The end of February is an anxiety-filled time for all those post-interview applicants who are waiting to hear about their acceptance. Many schools that do not have rolling admissions will be sending their second round of acceptances by mid to late March. Is there anything you can do now to increase your chances of acceptance? Honestly, the answer is no – there is very little that can be done. If you haven’t senT an update letter recently, then by all means do so now but most applicants just need to be cautiously hopeful and wait patiently. Remember your fellow applicants are all in the same position.
So what can be done to best handle the stress? First, I would recommend you NOT constantly talk to other applicants. Don’t go online every day and call and/or check with schools. Stress feeds stress, and anxiety is not going to help you survive the waiting game. Be optimistic and continue with your current activities (research, volunteering, service or academics) as you always want to be improving your credentials. Consider trying something new. If you immerse yourself in activities that you are passionate about and stay busy, you can maintain control over the constant stress.
If you are lucky and get an acceptance but it’s not your first choice, then you should still rejoice, be proud and know that yes – you will be going to med school next fall. If necessary send in your deposit to hold your spot but continue the waiting game. An early acceptance is fantastic but it does not mean that you still won’t gain admission to your top choice. Between the months of March and July there is a constant juggling of the med school seats across the country. As one applicant is rejected another is accepted. As one student turns down an acceptance yet another moves off the waitlist. Remember it’s a long road till you need to make a final acceptance decision so keep your head high, your anxiety in control and approach each day with optimism.
By guest blogger Theresa Davies-Heerema, Ph.D., who has advised many medical and dental school applicants during her career in post-graduate education.
Read the full article: The Medical School Post Interview Waiting Game