Surprise waitlist?!

[midwesterner]

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I was waitlisted at a school I thought I would get into. I'm in-state and my grades and MCAT scores are well above their average (and no, I didn't mention that at all in the interview or act arrogant in any other way). I have work experience, healthcare experience, research, good recommendations I think, volunteer experience, and so forth. I thought the interview went pretty well too. Now I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. Anyone else have a similar experience?

 

[Raryn]

I was waitlisted at a school I thought I would get into. I'm in-state and my grades and MCAT scores are well above their average (and no, I didn't mention that at all in the interview or act arrogant in any other way). I have work experience, healthcare experience, research, good recommendations I think, volunteer experience, and so forth. I thought the interview went pretty well too. Now I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. Anyone else have a similar experience?

It happens. There is no real rhyme or reason to this process... Give it time though, you can get in off the waitlist eventually.

 

[LossForWords]

If you do have grades/MCAT higher than their average, then they may have placed you high up on the waitlist. They may have just waitlisted you to see what other people interview like first. You can still get off it, so don't kill yourself trying to figure out exactly what caused it.

 

[airplanes]

there is never a sure thing when it comes to med school admissions.

 

[Retsage]

Yeah, I got the same surprise waitlist a few days ago.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Well, how do you think your interview went? If it was decent and your school has a ranked waitlist, you're probably in pretty good shape. If not, keep sending those LOI's and updates.

 

[Chemist0157]

A waitlist isn't necessarily bad. For all you know, you're #1 on the list and will definitely get a spot. I know there's several schools that get a large portion of their class from the waitlist.

 

[Aladdin]

there is never a sure thing when it comes to med school admissions.

+1

 

[Adam Smasher]

OP,

Join the club.

I find swearing to be helpful.

 

[87138]

I was waitlisted at a school I thought I would get into. I'm in-state and my grades and MCAT scores are well above their average (and no, I didn't mention that at all in the interview or act arrogant in any other way). I have work experience, healthcare experience, research, good recommendations I think, volunteer experience, and so forth. I thought the interview went pretty well too. Now I'm trying to figure out what went wrong. Anyone else have a similar experience?

No waitlist should ever be a surprise, unless you defiled your interviewer's office so bad that you just KNEW you were going to be rejected.

The only other real surprise for anyone, even the cancer-curing dead-baby-holding all-stars, should be a fat package in the mail with the word "Congratulations" buried somewhere in the first page of materials.

 

[alwaysaangel]

No waitlist should ever be a surprise, unless you defiled your interviewer's office so bad that you just KNEW you were going to be rejected.

The only other real surprise for anyone, even the cancer-curing dead-baby-holding all-stars, should be a fat package in the mail with the word "Congratulations" buried somewhere in the first page of materials.

Agreed. The best mind set in applying for medical school is that you won't get in and you should be humbly shocked and ecstatic when it happens.

Unfortunately OP, you're not alone, we are in a generation that feels entitled, and most people I know are shocked when they don't get in to schools or are rejected. Medical school applications are a crap shoot and they depend on someone subjectively liking your application and your interview - you can't count on it.

I know one person who asked for help on her essay, didn't take the help she was offered, resent the essay asking for more help, didn't take that help either. Asked for advice on whether to apply this year or wait (she was super late and had a poor MCAT), didn't like the advice she was given and didn't take that either. Now she is shocked that she's having a poor cycle and thinks med schools are out to get her.

Our generation needs to learn some humility.

(Disclaimer - this is general to our generation not to the OP)