Deferring?

[princesspeaches]

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There have been some pretty anti-deferral sentiments on here before (see: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=684060 )... and as someone who has been rejected twice already, I can relate to how someone might feel about a person that was accepted but didn't leap to it immediately. (i.e. what is wrong with that crazy person!)

That said, I have been accepted to Washington State and I'm considering asking for a deferral. The official policy is that "The Admissions Committee assumes the applicant, if offered admission, is fully prepared to enter the veterinary program starting the next fall semester. Deferral of admission is considered by the Director of Admissions on a case-by-case basis and granted only under special circumstances."

There are a few reasons for which I'm considering requesting a deferral, none of them being related to family or emergency circumstances. The biggest is that I currently work as a molecular biologist in a systems neuroscience lab in a primate center and we’ve just gotten this grant that basically gives me a chance for a really cool project (and eventual publications) involving gene therapy and optogenetics. As the lab’s only molecular biologist I’m currently really invested and involved with this and would like to see it through. My PI knows I’ve been accepted and asking me to considering deferring was the first thing he said (after congrats!).

I guess I already know that I just have to ask WSU; but I'd still like to hear anyone's experiences with deferring or advice on how to ask. I know the worst thing they can say is no, and as the April 15th deadline gets closer I know I need to ask sooner rather than later.

Thanks guys! I've been on here since right after my first application in 2008 and have always gotten good advice and support from everyone here.

 

[breenie]

I think they'll consider it.

It's a positive reason to ask for it, and would make you a better applicant in another situation. If you indicated interest in research, I would think they would be open to working with you on an issue like that.

Hope it works out for you. 🙂

 

[psilovethomas]

I think they'll consider it.

It's a positive reason to ask for it, and would make you a better applicant in another situation. If you indicated interest in research, I would think they would be open to working with you on an issue like that.

Hope it works out for you. 🙂

I agree with breenie. There's no harm in submitting a request. Worst thing is that they will deny it, but I think they will really consider it given your interest in research. I would do it ASAP! Good luck.

 

[katryn]

Thirds on saying it's worth a try. I think the only problem with asking for a deferral in this case, is will this project require a commitment of more than a year? If you are only asking for a one year deferral, and have a strong interest in research, I don't see why they wouldn't at least consider it. But if the project is slated to last 2-3 years, I don't see them being willing to give you a long term deferral until you're done with it.

Good luck, your research sounds really cool!

 

[princesspeaches]

Thanks for the advice! I asked and now have a phone meeting with the Director of Admissions on Friday.

 

[fromthebox]

Thanks for the advice! I asked and now have a phone meeting with the Director of Admissions on Friday.

Good Luck!

 

[Emiloo4]

Thanks for the advice! I asked and now have a phone meeting with the Director of Admissions on Friday.

, let us know how it goes!

 

[twelvetigers]

It seems reasonable and pretty cool. Make it sound like an asset to you as a student and to the school if you can - that always helps! Good luck.

 

[mbv]

WSU let me take a year off when I got a Fulbright. Granted, this was during vet school (right after I started clinics), but it wasn't a big deal. It helps when you can spin it to make the school look good too 😉

If your lab will let you keep working for them in the summers during vet school, I would definitely recommend applying for the Research Scholars program at WSU. If you're selected (and it sounds like you'd have a good chance), they will give you a couple thousand dollars a year for promising to do at least 500 hours of research during your first and second summers of vet school, and then you also get whatever your lab will pay you.

 

[princesspeaches]

Good news for anybody on the WSU IS waitlist! I'm now officially deferring for a year 🙂

I was way overprepared for my meeting! She did most of the talking and said there were generally 2 reasons for offering deferrals: family/personal reasons, and people in Masters/PhD programs finishing up their research (neither of which is quite my situation so I panicked slightly) and then she paused and said, and people like yourself who are currently in research. I told her I'd officially accept the deferral now and they will send me a letter about it and then follow up with me in January to make sure I still want my spot for next year.

Thanks everyone! Now I just need to spend this year getting published in some high impact journals, awww yeah.

 

[twelvetigers]

Good news for anybody on the WSU IS waitlist! I'm now officially deferring for a year 🙂

I was way overprepared for my meeting! She did most of the talking and said there were generally 2 reasons for offering deferrals: family/personal reasons, and people in Masters/PhD programs finishing up their research (neither of which is quite my situation so I panicked slightly) and then she paused and said, and people like yourself who are currently in research. I told her I'd officially accept the deferral now and they will send me a letter about it and then follow up with me in January to make sure I still want my spot for next year.

Thanks everyone! Now I just need to spend this year getting published in some high impact journals, awww yeah.

Awesome, glad it worked out! You can rock that research knowing you have vet school waiting for you. Sounds fun. 🙂

 

[breenie]

Congrats! So glad it worked out. 🙂 They know you'll be an even greater asset to the school in a year.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Sweet Deal! That's so awesome that you get to spend a whole year to just concentrate soley on your project knowing that in a year you get to start vet school 🙂

 

[Emiloo4]

Good news for anybody on the WSU IS waitlist! I'm now officially deferring for a year 🙂

I was way overprepared for my meeting! She did most of the talking and said there were generally 2 reasons for offering deferrals: family/personal reasons, and people in Masters/PhD programs finishing up their research (neither of which is quite my situation so I panicked slightly) and then she paused and said, and people like yourself who are currently in research. I told her I'd officially accept the deferral now and they will send me a letter about it and then follow up with me in January to make sure I still want my spot for next year.

Thanks everyone! Now I just need to spend this year getting published in some high impact journals, awww yeah.

That is SO great! I was hoping you would have good news today! Focus on your research knowing you have an awesome thing to go onto afterwards! So glad it worked out for you! 😀

 

[LivestockDoc]

Congratulations, Peaches! I'm sure they were impressed by your commitment to your research, and by your desire to continue to better yourself.

You got a research grant, and you got into vet school. You don't just rock...you DOUBLE rock!

 

[princesspeaches]

I have the most supportive boss/PI ever! He was so happy when I was granted the deferral. We had a long talk about whether I was planning on being a clinician or a researcher as a DVM and that he can either give me more independent research projects (i.e. opportunities to be published!) or more surgery time. And when I told him I got into vet school the first thing he said was that he'd give me a raise and/or promotion...

Thank you all for the encouragement and advice! I'm so happy with the outcome.

 

[LMMS]

Peaches - good for you! I'm happy to see that you were able to give it all some thought and that things worked out well for you. Now, you can spend the next year focused on the research w/o worrying about an application cycle. Also, you'll be able to prep in any way you feel you need to. I'm excited for you to continue with what your doing. Have to say that seeing my name in J Neuroscience the first time was pretty damn cool and will hope you seeing your name there or Nature Neuroscience gives you the same jazzed feeling. Best of luck with your project!!