Changing Prelim to Categorical now

[SweetTonics]

Quick ques - if you initially applied for a prelim and added categorical at this point in the match process - is it appropriate or unnecessary to email the programs and mention this?

(If there are 7.2 million threads already addressing this, my search attempts did not bring them up)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gutonc]

Quick ques - if you initially applied for a prelim and added categorical at this point in the match process - is it appropriate or unnecessary to email the programs and mention this?

(If there are 7.2 million threads already addressing this, my search attempts did not bring them up)

There are only 6.1 million such threads so I can understand why it was so difficult to find one.

But honestly, what you need to be doing now is explaining to programs why you made that switch. Because there are 3 possible explanations, only one of which doesn't make you look bad (and that one makes you look confused).

1. You didn't know the difference between prelim and cat (which makes you look dumb)
2. You're using the cat program as a backup to a more competitive (which makes you look bad because it's now obvious that this is the case and nobody wants sloppy seconds)
3. You've changed your mind on specialty choice (which isn't bad in and of itself but it makes you look a little wishy washy or confused)