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Dilemma..

Started by AACmd
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AACmd

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Hey guys,


I have been accepted to 2 DO schools. My situation is that I already sent my deposit to one about a week ago and I just received my other acceptance yesterday. I am pretty set on attending the second so I'm wondering if its acceptable to stop payment on the deposit check that I sent to the first if I still can? I could really use that 1500 that I'd be saving. I'm just worried that its bad etiquette 😕....

What would you guys do?
 
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If they haven't cashed the check yet I don't think it'd be bad etiquette. Try calling the school and asking if they could cancel payment rather than going through your bank as this would at least give the school a fair heads up.
 
aSagacious said:
If they haven't cashed the check yet I don't think it'd be bad etiquette. Try calling the school and asking if they could cancel payment rather than going through your bank as this would at least give the school a fair heads up.
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It's $1500 dollars! They don't need it but you definitely do. Call them and let them know but if you don't get in touch, stop that payment, definitely.

I understand your concern about etiquette but this one's a no brainer. After all, money speaks, right?
 
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Wolverines83 said:
It's $1500 dollars! They don't need it but you definitely do. Call them and let them know but if you don't get in touch, stop that payment, definitely.

I understand your concern about etiquette but this one's a no brainer. After all, money speaks, right?
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Oh, sorry I must have been unclear in my first post. Yes, I completely agree with your stance. If you can't contact the school then certainly stop the check by any means necessary. I was just suggesting the most polite way to go about it.
 
I think it would be in bad taste, but I would stop that payment so fast and wouldn't feel bad about. Liike another person said, at this point, screw etiquette.

But if you can handle it politely, I suppose that would be better.
 
Just to avoid some confusion...isnt the deposit not due until Dec 15th? I thought thats how the AACOMAS rules worked...or were you just sending it in early?
 
GetThePointe77 said:
Just to avoid some confusion...isnt the deposit not due until Dec 15th? I thought thats how the AACOMAS rules worked...or were you just sending it in early?
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Those are suggestions not requirements. LECOM unfortunately does not follow those guidelines.
 
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This question comes up every year that I'm surprised that DO schools don't immediately deposit checks on the day they arrive in mail - which I suspect some schools will or already are doing. In the future, I suspect there will be a post complaining of how quickly schools deposit the checks

*not taking either side, since I believe the admission process is a complex game with the schools having the upper hand. It's all in the game yo.
 
I wouldn't trust that your check wouldn't get cashed by them even if you called and they said it was fine and they wouldn't process it. Sometimes messages don't get to the right people or on time.

I'd contact your bank and pay the small fee to cancel it yourself for peace of mind.
 
This comes up every year. It sucks that there are no unified, enforceable rules that all schools follow, and that they impose such expensive, non-refundable deposits.

However, it is ethically questionable, and certainly unlawful to write a check and then stop payment without reasonable certainty that fraud was committed by the payee.
 
It might be unethical but it is not illegal. If it were, then the feature wouldn't exist. I would stop payment, THEN call to tell them. And I would make it happen FIRST THING tomorrow morning if you couldn't do it today. You are about to be a broke medical student. No need in wasting good money.
 
KPride said:
It might be unethical but it is not illegal. If it were, then the feature wouldn't exist. I would stop payment, THEN call to tell them. And I would make it happen FIRST THING tomorrow morning if you couldn't do it today. You are about to be a broke medical student. No need in wasting good money.
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The feature exists so that you can stop payment when you believe you've been defrauded or a check has been lost/stolen. It is not for buyer's remorse.

It is certainly illegal. Additionally, you are using the mail service to commit the crime. Ask your friendly neighborhood postal inspector how they feel about that.

With that said, it is pretty unlikely that anyone will do anything about it.

Edit: To clarify, lots of things are illegal, and you don't go to jail every time you exceed the speed limit. The bigger question here involves the ethics, but the legality of this is indisputable.
 
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Just stop payment on the check. You can place a 6-month stop payment, and renew it before that 6-month expires for a total of one year time. After that, the class will have started, and they won't deposit it. E-mail them and let them know that you mailed the check, received acceptance at another school, and will be going elsewhere.

If they give you a hard time about it, or try to fight you over it, be sure to come back here and let everyone know. In my eyes, any school who tries to take advantage of you in this situation isn't worth the land they're sitting on.
 
AACmd said:
Man, some of the posts in these threads are a little scary... Do you really think I could be dismissed from my second acceptance if I cancel my deposit at another completely different institution?
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You could always lie to them and say you just switched banks so that check you sent them will no longer be valid and you'll get a new one to them as soon as possible. This however is unethical as well.
 
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AACmd said:
Man, some of the posts in these threads are a little scary... Do you really think I could be dismissed from my second acceptance if I cancel my deposit at another completely different institution?
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No, I absolutely don't think you will lose your acceptance at the second school. People say stupid things. Stop payment -- you won't be going there. It's $1500 for goodness sake. Don't feel bad.
 
This is probably the #1 reason why I am thankful I don't interview at LECOM until October. I was a little worried about it at first but hearing how the wan't their deposit in 30 days has that mixed blessing feel to it.
 
I received a brief, but polite, response this morning stating that my deposit was non-refundable. I replied saying that if the fee can't be refunded, that I would like to keep my spot reserved so I can keep my options open.

Let's see what they say.
 
Depends on why you stop payment and when.

If you stop payment because you believe the vendor did not properly provide the services then it's not illegal, it's a purely civil matter between the two of you.

If you stop payment just to get out of paying for services that you did receive, that's theft by deception. (you made the vendor believe he'd be paid by giving him a check, then stopped it).

You should notify them in writing, keep a copy of email, that you made an error and so please disregard the check you mailed. But seriously, just cancel the check. Once they get their hands on it, you've lost $1500.
 
My portal has been changed to this:

[School x] has been notified of your decision to withdraw your seat in the class. Your application has been withdrawn from [School x]. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

All within the past 12 hours since I sent the email. So I guess I lost my seat and my money. This whole experience definitely left a salty taste in my mouth. Needless to say, I'm glad I don't have to be affiliated with this institution anymore. *Looking forward* 😎
 
AACmd said:
I received a brief, but polite, response this morning stating that my deposit was non-refundable. I replied saying that if the fee can't be refunded, that I would like to keep my spot reserved so I can keep my options open.

Let's see what they say.
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AACmd said:
My portal has been changed to this:

[School x] has been notified of your decision to withdraw your seat in the class. Your application has been withdrawn from [School x]. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

All within the past 12 hours since I sent the email. So I guess I lost my seat and my money. This whole experience definitely left a salty taste in my mouth. Needless to say, I'm glad I don't have to be affiliated with this institution anymore. *Looking forward* 😎
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I'd stop payment now. The deposit is to hold a seat for you. You payed it, you asked the school to keep the seat for you. The school decided to withdraw you (even though you told them you wanted to keep the seat). They have violated the agreement, so they should not get payed.

EDIT: Is this one of the LECOMs? You say portal and 1500 deposit, makes me think it is.
 
csmittyB said:
I'd stop payment now. The deposit is to hold a seat for you. You payed it, you asked the school to keep the seat for you. The school decided to withdraw you (even though you told them you wanted to keep the seat). They have violated the agreement, so they should not get payed.

EDIT: Is this one of the LECOMs? You say portal and 1500 deposit, makes me think it is.
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I agree. You asked for your seat to still be held, yet they've already withdrawn your application. They're not entitled to the money anymore. Stop payment ASAP.
 
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I got a phone call today... apparently I've placed back into the class but they need to know as soon as possible if I will be attending or not. I was told that I should not be holding two spots at two different schools. I was under the impression that one could put down as many deposits as they like... isn't that why I just paid them $1500?... To hold my spot indefinitely until school starts?

This is frustrating.
 
AACmd said:
I got a phone call today... apparently I've placed back into the class but they need to know as soon as possible if I will be attending or not. I was told that I should not be holding two spots at two different schools. I was under the impression that one could put down as many deposits as they like... isn't that why I just paid them $1500?... To hold my spot indefinitely until school starts?

This is frustrating.
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Don't let them bully you. You can hold multiple spots with multiple deposits.
 
AACmd said:
I got a phone call today... apparently I've placed back into the class but they need to know as soon as possible if I will be attending or not. I was told that I should not be holding two spots at two different schools. I was under the impression that one could put down as many deposits as they like... isn't that why I just paid them $1500?... To hold my spot indefinitely until school starts?

This is frustrating.
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They don't NEED to know, they WANT to know. You paid to hold the seat, its yours. I'd hold it until the second deposit is due (assuming of course there is a second deposit).
 
AACmd said:
Hey guys,


I have been accepted to 2 DO schools. My situation is that I already sent my deposit to one about a week ago and I just received my other acceptance yesterday. I am pretty set on attending the second so I'm wondering if its acceptable to stop payment on the deposit check that I sent to the first if I still can? I could really use that 1500 that I'd be saving. I'm just worried that its bad etiquette 😕....

What would you guys do?
Click to expand...


Ettiquette is irrelevant. Is it poor form? Yes, but you also have a couple grand on the line here, and you're not under contract. Don't listen to others who will berate you about ethics and integrity. If you're able to piss away a couple thousand dollars like that, then by all means...

Cancel your check and call the school TOMORROW regarding the fact that if they try to cash it, it'll bounce.

I did this exact thing. Nothing happened. It would cost them more in legal fees to pursue than it would to lose the deposit.
 
The facts in this case are simple. They offered you a spot and said if you will pay a non-refundable deposit, then we will hold your spot. You accepted the offer and sent them a check. That's a contract in every state of the union. Now that you have a better offer you want to back out of it. It's that simple.

If you wanted to buy a house, for example, and put an offer up with a deposit and it is accepted, then it's your obligation to buy the house or lose your deposit. If, two days later, you find a bigger house in a better neighborhood that's cheaper.... it's human nature to want that deposit back. You want the better house. You have buyer's remorse. You can call the realtor or the owner and ask nicely, but they have no obligation to refund it.

If this is six months down the road it's a no-brainer. You aren't getting it back. Why should you get it back now? Now, you can certainly try to stop payment on the check. There's no doubt that the COM will never take you to court because they really aren't losing anything in this deal.

The question, then, is not one of law, but of morality. Some people will say you are a great business man because you came out ahead and got what you wanted. Others will call you a cheater. Whether or not you feel morally obigated to comply with the contract is a question only you can answer. But, badmouthing the school because they lived up to their end of the bargain is a little bit childish. Stop the check if you feel comfortable with it. Consider it a learning experience... and move on.
 
scpod said:
The facts in this case are simple. They offered you a spot and said if you will pay a non-refundable deposit, then we will hold your spot. You accepted the offer and sent them a check. That's a contract in every state of the union. Now that you have a better offer you want to back out of it. It's that simple.

If you wanted to buy a house, for example, and put an offer up with a deposit and it is accepted, then it's your obligation to buy the house or lose your deposit. If, two days later, you find a bigger house in a better neighborhood that's cheaper.... it's human nature to want that deposit back. You want the better house. You have buyer's remorse. You can call the realtor or the owner and ask nicely, but they have no obligation to refund it.

If this is six months down the road it's a no-brainer. You aren't getting it back. Why should you get it back now? Now, you can certainly try to stop payment on the check. There's no doubt that the COM will never take you to court because they really aren't losing anything in this deal.

The question, then, is not one of law, but of morality. Some people will say you are a great business man because you came out ahead and got what you wanted. Others will call you a cheater. Whether or not you feel morally obigated to comply with the contract is a question only you can answer. But, badmouthing the school because they lived up to their end of the bargain is a little bit childish. Stop the check if you feel comfortable with it. Consider it a learning experience... and move on.
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I'm not bad mouthing anyone. I simply explained my situation.

So basically, if it's lawful, it's moral according to you? It's moral for them to keep my 1500 dollars after holding my spot for one week that was still within the 30 days they gave me to make my decision? She even admitted that they would have refunded me but they already sent the check out.
 
AACmd said:
I'm not bad mouthing anyone. I simply explained my situation.

So basically, if it's lawful, it's moral according to you? It's moral for them to keep my 1500 dollars after holding my spot for one week that was still within the 30 days they gave me to make my decision? She even admitted that they would have refunded me but they already sent the check out.
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It's a contract. Get over it and consider it a learning experience.
 
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Believe it or not, I DO feel your pain. I lost two deposits when I applied. It was painful, but I knew going into it that it was a possibility. Looking back on it, though, I wouldn't have changed a thing. When I sent in my first deposit there was no guarantee that I would ever be accepted to another medical school. The second one was for a place I liked a little better but still not my top choice. In the end, I got my top choice, paid yet another deposit, graduated four years later and now am doing what I have always wanted to do. While it hurt at the time, little things like that aren't even a part of the big picture anymore. You'll barely remember this in a few years anyway. Good luck.
 
Just a side comment - seems to be a lot of negative interaction with this admissions department :/ I had an experience where they said they only will change your interview date once when they gave me SIX days notice before the interview, and then didnt have another day for TWO MONTHS but wouldnt let me move earlier if there was a cancellation also seemed a little weird, and when I was confused they were really mean about it...I wasnt asking them to bend a rule for me, I just wanted an explanation of what was going on...
 
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