Forced to commit to enroll by May 15. Looking for Advice.

[rasputinc]

I recently received an email from a medical school I was accepted to informing me that I had to commit to enroll to the school by May 15th. As far as I know there had been no mention of this previously.

I am on the waitlist at my top choice and am now panicking a bit about what to do. I am planning on sending an email to the school I was accepted to asking for an extension as well as sending an email to the wait list school letting them know the new deadline in my life. Does anyone have any advice? Is the school requiring the commitment allowed to do this?

I am of course grateful to be accepted to any school but it would mean the world to me if I got accepted to my waitlist school as my girlfriend and family live in the city the school is in. In past years there has been lots of waitlist movement at this school in early June and I don't want to destroy my chances of getting in unless I absolutely have to. Any advice? Thanks!

edit: I also live in the city of the school I am waitlisted at. Would it be a bad idea to mention in the email I send to them that I am willing to meet in person and discuss this issue if possible?

@Goro @gonnif @gyngyn @LizzyM

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[gyngyn]

They are allowed to do this.
Now that there are no traffic rules, this will become commonplace, I'm afraid.

 

[deleted787552]

I would wait it out until the 14th and then CTE if you haven’t heard anything. Asking for an extension is probably pointless and possibly insulting. You should email your top choice though and see what they say after explaining your situation, but giving up an acceptance for a possible WL spot is ill advised

 

[mariposas905]

If it's the only school you have been accepted to, then I would definitely CTE unless the WL school can offer you a spot before the 15th you don't want to risk losing your only acceptance

 

[rasputinc]

Wow yea it seems a bit shady of them to give a 10 day notice that this is the new policy. I guess my best course of action is to email my waitlist school and let them know of the new development...

 

[Blanky]

How is that even possible? If classes haven't started yet how can the hold you from withdrawing and accepting the WL?

 

[gyngyn]

How is that even possible? If classes haven't started yet how can the hold you from withdrawing and accepting the WL?

It's a Brave New World.
The schools have been forced into making such rules since the AAMC lacks the backbone to do...anything of value.

 

[Blanky]

Sure but explain how they can force anything?

First school asks for commit in May but how does that actually bind you to anything and remove any WL?

 

[gyngyn]

Sure but explain how they can force anything?

First school asks for commit in May but how does that actually bind you to anything and remove any WL?

If they require that you withdraw from waitlists, they could require a screenshot of proof that you have done so.

 

[efle]

If they require that you withdraw from waitlists, they could require a screenshot of proof that you have done so.

Surely it can't be legal for them to rescind your admit just because you're waiting to hear back final decisions elsewhere? Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen

 

[Mr. Babe]

Contact your dream school and see if they can give you any information on whether you have a chance at being accepted. You have nothing to lose at this point so if they give you bad news you can accept with this other school and you'll still be a doctor.

 

[TaiLopez]

Call the waitlist school and tell them you have to CTE by the 15th

 

[965978]

If they require that you withdraw from waitlists, they could require a screenshot of proof that you have done so.

How would schools even know what waitlists you’re on, let alone require screenshots of withdrawal?

I hope that schools will have the professional decency to not accept students that have CTE’d elsewhere.

 

[965978]

Surely it can't be legal for them to rescind your admit just because you're waiting to hear back final decisions elsewhere? Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen

I believe they can because a school has the legal right to verify someone’s commitment using any reasonable means.

 

[efle]

Perfectly legal. Each medical school is a separate legal entity and you apply to them following their policy. You could make the argument that the school had not clearly stated the policy earlier but since AMCAS/AAMC published its rules about what each school could do, it can be argued that it was up to applicant to find out policy for their schools

(from Traffic Rule)
In addition to any condition included in a school’s offer letter, after April 30, each school may exercise its school-specific procedures to confirm an accepted applicant’s intention to matriculate or to ensure that it fills each seat in its entering class. If a school is unable to confirm an applicant’s intention to matriculate, the school may choose to rescind the acceptance.

This is nuts. What's to prevent a school from telling everyone on May 1st, "commit in the next 24 hours or your spot is forfeit"? In fact that would be in schools' best interest, lock in all their admits before they have any chance of being poached

I cannot believe the AAMC failed to build in a guaranteed waitlist movement period

 

[Quantal Reasoning]

This is nuts. What's to prevent a school from telling everyone on May 1st, "commit in the next 24 hours or your spot is forfeit"? In fact that would be in schools' best interest, lock in all their admits before they have any chance of being poached

I cannot believe the AAMC failed to build in a guaranteed waitlist movement period

You can't? I can

 

[Blanky]

Same situation for MD schools seeing DO acceptances?

 

[rasputinc]

The school has the right to rescind without notice.

If your goal is to go to medical school, then take the acceptance you have and move on
If your goal is to go to a specific medical school, then drop your acceptance and hope a waitlist position comes thru

This is your choice:

Oh man that is scary. Do you think it would be a bad idea to email the school requesting an extension for this one waitlist? I feel like it is a reasonable thing to do but really don't want to jeopardize anything.

 

[deleted787552]

Same situation for MD schools seeing DO acceptances?

I don’t think so since they’re different applications. DO schools don’t use amcas.

Oh man that is scary. Do you think it would be a bad idea to email the school requesting an extension for this one waitlist? I feel like it is a reasonable thing to do but really don't want to jeopardize anything.

My question to you is why you think there’s even a chance that they would give you an extension? Why would this be reasonable? Do you have a gaurentee that the other school will accept you by x date? What deadline would you even request? I highly doubt a school will move an established deadline for a single applicant just so they have the chance to not go to their school. Shoot your shot I guess

 

[965978]

I don’t think so since they’re different applications. DO schools don’t use amcas.

My question to you is why you think there’s even a chance that they would give you an extension? Why would this be reasonable? Do you have a gaurentee that the other school will accept you by x date? What deadline would you even request? I highly doubt a school will move an established deadline for a single applicant just so they have the chance to not go to their school. Shoot your shot I guess

My point exactly. The whole point of having a mid-May CTE date is to lock in your class.

I think OP might be hoping for some sympathy from the school. And while I defienty do sympathize with OP because they want to stay close to family, there are thousands of people each year that have no choice but to move far away from home.

 

[rasputinc]

I guess I am just shocked by the suddenness of the deadline. Letting us know 10 days out seems a bit harsh, that's really the main reason I thought it might be reasonable to ask for an extension- due to the fact that they never hinted at this deadline until now.

 

[965978]

I guess I am just shocked by the suddenness of the deadline. Letting us know 10 days out seems a bit harsh, that's really the main reason I thought it might be reasonable to ask for an extension- due to the fact that they never hinted at this deadline until now.

Did you reread your entire acceptance letter to make sure they didn’t mention it earlier?

 

[rasputinc]

Did you reread your entire acceptance letter to make sure they didn’t mention it earlier?

yep straight out of the blue

 

[givesumacceptpls]

yep straight out of the blue

Some have it deep in the website, my man
I think good on the school for sending reminders out of professional courtesy
It's better than getting booted out without realizing why

 

[deleted787552]

My point exactly. The whole point of having a mid-May CTE date is to lock in your class.

I think OP might be hoping for some sympathy from the school. And while I defienty do sympathize with OP because they want to stay close to family, there are thousands of people each year that have no choice but to move far away from home.

I agree, schools want to lock in their class early on especially due to the new changes in traffic rules and all. It does suck for OP but that's life. In this game, the medical schools choose you, not the other way around for most people

I guess I am just shocked by the suddenness of the deadline. Letting us know 10 days out seems a bit harsh, that's really the main reason I thought it might be reasonable to ask for an extension- due to the fact that they never hinted at this deadline until now.

It sucks man, but the school's got the upper hand here. You could shoot them an email but I'd be worried it would come off negatively

 

[ciestar]

Despite how LOI’s are viewed, it is time for you to craft a letter to your WL school and explain exactly this. That you’re holding an acceptance and have a CTE deadline very soon. Explain that you’d 100% go there for reasons you listed plus whatever love statements about their school you wanna throw in. For the WL school, you have nothing to lose by doing this as you haven’t been accepted.

Asking for an extension is silly. What would you say? “I am hoping for an acceptance from a school im waitlisted at, can you wait?” I highly doubt it will work. That, and someone alluded to it before, you don’t know when the WL school would reach out to you.

 

[getdown]

Sorry bro. Just be glad you have an acceptance at all. You'll make it work. Med school is only 4 years.

 

[sargon2123]

We need to make a list of schools with unreasonable CTE dates to show to future applicants. This right here is the endgame of the traffic rule changes

 

[965978]

We need to make a list of schools with unreasonable CTE dates to show to future applicants. This right here is the endgame of the traffic rule changes

It won’t change anything. People will still apply because they want to go to med school.

It’s kind of like how some people apply to schools with 90k tuition. They seem fine with it in the beginning. But a year later, the only school they got into is a school with 90k tuition. And then reality hits them like a truck.

Bottom line: the desperation to get into any med school will cloud your judgement.

 

[sargon2123]

It won’t change anything. People will still apply because they want to go to med school.

It’s kind of like how some people apply to schools with 90k tuition. They seem fine with it in the beginning. But a year later, the only school they got into is a school with 90k tuition. And then reality hits them like a truck.

Bottom line: the desperation to get into any med school will cloud your judgement.

For the 100’s of people with multiple A’s it’ll help, and it will hurt the schools that have unreasonable CTE dates and are vying for some of these 100’s of people

 

[gyngyn]

Surely it can't be legal for them to rescind your admit just because you're waiting to hear back final decisions elsewhere? Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen

It's entirely legal. It is a predictable outcome of the AAMC's failure to protect the traffic rules.

 

[Goro]

It won’t change anything. People will still apply because they want to go to med school.

It’s kind of like how some people apply to schools with 90k tuition. They seem fine with it in the beginning. But a year later, the only school they got into is a school with 90k tuition. And then reality hits them like a truck.

Bottom line: the desperation to get into any med school will cloud your judgement.

Or having Tiger parents.

 

[Goro]

I recently received an email from a medical school I was accepted to informing me that I had to commit to enroll to the school by May 15th. As far as I know there had been no mention of this previously.

I am on the waitlist at my top choice and am now panicking a bit about what to do. I am planning on sending an email to the school I was accepted to asking for an extension as well as sending an email to the wait list school letting them know the new deadline in my life. Does anyone have any advice? Is the school requiring the commitment allowed to do this?

I am of course grateful to be accepted to any school but it would mean the world to me if I got accepted to my waitlist school as my girlfriend and family live in the city the school is in. In past years there has been lots of waitlist movement at this school in early June and I don't want to destroy my chances of getting in unless I absolutely have to. Any advice? Thanks!

edit: I also live in the city of the school I am waitlisted at. Would it be a bad idea to mention in the email I send to them that I am willing to meet in person and discuss this issue if possible?

@Goro @gonnif @gyngyn @LizzyM

OP, what choice do you have?????
I agree that you have a limited window to reach out to your waitlist school and give them an LOI.

Do let us know how things turn out! This will help us advise future SDNers.

 

[efle]

It's entirely legal. It is a predictable outcome of the AAMC's failure to protect the traffic rules.

Why did they do this? I just don't understand their motivations for not building in a month of waitlist movement. What would it ever cost them to say everyone picks one admit April 30, and waitlists can be held until May 30?

 

[deleted938090]

You should name and shame so people are aware of this policy when applying to this school.

 

[gyngyn]

Why did they do this? I just don't understand their motivations for not building in a month of waitlist movement. What would it ever cost them to say everyone picks one admit April 30, and waitlists can be held until May 30?

Their lawyers have told them that any control exerted over this process puts the AAMC at risk.

 

[efle]

Their lawyers have told them that any control exerted over this process puts the AAMC at risk.

I guess we should just consider it lucky there's a ban on this until April 30. Otherwise it'll turn into a system like Early Decision where schools tell you in late autumn you have to immediately withdraw all other applications before even hearing back.

 

[4thtimeretaker]

What did the school end up saying? very curious

 

[OchemOficionado]

We need to make a list of schools with unreasonable CTE dates to show to future applicants. This right here is the endgame of the traffic rule changes

The dates can change next year. I’ve already seen that some of them are different and are on the new MSAR, but we are trying to get a list going.

2018-2019 "Commit to Enroll" Deadlines

This thread was suggested so that applicants can view this information in one place so let's see if we can compile a list. Please feel free to make additions and corrections where necessary. Selecting "Commit to Enroll" at a school means that you're agreeing to communicate to your other...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[rasputinc]

I've contacted the waitlist school and emphasized the deadline. I have not contacted the school that set the deadline. I might on Monday if I have not heard back from the waitlist school

 

[freelancePsychic]

Otherwise it'll turn into a system like Early Decision where schools tell you in late autumn you have to immediately withdraw all other applications before even hearing back.

That’s how residency offers used to be before the match. You’d have to commit or reject on the phone with the hospital.

 

[LizzyM]

In essence, it is like saying that students must matriculate on May 15th whether or not they've completed the undergrad degree. Just think of this CTE like a matriculation date. If it is early, the less opportunity you have to wait for a waitlist to come through and, on the other hand, the less the school has to worry about melt (losing students who said they were coming and then fade away during the academic year.

 

[rasputinc]

Update: was accepted off the wait list and supppppeeerrrrrr relieved. Very happy to have this week of stress over with. I still think it is pretty sneaky of that one school to drop a sudden deadline one me. I mentioned it in my acceptance withdrawal email so will see if they have any explanation.

I was planning on emailing them monday to ask for an extension if I hadn't heard back from the waitlist

 

[mariposas905]

Update: was accepted off the wait list and supppppeeerrrrrr relieved. Very happy to have this week of stress over with. I still think it is pretty sneaky of that one school to drop a sudden deadline one me. I mentioned it in my acceptance withdrawal email so will see if they have any explanation.

I was planning on emailing them monday to ask for an extension if I hadn't heard back from the waitlist

Hey congrats! I am in a similar situation and was wondering if you would be willing to PM or share how you worded your email to the WL school?

 

[rasputinc]

Hey congrats! I am in a similar situation and was wondering if you would be willing to PM or share how you worded your email to the WL school?

Thanks! Sorry you're in a similar situation, it's stressful. Essentially I told the WL school the situation, including the name of the school that put the deadline down suddenly. I then emphasized why I thought I would be a better fit for the WL schools mission than the accepted schools mission and how enthusiastic I was to attend the WL school (all true). I then concluded by asking if it would be possible to receive an admissions decision from the WL school before the deadline.

So yea pretty straight forward. I had a suspicion that I was a decent fit for the WL school anyways so was a bit bolder than if I thought it was a stretch

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I don’t think so since they’re different applications. DO schools don’t use amcas.

My question to you is why you think there’s even a chance that they would give you an extension? Why would this be reasonable? Do you have a gaurentee that the other school will accept you by x date? What deadline would you even request? I highly doubt a school will move an established deadline for a single applicant just so they have the chance to not go to their school. Shoot your shot I guess

@rasputinc
I know a couple people who were given extensions, and from top schools. Deans understand it is rough out there this year. There is no harm in asking. They are not going to rescind your acceptance because you asked for an extension.