2020 Cycle Waitlist Support Thread
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Is there a re-app thread for this cycle?
This really summed up the process quite nicely. From the conversations I had with physicians and students who serve on the admission committee, this process is ultimately not fair at all. There are so many factors that come into play. This is why just getting accepted into A medical school is such an impressive accomplishment in the United States. In other parts of the world , it is mostly a merit system (if you have the numbers, then you are automatically in). In the U.S, the idea of "holistic" admissions works in the favor of some applicants and not in the favors of others. I think the goal of your application is to stand out as much as possible. Pursue a cool hobby. Have a unique clinical EC schools have never seen before. These are things that will make you stand out in a crowd of thousands of applicants.
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Waiting it out (with impatience.....) paid off!! Every day I had been dreading getting restarted with my personal statement and reapplying. Received a call and got off the waitlist a few hours ago this morning and all I could think was AHHHHHH. MD CLASS OF 2024!!!! I believe this will happen for you too!!!
D
deleted979887
Man I literally went from considering Caribbean and podiatry in January after getting hit with 3 wait lists and a bunch of Rs to getting a DO acceptance and now getting off an MD waitlist. Now I gotta decide between living at home and paying cheap in state tuition or moving to another state and paying OOS tuition but for an MD. My head is spinning but I guess I can't complain.
Shego
Full Member
Waitlist movement has been nearly silent on my school specific thread so it's been nice to come here and celebrate the people who have gotten A's off waitlists! I live vicariously through you all. Keep the comeback stories comin'.
On another note, starting my re-app today. Fingers crossed I get the world's best call before I re-submit at the end of the month.
On another note, starting my re-app today. Fingers crossed I get the world's best call before I re-submit at the end of the month.
Same. I am on two waitlists and there has been some movement, but not much in both threads.
They can see you have an A, but cannot see what school I think.
I don't think so, but don't know.
I don't think so, but don't know.
If you are accepted or waitlisted I think they can only see three options: you PTE’d at their school, you PTE’d at another school, or neither (you have no acceptances or you are accepted but haven’t PTE’d yet). They cant see which schools you have an A/PTE’d at, how many As you have, nor any information about you being waitlisted.
Does eating lot of extra rough wheat bread help get lot of acceptances? If so, I would like to try.
I agree! My school specific threads have been quiet lately but these acceptance posts are keeping me going. Congrats to those who got the call, fingers crossed the rest of us are next!
Someone posted this in a school im waitlisted at :
Friend emailed about scholarships and was told that there are none available until “class size decreases and there is turnover in funds that have already been allocated”
so uh is all hope lost for this school :/
Friend emailed about scholarships and was told that there are none available until “class size decreases and there is turnover in funds that have already been allocated”
so uh is all hope lost for this school :/
studentdoctor!
Full Member
my new toxic habit is to check if the choose your medical school tool is available in amcas ahaha (it never is)
galesburgmayflower
Full Member
Hi all. I started following this thread because I was losing hope in this cycle and needed support from people who truly understand what riding the med school WL feels like. Last time I applied to medical school, I got nada. Today I got a phone call re: getting accepted at my reach/dream school. Don’t lose hope folks. I am sending you all the positive vibes. I know how it feels and hope the best for all of you [emoji173]️
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Those of us preparing to apply again this cycle (like myself), it's good to prepare as if you are rejected but to keep that hope alive (as hard as that sounds). May/June is the time when most waitlist acceptances go out.
I suggest opening your application to only 1 school at the end of the month. If you don't hear anything back by the end of June. Add the rest of your schools. The biggest delay happens when AMCAS is verifying applications so you want to be in that first pool so it doesn't take week on end to complete. This not only saves you money but doesn't delay your application. AMCAS is holding all apps this cycle until mid July before sending out to medical schools due to COVID.
Prepare. But don't lose hope.
I suggest opening your application to only 1 school at the end of the month. If you don't hear anything back by the end of June. Add the rest of your schools. The biggest delay happens when AMCAS is verifying applications so you want to be in that first pool so it doesn't take week on end to complete. This not only saves you money but doesn't delay your application. AMCAS is holding all apps this cycle until mid July before sending out to medical schools due to COVID.
Prepare. But don't lose hope.
Just to piggie back off this, what are you guys doing about Casper? Are you guys scheduling it now as well?
Hello gyngyn,could you provide your explanation on why WL movement seems to be sluggish?
D
deleted1025690
Luckily I won’t have to retake it but I was originally planning on scheduling it ASAP just to get it over with and only choosing one school for it to be distributed to. I believe you can add more later on as I vaguely remember doing so.
I’m just scared that it’ll be less last minute and more on the nonexistent/limited side
Wayne state again? I have only seen people got pulled out from Wayne state in this thread... 🙁
Haha yes! Warrior MD!!
Please don’t lose hope I believe good news are on their way for all of you!
studentdoctor!
Full Member
For those of you planning on reapplying and only applying MD this time, are you adding DO schools in the next round?
I only ask because I wonder if to approach the DO apps differently than MD (highlight different experiences, etc)
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I only ask because I wonder if to approach the DO apps differently than MD (highlight different experiences, etc)
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I can only say it's sluggish on the west coast. Even very nice schools on the east coast are moving.
Why wouldn’t you apply to DO schools also along with MD schools?
I don’t think it’s necessary to mention
Why osteopathic medicine in your personal statement as there secondaries typically ask why
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studentdoctor!
Full Member
I didn’t apply this first time but will be applying to them next cycle along with MD schools
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studentdoctor!
Full Member
Also just a heads up some schools would like you to have had an experience shadowing a DO. Goodluck!
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From what you’ve seen would you say there is more promise for WL movement this year as compared to last year? And if there’s movement on the east coast shouldn’t that have a trickle down effect to some west coast schools?
PS - thank you for taking the time to answer these questions and give us insight!
To add to this, many DO schools have a preference (for a few, I think it’s required) for one of your letters of rec to be written by a DO if you happen to shadow/work in a clinical setting. It’s more of a general rule though, since you can get accepted without DO-written letters (I got DO acceptances with two MD-written letters, though there could have been confounding variables). Something to keep in mind.
Also a tip if you’re writing those DO secondaries: avoid explicitly using the term “holistic.” The DO schools I interviewed at mentioned it, so adjust your verbage in your apps.
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It’s important to apply to both DO and MD. I rather go to DO school than a carribean school if US MD schools doesn’t pick you. That’s just my opinion. Good luck.
From here, it appears almost identical to last year except that the over-acceptance that happened at one school seems to have been avoided.
For the most part, only very fancy east coast schools pull away West coast acceptees.
Anyone know anything about emory’s waitlist cycle?
Would that one school rhyme with UC Pie? I’ve heard from a few people that they were trying to minimize over-acceptance this year.
There were a few but one was exceptional.
minn#4
Full Member
I
I heard from one medical school that there have been a lot of students deferring or declining their acceptance due to the corona virus. Would you say that is true?
mama1374mia
Full Member
I heard the same thing from a faculty of one medical school too!
oh my god. just less than 10 hours ago i was trying to figure out what to do with my life, this was my third cycle, i was WL'd at my SMP school (ouch!) and just got accepted!!!! I've been taking pre-requs and grad school since 2015, this was a long time coming i made it.
Just like everyone else says, if i can do it, so can you!! Sending you all good vibes today!!
Just like everyone else says, if i can do it, so can you!! Sending you all good vibes today!!
Med.School.Hopeful
Full Member
Congrats!
That has not been our experience.
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I highly doubt that because getting into med school is a lifetime accomplishment so not sure who would give up that opportunity lol. But that’s just my opinion.
minn#4
Full Member
I’m just repeating what admissions personnel told me. If they are deffering to next year they are not technically losing there career.
D
deleted1025690
idk about a lot but I can definitely see this happening particularly in severely effected states. If someone’s family was profoundly affected or if they have now suddenly become responsible for the care of a loved one who has been effected by the virus it would make sense that they would choose to defer, maybe even decline if their situation demands. It’s an extremely difficult time for so many people unfortunately.
Thank you for providing insight into West coast schools!
I'm on Irvine's WL and the school stated that there's been very little movement so far. I was hoping it was due to COVID delays since they typically take many students from the WL, but now it sounds more like they have their full class already. Should I just give up hope now? (preparing to reapply regardless but whether to have my heart rate spike whenever I get a phone call you feel)
If last year is any indication, there is not likely to be much movement.
If anything, virtual meetings have decisions easier and more efficient (but less fun).
Still, as long as waitlist movement has started at any particular school, it is likely to continue (albeit a slower and slower rate).
