Accepted applicants not turning down schools when they make a decision?

[riverjib]

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this. In my undergrad program, there are quite a few students who have multiple acceptances. They didn't want to commit to a single school until all the decisions were in. Fair enough.

One of my friends (applying this year, like me) recently berated another because she received every acceptance/rejection in early March but still has not officially declined the schools she knows she won't attend. How much does this affect other students? Her reasoning was that she "hasn't gotten around to it" because she's busy studying. But he said she was being thoughtless, since she spent spring break partying and clearly could have taken less than an hour to notify med schools that they shouldn't hold her spot.

How much does this actually impact admissions? She said, "so what? The waitlisted students have to wait a little longer." But I'm wondering that if all the students who had their decisions made them and notified the schools in March or even earlier, would the waitlisted students all be accepted, and would there be more space for interviews later in the game?

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[JJMrK]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Schools tend to lag on this too. So until the deadline, it doesn't really matter. Schools would not interview more applicants and would not turn to the wait list until after the deadline until after the deadline.

But I'm wondering that if all the students who had their decisions made them and notified the schools in March or even earlier, would the waitlisted students all be accepted, and would there be more space for interviews later in the game?

 

[mdbound1987]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

I agree with this statement unless there are schools that the person 100% knows they will not attend. According to the OP, this girl has schools she knows she won't attend and refuses to take a few minutes out of her day to notify these schools. It's honestly very inconsiderate because she would feel differently if she were waitlisted. She obviously doesn't care though and it scares me that people like this will have an MD. Isn't empathy necessary to be a physician? She obviously hasn't placed herself in the shoes of waitlisted applicants, so she must have fooled the adcoms at these schools that she actually cares about anyone but herself. Hopefully she learns how to be empathetic before she finishes med school because if she doesn't, I feel very sorry for every patient she encounters in her career.

 

[mdbound1987]

Schools tend to lag on this too. So until the deadline, it doesn't really matter. Schools would not interview more applicants and would not turn to the wait list until after the deadline until after the deadline.

This isn't true. If you look at past "waitlist" forums in the school-specific section, there are many schools who start pulling people off the waitlist as early as march. I am sure the majority of people get pulled from the waitlist after the deadline though, but that still does not condone this girl's careless actions (or lack of action). If she had one ounce of doubt about whether she should withdraw from a particular school (even 98% sure she won't attend), I completely understand holding on to it until she's 100% sure she will not attend. However this is not the case considering her comment about waitlisted people just having to wait longer.

 

[flip26]

People are still waiting on finaid packages - I won't get my last one until early May.

Blame the system, not the player.

FWIW, I have dropped all but 2 acceptances, but I have zero problem with anybody holding on to every single one until May 15.

 

[mdbound1987]

People are still waiting on finaid packages - I won't get my last one until early May.

Blame the system, not the player.

FWIW, I have dropped all but 2 acceptances, but I have zero problem with anybody holding on to every single one until May 15.

If she was waiting for financial aid, that's understandable. I am referring directly to the situation the OP presented. He stated she knows she will not attend these schools and since she was accepted to medical school, I'm pretty sure she's intelligent enough to take into consideration the fact that she hasn't received her financial aid package.

 

[TexasPhysician]

They have a deadline for this which is plenty early in my opinion. People who earned the spots deserve to do what they wish until established deadlines.

It's not like she is breaking any rules people. Life can change things, so why not hold all acceptances until 110% sure?

 

[Steeler7588]

With the exception of schools that pull off the waitlist early (Pitt), declining her spot in October versus May 14th isn't going to make any difference. 99% of waitlist offers are going to come starting May 15th, regardless of when those seats open up. The schools who don't treat their waitlist during interview season as a "hold" list, but even they are only going to give out a set number of offers before April.

 

[njbmd]

Just wondering what everyone thinks about this. In my undergrad program, there are quite a few students who have multiple acceptances. They didn't want to commit to a single school until all the decisions were in. Fair enough.

One of my friends (applying this year, like me) recently berated another because she received every acceptance/rejection in early March but still has not officially declined the schools she knows she won't attend. How much does this affect other students? Her reasoning was that she "hasn't gotten around to it" because she's busy studying. But he said she was being thoughtless, since she spent spring break partying and clearly could have taken less than an hour to notify med schools that they shouldn't hold her spot.

How much does this actually impact admissions? She said, "so what? The waitlisted students have to wait a little longer." But I'm wondering that if all the students who had their decisions made them and notified the schools in March or even earlier, would the waitlisted students all be accepted, and would there be more space for interviews later in the game?

Most schools put far more people on waitlists than they would ever accept. Being waitlisted means that you wait and that you stop complaining about people who might be waiting for financial aid or any number of things. You are not in their shoes and you do not know the whole story. If you get in off the wait list, you get in off the waitlist so chill out and do something else. You really don't have a choice in the matter so get used to it.

This isn't true. If you look at past "waitlist" forums in the school-specific section, there are many schools who start pulling people off the waitlist as early as march. I am sure the majority of people get pulled from the waitlist after the deadline though, but that still does not condone this girl's careless actions (or lack of action). If she had one ounce of doubt about whether she should withdraw from a particular school (even 98% sure she won't attend), I completely understand holding on to it until she's 100% sure she will not attend. However this is not the case considering her comment about waitlisted people just having to wait longer.

One man's careless is another man's being responsible. You don't know the entire story here and you don't know if the person that you seem to want to criticize might have other reasons that he/she didn't want to discuss in public and thus gave a quick answer.

People are still waiting on finaid packages - I won't get my last one until early May.

Blame the system, not the player.
FWIW, I have dropped all but 2 acceptances, but I have zero problem with anybody holding on to every single one until May 15.

Totally agree with the above. I held onto my six acceptances until a few days before the deadline. My last interview was in February and I ended up with a full-ride which was worth the wait.

If you get the acceptances, you have the right to work the system in any manner that you want. Since this was MY career, I really wasn't worrying about anyone else and wanted to make the best decision for me. I had invested the money to do the interviews and application and thus it was my choice to make the decision that worked best for me.

If she was waiting for financial aid, that's understandable. I am referring directly to the situation the OP presented. He stated she knows she will not attend these schools and since she was accepted to medical school, I'm pretty sure she's intelligent enough to take into consideration the fact that she hasn't received her financial aid package.

You don't know all of the correspondence that has taken place between the medical schools and the individual discussed above. You only know what you have read which is meaningless. If you are sitting on a waitlist, it's better than having a rejection letter but it's a "wait" list nevertheless and so you wait until the school notifies you that you have a slot.

 

[Narmerguy]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

Yep. What's the worry for? If they're going to decline they're going to decline. Does it matter if you have to wait 1 month vs. 2 months to find out?

 

[ButImLETired]

Also, generally med schools accept quite a few more people than the class could accommodate (some accept more than twice as many students) assuming a bunch will drop out BEFORE even accessing the waitlist at all. So one person withdrawing will most likely not make a difference for waitlistees. You'd need a ton of people withdrawing at once, and the med school would have to be willing to go through all of those names, figure out who's left, redistribute the money, and start going through the waitlisted applicants. Most schools aren't willing to do that at the drop of a hat, and generally wait to see what the pool of students who are definitely attending looks like around May 15th before looking at the waitlist at all.

 

[red10]

it's prob good karma to release spots early but it is by no means wrong to hold on to them.

if people dropping spots earlier would greatly impact admissions, the deadline would be earlier.

 

[jboz]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

/thread

Most schools put far more people on waitlists than they would ever accept. Being waitlisted means that you wait and that you stop complaining about people who might be waiting for financial aid or any number of things. You are not in their shoes and you do not know the whole story. If you get in off the wait list, you get in off the waitlist so chill out and do something else. You really don't have a choice in the matter so get used to it.





One man's careless is another man's being responsible. You don't know the entire story here and you don't know if the person that you seem to want to criticize might have other reasons that he/she didn't want to discuss in public and thus gave a quick answer.



Totally agree with the above. I held onto my six acceptances until a few days before the deadline. My last interview was in February and I ended up with a full-ride which was worth the wait.

If you get the acceptances, you have the right to work the system in any manner that you want. Since this was MY career, I really wasn't worrying about anyone else and wanted to make the best decision for me. I had invested the money to do the interviews and application and thus it was my choice to make the decision that worked best for me.




You don't know all of the correspondence that has taken place between the medical schools and the individual discussed above. You only know what you have read which is meaningless. If you are sitting on a waitlist, it's better than having a rejection letter but it's a "wait" list nevertheless and so you wait until the school notifies you that you have a slot.

Definitely /thread

 

[Suenya]

If you aren't 100% sure, for whatever reason (financial aid, need more time to think, want to revisit, or hell, even want to see where friends will be going nearby) it's totally okay to wait until the deadline. You need to make the best decision for yourself, and that can be hard.

In the rare case where someone actually is 100% decided though, there are alot of schools (and the ones you're accepted at may not be them) where there is a far quicker response and waitlist/continue to review categories move way earlier than the deadline. This is especially true at schools that only take their class size, like some state schools. At that point, if you're 100% sure you don't want to go, you're being a bit of a jerk to not take the 5 minutes to withdraw. Very easy to be more considerate.

I think that's pretty rare, since things like financial aid and other issues come up later for many people, but in those rare cases, think about other people. It doesn't matter if you don't break any rules, it's still not cool to let other people hang in the wind if you can prevent it.

 

[dw2158]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

troof.

this girl might say she knows where she's going, but it's scary to commit. maybe that's why she (and i) haven't withdrawn from places yet. we've every right to wait until our AMCAS-given deadline.

 

[JenniferRU]

troof.

this girl might say she knows where she's going, but it's scary to commit. maybe that's why she (and i) haven't withdrawn from places yet. we've every right to wait until our AMCAS-given deadline.

 

[TaylorMDhopeful]

I've been yelled at by my friends who aren't applying (not pre-meds) because I'm holding onto a couple spots until close to the deadline and I'm apparently not considerate because of it.

But I tell them:
1.I worked hard for those acceptances, paid hundreds of dollars for primary, secondary and interviews. They invented the deadline, I didn't. I don't have to rush to give up my spot. I withdrew from 3 already and kept 5 of which I could see myself at.

2.I have not received financial aid from most places yet so withdrawing from a school without seeing the whole picture would be stupid on my part.

 

[boaz]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

True, but only if one is not completely sure they are declining. Otherwise it's just common courtesy to withdraw. Holding on to a seat just for the sake of it, or just "because I haven't gotten around to it," is like legally double-parking on a busy street when there's a spot by the curb nearby.

 

[dw2158]

True, but only if one is not completely sure they are declining. Otherwise it's just common courtesy to withdraw. Holding on to a seat just for the sake of it, or just "because I haven't gotten around to it," is like legally double-parking on a busy street when there's a spot by the curb nearby.

i know i've posted this in almost all of the other threads discussing this topic, but i'm too lazy to search.

the people who do this make up such a miniscule portion of the applicant pool that it makes no difference. people talk like there's some sort of seat-holding epidemic going on, and there's just not. maybe a few people are hanging onto spots just for the hell of it, but the rest of the however many thousand acceptees have good reasons. i'm not sure why everyone is so paranoid that fellow applicants are out to get them by holding onto multiple spots.

 

[Suenya]

i know i've posted this in almost all of the other threads discussing this topic, but i'm too lazy to search.

the people who do this make up such a miniscule portion of the applicant pool that it makes no difference. people talk like there's some sort of seat-holding epidemic going on, and there's just not. maybe a few people are hanging onto spots just for the hell of it, but the rest of the however many thousand acceptees have good reasons. i'm not sure why everyone is so paranoid that fellow applicants are out to get them by holding onto multiple spots.

As I said earlier, I also think it's pretty rare. Not the coolest thing to do for people that are, though.

 

[JJMrK]

I agree with this statement unless there are schools that the person 100% knows they will not attend. According to the OP, this girl has schools she knows she won't attend and refuses to take a few minutes out of her day to notify these schools. It's honestly very inconsiderate because she would feel differently if she were waitlisted. She obviously doesn't care though and it scares me that people like this will have an MD. Isn't empathy necessary to be a physician? She obviously hasn't placed herself in the shoes of waitlisted applicants, so she must have fooled the adcoms at these schools that she actually cares about anyone but herself. Hopefully she learns how to be empathetic before she finishes med school because if she doesn't, I feel very sorry for every patient she encounters in her career.

Things change from day to day. This person has every right to hold all of their acceptances, regardless of their feelings toward a particular school.

This has nothing to do with "being a good physician." It has everything to do with the fact that May 15th is the deadline, and the person spent 4 years and probably tens of thousands of dollars to be in this position.

 

[Legacy87]

Going through 4 years of undergrad, years in volunteering in the smelly E.R., studying and slaying the MCAT, and spending at least $4k on application and interviews, I have noooo regret in holding more than one acceptance. Call me selfish, but I worked hard for it! The girl probably worked hard as well, and she has every right to do whatever she wants prior to the may 15th deadline. Leave her alone.

 

[mdbound1987]

No one said you didn't have the right to hold it, you definitely do. The point is, for those few who are holding spots because they just haven't gotten around to notifying schools/don't care enough to, it's inconsiderate. I'm not trying to change what you're doing...you are grown so do as you please, but in that situation, it's inconsiderate. You're acting as if the people who got waitlisted didn't spend the same $, time, and dedication.

 

[mdbound1987]

Going through 4 years of undergrad, years in volunteering in the smelly E.R., studying and slaying the MCAT, and spending at least $4k on application and interviews, I have noooo regret in holding more than one acceptance. Call me selfish, but I worked hard for it! The girl probably worked hard as well, and she has every right to do whatever she wants prior to the may 15th deadline. Leave her alone.

That's 100% fine. I only have issues with those who don't see that it's selfish. At least you embrace that it is selfish.

 

[CaliSurferDoc]

Hopefully she learns how to be empathetic before she finishes med school because if she doesn't, I feel very sorry for every patient she encounters in her career.

A little extreme, don't you think?

 

[JokerMD]

im holding all my acceptances till the last possible day.


haterz gonna hate

 

[flip26]

That's 100% fine. I only have issues with those who don't see that it's selfish. At least you embrace that it is selfish.

What's wrong with being selfish?

 

[mvenus929]

How much does this actually impact admissions? She said, "so what? The waitlisted students have to wait a little longer." But I'm wondering that if all the students who had their decisions made them and notified the schools in March or even earlier, would the waitlisted students all be accepted, and would there be more space for interviews later in the game?

The only way more people would get interviews for any given school if for students to withdraw prior to their interview, as I did with one school. But every interview is a chance for acceptance, so some people will go to every interview because they don't hear anything, or because they're hoping for something better. Personally, I went to one interview where I was pretty sure I was going to withdraw from the school simply because I had already forked over a fortune to travel to the interview. Schools only have a set number of interview slots, which is why 'last minute invites' are popular at some schools.

The number of waitlisted students, or students coming off the waitlist, would change if one person withdrew in March vs. in May. Think about it... schools interview hundreds (or thousands) of people, and fill a class usually 80-250 students. Most will not reject people until they have a feel for their class at some point in the game (usually around March, but some schools reject earlier). I don't think any one school has ever completely blown through a waitlist in a year.

 

[metallica81788]

If you're going to get in off a waitlist, it doesn't matter if it's March or May. The spot will open up if it's going to open up whether someone drops in December or May, it's not going away - someone will get that spot.

 

[JasonE]

If you get in off the wait list, you get in off the waitlist so chill out and do something else. You really don't have a choice in the matter so get used to it.



its nice to know as soon as possible, especially since many/most ppl are moving to a new city.

if you know you arent going to a school and arent waiting for financial aid/scholarships, its best to just withdraw. acceptances are not like currency. ive seen some ppl on this board who already say they are going to school X, but are holding 10+ acceptances. is that really necessary?

its worse when ppl dont cancel interviews. ive seen on numerous occasions ppl cancel interviews the day before becuase they "didnt get around to it"

 

[dw2158]

That's 100% fine. I only have issues with those who don't see that it's selfish. At least you embrace that it is selfish.

that's like saying it's selfish to eat food, because there are so many people in the world who are forced to go without. what you're missing is the bigger picture-- there are global socioeconomic structures in place that have led to those people not having food, and your refusing to buy food at your local grocery store won't change that. similarly, AMCAS and the medical schools have agreed to structure this process in a certain way, and people's "selfish" acceptance-holding or "selfless" withdrawing does not change the structure of the system and won't have an impact on the acceptance-less people at this stage in the game.

 

[Hifey]

I'm only holding two acceptances at the moment and I already know which one I prefer but (and I don't know if anyone is feeling this) but it is extremely SCARY to let go and only have one option. Probably because it just feels safer if we hold on to it.

And really though... since most schools do over accept, one person's withdrawal =/= another's acceptance at this stage of the game. Maybe if I was only waitlisted I'd feel differently, but every acceptance is an opportunity and (as cheesy as it sounds) a school's belief in the fact that you can become an excellent physician. It's definitely not the hardest part of the application cycle, but its harder than I thought it would be.

And yes, life does happen. Thats why many people wait and hold on to all they can before the deadline because you never know if something will come up that changes your decision. Nothing worse than having regrets before you even start.

 

[dw2158]

I'm only holding two acceptances at the moment and I already know which one I prefer but (and I don't know if anyone is feeling this) but it is extremely SCARY to let go and only have one option. Probably because it just feels safer if we hold on to it.

And really though... since most schools do over accept, one person's withdrawal =/= another's acceptance at this stage of the game. Maybe if I was only waitlisted I'd feel differently, but every acceptance is an opportunity and (as cheesy as it sounds) a school's belief in the fact that you can become an excellent physician. It's definitely not the hardest part of the application cycle, but its harder than I thought it would be.

And yes, life does happen. Thats why many people wait and hold on to all they can before the deadline because you never know if something will come up that changes your decision. Nothing worse than having regrets before you even start.

bolded = how i'm feeling right now.

 

[MilkmanAl]

2. I have not received financial aid from most places yet so withdrawing from a school without seeing the whole picture would be stupid on my part.

Bitch all you want about how bad people suck for holding onto acceptances, but you can't argue that it doesn't make good financial sense for them to do so. It's not their problem they're more qualified than you. This is coming from someone who sweated out one waitlist until May 15, by the way.

 

[JJMrK]

It's also possible that at some schools, holding multiple acceptances gives you some leverage for merit scholarships.

 

[Jay Leno]

I'm still waiting on the finaid package

 

[Sweetpea MD]

bolded = how i'm feeling right now.

I know, right?!

 

[Hoody]

I know, right?!

is that really your cat?

 

[vin5cent0]

People who have multiple acceptances worked hard for them and deserve to hold as many as they want until the deadline, which is May 15th.

Couldn't disagree with this more. Hard work enttitles you to be a dick and make others sweat it out? If you know where you do or don't want to go, there is absolutely no reason to hold multiple acceptances. None. NADA.

 

[naijaboi]

Holding multiple acceptances when you have decided on a school to attend (especially if you have financial aid information) is unethical. Sure we all worked hard on our applications, but so did the people on the waitlist. It is hard to let go, but you should especially since it will make another person's months before medical school less nerve wracking. While most waitlist movement occurs after May 15, giving up your spot (which you were going to do anyways) will reduce the anxiety for another student.

If you are holding on to acceptances for legitimate reasons (such as financial aid, merit-based scholarship offers, location etc), that is okay. But if it just to stoke your ego, then you are a douche.

 

[dw2158]

Holding multiple acceptances when you have decided on a school to attend (especially if you have financial aid information) is unethical. Sure we all worked hard on our applications, but so did the people on the waitlist. It is hard to let go, but you should especially since it will make another person's months before medical school less nerve wracking. While most waitlist movement occurs after May 15, giving up your spot (which you were going to do anyways) will reduce the anxiety for another student.

If you are holding on to acceptances for legitimate reasons (such as financial aid, merit-based scholarship offers, location etc), that is okay. But if it just to stoke your ego, then you are a douche.

i agree with you, but i repeat: who is doing this?!? an extremely small number of people, who are extremely unlikely to be reading this thread. why is this conversation still happening? there is no seat-holding epidemic going on!

 

[naijaboi]

i agree with you, but i repeat: who is doing this?!? an extremely small number of people, who are extremely unlikely to be reading this thread. why is this conversation still happening? there is no seat-holding epidemic going on!

I know several people who are, and believe me that I am talking to them about it. Obviously they are not reading this thread, so I won't post anymore.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Like someone else said, those waitlist positions aren't going to be distributed any differently in March than they would be in May. Quit being all hurt and calling people "unethical" (seriously?) for holding the acceptances they earned. It's not their responsibility to avoid inconveniencing you.

 

[naijaboi]

Like someone else said, those waitlist positions aren't going to be distributed any differently in March than they would be in May. Quit being all hurt and calling people "unethical" (seriously?) for holding the acceptances they earned. It's not their responsibility to avoid inconveniencing you.

I am going to assume that this post was aimed at me. No I do not feel hurt nor am I inconvenienced. I have no reason to be. I was lucky to have been accepted at my top choice school, and so I respectfully withdrew from everywhere else and in doing so - hopefully made ten students very happy.

 

[MilkmanAl]

It wasn't aimed at anyone. I just think this argument is beyond ridiculous.

 

[BBender716]

I am going to assume that this post was aimed at me. No I do not feel hurt nor am I inconvenienced. I have no reason to be. I was lucky to have been accepted at my top choice school, and so I respectfully withdrew from everywhere else and in doing so - hopefully made ten students very happy.

Hope I get to be the Pritzker student made very happy! lol

 

[Appless]

It wasn't aimed at anyone. I just think this argument is beyond ridiculous.

+1. Who cares what others did. You didnt get accepted now you get to play the game by the rules amcas made up end of story. At least by may 15th you know all of it will be near over. I understand the premise of being respectful (im waiting on 2 of my top choices on the WL as we speak). But whether i find out today or june 15th that im coming off it doesnt matter much to me. Ill be in the school either way if they truly have me high on the WL and what date they decide to take me off is irrelevant.

 

[flip26]

I know several people who are, and believe me that I am talking to them about it. Obviously they are not reading this thread, so I won't post anymore.

I bet your friends love you for this. I know I love it when some busybody prick sticks his nose into my **** and then tells me what a bad person I am for not handling it the way that he would...

Sheesh...MYOB, dude. Your "friends" are playing by the rules set forth by AMCAS et al.

 

[dw2158]

I am going to assume that this post was aimed at me. No I do not feel hurt nor am I inconvenienced. I have no reason to be. I was lucky to have been accepted at my top choice school, and so I respectfully withdrew from everywhere else and in doing so - hopefully made ten students very happy.

it doesn't work like that. schools know people will withdraw and plan for that, so it's not a one-in-one-out situation.