Wait-listed at 6 out of 6 schools, what is going on?!

[MDnerd]

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To CaliBalla, your stats and experience looks amazing, and I actually don't doubt that you'll get in to a medical school, but I was just wondering if you had any other extra activities that you take interest in besides the medical/research kind of stuff. I used to work for the Dean of Harvard SOM, and I always remember his emphasis on being different. Maybe you are interested in music, or some kind of sport or something to make you stand out? They want to see that the applicants take time to do things they love and that experience can bring different perspectives on your application. I know I'm posting this a month after you posted, but have you heard anything yet? Best of luck!! 🙂

 

[Omppu27]

To CaliBalla, your stats and experience looks amazing, and I actually don't doubt that you'll get in to a medical school, but I was just wondering if you had any other extra activities that you take interest in besides the medical/research kind of stuff. I used to work for the Dean of Harvard SOM, and I always remember his emphasis on being different. Maybe you are interested in music, or some kind of sport or something to make you stand out? They want to see that the applicants take time to do things they love and that experience can bring different perspectives on your application. I know I'm posting this a month after you posted, but have you heard anything yet? Best of luck!! 🙂

I'm also curious... haha

Although you would have probably mentioned this already ( or maybe already did, i skipped the 2nd page), but did you take the MCAT multiple times? maybe a bad lor?

 

[MarineDocFl]

Eh, I don't know...that is a bloody good MCAT score, mate.

 

[Nymphicus]

All of CA schools (8 of them) - rejected pre-secondary at UCSF, interviewed & WL'd @ UCI
Interviews & WL's @ Gtown, BU, Stony Brook, Downstate & U of Miami
Tulane - rejected pre-interview
Priztker - rejected pre-interview
No news: Rosalind Franklin, Tufts, Harvard, Einstein, NYMC

Hey OP, we applied to a slightly different pool of schools, but of the overlap, I have had the same results (or worse!). I mean this is just a guess, but a lot of those schools get lots of applicants, so maybe they just waitlist a lot?

To clarify, I have also been rejected from Pritzker pre-interview, assumed rejection from Harvard and NYMC, waitlisted UCI, and rejected pre-interview at Georgetown and Boston.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that your waitlists could possibly be the function of your school choices (high app load schools and OOS at state schools) rather than because you have "red flags" or are a "bad interviewer" or whatever. Although that's just a guess.

 

[premed67783]

Absolutely. This gives you a base rate of acceptance chances and is a critical factor in determining where to apply (along with things like your stats, their stats, location, mission, etc.).

And no... May 15th is plenty early for the 1-acceptance date since we don't even get our financial aid offers until March. There needs to be time to respond to those offers and haggle with schools a bit before letting go of other acceptances. From May to August, you still have an entire summer to get off the waitlist. It's not like when we let go of acceptances is going to change your chances of being accepted anyway. All it does is give you peace of mind a little earlier (as in like a month earlier), which while nice, IMO pales in comparison to the possibility of saving tens (sometimes even hundreds) of thousands of dollars.... This ultimately the question that inevitably comes up every year with waitlisted students wanting the rest of us to let go of all our acceptances before we know for sure which school we will pick. The fact is going through 5k-15k applicants takes schools a long time and most are still interviewing through at least Feb (many March or April and some even into the summer). As a result, they do not start releasing financial packages until March and, therefore, many of us are basically waiting with our hands tied until schools make their entire offer clear.

Are you seriously arguing that it's more important for you to have time to leverage your acceptances with different schools so that you can get the best deal? Getting off the waitlist a month sooner makes a HUGE difference. These people are trying to figure out where they're going to be (or even if they have to reapply) for the next 4 years. It's not an easy thing to get up and move your entire life with just a couple weeks' notice, not to mention the sanity-crushing uncertainty of whether you'll be accepted to medical school.

You are a mammothly selfish person, and you should be burned at the stake. I'll get the timber.

 

[Omniscient]

Are you seriously arguing that it's more important for you to have time to leverage your acceptances with different schools so that you can get the best deal? Getting off the waitlist a month sooner makes a HUGE difference. These people are trying to figure out where they're going to be (or even if they have to reapply) for the next 4 years. It's not an easy thing to get up and move your entire life with just a couple weeks' notice, not to mention the sanity-crushing uncertainty of whether you'll be accepted to medical school.

You are a mammothly selfish person, and you should be burned at the stake. I'll get the timber.

Why are so mad that this poster is trying to gain the most out of his acceptances? He/she earned them and has the option of holding onto them until May 15th. It shouldn't be any sweat off your back.

 

[thlaxer]

Why are so mad that this poster is trying to gain the most out of his acceptances? He/she earned them and has the option of holding onto them until May 15th. It shouldn't be any sweat off your back.

Agree 👍

Finances do play a huge role for many applicants when deciding between schools. Music2doc earned his/her acceptances and he/she is not "mammothly selfish" for wanting to reduce the financial cost of attending medical school. Not waiting to hear back from all of the schools' offers can potentially be a $180k mistake.

 

[NeuralNetwork]

Are you seriously arguing that it's more important for you to have time to leverage your acceptances with different schools so that you can get the best deal? Getting off the waitlist a month sooner makes a HUGE difference. These people are trying to figure out where they're going to be (or even if they have to reapply) for the next 4 years. It's not an easy thing to get up and move your entire life with just a couple weeks' notice, not to mention the sanity-crushing uncertainty of whether you'll be accepted to medical school.

You are a mammothly selfish person, and you should be burned at the stake. I'll get the timber.

For schools not under serious consideration, a withdrawal is polite and appropriate for other people waiting. However, people with multiple acceptances who are deciding which school to choose are not under a paternalistic and moral obligation to rush their decisions in order to facilitate the process for other people. Schools over accept for a reason - to minimize the effects of this. And the May date does not leave weeks, it leaves months. The times when people have to pick up and leave within a week or two is when they have already been going through the waitlist and a person declines his offer, so they move on to the next. No matter how you stack it, someone will always be last to receive that offer and will be rushed in this process.

 

[premed67783]

Why are so mad that this poster is trying to gain the most out of his acceptances? He/she earned them and has the option of holding onto them until May 15th. It shouldn't be any sweat off your back.

Agree 👍

Finances do play a huge role for many applicants when deciding between schools. Music2doc earned his/her acceptances and he/she is not "mammothly selfish" for wanting to reduce the financial cost of attending medical school. Not waiting to hear back from all of the schools' offers can potentially be a $180k mistake.

I stand by my comments

 

[thlaxer]

For schools not under serious consideration, a withdrawal is polite and appropriate for other people waiting.

Agree with this too. The admissions offices I've talked to so far seem to appreciate being notified asap.

 

[EBTrailRunner]

I've already withdrawn from schools where there's no chance I'd attend over my other acceptances, but I am holding onto a few to see what type of financial aid package they offer me. I think it's completely fair to do that, particularly when you could be saving yourself thousands of dollars per year by waiting it out a few months. Those potential savings are not to be taken lightly.

 

[phnerd1105]

I've already withdrawn from schools where there's no chance I'd attend over my other acceptances, but I am holding onto a few to see what type of financial aid package they offer me. I think it's completely fair to do that, particularly when you could be saving yourself thousands of dollars per year by waiting it out a few months. Those potential savings are not to be taken lightly.

This. Holding on to schools you have NO intention of attending is deplorable. Unfortunately, I know quite a few people who have done this, some who have even forgot to attend interviews or turned them down the day before.

 

[music2doc]

Are you seriously arguing that it's more important for you to have time to leverage your acceptances with different schools so that you can get the best deal? Getting off the waitlist a month sooner makes a HUGE difference. These people are trying to figure out where they're going to be (or even if they have to reapply) for the next 4 years. It's not an easy thing to get up and move your entire life with just a couple weeks' notice, not to mention the sanity-crushing uncertainty of whether you'll be accepted to medical school.

You are a mammothly selfish person, and you should be burned at the stake. I'll get the timber.

LOL what?!

You're ridiculous.

I have let go of the offers I do not have any intention of accepting, but there are a few possibilities that I want more information from. I am waiting for those responses. I am sorry the system works this way, but it does. Hopefully, you'll get off the wait list somewhere soon, but until then, please relieve yourself (maybe go use the rest room so you can get rid of that wedgie you apparently have) and relax a bit.

 

[saoj]

To clarify, I have also been rejected from Pritzker pre-interview, assumed rejection from Harvard and NYMC, waitlisted UCI, and rejected pre-interview at Georgetown and Boston.

Is it even worth applying to top schools like Harvard and Pritzker with anything lower than a 37 in the MCAT !!!???

Serious, unless you have something truly UNIQUE in your application I would not nurture any hope.

Those schools accept less than 3% of the applicants. I want to get to one of them and I don't have anything UNIQUE (well maybe being a complete unconventional applicant might intrigue someone somewhere, or just the opposite effect, who knows) so I am going for a high MCAT.

6 wait-lists are MUCH BETTER than 6 rejections. Had you suck, they would have rejected you on the spot.

 

[IlDestriero]

Are you seriously arguing that it's more important for you to have time to leverage your acceptances with different schools so that you can get the best deal? Getting off the waitlist a month sooner makes a HUGE difference. These people are trying to figure out where they're going to be (or even if they have to reapply) for the next 4 years. It's not an easy thing to get up and move your entire life with just a couple weeks' notice, not to mention the sanity-crushing uncertainty of whether you'll be accepted to medical school.

You are a mammothly selfish person, and you should be burned at the stake. I'll get the timber.

These posts happen every year, apparently a bit early this year.🙄 I would argue that you're mammothly stupid to give up ANY acceptances until you see what they're offering. People get scholarships. Your last choice might look a heck of a lot better if they're offering you a full ride and everyone else gives you a list of banks to call. I had a full military scholarship and another one from the school to cover the remaining difference and reimburse the taxes that I had to pay on my stipend. I was no superstar, nor was I destitute. You really need to see what they're offering before you give up your spot.
You earned those acceptances, don't forget that. When you do finally give them up, all schools overaccept and many take very few off the waitlist. That's just how it is.
Good luck to the op and others on the waitlist.

 

[kduck]

Agree 👍

Finances do play a huge role for many applicants when deciding between schools. Music2doc earned his/her acceptances and he/she is not "mammothly selfish" for wanting to reduce the financial cost of attending medical school. Not waiting to hear back from all of the schools' offers can potentially be a $180k mistake.

It isn't really individual applicants who make the process take so long... if schools were able to get financial aid information out to accepted students sooner, these decisions could be made faster. So I guess you could argue it's schools' desire to give funding to the best or neediest candidates that slows down the entire process. It would be stupid not to wait for all the facts before deciding between schools an applicant is serious about, and the way the system is students will never be able to make informed decisions much earlier than they already do.

 

[ppappui]

These posts happen every year, apparently a bit early this year.🙄 I would argue that you're mammothly stupid to give up ANY acceptances until you see what they're offering. People get scholarships. Your last choice might look a heck of a lot better if they're offering you a full ride and everyone else gives you a list of banks to call. I had a full military scholarship and another one from the school to cover the remaining difference and reimburse the taxes that I had to pay on my stipend. I was no superstar, nor was I destitute. You really need to see what they're offering before you give up your spot.
You earned those acceptances, don't forget that. When you do finally give them up, all schools overaccept and many take very few off the waitlist. That's just how it is.
Good luck to the op and others on the waitlist.

This 👍

You have earned your acceptances and are certainty allowed to weigh all options. It's hard for ppl like us who are waitlisted, but this is how the system works.

 

[candav]

Is it even worth applying to top schools like Harvard and Pritzker with anything lower than a 37 in the MCAT !!!???

The average MCAT for matriculating students at both is ~36. So...yes.

 

[nmfurr]

Hope you get in!

 

[robertch8]

These posts happen every year, apparently a bit early this year.🙄 I would argue that you're mammothly stupid to give up ANY acceptances until you see what they're offering. People get scholarships. Your last choice might look a heck of a lot better if they're offering you a full ride and everyone else gives you a list of banks to call. I had a full military scholarship and another one from the school to cover the remaining difference and reimburse the taxes that I had to pay on my stipend. I was no superstar, nor was I destitute. You really need to see what they're offering before you give up your spot.
You earned those acceptances, don't forget that. When you do finally give them up, all schools overaccept and many take very few off the waitlist. That's just how it is.
Good luck to the op and others on the waitlist.

Between the last two years, I have been on both sides of the situation and can completely understand both sides. Last year, I was the frustrated applicant on the waitlist hoping something would work out. This year, I have multiple acceptances. I remember how little I thought about money last year when I was on the waitlist, but this year, I feel like I really want to see my options depending on what the price of the school really will be after scholarships. If anything, schools should have more stringent deadlines with scholarship and financial aid stuff and then move up the May 15th deadline so that people can make informed decisions earlier.

 

[CaliBalla]

In case any one was wondering, I had one final (my 7th) interview at UC Davis early March and was finally accepted directly, no wait-list, no bull****, to Davis 3 weeks later. As of 2 days ago, I was also accepted to UCI after having been on the WL since October. I still remain puzzled as to what led to 6 wait-lists in a row, but after a stressful 10 month wait, it finally worked out! To those of you in a similar situation, keep your head up, it really isn't over until 1st day of class starts! We're all a little neurotic though, so based on my experience, I know that's easier said than done.

 

[yellowfish]

In case any one was wondering, I had one final (my 7th) interview at UC Davis early March and was finally accepted directly, no wait-list, no bull****, to Davis 3 weeks later. As of 2 days ago, I was also accepted to UCI after having been on the WL since October. I still remain puzzled as to what led to 6 wait-lists in a row, but after a stressful 10 month wait, it finally worked out! To those of you in a similar situation, keep your head up, it really isn't over until 1st day of class starts! We're all a little neurotic though, so based on my experience, I know that's easier said than done.

Congrats!

 

[1032]

Congrats! I am really happy to read this. I have been keeping track of this post, and it really makes me feel good to hear that it worked out for you!

 

[bluecabinet]

In case any one was wondering, I had one final (my 7th) interview at UC Davis early March and was finally accepted directly, no wait-list, no bull****, to Davis 3 weeks later. As of 2 days ago, I was also accepted to UCI after having been on the WL since October. I still remain puzzled as to what led to 6 wait-lists in a row, but after a stressful 10 month wait, it finally worked out! To those of you in a similar situation, keep your head up, it really isn't over until 1st day of class starts! We're all a little neurotic though, so based on my experience, I know that's easier said than done.

there was no love from OOS SOMs?

 

[thlaxer]

Congrats, glad things worked out for you! 🙂

 

[CaliBalla]

there was no love from OOS SOMs?

Not yet, but it's all good. I would only consider BU out of the OOS schools I interviewed at, and I don't think the difference in cost justifies going there over a UC.

 

[Catalystik]

Thanks for letting us know. Congrats!

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

In case any one was wondering, I had one final (my 7th) interview at UC Davis early March and was finally accepted directly, no wait-list, no bull****, to Davis 3 weeks later. As of 2 days ago, I was also accepted to UCI after having been on the WL since October. I still remain puzzled as to what led to 6 wait-lists in a row, but after a stressful 10 month wait, it finally worked out! To those of you in a similar situation, keep your head up, it really isn't over until 1st day of class starts! We're all a little neurotic though, so based on my experience, I know that's easier said than done.

👍

Good job bro.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

CaliBalla, congrats!