Waitlist Etiquette

[SomeRandomName]

I have a question for those of you on waitlists or current med students who were accepted off of waitlists: How much effort have you (or did you) put into letting the admissions office know that you were interested/eager/etc.? I sent a letter of intent along with a update of what I've been up to during the last several months. However, I don't know if I should be sending more emails, making phone calls, or doing other things to show my interest. At what point does contacting them seem obnoxious? Thanks for any help.

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[diosa428]

I wrote a LOI before decisions were sent out. After getting my waitlist decision, I sent the dean of admissions a short email just saying that the school was still my first choice, and then I sent another update/LOI at the end of April (because I knew decisions would be made in early May). I ended up getting off the waitlist May 16th. I'd say if you don't have anything new to update them on right now, just see how things play out in the next couple of weeks and whether or not you find yourself in the first bunch of ppl that get an acceptance. If you're not, then you could be a little more aggressive and send another letter/email/call/whatever.

 

[SomeRandomName]

thanks for the help

 

[khadija]

i really feel like writing a LOI isn't enough. I don't want to get buried on some secetary's desk. Would it be rude to call to school and want to talk to the dean?

 

[sona1128]

Does anyone know if it is appropriate to contact your interviewer after you have been waitlisted? What is your interviewer is on the admissions committee (the final decision committee)?

 

[sona1128]

Does anyone know if it is appropriate to contact your interviewer after you have been waitlisted? What is your interviewer is on the admissions committee (the final decision committee)?

 

[lina123321]

loi-->email or snail mail...which do u think is better?

 

[diosa428]

i really feel like writing a LOI isn't enough. I don't want to get buried on some secetary's desk. Would it be rude to call to school and want to talk to the dean?

I think if you address the envelope (and letter) to the dean, they will read it. Don't just address it to "Office of Admissions" or something.

 

[diosa428]

Does anyone know if it is appropriate to contact your interviewer after you have been waitlisted? What is your interviewer is on the admissions committee (the final decision committee)?

It probably wouldn't hurt, especially if you feel you had a good interview. But, depending upon the school, sending a letter to the dean might have more of an effect. Or you could send essentially the same letter to both.

 

[pennybridge]

noodz


it's the only way.


unless you're an uggo. then send giftbaskets full of edible underwear and money.

 

[diosa428]

loi-->email or snail mail...which do u think is better?

I personally preferred snail mail because I could give the letter a nice header and print it on nice paper. But if you want it to get there fast, email is probably better. I would recommend not attaching it, though, or at least including the text in the email and as an attachment, because it would really suck if whoever got the email couldn't open the attachment.

 

[Rumplestilskin]

I personally preferred snail mail because I could give the letter a nice header and print it on nice paper. But if you want it to get there fast, email is probably better. I would recommend not attaching it, though, or at least including the text in the email and as an attachment, because it would really suck if whoever got the email couldn't open the attachment.

What if you are on hold? Would it be best to send a letter, etc.?

 

[Tired]

i really feel like writing a LOI isn't enough. I don't want to get buried on some secetary's desk. Would it be rude to call to school and want to talk to the dean?

Daily calls. Badger them until they accept you just to get you off their back.

 

[diosa428]

What if you are on hold? Would it be best to send a letter, etc.?

If you want to get off hold, yes. Send a letter. It certainly can't hurt.

 

[RayhanS1282]

Daily calls. Badger them until they accept you just to get you off their back.

I am one and a half day away from doing that. Stupid weekends, cutting into precious badgering time.

 

[senioritaelena]

Does anyone know if it is appropriate to contact your interviewer after you have been waitlisted? What is your interviewer is on the admissions committee (the final decision committee)?

I have contact both my interviewers at my top choice that I am waitlisted at. The one was a student and he has helped me out by giving me advice to get off the waitlist and the faculty who interviewed me and is on the ad comm hasn't replied to my LOI and email. I have currently sent out 2 letters and an email to the interviewer/ ad comm. Hoping this helps. I will likely send out another letter as soon as my grades fromthis term are released (about May 12)

 

[Queenshawtii]

I haven't done anything yet, I'm hoping to get into Toledo and i have no clue how i should express my interest.

 

[RayhanS1282]

I haven't done anything yet, I'm hoping to get into Toledo and i have no clue how i should express my interest.

Talk about the good things the school has to offer and how it personally benefits you. Anyone can cut and paste from their website but it's important to get across how these things are personally influencing your decision.

Bottom line: take no prisoners as far as the LOI is concerned.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Critical Mass]

At what point does contacting them seem obnoxious?

At some places, it's like sending a letter to Santa Claus. In those cases, the LOI never gets past a desk secretary who puts in a file that nobody sees.

Badgering does help at others, and I've even heard of a place that will pick students off of the wait list as late as August by selecting the waitlister who lives nearest so as to not disrupt somebody's life too much.

Wait lists are generally part voo-doo. They don't always straight rank students. If a URM or oos student gives up a spot, for instance, they may pick the best replacement. If someone with a high MCAT gives up a spot, they may try to replace with the highest MCAT that they have available to minimize damage to the average.

 

[Goldenhair]

I am also thinking to contact my interviewers. At my first choice school, I had one regular interview and a meeting with a researcher which was my own initiative. Both were extremely nice and spent over an hour each with me. The researcher asked to let him know later if he can help me. I was waitlisted at the school, in the part of the waitlist that has practically no chances. I am thinking to contact both but don't know which way to contact them. I had already wrote to both of them nice thank you letters and also wrote about my impressions to the dean of admissions on the next day after my interview. The school is really competitive but my MCAT score is 3 points below average for that school (well, this is compensated by other things in my application I hope! ), which I think may be the reason they have not offered me acceptance or a better place on the waitlist.
Please advice how I should contact them: in person, by regular mail, by email or by phone???

 

[instigata]

How about updating with letters of recommendation? Do you guys think this is effective?

 

[profdogg]

How about updating with letters of recommendation? Do you guys think this is effective?

I'm sending two MD LORs.

 

[etf]

by regular mail, by email or by phone???

i did all of those, plus sent a fax. didn't get me anywhere. i'm of the feeling that if they plan on eventually accepting you they will, and if they don't, you're wasting your time. too bad there's really no way to figure out which situation applies...

 

[etsuprinthead]

i doubt it could hurt to contact your interviewer -- the worst that could happen is they ignore you or they don't have a say any more. i'd send an LOI to the dean of admissions, too, just in case, if you haven't done that already.