Appealing Rejections

[Bengal Tiger]

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Hey Med. School Applicants:

Has anyone here appealed a rejection? I am thinking about writing to UCLA just to re-consider my application. I would be curious to know how you have approached the appeal letter. Any feedback/tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

BT

 

[Assassin]

Word of the wise...don't waste your time (I speak from experience). You can argue with admissions all you like, but the reality of the matter is that you're really in no position to argue.
If you like more details, here's the response I got from an "unnamed" school, I'll quote the email:
•••quote:••• This application year has been a
challenge
> for all us and has made demands on our resources (and me) that have
resulted
> in more disappointments than we would like to see.
>
> Your particular disappointment in the decision of our Committee on
> Admissions is quite understandable. I am quite willing to discuss your
> application with you so that you have available whatever information we
are
> able to provide. This continues to be a very busy time for us and so I
> cannot do so until after April 1. If you would please be patient and then
> send me an email reminder after that date I will then have time to review
> your application and the Committee's decision notes and call you at a time
> convenient to us both so that we can talk about it.
••••

 

[Weeble]

I appealed a post-secondary, pre-interview rejection from USCF and was put on hold for an interview.

 

[colorado_1]

i hate to say it, but prob. not wise to appeal a rejection. would you want a class filled with future physicians who couldn't take a setback? enough med students challenge every test question anyway and it is hard enough as it is...

i know it feels powerless to apply, i was there. i know it sucks to be rejected, i was there, too. i know what it's like to look at others you know who "got in" and think the adcoms made a mistake.

but it's an unperfect process. mistakes are made both ways. i just think if you appeal, you'll red flag yourself from that school forever, whereas, if you just take it and try to build your app, they may be more interested in you next year as someone who proved 1) they would not take no for an answer and 2) they will use conventional means to achieve their professional goals.

it took some of us out here a couple of tries to get in. yes, i hated waiting. i hated working and working at something that felt so futile. . . but once you finally cross that adcoms line, you'll forget about all the heartache, you'll be too busy. and besides, would you really want to go somewhere where they decided they didn't want you?

 

[barb]

You should definitely reapply! What have you got to lose? I read on one of the other posts that a fellow SDNer was rejected last year from UCLA and appealed and is now a first year there. It doesn't show that you can't take a set-back, what it shows is that you have the perserverance and determination to do what you have to do to become a doctor.

 

[colorado_1]

i'm not saying it CAN'T work, i'm saying "is it worth the risk to blackball yourself at a school you want to go to?" more to the point, i'm saying is it even likely it will work . . .
just wait the 1 more year in the app cycle. that's sound advice. none of my classmates got in by an appeal and i have never heard of such an acceptance. does it happen? sure. but that's like saying "i knew a woman who drank green tea and cured herself of breast cancer." could it happen? sure, by chance, but is it good advice to give your patient? i'd stick with conventional more probable therapies. you're advising this person to RISK never getting into his/her school of choice because you know one person it worked for.
believe me, i'm not putting down your opinion, i think alternate view-points are important to consider here. . .

 

[katiep]

I agree with colorado and barb, however, I would suggest appealing if:

1. You could consider appealing if this is your second application cycle and the school doesn't consider people who have applied twice prior. Then you won't need to worry about "red flagging" yourself from the school.

2. You feel that your application has merits that were overlooked because of more standard rejection factors (like low GPA, MCATS, bad grades, etc.), and what those merits are.

3. Make sure you really want to go there if they let you in!

 

[rajneel1]

the chances of an appeal working are very very slim so make sure that you want to put yourself through that!