Got another good grade? Make sure to update the school!
Of all of the applicants under review, the admissions committee has decided that you are a promising enough candidate that they want to keep your application on the table. You have made it to the top half of the pile. Most medical schools will accept double the number of students they have space for because they anticipate losing students to other schools. The likelihood that you could be called up from the waitlist—depending, of course, on where you stand—is high.
To increase the likelihood of your acceptance from the waitlist, you can:
1. Continue your involvement in all activities. Out of disappointment, please do not give up any of your activities. When things do not go as planned, the way we respond to these situations speaks volumes of our character. Worse case scenario, if you are not accepted this cycle, you can always reapply after addressing any weaknesses in your application. It would be hard to reapply with a stronger application, if you do not maintain the level of your commitment to service, research and clinical experience, to name a few.
2. Create reasons to update the selection committee. Use this time to see what you can achieve! Take another class and earn an A. Work hard enough to receive an award—employee of the month or a certificate of recognition for the number of volunteer hours earned. Finish your research project or article so that you can work towards a publication, if you have not already started the process. Or present your work at a conference through a poster. For guidance on what is appropriate information to update selection committees with, please see my blog post on the topic.
3. Write a Letter of Interest. If you have not heard back from any of the schools by mid-April, when they give students a deadline to make a decision about their acceptance, you can write a letter of interest. For more information about what to include in a letter of interest, stay tuned—I will be writing a blog on this topic.
4. Consult with an Admissions Expert. If you’re not sure why your application was placed on the waitlist, you can contact an expert like those of us at Accepted for a free consultation. We can assist you by reviewing your application and identifying any areas of weakness and creating a plan to address those in the most strategic manner possible—based on our extensive experience. Last application cycle, 88% percent of the students I assisted received an acceptance. On average, 9 out of 10 of the applicants I work with successfully matriculate.
When applying, no news can be good news—especially if it leads to an acceptance—though later in the application cycle than you may like. An acceptance is an acceptance, regardless of when you receive it. For more support, you are welcome to contact me or my colleagues. I wish you success!
• Three Topics to Discuss in Waitlist Letters [short video]
• Medical School Waitlist Tips
• Waitlisted! What Now? [podcast episode]
This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com.
Applying to medical school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants like you get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where apply, working on your AMCAS application, working on secondary essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.
Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help you get accepted!
