Waitlist Support Group

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Hi comrades! I am in the reapp mindset now also and hold WLs at 3 schools. Those of you who are reapplying, are you assuming that your activities and PS are not as strong as they could have been? My numbers are on the low side with an upward trajectory throughout overcoming hardship. I probably shouldn't have even received 3 interviews with my low numbers. So I'm planning to retake MCAT in July. Would being complete in August be worse for a reapplicant?
 
kel148 said:
Hi comrades! I am in the reapp mindset now also and hold WLs at 3 schools. Those of you who are reapplying, are you assuming that your activities and PS are not as strong as they could have been? My numbers are on the low side with an upward trajectory throughout overcoming hardship. I probably shouldn't have even received 3 interviews with my low numbers. So I'm planning to retake MCAT in July. Would being complete in August be worse for a reapplicant?
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I know my PS and activities are fine as I've been complimented on them by everyone and there is really nothing to improve.
 
kel148 said:
Hi comrades! I am in the reapp mindset now also and hold WLs at 3 schools. Those of you who are reapplying, are you assuming that your activities and PS are not as strong as they could have been? My numbers are on the low side with an upward trajectory throughout overcoming hardship. I probably shouldn't have even received 3 interviews with my low numbers. So I'm planning to retake MCAT in July. Would being complete in August be worse for a reapplicant?
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For me, I know my biggest issue was applying very late. I'm still updating/changing my PS and activities, because I do have some new things to add and also want to show schools where I'm a reapp that I've continued to do something, at least. It's a little frustrating, since my reasons for 'why medicine' haven't changed, but I'm reframing the way I present them.
 
joonage said:
I have no motivation to re-write my PS... someone motivate me. T.T
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I'm in the same boat. Just keep reminding myself that I want to be a doctor and this is what I have to do to get there.
 
Seriously, why don't the schools just email me and tell me that the wait lists at their schools won't move so I can fully prepare for the next cycle, which begins next week!
 
It's so hard for me to keep the faith during all of this 🙁 , so my hats go off to all of you still waiting for your first admission :bow:
 
DK2014 said:
Seriously, why don't the schools just email me and tell me that the wait lists at their schools won't move so I can fully prepare for the next cycle, which begins next week!
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I completely empathize with you: unfortunately, the system is based on holding out until the bitter end.

I'm sure you'll do great, whatever the next year holds for you. 🙂
 
Congrats to all I am still not moving and one of my schools just told me that they will probably only pull no more than 10 off the waitlist.
 
Seriously, just thinking about getting in and not having to do an SMP/reapply AGAIN and starting medical school with the tons of students that I have advised (and have gotten in) would make my entire lifetime. But, when I think about that, it makes me sadder cause probability is not in my favor.
 
Looking for advice because this nuance in accepting offers is confusing me: If I accept a conditional offer and another school accepts me off of their waitlist, can I rescind the earlier acceptance and go to the other school?
And, in your opinion, even if I can, should I?

A little background: I've gotten bumped off of the waitlist of one school with a conditional offer, but am waiting on one more (my dream school, actually).
 
fellow waitlister here. do you guys know of applicants that reapplied with basically the same application but got in the next cycle because they applied on the first day and were complete early instead of, like me last year, mid october?
 
manofmen said:
fellow waitlister here. do you guys know of applicants that reapplied with basically the same application but got in the next cycle because they applied on the first day and were complete early instead of, like me last year, mid october?
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I think that could work, just make sure you have mostly a new list of schools.
 
lilcraycrafter said:
Looking for advice because this nuance in accepting offers is confusing me: If I accept a conditional offer and another school accepts me off of their waitlist, can I rescind the earlier acceptance and go to the other school?
And, in your opinion, even if I can, should I?

A little background: I've gotten bumped off of the waitlist of one school with a conditional offer, but am waiting on one more (my dream school, actually).
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What is a conditional offer?
 
lilcraycrafter said:
Looking for advice because this nuance in accepting offers is confusing me: If I accept a conditional offer and another school accepts me off of their waitlist, can I rescind the earlier acceptance and go to the other school?
And, in your opinion, even if I can, should I?

A little background: I've gotten bumped off of the waitlist of one school with a conditional offer, but am waiting on one more (my dream school, actually).
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Yes. You can accept any offers until you start orientation (or a pre-matriculation program).
 
CUOptimus12 said:
This process has been hell. Re-applicant and preparing to go for a third round.

But today my prayers were answered. Got accepted off one of my top choice waitlist.

Don't EVER lose hope, guys.
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Need you to rub some of that luck on me Shepard lol.
 
I am so depressed.. i really thought I had a chance to get accepted to a medical school by now... i'm starting to doubt myself. I have NO CLUE what to do now... heres a little about me

32 mcat (9, 12, 11), 3.8 gpa, research, 200+ shadowing hours, + more volunteering.

I am on the waitlist at BOTH my state schools and I have sent two letters of intent to both of them.... I seriously doubt I would even get in next cycle since it gets even more competitive each year. I am pretty much screwed right? Should I just go to the Caribbean and take the risk?
 
KBSama said:
I am so depressed.. i really thought I had a chance to get accepted to a medical school by now... i'm starting to doubt myself. I have NO CLUE what to do now... heres a little about me

32 mcat (9, 12, 11), 3.8 gpa, research, 200+ shadowing hours, + more volunteering.

I am on the waitlist at BOTH my state schools and I have sent two letters of intent to both of them.... I seriously doubt I would even get in next cycle since it gets even more competitive each year. I am pretty much screwed right? Should I just go to the Caribbean and take the risk?
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Passing by the DOs and straight to Caribbean?
 
KBSama said:
I am so depressed.. i really thought I had a chance to get accepted to a medical school by now... i'm starting to doubt myself. I have NO CLUE what to do now... heres a little about me

32 mcat (9, 12, 11), 3.8 gpa, research, 200+ shadowing hours, + more volunteering.

I am on the waitlist at BOTH my state schools and I have sent two letters of intent to both of them.... I seriously doubt I would even get in next cycle since it gets even more competitive each year. I am pretty much screwed right? Should I just go to the Caribbean and take the risk?
Click to expand...

What is your science GPA?

Did you just apply to those state schools?

Are your volunteer and clinical experiences on going or did you quit before applying? Are your volunteer experiences all over the place or have you shown dedication to a few? Can you speak passionately about them?

How is your personal statement? Did you get many people to proof it? How are your activity descriptions? Any peer edits there?

Who did you get letters from? Do you have any professors, physicians, or volunteer coordinators that know you very well?

How did your interviews go?

There are so many elements of the application that can all simultaneously hold you back from an acceptance.

I would not jump straight to the Caribbean. Widen your MD list, expand to DO schools. Try to improve on every facet of your application that you can.

Try to schedule an exit interview with schools where you were rejected from. State schools are generally amenable to this. That will help you focus on what you need to improve.

Above all, stay positive.
 
@gyngyn -- I'm curious, if a waitlistee did not have any acceptances in May, but got accepted in June, would another school who had that person on their waitlist be able to see that change in status?

I'm wondering if deans get a bit more merciful in July and August if they see that a waitlistee still has no acceptances?
 
BolloX said:
@gyngyn -- I'm curious, if a waitlistee did not have any acceptances in May, but got accepted in June, would another school who had that person on their waitlist be able to see that change in status?

I'm wondering if deans get a bit more merciful in July and August if they see that a waitlistee still has no acceptances?
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Yes, at this point in the cycle changes in the waitlisters' status are updated daily.
How this affects decisions across schools probably varies. The main effect is to reduce odds of an offer if the school where the candidate is holding is better in some way than the school contemplating the offer. I don't think that there is perceived to be much difference between no acceptances and an acceptance at a less competitive school, unless that school in their home state.
 
Donald Kimball said:
What is your science GPA?

Did you just apply to those state schools?

Are your volunteer and clinical experiences on going or did you quit before applying? Are your volunteer experiences all over the place or have you shown dedication to a few? Can you speak passionately about them?

How is your personal statement? Did you get many people to proof it? How are your activity descriptions? Any peer edits there?

Who did you get letters from? Do you have any professors, physicians, or volunteer coordinators that know you very well?

How did your interviews go?

There are so many elements of the application that can all simultaneously hold you back from an acceptance.

I would not jump straight to the Caribbean. Widen your MD list, expand to DO schools. Try to improve on every facet of your application that you can.

Try to schedule an exit interview with schools where you were rejected from. State schools are generally amenable to this. That will help you focus on what you need to improve.

Above all, stay positive.
Click to expand...


Science GPA: 3.66
Applied to 11 schools: 5 in state and 6 out of state all MD
Clinical was from 2012 - 2013 and volunteer was for only 4 months, there were some for a long time 1+ years and some for 4-6 months
Took about a month to write it and had 5+ people look over it. I had about 2 people proof read my activity descriptions
Letters from 2 science professors and 1 physician that I followed
One was an MMI and the other I felt went well

I REALLY wanted to start school this year and didn't want to take another whole year applying and worrying... I have no clue what to do
 
Has the bulk of wait list movement occurred? Are the chances of receiving an offer very poor now?
 
Afterman said:
Has the bulk of wait list movement occurred? Are the chances of receiving an offer very poor now?
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The bulk should have already occurred is what most people have said. Hope isn't gone but it is getting less and less with every business day. Of course a few people were accepted yesterday from this thread so who knows at this point.

I learned I can afford to apply to one or possibly two schools for a fourth round. It would be the two schools were I am waitlisted now so I am going to work on my application, if I hear nothing by Tuesday I am going to hit submit on a possible ED application to Mercer (where I am very competitive) and then get all my transcripts sent. I know the second I spend money on another round I will be accepted. 😉
 
BZG64 said:
You're fourth round? Damn you are very persistent. If you don't mind me asking, what were your problems the previous rounds, in your opinion, that prevented you from being accepted, and what are you doing differently now?
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Round 1 - I applied early, applied only to the schools I wanted to go to but that meant I didn't apply as broadly as I should have. I had one interview, a DO school who told me that because I was trans they were not going to be able to find a place for me in the OMM course as they required it to be balanced.

Round 2 - I applied early, dropped the DO schools, kept most of the same MD schools although I still did not max out the FAP program and added a few as I learned something I was told about one was an out and out lie so I spoke to them, cleared it up, applied. Retook MCAT, replaced a really bad dictated letter with a really good letter. I was interviewed at two places, one was my top choice. One was at a private conservative school that my interview was horrible (I feel like I should write a book about this experience) and the interviewer actually said he did not like me. The other one was also not great but apparently went better than I thought. I was waitlisted at the second. Someone opted to complain on my behalf to *that* school because he felt I was discriminated against.

Round 3 - I consolidated a few activities on my ECs, added something new EC wise (list of hobbies), same LORs, added some courses in yeshiva which means very little to anyone but me, was a somewhat last minute applicant as it took forever to get my FAP approved although I was still considered early enough to get the first wave of secondaries, I applied to 15 schools on my fee waiver plus one school that did not count for the waiver (was international and I rewrote my PS for that no LGBT or anything that could be used to discriminate against me), so 16 in all. Got four interviews (all places I applied the previous year, including the two I interviewed the previous year which is where I am sitting on the waitlists): three excellent interviews one bad interview. The bad interview was at a HBC which despite the fact I am URM, I don't look it. Also it was a Jewish holiday (they would not move it) so I looked like I just came out of synagogue as that is where I was about to go. Looking like an Orthodox Jew at a medical school interview does not go over well and that was brought up. I also was told I have not traveled enough (I've been to 46 states plus DC and three other countries so I don't know how much I was supposed to travel.) The other three were, as I said, excellent although MSU was MMI and two of the interviewers asked if I go out drinking Friday night and I said I don't drink, then they commented on being religious. (News flash Jews drink, I don't drink because it conflicts with medications which could kill me.) The other 7 were beautiful. One of the others accused me of having no ties to the state I have lived in for 15 years despite the fact most of my family lives here, I own property here, and I am active in the community.

I just went to a meeting with the dean of one of the schools (the one were round 2 had a bad interview and this year I was told I had no ties) and she said there were *no* deficiencies in my application. It was a ranked waitlist where people are literally coming down to a thousandth or less of a point difference and all of the people from accepted to waitlisted are insanely close point wise. I am considering swapping out one of my LORs from a community service position I had a few years ago in exchange for a rabbi letter which will show recent community involvement and more ties to the area. That rabbi previously sent a letter for me but addressed it specifically to one school so I only used it for that school. I need to talk to my mentor/attending to see if he is willing to write another letter for me and what I should change on the app. This gap year has been spent traveling and packing when I wasn't recovering from being assaulted (I lost use of three appendages for a while but now they all work again) very little was medical related unless you count my time as a patient.
 
I have been really lucky in that I have one acceptance already but I am still waitlisted at my number 1 school. I am really unsure what to do for housing. On one hand, I want to start looking with people but wait to sign a lease for another month but I don't want to screw anyone over if I get lucky and get off the waitlist and then leave someone without a roommate. But I'm afraid if I don't start looking now everyone will have signed a lease and I'll have trouble getting a roommate. Anyone else in a similar situation?? What are you guys doing?
 
red_stilettos said:
I have been really lucky in that I have one acceptance already but I am still waitlisted at my number 1 school. I am really unsure what to do for housing. On one hand, I want to start looking with people but wait to sign a lease for another month but I don't want to screw anyone over if I get lucky and get off the waitlist and then leave someone without a roommate. But I'm afraid if I don't start looking now everyone will have signed a lease and I'll have trouble getting a roommate. Anyone else in a similar situation?? What are you guys doing?
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At a certain point you have to commit.

There are some of us who are going to be really screwed since we are not accepted anywhere. If I get accepted this cycle there is a good possibility I am going to be living out of my car until I can find a place.
 
red_stilettos said:
I have been really lucky in that I have one acceptance already but I am still waitlisted at my number 1 school. I am really unsure what to do for housing. On one hand, I want to start looking with people but wait to sign a lease for another month but I don't want to screw anyone over if I get lucky and get off the waitlist and then leave someone without a roommate. But I'm afraid if I don't start looking now everyone will have signed a lease and I'll have trouble getting a roommate. Anyone else in a similar situation?? What are you guys doing?
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I'm in a similar situation but am lucky that I am living in the city where I hold an acceptance. Better still, my landlord is willing to let me pay month-by-month at this point. I'm hoping the ability to not make a lease commitment will let me be more flexible and perhaps help me score a last minute acceptance offer as the summer winds down. Of course, if I end up going to the school I'm accepted at I will probably have a lousy living situation for a year as I scramble to find a place 😕.
 
red_stilettos said:
I have been really lucky in that I have one acceptance already but I am still waitlisted at my number 1 school. I am really unsure what to do for housing. On one hand, I want to start looking with people but wait to sign a lease for another month but I don't want to screw anyone over if I get lucky and get off the waitlist and then leave someone without a roommate. But I'm afraid if I don't start looking now everyone will have signed a lease and I'll have trouble getting a roommate. Anyone else in a similar situation?? What are you guys doing?
Click to expand...

This is my exact struggle, especially since there doesn't seem to have been much movement yet at my #1 and historically it takes place mostly mid-June...

Right now I'm looking around for places, I may call my #1 later in the week to see what's up in terms of waitlist
 
red_stilettos said:
I have been really lucky in that I have one acceptance already but I am still waitlisted at my number 1 school. I am really unsure what to do for housing. On one hand, I want to start looking with people but wait to sign a lease for another month but I don't want to screw anyone over if I get lucky and get off the waitlist and then leave someone without a roommate. But I'm afraid if I don't start looking now everyone will have signed a lease and I'll have trouble getting a roommate. Anyone else in a similar situation?? What are you guys doing?
Click to expand...

*hugs* I am in your exact situation too. Do you have friends in either of the cities you may go, and crash with them for a week or two? That may be a temporary fix, I'm sorry I can't give you much long-term advice.
 
Hey guys, I've been lurking on here for a while. I was waitlisted at three schools, and today I received notice that one of them had accepted me. I am extremely relieved and excited, so don't give up just yet!
 
been lurking here for a while, sort of giving up hope and just waiting to submit tomorrow. I'm on 2 wait lists but one is at a school that has historically almost no movement so essentially one unranked wait list and this wait is horrible. its great to see people getting off lists it keeps the tiniest bit of hope alive.
 
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