Withdrawing from waitlist and reapplying--any harm done???

[MrAppleseed]

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A buddy of mine (yes, an actual buddy, not a "buddy") is on two waitlists without any acceptances, and was asking my opinion on this, but I really didn't know how to respond...

One of the schools where he is waitlisted he really does not want to attend if he gets in. He's reapplying in case he does not get in anywhere, and wants to withdraw from the waitlist he's not interested in BEFORE he possibly gets an acceptance from them (please don't ask why he didn't withdraw after the interview, I don't know).

It's pretty well known that reapplying after gaining an acceptance is the "kiss of death," but what about reapplying after just withdrawing from a waitlist (no acceptance)? Is there any way other schools will know that he did this when he reapplies?




Just FYI, he did apply quite late and has continued to beef up his application, so I'm not sure if there is anything wrong with him as an applicant, or if he was just too late, but let's pretend it's the latter.

 

[Tapepsi]

I'm not sure but you're right, it's definitely better to withdraw from a waitlist than an acceptance and I think he'd be okay and it wouldn't hinder his chances next cycle.

Out of curiousity, does your friend want to get into the other school he's waitlisted at? He shouldn't withdraw from the one he likes.

But if it were me, I'd take anything b/c this whole process costs so much and is so time consuming, it isn't worth it to go through it more than once (if you can help it that is).

school you dont want to go to > no school

 

[nicolemeooow]

A buddy of mine (yes, an actual buddy, not a "buddy") is on two waitlists without any acceptances, and was asking my opinion on this, but I really didn't know how to respond...

One of the schools where he is waitlisted he really does not want to attend if he gets in. He's reapplying in case he does not get in anywhere, and wants to withdraw from the waitlist he's not interested in BEFORE he possibly gets an acceptance from them (please don't ask why he didn't withdraw after the interview, I don't know).

It's pretty well known that reapplying after gaining an acceptance is the "kiss of death," but what about reapplying after just withdrawing from a waitlist (no acceptance)? Is there any way other schools will know that he did this when he reapplies?




Just FYI, he did apply quite late and has continued to beef up his application, so I'm not sure if there is anything wrong with him as an applicant, or if he was just too late, but let's pretend it's the latter.

my friend declined his only acceptance from the first cycle and reapplied. No harm was done in the 2nd cycle and he got into Tufts.

 

[patel2]

my friend declined his only acceptance from the first cycle and reapplied. No harm was done in the 2nd cycle and he got into Tufts.

I've always wondered whether it was an SDN myth that if you get an acceptance and don't take it, then you are forever blacklisted at all schools if you reapply.

Does AMCAS even ask if you have been previously accepted to a US school? Or just whether you have matriculated or not...?

 

[Tapepsi]

my friend declined his only acceptance from the first cycle and reapplied. No harm was done in the 2nd cycle and he got into Tufts.

This may not be the best time for anecdotal evidence. We all have that "friend" who was the exception, but for the majority of applicants, withdrawing from an acceptance is a BIG red flag. It tells schools that you aren't dedicated to the field of medicine as you were given the opportunity to go to a school and you declined.

 

[MrAppleseed]

I'm not sure but you're right, it's definitely better to withdraw from a waitlist than an acceptance and I think he'd be okay and it wouldn't hinder his chances next cycle.

Out of curiousity, does your friend want to get into the other school he's waitlisted at? He shouldn't withdraw from the one he likes.

But if it were me, I'd take anything b/c this whole process costs so much and is so time consuming, it isn't worth it to go through it more than once (if you can help it that is).

school you dont want to go to > no school

Yes, he's completely obsessed with the other school, but the waitlist historically has very little movement.

I've always wondered whether it was an SDN myth that if you get an acceptance and don't take it, then you are forever blacklisted at all schools if you reapply.

Does AMCAS even ask if you have been previously accepted to a US school? Or just whether you have matriculated or not...?

I'm not sure what the answer is. From what I recall, AMCAS only asks you if you've previously matriculated at a medical school, and also asks if you've previously applied to each school that you're applying to. I have no idea how schools find out if the applicant turned down an acceptance, but it seems to be widely accepted here that schools do know, and that it's a big deal. I can see why schools don't like it, since the applicant looks fickle, I'm just not sure HOW they know about it.

 

[Tapepsi]

I've always wondered whether it was an SDN myth that if you get an acceptance and don't take it, then you are forever blacklisted at all schools if you reapply.

Does AMCAS even ask if you have been previously accepted to a US school? Or just whether you have matriculated or not...?

I don't think they ask if you've been accepted. But almost every school includes in their secondary a question that asks if you've applied before (and not necessarily just to their school specifically). It can definitely be brought up in an interview if you've been accepted before, and you'll need to explain yourself.

So basically what I'm saying is doing it can only hurt your app.

 

[byurazorhog]

Why would anyone in their right mind want to subject him/herself through this seemingly random, emotionally and financially draining process again if there's even a chance in hell that he/she might get accepted somewhere? Isn't that the whole point of applying in the first place, to gain acceptance somewhere? Why run the risk of not getting accepted again next cycle? Pre-meds like us put way too much weight on prestige and other frivolous factors when evaluating schools. Just put your 4 years in at the first chance you get and go out and be the doctor you've always wanted to be. You should drill that into your friend's brain before he acts stupidly.

 

[deleted357625]

A buddy of mine (yes, an actual buddy, not a "buddy") is on two waitlists without any acceptances, and was asking my opinion on this, but I really didn't know how to respond...

One of the schools where he is waitlisted he really does not want to attend if he gets in. He's reapplying in case he does not get in anywhere, and wants to withdraw from the waitlist he's not interested in BEFORE he possibly gets an acceptance from them (please don't ask why he didn't withdraw after the interview, I don't know).

It's pretty well known that reapplying after gaining an acceptance is the "kiss of death," but what about reapplying after just withdrawing from a waitlist (no acceptance)? Is there any way other schools will know that he did this when he reapplies?




Just FYI, he did apply quite late and has continued to beef up his application, so I'm not sure if there is anything wrong with him as an applicant, or if he was just too late, but let's pretend it's the latter.

I would apply again, but tell him to contact the school and see what's up, bcuz some waitlists can be forever.

 

[MrAppleseed]

Why would anyone in their right mind want to subject him/herself through this seemingly random, emotionally and financially draining process again if there's even a chance in hell that he/she might get accepted somewhere? Isn't that the whole point of applying in the first place, to gain acceptance somewhere? Why run the risk of not getting accepted again next cycle? Pre-meds like us put way too much weight on prestige and other frivolous factors when evaluating schools. Just put your 4 years in at the first chance you get and go out and be the doctor you've always wanted to be. You should drill that into your friend's brain before he acts stupidly.

Okay, let me address this because virtually every similar thread that I read ended up descending into these types of posts instead of discussing the question at hand. The fact is, a lot goes into these types of decisions, and none of us can just assume it's about wanting to get into USNews school #25 instead of school #26.

I've known this friend since high school. He attended the school where he is waitlisted for two years of undergrad then transferred. I can tell you that the guy was abaolutely miserable during those two years. I think that he applied to the med school there in a moment of desperation, because he had a glowing LOR from his PI (a very well known person there). I think he figured he stood a decent shot there, and this school would be better than nothing. Recently, it would appear that he's realizing he won't be getting in anywhere else, and is also starting to realize that there is some value in his happiness for four years of his life. I can sympathize with the guy, but he's not asking WHAT he should do, just if it will hurt his chances. And the fact is, he has a job that he enjoys right now and it seems to give him more than enough $$ for app fees.

So, back to the question...

 

[AceXIII]

I say your friend should reapply. I applied fairly late last cycle with, in retrospect, a poorly put together application. Out of about 12 schools, I had 4 invites, left with 4 waitlists. Of these 4 I absolutely loved one and was not thrilled about the other 3. I ended up on waitlists at all 4. I did not want to risk going to a school I didn't like, partly because I felt I could do better, so I withdrew from all of the waitlists but the one I really liked.

I was ultimately rejected from that school, but before I received that decision, I had decided to reapply. I mentioned my previous cycle in my new PS and applied to about 24 schools. This cycle, I received about 10 interview invites, was accepted to 4 schools, and waitlisted at 3. The school I'm most likely going to matriculate to is the school at which I held my waitlist position last year 🙂

As long as your friend has come out of this past year with a stronger application, maturity, and better interviewing skills, I think he would be most happy reapplying. I know that I have no regrets! Oh, I should mention that the schools at which I withdrew my waitlists last year did not interview me again this past cycle 😛 oh well

 

[MrAppleseed]

I say your friend should reapply. I applied fairly late last cycle with, in retrospect, a poorly put together application. Out of about 12 schools, I had 4 invites, left with 4 waitlists. Of these 4 I absolutely loved one and was not thrilled about the other 3. I ended up on waitlists at all 4. I did not want to risk going to a school I didn't like, partly because I felt I could do better, so I withdrew from all of the waitlists but the one I really liked.

I was ultimately rejected from that school, but before I received that decision, I had decided to reapply. I mentioned my previous cycle in my new PS and applied to about 24 schools. This cycle, I received about 10 interview invites, was accepted to 4 schools, and waitlisted at 3. The school I'm most likely going to matriculate to is the school at which I held my waitlist position last year 🙂

As long as your friend has come out of this past year with a stronger application, maturity, and better interviewing skills, I think he would be most happy reapplying. I know that I have no regrets! Oh, I should mention that the schools at which I withdrew my waitlists last year did not interview me again this past cycle 😛 oh well

That's great. Sounds like your decision was definitely for the best.

Just to clarify, did you accept all of the waitlist offers, then withdraw, or did you just turn down those three waitlist offers when they asked if you wanted to stay on them?

 

[Naijaba]

I reapplied after turning down two acceptances last year. It did _not_ have the detrimental effect that SDN claims it does. As long as you can justify why the schools that accepted you were not a good fit, and why you've improved enough to be accepted somewhere else, you're within your rights to reapply.

 

[patel2]

I reapplied after turning down two acceptances last year. It did _not_ have the detrimental effect that SDN claims it does. As long as you can justify why the schools that accepted you were not a good fit, and why you've improved enough to be accepted somewhere else, you're within your rights to reapply.

did they know that you were accepted to other places or did you tell them ?

 

[Naijaba]

did they know that you were accepted to other places or did you tell them ?

A few interviewers already knew and I informed the others while talking about my experience the past year. I will say this -- I was not interviewed this year by any school that interviewed me last year.

 

[AceXIII]

That's great. Sounds like your decision was definitely for the best.

Just to clarify, did you accept all of the waitlist offers, then withdraw, or did you just turn down those three waitlist offers when they asked if you wanted to stay on them?

I kept all of my waitlists until early May, and withdrew from 3 of them a week or two before May 15th.

 

[Ursa]

I've always wondered whether it was an SDN myth that if you get an acceptance and don't take it, then you are forever blacklisted at all schools if you reapply.

Does AMCAS even ask if you have been previously accepted to a US school? Or just whether you have matriculated or not...?

Yes, he's completely obsessed with the other school, but the waitlist historically has very little movement.



I'm not sure what the answer is. From what I recall, AMCAS only asks you if you've previously matriculated at a medical school, and also asks if you've previously applied to each school that you're applying to. I have no idea how schools find out if the applicant turned down an acceptance, but it seems to be widely accepted here that schools do know, and that it's a big deal. I can see why schools don't like it, since the applicant looks fickle, I'm just not sure HOW they know about it.

I don't think they ask if you've been accepted. But almost every school includes in their secondary a question that asks if you've applied before (and not necessarily just to their school specifically). It can definitely be brought up in an interview if you've been accepted before, and you'll need to explain yourself.

So basically what I'm saying is doing it can only hurt your app.

HERE YE HERE YE.

Just kidding. But for serious. I'll answer this question once and for all. Last year I was accepted to a school (it was my 1 and ONLY interview), turned it down, and reapplied. This year I got 6 interviews and 2 acceptances.

Context: I'm from Texas and the school I was accepted to was a DO school. Still had to indicate it on TMDSAS and AMCAS.

 

[cher25]

It's an SDN myth that withdrawing an acceptance kills your app. Withdrawing an acceptance will not kill your app. Withdrawing after matriculation will. This includes withdrawing from a school after orientation, even if classes haven't started because you're technically considered matriculated at orientation. If I remember correctly, the application does not ask if you were ever accepted, it asks if you ever matriculated? In the 10+ interviews that I had during my application cycle, not once was I asked if I had previously been accepted. People withdraw for various reasons. Some people have familial obligations, region preference, and many other things to take into consideration. Some people can't handle the climate or culture of the med school which is only found out after an interview. For example, one school I was accepted to considered 40 degrees warm weather. Being from a climate where 70 degrees is cold, I could not have survived that type of weather for 4 years. If your buddy knows beyond a doubt that he does not want to go to that school, then he should kill the dilemma by withdrawing his waitlist spot. But before he does this, he should make sure that he really doesn't want to be there, under no circumstances, even at the risk of not getting in next cycle.