pur·pose. ˈpərpəs/.
noun.
- 1.
the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
Admission officers (like me) are freaked out about this cycle. How can you project your matriculation class when you no longer have information about the multiple acceptances of our accepted applicants? Starting on October 15, programs can offer acceptances. Accepted applicants and programs can have conversations about a particular program. They can ask for a letter of intent and a modest deposit. Programs CAN NOT ask for commitment (except for early matriculation) until April 30 or 21 days prior to matriculation. Accepted Applicants can offer commitment to enroll at any time after receiving an Acceptance. Almost the only way a program can rescind an acceptance is if you lied or did not disclose an issue that must have been disclosed (i.e. background check). Applicants can continue to interview, be on waitlists, etc. despite holding an acceptance or have indicated a plan to enroll/deposit to a program. At/on February 15, applicants can formalize that intent by indicating in this new webapp that they are planning OR committing to enroll. On March 15, every single program must have as many acceptances out there as spots that they are planning to enroll. Some programs, particularly top level MSTPs, only release acceptances until that time. If you were holding a "plan to enroll", you could send an email to the program director and indicate that you are committing to another place, your dream school. Plan to enroll is supposed to be the school/program that you would enroll if that was the end of the cycle, whereas commit to enroll means you truly are withdrawing from other places for consideration. On April 15, students MUST reduce to only 3 acceptances, and indicate plan or commit to enroll to one of them. They can change their plan to enroll after a 2nd visit. It would be unprofessional to commit and then withdraw to choose some other program. Programs no longer will be able to know who has specific acceptances, we will only know that an accepted applicant has at least another offer. At the end of the cycle, we will know who went where, but that will be late in the Fall of 2019.
Thus, the purpose of this tool is to provide some level of information to programs about the level of commitment of accepted students. If all my accepted students have multiple acceptances but are "planning to enroll" elsewhere, what would you think I will be saying to my "waitlist" students. Perhaps that a bunch of their peers are holding up their acceptance... Unfortunately, several state institutions can not over-enroll (i.e.: offer more slots than positions). Some take a risk of over-enrolling (adjusting enrollment in following cycle). Just keep in mind that ALL MSTPs except for 13 have between 5 and 12 slots. Even ONE over-enrolled student might be 10% of extra budget for that class. Each of you represent a commitment by the program of between 0.5 and 1 million dollars over your MD/PhD training.