When does the dust clear on sdn?

[johnnytest]

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Just curious, when do sdn users, for the most part, know their application season is over? I know IIs and acceptances can happen up to April or even later. But, in general, for those with no IIs or acceptances, when is it time to call it quits for the cycle?

 

[Ophthoseidon]

Obviously don't give up on it, but by winter break I would start looking for things that would boost your application for the next cycle, just in case

 

[Make Or Break]

Johnny, by any chance are you applying TMDSAS?

 

[godawg300]

Hypothetically if I had no II I would give up on the cycle by end of December. I don't think many II go out in January.

 

[AspiringERMD]

Hypothetically if I had no II I would give up on the cycle by end of December. I don't think many II go out in January.

Holy ****, your MDApps says you have 23 interviews. Are you the second coming of Jesus? Did you do research in curing blindness and leprosy with a 100% success rate? Or invent a novel method of resuscitation after three days? Did you turn water into wine in gen chem, or was that just an acid/base titration and phenolphthalein?

WHAT IS THIS SORCERY

 

[godawg300]

Holy ****, your MDApps says you have 23 interviews. Are you the second coming of Jesus? Did you do research in curing blindness and leprosy with a 100% success rate? Or invent a novel method of resuscitation after three days? Did you turn water into wine in gen chem, or was that just an acid/base titration and phenolphthalein?

WHAT IS THIS SORCERY

lol. Well, I applied broadly because of SDN. Didn't think I would get so many interviews. I did have a good amount of research (4 years) with pubs and all that good stuff but I actually think it's the obstacles I had to overcome to get to this point. Being poor, homeless, and a bunch of other ****ty situations make getting to this point stand out a bit more. Well, that's just my hypothesis. I'd like to think Adcoms read things like the PS and really use a holistic approach. Other than that I can't really tell you how I got so many. I don't have the highest stats in the world, that's for sure.

 

[Keladry]

Hypothetically if I had no II I would give up on the cycle by end of December. I don't think many II go out in January.

I got one II in December and 3 in January 😉 Plus for those of us on waitlists, it wasn't really over til August.
Obviously it'd be nice to know/be done earlier, but it's a loooong cycle, and things happen right up til orientation starts. If you have no IIs, that's different, but you've still got a few months to get them!

 

[godawg300]

I got one II in December and 3 in January 😉 Plus for those of us on waitlists, it wasn't really over til August.
Obviously it'd be nice to know/be done earlier, but it's a loooong cycle, and things happen right up til orientation starts. If you have no IIs, that's different, but you've still got a few months to get them!

That's great to hear!

 

[Maeby Funke]

I received my ii for the school I currently attend in late March, and 3/5 of my MD invites came January or later. From the second I submitted my application I acted as though I'd be reapplying (by continuing to take classes, gaining clinical experience, and volunteering) so I had plenty of things to mention in update letters.

 

[johnnytest]

Great input. Thanks everyone.

 

[AspiringERMD]

What I would like to know is if situations similar to these anecdotes will occur with similar frequency this year. @gyngyn has said her school only has 15% of the interview slots left. @Goro has said that most schools are over 2/3 done giving out IIs. This is an unusually competitive year (perhaps because everyone is trying to sneak in under the old MCAT), and I find myself wondering if the IIs will be gone much earlier than in past years.

 

[gyngyn]

What I would like to know is if situations similar to these anecdotes will occur with similar frequency this year. @gyngyn has said her school only has 15% of the interview slots left. @Goro has said that most schools are over 2/3 done giving out IIs. This is an unusually competitive year (perhaps because everyone is trying to sneak in under the old MCAT), and I find myself wondering if the IIs will be gone much earlier than in past years.

We've sifted through all the applications so far. We'll leave a few spots for any really good late appliers, but I've seen a dramatic change in the quality of the aps in the last few weeks.
We also go through the previously screened applicants at intervals looking for hidden gems, though.
Much of the assessment of offering late interviews will depend on how much the committee like the interviewed applicants! Thus, it is hard to predict how many add-ons (if any) will be needed.

 

[AspiringERMD]

We've sifted through all the applications so far. We'll leave a few spots for any really good late appliers, but I've seen a dramatic change in the quality of the aps in the last few weeks.
We also go through the previously screened applicants at intervals looking for hidden gems, though.
Much of the assessment of offering late interviews will depend on how much the committee like the interviewed applicants! Thus, it is hard to predict how many add-ons will be needed.

But would you say that IIs are being offered earlier on average this year in comparison to previous years?

 

[gyngyn]

But would you say that IIs are being offered earlier on average this year in comparison to previous years?

Yes, we have received enough excellent applications to fill the interview slots and have therefore offered a sufficient number of interviews to fill the class if all goes as expected. We have retained a modest number of interview spots to provide flexibility and adjust for unexpected outcomes.

 

[Osteoth]

I received my ii for the school I currently attend in late March, and 3/5 of my MD invites came January or later. From the second I submitted my application I acted as though I'd be reapplying (by continuing to take classes, gaining clinical experience, and volunteering) so I had plenty of things to mention in update letters.

Stats?

We've sifted through all the applications so far. We'll leave a few spots for any really good late appliers, but I've seen a dramatic change in the quality of the aps in the last few weeks.
We also go through the previously screened applicants at intervals looking for hidden gems, though.
Much of the assessment of offering late interviews will depend on how much the committee like the interviewed applicants! Thus, it is hard to predict how many add-ons (if any) will be needed.

Assumingly you mean app quality is going down?

 

[AspiringERMD]

Yes, we have received enough excellent applications to fill the interview slots and have therefore offered a sufficient number of interviews to fill the class if all goes as expected. We have retained a modest number of interview spots to provide flexibility and adjust for unexpected outcomes.

That's what I was afraid of. So all the above anecdotes ought to be taken with a giant shaker full of salt. We will probably see fewer late cycle interviews this year. Thank you very much for your responses.

 

[gyngyn]

That's what I was afraid of. So all the above anecdotes ought to be taken with a giant shaker full of salt. We will probably see fewer late cycle interviews this year. Thank you very much for your responses.

I'm just one school...

 

[gyngyn]

Assumingly you mean app quality is going down?

I'm afraid so. Could have just been a rough couple of weeks, though.

 

[nm825]

I'm just one school...

What tier school are you at? I can understand if you don't want to answer.

 

[Theseus]

Well...damn.

 

[Maeby Funke]

Stats?

34 mcat, 3.25 GPA (with strong upward trend). I sent a LOT of update letters and LOIs starting in December. Some say those don't matter but I think it helped in my case. One admissions Dean actually replied 2 hours after I sent in a letter saying a spot had opened up for me.

 

[FFH]

We've sifted through all the applications so far. We'll leave a few spots for any really good late appliers, but I've seen a dramatic change in the quality of the aps in the last few weeks.
We also go through the previously screened applicants at intervals looking for hidden gems, though.
Much of the assessment of offering late interviews will depend on how much the committee like the interviewed applicants! Thus, it is hard to predict how many add-ons (if any) will be needed.

Thank you for this. It's very helpful. This piece of info, albeit a sad one, allows me to adjust my expectations. My California dream is not dead. But I will not count on the possibilities of hearing back from the 4 remaining schools at this point.

 

[gyngyn]

What tier school are you at? I can understand if you don't want to answer.

I'm in California...

 

[DG51]

I'm not sure the dust ever settles on SDN, rejections just feed into the neuroticism of the next application cycle!

 

[JimmyB123]

34 mcat, 3.25 GPA (with strong upward trend). I sent a LOT of update letters and LOIs starting in December. Some say those don't matter but I think it helped in my case. One admissions Dean actually replied 2 hours after I sent in a letter saying a spot had opened up for me.

You can send multiple LOIs?

 

[gyngyn]

You can send multiple LOIs?

That's why nobody believes them!

 

[RedPhys]

That's why nobody believes them!

Are you implying LOIs are useless? Or that sending more than one is not very helpful?

As I have only heard back from one school (one II), I am planning on sending a LOI + letter from professor I'm doing research in the hopes that schools will take a second look at my application.

 

[Maeby Funke]

I = interest in my case, not intent.

 

[gyngyn]

Are you implying LOIs are useless? Or that sending more than one is not very helpful?

As I have only heard back from one school (one II), I am planning on sending a LOI + letter from professor I'm doing research in the hopes that schools will take a second look at my application.

If the school is open to such things, that's their business.
But think about it. Would you believe a non-binding plea/promise from a desperate applicant?

 

[FFH]

Would you believe a non-binding plea/promise from a desperate applicant?

Only when I was younger. Replace applicant with guys.

 

[Goro]

This doesn't surprise me one iota. The people who are on the ball get their apps in early, when they're supposed to.

In following SDN for about 2-3 years, I've seen that the prime app season for MD schools is June to end of Aug/early Sept. For my DO school, June through Dec.

Assumingly you mean app quality is going down?

I'm afraid so. Could have just been a rough couple of weeks, though.

 

[pluto101]

Moved question to "Ask an ADCOM anything"

 

[Aerus]

Moved question to "Ask an ADCOM anything"

Wait what's the point? Goro is mostly the one who answers questions in that there and he's already given his input here. Gyngyn is also an adcom member and also posted here.





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[moop]

Wait what's the point? Goro is mostly the one who answers questions in that there and he's already given his input here. Gyngyn is also an adcom member and also posted here.

lawls

 

[ridethecliche]

We've sifted through all the applications so far. We'll leave a few spots for any really good late appliers, but I've seen a dramatic change in the quality of the aps in the last few weeks.
We also go through the previously screened applicants at intervals looking for hidden gems, though.
Much of the assessment of offering late interviews will depend on how much the committee like the interviewed applicants! Thus, it is hard to predict how many add-ons (if any) will be needed.

This is pretty disheartening... I applied mid august as that's when my school sends out letters.

This doesn't surprise me one iota. The people who are on the ball get their apps in early, when they're supposed to.

In following SDN for about 2-3 years, I've seen that the prime app season for MD schools is June to end of Aug/early Sept. For my DO school, June through Dec.

Assumingly you mean app quality is going down?

I guess I fall into the end of aug/early sept 'deadline'. Shrug, I guess I'll know where I stand in the next 2-3 weeks since it'll be 2 months and onwards then. I have two II's though, so it could be WAY worse.