the fun of waiting must soon be over...........

[Guest cactus]

So,

 

I guess we all have only a maximum of three-to-four weeks left of this wait, since the admissions cycle is meant to wrap up in mid-June.

 

As one of the probable 100 applicants that have made it past the May 15th date that they use in other province(s), I'm starting to realize that I personally would have preferred to have a set date to have found out.

 

I read and understood that it is nice for the 180 people who have already found out to be able to make plans to attend school or do something else, but it also puts everyone else in an awkward spot (and I know I'm not the only one) as far as finding work (say if your contrat wasn't renewed because you applied for medical school and they didn't want to risk you leaving), or for those graduating and deciding what to do next year. I know there are countless issues that arise (some for people with children as well) and that not all of them would be solved by having a fixed date when everyone finds out but.............at least you could tell job interviewers etc more details. I don't know how many times I was asked what my future plans were, if I applied this year, and if I thought I would get accepted. (The last question always made me chuckle and I wanted to respond "I don't know, do you?")

 

I suppose all those who will yet get offered a seat (I know I hope I do) will easily say that the wait was worth it, but when the administration asks if you liked waiting till June or if it would have been easier to have a fixed date (as they do elsewhere), how would you respond at this time.

 

I'm not really complaining or saying that I want Dal to be like the Ontario schools, or that I wasn't expecting to wait for a decision (I know it's part of applying), I guess I'm just starting to drift to a state of acquiescence about this whole process and looking to lay on the beach or go surfing in the sunny 24 degree weather tomorrow.

 

And if things don't work out this year, I can always try to do something next year to make myself stand out in the crowd of qualified applicants. Has anyone tried any of the stunts from Patch Adams before??

 

Good luck everyone (and if the adcom did meet on Thursday) there should be a double batch of letters getting mailed next week.

[Guest DancingDoc]

Hi Cactus,

I understand your line of thinking. While I appreciate Dal's personal approach to our applications (i.e. they review each application individually and discuss it) because I do not yet have an answer from them but have from other schools, I will be cancelling my application. Had Dal given a specific date for when it would response to us, I may not have been doing so (not that Dal is necessary sad to lose me!!! lol, maybe they were going to reject me).

 

I was deferred by Dal, and I don't understand why they have this extra step. It's unfortunate because it adds extra stress for these applicants, and gives extra work for the admissions committee. It is wonderful for the people who hear early, but is it not fair that not everyone gets to hear as early as they do and that some have to go through the extra deferral (plus tack on that many of those deferred get an even further limbo sentence of waitlist). Just my personal opinion, but I do think after having been through the process at Dal compare to all other schools but one that I applied to (Mcgill process I was very disappointed in as well), Dal has a more inefficient and more stressful process despite the fact that it is done so with the purpose of being more personal than other schools that gives your file a score.

 

Good luck to all of those still waiting, it sucks but hopefully it will be over soon with good news

 

(p.s. I wrote this because I am removing my application, and I know many people who share these thoughts but still have applications in and thus are not comfortable writing this. Please don't think this is me complaining because I was deferred as I have no problem with this. Dal may be looking for something different than other schools, and I respect that as @#%$ as it is. I just hope that Dal continues to try and iprove its process to remove some of this stress for applicants)

[Guest JewelLeigh]

Hey Cactus and DD,

 

I totally understand what you are both saying and I sympathize. Cactus has hit the nail on the head in that every year, the admissions people ask the med 1 class if they would rather have had a set date to hear, or to have rolling admissions as currently exists. Every year the students respond that they would rather have rolling admissions. Unfortunately, as Cactus mentioned, those who were accepted early and even those who had to wait before being accepted, will end up feeling that the wait was worth it and/or they were happy to hear early.

 

It definitely does stink to have things in limbo for so long, but year after year, the students consistently agree that rolling admissions is the way to go. So, as frustrating as it is, it is not a decision made by someone high up in admissions, but one that is made in response to student feedback.

 

As to the deferral process...again, I understand it also lengthens the process, but it is necessary - there are a limited # of seats, so if Dal wishes to continue to have the personal process in which they discuss each applicant...they must defer decision on some applications until they have reviewed the entire applicant pool. This is to make sure that the process is fair and that the 81 best Maritime applicants are admitted.

 

Anyway...I totally understand that the process is not only tough on the nerves, but also in general for planning your lives for the next year. If you don't end up coming to Dalhousie next year, but you still feel strongly that Dal should have a set date for sending admissions letters, then I would encourage you to write a letter to admissions to voice this opinion. (Of course be polite and respectful, especially if you're going to reapply!)

 

DD - I noticed you were admitted to UofT - congrats on that! Don't forget that if Dal is your #1, you can provisionally accept UofT until the beginning of July while you wait to hear definitively from Dal (I guess that finding housing and organizing other things might play a role too though...arg.)

 

Anyway...much luck to you both and to other applicants eagerly awaiting news from Dalhousie. I hope to see you in the fall!

 

JL

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[Guest DancingDoc]

JewelLeigh:

What is the reason students agree on the rolling admissions every year? Honestly, everyone I've talked to does not like it unless they heard in the first couple weeks (which who wouldn't like?! But... of course only those x number of people get that advantage). Couldn't Dal still take a personal approach but just set a date at the end of May or June when they let everyone know? It takes away the stalking of the mailman and the need for deferrals. Anyway, just a thought from my view point and experience. I would personally mail them to sugest this, but I imagine they would consider that response better from someone accepted to Dal or who is already a student rather than someone deferred like me.

(thanks for the congrats bwt )

[Guest JewelLeigh]

I guess students just figure "if you already know I've been accepted/rejected, just tell me!" and thus they vote for rolling admissions. Dal could and would still take a personal approach but with a set date. The reason that they don't is that each year the students vote for rolling admissions.

 

The deferral process would occur regardless (students just wouldn't know if they were deferred), since the committee would still review the applicant pool 1 file at a time and would still have to go back over files that they couldn't decide on before hearing about the entire pool. If there was a set date, the only thing that would change is that everyone would have to wait until June (and would know it and could plan for it) instead of just some people. In many ways, it does make more sense that for applications which already have a decision made, that the admissions office just let them know...that way people can plan to attend, or move on much earlier than if a set date was made in June. On the other hand...the 5 months of knowing that any week could be "the week" would drive anyone insane.

 

I guess it comes down to which is better: 5 months of mailbox stalking for some applicants with early ability to plan for many applicants or 5 months of waiting followed by just a week of stalking for all applicants. Definitely a tough call and when you're the one waiting until the end - a set date seems like a clearly better way.

[Guest Madz25]

"On the other hand...the 5 months of knowing that any week could be "the week" would drive anyone insane."

 

No kidding!!!

 

JL - you know my opinion on this topic since last year! I think a set date is fair for everyone - everyone stalks their mailman. With rolling admissions, it's increasingly unfair for those that haven't heard as the weeks go by.

 

At least we can all be sure that we'll hear something within the next month!

 

Madz

[Guest maven from the maritimes]

I think it's interesting that everyone on this post so far seems to think rolling admissions is unfair, and yet that is what students keep voting for year after year. I just want to put my two cents in. I am STILL stalking my mailman - I have not heard a thing yet - and I still think rolling admissions is the way to go. Yes, I am terribly stressed at the idea of checking my mailbox, especially on Friday, but I think it's worth it in the end. I love Dal for having an incredibly personal approach and REALLY going over every file. If that means looking at the "maybes" a few times to make sure the very best get the seats, then I'm willing to wait longer.

 

I just hope I'll be one of the students voting for rolling admissions for next year! And for everyone else waiting, try to take comfort in knowing when you do get an answer, it will be a very fair one. Or just enjoy the sunshine to forget about it all!!!

[Guest scooter]

Hey guys,

Just my two cents. :b Lastyear, eventually rejected, i was in the VERY last regular meeting. ... it really really sucked not knowing sooner because of organizing things for this year. However, I would definately like to have known that i was rejected ealier on as well. This year I found out at the end of March and it definately beat waiting till June.

I remember when they announced a provinical order system, it meant I had a "date" at the end of May. I was estatic when they then changed it to "obvious decisions then more difficult decisions". It meant that there was a chance of getting a letter before May, but also a chance of waiting till end of June. If they were like other schools then EVERYONE would find out the last week of June, after all other schools. They wouldn't go any faster if they were not letting people know their status. This would cost Dal a lot of good applicants that accepted and started planning on going to an Ontario school or what not.

What I would love to see next year (if I was applying, though obviously I have taken the offer:D ), is the same as this year with more obvious applicants done quickly at the first. That is both acceptance and rejections- ie those who haven't finished their degrees or bombed the interview- and those with great everthing). Then after those are finished, it is always said that it is random who is presented what week... why not make it really random and have a computer decide the order of all the other applicants (adjusting so that each member presents x number of files a week) and then let people know what number they are on the list and keep people informed about what number their at.... you wouldn't know exactly when you can expect a response but within a couple of weeks. Though it would make the stalking of the mailman a LOT more intense (I feel for the postmen):\

Also, it would be great if they could move a touch faster... maybe an extra meeting or two every month...

I understand wanting a date, but I also felt both extremes and the waiting 2 extra agonizing months not knowing anything (though i think i would have been rejected early on last year as my mcat sucked and my interview didnt:t go so hot:x )

 

So this year when they ask my vote is for the rolling admin. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE still waiting, keep your spirits up and remember that there is always next year (in hindsight i am really glad i didn't get accepted last year cause this year has been great and a year to improve my application made a big difference).

[Guest cactus]

I guess I have trouble understanding why the admissions decisions would have to become "less personal" if there were not rolling admissions. If they changed the structure of telling people, they wouldn't necessarily have to change how/why they accept people. I'm missing the connection.

 

Scooter,

 

You said that you had that year after your rejection to "improve" your application. What did you do differently that you think made the big difference??

[Guest JewelLeigh]

Cactus, you are right - there is no connection between the "personal" approach to admissions and rolling admissions. As Scooter said, if the set-date idea replaced rolling admissions, the decision-making process would still be the same. The only change would be when the letters were mailed out - instead of after each meeting, they would wait until the end and mail them all as a batch in the middle of June.

[Guest scooter]

Hey,

The first year I applied I was already working in Japan and so I stayed another year. To improve my application I talked with MUN (I tried for an interview with Dal since June but it never happened), but MUN was incrediably useful. I knew my interview at Dal didn't go so well but the Mun one did do well... they told me that i should have more Hospital specific experience. The thing is that i did every morning for 4 months during hs senior year... so i volunteered for a couple of days here in Japan (fyi they don't actually have volunteers in their hospitals!!)...

Other than that I rewrote the mcat, 24 R to 30 S.

 

I guess the big thing that i know made a huge difference (other than MCAT) is that I rewrote the same application highlighting different things. I spent a huge amount of time on my application especially the letter. The reason is that i knew that is what they read just before i came in for the interview... and sure enough the whole tone of the interview was better from teh get go.... speaking of which i have to go to work... i write more of what i did in a bit.

[Guest scooter]

Sorry my last post was a bit cut short i had to get to work... to find out the class i prepared and hour for yesturday was cancelled and i would be teaching two others on my own at the last minute....>:

 

Obviously the MCAt was a big thing so if your mcat is just 24 then it is better to re-write.... i had heard that dal recommends re-writing it if you are only like 24-27 but not above... but I think it depends on your gpa.

 

Just to add to what I did to "fix" myself... I had relatively decent ec's and since I was living abroad I couldn't do too many other things that look good on the application... I think it is really coming off as a well-rounded person on paper... there is very little room on the application for all the activities (I typed mine and it looked a lot better than when I wrote it). So I think you need to pick and choose what you list and what your prioritize. I got 3 different people to read and comment and that really helped. After last year's interview I realized that everyone has AWSOME experiences and are very clever... so if you wanna fix your application decide what makes you stand-out from everyone else and exploit it.

 

Unfortunately?Fortunately? there are tons of essays online to read- mainly from essay checking companies. I read them and realized that a more creative approach to the essay was far more interesting than mainly listing off things I've done and a brief description of how they affected me.

 

And I think the thing that really made this year the year was that I didn't wear socks I think better with out them :smokin oh and i wasn't insanely jet legged (bloody 13 hour time shift!)

 

Sorry I ramble too much. GOOD LUCK- seriously if this is not the year then next year is;)

[Guest cactus]

Hey Scooter,

 

Thanx for getting back to me. Japan sounds a tad different, and a tad similar to South Korea as far as teaching is concerned. I was in SK for 8 months about 2 yrs ago and one of the very first things I was told by co-workers was to not prepare lessons, which is possible but I discovered not very rewarding.

 

Anyways, congrats and hopefully I meet you in the fall.

[Guest scooter]

As for the Patch Adams stunts... You could always wear a big red nose... I'm sure that would help Just a couple more weeks to go, I'm rooting for you. I'm off to SK in August (taking the long way him through SK and Europe and mid canada).

Keep your hopes up, where else did you apply? At least with the system now, you know that you are not an obvious "R", which means if you don't get in this year you definately have a good shot next year.

What are you doing now? I take it you had to decline a contract for next year... I'm sure if need be (which won't be) you will be able to find a fabulous job for another year- or the World has a ton of distractions waiting for you. Did you ever consider going back to SK for a bit?

[Guest cactus]

Hey dude,

 

I hope your scooter name is in reference to you driving around Japan on a scooter. I was in Japan for one night, and didn't see much from the Narita airport to the hotel. I took a little break from writing on here so I didn't get the chance to write back sooner.

 

In response to the questions, I applied only to Dal. Being married to someone attending Dalhousie I had very few options. (didn't want to have to part for the better part of two years).

 

However, after reaffirming through this process that a life as a physician is the thing I can see myself most enjoying, I plan on applying to the schools I qualify for next year (UWO-if there southwestern ontario highschool thing carries through (I scored a 33O MCAT and unless you went to highschool nearby (I did) you need a P on the written instead of my O), UoT, Mac, the Northern ontario school, maybe ottawa (what's with the floating GPA requirements??) What's 8 months apart between friends anyways....

 

So as far as teaching again, travelling etc. goes, I'm pretty much trapped in ol' Halipax (as they say in Korea) but I may run-off for a month or less to play doctor with some organization in the third world this year. Very few interesting jobs in Halifax available at the moment, and I'm trying to sort out now if I should just take some random classes at Dal next year (in order to line up a MSC or something, oh the thought of having a back-up). Oh well, hopefully these thoughts won't come to pass and that I have an acceptance arriving Friday. Dal only knows.

 

Cheers

[Guest scooter]

Hey Cactus,

Too bad about the married thing just kidding. The scooter refers to my pre-japan dream of getting a scooter... but i wimped out:o cause i took one look at the driving here and decided that a small helmet wasn't gonna do anything against the oversized suvs with people smoking and talking on their cellphones (not to mention NO ONE buckles their kids into their seats!!!>: ). I have already been hit on my bike (which i drive on the sidewalk with).

 

I think you need to look at your application really carefully - and maybe get some impartial (ie not your wife/husband) opinions. You have a solid MCAT so something else must be dragging you down... figure out what that is and get jumping. If Dal has a writing help center (I know U of Ottawa does) I would get them to do the essay with you. It is amazing what a really good english major can do with a regular dry letter (not saying yours is necessarily dry, but i know my first one was... then i got inspiration and a million checkers and it ended up much better). Also, they tend to offer mock interviews... they get easier with practice (I had pre-selected jokes that i tried to work in.. and specific experiences I wanted to relay so it took some practice being able to blend them into the questions...)

 

I think you are on target for applying to ever where = I didn:t this year (only Dal and Mun) and so I was under SOOO much more pressure for those interviews... so if you know you have other options it might take the edge off.

 

Don't forget the bug reppellant if you are skipping off to a 3rd world country... they gots some BIG 0] Bugs!!

 

GOOD LUCK when the Post Man Arrives this Friday... my fingers and toes are crossed for ya.

Scooterless Scooter

[Guest cactus]

Hey Scooter,

 

Yeah, I already jumped the gun and had rewritten the first essay (I'd be shocked if the question changed dramatically) and am about five times more happy with it.

 

My (history dean's list every year) wife said that she thought it was the best thing I've ever written. I do plan (if need be) to take advantage of some contacts and get some doctors, past adcom members, etc., to check my essays over for content, etc.

 

I'm even thinking of shameless stunts to prove I have drive and determination via non-medical stunts. I'll see what I can conjure up.

 

Anyways, thanks for the encouragement and I hope that this fall proves better than you are hoping for.

[Guest nbmom]

Hey if someone has time could you post this years admissions essay questions? September is a while away but, given how important the essays are at Dal and how bad I am at essay writing, I would like to start brainstorming.

 

 

I agree with you cactus, I haven't even applied yet, but even with the chance of finding out early I would rather avoid the months of torturous waiting.

 

Anyways good luck cactus and those still waiting, hope it goes your way!!

[Guest cactus]

Hello,

 

I heard today from someone who frequents the medical school that it is true, they've finished meeting and have decided on all the applicants. That means this week we should here. I still feel skeptical about this after such a long wait but................

 

All the best, I feel like its Canadian Idol. Except, our tears of joy or sorrow won't be broadcast around the country.

 

Cheers

[Guest cactus]

I meant to say, we should hear (not here)