Anyone have a similar experience

[Dr_JAAAA]

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I have had one interview, one next week, and my first choice school is ignoring me. I am really afraid I will be accepted to one of the other schools, and have to make a decision before even hearing from my firt choice. Will my first choice school care or try to help if I call and tell them I am in a bind with having to make a decision?

 

[Nate]

Why would you have to make a decision now? You can hold more than one acceptance, the only thing that you would lose is your acceptance deposit if you decide to go elsewhere.

 

[osli]

Yeah, which is $1000 non-refundable at some DO schools, with two weeks to make the decision. Wow. Compared to ~$50 refundable from many MD programs.

I have nothing against DO programs in general, as I am applying to several myself, but on the business side of things I find this a bit beyond reasonable. For many, it absolutely removes the option of "holding several acceptances."

I may get blasted for this, but IMO this is simply preying on the desperation of students who have turned to DO as a path to becoming a physician and will tolerate practically anything if it gets them to their goal. With the adcomms and schools placing such a high importance on ethics in the medical profession, I find this a bit disingenious. Maybe shady is a better word.

 

[Canuck99]

I have had one interview, one next week, and my first choice school is ignoring me. I am really afraid I will be accepted to one of the other schools, and have to make a decision before even hearing from my firt choice. Will my first choice school care or try to help if I call and tell them I am in a bind with having to make a decision?

Similar situation for myself. I have interviewed and been accepted to my second choice, WVSOM. I interviewed at my first choice, TCOM, a couple of weeks ago but will not know of an acceptance until Feb. 1st. This is a problem becuase my first deposit is due at WVSOM by mid December. I am not really sure what to do, or if there is even anything that I can do. Probably just pony up the money to ensure that I have a spot. Regardless, I would be more than happy at WVSOM, so I guess it works out either way.

I am not really sure how schools feel about people calling, could help or could hurt. Hope it works out for you.

 

[Nate]

Yeah, which is $1000 non-refundable at some DO schools, with two weeks to make the decision. Wow. Compared to ~$50 refundable from many MD programs.

I have nothing against DO programs in general, as I am applying to several myself, but on the business side of things I find this a bit beyond reasonable. For many, it absolutely removes the option of "holding several acceptances."

I may get blasted for this, but IMO this is simply preying on the desperation of students who have turned to DO as a path to becoming a physician and will tolerate practically anything if it gets them to their goal. With the adcomms and schools placing such a high importance on ethics in the medical profession, I find this a bit disingenious. Maybe shady is a better word.

You shouldn't get "blasted" for that 😛 and I agree with you, the deposits are unfair. UMDNJ has the same deposit for all its schools, which is 100$ so I lucked out but I feel your pain. Still, a few thousand to hold a seat rather than gamble on a chance at getting in somewhere else is pennies in the bucket.
The main reason, I believe, is that AACOMAS is vastly less organized than the AMCAS and doesn’t have a cut-off date for holding only one acceptance and the other reason is many Allopathic applicants may hold DO seats as “back-ups” if it were "free" keeping good DO applicants out of those seats until very late in the season.
Regardless, you can still hold more than one acceptance which can be a benefit if you are waiting on your first choice.