$1000+ acceptance fee...any way to delay this?

[MedPR]

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While I would normally say that's an awesome problem to have, it totally sucks and has to take a major toll on people.

My friend had to get a second job this semester to cover his deposit.

Am I missing something here? Why are they so steep other than the fact that it's at the discretion of the COM?

I can't think of a single good reason to have such a large deposit.

 

[rbolt25]

The point is to force you to make a decision - why would you pay two deposits. The school offered you a seat and wants to know if you want it - put up, shut up, and most importantly be grateful you're in the position that you are.

 

[zoner]

I can't think of a single good reason to have such a large deposit.

Inferiority COMLEX

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[Mehd School]

The point is to force you to make a decision - why would you pay two deposits. The school offered you a seat and wants to know if you want it - put up, shut up, and most importantly be grateful you're in the position that you are.

Hmm. I'm not convinced that most schools would have such an aggressive 'do or die' attitude.

 

[abolt18]

The point is to force you to make a decision - why would you pay two deposits. The school offered you a seat and wants to know if you want it - put up, shut up, and most importantly be grateful you're in the position that you are.

You would pay two deposits IF the deadline came before you heard from your number 1. My problem for example is I have to put 1K in the mail Monday, but I am hoping to hear from my number 1 any day. If I get in at my number 1, that deposit will be a thousand bucks wasted on a school I won't be attending.

 

[MedPR]

The point is to force you to make a decision - why would you pay two deposits. The school offered you a seat and wants to know if you want it - put up, shut up, and most importantly be grateful you're in the position that you are.

You would pay two deposits for many reasons. The most important (possibly) being the opportunity to see financial aid packages which won't be offered to you until way later.

There's no reason for any school to charge you $1k+ just to hold your spot. Many MD schools charge $100 or less. Some have no fee at all.

Inferiority COMLEX

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Yea you're probably right though. The high deposits probably act as insurance for DO schools because they know that many students will only pay such a large deposit if they actually intend to matriculate.

 

[marinehrnt]

You would pay two deposits IF the deadline came before you heard from your number 1. My problem for example is I have to put 1K in the mail Monday, but I am hoping to hear from my number 1 any day. If I get in at my number 1, that deposit will be a thousand bucks wasted on a school I won't be attending.

I'm in the exact same situation. I mailed out a $1,000 last week to my number 2 school because I won't know the results on my number 1 choice until the end of next week. It sucks but I guess in the long run it's "cheap" insurance to know that I'm going somewhere next year.

 

[abolt18]

I'm in the exact same situation. I mailed out a $1,000 last week to my number 2 school because I won't know the results on my number 1 choice until the end of next week. It sucks but I guess in the long run it's "cheap" insurance to know that I'm going somewhere next year.

I have to put it in the mail Monday so if I hear back from my number 1 before that check is cashed you can bet I'll be putting a stop on it!

 

[marinehrnt]

I have to put it in the mail Monday so if I hear back from my number 1 before that check is cashed you can bet I'll be putting a stop on it!

Good plan. Wish I could have done the same thing but my was already cashed, oh well I guess it's just a drop in the bucket compared to four years of med school. Still stings a bit though.

 

[abolt18]

Good plan. Wish I could have done the same thing but my was already cashed, oh well I guess it's just a drop in the bucket compared to four years of med school. Still stings a bit though.

And it's a REEEEAAAALLLLYYYYY big bucket.

 

[CopToEM]

Right, but don't schools incorporate the cost of board exams into their COA?

No, not typically. I'm not aware of any schools that do but there may be some. Those COA figures are very heavily regulated by the fed.

 

[jinobi]

No, not typically. I'm not aware of any schools that do but there may be some. Those COA figures are very heavily regulated by the fed.

Our school integrates our USMLE Step 1/2 fees into COA, and also accounts for board prep material costs.

 

[MedPR]

No, not typically. I'm not aware of any schools that do but there may be some. Those COA figures are very heavily regulated by the fed.

Oh.. Every interview I've been on (8) has given us a financial aid sheet that broke down covered expenses and boards were on every one of them.

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[GopherMD]

Oh.. Every interview I've been on (8) has given us a financial aid sheet that broke down covered expenses and boards were on every one of them.

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Same for me

 

[235009]

Am I missing something here? Why are they so steep other than the fact that it's at the discretion of the COM?

I can't think of a single good reason to have such a large deposit.

the reason almost all DO schools have an absurdly expensive non-refundable deposit is because they know that almost all the students applying there are applying as a backup and would choose an acceptance to any MD school over their DO acceptance in a heartbeat. While this doesn't end up getting people to pick DO over MD it dissuades people from holding and then dropping multiple DO acceptances. This is even more evident at low-tier DO schools that have even more absurdly expensive non-refundable deposits in the $2000-3000 range since they are also competing with the more well-known DO schools for students. On the other hand the reason MD deposits are negligible and refundable is because they know that the obvious decision of an informed consumer would be to go to an MD school so they don't consider DO schools to be competition. As a result once a student gets one MD acceptance they are basically guaranteed to put down a deposit at an MD school even if it isn't the one they initially put a deposit down on (i.e. you have bought into the system as a whole) while in the DO case they would have a large number of initial depositors pulling out of the DO system altogether!

 

[dsoz]

Inferiority COMLEX

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that is funny. I see what you did there.

Oh.. Every interview I've been on (8) has given us a financial aid sheet that broke down covered expenses and boards were on every one of them.

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+1

I have seen board exams factored into COA for all five schools where I interviewed. Whether or not it covers transportation to the CS site was not clear.

I was able to not worry about the deposit. The school in my home town came through before I had to make a decision to move 90 minutes away or 3290 miles away. Since I had the $2000 needed for the deposits (one in December, the other in the spring) now I get to use that money for something fun, like paying off my car loan or paying down the credit cards from the application and interview process.

 

[NurWollen]

that is funny. I see what you did there.



+1

I have seen board exams factored into COA for all five schools where I interviewed. Whether or not it covers transportation to the CS site was not clear.

I was able to not worry about the deposit. The school in my home town came through before I had to make a decision to move 90 minutes away or 3290 miles away. Since I had the $2000 needed for the deposits (one in December, the other in the spring) now I get to use that money for something fun, like paying off my car loan or paying down the credit cards from the application and interview process.

I hear you there.

 

[Dmr6186]

Inferiority COMLEX

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Definitely one of your best posts so far lol.

 

[abolt18]

Good news! I got a 3 week extension on my deposit at KCUMB! I emailed them explaining just how broke I really am (really really broke) and asked for a couple weeks or a payment plan. They responded with a yes!

 

[EmergDoc2B]

The only saving grace is that the fee goes toward your tuition. So, if you choose to go the the school its not just some fee. However, I'm in the same boat you and I have already paid a a substantial deposit for a seat while waiting attend 2 more interviews and hoping to attend 2 more. If you lose the cash to attend another school you deem better then its still money well spent / wasted.

 

[gmcguitar4]

Good news! I got a 3 week extension on my deposit at KCUMB! I emailed them explaining just how broke I really am (really really broke) and asked for a couple weeks or a payment plan. They responded with a yes!

I should have done that..

I am going to probably pay around 4-5k in fees to hold seats at a few schools. I just want one but I won't hear from that school for a long time.

 

[NeuroLAX]

I should have done that..

I am going to probably pay around 4-5k in fees to hold seats at a few schools. I just want one but I won't hear from that school for a long time.

That's rough. I hope you're able to make a quick decision to avoid that.

 

[Mehd School]

Good news! I got a 3 week extension on my deposit at KCUMB! I emailed them explaining just how broke I really am (really really broke) and asked for a couple weeks or a payment plan. They responded with a yes!

Happy for you! This must have been especially stressful with christmas being next week and you having children. 👍

 

[abolt18]

Happy for you! This must have been especially stressful with christmas being next week and you having children. 👍

Thanks a lot. My wife cried when I got the email from them... then cried more when KCOM called me to say I was accepted lol. It's a HUGE relief!

 

[EmergDoc2B]

Thanks a lot. My wife cried when I got the email from them... then cried more when KCOM called me to say I was accepted lol. It's a HUGE relief!

👍 makes me smile to read that! Congrats!