Gasp! Are YOU thinking of deferring?

[Xmulder]

Does anyone know if certain schools grant deferrals? I have been accepted to a number of med schools, but am thinking about deferring entrance for 1 or more years.

I saw a list circulating another posting that listed "Schools with a lot of waitlist movement" and "Schools with little-to-no waitlist movement".

Is there a similar list for schools that have been known to grant deferrals to accepted applicants? If so, what are valid reasons that students cite for requesting the deferral?
Which of these reasons have worked, and which fail?

Are there specific schools that NEVER or RARELY grant deferrals? Why?
Is this at all based on whether a particular school is public or private? What about the Ivy medical schools?

Any help much appreciated!!

 

[English Chick]

I was granted a deferral from UC Davis a couple of years ago. It was a breeze ... basically I wanted the deferral because I was getting married. Other than that, I had no job and no plan. I told them the truth and they granted the deferral right away.

I also remembering hearing at my UCSD interview that their policy is to grant every request for a deferral ... some enormous percentage of the applicants who request deferrals never matriculate and the UCSD pple figure it's better to give prospective students the time and space they need to decide if they REALLY want to attend medical school or not.

Btw, I'm big on deferral - I also deferred undergrad. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

Good luck to you!

 

[Trekkie963]

Most schools are pretty open to granting one-year deferrals. It's harder to get longer than that at some schools unless you are doing something like Peace Corps or a competitive international study scholarship.

I think the two main things about requesting a deferal is you have to show that you have a plan for what to do during your time off and you have a commitment to enroll at the school following that time off.

 

[English Chick]

It's true that you have to promise to matriculate, but they can't really hold you to it. I withdrew from Davis about 6 months before I was supposed to start classes. On the other hand, you also have to promise not to apply to other medical schools while one school is holding a spot for you ... this, I think they take very seriously.

 

[Mr Reddly]

Originally posted by English Chick
basically I wanted the deferral because I was getting married.

Now there is something worth deferring!

Just curious...What about deffering off the waitlist? If they accept you 1 month before class starts, can you say "Shure! but can I get a deferral?"

 

[Trekkie963]

Originally posted by Mr Reddly
Just curious...What about deffering off the waitlist? If they accept you 1 month before class starts, can you say "Shure! but can I get a deferral?"

This varies by school. Some schools will not let you request a deferral is you are accepted off the waitlist. Some schools have calendar deadlines for deferral requests (like June 1) that would preclude someone who got in off the waitlist a month before school starts from requesting a deferral.

 

[DrJ2B]

Originally posted by Mr Reddly
Now there is something worth deferring!

Just curious...What about deffering off the waitlist? If they accept you 1 month before class starts, can you say "Shure! but can I get a deferral?"

Hey Mr Reddly!

I actually was told by many schools that if you get in off the waitlist, it will be very hard for them to let you defer. The whole point of the waitlist is to fill the class. Many schools are very reluctant to accept a student and then have the student defer and have to call another student on the waitlist. However, I am not sure about every school's policy. A few will allow students to defer if they are accepted off the waitlist in late April/early May.

 

[Newquagmire]

Originally posted by Xmulder
Are there specific schools that NEVER or RARELY grant deferrals?

somebody else mentioned to me that UCLA only grants deferrals for big name scholarships like fulbright, etc.