Late applicants feel RIPPED off??

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kakashi74

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I was a late applicant this cycle. I got the primary in by the deadline and in some cases, the secondary deadline was extended. I had reasonably good stats, 36P and a 3.8 GPA.

I know starting out this process I would be at a disadvantage for being late but I had no idea how bad it would be. I only got 1 interview from my state school and 0 from the rest. I heard absolutely nothing from the other schools until this month when I got a whole bunch of rejections pre-interview.

I just feel like I was ripped off by these school. They gave my false hope by accepting my secondary (along with the extra fee that goes along with it) and they just wait until March to reject me without even an interview. I dout they even looked at my application... :(

I am feeling angry and depressed. Any other late applicants feel the same??

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How late did you apply and what kind of schools did you apply to?
 
I have less impressive stats than you and really think that an earlier application would have gotten me a few more interviews, and potentialy turned my 2 waitlists into acceptances...But..I applied late knowning it was a slight dissadvantage, and would rather apply late and go for the chance of getting in, then spend another year just waiting.

Did you hear back from your 1 state school?
 
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I was a late applicant this cycle. I got the primary in by the deadline and in some cases, the secondary deadline was extended. I had reasonably good stats, 36P and a 3.8 GPA.

I know starting out this process I would be at a disadvantage for being late but I had no idea how bad it would be. I only got 1 interview from my state school and 0 from the rest. I heard absolutely nothing from the other schools until this month when I got a whole bunch of rejections pre-interview.

I just feel like I was ripped off by these school. They gave my false hope by accepting my secondary (along with the extra fee that goes along with it) and they just wait until March to reject me without even an interview. I dout they even looked at my application... :(

I am feeling angry and depressed. Any other late applicants feel the same??


Early is always better in this game. Try again, revamp things if needed and apply EARLY. Important thing is to continue activities that make you look like you want to be a Doc. Best of Luck next cycle
 
not yet...
my other problem was that I should have applied more broadly.

It's not so much that I got rejected, but the fact that they take your money knowing well that their class will probably be full before they even review my app.


I have less impressive stats than you and really think that an earlier application would have gotten me a few more interviews, and potentialy turned my 2 waitlists into acceptances...But..I applied late knowning it was a slight dissadvantage, and would rather apply late and go for the chance of getting in, then spend another year just waiting.

Did you hear back from your 1 state school?
 
Regardless of when one applies, I find it somewhat dishonest when a rejection letter is dated one day after the secondary app check clears.
 
Regardless of when one applies, I find it somewhat dishonest when a rejection letter is dated one day after the secondary app check clears.

oh that's just cruel. they might as well leave a flaming bag of poo on your doorstep while they're at it, too.
 
I agree, it seems incredibly unfair when you can beat a deadline by a couple of months and then receive a letter saying "We would like to interview you as your application is favorable, but we may not have time." Then they ca$h your check and take it as a nice little donation. Thanks ADCOMS.
 
not yet...
my other problem was that I should have applied more broadly.

It's not so much that I got rejected, but the fact that they take your money knowing well that their class will probably be full before they even review my app.

Unless you had very extenuating circumstances, I look at it this way: You've wanted to be a physician at least as long as it took you to finish the premedical coursework and get some physician shadowing in. Why delay the process of actually getting to the next step in your path by procrastinating on the applications? At the end of the day, you're just hindering yourself. The medical schools can each fill their classes twice with applicants since there are twice as many applicants applying as their are spots. It doesn't behoove them to court you in the process. Instead, you're the one that's trying to convince them that out of their 3,000-13,000 applications, you've got something that should make you worthy of an interview. Sucks and it does seem unfair that you've paid the money but didn't get considered. However, at the end of the day the medical school doesn't care if you as an individual get treated well and equally considered with those people who applied well before their deadline. After all, they'll still have a full class come August. Instead, it's your bum on the line.

If you don't get into your state school this year, submit AMCAS in JUNE! Also, make a rule with yourself that you'll submit each secondary you receive within two weeks of getting it. Make a spreadsheet to keep yourself on track if necessary and don't procrastinate further. You're just hurting yourself.
 
I agree with stiffany. While yes, your situation does suck and I feel for you as this is an emotionally trying situation, how much sympathy can you expect? You had the same opportunity to submit your app as everyone else. If it makes you feel any better, there are some people that applied extremely early or even multiple times and still haven't received an acceptance yet. You still have a chance, :luck:
 
I agree with stiffany. While yes, your situation does suck and I feel for you as this is an emotionally trying situation, how much sympathy can you expect? You had the same opportunity to submit your app as everyone else. If it makes you feel any better, there are some people that applied extremely early or even multiple times and still haven't received an acceptance yet. You still have a chance, :luck:


Don't assume that the OP just sat around and submited his application late. Im assuming he had some reason such as a LOR incident, trouble with a community college getting correct transcripts to AMCAS... and so on.

I submitted my AMCAS in early July, but due to the august MCAT wasn't complete untill early november.
 
I agree with stiffany. While yes, your situation does suck and I feel for you as this is an emotionally trying situation, how much sympathy can you expect? You had the same opportunity to submit your app as everyone else. If it makes you feel any better, there are some people that applied extremely early or even multiple times and still haven't received an acceptance yet. You still have a chance, :luck:


You really can't assume that everyone had the same opportunity to submit their apps early. I had to take the August MCAT because I was out of the country (yes this was by choice, but I can imagine situations where it wouldn't be), and then had trouble with LORs. Yes, you can ask for LORs early, but this still doesn't guarantee that it won't take your profs months to get them to you.
 
Regardless of when one applies, I find it somewhat dishonest when a rejection letter is dated one day after the secondary app check clears.

I agree....for Boston University I was rejected a few hours after I paid my secondary fee...I mean how dishonest and stupid is that? So your telling me that I had to pay just to find out I was rejected?

Obviously they didn't review my application within that few hours so they already knew that they were going to reject me.

It's all good, I wouldn't want to go to a school that dishonest anyway....
 
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I agree with stiffany. While yes, your situation does suck and I feel for you as this is an emotionally trying situation, how much sympathy can you expect? You had the same opportunity to submit your app as everyone else. If it makes you feel any better, there are some people that applied extremely early or even multiple times and still haven't received an acceptance yet. You still have a chance, :luck:

My reason for applying late: I took the August MCAT because I took Ochem over the summer. I hadn't even taken OChem II yet at the time of the MCAT.
I am a non-trad applicant, so I did cram my coursework in to apply this cycle. I did not just sit around in June wasting my time
 
I agree....for Boston University I was rejected a few hours after I paid my secondary fee...I mean how dishonest and stupid is that? So your telling me that I had to pay just to find out I was rejected?

Obviously they didn't review my application within that few hours so they already knew that they were going to reject me.

It's all good, I wouldn't want to go to a school that dishonest anyway....

Wow...I feel for you..this is what I am talking about. I would ask for a refund
 
My reason for applying late: I took the August MCAT because I took Ochem over the summer. I hadn't even taken OChem II yet at the time of the MCAT.
I am a non-trad applicant, so I did cram my coursework in to apply this cycle. I did not just sit around in June wasting my time

OP, I'm not trying to get into an argument or be condescending. However, I also took the August MCAT since I had to take physics over the summer. I had everything done and sent in so that, the second those MCAT scores came out, my application was complete (As per the advice of my post-bac program). It sucked to create my school list not knowing what MCAT score release day would bring, but it also meant getting my applications in earlier which I think did make a difference for some of the schools I applied to (For a few others, I think the August MCAT with a complete date around October 13th-17th depending on the school's uploading of the scores was still too late).

*So, I started asking for LORs in March and told all of my letter writers that they were due in May. This meant that they kept trickling in through June as I nagged further, but eventually I got them all.
*AMCAS submitted in mid-August with my basic school list
*Verified mid-September and added a few more schools.
*Worked on secondaries as I received them - from mid-September through late September
*MCAT scores came out - complete October 13th-October 17th depending on school.

I think in the future for those who choose to take the MCAT so late, it definitely behooves you to go ahead and submit your primary in August. If you need to wait until the scores come out before sending it out to schools and getting secondaries, so be it. However, at least the primary with at least one school is verified and ready to go. While some schools take forever to send out their secondaries, others send them within hours of AMCAS verification. Plus, you can work on your school essays ahead of time so for secondaries that are more than just check slips, you'll have a faster turn around time.
 
OP - I know that being a late applicant is a big disadvantage and I'm not trying to underestimate that, but it might not be the sole reason for your bad luck. First off, obviously luck can play a huge role, but your extracurrics, clinical exp, volunteer work, or essays might have hurt you as well.

The reason why I'm saying this is that I have a GPA below yours (3.65ish) and a 32R on the MCAT - all in all fairly comparable to your stats. I applied literally down to the deadline at almost every place and I've still recieved 8 interviews out of 16 schools applied to.

Granted, your extracurrics and all that might have been great and you could have just gotten really, really unlucky. I also haven't been accepted anywhere yet, so applying late still might wind up doing me in. But it may not be quite as big a deal as your percieving it to be.
 
If you have NO chance when you submit two months before the deadline, they should move the deadline to correspond to the time that you have no chance. That is the honest thing to do.

This has been a money-making scheme and I don't think its a huge stretch to make that conclusion. I received 6 secondaries before I even took my MCAT! If you take the August MCAT, you are screwed unless you submit secondaries before you get the score back (oh wouldn't the adcoms just LOVE that). The OP and I are both calling it exactly what it is. There is no reason that admissions decisions to be final ONE YEAR before matriculation.

I personally know three people in this exact situation! There are many more out there. When you sign up for the August MCAT it should say: unless you are a superstar, don't waste your money.

The school I was accepted to didn't look at ANYONE until late december. It was my top choice too :) Thank God one pulled through.
 
OP - I know that being a late applicant is a big disadvantage and I'm not trying to underestimate that, but it might not be the sole reason for your bad luck. First off, obviously luck can play a huge role, but your extracurrics, clinical exp, volunteer work, or essays might have hurt you as well.

The reason why I'm saying this is that I have a GPA below yours (3.65ish) and a 32R on the MCAT - all in all fairly comparable to your stats. I applied literally down to the deadline at almost every place and I've still recieved 8 interviews out of 16 schools applied to.

Granted, your extracurrics and all that might have been great and you could have just gotten really, really unlucky. I also haven't been accepted anywhere yet, so applying late still might wind up doing me in. But it may not be quite as big a deal as your percieving it to be.

You don't know what schools he applied to though...that could be the main reason why you heard back favorably from half of your schools, while he only heard from one. I applied late too, and I've received two interview invites so far, with four or five left to hear from pre-interview. I also took the MCAT in August, while working full time. Even though it probably hurt my chances of getting in to some schools, I was glad I waited until after the MCAT to apply because it made a huge difference in the schools I was considering, and because I didn't have enough time to do well on the MCAT and on applications.
 
You don't know what schools he applied to though...that could be the main reason why you heard back favorably from half of your schools, while he only heard from one. I applied late too, and I've received two interview invites so far, with four or five left to hear from pre-interview. I also took the MCAT in August, while working full time. Even though it probably hurt my chances of getting in to some schools, I was glad I waited until after the MCAT to apply because it made a huge difference in the schools I was considering, and because I didn't have enough time to do well on the MCAT and on applications.

Totally true, and to answer, mine were mid range (highest ranked invites were Rochester and Einstein). I did the exact same thing (also took the august MCAT. I just dont believe that you stand no chance applying to most schools within a month or two of the deadline. I know it greatly reduces your chances (particularly of getting accepted directly after an interview), but I think getting interviews (and getting accepted off a waitlist in may) is definately still possible submitting right up until the deadline.
 
OP, I'm not trying to get into an argument or be condescending. However, I also took the August MCAT since I had to take physics over the summer. I had everything done and sent in so that, the second those MCAT scores came out, my application was complete (As per the advice of my post-bac program). It sucked to create my school list not knowing what MCAT score release day would bring, but it also meant getting my applications in earlier which I think did make a difference for some of the schools I applied to (For a few others, I think the August MCAT with a complete date around October 13th-17th depending on the school's uploading of the scores was still too late).

*So, I started asking for LORs in March and told all of my letter writers that they were due in May. This meant that they kept trickling in through June as I nagged further, but eventually I got them all.
*AMCAS submitted in mid-August with my basic school list
*Verified mid-September and added a few more schools.
*Worked on secondaries as I received them - from mid-September through late September
*MCAT scores came out - complete October 13th-October 17th depending on school.

I think in the future for those who choose to take the MCAT so late, it definitely behooves you to go ahead and submit your primary in August. If you need to wait until the scores come out before sending it out to schools and getting secondaries, so be it. However, at least the primary with at least one school is verified and ready to go. While some schools take forever to send out their secondaries, others send them within hours of AMCAS verification. Plus, you can work on your school essays ahead of time so for secondaries that are more than just check slips, you'll have a faster turn around time.

:thumbup: I did the same thing. I knew I'd be at a huge disadvantage applying late, so I made sure that my app would be complete as soon as the MCAT scores were released. If you start applying in October, you're already way too late. Yes, it was a gamble applying before seeing my MCAT score, but waiting until October to start my application would have been a disaster.

OP, I'm sorry things haven't worked out for you. The AMCAS application will become avaiable in a couple of months. With your stats, you should do very well in the next cycle. Good luck.
 
That is hard to figure, even if you did apply late. My stats are similar and I was complete about the same time as you- I have had 9 interviews, 3 acceptances, 3 waitlists, and I am waiting to hear from 3 schools and I am confident that I will get into at least one of the schools I am waiting to hear from. So I don't know what to say. How is your personality? Do most people seem to like you? Your situation seems kind of weird to me.
 
Kakashi, you are East Asian! Med school admissions people don't like East Asians since we are probably smarter than most white pre-meds. Apply early or you will get screwed again. Trust me, it happened to many of my friends that applied this year!
 
Kakashi, you are East Asian! Med school admissions people don't like East Asians since we are probably smarter than most white pre-meds. Apply early or you will get screwed again. Trust me, it happened to many of my friends that applied this year!

Troll-tastic!
 
late applicants always get screwed over. lesson learned.

I didn't get screwed over. Though I must say, if I had to do it all over again I would have applied much earlier (and I may be the exception to the rule).

Primary mid-october (verified late Nov) to 9 schools, secondaries in late Dec, 7 interviews (one pre-int rejection, one hold which I withdrew from, both of these I was OOS), 2 acceptances, 3 waitlists, withdrew pre-decision from 1, still waiting to hear from one.
 
Kakashi, you are East Asian! Med school admissions people don't like East Asians since we are probably smarter than most white pre-meds. Apply early or you will get screwed again. Trust me, it happened to many of my friends that applied this year!

I was wondering why I got accepted at any med school. I guess it was just because I was an average white guy with a 3.8 and a 35 MCAT and got special treatment. I was planning on going to nursing school so I am really lucky.
 
I was wondering why I got accepted at any med school. I guess it was just because I was an average white guy with a 3.8 and a 35 MCAT and got special treatment. I was planning on going to nursing school so I am really lucky.


Haha. In reality, admission committee people, especially females- women tend to judge candidates on looks too; sad, but true- hate East Asians since we are kind of short and have small eyes :laugh: Oh well, at least I am 5ft 5 ;)
 
I applied late, 36 MCAT 3.45 GPA, 3.52 BCPM, applied to 15 schools, one interview, one waitlist, from my in-state school. I knew what I was getting into, and sure part of me feels like they took my money and ran, but I've learned my (expensive) lesson and next cycle I'll know to have a very polished application submitted literally the 1st day I can.
 
Haha. In reality, admission committee people, especially females- women tend to judge candidates on looks too; sad, but truth- hate East Asians since we are kind of short and have small eyes :laugh: Oh well, at least I am 5ft 5 ;)

so that explains why I got admitted. I did not realize I was the beneficiary of white male affirmative action until you explained it to me. Thanks. Now I understand. Should I go to nursing school or accept that med school slot that I don't really deserve? Let me know because I have to make my mind up pretty quick.
 
:thumbup: I did the same thing. I knew I'd be at a huge disadvantage applying late, so I made sure that my app would be complete as soon as the MCAT scores were released. If you start applying in October, you're already way too late. Yes, it was a gamble applying before seeing my MCAT score, but waiting until October to start my application would have been a disaster.

OP, I'm sorry things haven't worked out for you. The AMCAS application will become avaiable in a couple of months. With your stats, you should do very well in the next cycle. Good luck.

Yes, in retrospect I should have submitted the AMCAS before MCATS were released. I didn't even know you could do that, so it is partly my fault for not finding out. This is also my first time applying so I also had no idea it would take so long to get verified. But as JennyB mentioned, knowing your MCAT score can greatly affect what schools you apply to.
 
Kakashi, you are East Asian! Med school admissions people don't like East Asians since we are probably smarter than most white pre-meds. Apply early or you will get screwed again. Trust me, it happened to many of my friends that applied this year!

Lol. I am east Asian but I am not blaming race for my situation. I do wonder why some schools ask for a photo though...that sounds kind of fishy
 
:idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: lets file a class action suit...::D :D laugh: :laugh: yea i was just kidding, but the thread title was begging for that kind of response:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 
I, too, have heard many a story about dishonest requests for secondary fees from schools who had already rejected said applicant. I know one guy whose rejection letter from Northwestern was dated BEFORE his secondary invitation. No joke. They do their secondaries online and he got an e-mail inviting him to fill it out, so he did, and the next day he got his rejection. Shady!

However, it's no secret that applying early is KEY for success. Seriously. If there's one thing in this process that can make or break you, it is applying early. If you are taking the August 2007 MCAT, do NOT apply for the entering class of 2008. Take a year off. If you are finishing prerequisites past June of 2007, do NOT apply for the entering class of 2008. If you are going to be out of the country past June of 2007, do NOT apply for the entering class of 2008. Get a job, get married, travel the world, learn Spanish. . .but for the love of God, do not enter the fray during that application cycle! Even if you've got everything ready in late August/early September, hold on to it and apply the day the AMCAS becomes available in June the following year.

Rolling admissions means just that: with every passing week, your odds of being accepted to any given school decline. Everyone who interviews before you will be decided on before you; every acceptance that is handed out is one less acceptance that could be yours. Apply early, and assuming you're a solid applicant, you'll only have to do it that once. Nothing sucks worse than reapplying.
 
No one ripped you off. You knew the schools were rolling and that your chances of acceptance becomes exponentially smaller the later you submit. There are still spots and they still take people but your chances are much smaller to actually be one of those people if you are later. If lifes circumstances make it impossible to apply early I honestly think its a better idea to wait until the next year to apply or at least accept the fact that your chances of getting in are exponentially lower than they already were in a very very competitive game. I get that life happens sometimes, my house was drowned by Katrina in the midst of my secondary application h*ll and I still found a way to get them in. Life doesn't stop for you just becaues you've chosen a challenging pathway, and you need to learn to push through when you can and learn when to step back and try again next time.
 
The application fee is a good way for schools to get some extra cash if you ask me. Why not? You get an ego boost because students are applying to your school in drove AND you can just give a cursory look over on a borderline student once the check clears. It's a win-win for the school.
 
Applied very late due to an LOR incident. Primary done in June, asked for LORs in April--even e-nagged, went to his office, twice, and still got his letter a month after I told him it was due( October ;) ). So don't give me any 'ish.

37, 3.7, strong EC/LOR
Applied to 8 schools,
4 interviews, one state, 3 top tier
1 waitlist (still waiting for other 2)
1 acceptance (state)

I do feel screwed. First for the LOR, second because I feel that schools do favor early applicants when they should look at everyone equally. But oh well. I'm sure they have their reasons. Being on SDN for years sure hammered home the point "APPLY EARLY." That only marginally helped in my case. Furthermore, quite possibly, by weeding-out those who procrastinate, medical schools are damaging the average intellegence of future doctors:

"Perfectionism is another common emotional issue for gifted individuals. D. E. Hamachek identified six specific, overlapping behaviors associated with perfectionism. They include (1) depression, (2) a nagging "I should" feeling, (3) shame and guilt feelings, (4) face-saving behavior, (5) shyness and procrastination, and (6) self-deprecation."

Schuler, P. (2002). Perfectionism in Gifted Children and Adolescents. In M. Neihart, S. M. Reis, N. M. Robinson, & S. M. Moon (Eds.). The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children (pp. 71-79). Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press, Inc.

Now, chillax, I'm not writing a paper about this, just throwing it out there...
 
Applied very late due to an LOR incident. Primary done in June, asked for LORs in April--even e-nagged, went to his office, twice, and still got his letter a month after I told him it was due( October ;) ). So don't give me any 'ish.

37, 3.7, strong EC/LOR
Applied to 8 schools,
4 interviews, one state, 3 top tier
1 waitlist (still waiting for other 2)
1 acceptance (state)

I do feel screwed. First for the LOR, second because I feel that schools do favor early applicants when they should look at everyone equally. But oh well. I'm sure they have their reasons. Being on SDN for years sure hammered home the point "APPLY EARLY." That only marginally helped in my case. Furthermore, quite possibly, by weeding-out those who procrastinate, medical schools are damaging the average intellegence of future doctors:

"Perfectionism is another common emotional issue for gifted individuals. D. E. Hamachek identified six specific, overlapping behaviors associated with perfectionism. They include (1) depression, (2) a nagging "I should" feeling, (3) shame and guilt feelings, (4) face-saving behavior, (5) shyness and procrastination, and (6) self-deprecation."

Schuler, P. (2002). Perfectionism in Gifted Children and Adolescents. In M. Neihart, S. M. Reis, N. M. Robinson, & S. M. Moon (Eds.). The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children (pp. 71-79). Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press, Inc.

Now, chillax, I'm not writing a paper about this, just throwing it out there...

Well, apparently there are gifted individuals who apply early and reap the benefits. I was not one of them, but I have a few acceptances and will be going to med school in August and will become a very good doctor.
 
They include (1) depression, (2) a nagging "I should" feeling, (3) shame and guilt feelings, (4) face-saving behavior, (5) shyness and procrastination, and (6) self-deprecation."


That's me.
 
Well, apparently there are gifted individuals who apply early and reap the benefits. I was not one of them, but I have a few acceptances and will be going to med school in August and will become a very good doctor.

No doubt.
 
No one ripped you off. You knew the schools were rolling and that your chances of acceptance becomes exponentially smaller the later you submit. There are still spots and they still take people but your chances are much smaller to actually be one of those people if you are later. If lifes circumstances make it impossible to apply early I honestly think its a better idea to wait until the next year to apply or at least accept the fact that your chances of getting in are exponentially lower than they already were in a very very competitive game. I get that life happens sometimes, my house was drowned by Katrina in the midst of my secondary application h*ll and I still found a way to get them in. Life doesn't stop for you just becaues you've chosen a challenging pathway, and you need to learn to push through when you can and learn when to step back and try again next time.

Thanks psipsina; someone had to say it. Everyone knows that applying later is an extreme disadvantage in this game. Most schools in all of their admissions materials even say as much. They also discourage taking the August MCAT because it sets one's applicaiton back so much. Sure, you can come up with a million excuses, most of which are consequences of one's own personal choices (some people pass up studying abroad to stay and take the MCAT, or load up on harder classes to get them in before the test). I think we've all learned that in medical school admissions there's always going to be someone better and more prepared.

Is it unfair that later applicants are judged differently than earlier applicants? Not at all. Earlier applicants bothered to get everything together and value medical school acceptance enough to make it a high priority. If you don't, what is that saying to schools? And don't get me started on the "I got it in before the deadline" line of excuses...

Is cashing the secondary check on a student with no chance shady? Of course, but it is by no means a problem exclusive to only later applicants.
 
Thanks psipsina; someone had to say it.
...
Is it unfair that later applicants are judged differently than earlier applicants? Not at all. Earlier applicants bothered to get everything together and value medical school acceptance enough to make it a high priority. If you don't, what is that saying to schools? And don't get me started on the "I got it in before the deadline" line of excuses...

Not at all? From abroad I had to keep on my late-LOR writer. When I came back stateside I had to visit his office twice both after his deadline (7 months after I formally asked, and a complete year after I initially told him I'd be asking for an LOR). You think this is because I don't value medical school acceptance? (Questioning our rapport? We were close throughout (3 of 4 years) my engineering education--hense the importance of his letter.)
 
Is it unfair that later applicants are judged differently than earlier applicants? Not at all. Earlier applicants bothered to get everything together and value medical school acceptance enough to make it a high priority. If you don't, what is that saying to schools? And don't get me started on the "I got it in before the deadline" line of excuses...

I don’t feel that I’ve personally gotten screwed over, so I have don’t have a grude here, but…

I think it's a bit arrogant to assume that because you got your application in earlier than someone else, you automatically value medical school acceptance more than they do, and are therefore more qualified. Can you not imagine situations where the timing was truly out of the applicants control?

A couple of examples:

I have been working with a professor for 3 years. I know him very well, and was pretty much guaranteed an excellent LOR from him. I asked him for a letter early, but part way into writing it he became seriously ill and had to have very invasive surgery. He was not taking phone calls, or checking his e-mail for a long time, and was definitely not well enough to finish my letter. Does the fact that I wanted to wait to get what would clearly be my strongest LOR mean that I’m somehow less dedicated?

I friend of mine had a parent pass away in Europe, the day before she was scheduled to take an entrance exam (not the MCAT). Fortunately, she was not an aspiring doctor, and was able to reschedule for a later date. Should something like this really put someone at a serious disadvantage in the med school admissions process?

I’m not trying to say anything about the OP, as I don’t know the details of the situation, but come on people…stuff happens, it doesn’t always mean that someone is inferior.
 
Is it unfair that later applicants are judged differently than earlier applicants? Not at all. Earlier applicants bothered to get everything together and value medical school acceptance enough to make it a high priority. If you don't, what is that saying to schools? And don't get me started on the "I got it in before the deadline" line of excuses...

Is cashing the secondary check on a student with no chance shady? Of course, but it is by no means a problem exclusive to only later applicants.

Sure, I could have waited another year to apply and I would be one of those early applicants. But if I can work hard, get all my prereqs done before matriculation, and get my application in by the deadline why should I be at a disadvantage? It doesn't mean I want it any less than someone else. It just means I don't want to delay my education for another year. Being a non-trad, it's not like I had 4 years of undergrad to prepare and putting off med school for another year is not as easy as it sounds
 
I don't feel that I've personally gotten screwed over, so I have don't have a grude here, but…

I think it's a bit arrogant to assume that because you got your application in earlier than someone else, you automatically value medical school acceptance more than they do, and are therefore more qualified. Can you not imagine situations where the timing was truly out of the applicants control?

A couple of examples:

I have been working with a professor for 3 years. I know him very well, and was pretty much guaranteed an excellent LOR from him. I asked him for a letter early, but part way into writing it he became seriously ill and had to have very invasive surgery. He was not taking phone calls, or checking his e-mail for a long time, and was definitely not well enough to finish my letter. Does the fact that I wanted to wait to get what would clearly be my strongest LOR mean that I'm somehow less dedicated?

I friend of mine had a parent pass away in Europe, the day before she was scheduled to take an entrance exam (not the MCAT). Fortunately, she was not an aspiring doctor, and was able to reschedule for a later date. Should something like this really put someone at a serious disadvantage in the med school admissions process?

I'm not trying to say anything about the OP, as I don't know the details of the situation, but come on people…stuff happens, it doesn't always mean that someone is inferior.

Those are both excellent examples of what could delay an application; I still have yet to see people complaining on this thread have anything close. Even with LORs, I had requested them back in February. Sure, I didn't get one that I really wanted until August 1st, but I had a back-up letter just in case. I don't see why others aren't capable of this. And being abroad is a choice; one knows the risks associated with applying to medical school from abroad.
Sure, I could have waited another year to apply and I would be one of those early applicants. But if I can work hard, get all my prereqs done before matriculation, and get my application in by the deadline why should I be at a disadvantage? It doesn't mean I want it any less than someone else. It just means I don't want to delay my education for another year. Being a non-trad, it's not like I had 4 years of undergrad to prepare and putting off med school for another year is not as easy as it sounds
Being non-trad, you had more; why did it take so long? Why shouldn't you be at a disadvantage to someone who worked as hard (or harder), to get pre-reqs done before application, and have everything complete months before the deadline. Didn't you deal with the rolling admissions monster when applying for undergrad? It's nothing new. If you read any materials from medical schools, they said to apply early for the best chance at admission. Why did you think this wouldn't apply to you? Did you want some sort of special treatment? I guess I'm not trying to assert that early applyers want it more than others, but that it could appear that way to schools (early application can show motivation, diligence, organization, and putting it at a high priority). Everyone had equal opportunity to apply by August, but personal choices (going abroad, course scheduling, etc.) are what delayed it, not the medical schools, AMCAS, or other applicants - stop trying to find blame with everyone but yourself.

This is all somwhat pointless to debate in hindsight; instead let's look at it as a learning experience for future applicants:

Get your LOR requests in NOW, and have them straightened out by summer (as you or your professors may be away from campus- things are easier to take care of in person). If someone's taking a while, have a back up. And always, always lie about the deadline - you need the letter by the end of May, not October.
Apply early, as in August, for your best chance and to be considered highest priority by schools - you have been warned...
 
But if I can work hard, get all my prereqs done before matriculation, and get my application in by the deadline why should I be at a disadvantage?

In a perfect world you shouldn't be, but in this one you're still asking med schools to select you over the guy with the same stats who is finished with his prereqs and got his application in much earlier.

Schools use rolling admissions for several reasons. For one, they're competing with each other for top applicants, and the early acceptance often gets the worm. Should schools be disallowed from making offers until after interviews are complete?

The only way to give every applicant full consideration is to not offer any interviews until the application deadline passes, and not offer any acceptances until all interviews are finished. If this were mandated, I'm betting every school in the country would move its deadline to October 15 or earlier (which means you would have been screwed just like you're screwed now).
 
In a perfect world you shouldn't be, but in this one you're still asking med schools to select you over the guy with the same stats who is finished with his prereqs and got his application in much earlier.

Schools use rolling admissions for several reasons. For one, they're competing with each other for top applicants, and the early acceptance often gets the worm. Should schools be disallowed from making offers until after interviews are complete?

The only way to give every applicant full consideration is to not offer any interviews until the application deadline passes, and not offer any acceptances until all interviews are finished. If this were mandated, I'm betting every school in the country would move its deadline to October 15 or earlier (which means you would have been screwed just like you're screwed now).

:thumbup: That, and this early bird getting the worm isn't anything new. Remember back in kindergarten when someone would get a seat and save it, simply declaring "I got here first"? Oh how little things have changed...
 
"Perfectionism is another common emotional issue for gifted individuals. D. E. Hamachek identified six specific, overlapping behaviors associated with perfectionism. They include (1) depression, (2) a nagging "I should" feeling, (3) shame and guilt feelings, (4) face-saving behavior, (5) shyness and procrastination, and (6) self-deprecation."

Schuler, P. (2002). Perfectionism in Gifted Children and Adolescents. In M. Neihart, S. M. Reis, N. M. Robinson, & S. M. Moon (Eds.). The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children (pp. 71-79). Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press, Inc.

Fits perfectly. You all are whining like children, apparently gifted children.

Them cashing your check and then immediately rejecting you is not unfair. You did not have the stats to pass their cut-offs. Schools charge applicants for the luxury of submitting secondaries. You applied. They charged you. I don't see the issue.


Rolling admissions is nothing new. I am sure most of the schools you applied to for undergrad did something like this. Bad things happen, sometimes during the application cycle. Letters don't arrive on time, transcripts get lost in the mail, or you take the MCAT late. These are all your responsibility. You can fix them or prepare for shi!ty things happening. Extra letters, calling to see if the transcripts are there, taking the MCAT early. All in your control if you take the initiative.

Finally, you don't run the game. If you don't like the rules, tough. Don't play by the rules, you wont get in. Whining won't help you either.
 
Those are both excellent examples of what could delay an application ...
:rolleyes:
This is all somwhat pointless to debate in hindsight; instead let's look at it as a learning experience for future applicants:

Get your LOR requests in NOW, and have them straightened out by summer (as you or your professors may be away from campus).
Apply early, as in August, for your best chance and to be considered highest priority by schools - you have been warned...
Yes.
 
Regardless of when one applies, I find it somewhat dishonest when a rejection letter is dated one day after the secondary app check clears.

I've been rejected before the check cleared before.

I agree with psi as usual (and I think that it might be her real photo in my avatar). :love:
 
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