i still think these guys running this process are Professionals, and they've probably accounted for variables we do not even know that exist. therefore i think movement will be basically the same.
2020-2021 Waitlist Support Thread
- Thread starter retro2021
- Start date
I like this post! Maybe we are just overthinking it and they did account for it!
Yes I agree but at the same time all we can do is ✨hope✨ (Ofc send your LOIs if you guys can then hope)
Also, I beg everyone not to be discouraged by the relative lack of movement so far. Please keep in mind that virtually all schools over accept. At this point in the cycle, they really need to have open seats to be comfortable making calls off the WL. So, depending on the school, they need quite a few people to drop As before they start pulling from the WL.
More importantly, keep in mind that the vast majority of people with As have less than 4, so dropping to 3 by 4/15 just does not create a ton of movement like dropping to 1 on 4/30 will. Also, as people learn more and more about the CYMS system, they are starting to clue into the fact that there is zero consequence to not dropping to 3 by 4/15, so I think fewer people are actually doing so as compared to the past 2 years. There are no published stats to back this up, but I think it's a reasonable explanation for the little movement we are seeing so far, which I do NOT think is a leading indicator for anything going forward.
More importantly, keep in mind that the vast majority of people with As have less than 4, so dropping to 3 by 4/15 just does not create a ton of movement like dropping to 1 on 4/30 will. Also, as people learn more and more about the CYMS system, they are starting to clue into the fact that there is zero consequence to not dropping to 3 by 4/15, so I think fewer people are actually doing so as compared to the past 2 years. There are no published stats to back this up, but I think it's a reasonable explanation for the little movement we are seeing so far, which I do NOT think is a leading indicator for anything going forward.
@KnightDoc, thanks for your help. You offer the perfect balance of optimism and realism which is...okay depending on the day and the particular mood that I’m in hahaha. For real though, thank you.
Totally my pleasure!!!
As you know, I have no skin in this game (the past two years have been dry runs for my upcoming cycle), so I have the gift of objectivity. I don't envy you, and fully realize how exhausting and nerve wracking this must be, but, based on my observations the past two cycles, I honestly believe things are going to work out for most of you. A LOT of people, at many schools, are accepted off the WL every year.When schools release their total accepted vs total matriculated, does that total accepted amount include acceptances offered to people previously on the WL?
ChemEtoMD23
Can theoretically manufacture plastic
- Oct 14, 2019
- 256
- 343
- Status (Visible)
-
- Medical Student (Accepted)
Yes, I’m pretty sure it does include acceptances off the WL.
Here is a spreadsheet where that data can be found:
save you from what? your own fear, uncertainty, and doubt? from the logic and speculation can make any possible scenario seem possible if you you think long enough, hard enough, and neurotically enough about it? In the "old" traffic rules, I wouldnt have expected waitlist movement until mid-May then a two smaller waves in June and finally dribbles in July. There can be WL acceptances up until classes start as there are always a few planned matriculants either thru personal, health, or administrative reasons, who sudden cant attend. Schools will fill every seat even if that means calling someone on a Friday to start class Monday. So for some of you, this cycle may last until August.
OK so you want to know what I think is going to happen? Ask me next Fall when I read the the after cycle reports from AMCAS. Until then it is all speculation that means "drek," which is an archaic technical term.
You are always waiting on people with multiple As to create any WL movement. ;-)
Not sure if you mean ‘Highly Wanted’=‘Highly Competitive’?
If so, say there are probably 3% highly competitive applicants which is smaller than the T20 Matriculant total; so this year say 1800 vs 3000....
Now of those 3%/1800 each one probably applied to 16ish of the T20 schools in various combinations. It is quite likely that each of the T20 schools will try to get the most of the highly competitive applicants as possible. Assume they have some ability to discern within these 1800 applications, they earth say will go after the same top half or 900-1800 candidates providing Acceptances which leads to a further gap from the total needed across all T20 schools. However, it isn’t until they look at the PTE results on May 1 that the collective T20 actually know the shortfall for their class (and AMCAS can actually measure how manny unique PTE As remain at the collective T20 giving a number that I’ve estimated to be between 900-1800. The Wait list will then begin the whole cascade. First still jockeying for the remaining And next set of highly competitive appocantions, including applicants changing their minds within the T20, and then progressing beyond.
Sorry, I guess I was unclear. I meant highly wanted as in applicants who received 5+ IIs with multiple acceptances now (not considering school ranks). My thought process was that since nobody needed to travel for interviews, people could attend all the interviews that they wouldn’t have done if interviews were not virtual. So I guess highly competitive people can be a part of the ‘highly wanted’ applicants, but they are not the same group when I mentioned it.
as you go down the ranking list, there is likely less overlap of common schools due to the bell curve widening for total applicants at some highly-wanted level, so unique applicants are likely a higher percentage of total matriculant cumulative spots. At these schools, trickle-down openings are also often caused by trickle-up movement.
Thanks- I wanted to know your thoughts mainly when I asked for help. I appreciate the response.
This^^^^. When the cycle is over, there are only two outcomes, A and R. WLs that become As are counted as such. Otherwise, the outcome is R.
Notice, there is no WL number reported as an outcome anywhere, because it's not an actual outcome! The WL is nothing more than a list from which people receive As this time of year. An A received now from a WL is counted exactly the same as an A received last October when schools report numbers at the end of the cycle.
We live for the thrillsGetting an A in october:
Getting an A in May off the WL:
I actually asked all my WLs to not accept me post-interview because I wanted to feel the rushGetting an A in october:
Getting an A in May off the WL:
The number of WL's that people are on is staggering... the movement better be the same or more...
Same!! The biggest scam this cycle was thinking schools actually cared about the impact of COVID on application timing. How naive of us :/
Anyone know the general consensus about the “strategy” for 1 A and 1 WL? Is it better to not PTE in order to get off the WL or is it recommended to show the school that you have an acceptance? Seems most people think it doesn’t change anything regardless but I just wanted to confirm with you all
By the time the WL school can see you're PTEd after April 30th, your singular A would likely require you to PTE to not have your A rescinded. There's no strategy here.Anyone know the general consensus about the “strategy” for 1 A and 1 WL? Is it better to not PTE in order to get off the WL or is it recommended to show the school that you have an acceptance? Seems most people think it doesn’t change anything regardless but I just wanted to confirm with you all
ChemEtoMD23
Can theoretically manufacture plastic
- Oct 14, 2019
- 256
- 343
- Status (Visible)
-
- Medical Student (Accepted)
I’ve also been wondering whether there’s any advantage to not selecting PTE if one is hoping to get off other WLs.Anyone know the general consensus about the “strategy” for 1 A and 1 WL? Is it better to not PTE in order to get off the WL or is it recommended to show the school that you have an acceptance? Seems most people think it doesn’t change anything regardless but I just wanted to confirm with you all
I’m not sure about other schools, but my one A doesn’t require students to PTE by April 30. The only requirement (besides dropping down to one A on April 30) is to CTE by May 31.
The worst part is knowing that if you get off the waitlist, it would be one of the best and incredible days of your life., but with the knowledge that you very well may not get off any waitlists and will never get that email/call...
Which is why I wish med schools would let us know some sort of probability of getting in to their waitlisted applicants 🥲Although I understand the complex nature of the waitlist pool, having to wait for extra 2-3 months not knowing the odds of getting in is just mind boggling
Last edited:
I've given this some thought, and honestly just cannot believe that it would matter this early in the WL cycle. I can see how, a few weeks before classes begin, it might be easier for a school to call someone who has not PTEd anywhere, with the expectation that they will drop everything and come running, as opposed to having to give them time to make a decision, and then possibly wash, rinse and repeat while the clock is ticking.
In May, though, I would think, if anything, being PTE somewhere makes you appear more attractive than holding zero As. That said, it's totally your call and I don't think it would make a difference one way or the other. Believe me, a ton of people, all over the country, are going to be PTE somewhere on 4/30 while waiting for a call from a preferred school. Many of them will receive such calls in the following weeks. They will not be passed over because they are PTE at a school.
Last edited:
I thought I would join in the misery now that I've heard back from all my II's. 4 MD Interviews --> 4 WLs. One is High Priority List, one school advertises a lot of WL movement...but I'll believe it when I see it. Good luck everyone!
I am right there with you: 3 total WLs, 1 being HPWL (whatever that entails), no As. Just grateful for the opportunities and living on a prayer.
Hi, just to clarify, at this school you'd still be required to drop all other As on April 30th, but aren't required to use the PTE tool? So essentially the same action of commitment required but you don't have to broadcast it to other schools by using PTE?
If so, it would be pretty ironic if they were using the fact that other schools are requiring a broadcast via PTE to enforce their own requirement!
This is the slippery slope created by the lack of a centralized, centrally enforced, set of rules. To the extent multiple schools do not require PTE be selected by 4/30, enforcement of the requirement to drop to one A by then becomes impossible.
ChemEtoMD23
Can theoretically manufacture plastic
- Oct 14, 2019
- 256
- 343
- Status (Visible)
-
- Medical Student (Accepted)
Yep! I didn’t realize that other schools required their accepted applicants to use the PTE tool.
Just PTE man almost allAnyone know the general consensus about the “strategy” for 1 A and 1 WL? Is it better to not PTE in order to get off the WL or is it recommended to show the school that you have an acceptance? Seems most people think it doesn’t change anything regardless but I just wanted to confirm with you all
Schools require if. That’s not going to be the difference
Just to confirm, as there is some ambiguity around this: Can schools you are waitlisted at see if you have selected PTE at another medical school come April 30th?
Yes, but they can't see which school. They can only see that you have PTEd at a school.
this wait and the hardship of it is magnified 10x this cycle in my opinion. who agrees? im thinking if it was a non covid year i'd be traveling, staying busy etc. tough to do that this year to make the days go by faster.
facts . it's also annoying considering how volunteering can also be hard this year and we can't stay busy that way either. there's only so many Netflix shows that you can watch to kill time
esp since all the new Netflix shows lately have been garbage lol
