Are adcoms hinting that I'm pretty high on their waitlist?

[aabbccddeeffgg]

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So I'm on the OOS waitlist at a very small, very regional, (honestly not highly ranked) MD school. However, it's definitely my first choice school. About 75 out-of-staters were interviewed; of those, 25 were accepted right off the bat and another 35 were put on the waitlist. These decisions came back a week ago.

I emailed my interviewer, asking about my position and what I could do to get off the waitlist and he replied:

"Sorry to hear that. You should know that you received very strong support on the admissions committee, and especially from your interviewers. I don't know much about the waitlist, but you should demonstrate your desire to be a part of the class, perhaps write a letter to Ms. <Assistant Dean of Admissions>."

The part that confuses me is when he said I had strong support. Is he hinting that I was almost accepted during their final meeting? That I'm pretty high on the waitlist and have a good chance of being called in May?

Or am I overthinking this and is he just being nice? Either way, what should I do at this point?

 

[Frazier]

So I'm on the OOS waitlist at a very small, very regional, (honestly not highly ranked) MD school. However, it's definitely my first choice school. About 75 out-of-staters were interviewed; of those, 25 were accepted right off the bat and another 35 were put on the waitlist. These decisions came back a week ago.

I emailed my interviewer, asking about my position and what I could do to get off the waitlist and he replied:

"Sorry to hear that. You should know that you received very strong support on the admissions committee, and especially from your interviewers. I don't know much about the waitlist, but you should demonstrate your desire to be a part of the class, perhaps write a letter to Ms. <Assistant Dean of Admissions>."

The part that confuses me is when he said I had strong support. Is he hinting that I was almost accepted during their final meeting? That I'm pretty high on the waitlist and have a good chance of being called in May?

Or am I overthinking this and is he just being nice? Either way, what should I do at this point?

No, I don't think he gave you much of anything to work with. Sorry, but I'm afraid you are overthinking his response.

Good news is that you still have a chance. 👍

 

[circulus vitios]

I'm so sick of hearing buzzwords like "strong" and "very strong." The admissions game is such a gutless little charade, it's thoroughly and absolutely disgusting.

 

[erutha95]

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[lcck]

So I'm on the OOS waitlist at a very small, very regional, (honestly not highly ranked) MD school. However, it's definitely my first choice school. About 75 out-of-staters were interviewed; of those, 25 were accepted right off the bat and another 35 were put on the waitlist. These decisions came back a week ago.

I emailed my interviewer, asking about my position and what I could do to get off the waitlist and he replied:

"Sorry to hear that. You should know that you received very strong support on the admissions committee, and especially from your interviewers. I don't know much about the waitlist, but you should demonstrate your desire to be a part of the class, perhaps write a letter to Ms. <Assistant Dean of Admissions>."

The part that confuses me is when he said I had strong support. Is he hinting that I was almost accepted during their final meeting? That I'm pretty high on the waitlist and have a good chance of being called in May?

Or am I overthinking this and is he just being nice? Either way, what should I do at this point?

Since this is your first choice school, why does this matter?

Do you plan on not writing a letter of intent if you're low on the waitlist? 😕

 

[Irish Football]

agree with above posters, if this is your first choice school then write them a LOI telling them that if accepted you will matriculate there.

 

[Oogieboogie]

Since this is your first choice school, why does this matter?

Do you plan on not writing a letter of intent if you're low on the waitlist? 😕

I would have hope. I think that is what he was trying to tell you because you were fortunate enough to be waitlisted and not outright rejected. I believe the school that you're talking about interviews 100OOS applicants, 25 of whom they accept and 30-35 they waitlist.

I was also waitlisted at this school, and I will be withdrawing consideration on the waitlist. I'm sure many other people will too, and of the 25 who were accepted some will go to other schools.

Just have hope, and don't give up yet. Keep working toward your dream school!!!

 

[Didierdrogba]

nope, this says nothing about where you are on the waitlist. Just a pretty standard BS response if you ask me.

 

[Midifelder10]

My gut feeling is that it is a strong response and go ahead and write LOI and you should be in.

 

[Tatastrophy]

OP: Your interviewer told you the part of the truth that he knows: he gave you full support. Presumably, your other interviewers did too. However, the final decision is made by a committee that probably doesn't even include them and uses the report of your interview as one of their guides.

Insomuch, he didn't tell you enough information to say one way or the other regarding the chances of you coming off the list. Updating the school on your achievements, writing a letter of intent are all things you can try to show them that you are the applicant they want. Good Luck!

I'm so sick of hearing buzzwords like "strong" and "very strong." The admissions game is such a gutless little charade, it's thoroughly and absolutely disgusting.

I know this is a highly stressful process for the applicant and I empathize with you, because I was you 3 years ago. However, I can say for certain that admissions committees have a very tough job to do. Our job is to go through thousands of extremely qualified and personable applicants' files to find 150 that we think will do the best at our school. No one is looking to step on your ego or suggest that you wouldn't contribute anything to the school because of that one "B" you got in Orgo/physics/whatever. But a decision has to be made, so it is made.
I wish you the best of luck in the rest of the application season.

 

[pathologyDO]

He was likely saying that being waitlisted to a medical school is still an accomplishment. Even being waitlisted means you were a good candidate for the school but they had some people with more of what they wanted (being OOS definitely put you at a disadvantage). Yes, its tough to take a wait list letter as being a good thing, but you still have a chance, and they didn't completely shoot you down.

 

[CodeBlu]

The admissions game sucks.

Now that I'm on the other side of it... I can see how terrible of a process it is. OP, not that I'm advocating for being untruthful or lying for that fact. But this is a game. You have to play the game. It's like when cops actively lie to catch someone or coerce them into admitting guilt. Look out for your best interests, because no one else will.

Quite literally, the admissions committee has the schools best interests in mind. Not yours.

Medical schools have the following priorities;

i) Select the best possible candidates
ii) Matriculate these candidates and teach them the foundations of medicine
iii) Graduate them with degrees

No where in there does it say that medical schools have a responsibility to help you with residency and that CHARADE.

 

[CodeBlu]

Also, if anyone wants to see how program directors lie and disillusion people during the residency match process. See this thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=710837

In general, you have to fend for yourself and look out for your best interests.

 

[lobo.solo]

Wow 🙁

 

[circulus vitios]

Also, if anyone wants to see how program directors lie and disillusion people during the residency match process. See this thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=710837

In general, you have to fend for yourself and look out for your best interests.

It would be great if admissions officers weren't spineless little sweet talkers. Instead of pulling the standard two-faced, double-talk garbage -- you're a "good fit" and a "strong candidate," we would be "happy" to have you as a student (in our $75,000/year SMP), etc. -- they should give some straight talk. You're a good candidate but there are better candidates so we don't know if you'll be accepted; you're a crap candidate and you stand a small chance of being accepted; you're a mediocre candidate so you may be accepted; etc.

edit: That link is seriously infuriating.

 

[neurodoc]

nope, this says nothing about where you are on the waitlist. Just a pretty standard BS response if you ask me.

I disagree. The interviewer's response to the OP's email seems rather positive and encouraging. He didn't have to describe the "very strong support" etc. for the applicant. He could have merely said that the OP was still in the running and "Don't call us, we'll call you." Or he could have chosen not to respond at all to the OP's email.

I gather from his response that the interviewer doesn't have a great deal influence on the AdCom's final decisions, beyond providing them with his opinions of the applicants he interviewed. He apparently gave the OP a strong recommendation. The OP wasn't rejected outright but placed on a waitlist (by the AdCom, not the interviewer).

Being told to write an LOI to the AdCom was another thing the interviewer didn't have to do. If the OP really wants to go there, I'd say go ahead and write the letter!🙂

 

[Propylene]

Also, if anyone wants to see how program directors lie and disillusion people during the residency match process. See this thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=710837

In general, you have to fend for yourself and look out for your best interests.

Good lord, that was depressing.

 

[CodeBlu]

Good lord, that was depressing.

Welcome to the real world. It sucks... and it sucks hard. Most people think getting into medical school is the biggest hurdle. We couldn't have been more wrong.

A lot of my family is in medicine, and I had been hearing about the state of residency programs over the last few years... I just didn't know it was this bad.

Once you're on the other side, obsessing over residency and possibilities takes up a considerable portion of your time.

I've got faith that I'll match into my desired specialty (because if I didn't, I'd be depressed). I could care less about location right now. You learn to give up concessions as you go on in this game.

That's what this is... a game. You have to jump through hoops, flame throw and walk a tight rope with a siamese twin on each shoulder. But in the end, you are a board certified doctor doing something that you love.

I went to med school because I couldn't see myself doing anything else and being happy. Yeah, there have been some ****ty times, and some great times. After my limited amount of time here, I have to say...

The only reason anyone should go through this, is because this is the ONLY thing they can see themselves doing.

 

[Didierdrogba]

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[Didierdrogba]

I disagree. The interviewer's response to the OP's email seems rather positive and encouraging. He didn't have to describe the "very strong support" etc. for the applicant. He could have merely said that the OP was still in the running and "Don't call us, we'll call you." Or he could have chosen not to respond at all to the OP's email.

I guess send in a LOI won't hurt, but OP shouldn't get his hopes up. This is just a game.