Question Regarding an Appeal

[madi]

I have decided to appeal a rejection I recently received from one of my top-choice schools after I decided that some significant information was missing from my initial application. I realize that this has next to no chance of success, but damnit I don't care.

The question I'm hoping to get some significant feedback on is this: is it relevant or appropriate to mention that a significant other who may likely one day be a husband is a current student at the school of interest? I have heard that some schools will take such information into consideration when considering an application, but being as the two of us are not currently "formally" committed (no rings yet) is this appropriate to mention?

Any thoughts you have to share would be appreciated. Thanks!

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[chandelantern]

I have decided to appeal a rejection I recently received from one of my top-choice schools after I decided that some significant information was missing from my initial application. I realize that this has next to no chance of success, but damnit I don't care.

The question I'm hoping to get some significant feedback on is this: is it relevant or appropriate to mention that a significant other who may likely one day be a husband is a current student at the school of interest? I have heard that some schools will take such information into consideration when considering an application, but being as the two of us are not currently "formally" committed (no rings yet) is this appropriate to mention?

Any thoughts you have to share would be appreciated. Thanks!

If you decide to mention your significant other make sure that you also remind them of the other reasons why you like their school too. Also, you don't need rings to be engaged, talk about it with your so and if you're both OK with it, tell the school you are engaged (you can choose whether or not you make this public with your family and friends.) People break engagements all the time, but they are a more serious committment in the eyes of the adcom. Just my two cents.

 

[Law2Doc]

I have decided to appeal a rejection I recently received from one of my top-choice schools after I decided that some significant information was missing from my initial application. I realize that this has next to no chance of success, but damnit I don't care.

The question I'm hoping to get some significant feedback on is this: is it relevant or appropriate to mention that a significant other who may likely one day be a husband is a current student at the school of interest? I have heard that some schools will take such information into consideration when considering an application, but being as the two of us are not currently "formally" committed (no rings yet) is this appropriate to mention?

Any thoughts you have to share would be appreciated. Thanks!

Unless this significant other has actually popped the question and put a ring on your finger, I think it would absolutely not be appropriate to mention. Schools make accomodations for married couples, and perhaps sometimes for engaged couples, but certainly won't try to accomodate your social dating life. (And for good reason, as med school tends to break up an awful lot of couples, especially those who have not made firm formal committments to each other.)

 

[madonna]

tell them you'll be married by the time school starts. if you are serious about your bf and like the school, why not do your best to get in. but if do get in please go
good luk

 

[Mutt]

Get pregnant and send them the genetic testing results with your bf's name at the top - that should get you some sympathy.

 

[Saluki]

If you're that serious, get engaged and then write the letter. If you're committed to one another, then you should be serious enough to become formally engaged if it means having a better chance of ending up at the same school. If not, then I don't think you're serious enough about one another to merit the adcoms consideration. However, I'm not sure even if you're formally engaged that the adcoms will care...

 

[nimotsu]

There is always next year to apply.. you don't want to get on their blacklist. Your SO mention is irrelevant. I would accept your fate and try again next cycle with a clean record (i.e. no whiny appeal)

 

[madi]

(i.e. no whiny appeal)

?

Whiny appeal? Like I said, there are significant pieces of information regarding my application that I feel should be conveyed (that perhaps I should have explained the first time...but regardless....) and I feel that it might provide a better perspective on the one sore spot in my application if an appeal were to be made.

My question about whether to mention my signficant other was merely an after-thought when writing my appeal letter. Since we have been together for two years and are currently living together (and he is pursuing post-graduate studies at the school of interest) I thought it might be worth a mention. I do thank those of you that have given your advice on the subject. However, I would never consider getting engaged just to get into medical school.

Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[lobster M.D.]

i got rejected by UCSF presecondary earlier this cycle, i sent in an appeal letter with no new information, i just stated that i felt i was a strong applicant, had close ties to the Bay Area (grew up there), and that i would match well with the university. short and to the point. anyways, i got a secondary a few weeks after i sent in the appeal. perhaps all in pity, they are probably thrilled to have another $100, but shows that it can get you re-evaluated. i say go for it.

 

[madi]

Thanks, lobster M.D.!

It's nice to have some encouragement : )

Good-luck with UCSF!

 

[Law2Doc]

i got rejected by UCSF presecondary earlier this cycle, i sent in an appeal letter with no new information, i just stated that i felt i was a strong applicant, had close ties to the Bay Area (grew up there), and that i would match well with the university. short and to the point. anyways, i got a secondary a few weeks after i sent in the appeal. perhaps all in pity, they are probably thrilled to have another $100, but shows that it can get you re-evaluated. i say go for it.

I suspect for policy reasons schools don't want to reconsider every applicant they reject. Thus they may take your $100, but I'd be surprised if unless there were real unusual circumstances, or a major wrong was done in the process, you get more than a token glance. To do otherwise would encourage everybody to appeal, and the process would grind to a halt (with the wealthiest applicants having an additional advantage in the process). The more fruitful route is usually to try to schedule a meeting with someone in admissions about how to strengthen your application for the subsequent year.