Calling admissions about reasons for rejection?

[weix11]

Hello,

It looks like I may need to reapply next year, but I would like to know how I could improve upon my application for the next cycle. I was wondering if any of you had any experiences calling admissions offices and asking them about reasons why you were rejected. Are all schools receptive to your inquiries, or do some schools refuse to tell you?



Thanks

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[Remy LeBeau]

Hello,

It looks like I may need to reapply next year, but I would like to know how I could improve upon my application for the next cycle. I was wondering if any of you had any experiences calling admissions offices and asking them about reasons why you were rejected. Are all schools receptive to your inquiries, or do some schools refuse to tell you?



Thanks

Call and ask if you can speak to someone about how to improve your application for next year. Both of my state schools will give an admissions consultation as long as you are not on the wait list at any other schools. I had friends do this at both of my state schools. One friend received very specific feedback, while the other got more generic feedback, so YMMV.

 

[RedWedding]

Hello,

It looks like I may need to reapply next year, but I would like to know how I could improve upon my application for the next cycle. I was wondering if any of you had any experiences calling admissions offices and asking them about reasons why you were rejected. Are all schools receptive to your inquiries, or do some schools refuse to tell you?



Thanks

Most schools won't offer this sort of service to students they didn't interview. Your best bet is probably your state school.

 

[Catalystik]

Some schools refuse to give feedback. Some will suggest you call later in the season when things aren't so busy. And a good number are willing to give the feedback, which varies from very specific and useful, to dead wrong (like they didn't bother to check your file before telling you that you're deficient in an activity for which you actually listed 500 hours).

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

I know you've seen this before, but you are really going to know how to improve your chances best, but you'll need to be very blunt about what went wrong. You probably know why you were unsuccessful more than anyone. Some obvious mistakes include:

*timing: did you submit reasonably early, or did you get your application in just under the wire?
*too optimistic: you didn't apply to enough non-reach schools?
*scores: were your MCAT scores too low or the subscores out of balance? Consider retaking the test.
*gpa: either your Sgpa or CUMgpa too low. Should you consider a post-bac or applying OD instead?
*research: did you do any? Can you explain it?
*volunteering: did you do enough? both clinical and non-clinical?
*shadowing: did you shadow (most pre-meds shadow ~40-100+ hours)
*LoR: were your letter writers positive about you?
*interviewing skills: did you practice? Come across as yourself?
*personal statement/secondaries: did you have someone read these before you submitted? spellchecked, grammar mistake-free. Altogether, do they exlain you adequately?

 

[Stoptheclot]

Some schools refuse to give feedback. Some will suggest you call later in the season when things aren't so busy. And a good number are willing to give the feedback, which varies from very specific and useful, to dead wrong (like they didn't bother to check your file before telling you that you're deficient in an activity for which you actually listed 500 hours).

This was me! I laughed and asked if the admissions counselor was serious... she didn't like that. Granted, it was at a school with +10k apps/cycle, so I guess it made sense. As a reapp, I looked at the rejection emails I received last year. Most of them will say "while we don't offer individual app reviews, here's a seminar you can attend! or here's our average accepted student this year!" If they didn't say anything, I called them to ask, and if they allowed personal feedback, I set up an appointment. As mentioned above, its a total draw - I would say most (state) schools provided great insight. Private schools with 5-digit applicants, not so much.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

@PRONFL Griefer, did you get new insights when you got feedback? Anything different from what I outlined above? Congrats on getting accepted this cycle.

 

[Catalystik]

if they allowed personal feedback, I set up an appointment.

I think this is key to getting helpful information. The first person answering the phone isn't usually the ideal one to give feedback. Making an appointment to call back when the right person is available and expecting your contact is the best approach.

 

[Stoptheclot]

@PRONFL Griefer, did you get new insights when you got feedback? Anything different from what I outlined above? Congrats on getting accepted this cycle.

Thanks so much! Pretty much spot on. Biggest ones that I learned about were:

*scores: were your MCAT scores too low or the subscores out of balance? Consider retaking the test.
I figured this when I was applying, but my verbal was way too low. This is important to learn about schools policies on retakes because some schools average MCATs
*gpa: either your Sgpa or CUMgpa too low. Should you consider a post-bac or applying OD instead?
My gpa was just fine, and they helped clarify this.
*research: did you do any? Can you explain it?
If you do research, it is absolutely invaluable to have a publication. This was HUGE for my recent interview, we honestly talked about my first-author pub for a majority of the interview. Also, it helped when the PI of my lab volunteered to write a LoR for me.
*LoR: were your letter writers positive about you?
I was surprised at this, but they commented that I could use stronger LoRs. I was never told some general guidelines (ie, give a CV, personal statement, brief related activities profile, etc) to helping a prof/doc make a letter that actually helped me instead of "This student works goodz in class hard."

The same school I mentioned earlier also told me to apply earler and retake my MCAT. I did both and got rejected this year, hah. And honestly, I still could have submitted apps even earlier, but STILL, submitted 8 weeks ahead of last year... and thats including the huge delay this year. The hardest part... every school is different, but it pays off to do some background research on the school's applicant/accepted profile! But I was accepted to one of the three schools that I scheduled feedback appointments after last cycle, so does it work? Did for me!