Deferring admission

[Sooperman]

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Hi, just had a question about deferring admission for a year. I am thinking about applying to DO schools next year so I want to defer admission if I get in to podiatry schools this year (I already applied to pod schools), so that I can make my decision then. My question is will this be a problem? Will DO schools run a background check on me and find out and decide to reject me on the spot? Please help! I like both fields but I won't be able to apply DO this year.

 

[mees]

Hi, just had a question about deferring admission for a year. I am thinking about applying to DO schools next year so I want to defer admission if I get in to podiatry schools this year (I already applied to pod schools), so that I can make my decision then. My question is will this be a problem? Will DO schools run a background check on me and find out and decide to reject me on the spot? Please help! I like both fields but I won't be able to apply DO this year.

I'm not sure what the process for deferring is. However, I suggest you sit down and really think about DPM vs DO and make a decision! I also wouldn't tell the schools that you have been accepted to that you're deferring so you can apply to DO schools, it makes it look like you applied to podiatry as a backup plan (not as your main goal).

 

[preDO12345678]

I'm not sure what the process for deferring is. However, I suggest you sit down and really think about DPM vs DO and make a decision! I also wouldn't tell the schools that you have been accepted to that you're deferring so you can apply to DO schools, it makes it look like you applied to podiatry as a backup plan (not as your main goal).

^-- i Concurr =P


Please do not think you (OP) are any inferior as a DPM rather than a DO/MD. Come on guys, our ultimate goal is really contributing to the society and helping the needs.(also making $$) but I mean if feet/foot isn't your thing then just forget it entirely. Bring up your GPA ( if that 's the reason why you're considering DPM) or retake the MCAT. I just do not understand why only the "top 1 or 5%" professions have to make a big fuss out of the initial after their names. What about the ones who really want to go into POD with like stellar grades in both GPA/MCAT+ loads of ECs? To be fair, most of the MD/D.O I've spoke to dislike their jobs, and most podiatrists loved their jobsss

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

Hi, just had a question about deferring admission for a year. I am thinking about applying to DO schools next year so I want to defer admission if I get in to podiatry schools this year (I already applied to pod schools), so that I can make my decision then. My question is will this be a problem? Will DO schools run a background check on me and find out and decide to reject me on the spot? Please help! I like both fields but I won't be able to apply DO this year.

Well, this is tricky territory. I'm assuming you have excellent stats and you are feeling that pod is below you somehow, and for this reason the pod school you have deposited at and deferred at might want to keep you just so they have a good statistic. That being said, podiatry schools don't want people that are likely to drop out because podiatry isn't where their heart is.

What that means is, it depends on the school, and deferring is a very situation specific ordeal. In other words, they will almost certainly ask you why you want to defer. Did you just get pregnant? Did you decide to work for peace corps for a year? Teach English in a 3rd world country? These are reasons that people give to defer, but your answer will (or, at least ethically SHOULD be) I want something better than pod, but if that doesn't work out, I'll settle for your school.

So basically, there is a chance the school won't allow that. If that happens, you can always reapply next year after your DO process doesn't pan out (obviously, if it works for you, you won't need to reapply).

In my own experience though, unless you match into surgery (~7%) being a DO (or MD for that matter) is quite boring.

 

[dtrack22]

My question is will this be a problem?

Depending on the program, I could see it being a problem. But it really is in the school's interest to grant you the deferral. Think about it. They have plenty of time to fill your seat in their next class. And they don't want a student who is at such a high risk of leaving after 1 year...$30k in tuition vs $120k...so they get a full size class of 2017 and with or without you, a full size class of 2018. And they don't have to worry about the kid who could leave at any moment (well, every school has to worry about that in a way but you get my point).

Of course, they might look at your app, check with their affiliated DO program and laugh knowing you won't get in anywhere. Then not tell you and watch you waste a few thousand dollars.

Will DO schools run a background check on me and find out and decide to reject me on the spot?

No, they won't. But they very well could ask you what you've been up to for the last year or two. If they do, I would tell them that you applied and were accepted into a podiatry program and that it wasn't for you. DO programs won't care. They may question your commitment/maturity, but if you have the stats it won't matter too much to them.

 

[Sooperman]

Depending on the program, I could see it being a problem. But it really is in the school's interest to grant you the deferral. Think about it. They have plenty of time to fill your seat in their next class. And they don't want a student who is at such a high risk of leaving after 1 year...$30k in tuition vs $120k...so they get a full size class of 2017 and with or without you, a full size class of 2018. And they don't have to worry about the kid who could leave at any moment (well, every school has to worry about that in a way but you get my point).

Of course, they might look at your app, check with their affiliated DO program and laugh knowing you won't get in anywhere. Then not tell you and watch you waste a few thousand dollars.

I'm not sure what you mean here by schools "watching me waste a few thousand". Are you referring to podiatry schools? Because I paid only about 300-400 bucks on applications and have multiple interviews. Why would they not tell me anything? Or do you mean DO schools will watch me waste that money if I apply there hypothetically with poor stats?

But I do agree that deferring admission would be better than going for a year than dropping out.

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

I'm not sure what you mean here by schools "watching me waste a few thousand". Are you referring to podiatry schools? Because I paid only about 300-400 bucks on applications and have multiple interviews. Why would they not tell me anything? Or do you mean DO schools will watch me waste that money if I apply there hypothetically with poor stats?

But I do agree that deferring admission would be better than going for a year than dropping out.

dtrack means that if you apply DO schools, you will spend a couple of thousand on application fees and interviews.

Have you been to any interviews? I don't know how you managed to only pay 300-400 total for the whole cycle. I paid about $450 total for my airplane ticket to philly.

I believe that Nikkisourous posted on here about the trip to DMU with hotel, flights, etc etc cost around $1k.

 

[dtrack22]

if you apply DO schools, you will spend a couple of thousand on application fees and interviews.

If you have the numbers, you have the numbers. However, unlike podiatry programs, being granted an interview to a DO program (at least the better programs) does not guarantee admission.

I still think you should ask for the deferral and apply to DO programs if that's what you want to do.

 

[Sooperman]

If you have the numbers, you have the numbers. However, unlike podiatry programs, being granted an interview to a DO program (at least the better programs) does not guarantee admission.

I still think you should ask for the deferral and apply to DO programs if that's what you want to do.

That is my plan. My concern was that will this be problematic in any way, setting ethics aside? Is there any way DO schools could find out about it if I don't disclose anything to them? And if granted the deferral, would pod schools take away my acceptance if they found out I applied to DO schools during my gap year (assuming I had other reasons to defer)?