How to File an Official Complaint

[Brian20]

Guys and Gals,

i have been in touch numerous times with a certain admissions office and have faxed the assistant admissions director a personal inquiry into my hold status. She has yet to get back to me and it has been months since i started my corespondance with this school. The admissions ladies have passed on my inquiries to the assistant director on numerous occasions (or so they tell me) and I have gotten zero response.

To make things more interesting I applied there last year and was interviewed and eventually rejected. I asked this same woman (assistant to director of admis) why i was rejected...what in my application was not good enough, blah blah blah.

so she says, brian there is nothing i can point out to you that is wrong with your appl. so i figure i will take a research joh and improve my chances. i apply this year and get put on hold even before interview. needless to say im F$%#ing pissed.

So my question is "Who do I contact to complain about this?" Should I contact AMCAS or is there some higher power I should contact?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I don't even want to go to this school (i used to), but I also don't want them to think they can ignore people and dodge any unpleasant circumstances that their admissions process creates....they dug there own f$#%ing grave.

have a great day....me bitter??...no way.

later

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[jasmine]

I'm sorry, Brian, it sounds like a frustrating situation and you're obviously beyond annoyed about it. I wouldn't advise that you file a formal complaint, though. It doesn't sound like this admissions officer made you any promises...

 

[Brian20]

just bumpin to get some advice

 

[vyc]

i know this sucks... but i think you should move on?
i mean, this process is so extremely random.
focus your energies somewhere else, is what i would recommend...

 

[Diogenes]

I don't mean to be harsh, but the school is under no obligation to offer you an interview, no matter how good you think you are. You have described no grounds for complaint other than the fact that they don't think you are a good applicant. They are entitled to that opinion. And they don't have to tell you why they think that way. I'll bet there are people in your personal life -- school, work, etc. -- that don't like you. They are entitled to that opinion and they don't have to tell you why they feel that way. It is part of life. You just accept it and move on.

 

[Assassin]

I think the best way to file a formal complaint is to get your hands on an M16 assault rifle (AK47 can work as well), walk into the admissions office in question and...

 

[Darwin]

he he...I know it sucks man but there's really nothing you can do. I would imagine that AAMC would probably laugh at your claim. I don't mean this to be harsh...it's just the reality of things. Schools can pretty much do whatever they please. Hang in there and like the others have said...try to focus your energies into another school. The right one for you is out there. Take care.

 

[megkudos]

I would ask to meet in person with the director of admissions to speak about your application. Talking over the phone and even faxing just doesn't do it sometimes. When you meet with him or her ask what they would recommend you do in order to get off the hold list. Good luck.

 

[California]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by megkudos:
•I would ask to meet in person with the director of admissions to speak about your application. Talking over the phone and even faxing just doesn't do it sometimes. When you meet with him or her ask what they would recommend you do in order to get off the hold list. Good luck.•••••I think Megkudos is on the right track. The only way you will get results is if you speak to the Admissions Director (or whoever is in charge) in person. I think another person who could be very helpful would be the Pre-Medical Advisor at your undergraduate institution. He/she can carry more weight than you.

The others in the forum are also right. The medical school has no obligation to interview you, regardless of what transpired last year. However, if you improved your application as you state, I think the Admissions Director will be hard pressed not to invite you for an interview. I think the issue is if you can speak to the Director in person. Be persistent, but realize there is a time to move on. By the way, as a second-time applicant, I faced a similar issue with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Fortunately, the Dean of Admissions was very nice and spoke to be in person. He admitted his office made a mistake and provided an appropriate remedy.

 

[katiep]

Brian,

It is possible that this year's applicant pool is stronger, and that the extra research you did unfortunately did not offset the competition this year. Also, they may have remembered you from last year, and decided that it was not worth waisting your time.

It would be nice if that was true (at least it would be logical), but I believe it may be the mood of the adcom who happened to read your application, personal statement, etc. If they had a bad day, or you were the 25th and last to be read that day, they may just have thrown you into the reject pile. End of story.

Finally, it isn't fair that they don't call you back. I used to be in sales in the banking industry, and believe me, the number of people who don't return your calls is flabergasting. Even after you call them dozens of times. Here, it's not that different. You're a salesman trying to sell yourself to the school. They've rejected your product, and you're bothering them with calls as to why. Put yourself in their shoes: yes, it'd be nice if they returned your call and kindly told you why your product isn't good enough for them, but why should they? They're too busy, and it's a well-known fact that the competition is strenuous.

And really finally, they legally met their obligation: you paid them to review your file, and they did just that. They owe you nothing more.

And really really finally, don't make a bad name for yourself complaining. It's a small world, and may somehow get back to bite you with very little potential in return at this time. You may want to do a residency at their hospital, who knows, and you don't want to go with a negative mark on your file. I'm sure they can check for that.

Lastly, I was interviewed last year at Columbia. Improved in my opinion significantly, and did not even get an interview this year. There's nothing I can do. At least you're not alone.

Sorry for being so blunt: I'm trying to dissuade you from doing something which may hurt you in the future.

And really lastly: don't walk in with a machine gun. It may hurt your chances to enter the medical profession altogether.

 

[jhug]

the school has an unwritten code of ethics just as we do. If accepted with no interest of attending- we are expected to leave open spaces for other more interested applicants. I think this school has an obligation not to string you on like this. It is really easy to be a chump on the phone, it is much more difficult in person. if possible, i agree with approaching them personally about what would make you a better applicant and why they treated you so unprofessionally.

 

[Brian20]

guys

to be honest I am already signed up at another school and am very happy with that decision. i just dont want those bastards to think that this type of treatment in acceptable. they preach all this **** to us about wanting to accept "well rounded" applicants with good intentions and moral standards, yet they have no problem leaving me high and dry and not even answering my damn emails, calls and fax. the dingus at admissions even called me back last year to discuss why i didnt get in...and of course she said she didnt even have a good reason....so what is keeping her from calling me this time...did they suddenly ditch their policy of calling you back and speaking with you in person? i doubt that they did.

the f#$@ed up thing is that as soon as joe harvard decides that their school is not worth it and goes off to harvard, they will call my ass and invite me to an interview.

im just pissed that these schools say that they are happy to discuss your application and then when it is it is inconvenient for them or socially uncomfortable, they don't even bother getting back to you. get some balls!!!!

but thanks for your suggestions. i might try to get a meeting with them, but i guess i will ditch the idea of going over their heads. unfortunately i might want to do a residency here, so i guess i gotta eat **** and cool down.

later guys

thanks