question regarding waitlist?

[yoyohomieg5432]

So I was recently waitlisted at a school I'd really like to attend. I've heard that people can get off the wait list even into may. How does that work? I just read about somebody last year who got out of the wait list on May 16th, but don't you need to decide what medical school you're going to on the deadline of May 15th? How can you ge accepted into a school after the deadline where you have to pick the school you attend?

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[justAstudent]

I believe the date you are referring to is the last day for students with multiple acceptances to different schools to decide which school they will attend.

 

[yoyohomieg5432]

I believe the date you are referring to is the last day for students with multiple acceptances to different schools to decide which school they will attend.

Ok, so what if I do have multiple acceptances and a wait list? On May 15I declare the school of those who accepted me, but can I then also get accepted from a school that wait listed me after may 15 and then pick that school instead?

 

[Stoptheclot]

On May 15th, you declare acceptance at ONE medical school. However, you can stay on as many waitlists as your heart's desire. That way, you CAN receive additional acceptances AFTER May 15th, but you are given a deadline to accept the offer. This is typically the scenario if you have an acceptance to a #2 choice school but are waitlisted at your #1 choice before May 15th. This allows you to hold the spot in #2 while still having a chance to be accepted into #1.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

If you get into the waitlist school after May 15th, you can choose to drop your acceptance from the other school to attend the wait list school. However, you probably will not get your deposit back from the other school.

 

[NickNaylor]

A not insignificant number of people wait until May 15th to make their decision, so slots inevitably free up at some schools. This is how you can still be accepted. Others explained the "traffic" rules correctly - basically you can only hold one acceptance after May 15th, but you can remain on waitlists if you'd like to try and get an acceptance at one of those schools. Just bear in mind that schools will typically request a quick turn around on your decision (some a few days, others 2 weeks) because they have limited time to fill the slot in the event you decline it. This pressure might take someone off guard if they weren't expecting it.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I'm curious as to why a lot of people wait until May 15th to make a decision. Is it because they're waiting for financial aid? a better offer? etc.?

A not insignificant number of people wait until May 15th to make their decision, so slots inevitably free up at some schools. This is how you can still be accepted. Others explained the "traffic" rules correctly - basically you can only hold one acceptance after May 15th, but you can remain on waitlists if you'd like to try and get an acceptance at one of those schools. Just bear in mind that schools will typically request a quick turn around on your decision (some a few days, others 2 weeks) because they have limited time to fill the slot in the event you decline it. This pressure might take someone off guard if they weren't expecting it.

 

[NickNaylor]

I'm curious as to why a lot of people wait until May 15th to make a decision. Is it because they're waiting for financial aid? a better offer? etc.?

Probably things like that in some cases. But I think there are some people for whom it really is a tough decision. They might be trying to balance family obligations (e.g., going to a school close to home) vs. career aspirations (e.g., their dream school across the country), whether to follow their significant other or not, and a bunch of other stuff. I tend to be more of the "just make a decision" type of person, but not everyone is that way. They have the deadline because there are likely people who would wait until the week before matriculation to make a decision, screwing over schools. It's just how some people operate.

 

[lalalapartay012]

I wish the deadline were set earlier... like end of April perhaps... most schools have finished interviewing by then, I think.

 

[gyngyn]

Probably things like that in some cases. But I think there are some people for whom it really is a tough decision. They might be trying to balance family obligations (e.g., going to a school close to home) vs. career aspirations (e.g., their dream school across the country), whether to follow their significant other or not, and a bunch of other stuff. I tend to be more of the "just make a decision" type of person, but not everyone is that way. They have the deadline because there are likely people who would wait until the week before matriculation to make a decision, screwing over schools. It's just how some people operate.

I have an accepted student holding at 16 schools.

 

[Great White Buffalo]

I have an accepted student holding at 16 schools.

And how do you feel about that?? Seems like a bit much to me, you should be able to whittle out some of them.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I have an accepted student holding at 16 schools.

That is ridiculous.

 

[gyngyn]

And how do you feel about that?? Seems like a bit much to me, you should be able to whittle out some of them.

It unnecessarily clogs the system and crunches the end of the cycle for the waitlisted candidates. Sadly, until May 15th she has the right to hold them all.

 

[LizzyM]

Also keep in mind that there ends up being a leap frog effect. Applicant A gets off the Waitlist at school #1 on May 16th and drops an accepted offer from School #2. Now School #2 has an opening and makes an offer to Waitlisted Applicant B. However, B decides to drop an accepted offer at School #1 (or School #3) setting things in motion again.

 

[LizzyM]

Do schools wait until may 15th to start pulling from waitlists?

Schools pull from the waitlist when the number of accepted offers plus number of offers still on the table is less than the number of available seats. Some schools will not know where they stand on enrollment until several hundred applicants decline the offers of admission because they make far more offers than they have seats anticipating that many applicants will have multiple offers and will choose to go elsewhere. Given the procrastination that takes place at this time of year, many schools don't know where they stand until May 15.

 

[terp720]

Do schools wait until may 15th to start pulling from waitlists?

also, if you look at the Panic thread and waitlist support group thread (as well as the SSD threads), you'll see some people have started getting in off WLs, although not the significant movement that will probably happen after May 15th.

 

[manofmen]

do you know how soon after the 15th schools start taking waitlist students? would it be within a week or two for the majority of cases, or is the distribution fairly uniform through may, june, and july?

 

[LizzyM]

do you know how soon after the 15th schools start taking waitlist students? would it be within a week or two for the majority of cases, or is the distribution fairly uniform through may, june, and july?

The dust settles on May 15th and a school should know by the 16th how many slots it has unfilled. Offers to fill those slots would be expected to go out immediately (within a few days) as schools attempt to lock in the class. Leap frog openings (see post 14 in this thread) can happen sporadically throughout the summer as people drop out due to a change in plans.

 

[aspirantmed]

So for the most part, would you say that for most schools, the entering class is generally 'set' by around the beginning of June, save for exceptions here and there?

 

[HopesandDreams]

It will take a while for the cascade or domino effect that LizzyM described previously to work its way down. So if you are trying to get that final date when the wait will all be over, not to be cruel but, it may be a long, hot summer. While it will taper off by the end of june, there will be more than a trickle after that date.

As I have said, I have had students get off the waitlist literally days before the orientation starts, though that is that very uncommon

Ugh there is nothing worse than having to undertake the expensive time consuming process of re-application, while waiting for the waitlists to play themselves out. AAMC should either move the traffic day up from May 15th or the first day to submit apps back or both. Let the dust settle before asking us to throw down more cash and time for next years app. Just think, that one student alone is sitting on 15 spots that will eventually trickle down to the waitlisted students.

 

[bpoole9925]

Anybody every heard of the Dean actually picking applicants off of the wait list? Saw this in another thread and was just wondering.

If this is true is it the Dean of the school or Dean of Admissions?

Thanks

 

[gyngyn]

Anybody every heard of the Dean actually picking applicants off of the wait list? Saw this in another thread and was just wondering.

If this is true is it the Dean of the school or Dean of Admissions?

Thanks

They are probably referring to the Dean of Admissions who executes the will of the committee. The Dean cannot make independent decisions regarding admission.
This is standard 10.2 of the LCME:

10.2 Final Authority of Admission Committee
The final responsibility for accepting students to a medical school rests with a formally constituted admission committee. The authority and composition of the committee and the rules for its operation, including voting privileges and the definition of a quorum, are specified in bylaws or other medical school policies. Faculty members constitute the majority of voting members at all meetings. The selection of individual medical students for admission is not influenced by any political or financial factors.

 

[Goro]

Anybody every heard of the Dean actually picking applicants off of the wait list? Saw this in another thread and was just wondering.

If this is true is it the Dean of the school or Dean of Admissions?

Thanks

At do schools, actual Dean's have more latitude and can pick people off of the waitlist. This is much to the Chagrin of the faculty

 

[21Rush12]

Working on a 4 year necro-thread here...