ReApp while waitlisted?

[Suenya]

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I'm currently waitlisted at Penn State, after getting rejections from everywhere else I applied.

I want to reapply early, like June 1st. I'm still holding out hope of getting in off the waitlist, though. Is there any way I can get my AMCAS verified early without spending the (not inconsiderable) money to apply to 30 or 40 schools in the off chance I get in off the waitlist?

 

[dragonfly99]

I'm pretty sure you could submit your AMCAS, and just apply to one or two schools at first, then could add more a few weeks later, if you don't get into Penn. Hopefully someone who has applied more recently than I have will reply to this thread, b/c I'm not sure.

A word of warning: don't assume that you'll get off the wait list this year. Especially if you don't get off by June, I think the chances of getting off of it are low. If you want to be sure, you could phone the adcom and try to find out what the chances are...if there are 50 people on the wait list and only one or two are going to get off, that isn't good odds. Being on the wait list does show that the school was interested in you, though, so you should definitely reapply there for the next year.

 

[Suenya]

Thank you, I'll look into that option (which sounds perfect).

I'm not expecting to get off the waitlist at all. I am expecting to have to go through everything again this year, but I'm hopeful anyway. I've heard they take somewhere between 0-20 people off the waitlist each year, so it varies far too much to ever count on!

But if I can do what you suggested, that would be perfect. I'll probably have to pay the money for all the applications anyway, but in case I do get in, I won't have the big application bill on top of the fresh loans!

Thank you kindly. If anyone can verify that this works, that would be wonderful!

 

[megan143]

There are other threads on this somewhere- but they all pretty much say that the longest part is getting verified. So if you apply to "one" school, after you're verified you can add a whole bunch of others (if youre not off the waitlist) and the app should be sent out to all of the others within a week.

 

[phospho]

As stated above, in this situation, you apply to one school just so you can get verified. If you eventually get in, you can withdraw easily. If you don't get in, you simply add more schools. When you add more schools, They'll recieve your app within 2-3 days since you would have already been verified. Good luck to you.

 

[Suenya]

Thank you all kindly for the information. I'll do just that!

 

[dragonfly99]

Wait lists suck.
Honestly, I got off of one but it was in March. The year before I was on a couple, one that didn't reject me until June and one not until July, but honestly I doubt any schools take many people off after May or so...most students have declared where they are going by then and have decided to defer or not.

 

[gman33]

Apply to one school to get your application verified.
Stay in touch with PSU over the summer to see if you have any chance. If you're not in by early July, I'd go ahead and reapply to all the schools you are interested in.

Did you do anything to improve your app this year? If not, start coming up with a plan to do so. About the only thing you could do for this cycle is retake the MCAT (if needed). It seems like admission is getting more competitive each year. Just make sure you have a stronger app because there is no reason to believe the same app that got poor results one year will get good results the next.

Post some stats etc, if you want more specific advice.

 

[Carlsbad1919]

The deadline for a student with multiple acceptances to pick one school is May 15th so there is generally a lot of movement off of the waitlist around mid-May and June. Everything is obviously school specific so it helps to know how many students from the waitlist are accepted each year. A lot of "safety schools" take a significant amount of students from the waitlist (nearly half) while others take extremely few. It also helps to know if the waitlist is ranked; a number of schools have a tier system and if you are on the bottom tier your chances are very slim while students on the top tier have a decent chance. I know people who have gotten rejected and accepted in August (one was accepted literally the day before classes start). It's good to be prepared but also continue to send Penn updates just in case.

 

[Suenya]

Apply to one school to get your application verified.
Stay in touch with PSU over the summer to see if you have any chance. If you're not in by early July, I'd go ahead and reapply to all the schools you are interested in.

Did you do anything to improve your app this year? If not, start coming up with a plan to do so. About the only thing you could do for this cycle is retake the MCAT (if needed). It seems like admission is getting more competitive each year. Just make sure you have a stronger app because there is no reason to believe the same app that got poor results one year will get good results the next.

Post some stats etc, if you want more specific advice.

I continued my 2 year job in research for the second year. I have more publications than I previously did. I am planning on retaking the MCAT in July (originally 32 with some horrible writing score - I wasn't feeling well on the day of the exam, and while I can write well, it takes alot of effort for me so it suffered more than anything else).

For the next year, I am going to find another research or more clinical job, but I don't think that will help too much at least until the secondaries. I was thinking about trying to shadow a pediatrician for a few days prior to reapplying. Would that help? And if so, do I need a LOR from them? I don't want to put them to too much trouble since it would be a last minute favor.

PennState said they are going to decide on my application based on information they already have. Would an update letter be considered an annoyance? I don't want to adversely affect my chances, but I was considering sending them a letter with an updated CV which has new publications on it.

Thanks!

 

[gman33]

What is your GPA (overall and science)?

It's probably not worth retaking the MCAT with a 32.
I doubt that is the reason you didn't get in anywhere (at least not yet).

An update letter wouldn't hurt if you have something significant to say.
They may never really look at it, but I doubt it could hurt.
Schools are used to students going crazy trying to get in. 🙂

 

[Krisss17]

I agree about not retaking the MCAT. You run a greater risk of getting a lower score than increasing it by much.

 

[Suenya]

3.6 GPA, 3.3 science

I am expecting to do better the second time. I know the MCAT is particularly random compared to most standardized tests (like the GRE subject tests), and does not reliably cover a similar proportion of material, so my score could go down, but on the online practice tests I was scoring between a 36 and a 42. I would love to get a 36; I think it would improve my chances at many schools considering my somewhat lower GPA.

 

[dragonfly99]

I think you can send a short update letter if it really has new info on there...I think new publications = new info.

Yes, I would shadow the pediatrician. A LOR from someone you only know a little may not help much, though. If the pedi attended Penn or did residency there, then a letter or brief phone call from her may help. Honestly LOR's from people who know you better tend to matter more, so you may not want to bug her about it. You can wait perhaps until after you do the shadowing, if you are still wait listed.

MCAT retake - I had a score in that range and I retook and got a higher score. It is a bit risky, but you know yourself and how you usually score on tests. If you've only taken it x one, it might be worth the risk. The essay tends to count less, so I'm not sure increasing that score would help a lot, though. What was the score breakdown?

With the low science GPA, if you don't get in this year, I think that taking maybe 1 science class/semester couldn't hurt either. Take upper level bio courses.

 

[Suenya]

11Biological 11Verbal 10Physical. I really don't remember the writing, but it was in like the bottom 10%. I'm not the best writer, but I previously got a 5 on the GRE writing (out of 6) so I know that it suffered far more than just dropping a few points in the multiple choice sections. I tend to test pretty well (previously took GRE and of course SAT), and I know my practices were much higher (nothing below an 11, and quite a few 14s over 5 tests).

I am worried that I'll retake it and not be feeling well again. I get very bad tension headaches about once every two months (and generally get a few within about a week). It's possible I'll get one and do worse, but this is the first one I've ever had on a test before. I am a bit nervous though, since it could happen!

I think I will send them a short update letter and call the pediatrician tomorrow to see if I can work something out. And a continuing thank you for the advice!

 

[sirius]

I'm also currently waitlisted at a few schools, but haven't decided if I should reapply right away or wait until next cycle. I know I should've decided already since the 2010 app opened on June 2nd... I'm just hesitant because my primary application will basically be the same if I reapply now. I've continued with the activities I was already doing this past cycle.

My stats are pretty average (3.6 sci, 30 MCAT). I plan on getting more clinical exp, but like Suenya mentioned, this probably won't play a factor until secondaries. Any advice?

 

[dragonfly99]

sirius,
I don't see much down side to trying again right now.
If you got no interviews or very few, and no wait lists, this cycle then my advice might be different.
Being wait listed at several schools show that you are/were considered good enough to admit...they just didn't have space for you in their class.

Just reapply and do try to improve your application this year...get more volunteer hours, if the GPA was borderline then sign up for 1 science class/semester. Have something new to say at your interviews, even if it's just that you are hammering away at improving your GPA and getting more experience in the medical setting. Rewrite your personal statement a little, and try to think about how you can "sell" yourself better as a candidate. Definitely reapply to all the schools that wait listed you this year, and apply broadly.

 

[Chuck's Right Foot]

On average, with those scores people don't increase.

But, I'm an example of the fact that people aren't stats, we're individuals.

MCAT 1: 10P 11V 11B Q
MCAT 2: 12P 14V 11B S

You can improve. Good luck.