I just got my letter. I'm an alternate, but I'm #3. So, barring catastrophe, I should be seeing you guys in KC this summer
2008-2009 University of Kansas (KU) Secondary Application Thread
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I just got my letter. I'm an alternate, but I'm #3. So, barring catastrophe, I should be seeing you guys in KC this summer
congrats, you'll definitely get an acceptance in May.
I was waitlisted, too, but unfortunately I'm low on it.
looks like reapplying next year!- Joined
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i'm on the alternate list as well... but #17... what do you think the chances are of getting in for me?
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KU admits 200 students a year, with a maximum class capacity of 175 students. Many schools will intentionally do this with the expectation that students with multiple admissions will withdraw and go elsewhere.
Realistically, those of you on the waitlist should remember that those 25 extra seats must be vacant before the waitlist moves. Please don't be discouraged however because I've had friends matriculate through the waitlist.
Good luck all!
Realistically, those of you on the waitlist should remember that those 25 extra seats must be vacant before the waitlist moves. Please don't be discouraged however because I've had friends matriculate through the waitlist.
Good luck all!
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Has everyone received their letters already? KU keeps preemptively sending me email updates about upcoming events as a newly admitted student but I haven't yet received a letter. I live in Shawnee, KS and have been awaiting official word through the mail.
Does anyone know where we can check waitlist movement? I thought it was going to be on the MEDS page, but they haven't posted anything on it... so I'm thinking I am wrong. Thanks
Edit: I figured it out... it is on the MEDS page, but they don't update it until there is waitlist movement. aka. It won't show up until late May...
Edit: I figured it out... it is on the MEDS page, but they don't update it until there is waitlist movement. aka. It won't show up until late May...
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I'm not positive but I remember asking about it on my interview day and I got the impression that they've always overfilled the class by about 25 spots. Maybe it would help if we called and talked to them? I might do that if we don't hear anything today...
I emailed them yesterday to see when they thought waitlist movement would occur and they said "The waitlist may be activated later this week or next week. When it is activated updates will be posted to the MEDS page."
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the average # of students off the waitlist each year over the last 9 years may be 32, but there have been only like 5 off the waitlist each year in the past 2-3 years. with the terrible economy this year, I'm sure that means even less in-state acceptees will be going elsewhere.
jaydoc, you're in a really scary spot as #9 haha. you may JUST miss it, yikes! if you're #17, you'll probably be reapplying. I hope you all get off!
jaydoc, you're in a really scary spot as #9 haha. you may JUST miss it, yikes! if you're #17, you'll probably be reapplying.
I hope you all get off!From what I can remember they activated the waitlist sometime during the week of May 19-23 last year. It took several weeks, however, just to get through the first 5 or 6 people and then the rest of the spots were filled during the summer. I kind of stopped following it after the first couple of weeks when it became apparent that they weren't going to make it anywhere close to my number (I was #40) so I don't know what happened after but I never heard from them after that. I do remember calling though and they were very helpful with telling me how they thought the waitlist was going to move over the summer--I think they have a pretty good idea around this time whereas before May they really can't guess how things will end up.
Hi
I just got the update on the MEDS website...and I was wondering if any of you knew whether this means their class is completely full and they won't take anyone off the wait list until someone withdraws? and if so, what are the chances of that even happening? does anyone know? I'm sort of freaking out because this wait is absolutely unbearable and I have no idea why the waitlist hasn't even gone as far as one person yet.
It's just hard to believe that they have a full class without needing to activate the wait list at all.
I just got the update on the MEDS website...and I was wondering if any of you knew whether this means their class is completely full and they won't take anyone off the wait list until someone withdraws? and if so, what are the chances of that even happening? does anyone know? I'm sort of freaking out because this wait is absolutely unbearable and I have no idea why the waitlist hasn't even gone as far as one person yet.
It's just hard to believe that they have a full class without needing to activate the wait list at all.
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hey spacey99- This is normal so don't freak out too much KU (as well as most med schools) overfill their class by about 25 spots. This means they initially accepted 200 people but their class size is only 175. They do this because they assume that people with multiple acceptances will go elsewhere. After the first 25 people withdraw and the class number dips below 175, they start taking people from the alternate list to make up the difference. Where are you at on the waitlist? They will continue to pull people throughout the summer, but if you're high on the list you do have a good chance of hearing soon. Anyway, hope this helps! Remain hopeful! 
KU (as well as most med schools) overfill their class by about 25 spots. This means they initially accepted 200 people but their class size is only 175. They do this because they assume that people with multiple acceptances will go elsewhere. After the first 25 people withdraw and the class number dips below 175, they start taking people from the alternate list to make up the difference. Where are you at on the waitlist? They will continue to pull people throughout the summer, but if you're high on the list you do have a good chance of hearing soon. Anyway, hope this helps! Remain hopeful!
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haha, you're a lil bit TOO optimistic, jaydoc. waitlists rarely work out. your logic of 5 and 13 averaging at 9 is illogical to assume you'll get in as #9 haha. I can't tell if you're being sarcastic, though.
the waitlist changes significantly from year to year. you really can't use any year to make predictions about this year. I would just guess that this year less in-staters will go elsewhere due to the bad economy.
Good lucK!!!!!!!
hey spacey99- This is normal so don't freak out too much
I'm just worried because it took them quite a while to have 25 people to finally opt for another school, that it seems like it will take even longer to have another additional 10 also go elsewhere (so that I would be accepted)...I do tend to be a bit pessimistic but for a while I thought there was hope as #10 and the trend would usually be that the numbers would go up each year (2007 was a different case due to their change in curriculum) but in 2008 it bumped back up, indicating that maybe it could follow that trend again...but since it took so long (longer than last year) to get 25 people to go elsewhere, 10 doesn't look so good anymore
hey jaydoc, not sure if you'll get this before you leave or not but I just called because I had a few questions myself and Sandy McCurdy (dean of admissions) told me that they received at least one withdrawal this morning and she knew of 3-5 people who had received acceptances elsewhere last week but had not made the decision to withdraw or stay at ku yet (maybe these were the 'unofficial email withdrawals' you were referring to). Anyway, I think ku might be a little slower than some schools to call people on the waitlist, but at least we know we will see some movement soon! Enjoy the fishing!
everyone else on the waitlist....remain hopeful!!!
everyone else on the waitlist....remain hopeful!!!
me too! I'm sending lots of good luck your way. Also, they updated the MEDS page and it now says they will call alternate #2 next. Looks like they might be calling people this week after all, so maybe you should call back or email them and give them an alternate phone number just in case!
I talked to Jason just now. Basically I told him that I was concerned about the wait list movement and I was wondering if he anticipated any movement soon, and all he said was currently there are 3-4 students holding multiple acceptances and they have 2 weeks to decide whether or not they want to stay or go. So I asked if he thinks whether or not I should consider reapplying and why he thought the wait list was so slow, and he said that they didn't expect this to happen, and compared to last year, the wait list is a lot slower.
This is soo horrible...we're so close yet we're not in...and at most, if those 3-4 students decide to go else where, we're looking at up to 4-5 alternates getting in.
let me know if you find out anything else...
This is soo horrible...we're so close yet we're not in...and at most, if those 3-4 students decide to go else where, we're looking at up to 4-5 alternates getting in.
let me know if you find out anything else...
Part of me can't believe this is happening - 1 person so far off the wait list, but at the same time, I'm sort of not surprised, because you said it right Jaydoc - the one year when it seems like there's a chance to get in, somehow, this would be the year where the wait list doesn't move.
I think I'll be having a talk with Sandy next month if things don't turn out well. It's really frustrating that another year has to go by before getting to finally attend medical school...
I think I'll be having a talk with Sandy next month if things don't turn out well. It's really frustrating that another year has to go by before getting to finally attend medical school...
Well they moved up one more spot on the alternate list today....at least we know it's still moving. Also, I talked to a girl who was a few years ahead of me that said she was accepted the day before orientation started--so the waitlist really does continue to move throughout July. Don't lose hope. 
I was the one that was #2 on the waitlist and it seriously gave me gray hairs checking that thing and seeing no movement day or night (accepted off the waitlist 18 days after #1 in late June, seriously?). I'm pretty sure Jason and the office hated me after a while of asking for constant updates. Praying for you guys to make it here.
thanks jaydoc!!! Looks like they called 3 alternates yesterday because they are up to number 6 now. They're still moving! 3 more weeks... I really hope to be seeing you THIS year
Congrats and hope to see you both next year.
hey jaydoc~ I have absolutely no idea what's going on either. I called jason around 11am yesterday and he told me there were 2 ppl still deciding and hopefully they would know by the end of the week...then he called me an hour later and told me I was admitted. I don't have any idea what's going on over there, but at least it's still moving. Judging by the waitlist movement threads from previous years, there's still a lot of movement in july at most schools. I'm sorry I know the waiting is excruciating. I'm praying for you to make it though
oh WOW! it has been so long since I've checked the MEDS page or the forum and I had NO idea the wait list even moved...I essentially had given up, but congrats kstarr!!!!! that is AMAZING! I still got a little bit to go..
wow, Jaydoc, you are got screwed! They took 7 off the waitlist and you're #9? Sorry man. You'll get in for sure, though, if you reapply. KU seems to automatically bump up reapplicants. You'll probably feel weird because I bet you'd get in really early this year and then have to wait like 10 months to start. I wish you could just jump in with this year's new class. They won't be that far into their 1st semester by the time you get in!
Don't be too sad, jaydoc. Don't think of this as a blow to your pride. If you are like me and know many KU med students, then you know there's nothing impressive about KU med students haha. I'm sure you're smarter than the majority of them.
I mean, honestly, what's the difference between you and #7 on the waitlist? Nothing. Just based on a small difference in opinion of an adcom that barely knows anything about the ppl its admitting. All they know of applicants are from applications written by the applicants, interviews put on by the applicants (and thus able to artificially shape themselves to the adcom's liking), and academics. The best source of info is probably recommendations, but even then the applicants decided who writes them. They are only going to pick recommenders who will write good things about them. So, don't take it too hard, my man! The application process is more subjective than anything. Especially at KU where things like the interview are of huge importance and you can't control every variable in the interview or how the interviewer "feels" you.
KU knows you got screwed. If I were you I would just start making plans to travel over this year. Have as much fun as possible. You're basically guaranteed to start in a year from now. Think of this as you decided to defer till next fall so you can spend this year having fun and partying.
Did you apply anywhere else? A few years ago, my friend was the very last person not to be accepted off the waitlist. He would have been the #8 in this case. Fortunately, he was on a few other waitlists and got off one of them. Go somewhere else if you have the option to start now.
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