Waitlisted - talk to dean!

[Dr. Donkey]

I have heard people refer to their seemingly productive conversations with admissions deans about their position on the waitlist and what they can do to get off it and how much they desperately love the school and should be allowed in just for that Rudy factor.

How is this feat accomplished??? Whenever I write to a dean I get a formulaic email back (probably just a form letter with slight modifying features for personalization). Usually it goes something along the lines of "Hello from our medical school. Our advice is to send us updates." I have done the whole update thing, but it seems like some people are getting more satisfactory responses from the deans. Even when I ask specific questions they are often not answered, or, at best, left to be answered by generalized statements about the waitlist structure and such. I have even gone the route of implying that I could speak with the dean on the phone, which seems like it would be more convenient for him, but he NEVER falls for that.

How do you get in touch with the actual people? Should I just cold call the dean if I can get the number (not likely) and be like, "Hey, I've got some fantastic stock options for you, AND how they hell do I get off your damn waitlist?" Maybe a singing telegram or a orangutan-o-gram or a stripper who pops out of a cake with messages from me scrawled across her jumblies. Advice?

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[jclarke]

Hey, I really think it depends on the school. Some admissions offices are just more open than others. Maybe if you search the threads from last few years, you should get an idea which offices are actually helpful.

For example, Upstate is extremely helpful whereas Downstate isn't.

 

[Turtle48]

Dr. Donkey-which school are you speaking about?

 

[boyz of 4d]

Anyone who has any advice on this for stonybrook, please let me know.

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

this is very true. be careful. search the old waitlist threads of your medschool

Hey, I really think it depends on the school. Some admissions offices are just more open than others. Maybe if you search the threads from last few years, you should get an idea which offices are actually helpful.

For example, Upstate is extremely helpful whereas Downstate isn't.

 

[Dr. Donkey]

UMich mainly, although I am still waiting to hear back from Duke. Info on Vanderbilt and WashU would also be appreciated (i.e. are they easy to chat with and get valuable information out of)

Dr. Donkey-which school are you speaking about?

 

[gbiz]

UMich mainly, although I am still waiting to hear back from Duke. Info on Vanderbilt and WashU would also be appreciated (i.e. are they easy to chat with and get valuable information out of)

Greeting from Ann Arbor and thank you for your inquiry! At this point
we have made an initial assessment of our waitlist. You have been
placed in the third tier. This placement is a preliminary placement and
the admission committee reserves the right to invite students from any
tier into our class at any point. We do not anticipate any waitlist
activity until early June. Please note our waitlist is not ranked, is
substantial in size and is subject to review again in June. Likewise, as
each application cycle is independent this year's waitlist activity
may not reflect prior year's. At this point you are welcome to
continue to update your file with any new information. This year was
particularly challenging given our large and deep pool of applicants.
Based on this uncertainty I would suggest you continue to develop and
consider additional options. We will, of course, keep your file open for
as long as you wish until the class is definitely set. Thank you for
your interest in Michigan. Best wishes....


Yeh, that wasnt what I was asking. I have been in the same boat Dr.Donkey!!!! Ive sent UMich 2 updates, and it really does not seem to help the slightest. As you can see, I am on the bottom tier; that is after the updates and intent letter. Seeing as I was waitlisted before that, they have not helped.

If you get any insight, please drop me a msg!!!!!

 

[Dr. Donkey]

, nice. Same letter, minus the part about making other plans with slightly different advise stuck in about getting in touch later. (2nd tier)

Yeh, that wasnt what I was asking. I have been in the same boat Dr.Donkey!!!! Ive sent UMich 2 updates, and it really does not seem to help the slightest. As you can see, I am on the bottom tier; that is after the updates and intent letter. Seeing as I was waitlisted before that, they have not helped.

If you get any insight, please drop me a msg!!!!!

 

[choip0817]

I sent an email to Dr. Dodsen in Washington University giving an update as well as a letter of intent. I received this email back about 3 weeks later, after I found out i was on the waitlist. I don't think it's anything special, but it shows that he read my email (Rocky Mount is where I was going for a Habitat for Humanity trip)

"Thank you for your E-mail. *You do not need to do anything more at this
point. *In the future when we inquire about your continuing interest I hope
that you will respond affirmatively. *Meanwhile, thank you for your
interest and patience. * Be careful on your road trip to Rock Mount. * I
hope you have a great and productive time.
Sincerely,
W. Edwin Dodson, MD"

 

[fun8stuff]

, nice. Same letter, minus the part about making other plans with slightly different advise stuck in about getting in touch later. (2nd tier)

yeah, mine had the whole thing about getting in touch in May... other than that.. exact same.

 

[ScarTissue]

I actually have had a couple of friends who had this work. One of my friends was waitlisted this year and called the school to see if he could come down and meet with the admissions office to talk about his application and to see what he could do to make it stronger (ostensibly for next year's cycle). He got off the waitlist 2 weeks after the meeting. The admissions people told him that it showed iniative and interest in the school that he was willing to go through that effort.

 

[fun8stuff]

I actually have had a couple of friends who had this work. One of my friends was waitlisted this year and called the school to see if he could come down and meet with the admissions office to talk about his application and to see what he could do to make it stronger (ostensibly for next year's cycle). He got off the waitlist 2 weeks after the meeting. The admissions people told him that it showed iniative and interest in the school that he was willing to go through that effort.

for what school?

 

[dbpatto]

I actually have had a couple of friends who had this work. One of my friends was waitlisted this year and called the school to see if he could come down and meet with the admissions office to talk about his application and to see what he could do to make it stronger (ostensibly for next year's cycle). He got off the waitlist 2 weeks after the meeting. The admissions people told him that it showed iniative and interest in the school that he was willing to go through that effort.

I did just that for RWJ last year and still got no love. I've yet to hear back post interview from them this time around, so maybe they took the gesture at face value. *shrug*

 

[DrSpongebob]

Any advice on how to do that with Howard???
Thanks guys

 

[mango6110]

Greeting from Ann Arbor and thank you for your inquiry! At this point
we have made an initial assessment of our waitlist. You have been
placed in the third tier. This placement is a preliminary placement and
the admission committee reserves the right to invite students from any
tier into our class at any point. We do not anticipate any waitlist
activity until early June. Please note our waitlist is not ranked, is
substantial in size and is subject to review again in June. Likewise, as
each application cycle is independent this year's waitlist activity
may not reflect prior year's. At this point you are welcome to
continue to update your file with any new information. This year was
particularly challenging given our large and deep pool of applicants.
Based on this uncertainty I would suggest you continue to develop and
consider additional options. We will, of course, keep your file open for
as long as you wish until the class is definitely set. Thank you for
your interest in Michigan. Best wishes....


Yeh, that wasnt what I was asking. I have been in the same boat Dr.Donkey!!!! Ive sent UMich 2 updates, and it really does not seem to help the slightest. As you can see, I am on the bottom tier; that is after the updates and intent letter. Seeing as I was waitlisted before that, they have not helped.

If you get any insight, please drop me a msg!!!!!

Can I ask which email address you guys are using to set up a meeting at Michigan. I emailed the dean directly....Mr. Ruiz in March and he sent me a response immediately saying to email him back in middle of April where any such meeting may be more productive......so let me know what email address are u using?

I do not know if I send an email out now....what the answer will be