Appeal for med school rejection

[jonnytight]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi everyone, Im predental but I had a question for the premeds out there....My friend got a rejection from a med school (his number 1 choice) and I was wondering if there is an appeals process for med-school applicants?

He has an awesome academic record, equally great MCAT, research for more than 1 year, letters, etc..volunteering at UCLA Hospital for sometime.....Im pretty sure it's not his application....any advice on what he should do? and also for any appeals procedures?

thanks

 

[cooldreams]

app-what? 😀
i believe there is in many schools, however it normally ends in you not getting in, and with an bad record for being a trouble maker at that school... best not to do it unless you dont really care about going there or not... it is normal to attempt to contact the school and find out how you could better improve your app, however this is an informal thing, much removed from any formal appeals process...

 

[aingeal]

is there someone he can have call on his behalf? at my school someone a few years ahead of me had the head of our bio dept call his top choice which he was rejected from (he had really good stats too) and i think his app was reconsidered and they eventually accepted him.

 

[ny skindoc]

I have heard that some schools do have an appeals process.Sometimes a very qualified applicant slips through the cracks. However its rare for an admissions commitee to reverse itself.If its a highly competitive med school (especially in CA) they will have many extraordinary applicants.It sounds like your friend will do fine in the admissions process at other schools.No one should get so invested in one particular school, feeling they must go there.In the end med schools are more similar than different. It wont matter in the long run.

 

[liverotcod]

When they mention the possibility at all, schools generally make statements like "all decisions of the admissions committee are final." Your friend needs to look up the policy of the partiular school, which is probably on their web site. But I'll join the chorus saying "don't bother."

 

[Law2Doc]

Hi everyone, Im predental but I had a question for the premeds out there....My friend got a rejection from a med school (his number 1 choice) and I was wondering if there is an appeals process for med-school applicants?

He has an awesome academic record, equally great MCAT, research for more than 1 year, letters, etc..volunteering at UCLA Hospital for sometime.....Im pretty sure it's not his application....any advice on what he should do? and also for any appeals procedures?

thanks

I also agree with the "don't bother" point of view. I'm sure all schools have an appeals process of some sort. But if you figure that most med schools have 10,000 applicants for less than 200 spots, it should be obvious that the schools are picking and choosing from many extremely qualified applicants, most of whom have great grades, MCATs and ECs.
And to undercut your friends position further, the system is not even designed to be objective -- you can't argue that if you have X grade and Y MCAT score you necessarilly should get into a specific school. Since most med schools will state that, once they narrow the pool to those with adequate grades and MCATs, they are seeking a diverse class with different people bringing different talents, backgrounds and unique experiences -- in effect a totally subjective methodology, your friend can't even make the argument that he is better qualified than others that were accepted.
Finally, you don't indicate whether the rejection was pre or post interview -- it's always possible that the interview or LORs were not as good as your friend believes.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Hi everyone, Im predental but I had a question for the premeds out there....My friend got a rejection from a med school (his number 1 choice) and I was wondering if there is an appeals process for med-school applicants?

He has an awesome academic record, equally great MCAT, research for more than 1 year, letters, etc..volunteering at UCLA Hospital for sometime.....Im pretty sure it's not his application....any advice on what he should do? and also for any appeals procedures?

thanks

No, that is idiotic. Medical schools reserve the right to do what they want. Reapply the following year.

 

[sfbear]

on the otherhand, what do you have to lose? it's possible there's some part of the applicant's story that didn't get told on the primary or secondary or that they just fell through the cracks. the success stories are few and far between, but they are there. i'd say to contact the admissions office to see what their policy is, and go from there. if they tell you that they never, ever consider appeals then obviously don't do it. but if they say they'll look at whatever you send them, then i'd say go for it. what's the worst that happens - they tell you no again? i doubt it would have a big impact on your application for the following year, if it comes to that.

 

[Fusion]

on the otherhand, what do you have to lose? it's possible there's some part of the applicant's story that didn't get told on the primary or secondary or that they just fell through the cracks. the success stories are few and far between, but they are there. i'd say to contact the admissions office to see what their policy is, and go from there. if they tell you that they never, ever consider appeals then obviously don't do it. but if they say they'll look at whatever you send them, then i'd say go for it. what's the worst that happens - they tell you no again? i doubt it would have a big impact on your application for the following year, if it comes to that.

I agree, there is nothing to lose by trying to appeal a rejection. However, the chances of getting your application reviewed again, impressing them enough to get an interview, then somehow convincing the Admissions Committee that you deserve an acceptance is pretty slim. But what does it hurt to try? All it costs is a few minutes of time and a 37-cent stamp. At the very least, you'll know you did all you could to get into that school.

 

[Law2Doc]

what's the worst that happens - they tell you no again? i doubt it would have a big impact on your application for the following year, if it comes to that.

I'm not so sure. If you take this approach and don't do it very very carefully, it's possible to rub a Dean of Admissions or adcom member the wrong way. If handled badly you'd effectively be telling them they don't know how to do their job...

 

[sfbear]

I'm not so sure. If you take this approach and don't do it very very carefully, it's possible to rub a Dean of Admissions or adcom member the wrong way. If handled badly you'd effectively be telling them they don't know how to do their job...

Of course, this is something that should be done with care. I was writing that on the assumption that if someone cares enough to appeal, then they care enough to do it right. If you can't take the time to talk to the admissions office, etc., then you probably don't want it bad enough to appeal.

 

[El Smacko]

...If handled badly you'd effectively be telling them they don't know how to do their job...

Sure, if handled badly... but if the school has an official appeals policy, then it's not at all unreasonable to use it. I just happened to see this on UCSF's web site:

Applicants who are unsuccessful in receiving a secondary application or being interviewed may appeal the decision of the Committee on Admissions by writing to the Chair of the Admissions Committee at the Admissions Office. Applicants who have interviewed are not eligible to appeal because their files have already received final Committee review.

I think that adcoms respect the fact the med school admissions is a very serious issue for individuals, so they wouldn't (shouldn't) take offense to an appeal request that is polite, not screeching.

 

[Law2Doc]

I think that adcoms respect the fact the med school admissions is a very serious issue for individuals, so they wouldn't (shouldn't) take offense to an appeal request that is polite, not screeching.

Fair enough, but then I would recommend the appellant student have an unbiased person proofread and edit the letter and make it more polite and respectful. The one thing the individual doesn't want to do is write the letter in the heat of the moment and make it an adversarial situation.
But I still really think it's almost better to forego an appeal and talk to the dean and see what he can do to make himself a stronger applicant for the next go around. It's harder to take that approach and get admissions help after an appeal.

 

[Rendar5]

If it was not a top-top school or not a school in the same state, it is possible that they did not accept him post-interview because they did not think he would attend if offered.

In those cases, call up, talk to the secretary. Let them know you're really sorry you didn't get in because the school was your number one choice and ask them if they can give u an explanation for the rejection if possible. just basically be polite as **** and let them know that you would go if accepted. u might want to be slightly more aggressive and ask them if it's at all possible to be reconsidered (if the school says they liked u too).

But don't get your hopes up and don't push it. i have a strong feeling that schools tend to talk to each other.

 

[Reimat]

call up, talk to the secretary. Let them know you're really sorry you didn't get in because the school was your number one choice and ask them if they can give u an explanation for the rejection if possible.

I think rendar's advice is the best thing your friend could do. Just call and ask- from what I've heard, most schools are happy to let you know why you weren't accepted (if it isn't already clear from the rejection letter).

Also- was he rejected or waitlisted? if he was waitlisted, then he should be putting a lot of effort into making it know that this was his first choice school. If he was outright rejected, the best thing he could probably do would be to wait another year and reapply. Putting pressure on the adcom after being rejected likely will lower his chances of ever getting in.