Confused

[ZekeMD]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So I go to the mailbox today only to find that I have been placed on hold at Penn State. My interviews went great and my second interviewer even told me, "I'll be honest, you're a top candidate and I'm trying to recruit you." So it was a huge shock when I was placed on hold. What gives?! Is there anything I can do to warrant an acceptance? I was thinking of writing a letter but am not sure what to write. Penn State is one of my top choices. Please help. 😕

 

[MedAppGurl]

is there any way you could contact the interviewer? maybe he could shed some light on the situation, and give you helpful advice.

 

[ZekeMD]

Originally posted by MedAppGurl
is there any way you could contact the interviewer? maybe he could shed some light on the situation, and give you helpful advice.

I could do that, but is that a good idea? I have both of their phone numbers and could call or write a letter. What would you suggest? Thanks.

 

[Kashue]

Originally posted by ZekeMD
So I go to the mailbox today only to find that I have been placed on hold at Penn State. My interviews went great and my second interviewer even told me, "I'll be honest, you're a top candidate and I'm trying to recruit you." So it was a huge shock when I was placed on hold. What gives?! Is there anything I can do to warrant an acceptance? I was thinking of writing a letter but am not sure what to write. Penn State is one of my top choices. Please help. 😕

Whoa. I interviewed on Nov. 5th and they are still sitting on my application. You heard back fast (sorry about the hold tho). Your stats are waaay higher then their averages and they probably think that you won't go. You can write a letter of interest to see if that works.

 

[ZekeMD]

Originally posted by Kashue
Whoa. I interviewed on Nov. 5th and they are still sitting on my application. You heard back fast (sorry about the hold tho). Your stats are waaay higher then their averages and they probably think that you won't go. You can write a letter of interest to see if that works.

What exactly does one write in a letter on interest? Should I send new materials also? (ie grades, research abstracts, etc)

 

[Kashue]

Originally posted by ZekeMD
What exactly does one write in a letter on interest? Should I send new materials also? (ie grades, research abstracts, etc)

Just write about how interested you are in the school, what you like about it, how it fits you, etc. Try searching for letter of interest, there has been tons written about the subject.

 

[MedAppGurl]

you could write a letter to the interviewer just letting him know that you were put on hold, and that the school is one of your top choices. express enthusiam about the interviewer and ask him if he has any suggestions.
as for the letter of interest, i agree with Kashue - perhaps they don't think you'll end up at their school. if you write them a letter, let them know that it is one of your top choices. also include any new info you have, such as new grades, abstracts, etc. i think this can help your situation a lot. the more interest you express, the better your chances are!
good luck Zeke!

 

[Kashue]

Originally posted by MedAppGurl
you could write a letter to the interviewer just letting him know that you were put on hold, and that the school is one of your top choices. express enthusiam about the interviewer and ask him if he has any suggestions.
as for the letter of interest, i agree with Kashue - perhaps they don't think you'll end up at their school. if you write them a letter, let them know that it is one of your top choices. also include any new info you have, such as new grades, abstracts, etc. i think this can help your situation a lot. the more interest you express, the better your chances are!
good luck Zeke!

I don't think it's a good idea to contact the interviewer. He might not be a participant on the admission committee and won't know the reason for your hold. I think a letter of interest + additional materials would be a good idea. I am also planning on doing the same as soon as one of my publications is in press.

 

[ForensicPath]

Originally posted by ZekeMD
So I go to the mailbox today only to find that I have been placed on hold at Penn State. My interviews went great and my second interviewer even told me, "I'll be honest, you're a top candidate and I'm trying to recruit you." So it was a huge shock when I was placed on hold. What gives?! Is there anything I can do to warrant an acceptance? I was thinking of writing a letter but am not sure what to write. Penn State is one of my top choices. Please help. 😕

The exact same thing happened to me. Penn State was by far my best interview, and my second interviewer told me that he would love for me to attend the school and he was going to recommend me highly. About 6 weeks later I got a letter saying that I was put on the waitlist. I really liked the school, but I do not see myself living in Hershey for the next 4 years, so I may just let this waitlist slide.

 

[hanahbanana]

I have a question about the LOI. Is it binding to that school, or does it just help you get off hold?

 

[Buck Strong]

Penn State is really weird like that, I have a friend who sat on the admissions board a few years ago. We have kids here with MCATS in the low to mid 20's and also close to 40. I've had a few friends with numbers much higher than the average get waitlisted or flat out rejected. I think the consensus among the people here is that they're looking for a certain type of personality, more so than numbers. Unique interviews are key. Exactly what type of personality they're looking for, i'm still not sure of, because about a month or two after they get in, everyone is pretty boring, gunnerish, and dorky, but i think that applies to med school in general. However, I do think that maybe writing a letter with updated info, new grades, papers, etc, and expressing interest will help a bit.

 

[sanoge7]

Buck Strong, so you go to Penn State? If so, why did you decide to go there? what do you like best/worst about it? I'm waiting post-interview... (not patiently!) Thanks for your help.

 

[ZekeMD]

Originally posted by sanoge7
Buck Strong, so you go to Penn State? If so, why did you decide to go there? what do you like best/worst about it? I'm waiting post-interview... (not patiently!) Thanks for your help.

If you could provide some insight into why I was placed on hold I would greatly appreciate it. The hold letter really threw me for a loop today after being so confident leaving the interview. I don't think it's right for interviewers to get your hopes up like that only to be placed on hold.

 

[Kashue]

Originally posted by ZekeMD
If you could provide some insight into why I was placed on hold I would greatly appreciate it. The hold letter really threw me for a loop today after being so confident leaving the interview. I don't think it's right for interviewers to get your hopes up like that only to be placed on hold.

Anything is fair game with how schizoid the admissions process is ZekeMD. My Cleveland Clinic Lerner college of Medicine interview was my best one with both my interviewers giving me their business cards, BOTH telling me how perfect I would be for their new program, and BOTH replied to my thank you letters. ONe of the interviewers, a guy who went to Upenn Med + did his residency in GMH said, "you'll definately get into medical school." Guess what? I got put on hold to CCLCM 🙄.

 

[Buck Strong]

Yeah, it's all fair game, people get the shaft left and right. Definitely no formula to it. You just have to play the odds, and if you have the numbers to get in, chances are, things will work out for you in the end. That's why even people with great numbers apply to tons of schools, 'cus you never know.

 

[CalBeE]

THe waitlist/hold can be due to some really obscure reason...and it's tempting but useless to just to figure it out now.

Just write to the school every month to express your interest.

 

[FowlersGap]

in your letter of interest make sure you reaffirm your interest in the school and also update them with what you're doing now

it might also be good to send another LOR later on;

but if i were you; i'd start writing that letter; just keep it to a page max

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by hanahbanana
I have a question about the LOI. Is it binding to that school, or does it just help you get off hold?

a letter of interest is not binding

a letter of intent on the other hand is basically binding.

 

[snowbear]

Originally posted by sanoge7
Buck Strong, so you go to Penn State? If so, why did you decide to go there? what do you like best/worst about it? I'm waiting post-interview... (not patiently!) Thanks for your help.

Buck Strong, I would love to hear the answers to these questions too 🙂