This post is for future and current ACOM applicants my apologies it is a bit long. I was accepted into ACOM during a previous cycle and after my post acceptance experience with ACOM administrators, not attending the school was the best decision I ever made. Don’t get me wrong my interview experience was great everyone was nice I enjoyed the small town feel of Dothan compared to my hometown. I was accepted early during the cycle. Due to quite a few challenges I had difficulty mustering up the 2k seat deposit but the ADMIN Office was accommodating (but who wouldn’t be for 2k of nonrefundable money). When I submitted my 2k deposit was aware of the nonrefundable tag associated with it but it did not concern me because I was so excited to starts my journey towards becoming a doctor and it never crossed my mind that I would not start school. During my interview process, in my personal statement, secondary application and throughout the application cycle I stressed and made everyone aware of the financial/medical hardship I and my family were experiencing. Unfortunately, about 2 months prior to the start of class my family and I experienced some very devastating news which at the time permanently haunted any plans of relocation or school for me and due to the severity of the situation deferment was not an option because I had no definite time to which I would be able to resume normal life. I notified ACOM of my situation and me need to withdraw my acceptance and asked if there was any way to receive a portion if not all of my deposit refund. Yes, I knew it was refundable but I was at rock bottom and need to at least ask.
I was told that deferment is offered in only some cases and I even went so far as begging, offering to connect the ADMIN office with our supervising physicians, provide medical records and financial statements, whatever they needed. Yet all they could do was provide me with a 1 sentence response of no then they stopped replying to my correspondence all together.
While my situation may be rare I share this with potential students because you never know when life will throw you a curve ball and something devastating may happen to you or someone you love. I do not want to bash the school but at a time when I was at my lowest, a future student, a future member of the “ACOM family” they showed an extreme lack of compassion and no integrity at all. I think about had I moved to Dothan and attended the school and something tragic would have happen I cannot honestly say if I would trust how they would respond and if they would provide me with the needed support and while I am sure things have happened to current students and they may have a great story to share, a school that picks and chooses what situations deserve compassion is not a place I want to be. I will end with asking future applicants to thoroughly investigate the schools you plan to apply to and invest your time, resources and money into.
---Think about schools that are provisionally accredited like ACOM and the tactics they use such as nonrefundable seats deposits. Yes all schools require seat deposits but they are not customarily nonrefundable (many are refundable up until a certain date). ACOM states the 2k seat goes towards tuition, sure
---Think about the fact that ACOM does not offer any institutional scholarships, no need based funding for lower income/resources students, no funds for merit. You financial aid award consist of Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan ONLY. While they financial aid office will periodically send you emails with information about scholarships you can apply to, half of them you wont qualify (for religious or geographical reasons)
---So what happens to all of the 2k deposits of student who withdraw to go to other schools? (and yes some people will give up 2k to go to another school if presented, I met several students during my cycle that did) Supposedly the money goes towards tuition, right so if a person is no longer going to the school then what happens to that 2k that would have been accredited to their tuition? Nothing, I guess is vanishes in thin air or goes into someone’s pocket, I honestly don’t know and they wont tell you. I am not rich by far but my mind would have more at ease had it at least been a case that my unused 2k worth of tuition would be given to a student in financial need, or a student with a family etc but that is not the case. So before you give away a large deposit to any school ask questions please.
