Application Outcomes

Accepted

  • Congratulations! Be sure to share the news with faculty, and all your recommendation writers and the Health Professions Advising Office.
  • If you are juggling multiple school acceptances, the medical and dental schools have posted a list of applicant responsibilities, also known as “traffic rules". You must check the application websites to confirm these details.
  • Get working on financial aid. Work closely with the financial aid office of the school that accepted you to identify scholarship and student loan possibilities. The first step is usually completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Wait-Listed

  • It’s not over yet. Even if you are on a wait list, being chosen as an alternate is a vote of confidence by admissions committee members that you are a qualified candidate. If there is enough room, they will be happy to have you attend their school.
  • You should contact the school and find out how their wait list works and express your continued interest in their program. If you still want to become a physician/dentist, continue strengthening your candidacy, and prepare to begin re-applying.

Not Accepted

  • If you were not accepted, it is normal to feel a sense of disappointment, frustration and loss. You will have some decisions to make.
  • Remember, there truly are many more qualified candidates than seats in medical/dental schools, there are often no satisfying answers to "why wasn’t I accepted" questions.
  • Many re-applicants are accepted.

Re-Applying

  • If you are thinking about reapplying it is important to talk with the Health Professions advisor to discuss reassessing your qualifications and plan your strategy. If you plan to re-apply you must update information in your UNH file.
  • It can also be very useful to talk with representatives from admissions offices and ask for feedback on deficiencies and how you can strengthen your candidacy. If you need to strengthen your qualifications, you may want to consider re-taking the MCAT or other entrance exams (if you feel you have reason to believe you can significantly improve your score). You may want to strengthen other aspects of your candidacy through engaging in significant health care, social service, research or other valuable activities. It may also be beneficial to take additional science courses, or apply to formal post-baccalaureate programs geared toward helping candidates strengthen their qualifications or to enter a graduate program of study. For more information on post-bac programs, visit The AAMC site.
  • If you plan to enter a graduate program, it would be wise to plan on completing that program before you enter medical school. For medical school applicants, if you did not do so previously, you should also strongly consider applying to osteopathic medical schools. For more information, see www.aacom.org.

Off Shore Medical Schools

  • If you are not accepted after 2 or 3 attempts, and you can only be satisfied with a career as a physician, you may want to consider applying to international medical schools. This should be a carefully considered and well researched decision as there can be drawbacks. Graduates of international medical schools have to be Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (E.C.F.M.G.) certified, or complete a 5th Pathway Program, before entering a residency. Different states have different licensure requirements, and some have additional requirements for graduates of foreign medical schools. Again, if you did not do so previously, you should also strongly consider applying to osteopathic medical schools. For more information, see www.aacom.org

Not Accepted and Not Re-applying

  • What is your “Plan B” going to look like? You are not alone in facing this situation. Not being accepted is an opportunity to reassess whether you want to stay in a health care related field or move in to new areas. Connect with your major advisor and faculty. What can you do with your degree and experience? Make an appointment with The Career Center staff, 603-862-2070. Career counselors can work with you to clarify and refocus your career values and goals.
  • Need help coping with the stress and frustration of the situation? Contact Psychological & Counseling Services (Durham) and Student Wellness (Manchester)