Deposit fees

[doinmybest5840]

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Why are deposit fees for DO schools so much higher than MD schools? Of the 30 MD schools I'm applying to, 28 are $100, 1 is $50, and 1 is $500, and only the $50 one isn't refundable. However, of the 6 DO schools I am applying to, they're all $750 and up, and I can't even figure out if most of them are refundable. Any thoughts on the big difference in prices? And does anybody know which schools refund and which don't (out of AZCOM, CCOM, DMUCOM, KCUMBCOM, MSUCOM, and NSUCOM)? Thanks!

 

[DrBowtie]

Well the AAMC which governs MD schools set guidelines limiting them to $100.

 

[bigdog8829]

i was accepted to ccom and kcumb. neither of them were/are refundable.
but that was in Feb. maybe if you get in early on like Nov Dec. they'll give you a month maybe?
but for the most part you are correct. do schools mad take your money.

 

[HarveyCushing]

Does it also have something to do with the fact that DO schools have a rolling admission, whereas MD schools don't?

 

[spicedmanna]

Does it also have something to do with the fact that DO schools have a rolling admission, whereas MD schools don't?

Nah. Most medical schools have rolling admissions. There are some notable exceptions, however.

Basically, I don't know why the DO schools have numerically larger deposits and why they are non-refundable. It didn't really impact me that much, though.

 

[Fermata]

This is obviously something that DO schools need to work on but don't count on it changing.

 

[HarveyCushing]

Nah. Most medical schools have rolling admissions. There are some notable exceptions, however.

Basically, I don't know why the DO schools have numerically larger deposits and why they are non-refundable. It didn't really impact me that much, though.

What about discouraging students from holding onto multiple acceptances? MD students have to committ to a school by the middle of May if they hold onto multiple acceptances, right? For DO students, we can hold onto several, however we will have to pay the price. Luckily the deposits didn't really impact me that much either. However if you are on a waitlist at your top 1-3 schools, then it would really suck if you had to pay a deposit at your first school of acceptance to guarentee that you got into somewhere.

 

[spicedmanna]

What about discouraging students from holding onto multiple acceptances? MD students have to committ to a school by the middle of May if they hold onto multiple acceptances, right? For DO students, we can hold onto several, however we will have to pay the price. Luckily the deposits didn't really impact me that much either. However if you are on a waitlist at your top 1-3 schools, then it would really suck if you had to pay a deposit at your first school of acceptance to guarentee that you got into somewhere.

Good point, Harvey! AAMC has the May 15th rule, but the AACOM does not. The large, non-refundable deposits required by osteopathic medical schools certainly make sense in this context.

 

[scpod]

AAMC has the May 15th rule, but the AACOM does not...

This discussion comes up a couple of times each year. You'll also have a discussion later in the summer where one waitlisted poster asks people with multiple DO acceptances to drop them and one or two posters will claim that it's their "God-given right to hold multiple acceptances because they earned them." A flame war will ensue and somebody's gonna get thrown out of the bar again. People never learn.

I really do wish that there was a deadline. Maybe it would change the large deposits-- maybe not.

 

[Bacchus]

I may be wrong... but I believe some of them have the deadline for April. I was on PCOM's website/reading various stuff around the web and saw there was a $250 (?) deposit and a $2000 (?) deposit. The latter was due on April 15. I think April 15 is a fair date if one applies early. Of course, I may be remembering this all wrong and if I am I'm sure the PCOM'ers of the board will correct me. Basically, what I'm trying to say, is if you submit your app as soon as possible then you should have some time before you get whacked with a huge deposit that can't be refunded. As soemone applying MD and DO, contingent upon my MCAT, if I get into a DO program and no MD acceptances by the deadline, I won't drop two grand to have an "optimistic" perspective on things. I think all this info is available on school websites, of course.

Parting with $250 isn't bad, but that $2000 is a tuition deposit and a doosie. (Sp?) But like I said, April 15th is a fair date for the final deposit for above reasons.

 

[nlax30]

Good point, Harvey! AAMC has the May 15th rule, but the AACOM does not. The large, non-refundable deposits required by osteopathic medical schools certainly make sense in this context.

Wow, I never knew that. Definitely makes sense though to push applicants to commit to one school in a timely matter, unless you got deep pockets. My deposit here was like $1500, I only applied here but I definitely couldn't afford to hold several acceptances.

 

[Lamont]

I believe the reason for the higher cost is to commit you to the school. most people who pay 1000 bucks are not looking elsewhere. in theory it is a better idea than a deadline, but in reality...some students buck the theoretical trend and will hold acceptances and even pay the deposit. If you are willing to pay x,000 dollars to xcom then you are probably going to drop your application to ycom and zcom because you were accepted and paid up - why bother with them and their acceptances? those high deposits also tend to go toward tuition at xcom, so why would you pay for part of your tuition if you are not going there (at least thats the line of thought). IIRC, that is the reason for the high cost. if we had the may 15th cutoff like AAMC, a limit on deposits would be more realistic, but we have an artificial limit posed on us by the high deposit, so it is rare to see people holding multiple PAID spots, but not rare to see multiple accepted non-paid spots.

 

[scpod]

...so it is rare to see people holding multiple PAID spots, but not rare to see multiple accepted non-paid spots.

It's not as rare as you think. A lot of people will pay a deposit for one spot and hold out hope for their first choice if they happen to be waitlisted. When they get the spot they want, they hesitate to give up the other one. Some people will get an acceptance in November and not get an interview at "better" schools until later. Before January you usually have about 30 days to pay up or lose the spot. The trouble is that some people just can't seem to decide, or when they finally get an acceptance at a "better" school, they hate to give up the earlier spot because it seems like they are just throwing the money away.

Keep in mind that after January, you usually only have 15 days to pay up or lose the spot-- so, you can't really "hold" an unpaid spot for longer than two weeks. Most people simply can't afford to hold multiple spots, though, but holding two is not all that rare. The schools count on that.