Can I reject an acceptance then try again?

[chestertory]

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I'm worried about getting accepted into my top choice vet school but I'm more confident about my second choice. If my second choice school accepts me, I may I reject it so I can take another year to try again to get into my first choice (which is also cheaper). If, on the second try, I still can't get into my first choice school and I apply to my second choice school again, will the fact that I rejected their previous acceptance hurt me? Will I not be able to get in again?

 

[kernel]

No one is going to tell you that you can't do this, but it's pretty silly. The rule of thumb is that you shouldn't apply to a given school if you know for certain that you wouldn't choose to attend if you got in. Why waste the money?

 

[BlackDog17]

I'm worried about getting accepted into my top choice vet school but I'm more confident about my second choice. If my second choice school accepts me, I may I reject it so I can take another year to try again to get into my first choice (which is also cheaper). If, on the second try, I still can't get into my first choice school and I apply to my second choice school again, will the fact that I rejected their previous acceptance hurt me? Will I not be able to get in again?

Seems like a stupid risk to me, not to mention a waste of your application fee. Why not just apply only to your first choice school? Doesn't make any sense at all to apply to your second choice if you just plan on rejecting it anyway.

I can't say for sure what the admissions committee would think if you rejected their offer then re-applied, but it probably wouldn't look good.

 

[Kpowell14]

I wouldn't risk it. I think the smart thing to do is just apply to your top choice the first cycle.. Then apply to others the nect year if you have to.

 

[felinelvr44]

I agree with everyone else. Why would you apply to your 2nd choice school if you weren't 100% sure you would go if accepted? I mean, that's the point of applying to a school - because you want to go there. Not to mention, if you do get into your 2nd choice school this year but choose not to go... and apply next year? What makes you think they'll accept you again? If I was an adcom, that would look mighty weird to me. If you're 100% set on your top choice school, apply there this year. If you don't get in, you can widen your net next year.

 

[bbeventer]

Another factor to consider is, every year the application pool changes. What equals an acceptance one year may equal a wait list or a rejection the next.

 

[orca2011]

Another factor to consider is, every year the application pool changes. What equals an acceptance one year may equal a wait list or a rejection the next.

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Definitely consider this and I'm speaking from experience. Wait list one year, flat out rejected the next and I even improved my application.

 

[cs5910]

Tuition increase is another factor to consider...

 

[BlackDog17]

Another factor to consider is, every year the application pool changes. What equals an acceptance one year may equal a wait list or a rejection the next.

Not to mention, what are you going to say to that adcom when they ask why you rejected your original acceptance. "I liked X school better" is definitely not going to encourage them to accept you again,

 

[ChittyBang]

As someone worried about even being accepted into any of my selected schools, I can't help but think how nice it must be to even consider rejecting an invite. If all you want is to go to a certain school, then you should be able to apply to other programs there and be happy. If all you want is to be a veterinarian, then your #2 school should be cause for serious celebration.

 

[Escalla]

Honestly, I can understand where you're coming from to a certain degree. When I applied, I had very little confidence in myself as an applicant and never thought I would have a chance at either of my "IS"/Canadian schools. When I was accepted to an American school with a pretty high OOS tuition rate and managed to interview and get a wait list out of the schools in Canada, I decided to decline and re-try in Canada. Luckily it paid off and I've been accepted this year, but you have to be willing to deal with the possibility of it taking a few years to get that acceptance. I was committed to my top choice schools when I declined K-State and I wouldn't have applied there again if I didn't manage to get in this year. What is the risk worth to you? For me it was $100K in tuition over 4 yrs. If there isn't a lot of difference, I wouldn't recommend it. You never know how long it will take you.

 

[cs5910]

If all you want is to be a veterinarian, then your #2 school should be cause for serious celebration.

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