Beggars can't be Choosers, or should they be ?

[Member954786]

I am a re applicant and I got accepted to a DO school and the non refundable deposit is due relatively soon ( it's 1500$). I also have 3 md interviews lined up which equate to about the same price. What would you do in a similar situation . Gamble the acceptance for the interviews or secure your spot( if money is a factor )?

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[EMDO2018]

I am a re applicant and I got accepted to a DO school and the non refundable deposit is due relatively soon ( it's 1500$). I also have 3 md interviews lined up which equate to about the same price. What would you do in a similar situation . Gamble the acceptance for the interviews or secure your spot( if money is a factor )?

1500$ isn't that much in DO term. So Secure the spot. If you don't get into any MD school, then you haven't lost a year of physician salary. We aren't getting any younger.

 

[Goro]

A bird in the hand is worth....?

I am a re applicant and I got accepted to a DO school and the non refundable deposit is due relatively soon ( it's 1500$). I also have 3 md interviews lined up which equate to about the same price. What would you do in a similar situation . Gamble the acceptance for the interviews or secure your spot( if money is a factor )?

 

[DrMidlife]

What's going to stress you out most?

Case 1: you throw out the interviews, take the DO seat, and spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened at those interviews?
Case 2: you throw out the DO seat, go to the interviews, and have to be your very best self while carrying the burden of again having no idea whether you're going to med school or not?
Case 3: you find $1500 somewhere

 

[TeddyBoomBoom]

What's going to stress you out most?

Case 1: you throw out the interviews, take the DO seat, and spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened at those interviews?
Case 2: you throw out the DO seat, go to the interviews, and have to be your very best self while carrying the burden of again having no idea whether you're going to med school or not?
Case 3: you find $1500 somewhere

100% this

 

[QofQuimica]

I am a re applicant and I got accepted to a DO school and the non refundable deposit is due relatively soon ( it's 1500$). I also have 3 md interviews lined up which equate to about the same price. What would you do in a similar situation . Gamble the acceptance for the interviews or secure your spot( if money is a factor )?

In the whole scheme of how much your medical education will cost you, this is a drop in the bucket. And the security of having a guaranteed seat in a U.S med school is pretty sweet. So sure, go on a few more interviews if you want to keep your options open, but don't leave yourself potentially with nothing when you can have a sure thing. Think of that $1500 as an insurance policy if you like. And congrats on your acceptance.

 

[cabinbuilder]

1. Take the spot and know you are going to be a doctor for sure.
2. Don't take the spot, roll the dice, maybe get in somewhere else? Maybe not. Could end up reapplying next year and still never get an acceptance.

COMES DOWN TO HOW BAD DO YOU WANT TO BE A DOCTOR? You can always borrow the $$ and then pay that person back when you get your student loan check.

 

[Instatewaiter]

I am a re applicant and I got accepted to a DO school and the non refundable deposit is due relatively soon ( it's 1500$). I also have 3 md interviews lined up which equate to about the same price. What would you do in a similar situation . Gamble the acceptance for the interviews or secure your spot( if money is a factor )?

Personally I think it's ridiculous DO schools charge you so much to hold a seat.

I think the reasonable thing is give the $1500 to the DO school. Go on the interviews and hope you get an acceptance. If you do, write off the 1500. If you don't you still have an acceptance. You'd be a fool to give up an acceptance for 1500 bucks

 

[KGflyboy]

Why would it cost $1500 to attend the 3 MD interviews? Is it because you are factoring plane tickets and hotels into the cost of interviews?

I can't imagine dropping that much on interviews, although I know many people do. My point is that if the money is your deciding factor, you have alternatives. If you have a car, drive to interviews if possible. If you don't have a car, take a train or a bus. If you are worried about paying for a hotel, contact the school about staying with a current student instead of paying for a hotel room.

Although the convenience of flying and hotels are nice, you don't need them. I certainly wouldn't recommend letting a few amenities determine your interview participation.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Why would it cost $1500 to attend the 3 MD interviews? Is it because you are factoring plane tickets and hotels into the cost of interviews?

I can't imagine dropping that much on interviews, although I know many people do. My point is that if the money is your deciding factor, you have alternatives. If you have a car, drive to interviews if possible. If you don't have a car, take a train or a bus. If you are worried about paying for a hotel, contact the school about staying with a current student instead of paying for a hotel room.

Although the convenience of flying and hotels are nice, you don't need them. I certainly wouldn't recommend letting a few amenities determine your interview participation.

Not everyone has the luxury of driving. When I went to my interview travel was from Fairbanks, AK to Erie, PA (10 day drive). Just the plane ticket alone was $800. Sometimes there is no way around it. Or if you live on the West coast and interview on the East coast, that alone is a 4-5 day drive. One of my physician friends told me once to use the BBS plan (beg, borrow, or steal) to get where you needed to be.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I borrowed the 1500 to hold my spot, paid it back when the money came in.

 

[KGflyboy]

Not everyone has the luxury of driving. When I went to my interview travel was from Fairbanks, AK to Erie, PA (10 day drive). Just the plane ticket alone was $800. Sometimes there is no way around it. Or if you live on the West coast and interview on the East coast, that alone is a 4-5 day drive. One of my physician friends told me once to use the BBS plan (beg, borrow, or steal) to get where you needed to be.

I realize there are exceptions. I don't think it's realistic to drive from AK to PA. That would be brutal. My suggestions are based off the limited info available. Hopefully the OP isn't that far from the interviews and can save a few bucks by not flying. I'm just trying to brainstorm ways for him to be able to pay the deposit AND go to the other interviews. I would have been willing to drive 1-2 days to get to an interview if necessary, which would have gotten me pretty much everywhere. Fortunately I didn't have to.

When I was in the OPs position, I wrote the check and canceled my other 2 interviews(only applied to 3). I think he will be disappointed if he doesn't give the other schools a shot though, so hopefully he can make the finances work.

 

[Member954786]

Thank you to every one for your replies, I really appreciate them all... I paid the downpayment right before the deadline and then 2 days later got accepted to a different DO program I preferred, so I withdrew from the previous one. This is just a really expensive process, there is no escaping that. I'm borrowing $ for the upcoming MD interviews, I decided I just couldn't miss out on an opportunity that I have literally been dreaming about for years .

 

[Gauss44]

Everyone should be a "chooser," even a "beggar." If you are not a chooser, many other people will take advantage of you and your kind to the fullest extent. Even if you have no desirable options, you usually still have options and a choice.

 

[ulikedaggers]

Many people last cycle were able to get a 2-3 week extension on their DO deposits. If you end up being in this situation again (with your preferred school, for example) you should at least call them and see if they'll allow you to pay a week or two later. Say you don't have the funds or something though... not that you're holding out for an MD acceptance.

 

[Member954786]

I wanted to give an update: the initial DO school elected to not cash in my downpayment since I informed them two days after I sent it in and they had not processed the check yet. It was pretty considerate on their part since it was technically a " non refundable" deposit.