waiting game

The worst part about this process in my opinion is the long wait. Honestly I had no idea when I began this whole process how long this would take. I began to fill out my primaries for AMCAS and ACCOMAS in June (right when they came out for the 2007 entering class). I submitted them and got my first taste of the 4-6 weeks it takes to get AMCAS and ACCOMAS verified. this is in addition to getting the transcripts sent from my college. After that I started to receive a plethora of secondaries from all schools. MOST schools will automatically send you a secondary application (methinks money has something to do with this but maybe not...). for example Northwestern sends 70% of their primary applicants secondaries but only 10% get interviews and 5% get acceptance letters. NSUCOM for example sends everyone a secondary but again a small percentage receive an interview invite. Then came the arduous task of filling out all those secondaries to which you want to apply. Essay after essay makes you thankful for the secondary that does not have an essay component (such as Howard Medical College).

After you finally finish the secondaries it is now time for the letter of recommendations to be sent to schools. I already asked professors before I filled the primaries to write one but to hold sending them until the secondaries got in. So the wiaitng game of the professors writing and sending the letters began. Some were quick others were not and ended up holding up my applications at some schools. Some medical schools want 2 science letters from professors who taught you (U of Miami for example) while others are content with just two science letters and one liberal arts non-science letter (check with your schools requirements).

So while waiting, secondaries continue to be completed and application fees (which add up to quite a substantial sum of money) continue to be paid. Maybe some interview invites come at this time (October/November) and if so great! Do not be discouraged however if they do not come at this time. I got one interview invite in October (NSU) and one in December (Meharry). The rest came in January and February. I know plenty of people who get interviews in March and they are NOT necessarily interviews for waitlist spots, it depends on how the schools decides things.

After secondaries are sent out, LOR sent, application fees paid, all that there is to it is wait patiently for that email that says that the admissions committee from X school has decided to extend you an interview for the entering class of 2007. Then comes travel expenses and prep for the interviews. That is where SDN helped me the most. Not the discussion forum but the interview feedback section which listed questions prior interviewees were asked. I just read that schools website, admissions packet (if they sent me one), SDN Interview feedback, and practiced with some very helpful friends.

Other than that the waiting game is played. Waiting for the decision letter is the most painful because it leads to chronic checking of the mailbox, email and/or status page online (depends on the school). Then decisions (should you hold multiple acceptances) have to be made. After that you are finally finished with the process and a deep breath can be taken.