Tulane--Two weeks pass = rejected?

[Shpamme]

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Hi there,

Friends who go to Tulane, Susana Vargas at the admissions office, and the packet given to us at the interview said we'll be notified us within two weeks of our interview.

More than two weeks have elapsed since my interview but I haven't heard anything. Does that mean I got rejected?!? Does anyone know for sure that the admissions committee met over the last couple weeks?

I check the mailbox and my email neurotically, but nada.. Has anyone gotten a Tulane acceptance by phone? My voicemail was full for two weeks unbeknownst to me..

Should I call and ask? My student host told me to wait till the new year to call because they're likely busy given the holidays, and Susana is really overwhelmed since she's the only one who handles everything..

My interviewers never responded to my thank you letters, which I sent by email because Susana said not to mail thank yous since they are swamped with mail....another bad sign? I don't think I made a *terribly* bad impression or anything; we had a good conversation about a variety of topics.

I'm an underdog so I'd be thrilled to get in anywhere.. but the people at Tulane and New Orleans make for such a beautiful place to spend four years, Katrina notwithstanding. I feel lucky I got an interview at a place I'd really want to go, so I'm dying here...any insight would be much appreciated.

 

[braluk]

I was emailed a response to an email I sent to Dr. Beckman (I kept close contact with her through email), you can probably call in and be told over the phone as well. I received a decision approximately 2 weeks after my interview, and my letter came in the mail about a week after that. I know that they are probably behind, just like any other school, so letters going out will probably be delayed, as expected. All i know is that Tulane has a relatively fast turnaround than other schools. Call them and politely ask they met on your file yet.

Idk if not getting a response by email is a bad sign per se, they are just that, swamped. Good luck with everything, hopefully I'll see you there next year at Tulane with me 🙂

 

[Shpamme]

Thanks for the reply Braluk! I too hope I see you at Tulane next year. We can go celebrate "dreams coming true" together over some beignets at Cafe Du Monde. I sat there for an hour after my interview munching on the donuts--I wasn't going to budge until I saw a steamboat going down the Mississippi River.

The problem is I didn't interview with Dr. Beckman. I was really excited to interview with her since I'd heard great things about her and since she knew about my particular situation from a friend who recommended me to her. But for some reason when I arrived there they switched my schedule to two other interviewers, both of whom were very nice but knew nothing about me. I tried my best to sell myself and show them how interested I am in Tulane in 30 minutes, but I came away feeling like I didn't get to convey everything I wanted to. I was sad.

Do you think Dr. Beckman would still be receptive to me emailing her?

One last clue.. I hope it doesn't sound conceited.. at the conclusion of my first interview, the doctor said "Well, wherever you go, I'm sure you're going to do very well." What does that MEAN?!!?!! I tend to think the worst.. as in "you're not getting in here, what were you thinking?!?! There will be no beignets for you."

Sorry so neurotic.. thanks a million!

 

[braluk]

Which doctors interviewed you? I had one very elderly doctor, i believe he was a surgeon, and a kind old man, at the end of the interview he held my hand and said that I'll do well whever you go, or something to that effect. Email Dr. Beckman anyway just as a token of giving you the chance to interview at her school. Throw in a few things to the thank you email that you are excited to hear from Tulane and that you loved the city.

 

[Samoa]

Hi there,

Friends who go to Tulane, Susana Vargas at the admissions office, and the packet given to us at the interview said we'll be notified us within two weeks of our interview.

More than two weeks have elapsed since my interview but I haven't heard anything. Does that mean I got rejected?!? Does anyone know for sure that the admissions committee met over the last couple weeks?

I check the mailbox and my email neurotically, but nada.. Has anyone gotten a Tulane acceptance by phone? My voicemail was full for two weeks unbeknownst to me..

Should I call and ask? My student host told me to wait till the new year to call because they're likely busy given the holidays, and Susana is really overwhelmed since she's the only one who handles everything..

My interviewers never responded to my thank you letters, which I sent by email because Susana said not to mail thank yous since they are swamped with mail....another bad sign? I don't think I made a *terribly* bad impression or anything; we had a good conversation about a variety of topics.

I'm an underdog so I'd be thrilled to get in anywhere.. but the people at Tulane and New Orleans make for such a beautiful place to spend four years, Katrina notwithstanding. I feel lucky I got an interview at a place I'd really want to go, so I'm dying here...any insight would be much appreciated.

OK, first, take a deep breath. We've all been there, and just FYI, most people who interview either get waitlisted or admitted. I don't know your particular situation, but it's likely that at worst you've been waitlisted.

Which is fine. I was waitlisted, and got in off the waitlist in May. And, it took Tulane a month to get my letter to me. And that was without any intervening holidays, back when the admissions office was fully staffed.

If I remember correctly from my year, applications are put into three categories: immediate admits, immediate rejections and acceptance range. Notification of acceptance range candidates doesn't seem to happen quite as fast as it does in the other two categories. I can't remember whether or not they're held over a couple of weeks in case that week happened to be full of outstanding candidates, but that would certainly explain the delay.

So don't worry. Enjoy your holidays, and call Susana in January. Tulane starts back on the 3rd, so if they're back on the 2nd, that would be a good day to call.

 

[psipsina]

Hi there,

Friends who go to Tulane, Susana Vargas at the admissions office, and the packet given to us at the interview said we'll be notified us within two weeks of our interview.

More than two weeks have elapsed since my interview but I haven't heard anything. Does that mean I got rejected?!? Does anyone know for sure that the admissions committee met over the last couple weeks?

I check the mailbox and my email neurotically, but nada.. Has anyone gotten a Tulane acceptance by phone? My voicemail was full for two weeks unbeknownst to me..

Should I call and ask? My student host told me to wait till the new year to call because they're likely busy given the holidays, and Susana is really overwhelmed since she's the only one who handles everything..

My interviewers never responded to my thank you letters, which I sent by email because Susana said not to mail thank yous since they are swamped with mail....another bad sign? I don't think I made a *terribly* bad impression or anything; we had a good conversation about a variety of topics.

I'm an underdog so I'd be thrilled to get in anywhere.. but the people at Tulane and New Orleans make for such a beautiful place to spend four years, Katrina notwithstanding. I feel lucky I got an interview at a place I'd really want to go, so I'm dying here...any insight would be much appreciated.

Their normal schedule was probably thrown off by the holidays. When I worked for the medschool we got a few days off in the week before christmas and then up to the new year. This would probably throw of the two week turn around. I would give them a call sometime next week, but I wouldn't expect someone to be there until after the new year.

 

[Silence]

My guess is that the holiday is slowing things down quite a bit. For what it's worth, I interviewed back in early November and received my acceptance letter 11 calendar days after the interview. It was dated 7 days post interview. I was surprised at the fast turnaround time. Good luck!

 

[Shpamme]

See, this is why I'd be excited to go to Tulane...NICE PEOPLE!!
(NOT that there aren't nice people elsewhere, but I have yet to meet someone from Tulane who hasn't been down-to-earth and encouraging..)

Okay, I will try to calm down and enjoy Christmas. I hereby pledge to go to the mailbox between now and the 1st only once, to deposit my mailman's present. If I feel tempted to go check the mail, I'll instead...go get a boba. Ooh.. or a manicure. Or better yet, I'll use this as an excuse for ski trip. =)

No but seriously, thanks for all your input; I really appreciate it. I think my mom thanks you more than I do...you are helping turn me back into a normal human being.

Take care and happy holidays!

I guess if anyone else interviewed early December and already heard, I'd appreciate hearing from you too..

 

[Shpamme]

You guys--thank you again so much for the encouragement.

The letter came today. I guess they the office was open after all!
It's not as great as an acceptance, but not as bad as a outright rejection. I got acceptance ranged. To celebrate, I went out for a mushroom burger at Islands. I even splurged and got a vanilla milkshake. I was so excited that I didn't get rejected.

Any ideas on how to deal with this? My gameplan so far is:
1. This week--letters to interviewers and Dr. Beckman telling them what I'm up to and how much I want to go to Tulane, and why specifically I feel I'd be a good fit given my background
2. Two weeks later--updated letter from my old SMP dean
3. One month later--new recc letters from the director of the free clinic I work at
4. Every three weeks after that--letters updating them on what I'm doing (which hopefully by then should be working as an child healthcare advocate or patent attorney, and more volunteering in addition to the clinic in a hospital ER or with a hospice organization) and about why I feel I'd be a good fit for Tulane
5. Last resort in April-- Letter of intent

I also wanted to have some doctors I know who have ties to Tulane send recc letters too. And I wanted to go back and visit for a week, to volunteer at a local clinic in New Orleans.
Gosh, I would absolutely DIE if I got into Tulane. If you have any concrete suggestions I'd appreciate it.

Take care and Happy New Year!

 

[Samoa]

When I was waitlisted, I sent update letters only when I had something to update, and waited until late March/early April to call the Director of Admissions. I specifically asked Dr. Pisano (director at the time) if additional letters of recommendation would help, and he said no. What would be helpful, he said, was to send a letter saying all the things I had just told him about how much I had liked Tulane and thought it would be a good fit, and that I would go there if I were admitted.

Now Dr. Beckman may have different views on that than Dr. Pisano did, but for now your best bet is just to send occasional update letters, and then call in March to ask Dr. Beckman what you can do to maximize your chances of getting admitted from the waiting list. She should be able to give you some idea by that point of where you stand in relation to the rest of the applicants this year. Dr. Pisano actually told me what week to expect a call.

Waitlist movement doesn't generally happen until late April to May, no matter what you do. And be aware that since Dr. Beckman has been director, we've had much less waitlist movement than in Dr. Pisano's day, and it's much less predictable. So keep working on getting admitted anywhere else you can, and save the big guns for later in the season. Also, if your letters are already excellent, more won't help you. But if you feel you MUST send at least one, then wait till mid-March or later for maximum effect.

 

[braluk]

Well with more applicants this year, the waitlist movement was expected to move even more this year. Its a pretty unpredictable process, but I think if you made yourself known to her, and bug her once in a while with an update letter expressing interest (is this your top school by the way- if it is your absolute first choice Id go ahead and send a LOI sooner than later).

 

[Shpamme]

Hey you guys,

Sorry it has been a while since I replied. You guys were so kind to reply and give me your advice--I really appreciate it.

I finally finished the LOI and I'm ready to send it out. The question is--via email, or snail mail? Which do you think will actually get read?

Thanks so much! Hope you guys are enjoying the new year.

 

[Silence]

Hey you guys,

Sorry it has been a while since I replied. You guys were so kind to reply and give me your advice--I really appreciate it.

I finally finished the LOI and I'm ready to send it out. The question is--via email, or snail mail? Which do you think will actually get read?

Thanks so much! Hope you guys are enjoying the new year.

For any other school, I would say snail mail. But knowing how understaffed they are, as well as some concerns with their postal system, I think email is your best bet. A letter I had sent them back in november via snail mail never made it to their office. After 3 weeks of calling to check, they simply told me to email it. Hope this helps.

 

[MadHopsMD]

Hey you guys,

Sorry it has been a while since I replied. You guys were so kind to reply and give me your advice--I really appreciate it.

I finally finished the LOI and I'm ready to send it out. The question is--via email, or snail mail? Which do you think will actually get read?

Thanks so much! Hope you guys are enjoying the new year.

when in doubt...do BOTH....

 

[Shpamme]

Thanks you guys.. I really appreciate the input. I'll do both snail mail and email. I'll let you know how it goes.

Take care!

 

[gocoastal]

on a side note, did anyone interview with Dr. Kahn?
I keep hearing that everyone interviewed with Dr. Beckman and that she is the point person.

confused.