What is taking so long???

[fignewton]

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Is it normal to have heard nothing (good) yet? I was complete at all schools by early/mid-Sept. and have only heard from 3 schools rejecting me. I have 30+, 3.7 gpa, really good extracurriculars and I expected to have heard from at least a few schools by now. Maybe it's because I am Canadian?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated...

 

[szhao]

don't worry, i am in the same boat and i am US citizen hehe

 

[AlkaIL]

Did you ever consider it's because you're so negative Szhao?

Hang in there it is only November! And always have a plan B.

 

[AlkaIL]

plan B

 

[MDdreams]

I haven't heard anything good or bad from anywhere (except one rejection from BU) 32 MCAT, 3.5 GPA, fulltime research post-college 12 publications, clinical experiences & shadowing, director of a non-profit, varsity athlete and played in the world championships for team canada - i thought that might at least be unique enough to get me noticed - but i guess not

my gpa is too low to get me into canadian med schools, and i did my undergrad at Cornell so I'm comparable to US applicants

and the thing that is starting to worry me is that i really don't think there is anything i can do improve my app to apply next summer if i don't get in this year

 

[ICCONFETTI]

plan B

isn't that the prescription morning after pill available in pharmacies?? You need to take it within 72 hours or something?
anyways, that was just the first thing i thought of.

 

[coffeebythelake]

Wayne State shows a lot of love to canadians. Did you apply there?

 

[MadHopsMD]

To the OP: you will hear from them soon...

for the canadians...this year there seems to be a large influx of canadains applying (double cohorts?), especially late. When you hear ppl saying "Applying early is important"...they are not kidding.

To the cornell guy, I am suprised you didnt hear from anybody yet...my only guess is you applied to top 20 schools only (I see a posting about UCSF)....applying early and more widely will help you more than anything else on your application (which is solid already)...

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

THere's a crapload of people applying this year. Things are falling behind. Try not to let it tear your sanity apart.

 

[omegaxx]

I haven't heard anything good or bad from anywhere (except one rejection from BU) 32 MCAT, 3.5 GPA, fulltime research post-college 12 publications, clinical experiences & shadowing, director of a non-profit, varsity athlete and played in the world championships for team canada - i thought that might at least be unique enough to get me noticed - but i guess not

my gpa is too low to get me into canadian med schools, and i did my undergrad at Cornell so I'm comparable to US applicants

and the thing that is starting to worry me is that i really don't think there is anything i can do improve my app to apply next summer if i don't get in this year

that's some crazy credentials. even the top 20 schools would give you interviews i'd imagine!
when was your file completed?

 

[LifetimeDoc]

THere's a crapload of people applying this year. Things are falling behind. Try not to let it tear your sanity apart.

I hear this "statistic" all over SDN lately (maybe it's touted every year). Where are people getting this information? 😕

 

[MadHopsMD]

I hear this "statistic" all over SDN lately (maybe it's touted every year). Where are people getting this information? 😕

Well, my first clue came when my AMCAS took 1 month longer to verfy than last year. My second clue came when every interview place I went to told me applications have increased by 700-1000 at their schools. 😀 More ppl want to be doctors this year than ever before i think (at least the last 2 years: 39K last year, 37K in 2004-2005*).

* From AAMC: http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/nov06/enrollment.htm

 

[Timmythemic22]

Wayne State shows a lot of love to canadians. Did you apply there?

Somebody LIKES canadians??!?!

 

[LizzyM]

30+, 3.7 is "average" for at least some top 20s which means you aren't going to stand out in that crowd.

I hope that you "applied broadly" taking into consideration that many public (state sponsored) schools have very few if any spots for OOS/foreign applicants.

Another problem for applicants from Canadian schools (regardless of citizenship) is that faculty at Canadian schools write the most bland letters. It just doesn't seem to be in their nature to brag about their students. None use the adjectives we see all over LOR from US schools and consequently the LORs are seen as unenthusiastic. Some of us with more experience understand the situation but I can see where this can hurt some applicants.

 

[LizzyM]

PS: I've personnally reviewed over 700 applications this season (nearing the end of "my share" but I'm still seeing supplementals that were written in August, so you can see how long it can take for us to get through the stack of appies. Being complete in mid-September may mean that some adcoms haven't gotten to your folder yet.

Be patient. This takes time.

 

[fignewton]

I applied really broadly (maybe even overly broadly) and that's why I think it's weird that I haven't heard anything yet. I know there are more Canadians applying down south this year because of the double cohort - I am definitely one of them. There are just more spots in the US than in Canada, even when you factor in the increased number of applicants in the states.

Everyone that wrote my reference letters brought up the idea that typically Canadians don't "brag" about their students as much as Americans (I had no idea this was even the case). All of my people told me they were aware and would try to up the anty a bit, but who really knows if they did.

 

[DrZeke]

don't worry, i am in the same boat and i am US citizen hehe

oh Shzao...not to burst your bubble, but stop telling kids that have no interviews that you are in the same boat as them...

We can see your MD applicants profile silly...🙂