Stanford

[Desdemona]

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Just to let everyone know, I interviewed at Stanford in January. The admissions lady said that they will be interviewing until April, so there is still hope if you haven't heard. They said after you interview, they will take 4-6 weeks, and if you are accepted, they will call you. I guess if you're waitlisted or rejected, they will send it to you by snailmail, but they didn't go into details. The lady acted like we were all already accepted. They take your picture in the morning "so we can make a book of matriculating students' pictures." Weird, since we hadn't been accepted when they took the pictures...

 

[goldenbears18]

Originally posted by Desdemona
I guess if you're waitlisted or rejected, they will send it to you by snailmail, but they didn't go into details. The lady acted like we were all already accepted.

Stanford interviews 500 applicants and accepts around 186.

 

[Street Philosopher]

Originally posted by Desdemona
JThe lady acted like we were all already accepted. They take your picture in the morning "so we can make a book of matriculating students' pictures." Weird, since we hadn't been accepted when they took the pictures...

trust me, that is no sign of future acceptance. i have personal experience. 🙄

 

[batman123]

My younger brother was accepted there in December; he never mentioned anything like this

 

[Desdemona]

Good grief! I wasn't trying to suggest that I'm accepted or anything. I was just relating my experience-that they are optimistic and they make you feel like they want you to come, even though they haven't made any decision about it. Over the past few weeks, there have been a lot of people wondering about when Stanford stops interviewing, etc, so I am only passing on what I found out when I was there.

 

[Arginine]

Desdemona,
Thanks so much for the Stanford info--my application has been complete since 10/23 but I haven't heard anything at all, so I'm greatly relieved to know they'll be interviewing through April. What was your overall impression of the school?

 

[Desdemona]

Arginine,

My application was complete really early...I think in September? I loved Stanford. The current students are REALLY nice. I talked to a bunch, and they are really down to earth and friendly. They aren't c ompetitive because they have only pass-fail grading and they aren't ranked in their class---something which the school is looking into changing, but hasn't because the students oppose it. I'm not really sure what the deal is with that. I think it's hard for residency programs to distinguish...But the students like the grading, because there is no competition. The faculty /administration is nice, according to the students. They listen to student concerns and are willing to change things that the students don't like. The facilities were okay, not great, but not bad. We didn't get to see the housing, but I hear it's pretty good. The students spend a lot of time in class, but the faculty are trying to reduce classroom hours for next year. You can test out of classes--like if you took biochem in college, you can take a test on the first day and if you pass, you don't have to take it in med school. The financial aid is AWESOME!!! They are really good to the students. Overall, I loved it. PM me if you have any more questions. Good luck!🙂

 

[katem]

i interviewed at stanford over two months ago and have yet to hear back from them. if they decided to waitlist or reject me at the admissions committee meeting last thursday (i think they meet every thursday), i think i would have gotten the letter by now. i sent an e-mail to check on the status, and have yet to hear back on that. at this point, i'm into a school that i'm really excited about, so i'd really just like to know about stanford, even if it's bad news. should i e-mail the admissions office again? (they did say we could contact them if we hadn't heard anything by last week). i don't want to harass them...

 

[Desdemona]

Katem,
Personally, I think you're entitled to contact them without seeming toharass them. They told us that if you don't hear within 6 weeks, to call them. If you've waited 2 months, I think it's reasonable to say something. I think they just don't want people calling them every day or anything. I would try calling this time, because then you'll get a real person on the phone, so it will be harder for them to ignore you. Hopefully they'll give you good news-if they are allowed to tell you the decision over the phone.

 

[nygirl6464]

desdemona--thanks for the information!!! i love it when people give more info on the school!!! i guess that gives me a bit of hope b/c my 2ndary was complete 9/20 so i wish that i would get an interview there!

 

[katem]

i called, left a message, and have not heard back. at this point i have e-mailed and called, so i don't want to continue to harass them, but i interviewed at the beginning of november, so if they want to reject me, i wish they would just go ahead and do so! i wouldn't be so impatient if they hadn't told us they would absolutely get back to us in 8 weeks, and i'm going on 9 plus...

 

[Street Philosopher]

Originally posted by katem
i called, left a message, and have not heard back. at this point i have e-mailed and called, so i don't want to continue to harass them, but i interviewed at the beginning of november, so if they want to reject me, i wish they would just go ahead and do so! i wouldn't be so impatient if they hadn't told us they would absolutely get back to us in 8 weeks, and i'm going on 9 plus...

it's a lot better than a rejection after 4 weeks. at least they see SOME redeeming value in your app, unlike mine. 😉

 

[charlie98]

Does anyone know how Stanford's waitlist work? What are the chances of getting off and when do they start pulling from the waitlist?

 

[choker]

re: stanford's waitlist. last year they didn't even rank their waitlist because "they had no need to look at it."

that's right, a whopping 0 people got off their waitlist last year. they accept 180 outright for a class of about 80.

sorry, i was waitlisted last year and was dying to get off it.

 

[starryeye81]

I interviewed at Stanford in October and the Admissions Counselor actually told me that there are two lists: a first alternate and a waiting list. They pick the top group in the waiting list and bump them up to first alternate, in which case you'll have a better chance of getting an acceptance since they're the first list the admissions committee looks at. There were two or three people from the last entering class who actually got in through first alternate list. So if you get waitlisted, maybe you can ask them what's your chance of getting bumped up to the first alternate. He also told me that if you are on the first alternate, and no spot open up next year, they will guarantee you a spot next year if you're willing to wait. You can e-mail them and ask, the admission counselor i talked to was Jun Verano. Good luck!

 

[choker]

last year, the way the system was set up was that around April, they run out of spots. At that time, students they would have normally accepted but couldn't were put on this First Alternate list. those on the First Alternate list that dont get in are guaranteed a spot the following year. there was no mixing or bumping of lists last year. trust me, i am intimately familiar with the stanford waitlist.

 

[katem]

i finally heard back from stanford (~10 weeks post-interview) and was told by e-mail (i've yet to get the official letter) that i was in the "high hold" category. i assume this means the first alternate waitlist mentioned above, but who knows...

as another poster mentioned, they told me as well that they have these two waitlists, and that anyone on the top one who doesn't get in this year is guaranteed a spot in next year's class.

 

[conquire]

The first alternate list is different from high hold. I think that it is put together around the beginning of May so that when turnover happens, they have a priority group that they draw from first. The admissions staff told me that they let people know they are on the list, I guess so that one can think about deferring for a year if they aren't pulled off the list during the summer.