Can I contact a school I interviewed with, because...

[Medskool2009]

I have a question. I got into one med school but they require a $1000 deposit that is non refundable. I interviewed at my top choice school a couple of weeks ago, but still have not heard back from them. Can I call them and explain the situation and hope for a faster response? Or do I just suck it up and spend the grand that I don't really have...

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[chiz2kul]

$1000 deposit?? Non-refundable? You mean after may 15th?? sounds shadyyyyyyyyy....or did you mean 100 bucks?

 

[KeyzerSoze]

$1000 deposit?? Non-refundable? You mean after may 15th?? sounds shadyyyyyyyyy....or did you mean 100 bucks?

It's typical of osteopathic schools, but I've never heard of MD schools doing that.

 

[Medskool2009]

Yup, it's osteopathic. And it DOES feel shady, but not much I can do about it. The other schools I applied to are allopathic (as is the one I am debating contacting).

 

[phospho]

WOW, 1K for a dam deposit?

talk about shady - like a downpayment for crack or something

 

[KeyzerSoze]

WOW, 1K for a dam deposit?

talk about shady - like a downpayment for crack or something

It's not really shady. I think the idea is to discourage people from applying DO as a backup to MD schools.

 

[Medskool2009]

So should I call the MD school?

 

[DoctorDeMan]

I would call them, at the very least to see if it a decision is happening soon. Don't even need to give your name, just an interview date.

Plus, generally the people answering phones have very little to do with your application decision so I wouldn't worry about annoying them. Sometimes they do, but it is rare.

 

[silverlining1]

So should I call the MD school?

I am pretty sure, based on what friends have told me, that you can call the school and just not give your name when asking your question. If they ask who you are, say that you'd rather not say, and if they can't help you, oh well. Just explain the general situation and ask if there's anything that they can do to help you figure out what to do.

 

[DoctorDeMan]

Another thought:

Let's say you do not get into the MD school and loose the deposit. How much will going to other interviews to maybe get an acceptance cost you? (This assumes you have other interviews) If the answer is nearly $1k, just pay the (unfair) deposit.

 

[Medskool2009]

All the other schools I applied to are local, so probably not a lot. The word from the person answering the phones is that decisions for my date probably won't be for at least a few more weeks.

 

[tdittyx2x3]

I dont think it's that shady.. Do I like it? Absolutely not..

But if it were me running the show, I think I would require this deposit as well. You weed out all of the applicants that aren't truly serious about attending your school earlier in the interview season. Now these schools have a much better idea of how many students they need to admit in the next three months.

 

[phospho]

It's not really shady. I think the idea is to discourage people from applying DO as a backup to MD schools.

if so, i personally think that that's a flawed mentality....


99.99999% of applicants apply to more than medical school (whether allo or osteo)... theoretically, that would mean each applicant has at least one backup school...

Even "lower-tier" MD schools (if there's even such a concept) which a lot of applicants use as backups don't do this...

but i do see your point though...

OP, although I doubt they will care, you can't lose anything by asking... give it a shot and see what happens...

 

[phospho]

I dont think it's that shady.. Do I like it? Absolutely not..

But if it were me running the show, I think I would require this deposit as well. You weed out all of the applicants that aren't truly serious about attending your school earlier in the interview season. Now these schools have a much better idea of how many students they need to admit in the next three months.

what about using waitlists like every other school?

what's so wrong about that?

every allo school has been doing that for decades, and I've yet to hear about a single one of them complain about not having enough students in a matriculating class...

 

[Handy388]

what DO school is that? I wonder if it's the one that's founded by the founder of ROSS.

 

[Chemist0157]

Wow, and I thought a $100 deposit was expensive...

 

[pathongko]

Or you can ask to extend the deadline for $1000 deposit

 

[strongboy2005]

This is why I'm putting off my DO interviews until AFTER I hear from the MD schools. This $1000 deposit would be undoable for me, and it is RIDICULOUS that it is non-refundable.

I won't even interview there (Western Health Sciences University) until I hear from the other schools so I avoid this predicament.

 

[beachblonde]

OP, call the school and say that you interviewed a couple of weeks ago, and are wondering if there has been decision made on those files b/c you've been accepted to another school, but you would rather attend "top choice X."

It's a fair question. Hell, I called one school and said "I need to interview on this date, because I live 1,000+ miles away and I sure ain't paying for another plane ticket."

Ok, maybe I didn't say "ain't," but it worked out ok.

And I feel your pain-put down one of those $1,000 deposits myself last week. I consider it part of the costs of applying-I spend several thousand last cycle without getting in anywhere, so what's a grand in the scheme of things?

 

[Bacchus]

I would contact the school. It sucks about the deposit. I feel your pain. Luckily, I was able to only put down $250 for PCOM and the $2000 is due in April. Call and explain your situation and see if the adcom is meeting soon. However, it is past December 15. Be careful that you don't lose your seat by not sending money in. Remember, for most schools it is due this past Monday!

 

[Dulcina]

wow $1000 seems a bit ridiculous to me. I'd call them, you have nothing to lose!

 

[Bacchus]

Every DO school requires a "HUGE" deposit. Sticker shock gone.

 

[p30doc]

You guys are freaking out about the $1k deposit???? Some DO schools require a $2k deposit within 2 weeks of a decision (the Touros). I fell victim to one late September, but it guaranteed I would be a doctor, so it was worth it (I guess).

 

[phospho]

You guys are freaking out about the $1k deposit???? Some DO schools require a $2k deposit within 2 weeks of a decision (the Touros). I fell victim to one late September, but it guaranteed I would be a doctor, so it was worth it (I guess).

i'm shocked...that's all i can say... most of my "deposits" are basically a signed paper saying that I'm coming. I haven't had to pay anything yet.

For the DO schools to claim that the 1-2K deposit is required since most people use them as backup is BS. They can feel free to use the waitlisting system that's been in place for decades and decades.

 

[87138]

For the DO schools to claim that the 1-2K deposit is required since most people use them as backup is BS.

They don't. It's simply implied.

 

[EpiPEN]

man... This sounds like one of those e-mail fraud things that get send around. "You have won the lottery. All you have to do is transfer $1000 into this bank account to confirm your identity in order to access your lottery money"

 

[Bacchus]

man... This sounds like one of those e-mail fraud things that get send around. "You have won the lottery. All you have to do is transfer $1000 into this bank account to confirm your identity in order to access your lottery money"

Except you have been accepted into medical school and will be a physician. The money doesn't go to any island.

 

[Bacchus]

i'm shocked...that's all i can say... most of my "deposits" are basically a signed paper saying that I'm coming. I haven't had to pay anything yet.

For the DO schools to claim that the 1-2K deposit is required since most people use them as backup is BS. They can feel free to use the waitlisting system that's been in place for decades and decades.

I'm sure this is not the primary reason for the deposit, but by making someone deposit that amount of money it almost guarentees that person is coming to your school. Knowing that, you can solidify and organize your class quickly.

 

[atomi]

$1000 deposit?? Non-refundable? You mean after may 15th?? sounds shadyyyyyyyyy....or did you mean 100 bucks?

When you're a for-profit institution, you gotta get your monieZ from somewhere, y0. no easier way to get it than to steal it from people who couldn't get in elsewhere. Wonder how sky high the tuition is at this place

 

[LizzyM]

Would you go there if you didn't get in anywhere else? If yes, then pay the initial fee.

Would you be willing to sacrifice $1,000 to go your first choice school (if that school wants you). If yes, pay the fee to the first school.

If you would not go to that first school if it is the only place that offers you a slot, and if you would not be willing to sacrifice $1,000 to go to your first choice school, then reply to the first school & say, "Thanks but no thanks."

Some schools will not make any decisions until Feb/March (they like to interview all of their top choices before making a decision). Other schools are unlikely to call a committee mtg during the last 2 weeks of 2008 due to the holidays so it is likely that you won't hear until sometime in 2009. Calling is unlikely to be worth your time.

 

[Bacchus]

When you're a for-profit institution, you gotta get your monieZ from somewhere, y0. no easier way to get it than to steal it from people who couldn't get in elsewhere. Wonder how sky high the tuition is at this place

Every osteopathic institution requires a large deposit, usually by December 15 if accepted before then. However, there is only one for-profit institution. Also, these people not always "couldn't get in somewhere else." Now, if you're being sarcastic, you're off the hook, but otherwise this is pure ignorance.