Getting bummed about getting in...

[TPROrgoTutor]

I was just put on hold at UPenn... This is dissappointing to me as it is one of my top choice schools and Ive worked hard to get stats to make me competitive there. Oh well, I guess I have other interviews to focus on.

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[Gut Shot]

Could be worse. You could have a cold sore. Everthing is worse with a cold sore.

 

[Haemulon]

Could be worse. You could have a cold sore. Everthing is worse with a cold sore.

And a hang-over.

 

[Pontifex Maximus]

Penn is like, a top 5 school or something. It happens.

 

[swim2md]

I was just put on hold at UPenn... This is dissappointing to me as it is one of my top choice schools and Ive worked hard to get stats to make me competitive there. Oh well, I guess I have other interviews to focus on.

How did you find out about being put on hold? I've been complete since the day their secondary came out and haven't heard anything. Was it just a status page thing or email?

 

[Erina]

How did you find out about being put on hold? I've been complete since the day their secondary came out and haven't heard anything. Was it just a status page thing or email?

i think everyone is just checking their status pages

 

[TPROrgoTutor]

Just a status page update... No email.

 

[VD-MD]

Penn is like, a top 5 school or something. It happens.

Hey Cozmosis. Do you know if MD has started interviewing or granted interviews yet? Hopefully, they give a poor soul like me a chance... Thanks and good luck this year .

 

[swim2md]

Just a status page update... No email.

If you don't mind me asking, where on your status page did it say something? If someone with as good of stats as you is on hold, I'm sure I am as well. Sorry about the not so great news, just keep looking at those interview invites you have.

Also, does anyone's status page actually have an interview or anything yet?? It surprises me they would put people on hold before offering any interviews. Jerks.

 

[dude1344]

I was also put on hold at Penn with a 3.75/3.86 35.

 

[BucsFan813]

Dude,

Keep looking up dude. Did you try sending an updated transcript? Maybe they want to see how bad you want it? However, with stats like that, something doesn't add up...

 

[Looque]

This isn't entirely related, but an interesting thing with UPenn is that the average MCAT is lower for the accepted applicants than the interviewed/not accepted applicants, at least according to the limited sample on mdapplicants.com.

A possible implication of this could be a general focus at UPenn on the person rather than the numbers, as inferred through their activities and personal statement, and later through their interview. And yes, like many others, I've been complete at UPenn essentially since the day they released their secondary, but have gotten no word one way or the other via their status page. Still simply "Complete."

 

[zach1201]

What is being put on hold exactly?

 

[Severus]

I think it means that they've decided to pass you over at this point in time until they get a feel for what the year's applicant pool looks like; depending on what sort of apps they're receiving, you may or may not end up getting an interview. But, I could be totally wrong as well... this is just what it seems like based on previous cycles.

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

Could be worse. You could have a cold sore. Everthing is worse with a cold sore.

i got put on hold at penn and i have a nasty cold sore. also: my in-laws are about to arrive for a 5 day visit

to the OP: I feel for you. Pitt is my first choice and I'm getting no love (although I'm well below their stats, so it's not all that shocking). This process really is a random and grueling crapshoot. hang in there. It's Penn's loss I bet you'll find a school you like even better

 

[Severus]

i got put on hold at penn and i have a nasty cold sore. also: my in-laws are about to arrive for a 5 day visit

to the OP: I feel for you. Pitt is my first choice and I'm getting no love (although I'm well below their stats, so it's not all that shocking). This process really is a random and grueling crapshoot. hang in there. It's Penn's loss I bet you'll find a school you like even better

Okay, you totally win the sucky-day/coming week award.


I still say keep your head up. I think offices are probably flooded with apps right now and things have reached a sort of bottle-neck. You WILL get invites and you WILL get an acceptance!

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

I was just put on hold at UPenn... This is dissappointing to me as it is one of my top choice schools and Ive worked hard to get stats to make me competitive there. Oh well, I guess I have other interviews to focus on.

Yeah, being on hold is like pre-med pergatory. But once you get in somewhere, you can tell them to go F. themselves. And that makes it well worth it

 

[swim2md]

This isn't entirely related, but an interesting thing with UPenn is that the average MCAT is lower for the accepted applicants than the interviewed/not accepted applicants, at least according to the limited sample on mdapplicants.com.

A possible implication of this could be a general focus at UPenn on the person rather than the numbers, as inferred through their activities and personal statement, and later through their interview. And yes, like many others, I've been complete at UPenn essentially since the day they released their secondary, but have gotten no word one way or the other via their status page. Still simply "Complete."

I was going to say something very similar to this earlier. UPenn is very focused on ECs, and not just medically-related ones. It's not to say that some of you are not stellar applicants, but they just prefer a more well-rounded class, and as a top-tier school they have the luxury to pick and choose much more selectively.

They are also strange in that all decisions are sent out the same week, so no one will get accepted OR rejected until the end of March. There is still plenty of time for them to take people off the hold list and interview them to fill the class at the very end.

That being said, I'm still baffled by the process. I have stats well below their average and have been complete since 7/20 with no word other than "Complete." For all I know, they're laughing at my application and I won't hear another word until I get my rejection in March. But I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that my strong ECs and LORs can pull me through with mediocre stats.

Good luck to all of you though-- keep your heads up and remain confident in yourselves.

 

[jackieMD2007]

Okay, you totally win the sucky-day/coming week award.


I still say keep your head up. I think offices are probably flooded with apps right now and things have reached a sort of bottle-neck. You WILL get invites and you WILL get an acceptance!

I really, really hope this is the case. Sev is a veteran applicant, so I'm hoping she knows.... please oh please.

 

[BucsFan813]

Is it possible that the accepted group has slightly lower stats than the interviewed/rejected group because the extremely high outliers have deficiencies in ECs and interpersonal skills?

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

I read the title and I was expecting something completely different in original post. Good thing I was wrong, cuz I'd hate to take the time to get a decent ip tracker and find OP and beat his face into the pavement.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

Is it possible that the accepted group has slightly lower stats than the interviewed/rejected group because the extremely high outliers have deficiencies in ECs and interpersonal skills?

Usually not. The outlyers are compensated by the number of less competitive applicants who are given a shot but then rejected...and the upper gpa outlyers who interview well. If you look at mdapps, you can see the average gpa and mcat is almost always slightly higher for "Interviewed, Accepted" than "Interviewed, Not Accepted" for a given school....although there are some exceptions.

 

[63768]

haha it's the beginning of sept. why are you bummed already? you have at least 4 or 5 more months before you should be bummed.

 

[Pemberley]

If you don't mind me asking, where on your status page did it say something? If someone with as good of stats as you is on hold, I'm sure I am as well. Sorry about the not so great news, just keep looking at those interview invites you have.

Also, does anyone's status page actually have an interview or anything yet?? It surprises me they would put people on hold before offering any interviews. Jerks.

I got deferred too! I was rather distressed this morning when I found out. Big blow to the confidence, even if the rational side of the brain knew that rejections are inevitable.

Nobody has UPenn listed on the Walls of Shame or Fame yet, so it seems like they're putting people in the deferred pile first. At least I know where I stand. UVa, by contrast, has just not said a word.

By the way, I found 10 people with mdapps profiles who have been deferred in the past. They had average age of about 25 and avg MCAT of about 35. None were eventually admitted to UPenn, but all were eventually admitted somewhere, all but one to multiple schools, and several to very top name schools. I remember Stanford and Duke specifically, and there were others. So we don't have to dispair yet.

 

[gipper]

Let's keep this process in perspective...Our goal is to get into medical school - try not to focus too much on school X or Y. Keep the big picture in mind...be sure to take a deep breathe and a step back now and then...

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Sorry man, not much I can say.

Try your best not to focus on one school though, or this process will leave you very depressed. No need to feel bad, you have great stats and you obviously worked hard.
-Dr. P.