Right, they should absolutely be afforded that degree of protection but there is a difference between protection and keeping around half your interviewee pool
I know at least one school that breaks its list into 6 tiers, which allows it some flexibility while still providing transparency to applicants.
Laziness and maximum flexibility for the black swan event where the unexpected happens.
Let's hope for the black swan event then 🤞
Here's how you save your mental health during this process (and I know that this will trigger some delicate souls): You are rejected until you get that accept email in your Inbox, and should be working on Plan B accordingly.
Perhaps we can redirect this conversation to a productive and fair comparison of waitlist policies?
You mean you don't like Goro's extremely helpful and supportive advice about how we should just pretend like we're not going to get in?
THIS^^^^^^^. I always hated that advice. I get how the adcoms want to lower expectations due to the ridiculously competitive nature of the process, but, if we are honestly going to take that advice, we wouldn't waste the time, money and effort applying in the first place.
Their solution to the annual increase in applicants hasn’t been to make the process more palatable since doing so would probably exacerbate the issue. For AMCAS the solution has been to increase the screens and hoops to pass applicants through. VITA, CASPER, SJT, exorbitant application fees, a longer MCAT were all deployed with the full intention of cutting us down and discouraging those who may not have the financial means or psychological wherewithal to apply. I agree it’s jacked up and not sustainable.
Exactly! My point was simply that, in an environment in which they are doing great while treating applicants like crap, they have no incentive to do anything any differently. All except the financial means part, because, giving credit where credit is due, they DID expand access to FAP. Believe me, AMCAS profits from increased applications, and is not doing anything to discourage them. The "longer" MCAT was just a return to the regular MCAT, which they need in order to develop questions for future MCATs.
60% of all people don't get in. I'm trying to be supported by giving you a dose of reality, and to choke off some of the entitlement that seeping in through the electrons.
I saw more schools are doing SJT next year, stupid af. AAMC is definitely using it to make money and compete with CASPER. Casper is a much better test imo
Nope. Ranked WLs aren't the answer, because they destroy the school's flexibility to shape the class. The answer is what some schools do, where they place you in a tier, communicate that tier to you, AND provide data regarding historic movement within tiers. There is plenty schools can do to let you know where you stand without losing any flexibility at all, but, it creates work for them and only benefits us, so, most don't do it.
Ranked means that when acceptee x turns down the offer, they have to take #1 on the waitlist. This can result in the class becoming off balance if acceptee x was unique in some way that WL #1 doesn't fulfill. Tiers means that they have a group of waitlisted applicants to choose from to replace acceptee x, allowing them more control to create a balanced/diverse class.
I'm just a premed like you, so take this with a grain of salt, but my understanding is no, they are technically very different. LCME requires them to go in strict order if the list is ranked, so most don't do that, because they want the flexibility to replace a female with a female, URM with URM, etc. So, they get around this by creating unranked tiers, which gives them the flexibility to jump around within the tier as they see fit. This is actually what most schools do, whether or not they communicate the tier to us.
No, that's not how the tiers work in practice. That would render stratifying by tier meaningless. Schools will normally clear one tier before moving to another (other than IS/OOS at public schools, where each has its own list). The tiers give them flexibility to pick and choose within the tier. The tiers are normally diverse enough to enable the schools to honor the stratification. Keep in mind that most schools either have enough movement that this is not an issue, or so little movement that it's also not an issue!
Ah yes, I remember your supportive dose of reality when you told me I should consider pursuing something other than medicine.
Given the complete opaqcity of the process I feel there are much more lower hanging fruit in the admissions process to add transparency than just adding a ranked WL
no I'm glad you posted! I (and other applicants I'm sure) am thankful for applicants who withdraw their As early, which can be helpful for other waitlisted people. It seems like your cycle ended up being super successful, and I'm happy for you! Congratulations!!
I can understand being realistic and preparing for the worst in situations with outcomes as dubious as being on the waitlist. However, I do believe there is a manner of conveying this message without being pretentious- especially in a field where empathy is one of its core pillars. Making comments like “triggering some delicate souls,” as if most of us aren’t aware of the threat of reapplication is condescending and the antithesis of what I expect a forum dedicated to unconditional care should be about. As a user whose guidance apparently holds so much clout, I honestly expect more class. Insensitive comments don’t do much to inspire the next generation of caregivers.
I had this same question. This one interview I had ended up being objectively very good. The interviewer explicitly said ‘I think the only issue we will have is you choosing us, so let’s stop the interview so I can tell you more about our school’ It honestly could not go any better, then they waitlisted me 🤡. I think interviews are important but not as important. Ultimately, the whole committee has to like us
Through post-interview holistic reassessments of your application.
This is why I’m wondering how likely a lower stat applicant is to get off the WL. Even though one of my schools has a ton of WL movement, I’m thinking I’m done due to stats.
Hahahaah 3II= A logic rlyyyy screwed me over this cycle. But honestly, I’d like to believe that us getting IIs and waitlisted still mean we are qualified. Some of people may call me naive, but schools will never waste their time on people who they are not interested in. I just hope late April/May treats us nicely
This is what I'd like to know as a low stat applicant on 2 WLs haha
and focusing on plan B is so hard when nothing is definite. i cant figure out how to convince myself i got an R! i'm making plans like i have the R but the mentality part of it all is a whole different ball game
Yes (your stats are great, actually), but it totally depends which school you're on the waitlist for! I have pretty decent stats, but they're solidly median (certainly nothing amazing) at the school I'm waitlisted at.
Bruh lol I would sell my soul for stats like that
(lemme know if this is TMI cuz I know privacy is a super big thing on SDN but these are the schools I'm WL at)
I'm a CA resident, Chinese American applicant so that probably does play to my disadvantage a little bit unfortunately.
I definitely wouldn't consider you "low stat" for any of those schools, with maybe the exception of USF MCAT. You're right in the range of the stats they are looking for.
You seem competitive, stat-wise, at the majority of those schools.
I would try not to get hung up on stats here. I'm sure stats might be part of the WL->A decision-making process but it's not the only part.
Stats are never the whole story for anyone, and presumably everyone is fully aware of that. I really hope things work out for you, but posting that someone with a 3.9/520+ has no As, without qualifying the statement by disclosing that they are an international applicant, is misleading.
FWIW, Goro has probably helped more people get into medical school than just about anyone in SDN history, so tread lightly.
I feel like the comment was aimed more at Goro’s insensitive tone rather than his advising ability. I don’t doubt his track record but I don’t always agree with his mannerisms- and I know we’re not the only ones who share this sentiment. FWIW, Goro’s best advice to me when I was looking for help to improve my app was to give up.
Lol
