not so sure i understand waitlists

[sylvamoon]

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if a waitlist starts for a school, does that always mean they are out of spots, or is it that they are not so sure about accepting you? i'm asking because if you are applying late, can you get an acceptance while someone else is getting waitlisted, or will you definitely not get an acceptance until the waitlist moves?

 

[CarlosMielefan]

if a waitlist starts for a school, does that always mean they are out of spots, or is it that they are not so sure about accepting you? i'm asking because if you are applying late, can you get an acceptance while someone else is getting waitlisted, or will you definitely not get an acceptance until the waitlist moves?

This is a very good question. I'd be interested to know what people feel about this. My feeling is that you can still get an acceptance. I'm sure they leave open a few spots for great applicants who may come along.

 

[Jason110]

if a waitlist starts for a school, does that always mean they are out of spots, or is it that they are not so sure about accepting you? i'm asking because if you are applying late, can you get an acceptance while someone else is getting waitlisted, or will you definitely not get an acceptance until the waitlist moves?

there are as many procedures for waitlists as there medical schools. Without naming a school in particular I can't help you too much.

At some schools, an acceptance off the waitlist can't come until all other acceptances have been exhausted. At others, however, waitlists are "fluid" with the interview pool and are reassessed everytime new applicant come along. So it really depends.

 

[acidhouse303]

it doesnt necessarily mean they are out of spots. it depends on the school. some places take 1/4-1/2 of their ppl from the wait list! they just want to make sure theyre building the best class possible and dont give out too many spots but also make sure they have a full class (at least that is the schpiel i have been given while interviewing) i def think its not a bad thing and there are things u can do to get yourself up higher on the list but i am curious as to the opinions of others on this matter as well

 

[sunUCB]

when people get waitlisted early, the school is not out of spots, but they simply want to keep you around because they are not sure about accepting you. sometimes a school will fill up their acceptances by march (maybe even before) and say you interview at that school in april, you're basically "interviewing for the waitlist" meaning you either get waitlisted or rejected.....this isn't every school, it's just that some schools with rolling admissions simply have no more seats that late in the game.

BUT - that doesn't mean you're screwed -some people will choose another school, and seats will open up, that's why waitlists tend to start moving in April and especially after May 15th, when students have to choose where they're going.

if a waitlist starts for a school, does that always mean they are out of spots, or is it that they are not so sure about accepting you? i'm asking because if you are applying late, can you get an acceptance while someone else is getting waitlisted, or will you definitely not get an acceptance until the waitlist moves?

 

[Wiggy73]

Usually a waitlist means they like you just enough to not reject you but not so much to accept you right away. Some schools - I know Baylor for certain - tell you that there are still immediate acceptances left on the last day of interviews, so you could interview in March and get in right then, while other people were waitlisted in October. However, at some other schools they give so many acceptances early that if you interview really late, you're interviewing for your rank on the waitlist because they can't offer more acceptances until some people decline them. I doubt this is a problem yet - it's only December! I think there may be some places that take people off the waitlist during the year, but from what I've seen the majority do not go to their waitlists until May 15, when everyone has to withdraw from all but one school where they have an acceptance. Hope that helps!

Edit: Yeah, what they said, only in more words. 🙄

 

[sylvamoon]

All of these answers really help. I guess it depends on the school but in general, it doesnt mean you are screwed if you apply late. I just got scared because of all the people on this board talking about how they had been waitlisted when I am still waiting on interviews.

 

[AWhitehair]

Impressive stats Wiggy73! You go girl!

 

[Wiggy73]

Aw, thanks!