If Waitlists haven't moved yet...what does that mean?

[Stillwater45]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So I am starting to get worried.
I was told that I am "Very High" on the waitlist of MUSC. I called the other day to see if there has been any movement and the Director of Admissions says there has been none so far. It's after May 15...What does this mean? HasMUSC always had movement in the past? Anybody have any information on the general trends of waitlist movement (at any school). I assumed that a chunk of waitlist movement would occur after May 15. Surely not all 135 applicants accepted their invites. Have they? Anyhow, any information would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[mikedc813]

It is long enough after May 15 that I would think a large amount of waitlist movement would happen at all med schools. Especially if you're very high on the list you should have heard by now.... Sorry I don't know what to tell you really besides try and find out more from the med school about what's really going on. It's hard to believe only a little movement has occurred and that you haven't gotten in if you are at the top of the list....

 

[ForensicPath]

I decided to stop thinking about it. I'm just going to assume that I will be attending the school I have an acceptance for unless I get off the waitlist. I've updated the waitlist school more than enough, so now its time to put that stuff out of my mind and enjoy the next month and a half or so. I've done my part, now its their turn.

 

[size_tens]

Sitting on waitlists at this point is tough, especially for those like myself with no acceptances. I think the main reason not a huge amount of wl movement occurs immediately following May 15 is overenrollment. For those of us still waiting we just need to sit tight and remember that June is usually the peak month for general movement.

 

[MErc44]

it's funny, I remember last June explaining to my family that I probably wouldn't know where I was going until June sometime. Now it's june and I don't really know where I am going because of waitlists. Last year it was just something I said and didn't really give much thought to, now it is a source of constant worry as I have nowhere to live and school starts in 2 months.

 

[premedtiger]

Hey man....

I think the schools in South Carolina just seem to be a little slower at this than most of the others around the country. I haven't heard from USC yet either, but I don't think we should be getting discouraged just yet. Stay positive and hopefully good things will happen for us! Let me know how things are going for you too!

 

[Pasley]

Last year - roommate didn't find out anything until Fathers day.
Hang in there.

 

[ForensicPath]

it's funny, I remember last June explaining to my family that I probably wouldn't know where I was going until June sometime. Now it's june and I don't really know where I am going because of waitlists. Last year it was just something I said and didn't really give much thought to, now it is a source of constant worry as I have nowhere to live and school starts in 2 months.

Thats pretty much what I told my parents. I think I told them something along the lines of that I would know my fate in early summer. This admissions process has consumed an entire year. I submitted my AMCAS around this time last year and 1 year later things aren't completely definite yet. I do know what city I will be in, which is a plus though.

 

[Stillwater45]

Is it common for most schools to overenroll their classes?

 

[Stillwater45]

??

 

[camstah]

??

i think so.....so that come may 15th, when people drop, they'll have close to the number they should have....

 

[J33]

Is it common for most schools to overenroll their classes?

Yes it is very common. In fact, I'm sure every school does it. For example...for a class of 100 people a school might accept 200 people (based on the numbers they have from previous years.) Of those 200, 80 might want to go there and will stay on board after May 15. So 20 spots are open on the waitlist. There's no way a school would only take the exact number for their class before May 15, because they know that ~1/2 will drop and they'd be losing out on a lot of good applicants who have already made a final decision by the time waitlists get moving. I've been told the percentages of students who accept an offer remain extremely simliar from year to year, so it's rare that a school will ever go over their desired class size. In the example above, even if 20 extra students (10%) accept the offer than in previous years, they still would not be overenrolled, there would just be no waitlist movement.

You can see the number of accepted students if you subscribe to us news, which I did last year, and compare it to class size. It's always 2 to 3 times higher. Hope this is what you were looking for and hope it helps.