Just Curious what happens if class if Overloaded?

[Hippocratesintraining]

I've wondered this and after doing some light research and not finding a sufficient answer, I thought I'd come to all things knowing, SDN!
I know that schools typically offer over the max class size but I have wondered what happens if not enough people drop from the school to the maximum number of spots for a class?
Do they start to offer discounts if students take a deferral year? Do they make mandatory deferrals to students who were accepted later in the cycle?

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[GoSpursGo]

It depends on the school. Though I think it is unlikely that they would do a mandatory deferral, which seems like it would be very dubious legally unless the possibility was mentioned in the deferral letter. Most likely they just cram more students in the class and make do.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It is much less common for health professional programs. Accreditation and University admins want them to hit their enrollment number. There might be a little wiggle room say for PhD or Masters research programs, but clinical programs need to be on target. That's one reason why so many get waitlisted before April, most will only extend offers according to how many actual seats are open (underenroll early) rather than get caught overenrolling.

 

[KnightDoc]

It is much less common for health professional programs. Accreditation and University admins want them to hit their enrollment number. There might be a little wiggle room say for PhD or Masters research programs, but clinical programs need to be on target. That's one reason why so many get waitlisted before April, most will only extend offers according to how many actual seats are open (underenroll early) rather than get caught overenrolling.

THIS^^^^^. In my observation, I haven't seen people "squeezed in." I also have never seen anyone forced to defer.

Like an airline bumping passengers, when this happens (and, it is relatively rare), schools start making offers to get people to voluntarily defer. The offers are pretty generous, and the schools have no problem getting people to take them.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

THIS^^^^^. In my observation, I haven't seen people "squeezed in." I also have never seen anyone forced to defer.

Like an airline bumping passengers, when this happens (and, it is relatively rare), schools start making offers to get people to voluntarily defer. The offers are pretty generous, and the schools have no problem getting people to take them.

Thanks. Just adding, programs have to ask permission from accreditation bodies to change the size of their classes, be it in typical education programs or residency programs. So you definitely should not see overenrolled classes.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Some schools like UF over enrolled in 2021. They even got a warning from the LCME. In order to prevent this from happening again, schools begin to use the waitlist more liberally and then just admit as more students drop

 

[GoSpursGo]

Some schools like UF over enrolled in 2021. They even got a warning from the LCME. In order to prevent this from happening again, schools begin to use the waitlist more liberally and then just admit as more students drop

Yeah exactly this--to be clear, it is NOT common that schools overenroll, and if it does it's only by a couple of students.

This really is not something I would spend mental capacity worrying about.

 

[Goro]

I've wondered this and after doing some light research and not finding a sufficient answer, I thought I'd come to all things knowing, SDN!
I know that schools typically offer over the max class size but I have wondered what happens if not enough people drop from the school to the maximum number of spots for a class?
Do they start to offer discounts if students take a deferral year? Do they make mandatory deferrals to students who were accepted later in the cycle?

The Admissions Dean gets fired.

People may be given a tuition break in order to get them to defer.

Others will be asked to defer.

TOURO.NY actually found "reasons" to reject people after their acceptance several years ago. Others were sent to Touro-Middletown. They've cleaned up their act since then

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The Admissions Dean gets fired.

People may be given a tuition break in order to get them to defer.

Others will be asked to defer.

TOURO.NY actually found "reasons" to reject people after their acceptance several years ago. Others were sent to Touro-Middletown. They've cleaned up their act since then

I'll only differ as it has been my observation the Admissions Dean doesn't usually get fired (even if on tenure track). Directors get a bunch of heat even when we fill the class "the right way". When it does happen, it's probably not about overenrolling the class.

 

[LizzyM]

An Admissions Dean could be demoted to a clinical position (if a physician) or pushed out in favor of a new dean who is a physician and that just might happen if a really serious over-enrollment occurred.

It is, as @Goro says, a bit of black magic the way a school can make 300 offers for 100 seats and land on exactly 100 applicants when all is said and done. If a school was off by a little, but too much to shove everyone in (the limiting factor isn't seats in lecture hall but the number of training slots in clerkship settings), then some calls will be made to offer applicants the opportunity to defer with a full ride for the M1 year. It happens very, very rarely. Of course, it is always possible that some admitted applicants will proactively ask for a deferral due to a special opportunity and the desire to delay matriculation. Your cold feet, admitted applicants, could be the answer to the Dean's prayers.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

What is the benefit of being an admission Dean anyway? Are they paid like program directors or is it just for the title?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

An Admissions Dean could be demoted to a clinical position (if a physician) or pushed out in favor of a new dean who is a physician and that just might happen if a really serious over-enrollment occurred.

It is, as @Goro says, a bit of black magic the way a school can make 300 offers for 100 seats and land on exactly 100 applicants when all is said and done. If a school was off by a little, but too much to shove everyone in (the limiting factor isn't seats in lecture hall but the number of training slots in clerkship settings), then some calls will be made to offer applicants the opportunity to defer with a full ride for the M1 year. It happens very, very rarely. Of course, it is always possible that some admitted applicants will proactively ask for a deferral due to a special opportunity and the desire to delay matriculation. Your cold feet, admitted applicants, could be the answer to the Dean's prayers.

And I'll add, slots for rotations don't tend to be a big problem (who is repeating a year? LOA? research?). You can overenroll within an expected buffer and be just fine.

 

[LizzyM]

And I'll add, slots for rotations don't tend to be a big problem (who is repeating a year? LOA? research?). You can overenroll within an expected buffer and be just fine.

It is a problem if you make 300 offers to fill 100 seats and have 125 accept. There isn't the wiggle room to expand the class by 25%. If it is 102 or 103, that's going to be okay but if it is way over it is a problem that needs to be fixed because there aren't that many OB delivery rooms with bleacher seats.

 

[LizzyM]

What is the benefit of being an admission Dean anyway? Are they paid like program directors or is it just for the title?

The Dean of Admissions is a paid position. The hours are good (business hours plus flexible overtime that can be done at home in your jammies). The office conditions are pleasant. You have the prestige of being on the Dean's Council and having a role in the formation of school policies. It is full-time job for only part of the year so a clinician can be on service (training residents in clinical settings) and care for patients during the quiet part of the year (roughly March through August).

 

[Goro]

The Dean of Admissions is a paid position. The hours are good (business hours plus flexible overtime that can be done at home in your jammies). The office conditions are pleasant. You have the prestige of being on the Dean's Council and having a role in the formation of school policies. It is full-time job for only part of the year so a clinician can be on service (training residents in clinical settings) and care for patients during the quiet part of the year (roughly March through August).

Plus you get to take part in the creation of a new Class of future doctors. The legacy aspect can't be discounted. This is why we take our roles as Adcom members seriously, even if sometimes my wily old Admissions Dean serms like he just wants warm bodies in seats. I tease him about this a lot!