Choose My Med School AMCAS Tool

[JukeBoxHeroo]

Idk if this is an overly neurotic question, but does using this tool and indicating a med school right now impact chances of admission at other med schools? Like if I pick program A, but I am waiting on a decision from program B, does program B see that I have made an indication that I am likely to attend program A?

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[wysdoc]

Idk if this is an overly neurotic question, but does using this tool and indicating a med school right now impact chances of admission at other med schools? Like if I pick program A, but I am waiting on a decision from program B, does program B see that I have made an indication that I am likely to attend program A?

Might as well wait to make any designations until closer to April, unless a school has given you a shorter deadline, then choose your favorite as “PTE”

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Idk if this is an overly neurotic question, but does using this tool and indicating a med school right now impact chances of admission at other med schools? Like if I pick program A, but I am waiting on a decision from program B, does program B see that I have made an indication that I am likely to attend program A?

CTE is the most impactful declaration. You can declare PTE now, and there will be no impact. Schools will not know the identity of other schools that you have selected PTE or CTE until after the cycle (where your final school is disclosed well after matriculation).

 

[JukeBoxHeroo]

Thank you Mr.Smile12 and wysdoc for the info!

 

[It’s Over!!!]

CTE is the most impactful declaration. You can declare PTE now, and there will be no impact. Schools will not know the identity of other schools that you have selected PTE or CTE until after the cycle (where your final school is disclosed well after matriculation).

Thanks!

Do you think selecting PTE early could impact merit aid and/or other financial aid at all? Meaning, if the school knows you plan to commit might they be less likely to offer merit aid because they think you are more likely than not going there because you selected PTE so early and they can therefore presume they are your first choice?

I have a clear first choice at this point, but I am considering waiting until all financial aid packages are in before selecting PTE so that I can try to negotiate with my number one choice if necessary. Total cost of attendance is a very real factor for me and if other schools are substantially more affordable I will likely choose one of them.

Since you can only PTE at one school, by doing so you are providing valuable information to one school to no personal benefit (at least that I can see). The moment you hit enter, they know that--at last for now--they are your first choice.

Of course, other A's can come in and things can always change. But this is still very valuable information you are giving one school and I can't see the benefit we get in return for that. Maybe I a missing something.

To me, it's kind of like turning over one of your cards in poker. I'm not doing that unless I have to, or unless it works in my favor somehow (e.g., telegraphing perceived hand strength/weakness to psychologically influence decision making, or revealing a bluff to get the player on tilt or to play more loosely against me).

Might it make the most sense to wait until the last possible moment or until you have all the information you need to make a decision, whichever comes earlier?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks!

Do you think selecting PTE early could impact merit aid and/or other financial aid at all? Meaning, if the school knows you plan to commit might they be less likely to offer merit aid because they think you are more likely than not going there because you selected PTE so early and can therefore presume they are your first choice?

I have a clear first choice at this point, but I am considering waiting until all financial aid packages are in before selecting PTE so that I can try to negotiate with my number one choice if necessary. Total cost of attendance is a very real factor for me and if other schools are substantially more affordable I will likely choose them.

Since you can only PTE at one school, by doing so you are providing valuable information to one school to no personal benefit (at least that I can see). The moment you hit enter, they know that--at last for now--they are your first choice.

Of course, other A's can come in and things can always change. But this is still very valuable information you are giving one school and I can't see the benefit we get in return for that. Maybe I a missing something.

To me, it's kind of like turning over one of your cards in poker. I'm not doing that unless I have to, or unless it works in my favor somehow.

Might it make the most sense to wait until you have all the information to make a decision or the last possible moment, whichever comes earlier?

I agree you should pay attention to the CYMS dates for the schools in play. I don't blame you for holding out any indication to declare, and I honestly can't say whether financial aid is affected by your PTE declaration. (I wouldn't think so, but it also depends on the scholarships available. Maybe in an alternate universe where people don't want to be doctors and we're falling down the enrollment cliff.)

It helps admissions folks with planning to fill their class and waitlist management.

But as we mentioned, the most important deadline is the CYMS CTE date.

 

[It’s Over!!!]

I agree you should pay attention to the CYMS dates for the schools in play. I don't blame you for holding out any indication to declare, and I honestly can't say whether financial aid is affected by your PTE declaration. (I wouldn't think so, but it also depends on the scholarships available. Maybe in an alternate universe where people don't want to be doctors and we're falling down the enrollment cliff.)

It helps admissions folks with planning to fill their class and waitlist management.

But as we mentioned, the most important deadline is the CYMS CTE date.

Thank you!!!

 

[It’s Over!!!]

As an update to this, and further reason not to indicate preference this early...

Hofstra has an incredibly ballsy waitlist survey that you are "strongly encouraged" to fill out, which I read to mean, "If you don't, you ain't getting in!"

On this peerless form they ask:

1. Current CYMS selection (plan to enroll, commit to enroll, no selection made yet);

2. It then asks about your status: a. interested with no other offers, b. interested with other offers, c. withdraw from waitlist;

3. If you have other offers, they have the continued chutzpah to ask you to specifically name each school you have been accepted to and whether you have selected plan to enroll at each of those schools;

4. Finally, whether you have offers or not they then ask you to select any or all of the most important factors to you (Financial aid, Curriculum, Location, Other) and provide a box for a narrative on your decision making process.

So it is definitely better to be able to tell pushy schools like Hofstra that you have not selected plan to enroll anywhere. Which is just another reason to wait.

As an aside, and completely unrelated to this topic...I'm not going to lie: This offering of a WL spot and then pressuring you to divulge information AMCAS doesn't require you to release until a much later date in order to have a chance to get off the waitlist leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. It's almost duress and seems to be a thinly veiled attempt by Hofstra to make an end run around the AMCAS traffic rules.

Obviously there is a reason for Hofstra's unrivaled nosiness: They are a high stat loving medical school super concerned with yield. The WL for them (like so many schools) is clearly a yield management tool. They don't want to make any admissions offers from the waitlist unless they know it will be accepted. Hofstra is the only school on my list that had the audacity to ask for information I'm sure every school would love to have if they could get it. So while I find it extremely distasteful and off-putting, I guess kudos to them for having the cojones to ask.

But I think I'm keeping my information to myself, especially since I'm on Hofstra's 2nd tier waitlist which shows they have little serious interest in me!

 

[CitrusPeel]

As an update to this, and further reason not to indicate preference this early...

Hofstra has an incredibly ballsy waitlist survey that you are "strongly encouraged" to fill out, which I read to mean, "If you don't, you ain't getting in!"

On this peerless form they ask:

1. Current CYMS selection (plan to enroll, commit to enroll, no selection made yet);

2. It then asks about your status: a. interested with no other offers, b. interested with other offers, c. withdraw from waitlist;

3. If you have other offers, they have the continued chutzpah to ask you to specifically name each school you have been accepted to and whether you have selected plan to enroll at each of those schools;

4. Finally, whether you have offers or not they then ask you to select any or all of the most important factors to you (Financial aid, Curriculum, Location, Other) and provide a box for a narrative on your decision making process.

So it is definitely better to be able to tell pushy schools like Hofstra that you have not selected plan to enroll anywhere. Which is just another reason to wait.

As an aside, and completely unrelated to this topic...I'm not going to lie: This offering of a WL spot and then pressuring you to divulge information AMCAS doesn't require you to release until a much later date in order to have a chance to get off the waitlist leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. It's almost duress and seems to be a thinly veiled attempt by Hofstra to make an end run around the AMCAS traffic rules.

Obviously there is a reason for Hofstra's unrivaled nosiness: They are a high stat loving medical school super concerned with yield. The WL for them (like so many schools) is clearly a yield management tool. They don't want to make any admissions offers from the waitlist unless they know it will be accepted. Hofstra is the only school on my list that had the audacity to ask for information I'm sure every school would love to have if they could get it. So while I find it extremely distasteful and off-putting, I guess kudos to them for having the cojones to ask.

But I think I'm keeping my information to myself, especially since I'm on Hofstra's 2nd tier waitlist which shows they have little serious interest in me!

Fearless journalism, thank you.

 

[WildWing]

Having seen this process play out over multiple cycles while at SDN, I am frequently disappointed by how some (not all!) admissions offices treat students. It's as if they've never thought about what it is like being on the receiving end of these types of messages or behaviors.

 

[RunnerDad]

Yield protection/management is in my mind the one and only reason for waitlists. I don't think it's so much that the school wants to be certain every offer from WL is accepted -- they want to gauge what percent of the WL folks will be saying "yes" if offered. Still, you're right that this takes a lot of cajones considering what they put applicants through in this slow grind.

If you really want to turn the tables because you've lost interest in the school, respond with your own survey of them about your candidacy:

1. How likely are you to extend me an offer? (definitely, more than likely, 50-50, or unlikely);
2. Please name the top ten schools that your school lost candidates to during the 2021-2023 cycles;
3. If an offer is made, how likely are you to offer at least a >50% tuition scholarship and an annual COL stipend reflective of residing in Long Island, NY?

Someone will get a good laugh from this. Followed by the expected ghosting.