AAMC policy and post-interview waiting time

[Adapt]

I would say the worst time during the application process is waiting to hear a decision post-interview.

I think AAMC should make it a policy for schools to tell their interviewees when the committee meets and give a time frame when they will hear a response, which is not to exceed 3 months.

For example, they should tell Applicant A that he will hear a response anywhere from 2 weeks to a month. If the applicant doesn't hear a response within a month, then there should be some kind of penalty on the school or benefit for the student. Maybe that student should get an automatic acceptance since he was told late.

I know there are several loopholes to this system, but some kind of system is better than nothing. It is absurd that schools can take up to 3 or 4 months to make a decision post-interview. If a school is planning to do this, they should at least tell the applicant when they will meet and around what time they will hear a decision.

On a side note, DO schools are much better at informing their applicants post-interview. Most schools told me I would hear within 2 weeks and sure enough 2 weeks later, I had the decision letter in my hand. I don't know why MD schools can't do the same thing.

The process is already stressful the way it is. I don't see why AAMC can put a little less stress on their applicants.

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[Rippey]

I would say the worst time during the application process is waiting to hear a decision post-interview.

I couldn't agree more (esp. for those of us w/o any acceptances )

In fact, I'm supposed to hear back from my state school at the end of March. So..., it'll be very close to a HALF YEAR since the time I interviewed until the time they get back to me

now that's a long wait!

 

[Adapt]

Originally posted by Rippey
I couldn't agree more (esp. for those of us w/o any acceptances )

In fact, I'm supposed to hear back from my state school at the end of March. So..., it'll be very close to a HALF YEAR since the time I interviewed until the time they get back to me

now that's a long wait!

Half a year sounds way too long. Maybe you should call and see what's up.

I can't bear waiting for a month let alone 6 months. That's why the AAMC needs to make a policy for schools to tell their applicants when they will find out.

 

[snapdad]

Originally posted by Slickness
Half a year sounds way too long. Maybe you should call and see what's up.

I can't bear waiting for a month let alone 6 months. That's why the AAMC needs to make a policy for schools to tell their applicants when they will find out.

I couldn't agree more. In Rippey's case, it looks like he's from Colorado, so he's probably referring to the agonizing, never-ending wait for the CU decision. It's been almost six months since I interviewed there too. They tell you straight up the day you interview that unless you're super amazing, you probably won't hear from them until after March 15th. Six months is a seriously long time to have to wait!

 

[wolferman]

I interviewed at Howard on Nov. 19th. I found out I was accepted on May 14th....6 months later. Their penalty? They lost me.

Seriously though, it's unprofessional and just plain rude.

 

[docmemi]

no pain, no game.

maybe they find it necessary to torture us so that we can appreciate the fact that they are changing the rest of our lives!

waiting is part of the game. i also have my politics paranoia.

 

[No Egrets]

I hate the wait!!!!

At one of my schools, one interviewer said something like "you don't need to worry, i'm sure you'll be accepted" (uhhhh shouldn't they be discouraged from making fake promises like that?)

anyway, months later here i am, still waiting... i was thinking of writing the guy an e-mail, sort of like "ok buddy, what about that thing you said? when should i expect to hear?" (but more eloquent)--would that be an OK idea? or should i just grin and bear it? THE WAIT IS KILLING ME

 

[mlw03]

i personally the whole process should be moved up by at least 1 month. that is, start acceptances in september, feb should be when schools have to accept at least their class size, and april 15 should be the day after which a student can only hold one acceptance. not only would this be "nicer" for us applicants, but it would also mean less dead time. very little movement has happened of late - we all know that the massive flurry of stuff isn't going to happen till late may. why not move that up some, giving students more time to move and get acquainted to a new city.

 

[Adapt]

Originally posted by docmemi
no pain, no game.

maybe they find it necessary to torture us so that we can appreciate the fact that they are changing the rest of our lives!

waiting is part of the game. i also have my politics paranoia.

Sure waiting is part of the game. It just makes it much easier to wait when you know the exact date the committee meets.

That way, you won't be waiting like a fool the next 3 months or so thinking that they will meet on a certain particular day when the reality is they're not going to meet for another month.

 

[futuredrswife]

my husband is about to hit the 6-month post-interview-no-decision mark with a state school which is officially non-rolling. the wait is killing us, especially when we realize that we would have spent the $20K+ that we've saved for a house on a house by this time, instead of reporting it on financial aid applications, if we'd heard back before now and decided to attend.

on the other hand, i'd like to take this time out for a commercial break for The University of Virginia, who gave my husband a post-interview decision within 2 weeks. though i don't know whether we'll end up there, it truly is the school for lovers, in the state for lovers, run by a group of lovely people. i hope my bias isn't too apparent.

 

[futuredrswife]

and as a follow-up to this comment:

I interviewed at Howard on Nov. 19th. I found out I was accepted on May 14th....6 months later. Their penalty? They lost me.

hear, hear! my husband and i are now officially strongly considering UVa out-of-state, thinking about leaving our home, friends, church and family, which we really wouldn't have thought about so seriously if our state school had been timely in acceptances. now, even if he's admitted here, i'm not sure he'll matriculate after all the waiting.