Frequently Asked Questions For The WAITLISTED Applicant
It's not over till it's over!
Is this an "alternate" list?
Many programs call this an alternate list, we use waitlist because we WANT these applicants in our program but they were likely edged out by those with higher science GPAs, Graduate level STEM courses, interview performance etc.
How is the waitlist determined?
We look at all our applicants and rank them based on the point system we developed.
Once all the seats are filled we take the top 10-20 and place them on the waitlist
These are ranked based on the point system
Do you let us know our ranking?
We keep the ranking internal and do not provide those on the waitlist with a rank.
What happens when a seat opens up?
We send an email of acceptance to the top ranking person on the waitlist.
They will have 24 hours to reply accepting or turning down the seat.
If they accept they pay the deposit to hold their seat.
If they turn down the seat we move to the next with the same process and so on.
How long is the waitlist active for?
We have had people drop out as late as December for various reasons and offered people on the waitlist as late as then.
Generally, most people drop by the end of September or early October as they have 14 business days from acceptance offer to pay the deposit and hold the spot.
Does being waitlisted help my chances the next year?
Every applicant pool is judged against the others IN that applicant pool. Therefore, what might have been competitive the year before may not be as competitive the next cohort (or vice versa).
However, when an applicant gets on the waitlist that means we want them in our program. If they come back the next year with a stronger application we absolutely account for that in our decision making.
That is NOT a guarantee, but over the years some of our best NARs are people we have not accepted the first time and came back with a stronger application based on the guidance on these pages.