Declining DS acceptance: Hurt specializing acceptance chances at this school?

[The Crentist's office]

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I have been lucky enough to have been accepted at my IS school, as well as an OOS school. For personal reasons, I think that it is better for me to attend the OOS school. My question is if I decline my acceptance at my IS school and attend at the OOS school, would this sole act (assuming I do well in DS, which I understand is a big assumption haha) hurt my chances to be accepted to specialize at this same IS school?

 

[2TH MVR]

Not sure if it will hurt your chances, but it sure won't help. Been awhile, but I was under the impression that a lot of residency programs prefer to choose one or two of their own undergrad students as part of their residency class. Also networking within that's school's residency program helps a lot.

Although my information maybe outdated lol.

 

[DSchoolorBust202X]

Not trying to derail the original post, but would it hurt my chances for specializing at an OOS school that I preferred but still declined for my IS?

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

Let’s be logical about this. Why would the people in the speciality admissions talk to general admissions? The only way it could hurt it if they tend to match a lot of their own students into their spots.

 

[coldicecream]

I doubt that will hurt your chances. They should understand that people have their preferences. Just make sure you sound professional and thankful for the offer, but have to kindly decline when you send them the email

 

[DMDWANNABEE]

The only way it could hurt it if they tend to match a lot of their own students into their spots.

This is very common.

 

[UNCafDDS]

This is very common.

More common than not? What about for UCLA and Kentucky... any idea if either or both of those tend to prioritize their own dental students for matching in to their residencies?

 

[bracketbuster68]

More common than not? What about for UCLA and Kentucky... any idea if either or both of those tend to prioritize their own dental students for matching in to their residencies?

Depends on the school. One reason might be if the school has a lot of OOS students. If OOS, they might want to go elsewhere like back home.

 

[periopocket]

No, they will forget you exist once you reject them. And specialties aren’t peaking in on dds applicants, they got bigger fish to fry

 

[PhansterZ]

The chairs and program directors of specialty programs will select the best applicants to interview. They likely would not even know that you chose another dental school over theirs.

 

[Likkriue]

Depends on the specialty program. I know at my school there are guaranteed spots for students at my school for pedo and ortho.

 

[2TH MVR]

Went to a midwest DS. Half of the entering Ortho residents were from the same DS school. Same pattern all 4 yrs I was there.

 

[dent_wannabe]

I believe declining politely and professionally won't hurt your chances. Schools understand that many of those who they accept get multiple acceptances, but can only choose one school at the end of the day. They have tons of other qualified applicants who are eager to attend that school, so they have somebody else to give that seat to. Scenarios which I can imagine might hurt you down the road are if you talk down on them in your declination message, or if you just passively decline by not saying at all.