#WaitListedAndProud2016_A Post-April 30th Saga

Started by insaneinthemembrane27
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april 30 med school application waitlist
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agathachristie said:
This process and really life in general is more of a marathon than a sprint. As a non traditional applicant I've learned that most of life is spent waiting for something and then we get it and it's waiting for something else...So best thing to do easier said than done is to try to do something we enjoy as we wait for whatever it is. I know I am going to come out on the other side more patient than I ever thought I could be in this faith walk. Let's see what the plan is...
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As someone applying two years out of college, I'm definitely learning to accept that it's okay that things take time and work more like a marathon than sprint. It's just hard to think about what I could possibly do more during another gap year to improve my application if I need to reapply.

If anything I'll just have time to play the new Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts videogames LOL
agathachristie said:
I have to remind myself of that particular verse often because some of the "plans" don't feel good at all but they do end up working out for good when looking back.
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Yep, that's exactly why I stuck that verse under my username! To constantly remind myself and perhaps encourage others as well 🙂
 
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BeachBlondie said:
They don't have the bandwidth to consider each of us as an individual, special snowflake. Each of us is waiting to make alternative plans, each of us wants to get into medical school, each of us looks nearly identical on paper. So, to say that you can't "conceive of treating another human being like this" is grossly misrepresenting what's going on -- they're not condemning you to a concentration camp in North Korea; they're not lashing you to the point of unconsciousness with a bull whip. They're dealing with thousands upon thousands of applications and trying to manage ever-increasing volume each year.

You're typing on a publicly-accessible forum, so I assume that you know that your words are candidates for scrutiny. What you're currently going through is not the end of the known world: you're waiting to hear back on continuing higher education -- do you not realize how incredibly freaking lucky you are to be that position? Maybe I'm just weathered from life -- I'm older, I had a crushing childhood, I've gone hungry, I've had friends mowed down with semi-automatics, I've watched my dad brought back from the brink of death on several occasions -- but if you take a moment to step back and really read your own words -- REALLY try and contextualize what you're saying -- I think you may understand my reason for shaking my head at this.

I wish you the best. I do. But as you're gearing up to care for human life, know that there will be FAR graver circumstances in your future.
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I'm not trying to paint it as some kind of a end all be all thing. Sometimes I accidentally make things more dramatic because that's just the way I speak. The moral of the story: it's not hard to give direct information. It's not hard to not mislead people. We've all had struggled in our lives and will continue to, without question. Take Southern Illinois for example. They read my primary, didn't like it, rejected me, and that was that. No harm no foul. I wish the schools could follow that model because they're dealing with people who have worked for years for this goal. Also I'm on my phone so forgive me for shoddy grammar or half formed thoughts.


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I imagine this is what my trying to appeal to the adcoms looks like at this point:
BandPhoto_2016_03_03_17_33_38.gif


I don't disagree with @BeachBlondie about putting things in perspective, but the fact is, people don't experience things
in absolute placements, but in relatives, especially within our lives. There will always be people in a worse rut.
But that shouldn't make personal experiences and sentiments any less legitimate.

Time to stop whining and get on with it? Sure. But we can't behave rationally at all times. Sometimes,
we just have to whine like a kid with self- awareness in understanding that it is just that- petulant, moody whining.
 
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I've posted a lot of needlessly depressing and self-loathing things on here recently. But that's not who I've ever been and it's not who I want to be. I thought I was going to get into medical school and I didn't. It's unfortunate but I have to move past it. The truth of the matter is that you don't get rejected from this many schools by accident, and it may just be that I haven't earned it yet. This year has been unpleasant but it hasn't been entirely horrible. I have matured more than any other time in my life, and I have met a great many people--some of whom are right here on this forum--that I consider true friends. I do believe that this experience will make me appreciate medical school more than I ever could before, if I do get in. And if I do I will never take a single moment for granted. There's still a tiny chance I could get on somewhere this time. In all likelihood it will not happen, but I will continue sleeping with my Rosalind Franklin folder under my pillow until it's over. In the meantime, all I can do is work towards the next year(s) of applications and appreciate that I have a good life surrounded by people who genuinely care about me.


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songl4a said:
I had a dream that you (not even me, in my own dream) got into Rosy, FWIW.
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Rosy is a temptress who many a man have lusted after. How I dream to take her into my arms. Interestingly enough, I have not had any dreams about getting accepted. I have had dreams where people I know get accepted.


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sss1219 said:
Seriously, while my soul is slowly withering with all the silence on my side, my heart actually hopes @bananafish94 gets in if nothing else

The dread vs. stress level timeline graph thing alone makes you deserve it
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I actually saw someone sitting in front of me in class take a screenshot of that once. My weird posts on this website have sort of a cult status.


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superfrogpoke said:
Where is the stress vs dread graph? I can't find it and I'm very interested

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bananafish94 said:
Bananafish94's Emotions vs. Time
View attachment 202805
June: Man, I've got a great GPA and I've been involved in so much! My MCAT might hold me back a little but this is gonna be a great year!
July: Better submit these secondaries!
August: Haha, what do you mean you have an interview already, co-worker who has never volunteered and wants to be a doctor to make a lot of money?
September: Hmm, shouldn't I have received an interview...somewhere...by now?
October: Congratulations on your acceptance! Oh, me? Well, no news is good news! Perhaps I should succumb to my baser urges and join SDN.
November: Lord help me, what did I do wrong? If I don't get an interview by Thanksgiving it's all over. My high school biology teacher was right about me the whole time.
Early December: If I die and go to medical school as a cadaver, does it count?
Late December: Praise be, my first interview! The only time in my life I have legitimately cried of happiness. I would get two more in the next week! A true Christmas miracle.
Early January: These interviews weren't nearly as stressful as everyone said they would be! I have a good feeling about this.
Late January: Two waitlists in rapid succession. Is it something I said?
Early February: Wow, I love UIC. I really hope they let me in. Thankfully my interview went well!
Late February: Alright, I've done four interviews and haven't heard from two of them. The odds are decent!
March: Why won't you just tell me if I got in?
April: Is it the 30th yet?
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I have a very distinct picture in my head of admissions committees using my application to roll a cigar as they sit back in comfortable armchairs and drink expensive chardonnay that they bought with my application fees.

"Oh my god, I can't believe he fell for the ole "They sent me a secondary so they must be interested" trick! And he sent us $100! Hahaha what a jackass!"
 
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bananafish94 said:
I have a very distinct picture in my head of admissions committees using my application to roll a cigar as they sit back in comfortable armchairs and drink expensive chardonnay that they bought with my application fees.

"Oh my god, I can't believe he fell for the ole "They sent me a secondary so they must be interested" trick! And he sent us $100! Hahaha what a jackass!"
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don't forget "you aren't interviewing for the waitlist" "nobody at our school interviews for the waitlist" " just because you're interviewing in april doesnt mean you're interviewing for the waitlist" etc

three weeks later "we regret to inform you that you have been waitlisted"
 
I was told by a school, when they sent me an II in late February, that there were still spots in the class for the late interviewees.... and I still haven't even gotten an initial decision from them. Just banging my head against a wall everyday waiting to hear from them. Is it possible that they'll never respond to me at all? Can they do that? Just ghost on me after an interview?
 
Spector1 said:
don't forget "you aren't interviewing for the waitlist" "nobody at our school interviews for the waitlist" " just because you're interviewing in april doesnt mean you're interviewing for the waitlist" etc

three weeks later "we regret to inform you that you have been waitlisted"
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I feel like I'm on the Truman show sometimes.
 
Cotterpin said:
I was told by a school, when they sent me an II in late February, that there were still spots in the class for the late interviewees.... and I still haven't even gotten an initial decision from them. Just banging my head against a wall everyday waiting to hear from them. Is it possible that they'll never respond to me at all? Can they do that? Just ghost on me after an interview?
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If I've learned anything from this process, it's that they can do anything they want and you will thank them for it.
 
bananafish94 said:
If I've learned anything from this process, it's that they can do anything they want and you will thank them for it.
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They might be even drawing out the process so that, when you finally get in, you'll be so thankful that you'll do anything they say and take any crap they throw at you in the future.
Dark.

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bananafish94 said:
Cotterpin I'm in the exact same boat with UIC. They told me I would hear in February and I've been "decision pending" since the Roosevelt administration. At this point if they don't tell me anything by August I'm just showing up. Honey, if you didn't want me to come you should've rejected me.
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Let's just believe that these pending schools are waiting to accept us when they start pulling people off the wait list. "Pending" is basically a wait list at this point anyway, isn't it?
 
Cotterpin said:
Let's just believe that these pending schools are waiting to accept us when they start pulling people off the wait list. "Pending" is basically a wait list at this point anyway, isn't it?
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Lord knows. I don't know if UIC has actually sent out a designated waitlist status at this point. Every time somebody calls the office they tell us something radically different. I'm guessing it's either a waitlist or rejection.
 
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So.. here's what I did a few years back:
My first interview was in early october, and my last interview was late march (3 total). I was waitlisted at them all. Around mid-May (right after graduation from undergrad), I started panicking that I hadn't been accepted anywhere and that I didn't have a plan for the upcoming year. I called several of the schools that rejected me, but where I'd made it past the screening for the secondary, and set up phone appointments with the Dean of admissions. I asked how I could improve my application for the next cycle, and (SURPRISE!) obtained meaningful responses. Then, in panic mode (since SMP program application deadlines were nearing), I applied to 2 SMP programs immediately after I hung up the phone. I also sent my resume to a bunch of drug companies. Within the week, I had an acceptance for one of the SMP programs, a "high" waitlist for the other, and an intership offer from a major pharmaceutical. I pay my non-refundable $500 deposit for the SMP and start looking up housing. At this point, I sent a letter of intent to my top choice, but I'd lost all hope of getting off med school waitlists.
Another week goes by. I signed up to retake the MCAT in August (I'd decided that I would wait a year and really make sure my app was strengthened before reapplying). I'm getting ready to fly to city where the SMP is located to look for housing/sign a lease. I'm literally in the middle of booking my plane ticket, and I get an acceptance letter email from the school to which I sent the letter of intent. This was at the end of May.

Moral of the story: DON'T LOSE HOPE! (But have a back-up plan just in case)

I know that this doesn't happen for everyone, but I wish you all the best of luck! :luck::luck::luck:
 
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