2nd app waitlisted many places: now what

[doglova]

PLEASE DON’T QUOTE

Hi friends,
Long story short this is my second cycle and still couldn’t get into med schools I want to go to. First cycle I got 1 interview from my flagship state school. Followed by waitlist and then reject. Second cycle I applied to more schools of different ranges. And different tier schools. And then after several interviews later in the cycle many more waitlists.

I’m super depressed and too sad to do anything at this point. I know I should be writing interest letters and frantically scrambling to get updates, but I thought I worked hard over the last 7 years and too bad nothing is paying off. Posting here as a last resort for any hope at all.

First a little about me:
3.81 cGPA, 3.89 sGPA. T10 ugrad
Majors: Bioengineering and math
ORM
527 MCAT --> score expiration --> retake 525: 132/130/132/131
5000 hours research, some pubs mid to low author, 10+ conference abstracts, various business plan competition awards
-1000 of those research hours were patient facing clinical research
300 clinical volunteering
100ish non-clinical volunteering hours
100ish shadowing hours
Leadership positions from 3 orgs in ugrad
Many gap years, including a gap middle of undergrad for cancer treatment

Timeline: 1' sent late June, 1' verified first few days August, 2' sent sept - oct. I had more schools on my list but just ran out of time to apply to them

Cycle results:
Georgetown: My very first Pre II R
Eastern VA: Pre II R
VCU: Pre II R
Pittsburgh: Pre II R
Drexel: Pre II R
UCLA: Pre II R
UCSF: Pre II R
Northwestern: Pre II R
Chicago: Pre II R
Brown: Pre II R
Michigan: Pre II R
Ohio state: likely R at this point
George Washington: hold to R likely at this point

UVA: II to WL
UPenn: II to WL
Mayo: Very first II to WL
Stanford: II to WL
Duke: II to WL
Yale: II to WL
Vanderbilt: II to WL
Case Western: II to WL

Tldr: help so sad looking for any hope :’(

PLEASE DON’T QUOTE

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[mangowolf]

wow I’m really sorry, I hope your WLs come through for you. I can’t see a single thing wrong with your app. I’d guess it is interviewing skills?

 

[doglova]

wow I’m really sorry, I hope your WLs come through for you. I can’t see a single thing wrong with your app. I’d guess it is interviewing skills

Thanks for the reply. The other joke is that I looked at the post wl acceptance rates for the schools listed. And looks like they’re super low :’(

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So something is still up with your application because this time you didn't wait until October. Especially with your stats, I would have expected better results, especially with your in-state choices.

I know you deleted your previous WAMC but there's something in your personal statements, essays, or letters that is blocking you.

Adding... Interviews... I really hope with so many WL's you will get one A at least. Don't lose hope. Waitlist season is coming. Let the process run but think carefully about what happened.

 

[Faha]

It would be rare for an applicant who is on the waitlist for 8 schools not to receive an eventual acceptance. There will be a lot of waitlist movement in late April through all of May.

 

[doglova]

It would be rare for an applicant who is on the waitlist for 8 schools not to receive an eventual acceptance. There will be a lot of waitlist movement in late April through all of May.

Thanks for the reply. Few additional questions:
1. Any tips on what I could do in the meantime to add material for an update letter? I already sent an update letter in Jan before decisions came out with 3 accepted publications. It’s unlikely I’ll get more pubs accepted before june and it’ll be hard to get new clinical experiences seeing as the background check for those opportunities in my area takes 4-8 weeks. Would it look bad if I join service groups related to free tutoring, food bank, etc and then send an update related to that? Anything else I can do to get a quick update that’s meaningful? Would presenting a poster of my research at a random symposium at the university where I’m currently working help?

2. Do letters of interest help at all? What kind of content should be included in a strong letter?

3. If I want to send a letter of intent and can’t send multiple, any idea at which schools it may carry the most weight?

 

[Faha]

Are any of those schools located in your state of residence ? Updates in activities will not matter at this point. There is a saying on SDN:
Wait lists 3 a doctor you will be.

 

[EricMD2022]

PLEASE DON’T QUOTE

Hi friends,
Long story short this is my second cycle and still couldn’t get into med schools I want to go to. First cycle I got 1 interview from my flagship state school. Followed by waitlist and then reject. Second cycle I applied to more schools of different ranges. And different tier schools. And then after several interviews later in the cycle many more waitlists.

I’m super depressed and too sad to do anything at this point. I know I should be writing interest letters and frantically scrambling to get updates, but I thought I worked hard over the last 7 years and too bad nothing is paying off. Posting here as a last resort for any hope at all.

First a little about me:
3.81 cGPA, 3.89 sGPA. T10 ugrad
Majors: Bioengineering and math
ORM
527 MCAT --> score expiration --> retake 525: 132/130/132/131
5000 hours research, some pubs mid to low author, 10+ conference abstracts, various business plan competition awards
-1000 of those research hours were patient facing clinical research
300 clinical volunteering
100ish non-clinical volunteering hours
100ish shadowing hours
Leadership positions from 3 orgs in ugrad
Many gap years, including a gap middle of undergrad for cancer treatment

Timeline: 1' sent late June, 1' verified first few days August, 2' sent sept - oct. I had more schools on my list but just ran out of time to apply to them

Cycle results:
Georgetown: My very first Pre II R
Eastern VA: Pre II R
VCU: Pre II R
Pittsburgh: Pre II R
Drexel: Pre II R
UCLA: Pre II R
UCSF: Pre II R
Northwestern: Pre II R
Chicago: Pre II R
Brown: Pre II R
Michigan: Pre II R
Ohio state: likely R at this point
George Washington: hold to R likely at this point

UVA: II to WL
UPenn: II to WL
Mayo: Very first II to WL
Stanford: II to WL
Duke: II to WL
Yale: II to WL
Vanderbilt: II to WL
Case Western: II to WL

Tldr: help so sad looking for any hope :’(

PLEASE DON’T QUOTE

You have very good stats and ECs, you should have many As. Did you ever think it was your interview that prohibited your admission? You may want to ask someone to coach your interview skill.

 

[KeViN2502]

How is this application not getting any acceptance, did you commit any crime lol

 

[doglova]

How is this application not getting any acceptance, did you commit any crime lol

No guess that nobody likes me for whatever reason </3

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Hi, I hope you get an acceptance this time around but you really need to add more volume as a reapplicant. There are a lot of mid tier schools that don’t yield/resource protect. You need to add these if you have to reapply

Any experts here suspect that there is a bad LOR or red flag in PS? This would be my guess. Try to feel out your advisor to see if there was a bad letter in the committee letter. This may not work and you want to go about it delicately, but many advisors at top UGs will give you a hint or two.

Other thoughts are that Sept/Oct can be somewhat late at certain schools. If you apply again submit amcas first day and secondaries within 2 weeks

 

[Mr.Smile12]

No guess that nobody likes me for whatever reason </3

Nonsense! You got 8 interviews at some very competitive brands, and not 8 post-interview R's immediately after interviewing.

Waitlist movement is still coming. Stay strong.

This is not "The Voice" where the four judges often look at each other to see who is the first to press the button (I want YOU!) to start the chair-turn cascade. But I hope that it will ultimately feel that way once waitlists move.