Early Decision programs - Are any not terrible?

[pithy84]

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I was unaware of Early Decision programs at MD schools until an hour ago. At first, I was super excited. You hear a decision by October 1st, guaranteed? Sign me up! Then I realized that in order to do an Early Decision program, not only do you have to promise to attend the school (I was fully prepared to make that promise), but you cannot even begin your application to other schools. In other words, you must torpedo your chances at all other schools, because starting an application on October 1st is way too late.

Here is the Boston University Early Decision program, for example:

BU Medical School Early Decision

Do any Early Decision programs exist that are not suicide pacts? Or do they all share this clause that you cannot even begin your other applications.

As it is, the Early Decision program seems exceedingly unwise. You basically lose a year if you get rejected.

 

[Mountaineer12]

I think for the most part they are all like that. I did early decision for WVU and it worked out amazingly for me (I got a scholarship and knew I was in 8+ months in advance). I also know someone who did not get into an early decision program, sent out apps the next day, and was accepted somewhere else by the beginning of December. I know that's probably more the exception than the rule, but it's not necessarily suicide. I also applied to DO schools at the same time (it's allowed, I checked before I did it haha) so I had that back up should WVU not accept me. Then again, I was more willing to go to a DO school than sit on a waitlist for 9 months and not everyone feels that way.

 

[songl4a]

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[Ismet]

lol EDPs are not some loophole to get into med school a couple weeks earlier than everyone else. My school only sees a handful of ED applicants each year and they not only have excellent apps but they also have very compelling reasons to go to this specific school.

If you don't want to "torpedo" your chances at other schools or you're a average applicant, I'd say ED is not for you.

 

[Mountaineer12]

To play devil's advocate, I really wasn't a very outstanding candidate for when I did EDP and I wasn't even an in state student at that point. I did go to WVU for undergrad though. I just wanted to point out for anyone interested in EDP that at least at my school you don't have to be a spectacular applicant to have a chance.

 

[Promethean]

I don't think you have to be competitive for Harvard, but you are taking a risk if you are a too much of a slouch. Though, I think the commitment demonstrated to a particular school can help overcome flaws in an application. My friend had a slightly below average GPA and MCAT for the school she applied to, but the adcoms told her that they are more forgiving of EDP candidates for two reasons. First, that they respect the degree of interest in their school shown by foregoing all other applications, and that they have all their seats empty at that point in the cycle so they feel more willing to take a risk on a borderline student than they might later in the cycle.

Yes, there is a trade off involved. Otherwise, why wouldn't everyone pick a favorite school apply for early decision? It is a program designed for people who really, truly want to go to a particular school, for good reasons. Not applying widely while you are awaiting the early decision is the way you demonstrate that you are sufficiently earnest in your desire to attend there. If you could apply elsewhere, that would be unfair to everyone else who also wants to go there but has to wait for a decision.

You are asking them to make a commitment to you. You have to be serious about committing to them in exchange. I'm surprised that any MD school would allow DO applications while awaiting early decision. That was specifically off the table at the school where my friend did EDP.

LECOM offered an early decision program that didn't require refraining from applying elsewhere. The trade off to LECOM's early decision was that if accepted, if you wanted to go, you had to pay the non-refundable $1500 deposit right away. (Well, within a reasonable time window.) So, you could apply wherever else you wanted, but if you took an acceptance somewhere else, you would be out $1500. Some people have argued about how unfair and excessive that is... but again, you have to see both sides of it. They are offering something, they get to require something from you in return. Given how many people use DO schools as safeties as it is, having a large deposit makes sense to keep the entire cohort of early decision acceptances from going to people who have no real intention to attend the school.

TANSTAAFL, folks. You are always giving up something in order to get something that you want. Accepting that now and learning to read all the fine print before you sign will save you a lot of heartaches and headaches later on.

 

[Ismet]

To play devil's advocate, I really wasn't a very outstanding candidate for when I did EDP and I wasn't even an in state student at that point. I did go to WVU for undergrad though. I just wanted to point out for anyone interested in EDP that at least at my school you don't have to be a spectacular applicant to have a chance.

No one said it couldn't happen. Just the less competitive your application is w/r/t the school, the more of a gamble you take.

 

[Flashfan]

In some places, EDP is a true advantage. IUSM is one of those places. The number of students accepted EDP hovers between 80-90% for most years and those that are rolled over to the general pool generally make it in. Bombing an interview or IA are pretty much the only way to discount the advantage. You also get first choice of school location. You don't have to be a superstar- just a slightly above average applicant. If my scores are good enough for EDP but not competitive for my reach schools I will do it. My strategy would be to apply EDP, then take a gap year instead of applying late. If there is something wrong with my app, it will be bad for all, so I will probably need that year to correct what is wrong, and then I won't be a re-applicant.

 

[Promethean]

As I said it is my rule of thumb (would they be a competitive candidate at Stanford or Harvard normally) that helps me get the point across to students who dont realize the downside risk. That is, if you dont get in, you are a very late disadvantage to the rest of the schools. It is the equivalent of slapping someone across the face or throwing cold water on them to get attention, which is sometimes needed for a more realistic view

I get your point, and why you feel the need to make it.

But, there is also a downside in over-correction. There are people who could benefit from the possibility of having a gracious light shined on a less than stellar app when it comes packaged with a firm intent to attend that school, and it would be unfair to scare someone away from taking that shot by telling them that they have no hope at all.

There are no guarantees in the application process, no sure things. Every move is a gamble of one sort or another. Everyone has to figure up their own odds as best they can.

 

[cs24]

I was unaware of Early Decision programs at MD schools until an hour ago. At first, I was super excited. You hear a decision by October 1st, guaranteed? Sign me up! Then I realized that in order to do an Early Decision program, not only do you have to promise to attend the school (I was fully prepared to make that promise), but you cannot even begin your application to other schools. In other words, you must torpedo your chances at all other schools, because starting an application on October 1st is way too late.

Here is the Boston University Early Decision program, for example:

BU Medical School Early Decision

Do any Early Decision programs exist that are not suicide pacts? Or do they all share this clause that you cannot even begin your other applications.

As it is, the Early Decision program seems exceedingly unwise. You basically lose a year if you get rejected.

EDP is a centralized thing via AMCAS (or whoever it is that runs the application process). It doesn't vary by school

 

[Promethean]

Not all schools use AMCAS.