Emailing a school about not getting a secondary (got a secondary last time I applied)

[runningpenguin]

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I was wondering if I should email a med school that I have applied to but have not received a secondary from? I'm a reapplicant, and have applied to this school before. When I last applied to this school, I received a secondary the same day my application was verified. My scores are higher now and my ECs are roughly the same. I submitted a much later primary application this time though. Should I email them...it's been several weeks since my primary was verified.

 

[21Rush12]

Sure, why not!


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[runningpenguin]

Sure, why not!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

Do schools find it annoying if students keep emailing? The school I'm talking about has a screen, and there will be a good number of people who don't get secondaries.

 

[Goro]

I was wondering if I should email a med school that I have applied to but have not received a secondary from? I'm a reapplicant, and have applied to this school before. When I last applied to this school, I received a secondary the same day my application was verified. My scores are higher now and my ECs are roughly the same. I submitted a much later primary application this time though. Should I email them...it's been several weeks since my primary was verified.

Do NOT do this.

 

[Siromas]

I was wondering if I should email a med school that I have applied to but have not received a secondary from? I'm a reapplicant, and have applied to this school before. When I last applied to this school, I received a secondary the same day my application was verified. My scores are higher now and my ECs are roughly the same. I submitted a much later primary application this time though. Should I email them...it's been several weeks since my primary was verified.

Edit: Don't listen to me. Goro and gonnif are much more qualified to give advice.

 

[DBC03]

I've had relatively good luck with calling schools with questions. Calling gives you the option to remain anonymous while getting a question answered, but also allows you to go into more detail (including giving your name) if the person in the admissions office feels that your concern warrants a little more time. This requires a degree of finesse in asking the question and an ability to interpret the other person's response. Be respectful of the other person's time, but also be prepared to talk at length if necessary. You can always follow up with an email if you feel that your question was not answered or if you are directed to send an email. On the other hand, if the school seems to be against any kind of requests like this or the person on the phone seems extremely annoyed, an anonymous phone call prevents this contact from marring your record.

 

[Goro]

I will have to disagree with my esteemed colleague form west of st. louis on this. It is possible that the screener saw a summary sheet from last cycle with rejected on it and put it lower in priority for evaluation and adcom review. If you have improved GPA/MCAT, especially if grade trend is significantly above reported cumulative GPA. This needs be a very coherent, concise, and on point note. You need to say this in 4-6 sentences.

In your experience, have people been successful with this approach?

 

[Goro]

I have used similar for non trads with lower GPA (usually older bad GPA with newer better GPA) who get quick screen out. Usually a few lines “ I respectfully request the adcom reconsider my application. I believe that my overall GPA, which includes my first attempt at college from over a decade, does not reflect my current academic record in past 2 years of 3.8 GPA and MCAT 510. Thank you for your reconsideration." There is occasional but infrequent success. It may simply get the application looked at again, and in rare instances, garner an II

For this OP, a similar "prodding" letter would be a possibility, assuming that he/she has something substantial over last cycle.

I appreciate the insight, but alas, I'm not sanguine as to this approach.

 

[imxpandanese]

Not an expert like posters above, but if you are referring to UCs (and looking at your past threads, you are a CA resident), they do heavy and sometimes unpredictable screenings for secondaries. Sometimes better stats is not enough

For example, friend at UCSF with 520+/4.0 GPA did not get secondary from UCLA

 

[runningpenguin]

I appreciate the insight, but alas, I'm not sanguine as to this approach.

Agreed it likely will not have any impact but in this case, if the OP has enough improvement that can be noted quickly in one sentence, it might prod them.

On the other hand, the OP appears to referring only improvement in MCAT, no additional ECs, and applied late as a reapplicant. May not be enough to get a second look at a school that rejected him

I applied late because of a late MCAT. Does that make any difference? I've also received a secondary from every school that I am reapplicant at, including the ones that screen heavily (although I'm not sure if this is based off of a quick screen for scores or a more comprehensive look at my overall application...they all came at different times).

 

[runningpenguin]

Oy Vey! You have one school that you havent heard from, we dont know what/why, and you panic? @Goro is right, sit on your hands.

Yes, I suppose, but it's a state school that I really, really (X 1000) like. Do you think that after several weeks of no news/no secondary, there's still a chance at this point in the cycle that I might get a secondary?

 

[Goro]

Yes, I suppose, but it's a state school that I really, really (X 1000) like. Do you think that after several weeks of no news/no secondary, there's still a chance at this point in the cycle that I might get a secondary?

This is a classic example of why SDNers should NOT apply to medical school until they have the best possible app, even if it means skipping a cycle.