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The 2026-2027 MD School Specific Threads are now live in the School Specific Discussions forum. The 2025-2026 cycle threads can be found here. -
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2022-2023 Waitlist Support Thread
Started by Happy Bulbis Cordis
2024 or 5 ?
Full Member
Anyone else wondering if this is not the field for them? If schools don't want me now, why would it be any better next time around? I will always be the same person.
premedvybes101
Full Member
Hey don't lose hope , just think it's their loss that they won't have such a great candidate. The process IS REALLY NOT REFLECTIVE of you but rather their process and how they prefer their candidates to be. Try to apply to schools that align with your passions and preferences and maybe look into a gap year to rebuild and come back stronger and even DO schools if you have not they are more holistic and broad in terms of stats! Schools are much more accepting of gap years and grade rebuild!
I feel the same sitting on 6 WLs at this point 🙁
🙁 its so annoying and sad
premedvybes101
Full Member
May 1 is major WL movement, hoping there's some legit movement for my 5WL too!
happycroissant
Full Member
3 II -> 3 WL. Feeling incredibly bummed, especially because I sent an LOI to my top choice before being waitlisted. Hoping (for us all) to avoid that reapplication.
Specific Misfortune
Full Member
Yeah... 6 WLs.
Nontrad, ORM, 520 MCAT, thousands of clinical hours and research hours. 4 LORs from current MDs saying they would love to work with me.
At this point, if I don't get in, what do I do? I cannot think of a single thing to do to improve my application.
Do I just suck at interviewing? Do I have a red flag?
Nontrad, ORM, 520 MCAT, thousands of clinical hours and research hours. 4 LORs from current MDs saying they would love to work with me.
At this point, if I don't get in, what do I do? I cannot think of a single thing to do to improve my application.
Do I just suck at interviewing? Do I have a red flag?
Miky617
Full Member
Same boat here, 3.9x gpa, 520 MCAT, 26 applications and 24 R's, 2 WL's. Over 1000 clinical hours, and over 6000 research hours with a few pubs. Best I can think of is my writing sucks and I don't have a strong narrative, but I've had multiple people comb over my essays and they all think it's strong writing. Maybe I had a bad rec letter? I'm at a loss on how to improve.
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sir norbiez
Full Member
So I have 3 WL.. I know that’s not many compared to others on this thread. I’m just worried now. They say three interviews and a doctor you’ll be… do they say anything for 3 WL? LOL
I had 2 ii that turned into 2 WL. I was wondering if I can (should) contact these school for a review of application if they were willing. Should I wait until after May 1st or should I go ahead and ask? I don't want to ruin my chances by asking.
Also should I just contact the main admissions email if I do ask?
Thank you all for your help!
Also should I just contact the main admissions email if I do ask?
Thank you all for your help!
They probably won't do a review of your application with you while it is still an active application.
If your WLs don't turn into an admission, you could ask for the review at that point.
Thank you so much!!
beepboop39
Full Member
I feel very blessed to have received 2 DO acceptances but I am on 3 MD waitlists for schools I prefer. I know I’m in a situation that is very fortunate compared to some, but I am really struggling. The weight of all of the uncertainty about where I’ll end up gets heavier and heavier every day. It’s so hard to balance trying to get excited about attending the DO school I’ve chosen while also holding hope for another acceptance. I’m struggling with comparison. This process is so hard.
Manifesting greatness for all of us stuck in limbo. Thankful for SDN to make me feel less alone.
Manifesting greatness for all of us stuck in limbo. Thankful for SDN to make me feel less alone.
Medwannabe123
Full Member
No you don’t else they will not WL you. You are fine. It’s just that they have stronger candidates for now. Your time will come. Persist. So many schools yield protected on you. This is a shiddy admit process.
Medwannabe123
Full Member
Well if someone has an A aren’t they supposed to plan/commit to enroll by 5/1. After 5/1, schools can get info about their A and WL students if they have planned or committed elsewhere.
So eventually if you have an A somewhere and WL here, they will know.
Similarly they will know if a WL has no A since it will show up in their download on who has planned elsewhere and who has no plan yet since all they have are WL’s.
What adcoms does with all this is key unknown.
Best wishes. I hope we all get through.
D
deleted1135362
are schools more likely to admit WL students who have no other A?
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Medwannabe123
Full Member
I think it just depends on adcom but I think they will know who has no A after 4/30.
MDApplicant!
Full Member
Hi everyone. I submitted a (not that great) letter of interest to WashU a couple months back and got waitlisted. I already sent an LOI to another school, so would y'all recommend that I send an updated Letter of Interest to WashU or just leave it as is? I don't want to come off as desperate.
If you already submitted a letter of INTENT to another school, I would leave your application at WashU's as is. Another letter of interest isn't going to help. The only letters at this point that will help are a letter of INTENT, or perhaps an update letter with a PROFOUND update.
MDApplicant!
Full Member
I have one more pub that recently was accepted (in press now). But that's literally it bc I included the other updates in my other letter. What do you suggest?
Without knowing the details of the pub, I wouldn’t define a new pub as a profound update, particularly if you already have several pubs documented on your file. It won’t hurt, but it probably won’t add any value, though you may choose to do it for your own peace of mind. But right now it’s about filling their classes most efficiently with their target applicant mix.
Please clarify - is the school’s plan to enroll (PTE) deadline 4/30, or is the commit to enroll (CTE) deadline 4/30? 4/30 is most likely the PTE date. But If the CTE deadline for your accepted school is 4/30, then you must CTE by that date and withdraw your application from all other schools, or risk your offer from you accepted school being rescinded.
If your accepted school’s PTE date is 4/30, then you must select that school, and you can remain on waitlists for your other school.
CTE and PTE deadlines as outlined in AAMC traffic rules are separate from individual schools’ deposit deadlines.
If your accepted school’s PTE date is 4/30, then you must select that school, and you can remain on waitlists for your other school.
CTE and PTE deadlines as outlined in AAMC traffic rules are separate from individual schools’ deposit deadlines.
Medwannabe123
Full Member
My understanding is that CTE is final and they expect one to withdraw all else. CTE can be done upto when the school has in their policy. Some let you do that after 4/30 also. So check with school.
I need help. im on 5 WLs with no A right now. I know that my chances for an acceptance this cycle aren't terrible but I want to do the smart thing and prep for a reapp.
Problem is, I cant bring myself to type a single word for a new PS to save my life. Has anyone faced a similar situation? I just don't know what to do. I'm really sad and disappointed on top of that.
Problem is, I cant bring myself to type a single word for a new PS to save my life. Has anyone faced a similar situation? I just don't know what to do. I'm really sad and disappointed on top of that.
Write your secondary essays first.
Write Your Secondary Essays First | Student Doctor Network | SDN
Most advice to applicants focuses on the personal statement and description of work or activities required to complete the initial centralized application
www.studentdoctor.net
Medwannabe123
Full Member
Your 5 WL’s mean you were found completely eligible to join those schools and be successful. You are in a very good situation except the elusive A. So keep the confidence. Best Wishes.
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total_tradegy22
Full Member
I'm so sorry! I was in this sort of situation my first cycle (although I think you are more likely to get an acceptance than I was). It really burned me out, too. I ended up taking a year off before reapplying, but that was also because I had some extenuating circumstances that meant I had basically zero improvements to my app after an entire year. I don't regret the year off, though, and it was ultimately a good choice for me. If you want to reapply immediately, I have a lot of experience working with writers and on personal statements, so if you want someone to help brainstorm while you are in waitlist purgatory, please feel free to message me.
AugustusGloop
Full Member
I am now on 4 WL and Still have one more school to hear back from. This is going to be a crapshoot. F’s in the chat
sir norbiez
Full Member
Im on three WL and one pending decision. If I have to reapply, should I just slightly refurbish my extracurriculars and PS? I felt those things were already relatively strong and central to who I am as an applicant, and I don't want to necessarily start from scratch and write a new PS. Thoughts anyone?
I am blessed to have gotten into my pending school. I will still wait to see what comes of my WL, but I just want to thank this community for being so helpful and awesome! I can't wait to see you all win too, best of luck anonymous friends!⭐
pipluprulez
Full Member
I'm currently on 3 WLs and waiting to hear back from 2 more schools (which feel like WLs or Rs tbh). It's my first cycle and I'll need to retake the MCAT if I don't apply again next cycle... Not really sure where to go from here, cuz I feel like there's not enough time for me to have an improved application (especially extracurricularwise) for the next cycle. Feel really discouraged bc I'm not sure where I'm going wrong and felt like I had good to okay interviews 🙁
sir norbiez
Full Member
Out of my 3 WL’s, one of them I found out I was on position 60.. so that’s basically an R right LMAO I hate this. I hope that one pending school lets me in
When we look back to compare your applications and see that you just submitted the same essay, it sends a message.
allWLnobrakes
Full Member
Heard back from my last school today - nothing to show so far for the cycle other than 2 waitlists. Trying to figure out where to start when it comes to reapplying. If my post bacc follows the same schedule as last year, I've missed the date to request a committee letter, so hopefully I can use the same one as last year?
I just spent my year working as a medical assistant at the same place I was when I applied, so I am not sure how to meaningfully change my application for next cycle. In hindsight I suppose I should have predicted I wouldn't get in and been adding ECs this past year. *screams into void*
I just spent my year working as a medical assistant at the same place I was when I applied, so I am not sure how to meaningfully change my application for next cycle. In hindsight I suppose I should have predicted I wouldn't get in and been adding ECs this past year. *screams into void*
Sorry to hear. You haven't gotten rejected yet, so who knows.
You can always put up an WAMC.
Sorry for the bit of a rooky question, but I was just wondering how being accepted off of a waitlist works. How much time do they typically give you to accept the offer, and do you practically have to commit without knowing what their financial aid would be?
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By this time in the cycle you will probably have 2-3 weeks at best. Read your email completely for details or deadlines. Do your thinking and comparing now about what you would do if there is no financial aid offer.
Search "traffic rules". I agree that at this point, you may have two weeks. After May, the timeline could go down to a week or a few days. When you get to the month of orientation, 24 hours.
Financial aid catches up after you commit. They aren't going to go through the trouble until you commit at this point because they have to be sure about the students who have committed and get that aid secured.
The start of the next app cycle. As of right now, you're still rejected, and so should be working on Plan B as insurance.
Depends upon the timing of CTE
Yes. This is precisely why Admissions Deans treat LOIs as lies.
D
deleted906592
Anyone on their 3rd or 4th cycle and considering reapplying in case they don’t get off waitlists? Idk how to even recreate a new personal statement/new secondaries. Nothing has changed much as I spent my year just traveling and working. I really love the one I used for my current app and I think my secondaries for the institutions I received interviews at were stellar.
icedsoylatte
Full Member
Do schools have different deadlines for PTE and CTE or is April 15 PTE deadline for all schools?
Medwannabe123
Full Member
You are Not rejected. Just Waitlisted. Waitlisted letters say that one is fully found fit to be given a seat. So hang in and best wishes for Accepted.
Also if school B accepts you, just let school A know so. They then know that your LOI does not hold anymore. But you are still in their WL if they will offer.
No harm.
LOI does not mean you cannot email and remove it. Anyway it seems schools take it as a Lie or do they make one lie. Stop taking LOI if they think one is lying.
Medwannabe123
Full Member
Mostly Different follow the traffic rules and school dates.
I wrote a very genuine LOI and that's one of the things that gives me a glimpse of hope lol
If schools truly view LOIs as lies/insincere etc then out of respect and professional courtesy, they should let us applicants know that they don't accept them
That doesn't guarantee a seat though, especially when you have, say 200 people on the wait list and there are only 50 seats left.
Unless one is a superstar, School A will simply say "Have fun at school B!"
I also wrote a sincere LOI.
I don't think it helps much because everyone else on the waitlist also wants to go to the school.
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