Put on the "Alternate Selection" List...

[Mace1370]

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I received a mail today from USUHS "congratulating" me for getting on their "alternate selection" list. At first I thought this was just fancy/diplomatic speak for "waitlist", but I was wrong. According to the letter the alternate selection list is different from the waitlist. According to their handout I received at the interview:

"If you receive an alternate list letter, the Admissions Committee has determined that you are capable of success in medical school, but has identified some weak area of your application. However, you may still be offered a position in the first-year class, if the entire wait list has been exhuasted."

So, basically I was put on the waitlist to get on the waitlist... or something. Do other schools do this, or just USUHS? I've never heard of it before. Do I even have a shot at still getting in? I mean, is it even possible for a school to completely exhaust their waitlist?

Is it worth writing them a LOI?

 

[pedro4199]

That letter sounds more insulting than congratulatory...

 

[Mace1370]

That letter sounds more insulting than congratulatory...

What is quoted isn't from the letter, it was from a handout. The letter just said, "Congratulations for getting on the alternate selection list. This list is different from the wait list, so please see the blue handout you got at the interview for more details".

So I'm not sure if I would call it insulting, but it certainly isn't good news. I mean, why not just me at the bottom of the waitlist?

 

[Phoenix.]

If it were me, I'd contact them to see if there's any way to find out what they thought the weakness was in my app, and then see if there's anything to do to strengthen it in the next few months (and send an update accordingly). I.e., if it's not enough clinical hours or something similar, perhaps you could supplement.... Good luck!

 

[Dr_Dan_the_man]

If it were me, I'd contact them to see if there's any way to find out what they thought the weakness was in my app, and then see if there's anything to do to strengthen it in the next few months (and send an update accordingly). I.e., if it's not enough clinical hours or something similar, perhaps you could supplement.... Good luck!

I agree you should find out what the weak point of your app was but dont think you will have a shot at changing their mind for this year.

 

[Phoenix.]

I agree you should find out what the weak point of your app was but dont think you will have a shot at changing their mind for this year.

Yeah, probably not. But I'd still try....