Have not heard back from a school in almost 2 months

[D3FishOil]

Hi everyone, I applied to about 35 schools this cycle and prided myself on getting my II in relatively quickly to each school that sent one to me without trying to sacrifice quality (so mostly within 2 weeks, and some a bit longer like 3 weeks or a month). Having said that, I sent in all my secondaries by early September latest and early July at the earliest. I have had seven R and 2 II. From those two II, one was labeled as a waitlist and they said I was middle of the pack, the other has not told me anything yet. The last time any school of the remaining 26 has responded to me was mid October, what went wrong, what can I do, and is this normal.

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[Goro]

Sadly there are medical schools that never tell their interviewees their fate.

Try contacting the admissions office of the school

 

[GoSpursGo]

what went wrong, what can I do, and is this normal.

Possibly nothing, probably nothing but keep working to improve your application in case you wind up reapplying, and sadly yes.

 

[LizzyM]

This is normal. Some schools will never respond (b*st*rds) and some will not respond until June when they'll send you a rejection letter.

You got in on time and you have received a couple of interviews. Now chill until at least March 1. You should be hearing decisions by then. (This is LizzyM's Mardi Gras rule: you don't complain about not getting decisions until after Mardi Gras which comes late this year so let's call it March 1). They may not be the decisions you want but you should be getting them by about that time.

 

[D3FishOil]

This is normal. Some schools will never respond (b*st*rds) and some will not respond until June when they'll send you a rejection letter.

You got in on time and you have received a couple of interviews. Now chill until at least March 1. You should be hearing decisions by then. (This is LizzyM's Mardi Gras rule: you don't complain about not getting decisions until after Mardi Gras which comes late this year so let's call it March 1). They may not be the decisions you want but you should be getting them by about that time.

sounds like a plan, in the meantime should I send out updates. For context, I had very few clinical hours when I sent in primary apps (circa 100 shadowing, and 150 clinical volunteer), now I have well over 1000+ paid clinical hours, is that worth an update even if I mentioned beginning it in my primary?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Previously,

Help making a school list (515, s/cGPA 3.95, low CARS/pregrad clinical hours)

Hi everyone! I am currently in the process of pre-writing my secondary applications, and I'm nervous that I was way too ambitious with my school list and I want to include some more safety/target range schools. I am predominantly interested in MD programs at the moment, but I wouldn't...

forums.studentdoctor.net

How was your mission fit? Were your community service hours on par with the schools on the list? Clinical experience? Could you have applied a year too early (the MA experience would have boosted your standing instead of being anticipated)?

We don't have your application to know your writing or your letters.

Read

From Waitlist to Offer: Inside an Admissions Committee - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

List the schools that made decisions and who is still yet to report.

 

[D3FishOil]

Previously,

Help making a school list (515, s/cGPA 3.95, low CARS/pregrad clinical hours)

Hi everyone! I am currently in the process of pre-writing my secondary applications, and I'm nervous that I was way too ambitious with my school list and I want to include some more safety/target range schools. I am predominantly interested in MD programs at the moment, but I wouldn't...

forums.studentdoctor.net

How was your mission fit? Were your community service hours on par with the schools on the list? Clinical experience? Could you have applied a year too early (the MA experience would have boosted your standing instead of being anticipated)?

We don't have your application to know your writing or your letters.

Read

From Waitlist to Offer: Inside an Admissions Committee - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

List the schools that made decisions and who is still yet to report.

I tried to do a lot of research, but with a school list this big, I am certain my mission fit wasn't as strong as I hoped; if there is a subsequent cycle, I will narrow my list and start research earlier to get a better feel for how I connect with them. Likely also fell short on community service which I should get back into, only a few hundred hours there split between many places. Finally, clinical experience, I only had a week or 2 of experience as an MA before writing my primary and just over a month or two before sending my secondaries, I am confident this experience has left a lasting and great impact on me with lots to write about, next cycle will be stronger I'm sure of it, perhaps a year too early. Having said that, I was reluctant to take a single gap year, taking a second does feel a bit like a defeat, so I would like to still push hard for this cycle if there's anything I can still do, I am trying to be optimistic!!

*Rejections: UWisconsin, Mayo, BU, Stanford, Georgetown, Uchicago, Indiana, Michigan
*II: UCF (Waitlist), Nebraska (No Resp)
*Yet to hear: Iowa, USC, Colorado, Rush, UIC, Ohio State, Cinci, Emory, Vandy, UVA, Columbia, Dartmouth, WashU, Drexel, Cornell, Oakland, Rosalind Franklin, Vermont, Yale, USF, Northwestern, Tufts, Thomas Jefferson, TCU, Wake Forest
I think I miscounted schools earlier, I recounted 8R, 2II, 26 Others (36 total not 35)

--Quick after thought, yes I know I overshot my school list, it was too top heavy, was overzealous, lets just pretend I didn't waste extra money sending some of these applications....... --

 

[LunaOri]

sounds like a plan, in the meantime should I send out updates. For context, I had very few clinical hours when I sent in primary apps (circa 100 shadowing, and 150 clinical volunteer), now I have well over 1000+ paid clinical hours, is that worth an update even if I mentioned beginning it in my primary?

I think this is worth an update, especially if you didn’t have a strong clinical activity as one of your MME. Personally, sometimes when I am reviewing an applicant, I wonder “Have they actually completed all those “anticipated” hours, and how has it affected them?”

 

[AJS59]

sounds like a plan, in the meantime should I send out updates. For context, I had very few clinical hours when I sent in primary apps (circa 100 shadowing, and 150 clinical volunteer), now I have well over 1000+ paid clinical hours, is that worth an update even if I mentioned beginning it in my primary?

An update (if they accept) would definitely be valid atp, just keep it short, explain what you did and how it impacted you. Don't use as an excuse to reiterate how much you want to go to the school; they already know that

 

[D3FishOil]

Previously,

Help making a school list (515, s/cGPA 3.95, low CARS/pregrad clinical hours)

Hi everyone! I am currently in the process of pre-writing my secondary applications, and I'm nervous that I was way too ambitious with my school list and I want to include some more safety/target range schools. I am predominantly interested in MD programs at the moment, but I wouldn't...

forums.studentdoctor.net

How was your mission fit? Were your community service hours on par with the schools on the list? Clinical experience? Could you have applied a year too early (the MA experience would have boosted your standing instead of being anticipated)?

We don't have your application to know your writing or your letters.

Read

From Waitlist to Offer: Inside an Admissions Committee - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

List the schools that made decisions and who is still yet to report.

Just got accepted to the university of Nebraska med school! Woohoo!

 

[LizzyM]

And 9 weeks ahead of my Mardi Gras deadline. Congrats!