Unranked waitlists - How do schools explain them?

[Jezzielin]

I am just curious of how schools explain an unranked waitlist. I have heard that they pull people off the waitlist by picking people with the same numbers or something as the person that dropped their seat. Is there any other explainations you have gotten from schools?

For my waitlist I heard that it was unranked but the timing of your interview played the biggest role, e.g. The earlier the interview, the better the odds.

I don't know if that is true and starting to think that my hopes were falsely set high but I am just curious if anyone else has heard this explaination or any others???

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[jschro21]

Most schools say they continually re-review your entire application as seats open up. They do in some way loosely rank the top alternates, but I don't know how. About the only info I have received is to send in letter of intents/letter of interests, send in anything that will strngthen your application, such as new scores, updated grades, new clinical experiences, etc. I guess to keep expressing interest doesn't hurt. I hope I get off the waitlists this year! Three interviews, three waitlists. Good luck to all!

~Alternate/Waitlisted at TUCOM-MI, CCOM, LECOM-Erie

 

[scpod]

For my waitlist I heard that it was unranked but the timing of your interview played the biggest role, e.g. The earlier the interview, the better the odds.

I don't know if that is true and starting to think that my hopes were falsely set high but I am just curious if anyone else has heard this explaination or any others???

You know, I don't think that I have ever heard anyone say exactly how the waitlist would be handled. All I have ever heard is that they are "unranked". BUT...I know that ther must at least be some kind of "unofficial" ranking. Maybe there is a little desk in the corner where they put files and they put the "good" ones on the top and the "bad" ones on the bottom. I can't help but feel that those people who are in contact with the admissions office more often are more likely to be considered on an ongoing basis. If I had not been accepted, but was put on an alternate list instead, I think that I would probably find a way to mail at least one new thing to the admissions office every week-- one new award or grade or LOR-- something that gives me a reason to call each week and say, "Hey! It's me again. Did you get that LOR from the guy that I met at the supermarket last week. He thought I'd be a great doctor!"

I've got to think that only going by timing of the interview would not be entirely effective because some of those people might have been accepted elsewhere by now. However, if those people interviewed early on AND they are still expressing a preference to go to school XYZ, then I can see taking them first if all other things are equal. That's certainly a fair way to do it.

All I can really say is that I have seen your posts over the last few months and I certainly hope that you have the opportunity to fulfill your dreams. If they gave out spots based on how bad you wanted them, then you would be first in line Jezzielin...Good Luck!!!