully a good bit after second-looks and April 15), these WL spots will start to open up. "Waitlist fodder" students, as I described above, almost always get in somewhere, as the T10 schools have to be very conservative with their initial acceptances, and though not every applicant who gets into a T10 school gets multiple acceptances, most do.

 

[965978]

It is really good to have low expectations through this process, but if you had 10 interviews, and at least 7 were from T10 institutions, it is very likely that you will end up with some acceptances. (If this does happen, you will need some serious help with interviewing skills next time - or you need to find a 4 leaf clover!)

Clearly your application is compelling enough for all these top schools to want to meet you In person, so I would expect that you should get accepted from at least one of the seven T10 places. However, if you are a traditional, ORM, with no hard luck story and you did not cure cancer, with stats that are high-normal (40-65th percentile for top schools), you are also perfect "waitlist fodder" for many top schools. Meaning, they would love to have you and you would be a great fit, and you would do well, but there are already 500-800+ applicants on the interview trail with "better" applications in that they almost cured cancer, or they were green berets and/or have a hard luck story and/or provide needed diversity. All of these "T10" schools invited a lot of this same group of 500-800 students and they are all hoping that those students will choose them. (I have seen that some on SDN are already sitting on 8-14 acceptances!) But after May 1, (and hopefully a good bit after second-looks and April 15), these WL spots will start to open up. "Waitlist fodder" students, as I described above, almost always get in somewhere, as the T10 schools have to be very conservative with their initial acceptances, and though not every applicant who gets into a T10 school gets multiple acceptances, most do.

Serious question: how bad do your interviewing skills have to be to not get an acceptance with 10 interviews?

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

Serious question: how bad do your interviewing skills have to be to not get an acceptance with 10 interviews?

They would have to be pretty bad. But there is a group of students, not in the top 500-800 in the applicant pool, who will get a lot of interviews bc they are in the next tier down, but will get a lot of WL's from T10 schools initially. Once WL movement happens, they get in. I also think that OP says they were WL from their first 3 schools, but that these were not T10 schools. So OP likely WL at those bc next tier of schools figure OP will probably get lots of T10 interviews, and is not likely to attend their school. So a lot of T20-40 schools WL these types of students, so as not to hurt their yield, but they will still have a shot at a student like OP bc they can put them on highest tier of WL.

It is just from my view, every year, there is the top 5% of all applicants who apply to my T10 school and most all the other top schools. And I define tippy top applicants as being from great UG's, having almost perfect GPA, almost perfect MCAT, great story, great research, mature, and provides some type of needed diversity. When you consider how many students apply to medical school every year, even the top 5% ends up being a large number of applicants. They end up holding the bulk of the T10 acceptances initially. The WL movement in the top schools are all bc these tippy top 5% of applicants get a lot of acceptances but top schools have to be conservative in their initial acceptance numbers. It is always easy to add students from the WL, but can't take away acceptances and no school ever wants more than their class size to show up on the first day.

I still think OP is in very good position to have a choice from a couple of medical schools, given 7 interviews at T10, but my answers apply to others who may be similar applicants but maybe did not get so many interviews...

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

They would have to be pretty bad. But there is a group of students, not in the top 500-800 in the applicant pool, who will get a lot of interviews bc they are in the next tier down, but will get a lot of WL's from T10 schools initially. Once WL movement happens, they get in. I also think that OP says they were WL from their first 3 schools, but that these were not T10 schools. So OP likely WL at those bc next tier of schools figure OP will probably get lots of T10 interviews, and is not likely to attend their school. So a lot of T20-40 schools WL these types of students, so as not to hurt their yield, but they will still have a shot at a student like OP bc they can put them on highest tier of WL.

It is just from my view, every year, there is the top 5% of all applicants who apply to my T10 school and most all the other top schools. And I define tippy top applicants as being from great UG's, having almost perfect GPA, almost perfect MCAT, great story, great research, mature, and provides some type of needed diversity. When you consider how many students apply to medical school every year, even the top 5% ends up being a large number of applicants. They end up holding the bulk of the T10 acceptances initially. The WL movement in the top schools are all bc these tippy top 5% of applicants get a lot of acceptances but top schools have to be conservative in their initial acceptance numbers. It is always easy to add students from the WL, but can't take away acceptances and no school ever wants more than their class size to show up on the first day.

I still think OP is in very good position to have a choice from a couple of medical schools, given 7 interviews at T10, but my answers apply to others who may be similar applicants but maybe did not get so many interviews...

This is almost verbatim the explanation I got from another adcom.

 

[Medicine Mamba]

Haven't heard from a school 4 + months since my interview... Should I reach out to them? Is this a good time to send a letter of intent and interest (combined into one letter)?

 

[dodolol21]

I asked adcoms at the school I was writting a LOI and they said the sooner the better.

can you share what school, since they all have different policies this wouldn't be perfect advice for everyone

 

[Dhooy7]

can you share what school, since they all have different policies this wouldn't be perfect advice for everyone

It's a DO school. I talked with admissions and suggested it

 

[jedknight]

So glad to find this thread

 

[roadtosurgeon]

@gorowannabe Thank you for the reply. I am non-trad with an interesting-ish story (not a hard luck story though) and high stats. I did not realize that 'yield-protection' thing still held true after the interviews as well. I truly hope that is the case here and that I will hear good news from the top schools in the coming week(s). I won't lose hope just yet.
And in the meantime... I will prescribe myself some chill pills...

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

@gorowannabe Thank you for the reply. I am non-trad with an interesting-ish story (not a hard luck story though) and high stats. I did not realize that 'yield-protection' thing still held true after the interviews as well. I truly hope that is the case here and that I will hear good news from the top schools in the coming week(s). I won't lose hope just yet.
And in the meantime... I will prescribe myself some chill pills...

All schools care about yield protection. The tippy top schools are not in a position to do much about it - they just have to accept the top students and try to woo them with great financial aid, and fantastic second looks. Mayo MN does try to play the yield protection game with their "highly interested" emails that they send to their top students, where they ask that the students let them know what they are thinking about Mayo, but most other top schools have few options when it comes to yield protection for the top students.

The schools in the next tier, the top 20-40 still want their chance at a lot of the top students, but they will sometimes put the tippy top applicants in their top tier of WL. That means that they will still be able to offer these students a spot in the unlikely event that some do not get any better acceptances, but by not offering the tippy top student an outright acceptance initially, they do not take a hit to their matriculation rate.

And yes, some schools may do yield protection after interviews, as some of what makes a tippy top applicant is garnered during the interview. If a great student on paper has a great interview at a place ranked in the 30's, they are all the more sure that the student is likely going to end up at a T10 school. The T30-T40 school may still want the students like these, but giving too many of them an outright acceptance is just going to create a low matriculation rate problem.

 

[Sheiko]

My old lab just submitted a manuscript to Nature Genetics, worth sending an update letter?