How do waitlists work exactly?

[LHKP0603]

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So, I just had this simply question concerning the waitlists.

Are waitlists constructed based on the order of interviews? Or are they ranked in assesment and placed into the waitlist at different levels?

Let me explain, If I had an early interview, and was placed on the waitlist, I would be near the top right? And my position the waitlist should not drop throughout the application process. (ie, go from number 2 to number 7 in the waitlist)

Or is the waitlist ranked, where a later applicant is not accepted, yet the medical school 'likes them more' than me. Will they be placed on the waitlist in the order that they interviewed or is it possible for them to be placed directly at the top of the waitlist?

Sorry if this was confusing, as you can see, I myself, am confused. 🙂

Thanks

 

[mvenus929]

Methinks that the waitlist is not ranked until it is completed. It makes sense that someone they want to give a position to, but don't have room in the class for, will be higher up than someone who they aren't as thrilled about attending their school. OF course, each school works a little differently.

 

[ChiDO]

Waitlists can work many ways and schools are all different. I would say the majority have RANKED waitlists. Basically, your application is given a score:

For example (1-30):
25+ = accepted
15-24 = waitlisted
<15 = rejected

After your interview, your application is scored a 18. After each committee meeting, the "waitlist" applicants get placed on the waitlist according to their application score (if 2 people have the same score, then they use critera X, then Y, then Z).

When May comes and they start calling people off the waitlist, they start at the top and work their way down.

Some admissions directions told me that individuals who show lots of interest in the school after being on the waitlist (ie. updated letters, letters of intent, keeping in contact); he would put a *** by their name to let the committee know this applicant is highly interested in attending and the committee might call this person first vs. others within the same score (ie. 1-3 points).