Giving up acceptance to re-apply?

[Chrissy]

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Hello all,

After a search on the pre-osteo forum, I did not find a thread on this specific topic so here goes...I feel profoundly dejected right now. I was just wait-listed at my first choice school...interview went great (from what i can tell), numbers significantly above school average, great volunteer/ec's, etc...

So here is my question: I have another osteopathic acceptance, but after mulling over the school i'm accepted at, I feel very uncomfortable there and really do not want to attend. I originally applied due to geography alone and it was a school that did not have a secondary so there was extremely quick turnaround for the interview and acceptance. The interview day itself gave me this feeling in addition to other issues I have researched/heard about. Bottom line is: can I turn down this acceptance and reapply next cycle? I realize I will likely not ever get into the school i'm currently accepted at again, but I really feel that I can get into my first choice or even apply more broadly to avoid a repeat of this problem...please advise? Thanks so much.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

There should be no question in your mind that if you did not jive with the program at your interview, you shouldn't go there.

Period. End of story. Re-apply, do whatever, but PLEASE do not spend 4 years in misery.

 

[bellakk]

If you felt that the interview went well, dont dispair! At the osteopathic school in my area I know that almost half their matriculating class comes from the wait list (and its a great school)! Since its late february, chances are that their class is currently full and they simply dont have a spot right now to give you. Contact the school and try to find out where you are located on the wait list and how many matriculating students usually come from the wait list. Also ask if there is anything you can immediately do to improve your chances. Maybe a call from one of your letter writers on your behalf would be of benefit, or even an additional letter from another prof or doc or even boss or voluteer boss sent directly to the school. Assuming the interview was recent or even if it wasnt, thank you notes are always appreciated. Let the school know that you were accepted elsewhere but this school truely is your "best fit". I think that schools like knowing they are getting students who were accepted at other schools b/c that means they truely are better students/applicants.
I read in some articles here on sdn that if you are waitlisted at you first choice, you should send the school a letter of intent stating that they truely are your first choice and explain why they are your first choice. I would also say to keep checking in with them. Dont be annoying-calls-all-the-time girl, but periodicaly check in to find out where you are on the waitlist.
It might be wise to go ahead and reserve your spot at the school you dont like since you can always back out later, you wont be stuck there. (if you dont mind me asking what school is this that you dont like? I am getting ready to start apps this summer and will be applying mostly to osteopathic schools). Most of all, dont give up hope!! I know a guy who got waitlisted at his #1 and was planning on going to a dif school (and was practically already moved there!) but then in late June, he got accepted to #1! Best of luck and think positive thoughts!!
(I am not sure if you are allowed to submit the ACOMAS again this summer if you're currently accepted to a school and havent rejected the invite....hopefully someone else knows this!)

 

[rockchalkjdoc]

Hello all,
So here is my question: I have another osteopathic acceptance, but after mulling over the school i'm accepted at, I feel very uncomfortable there and really do not want to attend. I originally applied due to geography alone and it was a school that did not have a secondary so there was extremely quick turnaround for the interview and acceptance. The interview day itself gave me this feeling in addition to other issues I have researched/heard about. Bottom line is: can I turn down this acceptance and reapply next cycle? I realize I will likely not ever get into the school i'm currently accepted at again, but I really feel that I can get into my first choice or even apply more broadly to avoid a repeat of this problem...please advise? Thanks so much.

Yes, you can turn down this acceptance and reapply next cycle, just understand that you're never going to have a chance at getting into that school again. Also understand that this might be the most perfect real-life example of what the "a bird in the hand" proverb is all about. As has been mentioned ad nauseum in other threads, more than 70% (subjective opinion, of course) of your medical school education is what you put into it. A mediocre school can get you into an extraordinary residency, so long as you put in the work and wisely arrange your elective/selective rotations. If, however, the hang-up is something more philosophical, passing up this acceptance might be worth considering.

That being said, before you make that final decision I would get in touch with an ADCOM from your dream school and understand what was lacking (in their eyes) in your application this time around. If it is something you realistically can improve, then mull it over, but I'd be hugely reticent in passing up an acceptance. The application process is such a crap shoot as it is, you might end up having to wait through another cycle (not being accepted until the 2011 entering class) because of some unforeseen and unpredictable circumstance.

Either way, I wish you the best in this deliberation!

 

[nevinleiby]

Great advice!

I feel the same way. Do you mind disclosing your stats? Have you got rejected at another program? Would you be able to ask what got you rejected/waitlisted? Have you shadowed a DO? DO LOR? Have you seen OMM? How much did you research regarding each school's programs? What schools are they? (PCOM, PCOM-GA, and CCOM for instance seem to be more difficult to get in for any number of reasons, imho). When did you apply/secondary? How much thought and time did you put into your secondary? Could it be your interview skills/confidence? How was your PS and your "Why I want to go into medicine" and "Tell me about yourself" and "Why osteopathy?" Did you review SDN questions for your interview?

Personally, I've had great luck applying to a number of osteo schools (8 secondaries/6 acceptances/6 interviews: LECOM-Brad, LECOM-Erie, DMU, NSUCOM, PCOM, AZCOM unless I really bombed that one on Tuesday..., CCOM rejected me before an interview, no word from PCOM-GA but I live in PA), 9p/7Pv/10b, 3.96 post-bac non-trad Computer Science, married). Although I would say that it is a game of chance, I doubt that I've been that lucky...! ESPECIALLY for osteo...they seem to balance out your app much more than allo.

Just my $0.000002

 

[fj4288]

The only point I can think of is if you reject the school you got accepted to..I think you have to state on the AACOMAS application if you have ever matriculated into a school. So if you do state yes I think some schools might look at that as a cause of concern..but then again there maybe some that don't. Should probably ask your #1 school how the admissions committe might look at that question from a reapplicant.
Hopefully, what i just stated isn't a cause of worry because I'm thinking too much into it.

Good luck with w/e you decide!

 

[engineeredout]

I could never handle going through this process again (AND ITS NOT EVEN OVER AHHH).

Maybe you should arrange a second look at the school, maybe shadow a current student around, you might think differently about what you're doing. Gotta be some quirks that you're better off putting up with rather than waiting an entire year to (maybe) get into a different school.

 

[Dissected]

The only point I can think of is if you reject the school you got accepted to..I think you have to state on the AACOMAS application if you have ever matriculated into a school. So if you do state yes I think some schools might look at that as a cause of concern..but then again there maybe some that don't. Should probably ask your #1 school how the admissions committe might look at that question from a reapplicant.
Hopefully, what i just stated isn't a cause of worry because I'm thinking too much into it.

Good luck with w/e you decide!

"matriculation" means actually enrolling and going to a school on the first day. matriculation and acceptance are two VERY different things.

 

[jason3278]

"matriculation" means actually enrolling and going to a school on the first day. matriculation and acceptance are two VERY different things.

The meaning of "matriculation" is a bit vague, but it is sometimes defined as having accepted an admissions offer and paying your deposit. You don't necessarily have to have started going to classes to be considered "matriculated".

 

[Revilla]

The only point I can think of is if you reject the school you got accepted to..I think you have to state on the AACOMAS application if you have ever matriculated into a school. So if you do state yes I think some schools might look at that as a cause of concern..but then again there maybe some that don't. Should probably ask your #1 school how the admissions committe might look at that question from a reapplicant.
Hopefully, what i just stated isn't a cause of worry because I'm thinking too much into it.

Good luck with w/e you decide!

I think some secondaries also ask if you've ever been accepted to a med school, not just matriculated. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Demas567]

The meaning of "matriculation" is a bit vague, but it is sometimes defined as having accepted an admissions offer and paying your deposit. You don't necessarily have to have started going to classes to be considered "matriculated".

Right..... So, based on your definition, I have "matriculated" into 9 med schools already.

 

[jason3278]

Right..... So, based on your definition, I have "matriculated" into 9 med schools already.

Matriculated basically means that you've enrolled. I wasn't clear on my original post. What I should have said was that you may be considered to be matriculated/enrolled after accepting an admissions offer, making all required deposits, and signing the necessary documents, etc. My point is that you don't need to have started classes to be considered "enrolled" or "matriculated". Is there anything else?

 

[Altruist]

I could never handle going through this process again (AND ITS NOT EVEN OVER AHHH).

Maybe you should arrange a second look at the school, maybe shadow a current student around, you might think differently about what you're doing. Gotta be some quirks that you're better off putting up with rather than waiting an entire year to (maybe) get into a different school.

Engineered's advice mirrors my thoughts. While it is a good point to say that if you know you won't be happy somewhere, you shouldn't go; the other side of it is that it's better to become a physician at your last choice school than to not become one... Right?

In this situation, a second look at the school where you hold an acceptance would be extremely useful to you. The school obviously thinks you're a match for the place or they wouldn't have offered you a spot; it's worth investigating why that might be.

Be sure to also consider the opportunity cost of applying again next year. Med school tuition is going to keep going up every year, and you'll be another year older if/when you get in (which may not be an issue depending on your age). There's also the application costs, and travel costs to interviews. Plus, assuming you don't get in off the waitlist this year, you'd probably be wise to invest some time in taking a class or two (maybe), doing research, or improving your app in some other way.

For me, the school would have to be a complete ****hole for me to ditch an acceptance when the alternative is another random walk through the application process.

Hope you get in off the waitlist, making this a non-issue.

 

[LadyFire]

If going there would really make you uncomfortable to where you don't feel like you would get a good education from it then I would say look into whether you would have significant issues reapplying next cycle. However if it's just that the school is your least favorite but you still feel like you would get the necessay education to be a good doctor, I'm with Altruist and Engineered on this and think you it might be good to take another look.

Maybe you could visit the school on a weekend or if you live close enough during the week. I know you wouldn't be able to walk around unless you're in a formal tour but you can at least usually get a feel for the campus environment and how the students feel about being there. Also look around at last year's threads and see if you can contact a member of SDN that matriculated to that school. I've found that most people are incredibly nice when a random person PMs them asking for advice 😉 Just remember that the process is a gamble and getting more competitive every year. Good luck and let us know what happens!

 

[Dissected]

Matriculated basically means that you've enrolled. I wasn't clear on my original post. What I should have said was that you may be considered to be matriculated/enrolled after accepting an admissions offer, making all required deposits, and signing the necessary documents, etc. My point is that you don't need to have started classes to be considered "enrolled" or "matriculated". Is there anything else?

Paying a deposit and signing all of the paperwork doesn't enroll you in classes or officially make you a member of the class. It just saves you a seat until you show up at the end of the summer. Im pretty sure the white coat cerimony/orientation traditionally marks the beginning of matriculation into a medical school, but officially it will be in the end of orientation when a student, like you said, enrolls in classes.


AAMC:

#9-"No school make an acceptance offer, either verbal or written, to any individual who has enrolled in, or begun an orientation program immediately prior to enrollment at, a U.S. or Canadian school. Enrollment is defined as being officially matriculated as a member of the school's first-year entering class"
-It would appear that enrollment occurs very close to the beginning of classes, since it is defined here as after orientation week. Since schools can offer acceptances throughout the year and into the summer, nobody could have matriculated until at least July. My cousin turned down an acceptance in early July to take one at Tufts. By this defenition, he could not have matriculated into his other school yet or the AAMC would have forbidden Tufts to make such an offer.

Being accpted means you can come, paying a deposit reserves your seat, and actually being enrolled in the program, (usually sometime around orientation week) confers matriculation

So OP, if you decline this acceptance you do not have to put that you have matriculated into any medical schools if asked in future applications. You will obviously have to reveal that you have been accepted if they ask at any point in the application process.

 

[jason3278]

Paying a deposit and signing all of the paperwork doesn't enroll you in classes or officially make you a member of the class. It just saves you a seat until you show up at the end of the summer. Im pretty sure the white coat cerimony/orientation traditionally marks the beginning of matriculation into a medical school, but officially it will be in the end of orientation when a student, like you said, enrolls in classes.


AAMC:

#9-"No school make an acceptance offer, either verbal or written, to any individual who has enrolled in, or begun an orientation program immediately prior to enrollment at, a U.S. or Canadian school. Enrollment is defined as being officially matriculated as a member of the school's first-year entering class"
-It would appear that enrollment occurs very close to the beginning of classes, since it is defined here as after orientation week. Since schools can offer acceptances throughout the year and into the summer, nobody could have matriculated until at least July. My cousin turned down an acceptance in early July to take one at Tufts. By this defenition, he could not have matriculated into his other school yet or the AAMC would have forbidden Tufts to make such an offer.

Being accpted means you can come, paying a deposit reserves your seat, and actually being enrolled in the program, (usually sometime around orientation week) confers matriculation

So OP, if you decline this acceptance you do not have to put that you have matriculated into any medical schools if asked in future applications. You will obviously have to reveal that you have been accepted if they ask at any point in the application process.

Thank you for clarifying. And thank you for not being a jack*** about it. 👍

However, AMCAS does have this bit about matriculation:

Previous Matriculation
Answer YES to this question if you have ever matriculated into an allopathic medical degree (M.D.) program
at a medical school regardless of country. Your matriculation status may not be dependent upon
registration, enrollment, or the initiation/completion of Coursework. Check with the medical school if
you have any question regarding your matriculation status.

It is the bolded section that concerns me. If matriculation doesn't depend on enrollment, registration, or the initiation of coursework, then what does it depend on?

 

[Dissected]

Answer YES to this question if you have ever matriculated into an allopathic medical degree (M.D.) program
at a medical school regardless of country. Your matriculation status may not be dependent upon
registration, enrollment, or the initiation/completion of Coursework. Check with the medical school if
you have any question regarding your matriculation status.

Hmm...that is quite strange. I guess it would always be best to be on the same page as whatever medical school accepted you, OP. They'll know best.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Yep, you guys can see this debate each year since SDN began. I think all the salient points have now been covered. 😀

 

[Dissected]

Yep, you guys can see this debate each year since SDN began. I think all the salient points have now been covered. 😀

That must have been entertaining for you to watch

 

[Chocolate Bear]

That must have been entertaining for you to watch

Indeed it was. I didn't have time to cite any facts, so I let you guys duke it out. Hope nobody got too hurt. 😉

 

[Chrissy]

Thank you for all the replies! For those wondering my stats are ok i think...29 mcat, 3.75 sGPA, 3.8 post-bacc GPA...both from Ivy...I'm a bit older so I have definitely covered all my bases from bench research to clinical to orderly to community service...I have shadowed 2 osteopathic physicians, both affiliated with the school I reeeally want to get into...one is even on the admissions committee...based on some digging it seems that even though I applied in october my app was a bit late and by this point the majority of the class is full so they are being extremely selective in who they accept...so thanks again for all the advice! also i'm on one allo waitlist...

 

[LadyFire]

Thank you for all the replies! For those wondering my stats are ok i think...29 mcat, 3.75 sGPA, 3.8 post-bacc GPA...both from Ivy...I'm a bit older so I have definitely covered all my bases from bench research to clinical to orderly to community service...I have shadowed 2 osteopathic physicians, both affiliated with the school I reeeally want to get into...one is even on the admissions committee...based on some digging it seems that even though I applied in october my app was a bit late and by this point the majority of the class is full so they are being extremely selective in who they accept...so thanks again for all the advice! also i'm on one allo waitlist...

How many schools did you apply to? With those stats even applying in Oct I would think you'd have gotten at least a few acceptances.

 

[fj4288]

Going off from my previous post please do check about the accepted and/or matriculation definition by your #1 school. Finding out right now then later on might save you some trouble..and it's not like any harm is being done to ask for clarification regarding that issue. Good luck with w/e you choose! 🙂

 

[Tuckermans]

Just a quick thought. You could also give the school a shot and if you still hate it you can transfer into another one. Im not sure how prevalent transfers are in Medical school, but all the schools I visited had rules set up for transferring in before year 3. So if you go and still hate it, you have another option with that. I hope this all works out!

 

[235750]

Bottom line is: can I turn down this acceptance and reapply next cycle? I realize I will likely not ever get into the school i'm currently accepted at again, but I really feel that I can get into my first choice or even apply more broadly to avoid a repeat of this problem...please advise? Thanks so much.

I've been in this spot twice before. I've been applied to med school more times then I care to admit (ok, ok, 4 times over the years) and I can tell you that for me it was worth it to turn down an acceptance to reapply again. So, it may be worth it to wait for your school of choice

I say 'may' because it depends on how much you dislike or hate the best of the current school(s) you've been accepted to. This is the key. When I first applied years ago I didn't get into any schools, but times 2-3 I got into at least one place, but they were at places I hated. And I mean going there for four years would have hell. As Buckeye(OH) mentioned, that should be a no brainer to say 'no'. Now, there are those who will say that I should not have applied to those places in the first place (that goes for you as well Chrissy 🙂), but I'm sure you were the same in that you didn't actually go to the school until you interviewed there. Obviosuly as people had mentioned, once you turn down a school don't expect them to consider you ever again.

Make a list of the pros and cons of the schools you got into. Now look at how your top school would change that list. Finally, share that list with us here on SDN 🙂

I should mention that I was single with no responsibilities when I applied to medical school those previous times. Had I not gotten my pick this time around, I would've had to bite the bullet and just go with it. I feel that us older non-trads have time against us, and that may be a factor in your decision

Also, do NOT rely on the option of tranferring as Tuckermans suggested. That is not a reliable choice. Very few students who apply to transfer are successful. Do not go to a school unless you plan on attending for the full 4 years.

 

[thewendster]

What's your overall GPA? I didn't see that listed.

Thank you for all the replies! For those wondering my stats are ok i think...29 mcat, 3.75 sGPA, 3.8 post-bacc GPA...both from Ivy...I'm a bit older so I have definitely covered all my bases from bench research to clinical to orderly to community service...I have shadowed 2 osteopathic physicians, both affiliated with the school I reeeally want to get into...one is even on the admissions committee...based on some digging it seems that even though I applied in october my app was a bit late and by this point the majority of the class is full so they are being extremely selective in who they accept...so thanks again for all the advice! also i'm on one allo waitlist...

 

[saylorsdad]

my advice is to keep your seat after all do you have a hundred thousand to throw away? you will make at least that as a doctor for one year salary. every year you don't get in is going to cost you one year salary.

 

[engineeredout]

Thank you for all the replies! For those wondering my stats are ok i think...29 mcat, 3.75 sGPA, 3.8 post-bacc GPA...both from Ivy...I'm a bit older so I have definitely covered all my bases from bench research to clinical to orderly to community service...I have shadowed 2 osteopathic physicians, both affiliated with the school I reeeally want to get into...one is even on the admissions committee...based on some digging it seems that even though I applied in october my app was a bit late and by this point the majority of the class is full so they are being extremely selective in who they accept...so thanks again for all the advice! also i'm on one allo waitlist...

Can you elaborate more on the reasons why you'd rather go through the app process again rather than go to this school? This place must be really F'ed up for you to not want to go there.

Doesn't really matter, but I bet I can guess what school it is.

 

[saylorsdad]

I am wondering if the op is wanting to wait on a md school they prefer over do school they got into?

 

[Pony46]

I am wondering if the op is wanting to wait on a md school they prefer over do school they got into?

That was a question in my mind too. 🙂

 

[Bleurberry]

The below citation doesn't refute Jason's argument that matriculation begins with your acceptance and deposit. I *AM* matriculated/enrolled at PCOM, as we all are who have been accepted, and have access to nucleus, can get our ID cards, etc. etc. etc.

Paying a deposit and signing all of the paperwork doesn't enroll you in classes or officially make you a member of the class. It just saves you a seat until you show up at the end of the summer. Im pretty sure the white coat cerimony/orientation traditionally marks the beginning of matriculation into a medical school, but officially it will be in the end of orientation when a student, like you said, enrolls in classes.


AAMC:

#9-"No school make an acceptance offer, either verbal or written, to any individual who has enrolled in, or begun an orientation program immediately prior to enrollment at, a U.S. or Canadian school. Enrollment is defined as being officially matriculated as a member of the school's first-year entering class"
-It would appear that enrollment occurs very close to the beginning of classes, since it is defined here as after orientation week. Since schools can offer acceptances throughout the year and into the summer, nobody could have matriculated until at least July. My cousin turned down an acceptance in early July to take one at Tufts. By this defenition, he could not have matriculated into his other school yet or the AAMC would have forbidden Tufts to make such an offer.

Being accpted means you can come, paying a deposit reserves your seat, and actually being enrolled in the program, (usually sometime around orientation week) confers matriculation

So OP, if you decline this acceptance you do not have to put that you have matriculated into any medical schools if asked in future applications. You will obviously have to reveal that you have been accepted if they ask at any point in the application process.

 

[Bleurberry]

Did anyone else pick up on the OP's mention that there
was no secondary?

 

[Pony46]

Did anyone else pick up on the OP's mention that there
was no secondary?

Now that you mention it - yes....

They must mean secondary with interview invite. Right?
🙂

 

[Bleurberry]

Now that you mention it - yes....

They must mean secondary with interview invite. Right?
🙂

The only thing I can fathom is that it's a brand new school that didn't bother doing one as part of the process. But I'm having a hard time understanding why on earth not. Seems to me the secondary is a pretty valuable tool in separating the wheat from the chaff. Unless they just didn't get an overwhelming amount of applications in the first place.

 

[Vita]

WVSOM doesn't send a secondary until you are invited for an interview. NYCOM is the same way.

 

[235750]

Secondaries are worthless. They just restate information you can get from your AACOMAS 9 times out of 10, plus there is usually a hefty fee (see TOURO-NY)

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Secondaries are worthless. They just restate information you can get from your AACOMAS 9 times out of 10, plus there is usually a hefty fee (see TOURO-NY)

Some essays, like "Why XCOM?" or "Why should XCOM accept you into the first year's class?" give you the opportunity to tell why you'd fit a certain program infinitely better than the primary app.