Waitlist Support Group 2017-2018

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You would think with all the security breaching and tapping into our personal lives, I'm kind of surprised I don't see ads for my waitlisted schools on my timeline everyday haha
Me too man. Part of me still thinks Facebook feels bad for us thus does it’s best to give us a break. Either that or sdn has some kind of deal with them to keep all the neuroticism on here lol
 
I know what you mean and I understand the number of applicants have decreased. My point was the number of qualified/strong applicants have probably increased with the amount of resources that have become available.
True. But then wouldn’t that also mean people were getting more II/acceptances since they’re so strong thus there should be more spots open now or am I thinking about this wrong
 
@gyngyn have you seen any recent movement at Ucsd? Thanks again btw
Not yet.
Since yesterday, there have been acceptances at UCLA, though.
There has also been movement at Stony Brook, GW and USF.
 
True. But then wouldn’t that also mean people were getting more II/acceptances since they’re so strong thus there should be more spots open now or am I thinking about this wrong
Sure, but I think it makes it more difficult for applicants to consistently stand out and leads to admissions committees to split hairs between applicants. This application process has become more subjective (and random) over recent years. Overall, my point is less people are receiving multiple acceptances and I think that is due to a drop in the average number of IIs per applicant.
 
I feel like if all schools decided to over accept in order to avert having to calculate what type of people to pool from waitlist for diversity reasons or just to avoid having these huge shifts in people dropping/declining then the waitlist should have also shrunk in size. There's no evidence to suggest the amount of people waitlisted has increased/decreased but it seems like there is enough evidence to suggest schools over accepted. I don't know I guess my time is better spent reapplying at this point than trying to figure out what the hell is going on this cycle.
 
I doubt the majority of schools just coincidentally over accepted this year. The truth is, if most of us received multiple waitlists and no acceptances then we just weren't competitive enough for a variety of reasons whether it be bad interview skills or something lacking in our app. We shouldn't be relying on the waitlist to get in.

That being said one of my schools waitlisted my entire interview group because the class was already full, so it's not always our fault 😛
 
More speculation here, but the slow movement could be do to the increase competitiveness in applicants this year. More strong applicants -> less average number of IIs per applicant -> less number of applicants with multiple acceptances -> less waitlist movement. It will only get worse in future cycles.

I honestly think that movement seems slow due to decreased SDN membership/posting, rather than anything to do with the cycle (could be wrong though). Kinda seems like usage of "academic" forums in the same style as SDN peaked a couple of years ago and has dropped off each year since (you can see it in other random places like collegeconfidential as well).

For example: at one of my waitlist schools, there has been zero movement reported anywhere on SDN (school specific threads or X vs. Y). But if you look at the Facebook group, they've accepted at least ~30 or so people from the waitlist. The FB groups seem to be a bit more informative of a resource, although you have to take them with a grain of salt/read through member profiles since current students join too.
 
I doubt the majority of schools just coincidentally over accepted this year. The truth is, if most of us received multiple waitlists and no acceptances then we just weren't competitive enough for a variety of reasons whether it be bad interview skills or something lacking in our app. We shouldn't be relying on the waitlist to get in.
upload_2018-5-23_12-39-3.gif
 
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I honestly think that movement seems slow due to decreased SDN membership/posting, rather than anything to do with the cycle (could be wrong though). Kinda seems like usage of "academic" forums in the same style as SDN peaked a couple of years ago and has dropped off each year since (you can see it in other random places like collegeconfidential as well).

For example: at one of my waitlist schools, there has been zero movement reported anywhere on SDN (school specific threads or X vs. Y). But if you look at the Facebook group, they've accepted at least ~30 or so people from the waitlist. The FB groups seem to be a bit more informative of a resource, although you have to take them with a grain of salt/read through member profiles since current students join too.

I agree with this. From my friend group, I would say that about 1 in every 3 or 4 waitlists have turned into an acceptance.


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I doubt the majority of schools just coincidentally over accepted this year. The truth is, if most of us received multiple waitlists and no acceptances then we just weren't competitive enough for a variety of reasons whether it be bad interview skills or something lacking in our app. We shouldn't be relying on the waitlist to get in.

That being said one of my schools waitlisted my entire interview group because the class was already full, so it's not always our fault 😛

I agree but I think there’s something more going on. One of my WL schools not only increased their class size but for at least the last 5 years has consistently made it to the bottom third of the list yet now they’re doubtful they’ll even make it past the middle third. Another WL school gets half their final class from the WL even after accepting only enough people to fill the class and with tons of movement on here for several years.

Many of us were good but not good enough compared to the rest of the cohort. That being said, waitlists exist for a reason. We could’ve been rejected 🙂
 
I honestly think that movement seems slow due to decreased SDN membership/posting, rather than anything to do with the cycle (could be wrong though). Kinda seems like usage of "academic" forums in the same style as SDN peaked a couple of years ago and has dropped off each year since (you can see it in other random places like collegeconfidential as well).

I agree with this. In my own experience, usage of SDN has actually been increasingly discouraged by professors and advisors in recent years. I think SDN is just becoming less and less representative of application cycle behavior.
 
Most Pre-meds have no idea what SDN even is. Y'all cannot use this website as the sole indicator of movement.
I would like to think enough of them do to give us a decent estimate of movement. Most of the people at my interviews looked at past years threads to prep. I like to estimate that for every 1 post on here there’s probably 5-7 IRL people who’re in the same situation
 
In the spirit of reapplication, I’m looking for suggestions when re-preparing for my MCAT. My plan was if I hadn’t heard from my WL schools by the 31st, I’d go ahead and submit my application this cycle and plan to take the MCAT Aug 3 or 4, with 2 months of heavy prep. However, my Kaplan subscription is up. What are the best ways to get those extra pratice exams without paying $2k for another Kaplan class
 
In the spirit of reapplication, I’m looking for suggestions when re-preparing for my MCAT. My plan was if I hadn’t heard from my WL schools by the 31st, I’d go ahead and submit my application this cycle and plan to take the MCAT Aug 3 or 4, with 2 months of heavy prep. However, my Kaplan subscription is up. What are the best ways to get those extra pratice exams without paying $2k for another Kaplan class
I liked all the free stuff I could find. Then I used altius for a lot of my tests. They usually have great deals for a dozen or so tests. I think I got a dozen for a couple hundred, then their system messed up and gave me the entire site's content lmao

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Call them and ask for a short extension they gave me one for free or they might charge you a smaller amount, or you could find a friend with an account and mooch.
 
In the spirit of reapplication, I’m looking for suggestions when re-preparing for my MCAT. My plan was if I hadn’t heard from my WL schools by the 31st, I’d go ahead and submit my application this cycle and plan to take the MCAT Aug 3 or 4, with 2 months of heavy prep. However, my Kaplan subscription is up. What are the best ways to get those extra pratice exams without paying $2k for another Kaplan class
Now that I'm thinking about it, I think those tests came out to be about $10 per test

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In the spirit of reapplication, I’m looking for suggestions when re-preparing for my MCAT. My plan was if I hadn’t heard from my WL schools by the 31st, I’d go ahead and submit my application this cycle and plan to take the MCAT Aug 3 or 4, with 2 months of heavy prep. However, my Kaplan subscription is up. What are the best ways to get those extra pratice exams without paying $2k for another Kaplan class
If you're planning to take the mcat in Aug, you won't get your scores back until Sept. Are you not worried that may put you at a disadvantage?

I use NS for my retake. I think you can buy the first 3 or so for less than a $100 but that may have changed
 
I didn't mean it like that lol.. I have 4 MD waitlists that will likely not pay off and one of them they waitlisted everyone so it wasn't my undoing. But if I had something extra on my app I wouldn't be on the waitlist in the first place.
Lol I know just wanted a chance to use this gif
 
If you're planning to take the mcat in Aug, you won't get your scores back until Sept. Are you not worried that may put you at a disadvantage?

I use NS for my retake. I think you can buy the first 3 or so for less than a $100 but that may have changed

I’m in the samesituation, I’ve been holding out for my WL so I haven’t started studying to retake yet. What do you think is the latest I could take the test without being at a disadvantage? I was thinking mid-July.
 
does anyone anticipate more waitlist movement at columbia? thank you!
 
If you're planning to take the mcat in Aug, you won't get your scores back until Sept. Are you not worried that may put you at a disadvantage?

I use NS for my retake. I think you can buy the first 3 or so for less than a $100 but that may have changed
I mean yes I am worried about that but without taking an additional gap year my options are limited and the testing days in July are already filled in my area. I have a decent score to apply with and most schools send secondaries to all applicants so my initial score that's okay will hopefully tide me over until my next test.
 
I mean yes I am worried about that but without taking an additional gap year my options are limited and the testing days in July are already filled in my area. I have a decent score to apply with and most schools send secondaries to all applicants so my initial score that's okay will hopefully tide me over until my next test.
I'm also worried about not giving myself an appropriate amount of time to study. There is 1 July test date I could do but that basically gives me a month to prepare.
 
I mean yes I am worried about that but without taking an additional gap year my options are limited and the testing days in July are already filled in my area. I have a decent score to apply with and most schools send secondaries to all applicants so my initial score that's okay will hopefully tide me over until my next test.

Is there anything substantially different in your app this time around compare to what you just submitted and what you've updated the schools you applied to with? It would probably be best to wait a year before applying this will give you much more time to really knock the MCAT out of the park.

Also how confident are you that it was really just your MCAT that held you back this time around? Have you asked the schools you applied to for feedback.
 
Is there anything substantially different in your app this time around compare to what you just submitted and what you've updated the schools you applied to with? It would probably be best to wait a year before applying this will give you much more time to really knock the MCAT out of the park.

Also how confident are you that it was really just your MCAT that held you back this time around? Have you asked the schools you applied to for feedback.

Yeah I'm the one who PM-ed you earlier about that! Definitely my MCAT
 
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I’m in the samesituation, I’ve been holding out for my WL so I haven’t started studying to retake yet. What do you think is the latest I could take the test without being at a disadvantage? I was thinking mid-July.
mid July could work. Since you already have an mcat I don't think it's as bad. For reference I took my retake last May after a month or so of studying and didn't submit til mid June and I was still in the first batch. If you can get your primary verified before than that'll be good. Only drawback I see is schools may judge you by your initial score
 
I'm also worried about not giving myself an appropriate amount of time to study. There is 1 July test date I could do but that basically gives me a month to prepare.
A month is really pushing it unless you just got out of an intense cram session or remember most of the stuff you learned first time around. Are there any late july ones you think you'd be ready for?
 
Senior year fall so 2015 for me, it still works at a decent amount of schools this cycle and I applied to a few of them this current cycle, but I'm not reapplying right now if I don't get off one of my WL @damien123123 sorry forgot to quote
 
mid July could work. Since you already have an mcat I don't think it's as bad. For reference I took my retake last May after a month or so of studying and didn't submit til mid June and I was still in the first batch. If you can get your primary verified before than that'll be good. Only drawback I see is schools may judge you by your initial score
Okay, thanks so much for the advice!
 
A month is really pushing it unless you just got out of an intense cram session or remember most of the stuff you learned first time around. Are there any late july ones you think you'd be ready for?
I think I could try to do a late july, there’s a handful of spots still open. I’m going to wait one more week before I shell out the $300 to register again
 
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Is it frowned upon to email Deans of schools you are currently waitlisted at to politely ask your status/chances of admission? Will that like annoy them at all or hurt my chances? (I know it can also be very subjective) I have an acceptance elsewhere and want to start looking for an apartment/roommate/research opportunities/etc and don't want to start too late. Considering I'd be moving to the school's area 1500 miles away from my hometown in about a month and a half, I don't want to wait too long and miss out on something or get overcharged for getting an apartment at the last minute. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Here's something i found to be super illuminating. Thanks @Goro

All med school applicants should consider themselves rejected and work on Plan B until they get that accept email in thier Inbox.

How would you interpret a nonbinding promise from a desperate applicant?

Here’s one Adcom member’s thoughts on the matter:

“We only invite amazing students to interview. It is quite unlikely that further good deeds or achievements will have an effect since only the students who have already wowed us are interviewed.”

From the wise Med Ed: [What med schools…] accept and desire are two different things. My institution, for instance, will accept practically anything a given applicant wants to forward along, but only rarely do we consider it a worthwhile addition to the package.

And yes, some of us have gotten a little jaded about LOI's. I could fill a barrel with all the post-interview correspondence I have received that has not translated into a single matriculant. This has all gotten mighty complicated and burdensome for what is essentially a zero sum game.


It's generally not burdensome for an applicant to upload something to the portal, and once in a great while it does tip us off with some useful info. I can think of one individual who had a stellar application, like Harvard/Yale/Stanford-worthy, and a superb interview, who sent us several updates and a LOI. We were somewhat perplexed by this person's tenacious interest in our program. Turns out there were family/geographical reasons behind the whole thing, the applicant just never felt comfortable directly playing that card.

When it comes down to waitlist time I will scan through what folks have uploaded post-interview. The vast majority of times it has no impact. Occasionally I have seen it hurt people's chances. Come to think of it, in my experience this is probably more likely, than such correspondence having a positive impact.


See the following for classic examples of why most Admissions deans treat these as lies.

https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/loi-and-interviews.1252832/#post-18849958

I told a school I'd go if accepted, now not so sure

And if you still don’t believe me, read these:

HomeSkool's Guide to Letters of Intent

Second letter of intent? Help!
 
Some of the schools I interviewed at actively encouraged letters of interest/intent. It's likely some schools do appreciate them.

Also, remember that the sample size of admissions officers on the forums is rather small.

Additionally (and I know I'm going to get crucified for this), none of us have any concrete proof that the individuals who claim to be adcoms on this board are actually adcoms, and if they are, where they work. So if you have heard directly from a school that they do accept/appreciate LOI's, then don't listen to anyone on this board: send one if you are so inclined and an LOI is a genuine reflection of your feelings.
 
Some of the schools I interviewed at actively encouraged letters of interest/intent. It's likely some schools do appreciate them.

Also, remember that the sample size of admissions officers on the forums is rather small.

Additionally (and I know I'm going to get crucified for this), none of us have any concrete proof that the individuals who claim to be adcoms on this board are actually adcoms, and if they are, where they work. So if you have heard directly from a school that they do accept/appreciate LOI's, then don't listen to anyone on this board: send one if you are so inclined and an LOI is a genuine reflection of your feelings.

You have a valid point 🙂 However, regardless of the actual professional statuses the Goros, Gyngyns, Gonnifs, HomeSkools, etc., they also make highly valid points about the neurotic and desperate nature of pre-med students on waitlists. The waiting game plays with your mind, and as go-getters we have a tendency to become borderline stalkers in our fanaticism for doing absolutely everything within our power to get that acceptance. I'm thankful for the consistent advice to tone it down and maintain professionalism. Gonnif recently made a great point that often these LOI are not properly written in a professional manner, which is helpful for anyone considering sending one to reconsider their formatting and have someone neutral put eyes on it before hitting send.

Hopefully that didn't count as a crucifixion 😉
 
You have a valid point 🙂 However, regardless of the actual professional statuses the Goros, Gyngyns, Gonnifs, HomeSkools, etc., they also make highly valid points about the neurotic and desperate nature of pre-med students on waitlists. The waiting game plays with your mind, and as go-getters we have a tendency to become borderline stalkers in our fanaticism for doing absolutely everything within our power to get that acceptance. I'm thankful for the consistent advice to tone it down and maintain professionalism. Gonnif recently made a great point that often these LOI are not properly written in a professional manner, which is helpful for anyone considering sending one to reconsider their formatting and have someone neutral put eyes on it before hitting send.

Hopefully that didn't count as a crucifixion 😉
No they definitely do make good points. At the end of the day it is a non-binding contract that some applicants have abused and ruined for the rest of us, but I'm just reminding everyone that if you hear directly from schools you're interested in, nothing any of the adcoms on SDN say should take precedence with respect to those specific schools. If you haven't heard anything from your schools, then their advice is worth taking into consideration
 
Is it frowned upon to email Deans of schools you are currently waitlisted at to politely ask your status/chances of admission? Will that like annoy them at all or hurt my chances? (I know it can also be very subjective) I have an acceptance elsewhere and want to start looking for an apartment/roommate/research opportunities/etc and don't want to start too late. Considering I'd be moving to the school's area 1500 miles away from my hometown in about a month and a half, I don't want to wait too long and miss out on something or get overcharged for getting an apartment at the last minute. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
It won't hurt to try but you're likely to get a 'we don't release that info' type message. At this point you might be better off just going with the acceptance since that's more concrete than any WL chance. You could also just call admissions
 
Some of the schools I interviewed at actively encouraged letters of interest/intent. It's likely some schools do appreciate them.

Also, remember that the sample size of admissions officers on the forums is rather small.

Additionally (and I know I'm going to get crucified for this), none of us have any concrete proof that the individuals who claim to be adcoms on this board are actually adcoms, and if they are, where they work. So if you have heard directly from a school that they do accept/appreciate LOI's, then don't listen to anyone on this board: send one if you are so inclined and an LOI is a genuine reflection of your feelings.
i think skepticism is a healthy trait to have as a future healer. But big picture-wise, how much of what you can say can't have genuinely been addressed before? I believe in a fit-fit situation between you and your schools. If they had not been convinced that you'd fit that fall's matriculating class with all the sweat you put into your primaries, MCAT, secondaries, and cheerful attitude at the interview, how will an email somehow save that? Maybe they don't 'deserve' or fit with you as a medical scholar and i think that's okay
 
i think skepticism is a healthy trait to have as a future healer. But big picture-wise, how much of what you can say can't have genuinely been addressed before? I believe in a fit-fit situation between you and your schools. If they had not been convinced that you'd fit that fall's matriculating class with all the sweat you put into your primaries, MCAT, secondaries, and cheerful attitude at the interview, how will an email somehow save that? Maybe they don't 'deserve' or fit with you as a medical scholar and i think that's okay
and to add briefly, I think we as premeds are hardwired to attempt to control the outcomes of anything we do. But in the grand scheme of life, an important lesson that we would benefit from practising early on is that we cannot, indeed, control everything. Our patient's health, their compliance with their treatment regimen, their trust in our abilities, and even if an adcom chooses us over say, another applicant.
 
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