Gap Years or Chances on Waitlist?

[dayman]

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I am currently sitting on the waitlists for two schools and decided to start planning out my gap years and reapplication. I decided that in order to fully improve my application (3.6 cGPA, 3.6 sGPA, 30 MCAT, average ECs), I would sit out until the 2016 cycle to reapply. I plan on retaking my MCAT, having better ECs, and my GPA also is slightly higher than it was when I applied this cycle.

I have recently been accepted into a program that I am extremely interested in pursuing during the next two years, and I believe it would help my application significantly come reapplying. The problem is that this program requires that I make a 2-year commitment in the next few weeks. I believe that after completing this program and taking the time to improve my ECs as well that I will be a more competitive candidate and stand a better chance of acceptance, or even acceptance into a more prestigious school than I currently sit on the waitlist for. I am nervous accepting the offer however when there is a chance that I get a spot off of a waitlist (although I know there is no guarantee).

Should I take these gap years and improve my application even if I am offered a spot off of a waitlist, or would this be a foolish mistake?

 

[Lya]

Usually mid- or late-May is when you know whether you will get off of a waitlist. Or you may look into specific school threads in previous years to see whether there are traditionally some movements in waitlists.

When do you have to make this decision?

 

[dayman]

I have to make this decision by the beginning of April which would not give me time to hear back about waitlists most likely which makes it more complex.

 

[Stoptheclot]

Is this a hefty commitment that you have to make in April? I don't want to sound completely naive but couldn't you "commit" and, if accepted off the wait list sometime May through August, jump ship? And I guess I'm assuming its a 2yr program beginning in the fall, correct me if I'm wrong

 

[Lya]

I have to make this decision by the beginning of April which would not give me time to hear back about waitlists most likely which makes it more complex.

If that is the case, I would look into last year's school specific thread to see if usually there are a lot of waitlist movements in May. Otherwise, I would accept that offer and assume you will not get in this cycle. However, if there are traditionally significant movements in May according to those threads, it might be worthwhile to take a chance.


The bottom line is, it really depends on your personal goals. If your goal is to get into medical school as quickly as you can, then take the chance with waitlists and the worst case scenario is to reapply next year. If you are fresh out of undergrad and don't mind taking 2 gap years, I would accept the offer and wouldn't rely on the waitlists; you already said you are extremely interested in that program, so maybe getting that life experience to enrich your next two years might be not as bad as you would think.

 

[dayman]

Is this a hefty commitment that you have to make in April? I don't want to sound completely naive but couldn't you "commit" and, if accepted off the wait list sometime May through August, jump ship? And I guess I'm assuming its a 2yr program beginning in the fall, correct me if I'm wrong

The program formally begins mid June. Once I commit by April I have to do some training and get some certifications which take some time and money but I guess it isn't a huge deal. I'm just not keen on backing out of a major commitment and burning bridges.

 

[BeancheBlanco]

The program formally begins mid June. Once I commit by April I have to do some training and get some certifications which take some time and money but I guess it isn't a huge deal. I'm just not keen on backing out of a major commitment and burning bridges.

True, but turning down an acceptance to a medical school would also be burning a bridge. If you are doing this program with the goal of getting into medical school, I would definitely never turn down an acceptance, regardless of what you end up doing with this program. If you think you can get away with committing to this program and then leaving, then go for it. If not, remember that there are plenty of good opportunities out there for gap years. Part of it depends on how awesome you think this program is.

 

[T3ckFr3s]

I'm in a similar situation as yourself OP, which is why I really wish the May 15th deadline was pushed up a month.

Anyways, I think you should go into the program. If you're not accepted you'll have the program. If you get off the waitlist, you won't need the program anyways. 🙂

 

[dayman]

I'm in a similar situation as yourself OP, which is why I really wish the May 15th deadline was pushed up a month.

Anyways, I think you should go into the program. If you're not accepted you'll have the program. If you get off the waitlist, you won't need the program anyways. 🙂

If the deadline was pushed up a month that would mean one less month of anxious waiting too 🙂

Why does making decisions about my future have to be so hard?

 

[penguinism]

What kind of program are you talking about? TFA?

Also regarding your comment about potentially declining if you're accepted off of a waitlist, don't do it. You may be able to ask for a deferral for a program like TFA, but it's more rare for schools to offer deferrals to students accepted off of a waitlist (especially a 2-year deferral, though I've seen applicants that left TFA after one year…not really sure what the stipulations were). Declining an acceptance can be a black mark. Obviously you're in a bind here, but you need to think carefully about what you really want right now.