Is it just me or is the whole admissions process random

[Kardio]

@Kardio I like your posts and your username but I might have to disagree with you here.

I understand all of your points. It’s definitely possible.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

Harvard is the Yankees of medical schools. Both are SAVAGE.

WashU, Stanford, JHU, Mayo, U Chicago might beg to differ with you.

 

[Goro]

Agreed, @Goro: all are SAVAGE schools, although some consider Harvard first among equals.

Stop. Just stop.

 

[BorderlineQueen]

Stop. Just stop.

The threads on SDN this past month have been very entertaining and interesting so far.

 

[Goro]

The threads on SDN this past month have been very entertaining and interesting so far.

The pressure of app season does that to people. Just wait for wait list season!

 

[deleted927529]

I think insofar as an application may be shuttled around to several different reviewers for II consideration, there is a random element. But I expect most schools have a pretty good idea of what kind of applicant they'd like to interview/accept and prioritize accordingly. You could still hear from NYU, anyway.

 

[Engrailed]

The pressure of app season does that to people. Just wait for wait list season!

lol all of these
What is going on/when will I hear back/am I going to be okay etc threads
are LEGIT copypasta threads of each other

 

[EpilepticRat]

A lot of people are likin’ the SAVAGE stuff, Goro.

 

[Goro]

SAVAGE.

Tone it down, Walt.

 

[907914]

WashU, Stanford, JHU, Mayo, U Chicago might beg to differ with you.

In a completely hypothetical situation, let’s say that a theoretical applicant heard back from 3 of these schools with an interview (and is VERY grateful to have heard back from even one), what would you say the chances of them hearing back from the other three would be (except Hopkins, that school is irrelevant to our theoretical applicant). You know...hypothetically.

 

[993444]

In a completely hypothetical situation, let’s say that a theoretical applicant heard back from 3 of these schools with an interview (and is VERY grateful to have heard back from even one), what would you say the chances of them hearing back from the other three would be (except Hopkins, that school is irrelevant to our theoretical applicant). You know...hypothetically.

Would this hypothetical applicant have a hypothetical IA for having a hypothetical cat in their hypothetical student housing?

 

[907914]

Would this hypothetical applicant have a hypothetical IA for having a hypothetical cat in their hypothetical student housing?

In a theoretical world in which this applicant has heard back, their possession or lack of possession of both an IA and/or hypothetical cat appear to be irrelevant to the hypothetical applicants performance and evaluation.

 

[993444]

In a theoretical world in which this applicant has heard back, their possession or lack of possession of both an IA and/or hypothetical cat appear to be irrelevant to the hypothetical applicants performance and evaluation.

Hmm... really? So this hypothetical applicant has a hypothetical UCLA secondary then?

 

[907914]

UCLA secondary then?

 

[deleted987519]

Is it just me or is Walter super annoying now :-(

 

[907914]

Is it just me or is Walter super annoying now :-(

Nah, muh boy Walt is just SAVAGE.

 

[BoolaHI]

In 2017, the acceptance rate at the NYU School of Medicine was already only 1.6%, with 7,569 applications received and 119 students matriculated in 2017. The amount of applicants has already risen in those two years by 10% and so the OP is making a rather whiney complaint or observation that his was not within that tiny minuscule 1 percent? NYU has by pragmatism and institutional conscription placed itself on the top of the heap by offering free tuition—no one, and I mean one, should be surprised by not gaining a seat of admission.

 

[Jeremy Bearimy]

Is it just me or is Walter super annoying now :-(

There's not enough variety in the posts. Where's the story, where's the intrigue, the plot twists and subtlety, ya know? Smh, low quality trolling.

 

[LizzyM]

In a theoretical world in which this applicant has heard back, their possession or lack of possession of both an IA and/or hypothetical cat appear to be irrelevant to the hypothetical applicants performance and evaluation.

Is this cat Schrödinger's cat and we might say that the applicant simultaneous does and does not have an interview?

 

[Orangekiwi]

Is this cat Schrödinger's cat and we might say that the applicant simultaneous does and does not have an interview?

Only until someone looks at it and the wave function collapses, the cat dies, and our hypothetical applicant gets a big fat R

 

[piii]

I wonder if we will see OP in the spring complaining that he got waitlisted at all his schools

 

[fgh32112]

I wonder if we will see OP in the spring complaining that he got waitlisted at all his schools

I’ll make sure to update, but I currently have 10 interviews, all of which are at t20 schools.

 

[piii]

I’ll make sure to update, but I currently have 10 interviews, all of which are at t20 schools.

Wowie! what if you waitlisted at all of them? I’ve heard of that happening to some students like you.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

I’ll make sure to update, but I currently have 10 interviews, all of which are at t20 schools.

I will be eagerly anticipating your updates.

 

[fgh32112]

Wowie! what if you waitlisted at all of them? I’ve heard of that happening to some students like you.

I’m confident I’ll get into at least one of them, and that I will receive at least a couple more interviews given that the application cycle is still going on.

 

[BoolaHI]

Humility and the exercise of moderation is not the chosen folly of youth....

 

[BTDT]

I’ll make sure to update, but I currently have 10 interviews, all of which are at t20 schools.

I’m confident I’ll get into at least one of them, and that I will receive at least a couple more interviews given that the application cycle is still going on.

Bless your heart. I hope you can get yourself dialed-in before residency.

 

[piii]

Bless your heart. I hope you can get yourself dialed-in before residency.

Yeah, students like @fgh32112 get completely crapped on during med school clinical years by all the attendings/residents. Hopefully he can mature a bit.

 

[907914]

Bless your heart. I hope you can get yourself dialed-in before residency.

This may just be that I too am an arrogant ass, but I don’t think OP is in the wrong for these specific quoted statements. I am in the same boat thinking I will probably get another interview or two and will yield at least a couple acceptances. Confident and optimism are fine and, given the situation and success thus far, justified. The only real bad part for OP is the expectant nature behind those assumptions. Not hopeful or optimistic, but gods-gift-to-man type of deserving.

 

[BTDT]

Don't get me wrong, I believe confidence has its place, but let us also not forget that the original poster's first message was merely a brag disguised as a weak question. A forgivable faux pas, nonetheless, I'd like to see them tune-up their maturity and excel in medicine, especially if afforded the opportunity to shine at the top medical schools. The world doesn't need anymore socially obtuse doctors than we already have.

 

[fgh32112]

Don't get me wrong, I believe confidence has its place, but let us also not forget that the original poster's first message was merely a brag disguised as a weak question. A forgivable faux pas, nonetheless, I'd like to see them tune-up their maturity and excel in medicine, especially if afforded the opportunity to shine at the top medical schools. The world doesn't need anymore socially obtuse doctors than we already have.

It was not a brag but instead a legitimate question about the degree of randomness in the admissions process, which quite a few people have actually answered instead of making value judgements about me as a person. Nowhere did I ever say that I deserved an NYU interview. I was only saying that I was quite surprised since I was somewhat expecting an interview there but not at my other schools, which was why I asked the original question.

 

[LizzyM]

Fact is, NYU can be much more picky than it was in the past. It can also be much more strategic and know that there will be minimal issues with yield (unless the applicant is also admitted at Cornell hahaha -- nice problem to have) so it is likely that fewer applicants will need to be interviewed and fewer offers will be made than was the case prior to 2018. While they may not have asked anything more on the secondary, if they are being strategic in terms of geographic diversity, economic diversity (E01, E02), a mix of undergrad majors, URM, etc they know all they need to know from your primary application.

 

[BTDT]

It was not a brag but instead a legitimate question about the degree of randomness in the admissions process, which quite a few people have actually answered instead of making value judgements about me as a person. Nowhere did I ever say that I deserved an NYU interview. I was only saying that I was quite surprised since I was somewhat expecting an interview there but not at my other schools, which was why I asked the original question.

I don't know anything about you as a person and as such, commented based on what you posted. If you read back through my responses, you'll see I did not address, nor make apparent, any perceptions of entitlement.

No one here really expects an explanation from you, nor are we owed it. Rationalize it how you'd like, it's your future.

 

[diasterdream]

It was not a brag but instead a legitimate question about the degree of randomness in the admissions process, which quite a few people have actually answered instead of making value judgements about me as a person. Nowhere did I ever say that I deserved an NYU interview. I was only saying that I was quite surprised since I was somewhat expecting an interview there but not at my other schools, which was why I asked the original question.

It's the fact you said that you were surprised. It makes it sound like you thought you deserved an interview invite. Just take the L and remember that you are not a shoe in for schools.

 

[fgh32112]

It's the fact you said that you were surprised. It makes it sound like you thought you deserved an interview invite. Just take the L and remember that you are not a shoe in for schools.

Let me put it this way. I thought I would get nyu before getting the other schools. Obviously I underestimated how competitive it is, or whoever was reading my app happened to have a bad day. The truth is no one will ever really know.

 

[diasterdream]

Let me put it this way. I thought I would get nyu before getting the other schools. Obviously I underestimated how competitive it is, or whoever was reading my app happened to have a bad day. The truth is no one will ever really know.

Glad you know this. I get that it is disappointing, but keep focusing on the other great schools you are getting interviews for.

 

[Goro]

In a completely hypothetical situation, let’s say that a theoretical applicant heard back from 3 of these schools with an interview (and is VERY grateful to have heard back from even one), what would you say the chances of them hearing back from the other three would be (except Hopkins, that school is irrelevant to our theoretical applicant). You know...hypothetically.

I would say that a WashU class applicant would be competitive for the other WashU/NYU and Harvard/Stanford class schools.

But applicants like these should NOT think that they are God's gift to Medicine either.

 

[907914]

I would say that a WashU class applicant would be competitive for the other WashU/NYU and Harvard/Stanford class schools.

I am sure our hypothetical applicant will take solace in this fact and remain hypothetically optimistic.

But applicants like these should NOT think that they are God's gift to Medicine either.

I agree with this 100000%. Being an excellent or successful applicant does not mean one will be an excellent or successful doctor/medical student. This process is extraordinarily humbling.

 

[KnightDoc]

I don’t think the OP is ungrateful for his/her interviews. I have seen tons of incredibly competitive applicants get put on hold today (many of whom have many interview invites to other top schools). I think NYU must be changing the way they do things undoubtedly. I don’t think anyone would argue that NYU with free tuition is more competitive than Harvard or Hopkins. My bet is that they are interviewing much less people due to increased yield. Interested to see how this plays out

I hesitate to get involved in this thread because it really looks like OP is a troll, but I feel compelled to chime in to state that I really don't think NYU will be interviewing less people due to expected increased yield. It's too soon for them to really know what will happen with their yield, and it would be more reasonable for them to interview the same number of people and just accept less and WL more until they see how things shake out.

You yourself pointed out that lots of folks who get As at NYU will receive generous need-based aid at peer schools, and others will undoubtedly receive generous merit awards if schools don't want to lose particular candidates to NYU. So, in the end, while NYU's policy will certainly lower costs for some middle class candidates who might not have received scholarships absent NYU's program, it's possible that its yield won't move much at all if its acceptees either receive generous merit-based or need-based aid at other schools (either because they would have anyway, or in response to an A at NYU and a negotiation with the other school).

 

[Ultimax]

I am happy with 6 interviews so far, 5 from MD schools and 1 from DO schools. After reading this thread I absolutely feel incompetent, I may as well withdraw my applications and go to the Caribbean to take a gap year and reflect on how I cannot get more invitations.

 

[Moko]

I am in the same boat thinking I will probably get another interview or two and will yield at least a couple acceptances.

Statistically speaking, the odds are highly in your (and the OP's) favor. So your assumption is not incorrect. Always good to remain humble. Arrogance and entitlement are usually what sink applications at the interview stage for those who are highly competitive on paper. And for those who manage to get in, clinical rotations and residency usually serve as rude wake-up calls. Medicine is truly a humbling profession, in many ways.

 

[907914]

Arrogance and entitlement

Was just talking with someone about this earlier this week. Until you get to interviews it is worrisome thinking “who are these 12-20% of high stats applicants who don’t get in?” But then you make small talk on interview day...and it is very clear how easy it is to trim the fat...

 

[993444]

Was just talking with someone about this earlier this week. Until you get to interviews it is worrisome thinking “who are these 12-20% of high stats applicants who don’t get in?” But then you make small talk on interview day...and it is very clear how easy it is to trim the fat...

LOL do I have a story for you.

Last year I attended an interview at a T30-T40. There was this one guy (thick beard, smug, kinda looked like a frat boy) who was trying to make small talk with everyone during our break between the interview and tour. One of the other applicants started talking about his interview at Cornell and this guy goes “Damn, Cornell? That’s like top tier right? Ivy League? What are you doing in this ****hole?”.

The admissions dean was walking past right behind him....

 

[907914]

LOL do I have a story for you.

Last year I attended an interview at a T30-T40. There was this one guy (thick beard, smug, kinda looked like a frat boy) who was trying to make small talk with everyone during our break between the interview and tour. One of the other applicants started talking about his interview at Cornell and this guy goes “Damn, Cornell? That’s like top tier right? Ivy League? What are you doing in this ****hole?”.

The admissions dean was walking past right behind him....

Bros will be bros.

I actually had a similar experience at one of my state schools ( brand new, unranked) This dude asked “where else you guys interview?” everyone was like UVM, Creighton, this is my only interview etc. and trying to be self aware i’m Just like “i’ve got a few other interviews.” Bro just kept pressing “but like where at?” I give him my list and he’s just like “Harvard?! My man is set! Why are you here- it hasn’t even graduated a class?” Super loud. Next to admissions dean. I basically just said “well I still chose to come here, right? This is a fantastic school next to my entire support network.” He didn’t realize how much he threw both of us under the bus...like....bruh...

 

[993444]

Bros will be bros.

I actually had a similar experience at one of my state schools ( brand new, unranked) This dude asked “where else you guys interview?” everyone was like UVM, Creighton, this is my only interview etc. and trying to be self aware i’m Just like “i’ve got a few other interviews.” Bro just kept pressing “but like where at?” I give him my list and he’s just like “Harvard?! My man is set! Why are you here- it hasn’t even graduated a class?” Super loud. Next to admissions dean. I basically just said “well I still chose to come here, right? This is a fantastic school next to my entire support network.” He didn’t realize how much he threw both of us under the bus...like....bruh...

*FACEPALM*

You should have just said “mind your business nimrod”.

Ok maybe not in those exact words...

 

[Kardio]

Bros will be bros.

I actually had a similar experience at one of my state schools ( brand new, unranked) This dude asked “where else you guys interview?” everyone was like UVM, Creighton, this is my only interview etc. and trying to be self aware i’m Just like “i’ve got a few other interviews.” Bro just kept pressing “but like where at?” I give him my list and he’s just like “Harvard?! My man is set! Why are you here- it hasn’t even graduated a class?” Super loud. Next to admissions dean. I basically just said “well I still chose to come here, right? This is a fantastic school next to my entire support network.” He didn’t realize how much he threw both of us under the bus...like....bruh...

I have immediately been turned off by co-interviewees who asked me about “other interviews.” It’s a conversation that no good can come out of.

 

[907914]

I have immediately been turned off by co-interviewees who asked me about “other interviews.” It’s a conversation that no good can come out of.

So, I feel this is a win-some-lose-some kinda topic. Definitely not during interview day, but if y’all meet up for Dinner the night before (I have done that with a few SDNers) or the night after, then it is definitely valid. Granted, aside from the state schools my interviews have been at schools where we can typically assume their other interviews are places of a similar caliber. Doing this I have found out more about different school’s interview days ahead of time, even coordinated dinner and a hike with a dude that I have now seen twice on the interview trail, and so on.

It is a huge turn off to ask before you know each other or while you are still on the damn campus of the school you are interviewing at, but beyond that I have had some good conversations and made some great connections because of it.

 

[Kardio]

So, I feel this is a win-some-lose-some kinda topic. Definitely not during interview day, but if y’all meet up for Dinner the night before (I have done that with a few SDNers) or the night after, then it is definitely valid. Granted, aside from the state schools my interviews have been at schools where we can typically assume their other interviews are places of a similar caliber. Doing this I have found out more about different school’s interview days ahead of time, even coordinated dinner and a hike with a dude that I have now seen twice on the interview trail, and so on.

It is a huge turn off to ask before you know each other or while you are still on the damn campus of the school you are interviewing at, but beyond that I have had some good conversations and made some great connections because of it.

I wouldn’t hold it against anyone in the situations you’re describing. During the interview day is a total faux pas.

I am generally averse to bringing up topics that give off the this mans has no chill vibe - even though I definitely have no chill.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

I wouldn’t hold it against anyone in the situations you’re describing. During the interview day is a total faux pas.

I am generally averse to bringing up topics that give off the this mans has no chill vibe - even though I definitely have no chill.

Interesting. I appreciate this perspective, but I’ve had multiple conversations like these on my interview days, and they were all very casual/cheerful in tone. I didn’t think anything of it when another interviewee was like “hey, having a busy cycle? Got anything else coming up?” I’m like “oh yeah, I have another one at X University next week, what about you?” “Oh, I was just there last week! I had a good experience!” etc.

IDK, they seemed like reasonable interactions. If someone were going around *only* asking where other people were interviewing, or being nosy about the specific schools I’m interviewing at, that might be weird. It’s honestly probably all in the tone/context.

 

[deleted972488]

Different schools prioritize different things. Being invited to interview at one does not guarantee that you will be invited to interview at another.

Be happy with the interviews you have and focus on turning those into acceptances, rather than worrying about the schools that may or may not interview you.