2020 Cycle Waitlist Support Thread

[KnightDoc]

How will you deal with financial aid and merit scholarships if there is a match process?

You won't, because you'll only have one A, and you'll get what you'll get, and you'll like it. That's one reason it will never happen. People here tend to forget, residencies are jobs, and the match is one big job application. Very different from being a consumer where you are shopping where to spend your money, and schools compete based on, among other things, price.

The whole reason the MAR is gone was to increase competition. The match is one of the purest forms of collusion, but it's okay, because the hospitals are paying you, with federal money no less, rather than competing for your business.

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[djiboutiman]

How will you deal with financial aid and merit scholarships if there is a match process?

Maybe a prematch offer? Say from October-January schools can offer scholarships and the applicant would take the top offer which takes them out of the match process. Match happens in February. Need based scholarships are given to the people that really need it. Just what I would do haha

 

[KnightDoc]

Maybe a prematch offer? Say from October-January schools can offer scholarships and the applicant would take the top offer which takes them out of the match process. Match happens in February. Need based scholarships are given to the people that really need it. Just what I would do haha

Not practical. Schools that want to compete on price could do a variation of what NYU did and just adjust tuition lower, but a match wouldn't work with a pre-match based solely on money. By the same token, need-based aid wouldn't work, because all schools don't have the same resources with which to meet need, and under a match system, applicants would be stuck with the school they matched, without knowing ahead of time whether they could afford it without being buried in loans.

Again, nice thought, but it will just never happen in a system where schools can be sued for colluding, and price competition is an important part of the equation for just about everyone.

 

[AcceptMePl0X]

Just finished planning my first month of an MCAT retake. Honestly about to throw up at the thought of studying for this exam again, I don't know what to think or feel right now

 

[deleted1025690]

Just finished planning my first month of an MCAT retake. Honestly about to throw up at the thought of studying for this exam again, I don't know what to think or feel right now

It’s such a difficult thing to do and I applaud you for getting started! I was doing the exact same thing just a few weeks ago and my thought process was that I had to start preparing now and with as much focus as I can. Mostly because I’d be super angry at myself if I had to reapply and I’d procrastinated on preparing and that then resulted in less than ideal circumstances. It’s definitely hard to make yourself prepare for a reapp when the current one isn’t officially over as a WLer, but I really do think in the grand scheme of things this experience is one that can make us all stronger and more mature as both future medical students and doctors! Stay strong, your time is coming!!

 

[catladybutnormal]

Was going to start studying for the MCAT and redoing my personal statement this coming Monday but I got the call today and was accepted to my top choice! What a surreal experience. I hope you all hear good news this cycle, but even if you have to go through the process again, it'll be worth it in the end. If you are still waiting to hear back, let me tell you: IT'S NOT OVER YET. I know people who got off waitlists last year throughout June and July. Prepare for the worst, but *please* don't lose hope. Thank you everyone on this thread for keeping me "sane" and validating my struggles. You are all ROCK STARS

OP- you're NEXT!!

 

[Adyrsn]

Was going to start studying for the MCAT and redoing my personal statement this coming Monday but I got the call today and was accepted to my top choice! What a surreal experience. I hope you all hear good news this cycle, but even if you have to go through the process again, it'll be worth it in the end. If you are still waiting to hear back, let me tell you: IT'S NOT OVER YET. I know people who got off waitlists last year throughout June and July. Prepare for the worst, but *please* don't lose hope. Thank you everyone on this thread for keeping me "sane" and validating my struggles. You are all ROCK STARS

OP- you're NEXT!!

View attachment 308149

Ain't over till it's over, that's what we like to hear

 

[catladybutnormal]

Ain't over till it's over, that's what we like to hear

FACTS

 

[ismyexistenceamemeyet]

Was going to start studying for the MCAT and redoing my personal statement this coming Monday but I got the call today and was accepted to my top choice! What a surreal experience. I hope you all hear good news this cycle, but even if you have to go through the process again, it'll be worth it in the end. If you are still waiting to hear back, let me tell you: IT'S NOT OVER YET. I know people who got off waitlists last year throughout June and July. Prepare for the worst, but *please* don't lose hope. Thank you everyone on this thread for keeping me "sane" and validating my struggles. You are all ROCK STARS

OP- you're NEXT!!

View attachment 308149

YES!!! I've seen so many of your positive posts on this thread and I AM SO GLAD YOUR MOMENT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!! YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

 

[catladybutnormal]

YES!!! I've seen so many of your positive posts on this thread and I AM SO GLAD YOUR MOMENT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!! YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

Thank you!!!!!!

 

[RJ McReady]

Was going to start studying for the MCAT and redoing my personal statement this coming Monday but I got the call today and was accepted to my top choice! What a surreal experience. I hope you all hear good news this cycle, but even if you have to go through the process again, it'll be worth it in the end. If you are still waiting to hear back, let me tell you: IT'S NOT OVER YET. I know people who got off waitlists last year throughout June and July. Prepare for the worst, but *please* don't lose hope. Thank you everyone on this thread for keeping me "sane" and validating my struggles. You are all ROCK STARS

OP- you're NEXT!!

View attachment 308149

congratulations to you! Well done!

 

[sw00sh.1b1s]

new to this thread so hi friends

I'm on the WL at my top choice school which is also the only school I got an interview from and is also my alma mater. I just decided today that I'm going to take a gap year if this WL doesn't work out (99% it won't work out) to make sure I have a strong application for MD schools next time around. Feeling a bit heartbroken and defeated at this point, so if anyone is feeling the same you're not alone.

 

[deleted1025690]

Me as the last business day in May progresses... Y’all got any more of them Acceptances?

 

[Shego]

If we collectively think hard enough maybe we can Jedi mind trick the adcoms into taking all of us off these waitlists

 

[xforge]

Just finished planning my first month of an MCAT retake. Honestly about to throw up at the thought of studying for this exam again, I don't know what to think or feel right now

I studied and took the MCAT 5 times and finally got in this year. The school I was accepted to said they admired my persistence. So study hard and don't give up!!!

 

[pink_floyd]

I studied and took the MCAT 5 times and finally got in this year. The school I was accepted to said they admired my persistence. So study hard and don't give up!!!

Congrats! You worked so hard and deserve this!

 

[Trioxy]

First acceptance after being on 4 WL. Let’s F**n go!!!!

stay patient and positive!!

 

[hydro flask]

hey @gyngyn do you have any new insight into WL movement or # of students at your school with multiple acceptances? Thank you in advance!

 

[gyngyn]

hey @gyngyn do you have any new insight into WL movement or # of students at your school with multiple acceptances? Thank you in advance!

No one is holding multiple acceptances in the group of accepted students.
It has been pretty slow in California.

 

[adoconeday]

On that note, I’m about to send in my 4th cycle app after three years of waitlists. I’m still strongly hoping to get in this year but no acceptance yet. Folks who have been waitlisted and it’s their first or even second time - do not give up if you really want this career. Send in that reapp, just be sure you have improved! Maybe the waitlist will work out, but you can’t be certain unfortunately.

 

[sasquatch123]

Reapplying because im on 4 waitlists -

Does anyone know if there are any risks to just putting down one school for now for the sole purpose of getting verified, and then adding schools once you are verified?

Will schools know that you didn't add them right away? what is the deal w this? Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[penguinsfan71]

Reapplying because im on 4 waitlists -

Does anyone know if there are any risks to just putting down one school for now for the sole purpose of getting verified, and then adding schools once you are verified?

Will schools know that you didn't add them right away? what is the deal w this? Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks

Are you waiting on an MCAT score or just the waitlists?

 

[openstage]

On that note, I’m about to send in my 4th cycle app after three years of waitlists. I’m still strongly hoping to get in this year but no acceptance yet. Folks who have been waitlisted and it’s their first or even second time - do not give up if you really want this career. Send in that reapp, just be sure you have improved! Maybe the waitlist will work out, but you can’t be certain unfortunately.

Can I just add to this? If you are a re-applicant you can seek some guidance outside your friends and family about what might be at the root of the problem. Most people in the normal world don't understand this process, but they will love and support you no matter what.

It's easy to brush away this process as just being a random crap shoot, but sometimes there is a glaring issue we're too close to, to actually see it. Yes you can improve GPA and MCAT - those are the most obvious and hardest. A bit less obvious is the tone and quality of your writing. The depth of experiences you have: shadowing, volunteering and research. Have you ever done mock interviews and recorded yourself? That could be the weak area to sure up. And the most hidden variables to consider are your letters of recommendation. It's scary to think, but is it possible they may not be doing you any favors, and you need to make some new connections? You can also closely look at your list of schools you previously applied to. Did you have any guidance on the likeyhood of success? Did you purchase the MSAR and crunch the numbers for IS vs OOS with your GPA and MCAT? Many people have difficulty getting an interview because their choices do not match the reality of their situation. Thankfully SDN is here to give you some brutally honest advice. I'm not trying to be a downer. I'm just saying there are a lot of things to do besides having a positive attitude and saying "Here we go again."

 

[1Luv]

 

[BeingForItself]

Thinking about holding off for a year before reapplying but I'm concerned that my 2018 MCAT score (test was on June 2018) won't be any good at some schools. Does anyone here have any insights into old MCAT scores? Will it still be fine for the 2021-2022 cycle?

 

[mdapp103]

Thinking about holding off for a year before reapplying but I'm concerned that my 2018 MCAT score (test was on June 2018) won't be any good at some schools. Does anyone here have any insights into old MCAT scores? Will it still be fine for the 2021-2022 cycle?

I’m curious about this, since this is what I’m planning to do also.

 

[penguinsfan71]

Thinking about holding off for a year before reapplying but I'm concerned that my 2018 MCAT score (test was on June 2018) won't be any good at some schools. Does anyone here have any insights into old MCAT scores? Will it still be fine for the 2021-2022 cycle?

Most schools will accept scores that are 2-3 years old. Each school has their own policy, so you'll have to look up the cutoff dates for the schools that you're interested in.

 

[vi0linm0nster]

Are there any speculations to why there is slow WL movement in california this year? UCSF usually has a 30%(according to MSAR)-50%(according to the dean during interview day) WL acceptance rate, but that does not look like the case on SDN compared to the thread from previous years..

Also, is it BM if I send an email to the school telling them I have to CTE by a certain date but tell them they're my absolute first choice and try to remain on their WL even though I have to commit to another school?

 

[Kaister]

Are there any speculations to why there is slow WL movement in california this year? UCSF usually has a 30%(according to MSAR)-50%(according to the dean during interview day) WL acceptance rate, but that does not look like the case on SDN compared to the thread from previous years..

Also, is it BM if I send an email to the school telling them I have to CTE by a certain date but tell them they're my absolute first choice and try to remain on their WL even though I have to commit to another school?

I think when a school sees you’re CTE’d elsewhere then they no longer consider you eligible for WL spot. This whole application set up def hurts the applicants and hopefully AMCAS folks will do something about it.

 

[Qwerty122]

Hey guys, I just wanted to share something that helped me keep my perspective throughout this stressful time. Hopefully someone might find some value in this as well.

WL with no A? Good. Take some time to "sharpen your axe" so that when the real test of medical school starts, you will excel. If you don't get in, see the opportunity that medical students probably don't have to further develop your interests outside of medicine, spend more time with family, read, take a break, pick up good habits, learn more about yourself. When you DO get in, you will be more grateful than your classmates, thus you will work much harder, have more drive, and be proud of what you've achieved.
Anxious for your future? Good. Get through this and the next time you feel this anxious (which you will, especially in medicine) you will know how to handle it. Reflect on how you personally handle anxiousness, find out what works and what doesn't.
One A, but not getting into that top choice WL? Good. Challenge yourself to excel in an environment that encourages independence by being far from family, forces you to expand your learning styles, or might offer you a unique perspective on medicine (via research, rural tracks, patient populations, etc). Excellent medical students will rise up to distinguish themselves no matter what their circumstances are. Be goddamn thankful you f*cking got in, so many others in this thread will kill for a chance like yours (what I tell myself).
5 interview --> 5 WLs? Good. You have a clear direction for improvement now, sharpen up those interview skills and you will become irresistible for medical schools. Many others have multiple weaknesses in their app making it hard to fix, but you only have one, and that one weakness is the easiest and most rewarding for you to fix (not only for medical school but for your life and social self-esteem as well).

"It's unfortunate that this had happened? No. It's fortunate that this happened and I've remained unharmed by it" - Marcus Aurelius


--> Found this recently by Mr. Jocko Willink himself that concisely summarized my thoughts.

I guess I'm not saying to be ignorant to the negatives in life as life is full of suffering, but rather to face these negatives head-on and use every ounce of your autonomy to turn it into something good. Don't be a victim. I try to tell myself that I will 100% face negatives in the career of medicine (burnout, making mistakes with patients, harassment, academic failure, rejections, etc) and that if I can handle the negatives in my life right now, I'll be more equipped for the future.

Also for anyone wondering, this is my second cycle, my first cycle I had a WL that turned into an R. This cycle I'm fortunate enough to be under the "A, but have a top choice WL" category.

 

[aayz345]

Hey guys, I just wanted to share something that helped me keep my perspective throughout this stressful time. Hopefully someone might find some value in this as well.

WL with no A? Good. Take some time to "sharpen your axe" so that when the real test of medical school starts, you will excel. If you don't get in, see the opportunity that medical students probably don't have to further develop your interests outside of medicine, spend more time with family, read, take a break, pick up good habits, learn more about yourself. When you DO get in, you will be more grateful than your classmates, thus you will work much harder, have more drive, and be proud of what you've achieved.
Anxious for your future? Good. Get through this and the next time you feel this anxious (which you will, especially in medicine) you will know how to handle it. Reflect on how you personally handle anxiousness, find out what works and what doesn't.
One A, but not getting into that top choice WL? Good. Challenge yourself to excel in an environment that encourages independence by being far from family, forces you to expand your learning styles, or might offer you a unique perspective on medicine (via research, rural tracks, patient populations, etc). Excellent medical students will rise up to distinguish themselves no matter what their circumstances are. Be goddamn thankful you ****ing got in, so many others in this thread will kill for a chance like yours (what I tell myself).
5 interview --> 5 WLs? Good. You have a clear direction for improvement now, sharpen up those interview skills and you will become irresistible for medical schools. Many others have multiple weaknesses in their app making it hard to fix, but you only have one, and that one weakness is the easiest and most rewarding for you to fix (not only for medical school but for your life and social self-esteem as well).

"It's unfortunate that this had happened? No. It's fortunate that this happened and I've remained unharmed by it" - Marcus Aurelius


--> Found this recently by Mr. Jocko Willink himself that concisely summarized my thoughts.

I guess I'm not saying to be ignorant to the negatives in life as life is full of suffering, but rather to face these negatives head-on and use every ounce of your autonomy to turn it into something good. Don't be a victim. I try to tell myself that I will 100% face negatives in the career of medicine (burnout, making mistakes with patients, harassment, academic failure, rejections, etc) and that if I can handle the negatives in my life right now, I'll be more equipped for the future.

Also for anyone wondering, this is my second cycle, my first one I had a WL that turned into a R. This cycle I'm fortunate enough to be under the "A, but have a top choice WL" category.

Love the wisdom and positivity in this post! Though it’s questionable whether 5 II -> 5WL can be attributed to poor interviewing skills given how random this process is.
5 II -> 2+ R’s would seem like the applicant could use some interview practice

 

[green0902]

Are there any speculations to why there is slow WL movement in california this year? UCSF usually has a 30%(according to MSAR)-50%(according to the dean during interview day) WL acceptance rate, but that does not look like the case on SDN compared to the thread from previous years..

Also, is it BM if I send an email to the school telling them I have to CTE by a certain date but tell them they're my absolute first choice and try to remain on their WL even though I have to commit to another school?

the school I’m WL at isn’t in CA but the same issue is happening, on MSAR they gave over 50 offers from the WL but this year they’ve given less than 8 it’s so weird! In the past years it’s always been at least 30. I wonder if COVID is just slowing things down or if this year is just a giant anomaly haha

 

[openstage]

Do you think being identified as PTE this late in the game hurts your chances at your WL schools? I wonder if in June schools prefer to help out those students with no A’s, instead of those who have at least one option?

Do you think Adcoms actually look at who is PTE before extending the invitation?

 

[Hiddenleaf09]

the school I’m WL at isn’t in CA but the same issue is happening, on MSAR they gave over 50 offers from the WL but this year they’ve given less than 8 it’s so weird! In the past years it’s always been at least 30. I wonder if COVID is just slowing things down or if this year is just a giant anomaly haha

You think MSAR is actually correct with its info? Would you mind to check how many USC School of Medicine Greenville has accepted from waitlist before?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BeLikeH2O]

You think MSAR is actually correct with its info? Would you mind to check how many USC School of Medicine Greenville has accepted from waitlist before?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This came from MSAR:


Waitlist Information
Typical number of waitlist positions per cycle: This number varies from year to year
Number of acceptance offers granted to applicants on the waitlist: Not Provided
Waitlist procedures and information: The waitlist will be established in March after all applicants have been interviewed. Not all applicants who interview are placed on the waitlist.

 

[KnightDoc]

Do you think being identified as PTE this late in the game hurts your chances at your WL schools? I wonder if in June schools prefer to help out those students with no A’s, instead of those who have at least one option?

Do you think Adcoms actually look at who is PTE before extending the invitation?

Anything is possible, but it's doubtful. The working assumption is very likely that if you chose to remain on the WL at this point, then you prefer the WL school over your current A.

Of course, if a school is looking for the least hassle and absolutely highest likelihood of the candidate being grateful and accepting the offer, then they look at PTE and choose someone without one, because then there's no "can you match my scholarship?" and "how much time do I have before I have to PTE?" to deal with.

 

[proudofmykids]

WL movement will continue to trickle down for the upcoming weeks.
Assuming each offer from the WL is for a single seat, remember that person has 1 week (5 business days) to make a decision. If the change their PTE decision, at a new spot opens at the former PTE schools, and so on.

 

[Hiddenleaf09]

Y’all. Now that it’s about to hit June, my moral went from ( I know that I’ll get the call. Just hang in there ) to ( this is not happening. maybe next year ). So sad!! I really hope all of y’all are taking care of your mental well being. Just a reminder - as hard to accept and as cliche as it is - we should be proud of coming this far. This will make us stronger, and give us the necessary drive to prove to whatever school we get into, whether it’s this year or the next, wrong.

 

[green0902]

You think MSAR is actually correct with its info? Would you mind to check how many USC School of Medicine Greenville has accepted from waitlist before?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes!
And the school admissions office for my WL confirmed it when called! I also believe there was a link further up with the MSAR info for all the schools in a pdf!

 

[Hiddenleaf09]

Yes!
And the school admissions office for my WL confirmed it when called! I also believe there was a link further up with the MSAR info for all the schools in a pdf!

Oh my god. How is that even possible. That sucks man, I’m sorry. Hopefully it’ll pick up a lot in the next few weeks

 

[green0902]

Oh my god. How is that even possible. That sucks man, I’m sorry. Hopefully it’ll pick up a lot in the next few weeks

I really hope we all get in haha really really hope

 

[ihopeforthebest]

the school I’m WL at isn’t in CA but the same issue is happening, on MSAR they gave over 50 offers from the WL but this year they’ve given less than 8 it’s so weird! In the past years it’s always been at least 30. I wonder if COVID is just slowing things down or if this year is just a giant anomaly haha

do you mind pulling this data for university of south Florida?

 

[BRWN2MED]

do you mind pulling this data for university of south Florida?

I just checked MSAR -- it says it is not available (sorry).

 

[Hiddenleaf09]

What I genuinely don’t get is what’s the point of admissions having an upper, middle, and lower tier list if they have over the years barley every crossed the middle of the upper tier candidates? Or what’s the point of having such vast waitlist candidates?

 

[penguinsfan71]

What I genuinely don’t get is what’s the point of admissions having an upper, middle, and lower tier list if they have over the years barley every crossed the middle of the upper tier candidates? Or what’s the point of having such vast waitlist candidates?

Just in case. There's no disadvantage from the school's perspective to maintain a significantly larger waitlist than they'll actually need. It sucks for us applicants though.

 

[ihopeforthebest]

I just checked MSAR -- it says it is not available (sorry).

Thank you

 

[KnightDoc]

Just in case. There's no disadvantage from the school's perspective to maintain a significantly larger waitlist than they'll actually need. It sucks for us applicants though.

This^^^^^^. It costs the schools absolutely nothing, and it is insurance against a disaster in which their yield is way less than projected, and they are forced to reach out to rejected applicants to offer them a seat.

If you are lucky enough to be WL at a school that gives you the transparency of an upper, middle and lower tier, with data on how they use the list each year, you have enough information to know what your status on the WL means, and it also costs you nothing. What's the point in having an issue with the way a school like this manages its yield and communicates it transparently to its candidates?

 

[Hiddenleaf09]

This^^^^^^. It costs the schools absolutely nothing, and it is insurance against a disaster in which their yield is way less than projected, and they are forced to reach out to rejected applicants to offer them a seat.

If you are lucky enough to be WL at a school that gives you the transparency of an upper, middle and lower tier, with data on how they use the list each year, you have enough information to know what your status on the WL means, and it also costs you nothing. What's the point in having an issue with the way a school like this manages its yield and communicates it transparently to its candidates?

Yeah his answer makes sense, but I’m allowed to have an issue if I feel like I want to haha. I just don’t really believe they’re being as transparent as you make it out to be. Transparency would be communicating how many waitlisted candidates there are in each tier, how many are waitlisted in general, your rank within the tier, and the rate at which the acceptances are occurring. I read earlier someone stated that their school allowed them to see exactly where they were on the list and how far from being accepted. He could see his name move up the last on a weekly basis. I think that’s pretty logical, because yes it might stress you out if it’s not moving fast enough or what not. However, it’s being fully transparent and you don’t need to hold on for a false sense of hope. At least that’s what I believe. No disrespect to you or any school, but I don’t find fault in just questioning a system. Questioning is the first step in creating a better... well anything.

 

[journey_awaits]

So we know that waitlist movement amped up around beginning of May. Do we have any idea when it’s gonna really die down?

 

[KnightDoc]

Yeah his answer makes sense, but I’m allowed to have an issue if I feel like I want to haha. I just don’t really believe they’re being as transparent as you make it out to be. Transparency would be communicating how many waitlisted candidates there are in each tier, how many are waitlisted in general, your rank within the tier, and the rate at which the acceptances are occurring. I read earlier someone stated that their school allowed them to see exactly where they were on the list and how far from being accepted. He could see his name move up the last on a weekly basis. I think that’s pretty logical, because yes it might stress you out if it’s not moving fast enough or what not. However, it’s being fully transparent and you don’t need to hold on for a false sense of hope. At least that’s what I believe. No disrespect to you or any school, but I don’t find fault in just questioning a system. Questioning is the first step in creating a better... well anything.

Yeah -- by the way you said it, I thought you had more transparency than you do. The only other answer, that everyone on the WL just hates to hear or accept, is, without transparency, treat it as a R, assume nothing, and be pleasantly surprised if you end up getting the call.

The adcoms keep saying it, and the applicants keep refusing it hear it by their calls for change, but the process is set up by and for the schools. We are just the inputs, and there are way more of us than needed, willing to put up with just about anything for a coveted seat, so absolutely nothing is going to change unless and until that supply/demand balance changes.