Is it okay...

[Mistress S]

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...to ask schools that rejected you pre-interview the reason why? There are a couple that I am curious about. I know most schools will discuss this with you if they reject you after an interview, but what about before? Not that I'm arrogant and think I shouldn't have been, I would just like to know their reason. Also, I haven't received a lot of interviews so far, and I'm wondering if maybe there is something in my file (such as a lukewarm LOR) that I don't know about that could be affecting my chances. Has anyone done this successfully, or do schools frown on this? I know they reject so many people pre-interview that they probably don't want to discuss each individual file, and I don't want to annoy them (especially if I end up having to reapply), but I did after all pay at least $100 in app fees between AMCAS and secondaries for each school to review my file and it would be nice to know why they came to the conclusion they did.

 

[EvoDevo]

Well, since you've already been rejected, what can it hurt? Although I'm not sure that too many schools will actually give you the real reason. Some will though.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I have heard of students getting advice from ADCOM members about how to improve their applications. I've read it on this site, so a thorough search may dig up the old threads.

 

[GoBlue129]

I contacted the heads of admissions (where possible) at schools that rejected me and went over the reasons why. Some were willing to, some weren't (or at least no reply yet).

 

[davidus]

There's no harm in it. Seems like many schools never even bother reading requests carefully and thinking you're asking for an appeal, they just send you another rejection.

 

[Mistress S]

For those of you who contacted schools, did you call or e-mail? Who did you contact (dean of admissions? just ask the secretary?)? It's true there's nothing to lose at this point, but I don't want to risk getting a rep as annoying in case I have to reapply (god forbid ). If you don't mind sharing, which schools were receptive and which were not? I'm thinking about contacting Tulane and UCSF, and maybe BU. Thanks!

 

[BOBODR]

For those of you who contacted schools, did you call or e-mail? Who did you contact (dean of admissions? just ask the secretary?)? It's true there's nothing to lose at this point, but I don't want to risk getting a rep as annoying in case I have to reapply (god forbid ). If you don't mind sharing, which schools were receptive and which were not? I'm thinking about contacting Tulane and UCSF, and maybe BU. Thanks!

Hey Mistress I have very similar stats to you if I remember right (3.5 and a 31)and applied to most of the same schools ,along with being an August MCATer. BU probably is not worth contacting as they just give you the standard we had 9000 apps and 60 apps for each seat so many very qualified students were not interviewed (You have nothing to lose in trying though). I refuse to believe that they look at all the applications. Think about the numbers. Between August and December they receive more than 9000 applications. Thats about 5 months meaning a little less than 2000 apps to look at a month. That is like 400 or 500 a week. That is not possible. I do not know about the others but I am convinced that August MCATS should be moved to July or something because they are such a huge disadvantage. As for myself I just found out I had been offered an interview and they used the wrong email address on january 3rd. I would have gotten a rejection in March and have never know but luckily my adviser randomly called them to ask why I had not been interviewed. So strange stuff happens. Calling schools to ask about app status seems useless though to me. 99.99 % of the time they just say you are still in review or under consideration and many times they are very terse. Oh well .....

 

[dankev]

I called last year after OHSU (my state school) rejected me pre-interview. The person who answered the phone in the admissions office looked up my file, and read why it said I was rejected. It wasn't a great or particularly helpful answer, but she told me they offered rejection interviews in May or June, to help for the next year. My plan was to schedule one of those if I didn't get in anywhere else. Fortunately for me, I didn't need to.

 

[RaistlinMajere]

I would call the admissions office and ask if there is someone specific that you should talk with about your rejection. I did this for a school where I was rejected pre-interview and the director emailed me a thorough and helpful reasoning behind their decision. Depressing, but helpful nonetheless.