2022-2023 Waitlist Support Thread

Started by Happy Bulbis Cordis
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goldwind7 said:
Ideals like this are nice to think about, but tbh.....unrealistic. There are so many different schools with so many different systems, and selecting students/acceptances is an entirely subjective process - unfortunately buying into this application process means playing by their rules. In this case, waitlist procedures are their kingdom to control. There may be better options in how to handle this, but it's out of our hands 🤷🏻‍♀️ at least in the present tense, since we're in the thick of it. All we can do is our best and hope to god it's enough. Sending strength and patience to everyone here - manifesting that dream A!
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It's not just an ideal though, it's reality. I guess my point is that if it's possible for some schools to do it, it theoretically is for all of them. But ultimately, yes, our fate is in their hands, we are the ones who need them, not the other way around.
 
TiramisuLover99 said:
To add to the conversation about schools giving applicants more info about waitlist positions. I know of only 1 school that gives applicants a number rank and has a portal where the number updates in live time. While that might be a big ask for all schools, I don't think it is unreasonable to have some kind of priority system so that applicants know where they stand. Some schools have a tier or quartile system, where applicants will only find out which category they fall in. Other schools have a general waitlist but then some applicants are informed they are high priority, where people with priority status are essentially guaranteed to be looked as soon as seats become open. All this to say, some degree of transparency would be better than none at all.
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100% agreed. The unfortunate reality is that until there’s some “push” from AAMC to make schools do this, it’s not going to happen.

There’s no incentive for med schools to publish this info, and there’s no downside to not publishing it, so as applicants, we are just stuck in this limbo.
 
Accepted from the waitlist today (my first acceptance of the cycle). I'm going to be a doctor!! 😊
For context: 4 II > 1 post-II R and 3 WL > 1 post-WL R, 1 pending WL, and 1 A

Good luck to all! It only takes one, and the cycle isn't over until it's over.

Edit: accepted from "pending WL" on 05/12/2023.
 
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gyngyn said:
Schools are free to make any decision!
...they just don't have reliable data upon which to make them right now.
Hopefully this will be fixed by tomorrow.
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Do you think there's any chance this would cause glitches on a students end? I haven't received notification via email or call but my CYMS shows I was accepted to a school. I'm trying to figure out if I can be excited or if there's a chance there's a glitch.
 
meerkat__ said:
Do you think there's any chance this would cause glitches on a students end? I haven't received notification via email or call but my CYMS shows I was accepted to a school. I'm trying to figure out if I can be excited or if there's a chance there's a glitch.
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Hopefully, we will all know more tomorrow.
 
Got the A to my dream school from the waitlist this afternoon! I literally never thought I’d get into this school and I didn’t have a single interview invite anywhere until January.
I felt very unmotivated and downtrodden, and I was about to give up, but my friends really pushed me to prepare for the worst but strive for the best.

Thus, I’d encourage everyone on a WL to keep sending updates and going to events and making your presence known. If not for all the effort I put into writing and sending meaningful updates, I don’t think I’d have been admitted. I don’t want to spread false hope, definitely always prepare for reapplying till you get that A but don’t give up! One small thing might just push you a bit ahead on the list and get you in.
 
meerkat__ said:
Do you think there's any chance this would cause glitches on a students end? I haven't received notification via email or call but my CYMS shows I was accepted to a school. I'm trying to figure out if I can be excited or if there's a chance there's a glitch.
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Log into the school's portal to check?
 
Hey everyone, would it make sense to have someone send another LOR for me at this point? Or is it too late? I'm currently on 5 WLs, some movement at all the schools so far.
 
^ to kind of piggy back off of that question, would it make sense to submit letters of interest/updates at this stage (currently on 6 waitlists with no movement yet sadly)? I've sent a letter of intent to my top school and I meant to send letters of interest/updates to my other waitlisted schools but never quite got around to it. My "update" letters would just include a short update on new extracurriculars I'm involved in (no new publications or anything) and my reiterated interest in their program. It feels super late to send those in now, but I'm happy to do whatever to help my chances!
 
anavrincafe said:
^ to kind of piggy back off of that question, would it make sense to submit letters of interest/updates at this stage (currently on 6 waitlists with no movement yet sadly)? I've sent a letter of intent to my top school and I meant to send letters of interest/updates to my other waitlisted schools but never quite got around to it. My "update" letters would just include a short update on new extracurriculars I'm involved in (no new publications or anything) and my reiterated interest in their program. It feels super late to send those in now, but I'm happy to do whatever to help my chances!
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i'm no expert on this, but i think for schools that accept letters/updates/LORs etc. (especially schools that encourage WL students to send them -- e.g. the school i'm waitlisted at was very explicit in the WL email that although not required, they do welcome/encourage relevant updates) it probably wouldn't hurt to send something in. at this point you don't really have anything to lose by sending it, and you might have something to gain. better late than never

also, if anyone else knows more about this whole process, please add on to this
 
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Day 4!! Best of Luck to everyone!!!
 
anavrincafe said:
^ to kind of piggy back off of that question, would it make sense to submit letters of interest/updates at this stage (currently on 6 waitlists with no movement yet sadly)? I've sent a letter of intent to my top school and I meant to send letters of interest/updates to my other waitlisted schools but never quite got around to it. My "update" letters would just include a short update on new extracurriculars I'm involved in (no new publications or anything) and my reiterated interest in their program. It feels super late to send those in now, but I'm happy to do whatever to help my chances!
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I did and I ended up getting an interview after my first update and into the school after like 2 more! Updates won’t hurt you (with a few caveats) and can help so yes why not!

I think too many people treat updates as quick throw always. I’d suggest writing a meaningful letter updating not just what you did but why it matters to you and how you’re improving your skills as a future physician. I’d also encourage everyone to plan your updates strategically. If you have an accomplishment you’re expecting save the update for when it’s going to be most impactful rather than just constantly sending updates on hours or something.

For example, I added more community service hours but didn’t even include the hours. Instead, as I advocate for children in the foster system who were just recently adopted, I talked about how I got to go to court for the first time to speak on their behalf and how I never imagined I’d make a difference but now they just finalized their adoption!
I find updates with specific stories and examples are the ones mentioned in the my interviews and thus they were obviously more impactful. If you have a top school I’d encourage you to tailor your update to them specifically and focus on what they prioritize (mine was very research heavy and I recently published so I talked about that experience more in that letter). Of course this is just my two cents but it worked for me so hopefully it will for others!
 
GoSpursGo said:
Probably two reasons. One, they want to keep the option of shuffling the rank available. Reasons for shuffling could be because someone receives a new award or publication that bumps them up, someone gets an IA and that moves them down, or like @gyngyn said their class becomes unbalanced (possibly in terms of M/F ratio or race/ethnicity, but also traditional vs nontrad, research focuses applicants vs service focused, etc). The other reason is they don’t want to set false expectations. For example if someone is told they are in the “top half” of the waitlist but they don’t get in, you’re likely to get an angry email later about what happened, how far down the rank list they went, etc.

Ultimately, even if you had the information, it isn’t actionable. If you aren’t holding an A then you need to be proceeding as if you need a gap year. Even if that wastes a little money if/when you manifest the A, it is going to set you up much better in the long run.
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Something can be done if all schools acknowledge that this is an issue, come together and come up with a better admission cycle that ends sooner, say March or April. In fact, a lot can be done. For that to happen, somebody has to advocate on behalf the students. Who that will be?
 
ltina said:
I wish schools would prioritize making WL offers to people who aren't PTE'ed anywhere. I mean I guess everyone has a right to the best candidates but man it sucks 😢
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I agree. I would even suggest that all the schools an applicant completed applications with, should be allowed to view the entire progress of the applicants all through the cycle I.e. where interviewed, waitlisted, accepted, PTEed etc. It will be good for all applicants.
 
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math-wizo said:
Just to vent,

Feeling a bit pissed off about the CYMS glitch.. Everything always has to be perfect from the applicants end throughout the whole app cycle but god forbid AAMC/schools holds themselves to the same standards.
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Two-way communications via email about WL offers can still go on between schools and applicants, the overall stats just can't be updated.
This may put a pause on offers until it's fixed, though, because schools also need to be able to see whether a person they are considering has already CTE to some other school.

I'm not saying you can't feel frustrated, you're not alone and I hope you get some good news soon
 
Honestly, I just wish that AMCAS had sent out a formal email or something. I don't like that we have to find out about something that could really influence the waitlist movement from an external forum thread (no offense! I appreciate the work you do here a lot and it's definitely given me more peace of mind). The lack of transparency just feels kinda gross. Thanks for keeping us up to date.
 
wysdoc said:
Two-way communications via email about WL offers can still go on between schools and applicants, the overall stats just can't be updated.
This may put a pause on offers until it's fixed, though, because schools also need to be able to see whether a person they are considering has already CTE to some other school.

I'm not saying you can't feel frustrated, you're not alone and I hope you get some good news soon
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thank you for clarifying this!!
 
meerkat__ said:
Do you think there's any chance this would cause glitches on a students end? I haven't received notification via email or call but my CYMS shows I was accepted to a school. I'm trying to figure out if I can be excited or if there's a chance there's a glitch.
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You may have already done this, but if not -- try checking your applicant portal with that school. That's not always updated right away, but if it has been, then you'll know.
 
wysdoc said:
Two-way communications via email about WL offers can still go on between schools and applicants, the overall stats just can't be updated.
This may put a pause on offers until it's fixed, though, because schools also need to be able to see whether a person they are considering has already CTE to some other school.

I'm not saying you can't feel frustrated, you're not alone and I hope you get some good news soon
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Would it be worth anything to the school for me to let them know that I’m not PTE anywhere?
 
AghPoisons said:
Do waitlist admissions continue on weekends or is only during normal business hours?
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i assume during normal bizz hours. most programs only give offers a certain day of the week when their adcomms meet. so crappy bc then that means offers are delayed for another week since the glitch inhibited them from offering this week during their meetings.
 
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