Waitlist Support Thread 2016

[m_jacob_45]

So to weigh in on the timestamp thing- I went through the accepted/waitlisted/rejected thread and saw that in 2014 there were 2 timestamps for Good Waitlist and that on the first day of calls (2 weeks after initial offers) people from BOTH timestamps (9:01AM and 9:02AM) were contacted. I think it would have been impossible to have gone through the first half of the waitlist that first day of calls therefore refuting the theory that an earlier timestamp for good waitlist means you are higher ranked. But maybe they do go through half the good waitlist that first day but I feel like that is somewhat unlikely........ This is just speculation though of course! 

So, maybe its alphabetical? But who knows...

[opp12390]

So, maybe its alphabetical? But who knows...

I don't think because I am at the start of the alphabet and my good waitlist email came at 7:59AM (not 7:58AM)

[heartdoc]

So to weigh in on the timestamp thing- I went through the accepted/waitlisted/rejected thread and saw that in 2014 there were 2 timestamps for Good Waitlist and that on the first day of calls (2 weeks after initial offers) people from BOTH timestamps (9:01AM and 9:02AM) were contacted. I think it would have been impossible to have gone through the first half of the waitlist that first day of calls therefore refuting the theory that an earlier timestamp for good waitlist means you are higher ranked. But maybe they do go through half the good waitlist that first day but I feel like that is somewhat unlikely........ This is just speculation though of course!

 

Doesn't this assume that relatively equal numbers of candidates got each respective timestamp for their good WL email? If emails started going out at 9:01:55, it would make sense that candidates with both timestamps got calls the first day (as not many people would have gotten the 9:01 timestamp). It's all speculation here, and I'm not asserting anything. Just pointing out that those observations don't necessarily refute the theory that emails were sent in rank order.

[opp12390]

Doesn't this assume that relatively equal numbers of candidates got each respective timestamp for their good WL email? If emails started going out at 9:01:55, it would make sense that candidates with both timestamps got calls the first day (as not many people would have gotten the 9:01 timestamp). It's all speculation here, and I'm not asserting anything. Just pointing out that those observations don't necessarily refute the theory that emails were sent in rank order.

Good point! It's all speculation at this point! I also saw on the accepted/rejected/waitlisted thread that there are 4 times Good Waitlist emails went out this year: 7:58, 7:59, 8:08 and 8:09- so if they were sent out in our rankings (which is unknown) then that'd mean there are potentially 4 ranked sections of the good waitlist (could be more). I guess we'll see what happens May 25! I'm preparing for the worst and hoping for the best!

[Phoolc]

I got it at 7:59 with early alphabet if that helps, but I doubt it works like that.

[astb]

I just declined my offer for the english stream. Best of luck to you guys, hope you receive good news very soon!

[m_jacob_45]

Good point! It's all speculation at this point! I also saw on the accepted/rejected/waitlisted thread that there are 4 times Good Waitlist emails went out this year: 7:58, 7:59, 8:08 and 8:09- so if they were sent out in our rankings (which is unknown) then that'd mean there are potentially 4 ranked sections of the good waitlist (could be more). I guess we'll see what happens May 25! I'm preparing for the worst and hoping for the best!

I believe the 8:08 and 8:09 time stamps were for the French stream only (all the English ones were from 7:58 and 7:59). I guess we should just not speculate too much since we really don't know haha.

[opp12390]

I believe the 8:08 and 8:09 time stamps were for the French stream only (all the English ones were from 7:58 and 7:59). I guess we should just not speculate too much since we really don't know haha.

good to know!

[lolabean]

I was accepted for the French stream and received my email at 7:50

[opp12390]

With a wGPA 3.98 say if I am lower on the GWL (for example, second interview score category), are chances good with this or a similar GPA? I figure there'd be dozens of people with 4.0s, 3.99s so I'm wondering if I should have hope with a 3.98.

[freewheeler]

Guys, try to enjoy life for now! You likely won't hear back until May 24th/25th at earliest. I know it's tough if this was your top choice or if it's the only chance you have left this cycle but I'm sure you can agree with me that overanalyzing the timestamps of emails is unproductive.

 

Med school isn't the end-all-be-all and if you have made it this far you are obviously a suitable candidate.

 

Don't put so much pressure on yourself!

 

[millie03]

I remember when I interviewed at Ottawa last year, I was talking to the current med school students in the lobby and they said about 80~90% of good waitlisted applicants are accepted, or at least that they have a VERY good chance of getting in. I vaguely remember them also talking about how the email tells you if you are in the good waitlist just as they do with bad waitlists. Being bad-waitlisted last year and waitlisted again this year but without the "unlikely to be accepted" part, this blurred memory is coming back to me along with the paranoia.

 

Has anyone else heard this from those students? And just to confirm, the "good" waitlist for ottawa means you just don't have that "unlikely to be accepted" part, correct? Because western as high, normal, low waitlist where high waitlist actually tells you that you have a good chance of getting in.

[opp12390]

I've heard a lot do yes (but 80-90% I think is a bit high!) It really comes down to how many accept their May 10th acceptance permanently- that determines the # available spots.  Another factor is those that remove themselves from the waitlist- that also improves your chances (your name gets bumped up). Yes, the good waitlist says nothing about the unlikely to be accepted part. 

I remember when I interviewed at Ottawa last year, I was talking to the current med school students in the lobby and they said about 80~90% of good waitlisted applicants are accepted, or at least that they have a VERY good chance of getting in. I vaguely remember them also talking about how the email tells you if you are in the good waitlist just as they do with bad waitlists. Being bad-waitlisted last year and waitlisted again this year but without the "unlikely to be accepted" part, this blurred memory is coming back to me along with the paranoia.

 

Has anyone else heard this from those students? And just to confirm, the "good" waitlist for ottawa means you just don't have that "unlikely to be accepted" part, correct? Because western as high, normal, low waitlist where high waitlist actually tells you that you have a good chance of getting in.

[Buckets_]

Looking at the afmc reports Ottawa waitlist is variable. Anywhere from 56-98 people have declined offers in the past.

[daftypatty]

no chance for people in the bad waitlist to get in? :/

[a7x]

Declined my offer yesterday (English). Good luck!

[Buckets_]

I was looking at previous years and it looks like it didn't clear the regular waitlist. It'd have to move quite a bit but it'd be great if it did!

 

no chance for people in the bad waitlist to get in? :/

[bougieb]

If all of the initial offers that are declined are filled up on May 25th, how can there be significant movement on the waitlist in June/July?

[_ _]

If all of the initial offers that are declined are filled up on May 25th, how can there be significant movement on the waitlist in June/July? 

Because they go through the waitlist in order, and people still get at least a day or two to decide

[doctorfresh]

If all of the initial offers that are declined are filled up on May 25th, how can there be significant movement on the waitlist in June/July?

There is going to be a significant number that will decline first round of offers. So let's approximate and say 60 people will get off the waitlist that they will call in the days following May 24th. Those waitlisted individuals who got accepted have about a week to accept the offer. And most likely a small percentage won't accept and so they'll have to make another round of offers the following week (~early June) and give those people about a week. And then a few won't accept and they give them another week and then 1 person doesn't accept. And then another person may wish to defer the year and another person may get accepted somewhere outside of Ontario and have paid the deposit but now withdraw from the class. So all these things happen to slow down the class being full. 

[medGate]

Does anyone know how much the french waiting list typically moves (compared to the English waiting list)?

[johnmccrae]

With the deadline for acceptances being May 24th, the Tuesday after the long weekend, is there any realistic possibility that there will be waitlist offers prior to that date?

 

In a bit of a conundrum. I was about to send in my Mac acceptance today, but then my wife just got a job offer for something she had applied for in Ottawa. It's an amazing job for her, and has lots of perks that would help us out during med school.

 

I'm probably going to wait until Tuesday AM and see what happens.

[laemelli]

With the deadline for acceptances being May 24th, the Tuesday after the long weekend, is there any realistic possibility that there will be waitlist offers prior to that date?

 

In a bit of a conundrum. I was about to send in my Mac acceptance today, but then my wife just got a job offer for something she had applied for in Ottawa. It's an amazing job for her, and has lots of perks that would help us out during med school.

 

I'm probably going to wait until Tuesday AM and see what happens.

That's such a tough situation! I hope you hear back before the deadline! I looked at past waitlist posts last week and it looks like they usually wait until after the two weeks is up but it did appear to move early one year. Fingers crossed for you!

[johnmccrae]

Yeah, I thought I had read a few posts from last year that had wait lists prior to the 2 week deadline, but it must have been from another school. I also just went back and checked and it looks like they started sending them out the Wednesday after the long weekend.

 

I just e-mailed Ottawa to ask them directly - I probably won't get a lot of information, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask!

[johnmccrae]

Update: Ottawa got back to me and they won't be releasing wait list offers prior to the May 24th deadline. Time to make a tough decision!