Anyone else not that happy after first acceptance?

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MDPedigree

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So after a long time coming, I finally got my first acceptance. It was also to one of my top 5 choices post-II. But for some reason, I was not all that happy. I got accepted first thing in the morning and actually ended up having a really bad day (bad day at work and in the gym for whatever reason). I always imagined that with my first acceptance I would either be insanely happy or insanely relieved, maybe both... But I was neither.. I just felt (and still feel) normal. It's so weird. I thought I would be so hype and idk why I am like this...

Can anyone relate? I'm honestly just curious.
 
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I mean the acceptance was a not to my top choice, more so my 4th-5th choice. I imagine (we all know how my imagination has been wrong) that I would be happier if it were my top choice?

I didn't have the strongest connection with this school, but it was in my top 5 because it is a good school (comparatively to all the ones I interviewed at).
 
During the application process, I had pictured my moment of acceptance for months and I always imagined that I would break down and cry from happiness. When I actually got the email, I just smiled and thought , "oh that's nice." Then I immediately was thinking, "wow that's it?? I'm not gonna cry or anything??" I tried forcing myself to get emotional but I couldn't.
When I told my sister and best friend they both started crying and I didn't. It was so weird and slightly disappointing.
I cried 5 years ago when my brother got accepted to his UNDERGRAD of choice and I didn't even shed a tear at my own med school acceptance. Weird how it works.
 
I legitimately sobbed (and not just happy tears) after seeing my MCAT score and getting my first acceptance. I think it was because I pushed through a lot of difficult junk to get there, and when I achieved them the impact of all that stuff came rushing back. Now, a couple of months later, I randomly get super happy about it (and still cry)... 🙄 OJ is good for rehydrating.

Point being, Hallmark movie reactions aren't for everyone.
 
Not that your reaction is the best way to gauge the best school for you, so take this with a giant grain of salt, but I believe a lot in listening to your gut feeling. I wasn't over the moon with my first acceptance--I was definitely excited and happy, but I was more "content." A couple months later I got an acceptance email that made me very unexpectedly burst into tears of happiness. I loved the school but was not expecting myself to react that way at all. This happens to be the school I'm attending (for multiple other reasons). But the point is that when the right school reaches out to you (or if/when you feel a strong enough connection with this one), I'm sure you'll feel the excitement you're looking for 🙂
 
MDPedigree said:
So after a long time coming, I finally got my first acceptance. It was also to one of my top 5 choices post-II. But for some reason, I was not all that happy. I actually ended up having a really bad day (bad day at work and in the gym for whatever reason). I always imagined that with my first acceptance I would either be insanely happy or insanely relieved, maybe both... But I was neither.. I just felt (and still feel) normal. It's so weird. I thought I would be so hype and idk why I am like this...

Can anyone relate? I'm honestly just curious.
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It's likely because you come from a background or family where going to medical school is viewed as a given, and thus not an accomplishment. Meeting an expectation is not as exciting as substantially exceeding any expectations. I felt the same way when I graduated from college- nothing at all, I just didn't care, and it's because I just knew and expected it would happen.
 
Mad Jack said:
It's likely because you come from a background or family where going to medical school is viewed as a given, and thus not an accomplishment. Meeting an expectation is not as exciting as substantially exceeding any expectations. I felt the same way when I graduated from college- nothing at all, I just didn't care, and it's because I just knew and expected it would happen.
Click to expand...

Good point that rings true.

Match Day is my go to happy memory mood changer.
 
MDPedigree said:
So after a long time coming, I finally got my first acceptance. It was also to one of my top 5 choices post-II. But for some reason, I was not all that happy. I actually ended up having a really bad day (bad day at work and in the gym for whatever reason). I always imagined that with my first acceptance I would either be insanely happy or insanely relieved, maybe both... But I was neither.. I just felt (and still feel) normal. It's so weird. I thought I would be so hype and idk why I am like this...

Can anyone relate? I'm honestly just curious.
Click to expand...
I prescribe 3 rounded scoops of C4 ULTIMATE Preworkout, a middle finger to your boss, and a heavy dose of reality.

You're gonna be a physician. Life is so f*****g GOOD 🙂
 
Healer@1994 said:
I prescribe 3 rounded scoops of C4 ULTIMATE Preworkout, a middle finger to your boss, and a heavy dose of reality.

You're gonna be a physician. Life is so f*****g GOOD 🙂
Click to expand...

I totally forgot about C4. I took J3cked in undergrad and it worked wonders but I had terrible crashes at the end of the day. I also think it killed someone so probably best that I dropped it.
 
Having been through a year of graded med school classes at an SMP when I received that call October 16th from the dean of admissions at the same school it felt like a dream. Literally like I was going to wake up and still be getting ready to go to class to fight for that acceptance. Only after calling my parents and hearing the elation of my relatives did the happiness and reality begin to sink in. Went out bought a bottle of scotch and then started to realize "So I'm actually going to have to do this damn thing in T minus 10 months." Still at that stage now! Half excited as hell and ready to start, half nervous.
 
MDPedigree said:
I mean the acceptance was a not to my top choice, more so my 4th-5th choice. I imagine (we all know how my imagination has been wrong) that I would be happier if it were my top choice?

I didn't have the strongest connection with this school, but it was in my top 5 because it is a good school (comparatively to all the ones I interviewed at).
Click to expand...

Looks like your answer may be right there. You didn't have a great connection with the school. I would probably react similarly, although I'd be a little more relieved, if my first acceptance was with a place I didn't connect with.
 
Probably has more to do with your opinion on the school in question and less to do with the fact that it is your first acceptance.

I was accepted to my top choice school first this cycle and I’m still in shock that it happened.

If that school ends up being the only school you’re accepted to, I’m willing to bet that your reaction will be different
 
Idk how to ask this without butthurting anyone. But was this #4 option school offering different degrees or letters behind ur name than let’s say, ur #1?

Given your username i can see why maybe ur not that stoked
 
Kingsmen2018 said:
Idk how to ask this without butthurting anyone. But was this #4 option school offering different degrees or letters behind ur name than let’s say, ur #1?

Given your username i can see why maybe ur not that stoked
Click to expand...
Nope. It was a defined mid-tier MD school (USNews Research rankings)
 
For me, I felt so exhausted after the application process. This is probably why when I got my acceptance I was not over the moon because the pain I went through to get an acceptance just didn't quite seem worth it. Maybe the same for you?
 
I got in the very first eligible day to my state school. I was then sent on a roller coaster of post April waitlist acceptances. I was happy for my first acceptance because I had a real chance at becoming a doctor. Do you know when you will be happy? First day of orientation.
 
I don't know about you guys, but when I got my first acceptance, I had vietnam flashbacks of fighting through orgo, stressful sleepless nights, MCAT anxiety, and all the pile of crap one has to swim through to be noticed by senpai med school.

SO when I got my first acceptance, I was like
upload_2018-2-6_20-47-31.png


*hearty, full-belly laughter commences* òuó!
 
MattFromSeattle said:
I totally forgot about C4. I took J3cked in undergrad and it worked wonders but I had terrible crashes at the end of the day. I also think it killed someone so probably best that I dropped it.
Click to expand...
They remade the formula of it from what I remember. There was an ingredient in it that was borderline meth, and is now illegal. Learned about it in a drug class.
 
Whats the point of this thread? I am not sure why someone wouldnt be happy/thrilled about getting into medical school. There are students out there who would die just to get an acceptance. I am not saying this to make you feel like c-rap or anything. You have to realize how thankful you are, you know how? do you remember the thread you made about how stressed you were that you had so many II's and no acceptance? Now imagine taking this only acceptance away from you? Thats all 🙂 you have to be happy @MDPedigree
 
I have a DO acceptance and I was pleased at that point that I'm definitely going to a medical school this year, but was not over the moon excited. I think I'll have that super excited reaction if I get an acceptance from the last MD interview I haven't heard back from yet.

I get it. It's great to get in somewhere, but if it's not where you want to be, it also kind of sucks to know that you're going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere or some awful place you don't want to live for at least two years and up to four years. Maybe even longer if you match to residency in that area.

It sets your future up right... but it would be way more exciting if it set your future up right *and* it was somewhere you would actually enjoy living.
 
I have found my excitement to require some time to build up. You've gotten your acceptance, but now what? Do you wait to see if you get a higher ranked school? Do you immediately start planning to move (if necessary)? We've all been working to get to this point so long, here it is, but you still have to go to school, work, etc. just like before the notification. Doesn't make it any less special or unique, but everyday life continues on. 🙂
 
Piglet2020 said:
I don't know about you guys, but when I got my first acceptance, I had vietnam flashbacks of fighting through orgo, stressful sleepless nights, MCAT anxiety, and all the pile of crap one has to swim through to be noticed by senpai med school.

SO when I got my first acceptance, I was like
View attachment 228957

*hearty, full-belly laughter commences* òuó!
Click to expand...
I did have to resist the urge to leave work, drive back to my undergrad, storm into the premed committee office, and slam the email on their desk.

They were..... less than supportive
 
chaim123 said:
Salty?
Click to expand...


Nah, not even. The fact of the matter is that the higher you go up in ranking, the better the match lists. If you're entertaining the idea of going into something competitive specialty/research/academia, you would best bet would be to go to the highest ranked school.

There's a reason why top tier schools have impressive match lists, even when controlling for board scores. The legacy/history/rank of the institution matters. Thus, when an individual has to choose between different schools, if everything else is controlled for, he/she will typically pick the higher ranked school. Now, I don't entirely buy into the USNWR ranking, but residency directors do, and the general public looks at it as well.

I am not an optimist, I am a realist, we live in a superficial world where people are judged on paper and Linkedin. Taking a look at my own state medical schools, these schools have a preponderant amount of undergraduates coming from top 30 institutions.
 
ekmf27050 said:
I did have to resist the urge to leave work, drive back to my undergrad, storm into the premed committee office, and slam the email on their desk.

They were..... less than supportive
Click to expand...


Oh boy. My school’s pre-med/pre-health office was hella cocky to students. I remember seeing a couple of students walk out of the office in tears after advising appointments. One advisor was good, but the rest had a personal vendetta against students lol.
 
Piglet2020 said:
Oh boy. My school’s pre-med/pre-health office was hella cocky to students. I remember seeing a couple of students walk out of the office in tears after advising appointments. One advisor was good, but the rest had a personal vendetta against students lol.
Click to expand...


My pre-health advisor had a personal vendetta against me.
 
H20_Jay said:
I am not an optimist, I am a realist, we live in a superficial world where people are judged on paper and Linkedin. Taking a look at my own state medical schools, these schools have a preponderant amount of undergraduates coming from top 30 institutions.
Click to expand...

H20_Jay said:
My pre-health advisor had a personal vendetta against me.
Click to expand...

I just can't figure out why
 
Mad Jack said:
It's likely because you come from a background or family where going to medical school is viewed as a given, and thus not an accomplishment. Meeting an expectation is not as exciting as substantially exceeding any expectations. I felt the same way when I graduated from college- nothing at all, I just didn't care, and it's because I just knew and expected it would happen.
Click to expand...
I can see feeling that way about finishing college, but I really feel like getting into med school is not an expectation...at least not for yourself.
I have a few doctors in my family, and engineers, so being an over-acheiver is a given but getting into medical? My parents/ uncles/aunts acknowledge that it's really tough to make it to med school and much harder now than it used to be?
I know that hallmark movie reactions aren't for everyone but I really can't wrap my head around getting into med school being something you " expect" , even if your parents expect it, you would know that it's huge?
 
mwsapphire said:
I can see feeling that way about finishing college, but I really feel like getting into med school is not an expectation...at least not for yourself.
I have a few doctors in my family, and engineers, so being an over-acheiver is a given but getting into medical? My parents/ uncles/aunts acknowledge that it's really tough to make it to med school and much harder now than it used to be?
I know that hallmark movie reactions aren't for everyone but I really can't wrap my head around getting into med school being something you " expect" , even if your parents expect it, you would know that it's huge?
Click to expand...
You'd be surprised. People have very different levels of expectations for themselves in life
 
The entitlement here is real. If an acceptance is something that in your mind, you felt entitled to, of course you won't be excited when it happens. You already expected it. On the other hand, if you spent years fighting tooth and nail to receive an acceptance after going your entire life believing you would never make it in life, let alone as a physician, you best believe you will be excited. I am an atheist but when I got my acceptance I was ready to drop to my knees and thank the lord for this opportunity to become somebody and make a difference in my community.
 
Piglet2020 said:
Oh boy. My school’s pre-med/pre-health office was hella cocky to students. I remember seeing a couple of students walk out of the office in tears after advising appointments. One advisor was good, but the rest had a personal vendetta against students lol.
Click to expand...
At my last in-person meeting before graduation I was told that I would need 6-8 postbac science courses and even then might not get into MD or DO.... it was brutal.
 
H20_Jay said:
Nah, not even. The fact of the matter is that the higher you go up in ranking, the better the match lists. If you're entertaining the idea of going into something competitive specialty/research/academia, you would best bet would be to go to the highest ranked school.

There's a reason why top tier schools have impressive match lists, even when controlling for board scores. The legacy/history/rank of the institution matters. Thus, when an individual has to choose between different schools, if everything else is controlled for, he/she will typically pick the higher ranked school. Now, I don't entirely buy into the USNWR ranking, but residency directors do, and the general public looks at it as well.

I am not an optimist, I am a realist, we live in a superficial world where people are judged on paper and Linkedin. Taking a look at my own state medical schools, these schools have a preponderant amount of undergraduates coming from top 30 institutions.
Click to expand...

While correct, the bias mainly applies if you also want a prestigious residency. The majority of "competitive" fields (a few exceptions) are not actually that hard even from a state school with non stellar stats if you are ok with a low-mid name residency. So name matters if you'd like more name in the future. Many people will also claim they want academics, but few actually end up in serious research positions in the future or even understand the commitment needed for that (they say "academic" moreso because they're enticed by the prestige). I'm not suggesting you don't choose the top 20 if you get it, but it definitely won't be the end of the world if not. You'll most likely at least get the job you want, will just have to work harder for prestige.
 
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