Painful rejection, only 2 interviews, please advise

[Rhino2000]

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I have done two interviews with Med School A (MSA) and Med School B. I think the interviews went okay. It is January 22nd, so I am unlikely to get more interview invites.

I just got rejected from Med School C. It was a very painful rejection. It was a pre-interview rejection. MSC is the single med school that I thought I was most likely to be accepted to. I'm absolutely not saying it was a "safety school", I know there is no such thing, I know that over half of applicants get rejected everywhere. But I had a letter-from-faculty at Med School C, they have lower median MCAT and GPA than MSA or MSB, and I thought I fit the mission really well. Also, I really liked Med School C. I wanted to go there.

I feel like 2 interviews is not enough and I am not in a safe position. MSA and MSB both accept about 25% of the people who complete interviews, according to US News. That gives me a 45% chance of being accepted to one or both, and a 55% chance of being rejected everywhere.

Should I send an update letter to every school that has neither rejected me nor given me an interview?

Should I maintain a positive attitude of optimism?

Should I maintain a pessimistic but nonetheless positive attitude? Should I accept the fact that I have likely struck out this cycle, but I will strengthen my application and try again and tomorrow is another day?

Should I avoid thinking about med school for one or two months until the final decisions roll in?

Is it possible to cushion the blow of rejection by being pessimistic-realistic in the preceding month? Or does rejection always hurt the same?

I would love advice from people who have gone through the process in prior cycles of being rejected everywhere.

I am absolutely applying a second time if I get rejected everywhere, I know things I can do to strengthen my application, and I will add DO schools. This is not the end, my dream is too strong, this is at worst a delay.

 

[BurghStudent]

I have done two interviews with Med School A (MSA) and Med School B. I think the interviews went okay. It is January 22nd, so I am unlikely to get more interview invites.

I just got rejected from Med School C. It was a very painful rejection. It was a pre-interview rejection. MSC is the single med school that I thought I was most likely to be accepted to. I'm absolutely not saying it was a "safety school", I know there is no such thing, I know that over half of applicants get rejected everywhere. But I had a letter-from-faculty at Med School C, they have lower median MCAT and GPA than MSA or MSB, and I thought I fit the mission really well. Also, I really liked Med School C. I wanted to go there.

I feel like 2 interviews is not enough and I am not in a safe position. MSA and MSB both accept about 25% of the people who complete interviews, according to US News. That gives me a 45% chance of being accepted to one or both, and a 55% chance of being rejected everywhere.

Should I send an update letter to every school that has neither rejected me nor given me an interview?

Should I maintain a positive attitude of optimism?

Should I maintain a pessimistic but nonetheless positive attitude? Should I accept the fact that I have likely struck out this cycle, but I will strengthen my application and try again and tomorrow is another day?

Should I avoid thinking about med school for one or two months until the final decisions roll in?

Is it possible to cushion the blow of rejection by being pessimistic-realistic in the preceding month? Or does rejection always hurt the same?

I would love advice from people who have gone through the process in prior cycles of being rejected everywhere.

I am absolutely applying a second time if I get rejected everywhere, I know things I can do to strengthen my application, and I will add DO schools. This is not the end, my dream is too strong, this is at worst a delay.

Rejection always hurts. It's natural.

Do you have anything of substance to update schools about? It's usually not the actual update that matters, but the fact that it gives you a chance to personally reach out to schools again and remind them you are interested. If you do have something substantive, I suggest you send a well-worded update letter to all schools for which you are still in the running.

What do you think were your weaknesses this cycle? If you do get rejected, many of these deficiencies can be rectified with the proper approach.

 

[RogueBanana]

The rejections stop hurting so much after a while. It helps if you remember that there is no rhyme or reason to this process. You could be a perfect applicant and the school may reject you anyway.

It isn't your fault if you are rejected and it says nothing about your character or your ability to be a great doctor.

US MD is one of, if not THE most competitive selection processes in the world. Each individual seat in an MD class has at least 200 applicants competing for it.

The fact you have 2 interviews is impressive and I believe you will get in somewhere. Plus, it's still possible you will get an II this month ( I got one at UVM last week)

Be cautiously optimistic, not pessimistic. You are doing well. You will be okay.

-Banana

 

[Goro]

Unless you have a publication or a semester's worth of A's, no update is going to help.
Should I send an update letter to every school that has neither rejected me nor given me an interview?

Yes. But you need to remember that this process isn't about you. It's about what the schools want.
Should I maintain a positive attitude of optimism?

One needs to be realistic in this process and always have a Plan B.
Should I maintain a pessimistic but nonetheless positive attitude? Should I accept the fact that I have likely struck out this cycle, but I will strengthen my application and try again and tomorrow is another day?

You should be thinking about how to improve your app in the worst case scenario.
Should I avoid thinking about med school for one or two months until the final decisions roll in?

Age and wisdom does a better job at that. BTW, I don't like getting papers or grants rejected myself, especially when reviewer's comments make you wonder if they actually were reading what I wrote.
Is it possible to cushion the blow of rejection by being pessimistic-realistic in the preceding month?

 

[787593]

Rejection always hurts. It's natural.

Do you have anything of substance to update schools about? It's usually not the actual update that matters, but the fact that it gives you a chance to personally reach out to schools again and remind them you are interested. If you do have something substantive, I suggest you send a well-worded update letter to all schools for which you are still in the running.

What do you think were your weaknesses this cycle? If you do get rejected, many of these deficiencies can be rectified with the proper approach.

Sorry about the Steelers... my Packers didn't do much for me yesterday

 

[JB50]

Sorry about the Steelers... my Packers didn't do much for me yesterday

Died

 

[Gurkhali]

The rejections stop hurting so much after a while. It helps if you remember that there is no rhyme or reason to this process. You could be a perfect applicant and the school may reject you anyway.

It isn't your fault if you are rejected and it says nothing about your character or your ability to be a great doctor.

US MD is one of, if not THE most competitive selection processes in the world. Each individual seat in an MD class has at least 200 applicants competing for it.

The fact you have 2 interviews is impressive and I believe you will get in somewhere. Plus, it's still possible you will get an II this month ( I got one at UVM last week)

Be cautiously optimistic, not pessimistic. You are doing well. You will be okay.

-Banana

I love you banana boy. Enrich my life with potassium please

 

[Weirdy]

Age and wisdom does a better job at that. BTW, I don't like getting papers or grants rejected myself, especially when reviewer's comments make you wonder if they actually were reading what I wrote.
Is it possible to cushion the blow of rejection by being pessimistic-realistic in the preceding month?

As my statistics professor once quoted- "No money, no honey."

 

[BurghStudent]

Sorry about the Steelers... my Packers didn't do much for me yesterday

Thanks. I stopped watching after a little while. Pats were tearing up our defense. A lacrosse player, smh.

Would have loved a Steelers-Packers rematch.

 

[RogueBanana]

I love you banana boy. Enrich my life with potassium please

May your ions always be positive and your banana's un-bruised.

Enrich my life with an acceptance for more potassium.

 

[787593]

Thanks. I stopped watching after a little while. Pats were tearing up our defense. A lacrosse player, smh.

Would have loved a Steelers-Packers rematch.

Same here man haha

 

[mimelim]

The rejections stop hurting so much after a while. It helps if you remember that there is no rhyme or reason to this process. You could be a perfect applicant and the school may reject you anyway.

It isn't your fault if you are rejected and it says nothing about your character or your ability to be a great doctor.

US MD is one of, if not THE most competitive selection processes in the world. Each individual seat in an MD class has at least 200 applicants competing for it.

The fact you have 2 interviews is impressive and I believe you will get in somewhere. Plus, it's still possible you will get an II this month ( I got one at UVM last week)

Be cautiously optimistic, not pessimistic. You are doing well. You will be okay.

-Banana

#1 There is rhyme and reason to medical school applications. Just because YOU don't understand the process or how the outcomes happen does not mean that it is random. This applies to everything, not just admissions. Most of us on the other side of the fence see this process as fairly predictable. Certainly not fool proof and not perfect, but predictable.

#2 Perfect applicants get into medical school. Not all 3.9+/40+ are perfect applicants. Not even a 3.9+/40+ with a good application on paper is perfect. If you can't appreciate this, you don't know what a perfect applicant is.

#3 Not getting into medical school can be blamed on a great many things depending on the applicant, but first and foremost on any list is what the applicant offered in their application which for the most part is controlled by the applicant.

#4 US MD is not the most competitive selection process in the world. Even if such a thing could be quantified, just on face value, it is not. You clearly are not familiar with education systems in other parts of the world.

 

[samsam66]

damn....that's deep man

 

[RogueBanana]

#1 There is rhyme and reason to medical school applications. Just because YOU don't understand the process or how the outcomes happen does not mean that it is random. This applies to everything, not just admissions. Most of us on the other side of the fence see this process as fairly predictable. Certainly not fool proof and not perfect, but predictable.

#2 Perfect applicants get into medical school. Not all 3.9+/40+ are perfect applicants. Not even a 3.9+/40+ with a good application on paper is perfect. If you can't appreciate this, you don't know what a perfect applicant is.

#3 Not getting into medical school can be blamed on a great many things depending on the applicant, but first and foremost on any list is what the applicant offered in their application which for the most part is controlled by the applicant.

#4 US MD is not the most competitive selection process in the world. Even if such a thing could be quantified, just on face value, it is not. You clearly are not familiar with education systems in other parts of the world.

 

[altblue]

#1 There is rhyme and reason to medical school applications. Just because YOU don't understand the process or how the outcomes happen does not mean that it is random. This applies to everything, not just admissions. Most of us on the other side of the fence see this process as fairly predictable. Certainly not fool proof and not perfect, but predictable.

#2 Perfect applicants get into medical school. Not all 3.9+/40+ are perfect applicants. Not even a 3.9+/40+ with a good application on paper is perfect. If you can't appreciate this, you don't know what a perfect applicant is.

#3 Not getting into medical school can be blamed on a great many things depending on the applicant, but first and foremost on any list is what the applicant offered in their application which for the most part is controlled by the applicant.

#4 US MD is not the most competitive selection process in the world. Even if such a thing could be quantified, just on face value, it is not. You clearly are not familiar with education systems in other parts of the world.

Out of curiosity, what might some of these processes be?

 

[mimelim]

Out of curiosity, what might some of these processes be?

Japan and India stick out in my mind. Japan, the systems are very numbers/exam driven and it creates a system where people will spend years studying/preparing for entrance exams for university. India, shear number of applicants for a very small set of spots.

 

[FindersFee5]

Japan and India stick out in my mind. Japan, the systems are very numbers/exam driven and it creates a system where people will spend years studying/preparing for entrance exams for university. India, shear number of applicants for a very small set of spots.

Professorial positions at top universities too. GF is a professor at Yale- apparently she was one of about 550 applicants (WELL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS) that applied for this job. Similar numbers for just about any Ivy League faculty position.

 

[chrisjh]

Sorry about the Steelers... my Packers didn't do much for me yesterday

Packers defense yesterday:

 

[Lawpy]

#1 There is rhyme and reason to medical school applications. Just because YOU don't understand the process or how the outcomes happen does not mean that it is random. This applies to everything, not just admissions. Most of us on the other side of the fence see this process as fairly predictable. Certainly not fool proof and not perfect, but predictable.

#2 Perfect applicants get into medical school. Not all 3.9+/40+ are perfect applicants. Not even a 3.9+/40+ with a good application on paper is perfect. If you can't appreciate this, you don't know what a perfect applicant is.

#3 Not getting into medical school can be blamed on a great many things depending on the applicant, but first and foremost on any list is what the applicant offered in their application which for the most part is controlled by the applicant.

#4 US MD is not the most competitive selection process in the world. Even if such a thing could be quantified, just on face value, it is not. You clearly are not familiar with education systems in other parts of the world.

just need some clarification since i'm probably misreading something but...

The rejections stop hurting so much after a while. It helps if you remember that there is no rhyme or reason to this process. You could be a perfect applicant and the school may reject you anyway.

RogueBanana was talking about a randomness of a school's decision to accept/reject an applicant. isn't this true? the admissions criteria of one school are different from another, so it's possible to get into one school and get rejected by a peer school (perhaps due to school-specific variations of "fit" and related factors). i think your point applies to general trends of medical school admissions and not the subjectivity involved for a specific school?

 

[RogueBanana]

just need some clarification since i'm probably misreading something but...



RogueBanana was talking about a randomness of a school's decision to accept/reject an applicant. isn't this true? the admissions criteria of one school are different from another, so it's possible to get into one school and get rejected by a peer school (perhaps due to school-specific variations of "fit" and related factors). i think your point applies to general trends of medical school admissions and not the subjectivity involved for a specific school?

+1

Just trying to comfort a fellow pre-med

 

[Lawpy]

+1

Just trying to comfort a fellow pre-med

i'm feeling pretty uneasy when i read this

Most of us on the other side of the fence see this process as fairly predictable.

i mean yeah, people who work in admissions will find admissions is a reasonable and predictable process. that's the advantage to having additional information that's unavailable for applicants. it seems the only way** to understand medical school admissions completely and thoroughly is to get accepted into medical school and work in medical school admissions whenever possible. and see the process for yourself.

** yes i'm aware PhD medical school faculty who never went to medical school can serve as adcoms. the point still stands.

 

[mimelim]

just need some clarification since i'm probably misreading something but...



RogueBanana was talking about a randomness of a school's decision to accept/reject an applicant. isn't this true? the admissions criteria of one school are different from another, so it's possible to get into one school and get rejected by a peer school (perhaps due to school-specific variations of "fit" and related factors). i think your point applies to general trends of medical school admissions and not the subjectivity involved for a specific school?

What you described is not randomness or "no rhyme or reason". You just explained and fit a model as to why certain people are more likely to get into one school over another.

Admissions committees are made up of people. Therefore it is never going to be perfectly consistent. Every admissions committee member is going to have their own likes/dislikes and theories about who their ideal applicant is. Additionally, each committee itself will have it's own feel/specifics. However, the overarching ethos is the same. It is also why the vast majority of people apply to many schools, not just one. I reject flat out that "there is no rhyme or reason to this process" or that it is random at a process level or at an individual school level. There is variability for sure. Who reads your application, who interviews you, how they are feeling that particular day, what the weather is like, etc etc. But, variability is not the same as random. I would also argue that while every school is different in this context, the variability is quite small, small enough that yes, things are relatively predictable.