Appealing a rejection

[Tweetie_bird]

To those that applied last year:

I know that there is some sort of an appeals process afer getting a rejection. Do any of you know anything about this? How does it work? When can you actually send in an appeal? And can you do it pre-interview? or is it only for those post-interview?

I would like to learn about this issue as much as possible. Please fill me on in this.

Thanks to all.

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[doepug]

Hmm. Typically, appeals are post-interview.

Sorry to hear about Mayo. I'm not sure how it works now, but when I applied (not so long ago), they had a numerical cut-off for determining who got the phone interviews. According to rumor, they multiplied the GPA by 10 and added it to your MCAT, and one needed a score in the upper 60's for an interview.

Best of luck,
doepug

 

[tBw]

I don't agree with doepug though I claim no experise. It makes sense to me that if a student shows particular interest early in the process before you have thoroughly assessed them (ie rejected without interview) you might say 'ok, come to interview and we'll see"

But if someone is rejected post-interview then they have made that rejection on fairly substantial knowledge of you so I think at that stage an appeal is less likely to get you anywhere.

I guess I don't believe there *are* any hard and fast rules as far as appealing rejections, at what stage etc, so if you want to appeal, I would say go ahead...whats the worst that can happen - they say no?

 

[CyclinE]

Hmm I think the appeals process is after you've been interviewed, but i'm sure there is some way to lobby a school after you've been rejected..though i wonder if it would be the best use of any applicant's time, if they have other applications which are still viable.

Is there anyone who can go to bat for you? (ie other doctors you know)

Sounds like a "write a letter to the dean" type of thing..or possible talk to the dean on the phone (?) i think a *really* good letter, persistence, and calling the office may persuade them to grant you an interview.

GOod luck!!

 

[MedApp2003]

Hi.

I am really sorry about Mayo, but if I were you I wouldn't spend the mental energy on appealing it. If they have some sort of formula like that, chances are that even if you were granted a phone interview and totally nailed it, you still wouldn't get a regular interview, so it probably isn't worth it. i'd just focus on the schools that are left.

(plus, i know you think Mayo is the bomb, but when you interview other places you will probably really really like a lot of them too!)

 

[racergirl]

If this is about Mayo, just let it go. I know those first few rejections are rough, but you have to get used to them. Writing a letter saying how much you love the school won't help I'm afraid--thousands of applicants who love Mayo get rejected every year. Look it's no big deal--your numbers weren't good enough for them. Mine weren't either! Just move on.

 

[relatively prime]

Originally posted by racergirl
If this is about Mayo, just let it go. I know those first few rejections are rough, but you have to get used to them. Writing a letter saying how much you love the school won't help I'm afraid--thousands of applicants who love Mayo get rejected every year. Look it's no big deal--your numbers weren't good enough for them. Mine weren't either! Just move on.

Seriously... why make this harder for yourself? Stanford was my #1 school for a long time (and it was still my #3 when they rejected me). I was crushed when they rejected me a few days ago... and I have good numbers... so I was totally like "what the heck?!" But I quickly remembered that that's just the way it is... that's just how it works. In my opinion, there's just no point to appealing a pre-interview rejection. Read osomos story... it's great!!

 

[limit]

Originally posted by the boy wonder
But if someone is rejected post-interview then they have made that rejection on fairly substantial knowledge of you so I think at that stage an appeal is less likely to get you anywhere.

Bad assumption. It is very possible that an interviewer shows great disrespect and indifference. You can appeal that, and I recall reading an article about a woman interviewing at Harvard with whom that happened. Needless to say, she was granted a 2nd interview with an interviewer who was much more careful and interested in her application. She spent extra money on the interview for travel expenses. She got the rejection shortly after the second interview.

 

[Wednesday]

Hey Tweetie!

Appeals are NOT post-interview. Usually the decision to secondary or not is made by a few people (one person often) so there is possibility of a mistake. After you interview, the decision is made by a committee. Once they decide to reject at that point, there is little chance of mistake (unless they overlooked the fact that your dad just bought them a building or something) so they don't usually accept appeals then. (if you have a problem with an interviewer, it's best to talk to the admissions people prior to them making a decision).

You can call the school and ask who an appeal should be addressed to. Do a search, there is plenty on this site about what to include (although you can probably figure it out). I highly doubt it would be enough to just say how much you love the school.

As for appealing Mayo, if they do have a formula, you could still have a chance, but who knows. It's possible that they will take your money and then reject you again. Just because you get an appeal, doesn't mean you will ultimately be accepted, but it does keep you in the running. People have appealed schools successfully and eventually been admitted.

I agree with the others about being too attached to one school. The process is SO RANDOM and you don't really know anything about the schools until you visit them. Wherever you end up, you'll love. But hey, it doesn't hurt to appeal. Might as well try.

 

[Wahoo07]

Originally posted by relatively prime
Seriously... why make this harder for yourself? Stanford was my #1 school for a long time (and it was still my #3 when they rejected me). I was crushed when they rejected me a few days ago... and I have good numbers... so I was totally like "what the heck?!" But I quickly remembered that that's just the way it is... that's just how it works. In my opinion, there's just no point to appealing a pre-interview rejection. Read osomos story... it's great!!

I agree completely. Don't make things harder on yourself. It's over, let it go. Your energy would be better spent on the other schools you applied to.

 

[Ryo-Ohki]

The appeals process is there for a reason. Don't listen to these people. Nothing is gained by giving up.

 

[relatively prime]

Originally posted by Ryo-Ohki
...Nothing is gained by giving up.

Except time, energy, and needless emotional stress... also, have you heard about oppertunity cost? Giving up on something that's hopeless saves you a lot in oppertunity cost.

 

[Ryo-Ohki]

And we assume it is hopeless because....?

In the end, even if she is rejected again, at least she'll know that she did everything possible. That, my friend, is worth the minor costs associated with an appeal.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

I think the first step is finding out why you were rejected. If it was valid, it's time to move on. if you feel gross injustice occured, only then is it time to CONSIDER an appeal. Seems to me that if you don't have a very good reason to appeal, you'll get nowhere fast.

 

[Mutterkuchen]

I agree. If you want to appeal, go ahead and do it. As long as you are courteous, there should be no problem. The worst thing that can happen is a negative response. Just don't appeal every rejection. It will take too long and will probably be futile.

 

[DW]

i'm going to have to agree with RP wholeheartedly on this one. as much as we all have our dream schools in this process (mine being upenn), we are more or less at the mercy of the medical community as to where/if we go to med school. its perfectly okay to be upset when you dont get your way, but making formal rejection complaints when another several thousand equally qualified kids will be rejected from the same school isn't really going to do much for you.

 

[pathdr2b]

This is what I would do in your situation:

1) Don't appeal this year

2) After you get your acceptance to your second choice school (notice the optimism), defer until 2004.

3) Reapply to Mayo for the class entering in 2004 next sumer

4) Between now and next summer, do something VERY OUTSTANDING in the medical field preferable at Mayo medical school. For example, get a research position at one of labs at the medical school.

5) Network, network, network with as many people associated with the school as possible!

Good Luck!!!

 

[moo]

Originally posted by pathdr2b
This is what I would do in your situation:

1) Don't appeal this year

2) After you get your acceptance to your second choice school (notice the optimism), defer until 2004.

3) Reapply to Mayo for the class entering in 2004 next sumer

4) Between now and next summer, do something VERY OUTSTANDING in the medical field preferable at Mayo medical school. For example, get a research position at one of labs at the medical school.

5) Network, network, network with as many people associated with the school as possible!

Good Luck!!!

That is most likely not only unethical but illegal as well. If you defer, the school will make you apply EDP next year.

 

[Mr. Z]

What are your stats? are they so overwhelmingly good that no school can reject you?

appealing is futile, unless you are the most superior student (mcat 34+ and gpa > 3.5 and great EC's) who happened to be rejected due to an oversight. By appealing a school's decision you are asking them to outright contradict someone who sits on the admissions commitee. Someone who probably has tons of experience reviewing students files. I'm sorry, but that is not likely to happen. Schools usually stand behind their adcoms.

 

[CaNEM]

Tweetie, what did you decide? Are you appealing or not?

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Sorry for not checking SDN for a while, guys. I've been down with a serious case of the flu.

My original intent of posting this question was to have something for future reference, if in case I get rejected by another school. I did actually think about appealing to Mayo, but it wasn't until after I posted the question. I don't want to appeal to Mayo. It is simply not worth it. I think I'll just wait and see how this process treats me. Thank you for your support and advice during this process. I really appreciate it.

 

[pathdr2b]

I'd like to know which part is illegal/unethical? Obiviously you need to "get real" because I can't count how many doctors and current medical students I know personally (10) that did the exact "illegal/unethical" things I've outlined. Why don't you be more specific. Since when is it "unethical" to use connections for ANY goal. Do you really think the relatives of doctors applying to medical school don't use their "connections"? Or are you naive enough to belive that the student working in the lab of a medical school admissions committee member won't have a better shot at a spot in medical school class assuming ALL things are equal? The word is NETWORK and there's NOTHING illegal/unethical about that!

As for "holding" an accepted space, how many people on this very web site do the exact same thing while "waiting" to get into the school of their choice? Again, stop being so naive!

Tweetie, I think if your goal is Mayo than having as many Mayo connections along with a good GPA and MCAT score is the ONLY way to go.

Again, Good Luck with whatever you decided.

 

[shamthis]

Originally posted by pathdr2b
As for "holding" an accepted space, how many people on this very web site do the exact same thing while "waiting" to get into the school of their choice? Again, stop being so naive!

lousydr2b,

Many of us were rejected from multiple waitlists and are reapplying because of "intelligent" and "ethical" people like you.

Outraged,
shamthis

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Path,
I think you misunderstood Moo. She was trying to say that you can't apply to one school....then defer there, and reapply all over again to get into your top choice that was last year. The school that allowed you to defer won't let you do that, because it's unethical and illegal. That is what Moo was trying to say. Moo is one of our nicest members on SDN, she wouldn't say something to intentionally hurt/insult you. You misunderstood her.

I think anybody would agree that using connections (although may be unethical) is definitely NOT legal. IF I had any, I would use them. I still hope that my PI who knows a few people on AD COMS would say somethign nice in favor of me. I won't broach the topic, but if he offers, I would take it up! Being a medical student is far too important to me, even if it means I would be doing something borderline unethical. I am realizing more and more in life, that there's some "nepotism-like" quality in most professions. But that's a whole different issue that I don't care to discuss.

 

[pathdr2b]

First, my apologies to Moo if I misunderstood her point. I've known people that deferred, reapplied, and matriculated a few years ago. Maybe things have changed.

But I also think there's a point to be made about using connections being illegal. I currently work with a woman on the adcom committee of Penn. Why is it illegal for her to vouch for me when I am in fact an excellent candidate and SHE offered ( I didn't know when I started working with her that she had this kind of clout) Again, I say this is Networking.

To Shamthis, I too was rejected on my first application to medical school. But the reason my name wasn't pulled from the waitlist quite simply was that I wasn't good enough that year. And obiviously, neither were you. Rejection is hard for everyone and almost ALL of the medical students/doctors I know didn't get in the first time around anyway. And by the way, you may not agree with what people are doing to get into medical school, but I don't think that gives you a reason to insult me with your references to my intelligence or ethics. What I stated was the truth FOR SOME APPLICANTS whether you like it or not and I am "Smart" enough to deal with the situation however fair or unfair it is and focus on what I need to do to get in. Perhaps you should do the same.