Best/worst waitlists to be on.

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Apparition

Apparition

1K Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
Joined
May 6, 2002
Messages
1,574
Reaction score
2
Members don't see this ad.
Promised myself to stay away from SDN and pretend med schools don't exist while I wait for the May 15 waitlist movement. Instead I'm starting a thread discussing getting off the waitlist chances at different schools. Just contribute what you know/heard about the waitlist.

Penn State: pretty hopeless
VCU: relatively good
 
Penn State: pretty hopeless
VCU: relatively good
Wash U: really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Mayo:incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Duke:: still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
 
I don't know about WashU...it's very mysterious, but we've been told to expect a lot of movement (50+ more acceptances).
 
Saluki said:
Penn State: pretty hopeless
VCU: relatively good
Wash U: really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Mayo:incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Duke:: still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Click to expand...

Length of the waitlist isn't particularly relevant info -- you need to know if the school routinely takes a large chunk of its class off the waitlist, or almost never uses it. Some schools take as much as half the class off the waitlist, other places take like 1%. (i.e. I does you no good to be at the top of a multi tiered waitlist if the school never uses it.) Every year on SDN, for at least the last couple of years, folks seem to put together lists of what percentage of the class at various schools come off the waitlist -- if you can find that thread from last year, that would give you your best info as to what is likely to happen this year. Good luck.
 
Penn State: pretty hopeless
VCU: relatively good
Wash U: really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Mayo:incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Duke:: still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Wake Forest: pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
 
great thread

bumb 👍
 
Law2Doc said:
Length of the waitlist isn't particularly relevant info -- you need to know if the school routinely takes a large chunk of its class off the waitlist, or almost never uses it. Some schools take as much as half the class off the waitlist, other places take like 1%. (i.e. I does you no good to be at the top of a multi tiered waitlist if the school never uses it.) Every year on SDN, for at least the last couple of years, folks seem to put together lists of what percentage of the class at various schools come off the waitlist -- if you can find that thread from last year, that would give you your best info as to what is likely to happen this year. Good luck.
Click to expand...

I guess I do think it's somewhat relevant. Even if Vandy takes a bunch of people off its waitlist, the fact that it waitlists everyone who interviews who doesn't get in, makes it pretty hopeless.... Or, for me, Mayo's waitlist has a 113 people on it, even though they don't normally have to take more than twelve people off the list 😱
 
Penn State: pretty hopeless, very few post-interview rejections so a long waitlist
VCU: relatively good, previously around 70% of waitlisted oosers got in, the number is lower for in-state.
Wash U: really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Mayo:incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Duke:: still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
 
Good thread, although it just makes me more anxious.

I'm feeling pessimistic this morning, any waitlist I'm on is not going to move much.
 
Saluki said:
I guess I do think it's somewhat relevant. Even if Vandy takes a bunch of people off its waitlist, the fact that it waitlists everyone who interviews who doesn't get in, makes it pretty hopeless.... Or, for me, Mayo's waitlist has a 113 people on it, even though they don't normally have to take more than twelve people off the list 😱
Click to expand...

They're both relevant, in combination--what's relevant is the percentage of people on the waitlist who get off it, not the percentage of the class who comes from the waitlist or how big the waitlist is. Also relevant is whether or not you can do anything to increase your standing within the waitlist (like showing intent, sending updates, etc) or if you're stuck and can do nothing.
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Penn State : pretty hopeless
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
 
Apparition said:
VCU: relatively good
Click to expand...
Have to disagree with you here.
VCU, you sit on your a$$ for months (7 months for me post interview) then BAM!!! Right in the jimmy! 😱
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Penn State : pretty hopeless
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up
 
what the heck is "exciting" tier 1 for Penn? All of these secret things are so infuriating. Why can't they be upfront?
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Penn State : pretty hopeless
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up
MSSM: not too good, they only take a tiny fraction of waitlisters each year.
 
i heard that NYMC gets a lot of movement, as does EVMS
 
tigerseye said:
what the heck is "exciting" tier 1 for Penn? All of these secret things are so infuriating. Why can't they be upfront?
Click to expand...

Exciting Tier 1 refers to the message on your status page. There's one message that says something like "This is an exciting time in your life and we're really interested in you, and you're at the top of our waitlist etc etc" and then there' a generic message that basically just says you're in Tier 1. Exciting timers get a waitlist letter saying they're at the very top of Tier 1 and will be among the first to come off the waitlist. Generic messagers just get a generic waitlist letter.
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Penn State : pretty hopeless
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up
MSSM: not too good, they only take a tiny fraction of waitlisters each year.
UNC not great instate, probably worse out of state. Instate, three tiers, 15 per. Last year took 6 off instate. However, status does change, acceptances mirror characteristics of withdrawal. Maybe I should be CIA...
 
anyone have a take on miami or emory?
 
also what are msu, muo and jefferson?
 
ChocolateKiss said:
Exciting Tier 1 refers to the message on your status page. There's one message that says something like "This is an exciting time in your life and we're really interested in you, and you're at the top of our waitlist etc etc" and then there' a generic message that basically just says you're in Tier 1. Exciting timers get a waitlist letter saying they're at the very top of Tier 1 and will be among the first to come off the waitlist. Generic messagers just get a generic waitlist letter.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'm serious, this is so maddening that it is all in funny code! it's like schools saying they're pass/fail but really being honors/high pass/low pass/fail. If there are stratifications to Tier 1, it shouldn't be called Tier 1 anymore!!
 
Good thread, props to Apparition.

Anybody know anything about the movement for SLU?
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
Penn State : pretty hopeless
Heaven: I've heard there's a hellish waitlist.
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up
MSSM: not too good, they only take a tiny fraction of waitlisters each year.
UNC not great instate, probably worse out of state. Instate, three tiers, 15 per. Last year took 6 off instate. However, status does change, acceptances mirror characteristics of withdrawal. Maybe I should be CIA...
 
pseudoknot said:
Is there a source for this? People have also said the opposite on SDN, as have MSSM officials.
Click to expand...

i posted about this in the mssm waitlist thread. i went to their revisit weekend for waitlisted and accepted students and the feeling i got was that there wasn't a super chance that if you are on the waitlist you'll get in. i think it might change from year to year. i'm in no way an authority and i hope i wrong! that is just the sense i got from taking to mssm officials myself.
 
jbone said:
Have to disagree with you here.
VCU, you sit on your a$$ for months (7 months for me post interview) then BAM!!! Right in the jimmy! 😱
Click to expand...


:laugh:
 
why is penn state hopeless, where is this info from....did someone call them since it seems that it's impossible to get info about the waitlist? i don't want to think of it as hopeless since it's one of my few chances!
 
Your information about Penn State is not correct. About one quarter of the class comes from the waitlist each year.
 
I read somewhere on this forum that Columbia sent out 210 acceptances and 250 waitlists. Last year they accepted 307 according to US News. If things work out similarly, 97 of those 250 (many of whom probably voluntarily remove themselves from the waitlist) get accepted. Those odds don't seem too bad to me...unless my numbers are off.
 
Does anyone else remember Dean Witzburg saying that most people on the BU waitlist get in if they are willing to wait long enough? Is this the coveted waitlist=eventual acceptance?
 
southpaux said:
Does anyone else remember Dean Witzburg saying that most people on the BU waitlist get in if they are willing to wait long enough? Is this the coveted waitlist=eventual acceptance?
Click to expand...

I remember him saying this too. I called the office to ask about it, and the secretary told me the same thing. Apparently people withdraw from BU/the waitlist in massive enough quantities that by July, most people that stay on get in.
 
Not sure if my math is right, but it seems Northwestern is a bad list to be on:
This year
312 were accepted
273 waitlisted

The MSAR data i have is that 323 are accepted (not sure what year this is from). This would mean that about 11 waitlisters were offered acceptances, or 4% out of 273. I heard last year 50 were accepted off the waitlist. Maybe they accepted more people this year than in previous years to compensate for that?
 
just wanted to know what kind of experience others have had with the Wayne State SOM waitlist...
 
Michigan accepted no waitlisted students last year. They've changed things a bit this year, but there's really no guarantee of what will happen...
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
EVMS Top 1/3 and invited to preview weekend-You're in, Regular top 1/3-very good chance, Middle 1/3-possible but not very likely without a LOI, Bottom 1/3-delayed rejection 99%+ of the time.
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
MSSM: not too good, they only take a tiny fraction of waitlisters each year.
Penn State : pretty hopeless
UNC not great instate, probably worse out of state. Instate, three tiers, 15 per. Last year took 6 off instate. However, status does change, acceptances mirror characteristics of withdrawal.
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up



I would be interested to know GW, Tulane and MUO (I know they divide it into thirds in May) if any SDNer out there has any insight.
 
tacrum43 said:
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
EVMS Top 1/3 and invited to preview weekend-You're in, Regular top 1/3-very good chance, Middle 1/3-possible but not very likely without a LOI, Bottom 1/3-delayed rejection 99%+ of the time.
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
MSSM: not too good, they only take a tiny fraction of waitlisters each year.
Penn State : pretty hopeless
UNC not great instate, probably worse out of state. Instate, three tiers, 15 per. Last year took 6 off instate. However, status does change, acceptances mirror characteristics of withdrawal.
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up



I would be interested to know GW, Tulane and MUO (I know they divide it into thirds in May) if any SDNer out there has any insight.
Click to expand...

hey tac,
I thought all "top 1/3" waitlistees at EVMS were invited to preview weekend..
 
Vizsla said:
hey tac,
I thought all "top 1/3" waitlistees at EVMS were invited to preview weekend..
Click to expand...

I heard it was only the top half of the top third, but I was downgraded to lowly middle third status, so I don't really know for sure.
 
Columbia: pretty hopeful if you're one of Frantz's favored few; otherwise you can forget it
Duke : still pretty long, not given any idea of where we stand so unranked?, some hope
EVMS Top 1/3 and invited to preview weekend-You're in, Regular top 1/3-very good chance, Middle 1/3-possible but not very likely without a LOI, Bottom 1/3-delayed rejection 99%+ of the time.
Harvard: 50/50 chance, but usually doesn't move until June
Mayo : incredibly long, tiered but we're not told what tier we're on, almost completely hopeless
MSSM: not too good, they only take a tiny fraction of waitlisters each year.
Penn State : pretty hopeless
UNC not great instate, probably worse out of state. Instate, three tiers, 15 per. Last year took 6 off instate. However, status does change, acceptances mirror characteristics of withdrawal.
U Penn: Exciting Tier 1 and Preview- you're in, Exciting Tier 1-maybe, Generic Tier 1-Don't get your hopes up, Tier 2- essentially a rejection
U Buffalo Divided into 9 parts, and you're told your place, + lotsa movement.
VCU : relatively good
Wake Forest : pretty good chance if it's your #1 and you write an LOI
Wash U : really long, possibility that there are two types, "thriver" and regular, feels pretty hopeless
Yale: High waitlist- you're pretty much in, Tier 1- you're pretty much in, Tier 2- maybe 50/50 chance, Tier 3- Don't get your hopes up
 
eikenhein said:
Is this after May 15th?
Click to expand...

Yes, after some acceptees jump to other schools.
 
tacrum43 said:
I heard it was only the top half of the top third, but I was downgraded to lowly middle third status, so I don't really know for sure.
Click to expand...

top half of the top third... :laugh: dont worry about being in middle third, you will get into gw 👍
 
Vizsla said:
top half of the top third... :laugh: dont worry about being in middle third, you will get into gw 👍
Click to expand...

😱 Good job there Viz, now you've jinxed it! Geez!

(j/k)
 
NYU anyone?
 
Hook17 said:
anyone have a take on miami or emory?
Click to expand...

Not sure about Emory but Miami's waitlist isn't a bad place to be, I was told by Dr. Hinkley that about 70 people get in off the alternate list every year. Also, it's ranked and supposedly they'll give you a sense of your position.
 
MDMAMA said:
Your information about Penn State is not correct. About one quarter of the class comes from the waitlist each year.
Click to expand...

:luck: please be me please be me please be me! :luck:
😛
 
MDMAMA said:
Your information about Penn State is not correct. About one quarter of the class comes from the waitlist each year.
Click to expand...

😍

Honestly, my opinion about Penn State's waitlist is based only on the lack of SDN posts about getting off it (not a good source I know) and the fact that I haven't heard of anyone actually getting rejecting post-interview this year, which makes me think that since they interview 900 people, there are at least 400 on the waitlist. I really hope the outlook is not that bad though 🙂
Do you know if they like letters of interest/update letters? Their hold list letter said not to send anything else in.
 
Do you guys know anything about Baylor's waitlist movement? How many people have they accepted so far and how many are waitlisted? How many of those waitlisted get in?
 
How about AECOM's wait-list? I know that there is a favorable list, but I'm still confused about how one gets onto it.
 
fusuke said:
just wanted to know what kind of experience others have had with the Wayne State SOM waitlist...
Click to expand...

Wayne State has taken a TON of people off their waitlist in previous years.
(Disclaimer: I'm not a med student or even a current applicant, but I've heard this from many people on this board.)
 
Anyone have any insight on Tulane, I guess it is kind of hard to guess since the situation is so different from last year
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Is it normal to be invited to tour a school while on the waitlist?
Replies
2
Views
743
Rachapkis
Rachapkis
T
Best way to list research productivity? (WA list)
Replies
3
Views
344
LizzyM
LizzyM
D
  • Question Question
Traveling on Waitlist
Replies
4
Views
910
AsclepiusAdvisingLLC
AsclepiusAdvisingLLC
kiwisun
Best Residency Prep
Replies
4
Views
707
FlowRate
FlowRate
dinkykang
Traffic misdemeanor while on waitlist
Replies
1
Views
706
CBass2288
CBass2288
Top