Acceptances vs. Waitlists

[searun]

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I have interviewed at 9 schools. I have been accepted at 3 schools, waitlisted at 3 schools, and I am still waiting to hear from 3 schools. I am trying to decide whether to just pull the plug on the 3 waitlist schools and withdraw my applications. I am very happy with the schools that accepted me and one of the waitlist schools was definitely an Ivy League reach. I am feeling like I would prefer to go to a school that was enthusiatic about me from day one and not be a school's second choice. On the other hand, perhaps my ego is interfering with clear thinking and I should stay on these waitlists and see how this plays out. Any thoughts? How do waitlist students perform in comparison to regular admits in most schools?

 

[Disinence2]

I don't think anyone will be able to answer this question for you

Congrats on the 3 acceptances

 

[ryanl]

If you have no desire to go to any of these waitlist schools, i'd pull my app. Or just pull two of the three if there is one you would consider. If you'd rather go to any of them over the schools you're accepted to now, let em ride.

But I wouldn't pull my app just because they didn't choose you right away and aren't "enthusiastic about" you. The application process isn't personal, and there are going to be applicants who are equal to you and I can guarantee some will be better, they are making the best guess as to who will fit their class. Again, it's nothing personal, it's just number crunching and how the game works. Playing devils advocate, They could also say the same about you, that they aren't going to accept you because you are applying elsewhere and didn't do early decision... 🙂

Just give it a little thought im sure you'll come up with a good answer. Worst case do nothing and wait it out.

 

[Gabujabu]

I have interviewed at 9 schools. I have been accepted at 3 schools, waitlisted at 3 schools, and I am still waiting to hear from 3 schools. I am trying to decide whether to just pull the plug on the 3 waitlist schools and withdraw my applications. I am very happy with the schools that accepted me and one of the waitlist schools was definitely an Ivy League reach. I am feeling like I would prefer to go to a school that was enthusiatic about me from day one and not be a school's second choice. On the other hand, perhaps my ego is interfering with clear thinking and I should stay on these waitlists and see how this plays out. Any thoughts? How do waitlist students perform in comparison to regular admits in most schools?

Remember, once you get into medical school, you won't be dealing with the admissions people much anymore. However, I understand where you're coming from.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

I have interviewed at 9 schools. I have been accepted at 3 schools, waitlisted at 3 schools, and I am still waiting to hear from 3 schools. I am trying to decide whether to just pull the plug on the 3 waitlist schools and withdraw my applications. I am very happy with the schools that accepted me and one of the waitlist schools was definitely an Ivy League reach. I am feeling like I would prefer to go to a school that was enthusiatic about me from day one and not be a school's second choice. On the other hand, perhaps my ego is interfering with clear thinking and I should stay on these waitlists and see how this plays out. Any thoughts? How do waitlist students perform in comparison to regular admits in most schools?

I understand where you are coming from, I too am waiting on a waitlist while I have acceptances from schools that loved me. It's really hard to say, because it's awesome to have a school enthusiastic about you, and to crawl off a waitlist at another can be a little disheartening.

At the very least you know that since you got into three OTHER med schools without the waitlist, that you are med school material regardless of what the waitlist school says. Try not to feel like you have to prove anything or that you are inferior in any way - there's a lot of luck and randomness in applying, who knows perhaps in a different cycle they might have snatched you up in an instant.

 

[pyrois]

I am feeling like I would prefer to go to a school that was enthusiatic about me from day one and not be a school's second choice.

You shouldn't really think about it like that. Once the schools dwindle it down to the last batches of people, aside from the superstars, it's hard to tell some people apart. As a result, it may not be that they think you're a "second choice." In many cases, you might fall into a certain category, like a research-heavy applicant or a community service-heavy, or leadership-heavy applicant, and they simply have enough of that type for the time being.

In the end, I think the people who are waitlisted really are just as capable as the majority of the first acceptances, but they can't invite everybody, so by chance they are held off until later.