First Two interviews: waitlist. What am I doing wrong

[ihopeigetit]

So I've heard from two of the schools I interviewed at and I'm on the waitlist for both. I'm pretty devastated and I don't know what I did wrong. Interviewers have even told me that I interview really well and come across as very genuine. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here? Both felt like they went really well.

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[Lamel]

Well you still have a chance, so stay positive.

And I don't think they ONLY consider the interview when making the final decisions, so interview could have gone well but maybe they just wanna wait before they give you an outright acceptance.

 

[baxt1412]

Its not that uncommon. You aren't going to get accepted everywhere.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Same thing happened to me. Hang in there, have faith that everything will work out how it should.

 

[SarVA]

Current MS-4 here. Definitely don't give up if you land on a waitlist. At my medical school, the vast majority of my class (and from conversations I've heard, from other classes too) are admitted off of their waitlist. Obviously acceptances are better news, but waitlists certainly aren't the end of the road in many places.

 

[kthxbai]

Same here, two for two. Granted, I knew this was going to happen - these interviews were really unfortunate experiences. Try to stay positive and update schools sometime in February.

 

[Meerkatology]

isn't the acceptance rate post interview like 1/3 to 1/2 ?
you have a decent chance to have 2/2 rejections just by shear odds without doing anything wrong, no?

 

[Doug Underhill]

You're not getting rejected outright, so it's not a matter of what you're doing wrong.

 

[efle]

shear odds

?

 

[Goro]

Interviewers are just being polite.

Without being there, I haven't a clue as to where to start.

So I've heard from two of the schools I interviewed at and I'm on the waitlist for both. I'm pretty devastated and I don't know what I did wrong. Interviewers have even told me that I interview really well and come across as very genuine. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here? Both felt like they went really well.

 

[G_Marker]

I've had 4 interviews and haven't heard back yet. At 2/4 interviews I was told that I'd be "a great fit" or that the interview "went very well." At my first interview I was very nervous, and the interviewer told me at the end that I "dressed very professionally." The unmentioned interview was a stress interview, so I wasn't expecting any particularly nice feedback after that one. I think the "dressed professionally" comment was a bad sign. Maybe interviewers like to say something nice at the end, and all this guy could come up with was my outfit!

Anyway, my point is that the nice comments at the end might just be politeness, as Goro stated above.

My second point is that it's very early still. You have a long time to get off those wait lists!

 

[Doug Underhill]

You can look at what they're not saying to get some ideas about where you may be weak.

 

[ridethecliche]

You can look at what they're not saying to get some ideas about where you may be weak.

Most don't let you onto anything. It's a skill interviewers are supposed to have. They're all nice to you because they have to be. No one is going to outright tell you that you suck.

 

[ihopeigetit]

I appreciate the support guys! First, I said that about the interviewer because I've done a few practice interviews and was told that I interviewed well. Is it possible that it was my interview? Absolutely, but I thought they went well.

But the more I read the more I realize that being waitlisted is just part of the process and just about everyone gets waitlisted somewhere. Since those interviews I've had 3 more and I still have 2 interviews left to attend. I think there's a good chance I'll be accepted somewhere. Thanks again guys!

 

[ridethecliche]

I appreciate the support guys! First, I said that about the interviewer because I've done a few practice interviews and was told that I interviewed well. Is it possible that it was my interview? Absolutely, but I thought they went well.

But the more I read the more I realize that being waitlisted is just part of the process and just about everyone gets waitlisted somewhere. Since those interviews I've had 3 more and I still have 2 interviews left to attend. I think there's a good chance I'll be accepted somewhere. Thanks again guys!

Yeah, with that many interviews, if you're a reasonably good interviewer and come off as considerate, thoughtful, and not a prick, you have pretty amazing odds. Congrats on all the interviews and I'll cross my fingers for ya if you do the same for me 😛

 

[Overachiever12]

I'm in a very similar situation. 3 TX MD interviews, and so far no pre-matches. We aren't 'technically' waitlisted until Feb., but it still hurts to see them hand out multiple offers while I sit here in silence. Trying to keep my hopes up, though. You should too.

 

[Holmwood]

So I've heard from two of the schools I interviewed at and I'm on the waitlist for both. I'm pretty devastated and I don't know what I did wrong. Interviewers have even told me that I interview really well and come across as very genuine. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here? Both felt like they went really well.

One reason a person can be wait-listed is poor performance in interviews, but a fantastic application. This seems to be the "wrong" you're attributing yourself to.

Another reason a person can be wait-listed is a fantastic interview, but an otherwise average application (relative to other interviewees, of course). This may be due to the competitiveness of the school and not necessarily your personal abilities... : /

It can't be because you were originally interviewing for a wait-list since it's too early in the cycle.

Although is it possible that it's an OS school and they're waiting to see if you will withdraw your application further down the cycle to matriculate to another school...


But you get the idea. Too many possibilities and too few information. It's better to think about continuously improving your interview skills rather than harbor on the potential failures.

 

[sunflower18]

I've gotten one waitlist, and I think it was one of my better interviews. I've also gotten acceptances at interviews that I'm pretty sure I bombed. Clearly, interview performance (or at least personal assessment of interview performance) is not the only or most accurate metric for determining whether or not an acceptance is forthcoming. It's a frustrating and unpredictable process :/ But, like many other posters said, lots of waitlists have significant movement! Don't give up hope! 🙂 Good luck!!

 

[road2md]

So I've heard from two of the schools I interviewed at and I'm on the waitlist for both. I'm pretty devastated and I don't know what I did wrong. Interviewers have even told me that I interview really well and come across as very genuine. Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong here? Both felt like they went really well.

Holmwood summed it up nicely. If your application is slightly below average for acceptance, It may be that your interview went well but not well enough to offer you outright acceptance. If your application is definitely above average for acceptance, it may be that your interview just did not go as well as you think for various subtle reasons unbeknownst to you.

Have you received feedback from anyone about interviewing? We offer a short, free mock interview with feedback that may help you. Alternatively, you can ask your PI, mentor, or residents who have experience interviewing applicants to see what you may be doing wrong.

I wouldn't try to make much out of verbal feedback, as interviewers try to be equally polite to everyone. But of course, this is easier said than done. I would try to chill out and watch some Scrubs episodes to take your mind off of it...

 

[ihopeigetit]

So after a few hours of research I found some interesting stats. First, one of the schools who waitlisted me waitlists almost everybody at first, and the other school has an extremely small class size so I'm taking these waitlists less personally now. As for interview feedback I've done several mock interviews that I apparenly did very well in. After my one interview from last year I went to the school to talk about what to improve, and one of their notes was that I interviewed excellently. So now I'm a little more hopeful for the rest of the schools I interviewed at or will interview at.

 

[LizzyM]

Many schools must offer admission to 2-3.5 applicants in order fill one seat. Of course, the fear on the school's side is making too many offers and having an overflow class (in rare cases, they may make a generous offer to anyone who is willing to postpone until the following year). So, some will offer admission just to the superstars and see how many choose that school from the myriad offers they have and then fill the rest of the class from the waitlist.

Its not over until the first day of orientation for a given school or until they send you a rejection.