How to tell Dean of Admissions you're not interested in Early Decision?

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[RogueUnicorn]

just be honest, and remember that early decisions locks you out of any financial aid consideration at other schools

 

[mvenus929]

If you're a candidate worth your salt, he should realize that other schools would want you as well; the reason he is likely suggesting Early Decision is so that he knows you will go there if accepted. Just say you want to keep your options open to find a school that is *the* best fit for you.

 

[glasshalfMD]

I'm meeting with a Dean of Admissions next week before applying to medical schools in June. He is Dean of admissions at the medical school that
1) is my state school
2) is 15 minutes from my home
3) has employed me for three years (all my research)
4) housed the SMP program in which I succeeded

In a past meeting he suggested I consider Early Decision (he was just throwing it out there at the time, said we would further look at my options at our next meeting).

There are a million reasons for me to go there, but I don't want to do early decision for a few reasons. My main one is that I haven't decided whether I want to go there or not if I am lucky enough to be accepted to other comparatively-priced schools with better rotations, facilities, etc. However, if he tells me "you should really do early decision; I like your chances with that" I don't want it to seem like I'm saying no mainly because I want to press my luck with other schools: I would him to keep thinking his school is something like my top choice.

Any ideas on how I should word my lack of desire to apply early decision?
One thought I had:

• explain that I wouldn't want to risk acceptance on the possibility of having one poor interview which sometimes happens just by chance

I don't think you should be too worried about it. Let him know that you really like the school and the program (and the proximity to your family, etc) but that you want to look outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself, too. If you like the bubble you're in and want to remain within 15 minutes of your home, all the more power to you - but I think it's totally natural for someone fresh out of college or graduate school, etc. to want to spread his/her wings a little bit and see what else is out there. There's no harm in being honest - as long as you still display a strong interest, he'll still think a lot of you. In fact, if he really really likes you, he may fight for you to go to his school and offer you some scholarships during the process or something - ya never know 😉

Good luck!

 

[FIREitUP]

Personally, I would just say that, as much as you love the school, you cannot afford to put all of your eggs in one basket, so you will be applying to said school in addition to the other schools. Applying ED and not getting in is massive fail and forces you to scramble and apply late to other programs.

 

[wanderer]

It's a gamble, but from what the dean is saying he's very likely to get in at that school. So if he really wants to go there it's probably worth it.

The thing is, that unless you're stuck in a particular location it's not good to limit your choices so soon. You learn a lot about different schools and yourself while interviewing at different places.

 

[NickNaylor]

ED is a raw deal. I wouldn't do it.

 

[fahimaz7]

I'd go EDP and be happy that I have an acceptance to a medical school Rotation sights are over-rated, and there's no guarantee that you will even get the ones that you want in the first place, much less at the location that you are interested in.

For example, we have over 50 different sites for pediatrics alone, with multiple different attendings/tracks within the same site (ie if 3 people match into elective A at site X, student 1 is with the general peds group, student 2 is with the subspecialty group, and student 3 is with hem/onc or cardio, etc).

Take the acceptance and be stoked!

PS. If you had to do a SMP in the first place, there's a good chance that you're not a 3.8/35 student with a ton of OOS options (or private for that matter). Keep things in perspective when it comes time to reapply.

 

[patel2]

don't do it, but if you are even anywhere near close to on the fence do some searches. If the dean tells you to, just smile and say you are either undecided or will keep your options open. But definitely do not take anything he says at his word.

In my past year as an SDN member, I have seen at least 5 threads of deans telling students to apply EDP, telling them that they have a great chance to get in, and then the students will get deferred/rejected/waitlisted. And some of these people had equally strong ties to the school as you do.

EDP is great for schools, but they really don't care at all about you, it just benefits them by making their hand-picked selection of the class easier.

 

[blackarrowmoose]

I'm meeting with a Dean of Admissions next week before applying to medical schools in June. He is Dean of admissions at the medical school that
1) is my state school
2) is 15 minutes from my home
3) has employed me for three years (all my research)
4) housed the SMP program in which I succeeded

In a past meeting he suggested I consider Early Decision (he was just throwing it out there at the time, said we would further look at my options at our next meeting).

There are a million reasons for me to go there, but I don't want to do early decision for a few reasons. My main one is that I haven't decided whether I want to go there or not if I am lucky enough to be accepted to other comparatively-priced schools with better rotations, facilities, etc. However, if he tells me "you should really do early decision; I like your chances with that" I don't want it to seem like I'm saying no mainly because I want to press my luck with other schools: I would him to keep thinking his school is something like my top choice.

Any ideas on how I should word my lack of desire to apply early decision?
One thought I had:

• explain that I wouldn't want to risk acceptance on the possibility of having one poor interview which sometimes happens just by chance

look dude it seems like you have a 95% chance of getting IN if you do EDP with this school. Want to become a doctor? Just go there! Don't risk it.

 

[Musclemass]

I'm meeting with a Dean of Admissions next week before applying to medical schools in June. ...

Why?

You presumably asked for the meeting, what are you trying to accomplish? You don't expect him to give you encouragement about Brand X school instead of his school.

If you don't want to have a frank discussion, don't have a meeting. You may be doing yourself more harm than good. For you to request a meeting and then show less than 100% commitment is a mistake.

 

[raltima07]

why?

You presumably asked for the meeting, what are you trying to accomplish? You don't expect him to give you encouragement about brand x school instead of his school.

If you don't want to have a frank discussion, don't have a meeting. You may be doing yourself more harm than good. For you to request a meeting and then show less than 100% commitment is a mistake.

+1

 

[OoEeOoAhAh]

The thing is, that unless you're stuck in a particular location it's not good to limit your choices so soon. You learn a lot about different schools and yourself while interviewing at different places.

Go with this. It shouldn't be your primary reason, but it makes a darn good secondary one.

 

[Spin]

I say don't do it. You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket because no matter how encouraging the dean is, you don't know you'll get accepted... in which case you'll be screwed at other places. You also don't want to lock yourself out of financial aid considerations at other schools. The dean should be aware of these things, so I'm sure he won't be shocked that you're leaning away from early decision.

I would just be honest. Say that you really like this school and it's definitely one of your top choices, but you want to know your options before you make a decision like this, plus the concerns I listed above.

Whatever you do, DON'T commit to doing EDP at this meeting. Even if he convinces you 100% to go for it, tell him that it's really tempting but that you want to sleep on it/think about it/etc. You don't want to make a decision like this under pressure.

 

[Spin]

look dude it seems like you have a 95% chance of getting IN if you do EDP with this school. Want to become a doctor? Just go there! Don't risk it.

If this were the case, I'd say to go for it. But I think that the OP has a better chance of becoming a doctor if they apply broadly and early. EDP only lets the OP apply early to one place... and LATE to everywhere else.

So: don't risk it! Apply normal decision.

 

[Nappy Napoleon]

How exactly does that lock you out of FinAid at other places?

 

[WashMe]

How exactly does that lock you out of FinAid at other places?

I could be wrong, but I think if you're accepted early then it's binding. Otherwise people would apply ED to 30 schools then just turn down their acceptances as better offers roll in.

The OP should NOT do ED, unless the school is the #1 choice even at full price. Why would a school offer financial incentives to someone who is locked in? Waiting for several offers and comparing them is the best idea.

 

[NickNaylor]

How exactly does that lock you out of FinAid at other places?

See the above. If you're accepted by ED, you can't apply to any other schools and must go to that school regardless of anything else. Thus, you better either have a bunch of money or hope that you get a great financial aid package. There won't be any sort of "negotiation."

 

[gettheleadout]

I could be wrong, but I think if you're accepted early then it's binding. Otherwise people would apply ED to 30 schools then just turn down their acceptances as better offers roll in.

The OP should NOT do ED, unless the school is the #1 choice even at full price. Why would a school offer financial incentives to someone who is locked in? Waiting for several offers and comparing them is the best idea.

See the above. If you're accepted by ED, you can't apply to any other schools and must go to that school regardless of anything else. Thus, you better either have a bunch of money or hope that you get a great financial aid package. There won't be any sort of "negotiation."

I think this issue was confusing because it can be interpreted as "it locks you out of financial aid at other places if you don't get accepted ED," which I don't believe to be the case. The reason an ED acceptance locks you out of financial aid at other places is because it locks you out of admission at other places.

 

[curt656]

I would go so far as to tell him that you are hoping for a scholarship and ED does not guarantee that you would receive one.

 

[HammockUp]

I was in the same position and did the EDP. As a re-applicant, I thought it was my best shot. If it was suggested to me as a first time applicant I would not have done it. My application had improved from the previous year and there were a couple other schools that I really liked but by doing the EDP, I was REALLY helping my chances at one of my top five schools. That was enough for me, considering the alternative. As for what I would say to the dean? I didn't have a good answer. However, the dean can't guarantee your acceptance, so you can say you want to have some back-up plans? Good Luck.