puzzled by waitlist

[singularity2012]

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Hey guys, I'm a little confused about the whole waitlist process, so I was hoping that one or two of you could provide me with some insight.

First of all, in general are waitlists formulated for applicants based on their acceptance status? I.e., since all med schools can see where you were accepted in March, do they usually rank those who haven't been accepted anywhere near the top of the list? That would make more sense since these folks would likely to attend the school. Of course, I know that it's based on important factors such as your application, interview, etc., but I have never thought about this particular aspect before.

I have one acceptance and a few other schools that I am still waiting to hear from (rejected, accepted, or waitlisted). But let's say May 15 arrives, and I get waitlisted at all of these schools, and have been on no other interviews. And suppose my top choice school is one where I'm waitlisted. Since we are allowed to hold only one acceptance after May 15, would I need to withdraw from all of these schools in May and just plan on attending the one institution to which I have been accepted? Or can I hold on to the waitlists as well? Therefore, if accepted to my top choice in the summer, then I would withdraw from the other acceptance. I'm assuming that this means I'll lose my deposit, but oh well.

 

[efitzpat]

From what I understand, you can stay on waitlists forever. If you get off your top choice waitlist, you can withdraw from the school you are accepted at. However, once you attend an orientation, you are locked in.

That is what the admissions guy at one of my interviews said, but I have no idea.

 

[iA-MD2013]

On May 15, you have to hold onto one acceptance. You can stay on all the waitlists you want.

 

[silverlining1]

From what I understand, you can stay on waitlists forever. If you get off your top choice waitlist, you can withdraw from the school you are accepted at. However, once you attend an orientation, you are locked in.

That is what the admissions guy at one of my interviews said, but I have no idea.

Yup, you are correct. By May 15 you may only hold one acceptance, but you may still hold as many waitlists as you like.

EDIT: LoL, berken, beat me by less than a minute.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Everyone has covered the holding onto waitlist thing pretty well. One thing to consider is if you get off a waitlist late you often lose deposits. Obviously not a deciding factor, but plan for it and know what deposits are and aren't refundable so you're not expecting 1000 back when you're not getting it.

As far as how the waitlists work - I seriously doubt schools take acceptances into account. They may take apparent interest into account. But just because someone has other acceptances doesn't mean they wouldn't attend that school. Every school does their waitlist differently and its pretty hard to predict.

Good luck.

 

[AlbaMD]

First of all, in general are waitlists formulated for applicants based on their acceptance status? I.e., since all med schools can see where you were accepted in March, do they usually rank those who haven't been accepted anywhere near the top of the list? That would make more sense since these folks would likely to attend the school. Of course, I know that it's based on important factors such as your application, interview, etc., but I have never thought about this particular aspect before.

Schools don't care where else you have been accepted. They rank you on the waitlist based on how well you fit what they are looking for in a matriculant. It's not like they have to fight to secure enough people for the spots they have - if they rank you high on the list and you decline it's not like they do not have dozen other waitlisted applicants lining up for that spot. Plus, just because applicants already have admission offers from other school(s) does not mean that they will not drop their acceptances in a second as soon as they get the acceptance call from the place they really want (just like OP is planning to do).
Basically, schools are definitely not as desperate to secure a matriculat for an open spot as the applicants are to secure a spot in a medical school

 

[jelly476]

hey so schools wont see where you are accepted until after May 15th, not March. After may 15th, you can hold one acceptance and if you get off the waitlists at other schools after that, you have to make a decision within a reasonable amount of time (id say one week) and inform each school involved of your decision. I did that. I had an acceptance to Wayne which is where I was going to go and then in June I got off the waitlist at NYU and just called wayne up after confirming with NYU, and told them i thought NYU was a better fit for me and thanked them for their consideration. Easy process.

If you are waitlisted, each school is different and will rank each person or might go through the applicants everytime a spot opens and chose someone after conferring each and every time! Its all different. Some schools will tell you where you are, most wont but make sure you confirm this. Also stay in contact with schools you are waitlisted at, updating them on things you are doing, and writing letters expressing your interest in the school or your intent to attend if accepted off the waitlist. Plenty of people have gotten in right after writing these letters so dont lose hope.

 

[alwaysaangel]

hey so schools wont see where you are accepted until after May 15th, not March.

Actually for whatever reason schools get to see where you've been accepted in March. It just doesn't matter until May 15th.

But actually, now that I think about it - To the OP - I don't think schools that have waitlisted you can see where you've been accepted anyway. Only schools that have accepted you can see that.

 

[singularity2012]

Thanks for all the informative responses! SDN is truly a blessing...as well as a curse!

 

[Vihsadas]

Just to consolidate what everyone has said and make sure everyone understands these two extremely important points:

1) You can hold only one acceptance by May 15th, but you are free to hold onto as many waitlists as you like.

2) Once you attend an orientation session you are locked in to that school. As in, if another schools finds out you attended the orientation they will rescind their offer of acceptance. <==This was told to me by the Dean of Admissions at the University of Cincinnati.