When should I move for medical school? HELP

[eartharte]

Hi everyone! I am in desperate need of advice. I was so lucky to get accepted into the class of 2025 at a medical school but I'm in a tricky dilemma. I'm on the waitlist for 5 other schools at the moment, and there are a couple schools on that list where, if I got accepted, I would go there and drop my current acceptance in a heart beat. My question is: when would you guys say is the "official" last minute I would get accepted? I know technically right up until orientation, but from what I understand, after a certain date-ish, most school classes are full and any WL movement after that is due to last-minute, rare cases of deferrals. So when do you think is a pretty good estimate of when these classes would be pretty much full with like 0.01% chance of getting off the WL?

I'm asking because my partner (so thankful for him) is moving with me, and he needs to move pretty much ASAP because (1) he needs to secure a job and (2) he doesn't actually have a house at the moment due to family issues and is couch surfing. The thing is, we don't want to move too soon and risk the probability of me getting into one of those previously mentioned schools and us having to move again and moving all of our stuff. So when do you guys think would be a pretty solid time for us to move (sign lease, find jobs, etc.) without the risk of picking everything up and moving again because I get accepted at another school? (and please don't say right before orientation cuz that's too late for his situation)

For reference, the school that I'm currently accepted at is a solid 31 hour drive away from where we currently live (CA --> midwest) and we'd have to drive because we both have vehicles and belongings we'd have to take. The other schools that I'd prefer to go to are also quite a distance away.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

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[RickyRic]

Hi everyone! I am in desperate need of advice. I was so lucky to get accepted into the class of 2025 at a medical school but I'm in a tricky dilemma. I'm on the waitlist for 5 other schools at the moment, and there are a couple schools on that list where, if I got accepted, I would go there and drop my current acceptance in a heart beat. My question is: when would you guys say is the "official" last minute I would get accepted? I know technically right up until orientation, but from what I understand, after a certain date-ish, most school classes are full and any WL movement after that is due to last-minute, rare cases of deferrals. So when do you think is a pretty good estimate of when these classes would be pretty much full with like 0.01% chance of getting off the WL?

I'm asking because my partner (so thankful for him) is moving with me, and he needs to move pretty much ASAP because (1) he needs to secure a job and (2) he doesn't actually have a house at the moment due to family issues and is couch surfing. The thing is, we don't want to move too soon and risk the probability of me getting into one of those previously mentioned schools and us having to move again and moving all of our stuff. So when do you guys think would be a pretty solid time for us to move (sign lease, find jobs, etc.) without the risk of picking everything up and moving again because I get accepted at another school? (and please don't say right before orientation cuz that's too late for his situation)

For reference, the school that I'm currently accepted at is a solid 31 hour drive away from where we currently live (CA --> midwest) and we'd have to drive because we both have vehicles and belongings we'd have to take. The other schools that I'd prefer to go to are also quite a distance away.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

I can't answer your questions about WL but...

Out of respect for your partner, because he is willing to uproot his life for you, you should move fairly soon. At least by June 1st you should have a place and be ready to move out. I definitely understand wanting to wait for better options because I am also on the WL for my preferred school, but unless your current acceptance is someplace you absolutely cannot see yourself being at, you should take it. It's really not fair to him (and his friends) to be coach-surfing and having no job.

On the other hand, you have to consider your future career, if you think your current acceptance will severely hinder your career goals, then maybe it would be ok to wait until mid-June or so for WL offers.

But most importantly you should have an honest talk with your partner about the situation and go from there. Is he really ok with coach-surfacing and not having a job? Can he continue for 15 more days? another month? You don't want him to be resentful after so much uncertainty for you to not get off any waitlists.

 

[KnightDoc]

The simplest answer to your question is the schools' CTE deadlines. That's the date any hidden, undisclosed, multiple As will be ferreted out, because that's when final, formal commitments have to be made. Most WL movement will have occurred well before then, but the CTE date is the final trigger, other than, as you say, last minute aberrations. Even deferrals will be approved and accounted for well before the CTE date.

Unfortunately, this information doesn't really do you much good, because most CTE dates are within 3-4 of orientation, but, this is the correct answer. If you truly want to be proactive, rather than waiting until all reasonable hope is extinguished, you'll start to make plans in the beginning of June, because by that point most, but not all, WL movement will be behind us.

 

[candbgirl]

You are on 5 WL but of the 5 you would only switch for two of them. Drop the other three. It might help you relax and it might give someone else a chance. Have you been to the school you have been accepted at? Have you looked for apartments? Moving takes time even if you are moving 3 miles. Moving 31 hours away is huge. I would think you should move by mid June since it’s just such a big move. You need time. Your SO needs to get a job too. Unless you absolutely can’t see yourself at the school you are accepted to make a decision and be happy-you are going to be a doctor.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Any chance you could find a sublet/short term rental for the first month or two of school, and use that time to find a permanent place? That way you're only out a couple months rent if you end up getting off a waitlist, rather than having to break a full year lease. That's what I did (was on a couple waitlists, didn't end up getting off) and it worked out well, but I wasn't trying to coordinate with another person

 

[Angus Avagadro]

1: An acceptance is everything. Waitlist is like getting a strike while fishing. You can't eat a strike.
2: If it was just you, I agree with subletting a place and fleeing the scene if one of your waitlist schools comes through. With a partner, that's not fair to them or the employer if you leave abruptly. I would start sending out feelers now, lots of jobs out there. It takes time to organize a move and start a new job. I wouldn't wait more than a few weeks before deciding. We start orientation in late July.
3: I don't want this to sound the wrong way, but why apply to a school you don't want to attend? Very few schools will hinder your career choices. Things have a way of working out for the best. Good luck!

 

[eartharte]

Thank you to everyone for your advice! And to clarify, I'm definitely willing to attend this school, it's just that [naturally] when you interview at places, you make a mental list of which schools you like in order, and this school was closer to the bottom of my list. I've talked to my partner more about the issue and we both agreed that the end of June would be a pretty good indicator of where we'll be for the next four years.