Dear Aunt Martha,
My senior year has been less than ideal. I thought that by this time I would already have a clear idea of which medical school I would be attending, but all of the schools that I applied to either rejected or waitlisted me. I feel like I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs– Is there anything that I can do to increase my chances of getting off the waitlist?
Best,
Anxious Applicant
Dear Anxious Applicant,
Applying to medical school is definitely a long and arduous journey. Often, people think that the process is similar to college applications, but as I’m sure you know, this is definitely not the case.
That being said, just as applying to medical schools is different from applying to colleges, medical school waitlists are also very different from college waitlists. For one, many students actually come off the waitlist, so don’t give up hope just yet! Here are a few things you can do as you wait for their final decision:
Send update letters: Update letters are a great way to elaborate on any new achievements that you may have accomplished since sending in your application. Examples include activities and achievements such as finishing a senior thesis, getting a promotion, or graduating with honors. Remember, however, to only send update letters for noteworthy accomplishments that you believe will strengthen your application. Sending an update letter because you feel anxious about not hearing back from a medical school is NOT a sufficient reason to send one.
Send Letters of intent: A letter of intent is a little bit different from an update letter. When you send a letter of intent to a medical school, it means that if they accept you, you PROMISE to attend their school. Therefore, you should send your letter of intent to only ONE medical school. Sending letters of intent to multiple medical schools will hurt your chances of acceptance if a school finds out that it was not the only recipient (Beware! Admission counselors from medical schools do know and talk to each other!). In your letter, it is important to write about why this particular medical school is the best fit for you and how you hope to contribute to the student body. It is not enough to make general statements such as “This school is ranked highly among medical schools.” Instead, focus on specific components of the school such as a prestigious research curriculum or a strong commitment to community service.
Composing these letters can be challenging, but remember that the staff at the CEC are always happy to help with writing and proofreading letters! Drop by MVR 162 today and have one of the Career Assistants brainstorm or proofread a draft! Good luck!
Warmest Wishes,
Aunt Martha