TW/CW: Acceptance privilege problems

[StayCoolIceCube]

So I've been accepted to medical school already but am still waiting to hear back from my first choice school, which releases decisions in the spring. I asked my parents to keep the acceptance news on the d/l, but they are the absolute worst at keeping secrets and have unfortunately managed to spill the beans to almost everyone who will be at our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner. I hate when people ask me where I'm going to medical school next year because I don't want to sound ungrateful or assuming, but I'm still hoping to get into my top choice program. Thus the optimistic answer is really, "I don't know yet," but I know if I say that I'll get the prying follow-up questions like: "wait, I thought you already got in; your mom/dad told me you got into ____?" How do you gracefully fend off curious friends/relatives around the holidays who are anxious to know everything about your applications when you aren't quite ready to share yet?

Related: I'm of an ethnicity where humbleness is prioritized. Being presumptuous in holding out for an acceptance to my top choice school & then getting rejected in the Spring would be utterly humiliating, and especially shameful for my parents when they have to give the disappointing "no, our kid didn't end up getting in anywhere else after all..." announcement next year.

Thanks!

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[areserine]

I feel this so hard. I've been going with something along the lines of "Thanks! I'm so humbled and excited to have been accepted. It's actually still early in the season; I don't have to make any decisions until the end of April. I'd be thrilled to go to [school I've been accepted to], but I'm also keeping my options open since it's still early/ in the middle of interview season. Thanks again for your interest, I'll be sure to let you know when I make a final choice!" You can deflect about the top choice school by saying something about how your impressions of schools changed greatly as you visited each one so you're looking forward to seeing more schools, or something about how competitive it is and that you're keeping your options open in general. Congrats on your acceptance!

 

[Heplayer92]

Bottom line: you're going to be a doctor. Congrats!

^^ Good advice on top.

 

[Doug Underhill]

You could tell them that you were accepted at school X, but you feel you meet school Y's mission better, and hope to be accepted there, but if not, you'd be thrilled to attend school X.

 

[Lamel]

Always say Harvard at the family gatherings.

 

[CoffeeBean1]

.

 

[areserine]

Always say Harvard at the family gatherings.

I prefer Princeton. Sounds just as good, plus most lay-people have no idea they don't have a medical school.

 

[pink/\floyd]

So I've been accepted to medical school already but am still waiting to hear back from my first choice school, which releases decisions in the spring. I asked my parents to keep the acceptance news on the d/l, but they are the absolute worst at keeping secrets and have unfortunately managed to spill the beans to almost everyone who will be at our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner. I hate when people ask me where I'm going to medical school next year because I don't want to sound ungrateful or assuming, but I'm still hoping to get into my top choice program. Thus the optimistic answer is really, "I don't know yet," but I know if I say that I'll get the prying follow-up questions like: "wait, I thought you already got in; your mom/dad told me you got into ____?" How do you gracefully fend off curious friends/relatives around the holidays who are anxious to know everything about your applications when you aren't quite ready to share yet?

Related: I'm of an ethnicity where humbleness is prioritized. Being presumptuous in holding out for an acceptance to my top choice school & then getting rejected in the Spring would be utterly humiliating, and especially shameful for my parents when they have to give the disappointing "no, our kid didn't end up getting in anywhere else after all..." announcement next year.

Thanks!

I usually tell my extended family " Thanks guys! I'm super excited to have gotten accepted to a few medical schools; but I am still waiting on the financial aid packages from those schools to make my ultimate decision ". They should understand that.

 

[Itisneverlupus]

Good advice all around!

I've been using something along the lines of: "I'm currently talking to students and faculty at all of them to gather the final details of each program that will give me a clearer preference."

Not worded like that, but that's the gist.