Waitlisted After Great Interview?

[jetsfan1234]

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Just wondering if this is a common occurrence. I thought my interview went very well. Interviewer praised my application and told me I'd be a perfect fit for the school. Average LizzyM score for the school is 69 (32 mcat, 3.7 GPA). I have a ~3.5 gpa, ~38 mcat, non-trad applicant, lots of healthcare experience.

Can't understand why I was wait-listed after my interviewer (who happened to be the head of admissions!!) gushed over how impressed he was by my application. I've been told I interview well...starting to question that. Grrrr this process is so demoralizing!

 

[SN12357]

I understand this pain. I currently have three acceptances and two waitlists and if I had somehow been told that post-interview and asked to predict which of the five schools would be which, I would have had absolutely no idea. All the interviews seemed to go well to me and the waitlists don't include the most prestigious school of the five.

Unless it's a pattern (like, 5+ waitlists and no acceptances) it's unlikely something you're doing wrong. We just have to accept that there is an aspect of this process that cannot be predicted.

 

[igeak691]

First, your entire application is taken into consideration, so the interview is not the only thing that will determine your candidacy.

Second, the head of admissions may appear to be impressed by you, and make you feel secure thinking you've got the acceptance in the bag, but there are interviewers who do this to see how you react to being praised for what you have done. For example, you have a great MCAT.. when asked about it, how did you respond?

Third, anecdotal evidence: I was waitlisted at two schools, both schools I thought I did well at my interview at. After getting waitlisted, a little at a time you will realize where you made small mistakes. For example, I was praised for my MCAT myself, the interviewer said wow, you got a great MCAT, x, y, and z, subscores.. I said yes, my subscore for x was high because I really like a, b, and c. Now that I think about it, I was asked about my MCAT score not to be praised, but to explain my low score in one of the sections. I didn't catch onto that at the interview.. I may be overthinking it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the interviewer took that "praise" spin on it to see if I would expound on my shortcomings in one section.

Finally, it really is a crapshoot sometimes.. don't let it get you down, there's way too many qualified applicants than there are seats!

 

[nemo123]

The interview is just another component of the application review process. I also had something similar happen to me at an interview, but you never know what goes on behind the scenes in the adcom room.

 

[jetsfan1234]

First, your entire application is taken into consideration, so the interview is not the only thing that will determine your candidacy.

Second, the head of admissions may appear to be impressed by you, and make you feel secure thinking you've got the acceptance in the bag, but there are interviewers who do this to see how you react to being praised for what you have done. For example, you have a great MCAT.. when asked about it, how did you respond?

Third, anecdotal evidence: I was waitlisted at two schools, both schools I thought I did well at my interview at. After getting waitlisted, a little at a time you will realize where you made small mistakes. For example, I was praised for my MCAT myself, the interviewer said wow, you got a great MCAT, x, y, and z, subscores.. I said yes, my subscore for x was high because I really like a, b, and c. Now that I think about it, I was asked about my MCAT score not to be praised, but to explain my low score in one of the sections. I didn't catch onto that at the interview.. I may be overthinking it, but I wouldn't be surprised if the interviewer took that "praise" spin on it to see if I would expound on my shortcomings in one section.

Finally, it really is a crapshoot sometimes.. don't let it get you down, there's way too many qualified applicants than there are seats!

Interesting...I actually have not been asked about my MCAT at any of my interviews. I have been asked about my low-ish undergrad GPA, though. I am wondering if that's what ultimately led to the waitlist, even though I have a 4.0 grad gpa.

If what you are saying is true, those mind games are really BS. If they are wondering about a low subscore why don't they just ask you straight up? If I were an interviewer, I don't think I would expect an interviewee to voluntarily talk about negative aspects of their application. Enough with the jedi mind tricks, ugh.

 

[jetsfan1234]

I understand this pain. I currently have three acceptances and two waitlists and if I had somehow been told that post-interview and asked to predict which of the five schools would be which, I would have had absolutely no idea. All the interviews seemed to go well to me and the waitlists don't include the most prestigious school of the five.

Unless it's a pattern (like, 5+ waitlists and no acceptances) it's unlikely something you're doing wrong. We just have to accept that there is an aspect of this process that cannot be predicted.

Wow, congrats on the 3 acceptances already. I hope I'll be able to say the same. Right now I have 2 waitlists, 3 pending decisions, 2 future interviews, 0 acceptances...

 

[SN12357]

Wow, congrats on the 3 acceptances already. I hope I'll be able to say the same. Right now I have 2 waitlists, 3 pending decisions, 2 future interviews, 0 acceptances...

With that many interviews your chances are great. Try not to stew over it and focus on your upcoming interviews (I know how hard that advice is to follow). If you have update material check to see if the schools where you are waitlisted will take updates and send them one. One of my waitlist schools made it clear that additional communication/updates not only were welcomed, but pretty much required for getting off the waitlist.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I totally empathize with your situation. In both my interviews I've attended so far, my interviewers either straight out told me that the interview went great or heavily implied it. I got wait listed at both and I assume its due to my lower cGPA in both scenarios. Nonetheless, I think it's great you still have interviews and decisions coming up, try to stay positive. Being wait listed is definitely better than being rejected.

 

[Captain Sisko]

Feel your pain- i interviewed at a certain program, with the director of admissions, who told me I was a perfect fit. Wait listed as a result. No help for it but to accept that a) they may say that to a lot of people, b) your interview is only a piece of the puzzle, and c) there's some randomness in the process.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Just wondering if this is a common occurrence. I thought my interview went very well. Interviewer praised my application and told me I'd be a perfect fit for the school. Average LizzyM score for the school is 69 (32 mcat, 3.7 GPA). I have a ~3.5 gpa, ~38 mcat, non-trad applicant, lots of healthcare experience.

Can't understand why I was wait-listed after my interviewer (who happened to be the head of admissions!!) gushed over how impressed he was by my application. I've been told I interview well...starting to question that. Grrrr this process is so demoralizing!

I can one-up you if it makes you feel better OP. I was rejected after what I thought was a great interview. Count your blessings! 😛

 

[Do Something]

I think that even the head of admissions could get outvoted in the committee. There could be something in your application that other voting members who've never met you don't like that your interviewer didn't even think could be an issue.

 

[Kaputt]

Some places cruelly waitlist the vast majority of applicants post-interview and then make you beg them for a spot with letters of interest and intent. They will especially do this for applicants they may deem to be "too good for them"...Mr 38 MCAT, I'm looking at you. These places are playing the game, and it inflates their egos a bit to have a good retention rate where most of the people they accept end up matriculating (so they'll stack the deck and accept the people that are more likely to come).

 

[sourdoughllama]

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[CarlosDanger]

Because of your super-high MCAT, you might need to go out of your way a bit more to tell them why you like their school, why you fully intend to end up there, its your first choice, blah blah. They think you're going to have a ton of options, and they're just like you. They don't want to be rejected either.