Do waitlists infuriate you?

[funshine]

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Or am I just an ungrateful wretch of a human being?

Every time I get a waitlist letter, I think to myself "Why didn't you just reject me? You think I'm going to come to your school after I get off your stupid waitlist? AS IF!"

OK, I know the answer to that one, and I'll probably regret this thread 30 seconds after I post it. But you gotta admit, waitlists are so anticlimatic, it's almost worse than a rejection.

SDN is the vehicle by which I let out all my spite 🙂

 

[argonana]

Yes, they do. I think schools should reject waaaaaaaaay more people post-interview. Then, a waitlist might actually mean something.

 

[catalystman]

Or am I just an ungrateful wretch of a human being?

Every time I get a waitlist letter, I think to myself "Why didn't you just reject me? You think I'm going to come to your school after I get off your stupid waitlist? AS IF!"

OK, I know the answer to that one, and I'll probably regret this thread 30 seconds after I post it. But you gotta admit, waitlists are so anticlimatic, it's almost worse than a rejection.

SDN is the vehicle by which I let out all my spite 🙂

hmm what are your stats??

 

[funshine]

hmm what are your stats??

who's asking 😎
this is a ranting thread, plain and simple.

 

[funshine]

Yes, they do. I think schools should reject waaaaaaaaay more people post-interview. Then, a waitlist might actually mean something.

Exactly!! I think this reflects a fundamental diff between public and private schools too. I've been accepted to 2 publics, and I'm betting they accept a lot more people initially, however, in the end, they have less control over who matriculates. Privates, on the other hand, accept the cream of the crop at first, put a bunch of pathetic 2nd and 3rd rates on the waitlist, then pick and choose replacements when their cream of the crop turn them down for Harvard/UCSF/JHU etc. In other words, private schools want to have absolute control over the makeup of their class, they want to ensure the m/f ratio is near 50%, they have the proper % of URM, etc. ...and what better way to do this than to put everyone on the waiting list? State schools will probably allow their yearly class profiles to fluctuate quite a bit.

(Disclaimer: This is purely hypothetical, I've not looked at any numbers for any schools)

 

[chandelantern]

Exactly!! I think this reflects a fundamental diff between public and private schools too. I've been accepted to 2 publics, and I'm betting they accept a lot more people initially, however, in the end, they have less control over who matriculates. Privates, on the other hand, accept the cream of the crop at first, put a bunch of pathetic 2nd and 3rd rates on the waitlist, then pick and choose replacements when their cream of the crop turn them down for Harvard/UCSF/JHU etc. In other words, private schools want to have absolute control over the makeup of their class, they want to ensure the m/f ratio is near 50%, they have the proper % of URM, etc. ...and what better way to do this than to put everyone on the waiting list? State schools will probably allow their yearly class profiles to fluctuate quite a bit.

(Disclaimer: This is purely hypothetical, I've not looked at any numbers for any schools)

Hmmm...I wonder if this does have merit? I don't think it's as simple as private/public (you mentioned UCSF, which is public, not private) and the only school i've heard back from at all post-interview has been a private school acceptance, not waitlist. Although I'm sure I'll be frustrated with waitlists once I get put on them, I'm grateful they are still considering me and allowing me a chance to update my file, etc.

 

[Clocks]

I'm basically on two waitlists now

Fortunately, I have one acceptance so I frankly could care less.

Down with waitlists!

 

[gujuDoc]

Yes but if they reject more people, then who will fill their seats when May 15th rolls around and people give up multiple acceptances after choosing where they want to go?

The thing is, I'd rather have waitlist then rejection so long as I'm at the very very top of the waitlist where I know that I most likely will be in.

 

[funshine]

true, true. Don't get me wrong, I realize waitlists are infinitely better than rejection. I just hate being strung along as a "waitlisted." I hate seeing the words "waitlist." Is my skin too thin? Yeah. But I think I'd prefer it if schools simply DIDN'T NOTIFY you of your non-acceptance (but not rejection!) status until they made a final decision...even if it's as late as April. As far as I'm concerned, no news is good news--or if you prefer, ignorance is bliss--and I'd much rather seek solace in the possibility that med schools didn't get back to me because they're still pondering the depth of my application... as ridiculous and self-centered as it sounds, this is what I would believe if I heard nothing from the school. Anyway, I'll stop now, before I start making too much a fool of myself 🙂 .

Yes but if they reject more people, then who will fill their seats when May 15th rolls around and people give up multiple acceptances after choosing where they want to go?

The thing is, I'd rather have waitlist then rejection so long as I'm at the very very top of the waitlist where I know that I most likely will be in.

 

[gujuDoc]

true, true. Don't get me wrong, I realize waitlists are infinitely better than rejection. I just hate being strung along as a "waitlisted." I hate seeing the words "waitlist." Is my skin too thin? Yeah. But I think I'd prefer it if schools simply DIDN'T NOTIFY you of your non-acceptance (but not rejection!) status until they made a final decision...even if it's as late as April. As far as I'm concerned, no news is good news--or if you prefer, ignorance is bliss--and I'd much rather seek solace in the possibility that med schools didn't get back to me because they're still pondering the depth of my application... as ridiculous and self-centered as it sounds, this is what I would believe if I heard nothing from the school. Anyway, I'll stop now, before I start making too much a fool of myself 🙂 .

I would hate the idea of waitlist if it meant bottom tier waitlists.

I think all schools should have ranked waitlists where they let you know your true chances of getting in. Most schools have historical trends so they should be able to determine for at least 90% accuracy.

USF does the above mentioned and it has worked out beautifully in the past, well except for those in the bottom tier of the waitlist.

 

[funshine]

Yeah, it'd be nice to know your rank. I also forgot to mention that being waitlisted at X school automatically makes me hold a bitter grudge against X school. I know it's so stupid of me, yet I can't help it. It's a shame that a school I had neutral, even good feelings towards, ends up on my blacklist. Of course, this has a lot to do with your expectation of getting in in the first place. If I got waitlisted at Harvard, I'd be peeing in my pants for joy. A schools that's ranked 35th? Not so much. But I think I've been too optimistic about my chances. This is a good wake-up call.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

Yes. I am in limbo right now. It sucks, a lot, but hell I don't mind as long as it's a happy-lucky-accept-you-letter at the end... honestly.

 

[studentstudent]

I think almost everyone on the Wall of Lame is going through the exact same feelings.

 

[Clocks]

I'm High Priority at one school and a solid Hold at another 🙂 These categories are... interesting to say the least. Being on Hold is very fun though.

It's nice to have an acceptance otherwise I'd be off the walls right now.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

If I got waitlisted at Harvard, I'd be peeing in my pants for joy.

Doesn't everyone who interviews at Harvard get put on somesort of waitlist if they aren't accepted outright?

 

[crzyemeni]

they should have post-interview-interviews. maybe have 10 waitlisted students pit themselves against each other in front of the adcomm. then the interviewees with the best overall scores (best on responses to the toughest ethical questions) are granted acceptances and the weak are sent home in shame 👍

 

[argonana]

Doesn't everyone who interviews at Harvard get put on somesort of waitlist if they aren't accepted outright?

No. Not in past years, anyway.