2021-2022 Waitlist Support Thread

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Thank you so much for the replies and encouragement, you guys, it really means a lot. Unfortunately though, I believe it's my pre-health office's policy that committee letter recipients can't reapply immediately and must wait a certain amount of cycles (don't remember if it's one or two) before doing so. Plus they have another policy that they don't give letters to people who are more than three years post graduation at the beginning of the cycle (i.e. this cycle was the last time I fell within those guidelines.) So I think whether I reapply or not will ultimately come down to them; if they actually save my rec letters and would support a reapp next year, I wouldn't mind doing it, but if they throw out all my rec letters, then that's it really. They also tend to be pretty cut throat, so the latter is actually not out of the realm of possibility.

But hopefully it doesn't come to that 😅
 
Thank you so much for the replies and encouragement, you guys, it really means a lot. Unfortunately though, I believe it's my pre-health office's policy that committee letter recipients can't reapply immediately and must wait a certain amount of cycles (don't remember if it's one or two) before doing so. Plus they have another policy that they don't give letters to people who are more than three years post graduation at the beginning of the cycle (i.e. this cycle was the last time I fell within those guidelines.) So I think whether I reapply or not will ultimately come down to them; if they actually save my rec letters and would support a reapp next year, I wouldn't mind doing it, but if they throw out all my rec letters, then that's it really. They also tend to be pretty cut throat, so the latter is actually not out of the realm of possibility.

But hopefully it doesn't come to that 😅
Worst comes to worst, reuse the letter from this cycle. You got 5 IIs, so obviously you’re competitive. Sometimes the cards just don’t fall in your favor. How many schools did you apply?
 
Thank you so much for the replies and encouragement, you guys, it really means a lot. Unfortunately though, I believe it's my pre-health office's policy that committee letter recipients can't reapply immediately and must wait a certain amount of cycles (don't remember if it's one or two) before doing so. Plus they have another policy that they don't give letters to people who are more than three years post graduation at the beginning of the cycle (i.e. this cycle was the last time I fell within those guidelines.) So I think whether I reapply or not will ultimately come down to them; if they actually save my rec letters and would support a reapp next year, I wouldn't mind doing it, but if they throw out all my rec letters, then that's it really. They also tend to be pretty cut throat, so the latter is actually not out of the realm of possibility.

But hopefully it doesn't come to that 😅
No, no, no, no, no! I can't, and won't try to, tell you what to do, but these are NOT reasons to quit.

If you cannot get a committee letter, you just apply without it. Less than ideal, but far from fatal, especially if you cannot get a letter due to a policy regarding years since graduation.

Please do not allow an arbitrary policy designed to maximize a school's stats to determine the course of your life. You can absolutely get new LORs and either have them submitted directly to AMCAS or to Interfolio, and then go from there. Your pre-health office might be a gatekeeper to the school's committee, but they are absolutely not the ultimate arbiter of what you do with your life!
 
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Worst comes to worst, reuse the letter from this cycle. You got 5 IIs, so obviously you’re competitive. Sometimes the cards just don’t fall in your favor. How many schools did you apply?
I'm 99% sure my prehealth office would refuse to send the letter again if I were to reapply and not follow their conditions. They at one point told me I was disqualified from the letter because I accidentally sent them the wrong pdf file. They told me it was a scare tactic after I appealed though, but I was in anxiety for like 2 weeks about it. I was complete at 26 schools, latest being August 4th.

No, no, no, no, no! I can't, and won't try to, tell you what to do, but these are NOT reasons to quit.

If you cannot get a committee letter, you just apply without it. Less than ideal, but far from fatal, especially if you cannot get a letter due to a policy regarding years since graduation.

Please do not allow an arbitrary policy designed to maximize a school's stats to determine the course of your life. You can absolutely get new LORs and either have them submitted directly to AMCAS or to Interfolio, and then go from there. Your pre-health office might be a gatekeeper to the school's committee, but they are absolutely not the ultimate arbiter of what you do with your life!
Oh I'm not saying I wouldn't be willing to reapply without it; I'm more afraid of them throwing out the rec letters I already collected. 8 letters, a lot of them are from science and humanities faculty who aren't at my uni anymore, or from places I stopped working at years ago which I haven't really kept in contact with, that were the primary source of my clinical hours. If they threw out all of them it would take years to get my app ready again, because I doubt those I asked still have copies of the letters anymore, and if I asked them to rewrite the letters would no doubt be worse because I haven't talked to a lot of them for a long time. On the other hand, my CV is much more suited for grad school imo, I strongly believe I could get all the application materials ready by this upcoming cycle, and I have a bunch of colleagues now who can be potential grad school letter writers.

And sure, I do like medicine, a lot, but I'm not sure I have the "I can't see myself doing anything else" mentality most posters here have. I feel like a not insignificant reason I finally applied after a bunch of gap years was so that I would not have gone the rest of my life wondering what might have been. I've actually been out of the clinical realm for almost 2 years now, and I found that I actually didn't miss it as much as I thought I would, because a lot of the great feelings I got from being part of a team that helped patients I also achieved by helping students as an adjunct.

I dunno. If it doesn't work out I think I need to do some serious soul-searching before coming to that decision.
 
I have 7 interviews 5 OOS and 2 IS with 4 WLs and 3 waiting for decisions. MCAT 512, ORM, GPA 3.8, research, clinical hours, EMT, teaching hours and shadowing. What are my odds to A?
 
I have 7 interviews 5 OOS and 2 IS with 4 WLs and 3 waiting for decisions. MCAT 512, ORM, GPA 3.8, research, clinical hours, EMT, teaching hours and shadowing. What are my odds to A?
I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I do have a strong feeling that schools are using the waitlist more liberally than in past years perhaps as a result of previous cycle.

When I applied before, my II to A conversation rate was very high. This time around, I’ve had 15 interviews and am on like 7 or 8 waitlists at this point.
 
I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I do have a strong feeling that schools are using the waitlist more liberally than in past years perhaps as a result of previous cycle.

When I applied before, my II to A conversation rate was very high. This time around, I’ve had 15 interviews and am on like 7 or 8 waitlists at this point.
I know it’s a stressful waiting game. Good luck
 
Professors save recommendations they write. Contact them directly and have them upload their letters to Interfolio. Then you always have access to them.
 
Hey gang.

I was WL’d at my only interview today. Still processing my feelings. How’s it going for y’all as far as coping with the prolonged uncertainty? Looks like I won’t know anything more until late April (realistically May) when I find out my rank on the WL. Even then, it’s just an Rx for more waiting. I thought I was emotionally exhausted just from the regular length cycle, (ha) let alone the sole WL cycle situation.

Nice to meet you, fellow sad bastards.
 
Anyone waitlisted for RowanSom? I feel like I haven't heard anyone get waitlisted for there yet, just silence or acceptances.
 
Hey gang.

I was WL’d at my only interview today. Still processing my feelings. How’s it going for y’all as far as coping with the prolonged uncertainty? Looks like I won’t know anything more until late April (realistically May) when I find out my rank on the WL. Even then, it’s just an Rx for more waiting. I thought I was emotionally exhausted just from the regular length cycle, (ha) let alone the sole WL cycle situation.

Nice to meet you, fellow sad bastards.
On a good day, the prolonged uncertainty has been an opportunity for growth. On a bad day, an existential crisis. It’s all perspective, both sides have truth to them. All that we can do is focus on the things we can control. Otherwise, feel the feels, and hope for better days.
 
Does anyone think in light of admissions not being able to see where you have been accepted this year that the waitlist at schools is going to be larger than normal?
 
Hasn’t this been the case for the past 2 cycles as well?
This^^^. Actually, past 3 cycles! 🙂

The current state is "normal," and has been since 2019. There was no larger than "normal" movement that year, and schools certainly seem to have adjusted in the years since. Nice bit of wishful thinking, but, no, the movement will be what it will be, based on how many initial As any given school issues relative to the size of their class, and, then, what their yield is.

Schools have been flying blind successfully since 2019. They probably reduced the number of initial As they gave out that year, out of fear of being over enrolled, since they had no visibility into other As. That, in turn, likely reduced the number of choices most people with multiple As had, which, of course, reduced potential WL movement when they dropped their excess As.

Everything seems to have come out in the wash, with WL movement actually being less than expected in 2019. Things have bounced around, up and down, on a school by school basis since then, but, no, no big moves one way or the other based on the pandemic, virtual IIs, expanded access to FAP, lunar or solar eclipses, the loss of the MAR, or anything else. We are going to be in for the same thrills and chills, triumphs and defeats, as our counterparts every other year. Buckle up! 🙂
 
Hi all, I'm sorry if this has been answered on some previous forum but this group seems like a very supportive and helpful bunch -- I was recently waitlisted at my top choice med school and am pretty bummed about it. Other than a letter of intent and updates, is there anything else I can consider doing? I had a paper in review that has been accepted for publication, and have just submitted a second paper that is now under review.

Is it ever normal to send an additional letter of recommendation? Or is that overkill and desperate, I could potentially receive a very strong rec from my PI who I have spent my gap year working under, and he didn't write one initially because I had just started working when I applied.

Any and all insight and support would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks and best of luck to everybody <3
 
Hi all, I'm sorry if this has been answered on some previous forum but this group seems like a very supportive and helpful bunch -- I was recently waitlisted at my top choice med school and am pretty bummed about it. Other than a letter of intent and updates, is there anything else I can consider doing? I had a paper in review that has been accepted for publication, and have just submitted a second paper that is now under review.

Is it ever normal to send an additional letter of recommendation? Or is that overkill and desperate, I could potentially receive a very strong rec from my PI who I have spent my gap year working under, and he didn't write one initially because I had just started working when I applied.

Any and all insight and support would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks and best of luck to everybody <3
If your top choice accepts updates and does not put a limit on the number, I think you should send them. It would show that you're still interested. Moreover, if that school has a heavy research focus, then a new publication or sending in a manuscript will certainly help.

My recommendation is the same for sending in additional letter of recommendation. I don't think it would hurt.

However, based my experience and what others have reported, it's a crapshoot. It may get you over to an A or there is a possibility that no one even looks at it. Regardless, do whatever you must to improve your chance.
Good luck in this crazy process!
 
Hey gang.

I was WL’d at my only interview today. Still processing my feelings. How’s it going for y’all as far as coping with the prolonged uncertainty? Looks like I won’t know anything more until late April (realistically May) when I find out my rank on the WL. Even then, it’s just an Rx for more waiting. I thought I was emotionally exhausted just from the regular length cycle, (ha) let alone the sole WL cycle situation.

Nice to meet you, fellow sad bastards.
Honestly, the advice of "you're rejected until you're accepted" is comforting to me in a way. I think the worst thing about the waitlist is, as you imply, the very delayed closure. But keeping that advice in my head has allowed me to take comfort in making a solid plan B. For me whether that means reapplying or looking into another career remains to be seen, but tricking myself into early closure has been powerful.
Hi all, I'm sorry if this has been answered on some previous forum but this group seems like a very supportive and helpful bunch -- I was recently waitlisted at my top choice med school and am pretty bummed about it. Other than a letter of intent and updates, is there anything else I can consider doing? I had a paper in review that has been accepted for publication, and have just submitted a second paper that is now under review.

Is it ever normal to send an additional letter of recommendation? Or is that overkill and desperate, I could potentially receive a very strong rec from my PI who I have spent my gap year working under, and he didn't write one initially because I had just started working when I applied.

Any and all insight and support would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks and best of luck to everybody <3
I think @Trained LabRat summarized the logical basis with which to do so pretty accurately. To add on, in a personal sense, I think you should still do it. Because at the end of the cycle, and god forbid things did not work out, at least you can say to yourself, "I did absolutely everything that someone in my position could've done, but sometimes the cards don't fall and things don't work out." That's a part of life. At least you wouldn't be sitting there wondering what could've been, or having regrets that you could've done more. I think having those regrets after doing something unsuccessful is far worse than doing everything you could and still being unsuccessful, though this is definitely only my personal opinion.
 
Applied last cycle, 4 II (3 MD, 1 DO) and 4 WL's. Applied this cycle- 3 MD II's (1 WL, 1 Post-II R, One pending) 3 DO II's (1 1/21, 2 upcoming).

feeling ok about getting in this time around given the 2 additional II's but the stress and anxiety last time was very difficult so just wanted to check in with everyone lol
 
Applied last cycle, 4 II (3 MD, 1 DO) and 4 WL's. Applied this cycle- 3 MD II's (1 WL, 1 Post-II R, One pending) 3 DO II's (1 1/21, 2 upcoming).

feeling ok about getting in this time around given the 2 additional II's but the stress and anxiety last time was very difficult so just wanted to check in with everyone lol
Good luck, I got my fingers crossed for u!
 
5 II's, 4 WL's and 1 post-II R. My app was pretty lopsided I think- 3.8 GPA and 515 MCAT, lots of research with multiple high author pubs, and lots of clinical hours. Got a committee letter with what I was told were great evals and LORs, applied early and to mostly research/teaching oriented schools in my score range. However, I had literally no nonclinical volunteering on my primary, no leadership besides my adjunct job and mentoring in my research lab, no crazy awards, no separate entry for shadowing, and no hobbies on the app. Didn't do a whole lot of interview prep either besides why medicine and why X school. Needless to say I've made a lot of mistakes I think.

Have been doing weekly nonclinical volunteering at a place I really like for a few months, and might ask my coordinator for a LOR to the WL schools that accept them. Other than that, I think I'll send a LOI to one of the schools, but I've heard it's bad practice to do so without any A's, so I'm not sure. Continued interest letters to the rest I think.

If it doesn't work out this cycle I probably won't reapply. It would be my 4th gap year (if I wait a year like the advice goes it would be 5,) my parents are both very old, I'm an only child, and I should be setting myself up to get a decent job before they die instead of applicant limbo with unpaid/low paying work, so they don't die worrying about me. Maybe apply for grad school. I think my resume is much more suited to it, and I could see myself being happy as a potential prof because I adore teaching and I could still make a difference in making people's lives better.

Anyway, just venting I guess. No one else to really talk to about this. I've been lurking for a while and reading all of you guys/girls' posts has helped me cope a lot, so thank you all very much. I read the entire WL support thread from last year, and I don't really see any of the eventual reapplicants from that thread in this one, so hopefully you all got accepted somewhere. Will be here throughout as well, and hopefully I can be of emotional support to you guys as you have been to me. You all sound like truly wonderful people, and even if this doesn't work out, I know you'll have the drive to succeed, whether it be pursuing this again or another career path. Thank you all again.
Are you considering DO?
 
Are you considering DO?
3.8/515 with lots of research is kind of high for DO (TBH, I am not sure DO values research at all), and risks being resource protected out. All the issues @Ali_Bomaye is having with ECs would be issues at DO too. Once those are addressed, they should be fine for MD with those stats, plus research.
 
Currently on 3 WLs right now, and was wondering if anyone could answer my question about update letters!

I was thinking about landing an additional job/volunteer position to send in an update letter, and was wondering if that would help to make a difference at this point.

Are adcoms notified when an applicant sends an update/LOI to their portal? Will they re-review or rescore my application?
 
I was thinking about landing an additional job/volunteer position to send in an update letter, and was wondering if that would help to make a difference at this point.
This is not the type of update that is likely to move the needle.
 
Does anyone know if it's worth sending a letter of intent? I've heard mixed reviews on whether to send one or not if you got waitlisted by your top school. I don't have too many updates to include in the letter besides becoming a trainer for new ophthalmic assistants at my current job and being a back up patient monitor for a drug study we are hosting at my job as well. Not sure if those are enough to change how they view my application. Any feedback would be great.
 
Does anyone know if it's worth sending a letter of intent? I've heard mixed reviews on whether to send one or not if you got waitlisted by your top school. I don't have too many updates to include in the letter besides becoming a trainer for new ophthalmic assistants at my current job and being a back up patient monitor for a drug study we are hosting at my job as well. Not sure if those are enough to change how they view my application. Any feedback would be great.
I’m under the impression that if they accept them and are written well, the worst and most likely thing to happen is nothing. But there’s the possibility it moves the needle a bit (particularly if you have another acceptance, especially so from a significantly higher ranked program).
 
just received my 4th WL from 4 MD II (technically 2 are deferrals). Not sure where I went wrong, it might be that my MCAT is 509, im ORM with a decent GPA. Maybe its true schools are being more cautious with acceptances but who really knows for sure. Two of these interviews I felt went very well for me but maybe the interview doesn't really do much in moving the needle. Just feeling defeated, this process is so long and tough. Wishing everyone here gets off their waitlists.
No reason at all to feel defeated. It's a brutal process with a greater than 60% failure rate, and you did far better than most in scoring 4 IIs.

It is also far from over in mid-February. The deferrals are one step removed from a WL, and really, honestly, could still turn into As without a pit stop on the WL. It happens every year.

Beyond that, you likely had a pretty compelling application to do as well as you did as an ORM with a 509. Don't feel defeated, and don't fall into the trap so many on SDN fall into of believing you are good once you get to the interview stage, and any lack of success must be because you screwed up the interview.

If you applied MD with a 509 as an ORM, you had to know the odds you were facing. The fact that you received 4 IIs means you already beat those odds, even if they all turn into Rs. And you really cannot be thinking like this until probably June. Too much can and does happen every year for literally thousands of people between mid-February and late June.

If you really want to change the dynamics here, instead of feeling defeated, you need to take stock and either very seriously consider DO, or else do something about that MCAT score. Having a MCAT score almost 6 points below the average for your demographic might be too much to overcome, even with what is apparently otherwise a very good application. Good luck.
 
Depending on the schools and circumstances, I get the vibe that once you get to 3+ WL's that you have a good chance of getting off one and getting the A in April or May. Though it also makes interviewing skills more suspect. Doesn't hurt to prepare for re-app, but not enough to lose hope. Idk these past 3 application cycles have been so weird when it comes to the number of applicants, the average number of schools applicants apply to, how schools conduct interviews, and the FAP changes in 2020.
 
3/3 waitlists. Is there any method that has worked for people trying to come off the WL?
 
I'm so lost.... 517 MCAT, 4.0 in a 30 credit masters, 1k hours clinical experience... waitlisted at a DO school that I sent an LOI to....

what the heck am I doing wrong????
 
I'm so lost.... 517 MCAT, 4.0 in a 30 credit masters, 1k hours clinical experience... waitlisted at a DO school that I sent an LOI to....

what the heck am I doing wrong????
Could be yield protection due to MCAT score. Also as far as I'm aware LOI's don't have much weight in adcoms eyes because most people don't follow the honor code of only 1 to your top choice, and because a lot of people who send them only do so because they have no acceptances. What was your undergrad GPA? I've also read that med schools weigh that much more heavily than any grad GPA. Finally, you only mentioned clinical experience, and number of hours. Was the clinical experience very involved and not something like patient transport? How's your nonclinical volunteering and research? Leadership? Hobbies? X factor of some sort? Essays/PS? Was your app complete on time? How'd the interview go?

There's really a ton of stuff that could've happened, and from all the stories I've heard, it's so competitive now that a very slight real or perceived deficiency in even one usually is the difference between you getting in vs. someone else.
 
I'm so lost.... 517 MCAT, 4.0 in a 30 credit masters, 1k hours clinical experience... waitlisted at a DO school that I sent an LOI to....

what the heck am I doing wrong????

What's your undergraduate cGPA and sGPA? How many hours of clinical, non-clinical, and shadowing hours? MCAT score breakdown?
 
I'm so lost.... 517 MCAT, 4.0 in a 30 credit masters, 1k hours clinical experience... waitlisted at a DO school that I sent an LOI to....

what the heck am I doing wrong????
I’ve had a dean of a DO school say that they don’t even look at graduate grades. He recommended that I basically do another full UG degree to boost my cGPA and sGPA. I said ur güd. Kept doing masters level science courses and landed an acceptance at a different (better) DO school. It may just be the school, don’t be discouraged. APPLY BROADLY
 
What's your undergraduate cGPA and sGPA? How many hours of clinical, non-clinical, and shadowing hours? MCAT score breakdown?
Balanced mcat (127/130/130/130).
150+ Shadowing hrs
1000+ research hours
200+ non HC volunteer
100+ HC volunteer
1k clinical (med asisstant)
 
Could be yield protection due to MCAT score. Also as far as I'm aware LOI's don't have much weight in adcoms eyes because most people don't follow the honor code of only 1 to your top choice, and because a lot of people who send them only do so because they have no acceptances. What was your undergrad GPA? I've also read that med schools weigh that much more heavily than any grad GPA. Finally, you only mentioned clinical experience, and number of hours. Was the clinical experience very involved and not something like patient transport? How's your nonclinical volunteering and research? Leadership? Hobbies? X factor of some sort? Essays/PS? Was your app complete on time? How'd the interview go?

There's really a ton of stuff that could've happened, and from all the stories I've heard, it's so competitive now that a very slight real or perceived deficiency in even one usually is the difference between you getting in vs. someone else.
Agreed on the tons of stuff. Spoke to someone in admissions td who was complimentary of my app. No it wasn’t patient transport. Strong all around app (7 interview invites between 3 MD and 4 DO).
 
Agreed on the tons of stuff. Spoke to someone in admissions td who was complimentary of my app. No it wasn’t patient transport. Strong all around app (7 interview invites between 3 MD and 4 DO).
Were you rejected from the other 6 interviews? If you still haven't heard back I wouldn't count yourself out yet. IMO DO schools throw waitlist to candidates who they feel may not attend or aren't a good fit, either they feel you'll get offers elsewhere or you will attend a different school. That's a good portion of interviews, so I don't think it's your app on paper.
 
Were you rejected from the other 6 interviews? If you still haven't heard back I wouldn't count yourself out yet. IMO DO schools throw waitlist to candidates who they feel may not attend or aren't a good fit, either they feel you'll get offers elsewhere or you will attend a different school. That's a good portion of interviews, so I don't think it's your app on paper.
nope, WL from 1 (MD) pending 2! (1 MD and 1 DO) with 1 more DO upcoming
 
nope, WL from 1 (MD) pending 2! (1 MD and 1 DO) with 1 more DO upcoming
You'll be good, just brush up and analyze your interview skills a bit more for ur upcoming interviews. I think you'll get in somewhere, just be confident in how far you've come
 
You'll be good, just brush up and analyze your interview skills a bit more for ur upcoming interviews. I think you'll get in somewhere, just be confident in how far you've come
I'm a reapp so im particularly sensitive I think! appreciate your words tho.
 
Hey ya'll! I know this is a little off-topic, but could someone explain how to start a new sdn group chat for a school?
 
Hey ya'll! I know this is a little off-topic, but could someone explain how to start a new sdn group chat for a school?
????

What do you mean "group chat"? There are already threads for every school in the school specific sub forum. Beyond that, the only "chats" that I am aware of are DMs that can include multiple participants. You can also start any thread you want in the pre-med forum, but you'll get a lot more interested and knowledgeable eyeballs if you just post a comment in the pre-existing school specific thread.

Hope this helps!
 
????

What do you mean "group chat"? There are already threads for every school in the school specific sub forum. Beyond that, the only "chats" that I am aware of are DMs that can include multiple participants. You can also start any thread you want in the pre-med forum, but you'll get a lot more interested and knowledgeable eyeballs if you just post a comment in the pre-existing school specific thread.

Hope this helps!
Sorry!😅 I meant to say an sdn thread. I didn't see one for a master's program medical school track for the year 2022 (the last one was 2018-2019) and was going to try and make one because I had a few questions.
 
Sorry!😅 I meant to say an sdn thread. I didn't see one for a master's program medical school track for the year 2022 (the last one was 2018-2019) and was going to try and make one because I had a few questions.
It's easy! 🙂

You just go into whatever forum you want to post it in (like this one) and start typing away in the Thread Title box between the sub forums and the sticky threads.
 
3rd application cycle and was just pulled off the waitlist for the only school that interviewed me. Words can't even express how excited I am. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
YESSSS!!! We love to see it!! Gahhh this gives us all life! CONGRATULATIONS FUTURE DOCTOR!! Can you share what school?
 
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