I have been complete with most schools for 6 to 8 weeks now. It is pointless to ask - should I worry? I am worried. Is there anything that I can do to elicit an interview. I am feeling like the redheaded step child - which is appropriate, because I am a redhead and a step child…
Jennifer,
You can definitely call and ask about the status of your application. You can also e-mail appropriate people and/or send a snail-mail assuring how much you want to go there. If anything changed since you submitted your application and it’s worth mentioning, make sure they know about that! I think I sent 6 letters of assurance/ update/ whatever-you-what-to-call -them to VCU last year, and I guess it worked, b/c here I am in my top-choice school…
Be patient…but forceful,
Kasia
no worries - i am also still without an interview! i’ve heard from BU and UMD (rejected) but no where else. it’s making me a bit ill! but i’ve heard from several others that they’re also playing the waiting game.
i am writing update letters today…
just know that you’re NOT the only one!!!
Thank you both for your responses.
I wrote my first “update” letter yesterday after reading Kaisa’s post and it made me feel better to be a little proactive.
Good luck to you both, jennifer and stsf. I bet you’ll both be pleasantly surprised soon 
.
In the immortal words of Homer Simpson: “The waiting game sucks. Let’s play Hungry Hungry Hippo!”
Gosh guys…
I am thinking nothing but positive thoughts for each and every member of the OPM class of 2012… sending positive MOJO with all my might out there.
I even held “Clinically Oriented Anatomy” by Moore and Dalley over the keyboard and did the old incantation, “Dear (OPM member), We would like to invite you to interview…” for good luck.
I know this is a TERRIBLE time, I will add that whole year was one of the worst, hurry up, meet the deadline… then NOTHING to do but wait!
I still have my e-mail inviting me to interview… it is dated DECEMBER 18 2003 and I did not interview until January 2004, so HANG in there!
Then the next wait was perhaps worse… the acceptance letters!
But you know, you guys have arrived at the front door, just think how far you have come!
KEEP THE FAITH!
Richard
Thank you for your positive thoughts. My husband keeps reminding me to put all of my positive energy into getting interviews.
Guys, Richard is on the $$. This process is long, seems capricious and involves a hell of a lot of scurry to meet deadlines only to be supplanted by long periods of waiting & waiting & waiting.
To make things even more fun, your world is now populated with a lot of folks who are not nearly as invested in your process as you are. Some schools’ admissions folks are stupendous, helpful, encouraging & will help you at every turn. Other schools’ admissions folks could care less if you lived or died. Of course, that is no different than it is in any other career path - even true among burger-flippers at Wendy’s.
While I cannot tell you “it’s OK; will be OK” or “that you will all get in”, I can unequivocally tell you that this is merely the beginning of a very long, challenging & rewarding journey. Even if you do not ever gain an admission to medical school, the process of dedicating yourself to undertake such a massive challenge is both rewarding & wil teach you a lot about your own mettle.
Best of luck & success to you all!
- OldManDave Said:
Guys, Richard is on the $$. This process is long, seems capricious and involves a hell of a lot of scurry to meet deadlines only to be supplanted by long periods of waiting & waiting & waiting.
To make things even more fun, your world is now populated with a lot of folks who are not nearly as invested in your process as you are. Some schools' admissions folks are stupendous, helpful, encouraging & will help you at every turn. Other schools' admissions folks could care less if you lived or died. Of course, that is no different than it is in any other career path - even true among burger-flippers at Wendy's.
While I cannot tell you "it's OK; will be OK" or "that you will all get in", I can unequivocally tell you that this is merely the beginning of a very long, challenging & rewarding journey. Even if you do not ever gain an admission to medical school, the process of dedicating yourself to undertake such a massive challenge is both rewarding & wil teach you a lot about your own mettle.
Best of luck & success to you all!
To make things even more fun, your world is now populated with a lot of folks who are not nearly as invested in your process as you are. Some schools' admissions folks are stupendous, helpful, encouraging & will help you at every turn. Other schools' admissions folks could care less if you lived or died. Of course, that is no different than it is in any other career path - even true among burger-flippers at Wendy's.
While I cannot tell you "it's OK; will be OK" or "that you will all get in", I can unequivocally tell you that this is merely the beginning of a very long, challenging & rewarding journey. Even if you do not ever gain an admission to medical school, the process of dedicating yourself to undertake such a massive challenge is both rewarding & wil teach you a lot about your own mettle.
Best of luck & success to you all!
Those of US who are Passionate and work hard are heart broken to see others who only think of $$ and have no real passion for medicine. They keep acceptances till they start the other school and tell us "Well too bad" I say too bad that they get accepted when good qualified people suffer, IMHO these people should have not been accepted and I know thats sour grapes but it seems in 2007 Character is not being screened and it should be the #1 screener for accpetance IMHO.
Keep the faith you will succeed.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much either. If you submitted your paperwork only two months ago, its not that uncommon to hear news until late January. Its usually those who applied earlier in the cycle (like June/July) who hear a quick turn around (which is about 4-6 weeks or so I have been told).
Jennifer and stsf,
Did you hear anything yet? I too am like you: submitted my secondaries about 6 - 8 weeks back and have been twiddling my thumbs ever since. It is terribly discouraging! I feel utterly hopeless as my MCAT score is not that great to start with anyway. I am starting Kaplan classes this week. I guess I will be doing this whole thing again this year. Sigh!
Good luck with your application.
- AR
ARR,
I see you haven’t gotten any responses to your question yet and I know how frustrating that can be. I just wanted to give you a suggestion. First I just wanted to say something about your wait time. You have to remember one of those six weeks was a holiday week. Generally, schools are closed at that time. Another week was during finals and even though that will not affect the processing of your application it will affect committees getting together to discuss your application and subsequently granting you an interview. So really, it has not been that long in the eyes of the admissions folks Also, you submitted rather late in the application cycle. This is what a lot of people do so there is a backlog. Four to six weeks is generally the turn around for the early birds. Six weeks and up is usually the norm for those who applied later. Add on an extra month minimum if you applied to out-of-state state medical schools. They give preference to in-state applications (in most cases).
In the mean time, you could call the school to find out the status of your application. You never know, the school might say your application is incomplete and they are waiting for you to complete it (stuff gets lost sometimes). Thats the worse case scenario. The best case scenario is they give you an honest answer and may even setup an interview with you right over the phone.
Anyway, I hope that helps.
I think the dude has a good perspective on this. I’ve still yet to hear back from the majority of my schools - some of which I completed in October. Another thing I keep in mind: had I applied to 3 fewer schools, I would be in the exact same boat. Keep the faith!
…I am still waiting to hear :(. DRFP, I couldn’t agree more!
I’ve started Plan B just in case. It’s rather disheartening! Actually - I’m wondering… my MCAT is a 30R. Is it worth retaking if I don’t get in this go round? I’ve gotten very mixed responses. My overall US GPA is 3.32, and I have done a bit of coursework (lots of sciences) in Australia, which I think is working against me. I have heaps of research and volunteering experience…what more could they possibly want?! (Well, besides a 4.0, obviously).
Should I do a post-bacc (I can’t really afford it - time/money but I will if it will make a difference. Plus I’m still Down under atm)???
I feel like a deflated balloon >:(.
Stsf,
30R is a score that can definitely get you into many schools. I got in with much lower score. So unless you’re sure that you can do much much better - meaning 35 or so, retake it. But a point or two wouldn’t change much; especially that 30 is a good score.
I think that your best bet would be to call the schools you’ve applied to and get an advice from them! Maybe the problem is somewhere else - somewhere you haven’t even thought about…
But don’t call and ask how to improve your application until you actually receive a rejection. Meanwhile a good idea would be to call and ask about your status (I my case one of my phone calls got me an interview and eventually an acceptance) and/ or send the a letter with an update and assurance how much you’re still interested in their school.
Hope it helps,
Kasia
Did you apply late? If you did and don’t hear anything this year - apply again next year ASAP and I’ll bet you have an acceptance by Thanksgiving. 30R is a great score.
OMG, I cannot believe it! I just got invited for an interview with PCOM in March - my first interview ever! Is this really happening? (I got a reject yesterday from CCOM.)
I know that getting an interview is not the ultimate thing but to me it is a big step. I just wanted to share it with you all. Thanks!
Good luck
Good luck!!!
Way to go, ARR!! Now go and knock their socks off on interview day! 
Good luck!