Accept or reapply

[space navigator]

I have been accepted to DO school that I was initially excited about but after the interview felt very indifferent about. In fact I was not all that excited to receive an acceptance there which sounds bad. I have to pay the $1000 deposit by Dec. 14 to hold my acceptance and sign a contract. That contract is not binding until May 1st. I have been waitlisted at an MD school that I really like and have a few other interviews at other DO schools I like more. The way I see it I have three options. 1) pay the deposit to guarantee acceptance and hope another schools accepts me before May 1st. 2) decline the acceptance and hope someone else that I like accepts me. 3) decline the acceptance and prepare to reapply by retaking the MCAT and engaging in more extracurricular activities and hopefully somewhere in the process I’ll make it off the wait list and not have to actually reapply.

I’m not sure what to do.

GPA is 3.9X, MCAT 503, 1700+ hrs clinical experience, 1600+ hrs research, almost 1,000 hrs volunteering, 50+ hours shadowing.

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[PeteytheFish]

When I was in your boat, I paid the deposit ($3000) and forfeited it when I got into a school that suited me better. Unless you really think you'd be unsuccessful at this school, might as well take the A and hope that something else comes through for you. You'll easily spend that thousand reapplying, and there's really no guarantee that you'll get in again.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you want to be a doctor, take the acceptance. DO schools are used to having their deposited enrollees wind up at other schools. Basically #1 is the most rational choice.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Go with #1. Retaking the MCAT and reapplying is far more costly and has no guarantees of a better outcome. If you get into a school that you prefer, go there and forget the $1000. If you don't get into a school you prefer, look for the things you like about this program (like the fact that you will be a physician) and go to this DO program.

 

[GoSpursGo]

#1. It may not be the best school, but it will help you become a physician. Hopefully you'll get into one of the other schools but what you don't want is to decline your acceptance, do no better on the MCAT, and find that this was your one and only chance to be a physician.

Most likely you'll get in somewhere else since you have multiple other interviews, but it isn't worth $1k in the big scheme of things to take that risk.

 

[GetAdmittedMD]

Take the acceptance for now and wait to see what happens before May 1st. An acceptance is a win and will let you achieve your dreams of being a doctor.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

You now have a 100% chance of going to medical school. If you don’t take it then your chances go down