If holding multiple acceptances...

[Mailinator]

...when did you or when do you intend to select one school?


Just curious as to the timing of people's choices because I am currently in that position.

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[Lycheegal]

Let me preface this by acknowledging that it is probably a dumb question, but are most people mailing in their withdrawal letters or sending them in by email? I just want to know what seems to be the preferred mode of delivery. If it's by email maybe I can everything sorted out sooner and not have to wait until after finals to hit the post office. Thanks!

 

[OMSTR]

Let me preface this by acknowledging that it is probably a dumb question, but are most people mailing in their withdrawal letters or sending them in by email? I just want to know what seems to be the preferred mode of delivery. If it's by email maybe I can everything sorted out sooner and not have to wait until after finals to hit the post office. Thanks!

I'm doing mine by email. I also believe that email is the preferred method. The schools get them immediately and can therefore reallocate the opened spot within a quicker time frame.

 

[flip26]

I sent an email, but asked if I need to do anything else like snail mail.

 

[Mailinator]

I sent an email, but asked if I need to do anything else like snail mail.

I got a letter from one of my schools specifically asking for an email. Ill probably stick with that unless they ask for an additional hard copy.

 

[Naijaba]

I also emailed my withdrawal.

 

[mdeast]

I'm still holding out on most of my acceptances...It's just so hard to withdraw from the places you really loved but don't think you'll end up going. I've let 3 go already, but mainly because I didn't like those places very much to begin with. I'm gonna keep the remaining ones until next week at which point I will be forced to send those hard emails letting them go.

And yes, email is fine. Just make sure you send it to both maybe the official admissions email account and a faculty/administrative members personal email just to make sure. I also think it's polite to send an explanation, short message to go along with it. No point in burning any bridges. I got a very kind reply from Temple when I withdrew.

 

[flip26]

I'm still holding out on most of my acceptances...It's just so hard to withdraw from the places you really loved but don't think you'll end up going. I've let 3 go already, but mainly because I didn't like those places very much to begin with. I'm gonna keep the remaining ones until next week at which point I will be forced to send those hard emails letting them go.

And yes, email is fine. Just make sure you send it to both maybe the official admissions email account and a faculty/administrative members personal email just to make sure. I also think it's polite to send an explanation, short message to go along with it. No point in burning any bridges. I got a very kind reply from Temple when I withdrew.

Nah...rip it off, like a bandaid...short and sweet...no explanations, no excuses, no apologies...

Also - how is it burning a bridge? The residency folks have nothing to do with the med school admissions...no bridge to burn.

 

[mdeast]

Nah...rip it off, like a bandaid...short and sweet...no explanations, no excuses, no apologies...

Also - how is it burning a bridge? The residency folks have nothing to do with the med school admissions...no bridge to burn.

Eh, I just feel it's nice. I worked in admissions as an undergrad and I appreciated getting notes from people I interviewed if they chose not to attend.

I just commented that I really enjoyed my interview day but just chose another school for personal reasons. It's nice to let them know they're doing a good job. And yes, it probably won't burn any bridges.

 

[drdude21]

I got a very kind reply from Temple when I withdrew.

I sent them my email to withdraw about a week ago and haven't received any confirmation... what is the procedure here, anybody know?

 

[pipette]

Keep in mind the many other med-school hopefuls who are on all wait lists. I understand that everyone should make informed and thought out final decisions, but at this point in the game I think it's pretty silly to be holding on to more than two acceptances. We all know this was an extremely arduous process, so make someone's day by withdrawing from a school that you you're not seriously considering going to.

And in terms of withdrawing, I wouldn't worry about burning bridges or coming off as rude or unappreciative. I think admissions committees would prefer a sooner withdrawal so they can actually fill all their seats.

Just my 2 cent PSA.

 

[CoffeeCzar]

Keep in mind the many other med-school hopefuls who are on all wait lists. I understand that everyone should make informed and thought out final decisions, but at this point in the game I think it's pretty silly to be holding on to more than two acceptances. We all know this was an extremely arduous process, so make someone's day by withdrawing from a school that you you're not seriously considering going to.

And in terms of withdrawing, I wouldn't worry about burning bridges or coming off as rude or unappreciative. I think admissions committees would prefer a sooner withdrawal so they can actually fill all their seats.

Just my 2 cent PSA.

Keep in mind, unexpected things can happen in our lives that may, at the last minute, affect our school choice. Holding an acceptance as late as possible is a way of hedging this bet.

 

[justinbaily]

I send a little note as well. I understand that they don't "owe you" anything, but I've had a very nice time at a number of schools and want them to know that I've appreciated the work that they've done. It's just a kindness.

 

[mdeast]

Keep in mind, unexpected things can happen in our lives that may, at the last minute, affect our school choice. Holding an acceptance as late as possible is a way of hedging this bet.

I agree. I realize there may be strange circumstances that pop up that may sway me another way, so why not wait?

Also, regardless if you send it now or a week from now, the waitlist still probably won't move until May 15th. I don't think this has any affect on waitlisted students. You'll still get my spot if I decide not to take it.

Heck, I'm on the waitlist at 3 schools and it's not as if I expect to hear anything until after May 15th.

 

[conrad123]

Also, some schools haven't done their second look yet. I'm going to one Friday.

 

[metallica81788]

Keep in mind, unexpected things can happen in our lives that may, at the last minute, affect our school choice. Holding an acceptance as late as possible is a way of hedging this bet.

This is true.

If I would have been accepted to another school I know I would attend (i.e. Baylor), I would still hold on to my LSU acceptance until May 15th in case something crazy happened that would force me to stay near home for the forseeable future.

 

[pokerkid]

I plan on making a decision after I attend a second look this weekend. So by next wed I plan to hold only one acceptance.

 

[AyCaramba]

Keep in mind the many other med-school hopefuls who are on all wait lists. I understand that everyone should make informed and thought out final decisions, but at this point in the game I think it's pretty silly to be holding on to more than two acceptances. We all know this was an extremely arduous process, so make someone's day by withdrawing from a school that you you're not seriously considering going to.

And in terms of withdrawing, I wouldn't worry about burning bridges or coming off as rude or unappreciative. I think admissions committees would prefer a sooner withdrawal so they can actually fill all their seats.

Just my 2 cent PSA.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to give this sermon and tell us what to do

 

[Mailinator]

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to give this sermon and tell us what to do

I think that pipette has a good point in general. In understand waiting to get more information (second look, financial aid, etc.) but it just doesn't make sense to hold a school you would never go to no matter what. Sure, you earned the acceptance, but if you know 100% you plan to drop it, better do it sooner than later.

 

[flip26]

I think that pipette has a good point in general. In understand waiting to get more information (second look, financial aid, etc.) but it just doesn't make sense to hold a school you would never go to no matter what. Sure, you earned the acceptance, but if you know 100% you plan to drop it, better do it sooner than later.

Better for whom?

 

[justinbaily]

People who have earned multiple acceptances have the privilege of holding them for as long as they like before May 15th, for any reason whatever. That's the rule. If people are operating within the rules, then you can't tell them that what they are doing is wrong.

 

[Mailinator]

Better for whom?

Better for students on waitlists and I'm assuming admissions committees because they have a better picture of what the class is shaping up to be and how the waitlist will move.

People who have earned multiple acceptances have the privilege of holding them for as long as they like before May 15th, for any reason whatever. That's the rule. If people are operating within the rules, then you can't tell them that what they are doing is wrong.

Say you have five cows...you are given a deadline to pick one cow to eat. There are people around you who have no cows and are starving. What do you accomplish by keeping all cows, looking at them, and saying to yourself, "wow, look how nice all these cows look. I raised them and they are mine to keep"?

I'm not saying anything is wrong. I am merely proposing the considerate action. If people don't do it, fine, it's in the rules. Everyone knows the May 15 deadline and should be aware that most people hold spots until the last second (for a number of practical and selfish reasons).

 

[flip26]

Better for students on waitlists and I'm assuming admissions committees because they have a better picture of what the class is shaping up to be and how the waitlist will move.

Say you have five cows...you are given a deadline to pick one cow to eat. There are people around you who have no cows and are starving. What do you accomplish by keeping all cows, looking at them, and saying to yourself, "wow, look how nice all these cows look. I raised them and they are mine to keep"?

I'm not saying anything is wrong. I am merely proposing the considerate action. If people don't do it, fine, it's in the rules. Everyone knows the May 15 deadline and should be aware that most people hold spots until the last second (for a number of practical and selfish reasons).

Any reason is legit - your view that some reasons are selfish is subjective.

Blame the system, not the players. If May 15 didn't work for adcoms RE waitlist management, they would change the date or change the rules.

Your cow example is flawed. Assuming this is a farmer, he is entitled to sell his cows on his own sweet time, perhaps to get a higher market price.

 

[AyCaramba]

Better for students on waitlists and I'm assuming admissions committees because they have a better picture of what the class is shaping up to be and how the waitlist will move.

Say you have five cows...you are given a deadline to pick one cow to eat. There are people around you who have no cows and are starving. What do you accomplish by keeping all cows, looking at them, and saying to yourself, "wow, look how nice all these cows look. I raised them and they are mine to keep"?

I'm not saying anything is wrong. I am merely proposing the considerate action. If people don't do it, fine, it's in the rules. Everyone knows the May 15 deadline and should be aware that most people hold spots until the last second (for a number of practical and selfish reasons).

I understand your reasoning and agree with it in spirit, I just don't think that pipette was right in saying "at this point in the game I think it's pretty silly to be holding on to more than two acceptances." I personally am only holding 2 acceptances at this point, but not on the principle that it would be automatically inconsiderate to be holding more. I think it's kind of arbitrary and, frankly, rather patronizing to say that it's "silly" to be holding more than 2 at this point... I mean honestly, people on this board love to generalize their own situation and experience to everyone else. We're really not all that similar!

 

[justinbaily]

Your cow analogy doesn't work on a number of levels. Rather than creating imaginary analogies concerning gluttonous farmers and starving peasants, try debating pre-May 15th school selection on its own merits. Many of us are trying to make very difficult decisions involving tens (or sometimes hundreds) of thousands of dollars and major relocations. This is life-altering stuff. Medical school selection is far different than an arbitrary cow selection. It gives me insight into how you're thinking about all of this, though--with immaturity and childishness.

The system has a fail-safe built in by the inclusion of a deadline. You need to learn to be patient.

 

[mdeast]

Say you have five cows...you are given a deadline to pick one cow to eat. There are people around you who have no cows and are starving. What do you accomplish by keeping all cows, looking at them, and saying to yourself, "wow, look how nice all these cows look. I raised them and they are mine to keep"?

I'm not saying anything is wrong. I am merely proposing the considerate action. If people don't do it, fine, it's in the rules. Everyone knows the May 15 deadline and should be aware that most people hold spots until the last second (for a number of practical and selfish reasons).

You're analogy isn't paralleled by reality. In a real analogy it would look like this, from my perspective.

I own 5 beautiful cows, but the government says I can only keep one. There are other people that may already own a cow (but it's sort of an undesirable cow, may not produce enough good milk), so they want a better one. There are other people that are without any cows, but certainly are surviving. Maybe these people weren't ready for a cow, or they'll find that they prefer chickens or lambs. Or, maybe they just were unlucky and are in the unfortunate position of having to wait in line for the leftover cows.

The government says that I have until May 15th to give up all but one cow. If I give them up earlier, it's very unlikely that the government will re-distribute the cows until after May 15th. So, by giving up the cows earlier, I do not increase the speed at which my fellow man will get a new cow...rather, just to let the bureaucratic government have more time to organize it's cow releasing program. Assuming I'm wiffle-waffling between which is the best cow to keep, what's the incentive to give a cow up early if I know it won't significantly expedite the delivery of that cow to a new owner, but rather just have it sit in storage for an extra week or two. Might as well take my time and debate which cow I'm going to choose as long as possible. I'd rather it be on my farm in my control, than sitting useless in a warehouse owned by big government until May 15th rolls around. To be honest, these are my cows that I earned through hard work. I should be given as much time as I want to choose which one is my #1.

Believe me, people withdrawing now or May 14th is going to have little to no effect on you. It may delay your waitlist offer by at most a few days. But realistically, you probably weren't going to find out before then anyway.

 

[Mailinator]

You're analogy isn't paralleled by reality. In a real analogy it would look like this, from my perspective.

I own 5 beautiful cows, but the government says I can only keep one. There are other people that may already own a cow (but it's sort of an undesirable cow, may not produce enough good milk), so they want a better one. There are other people that are without any cows, but certainly are surviving. Maybe these people weren't ready for a cow, or they'll find that they prefer chickens or lambs. Or, maybe they just were unlucky and are in the unfortunate position of having to wait in line for the leftover cows.

The government says that I have until May 15th to give up all but one cow. If I give them up earlier, it's very unlikely that the government will re-distribute the cows until after May 15th. So, by giving up the cows earlier, I do not increase the speed at which my fellow man will get a new cow...rather, just to let the bureaucratic government have more time to organize it's cow releasing program. Assuming I'm wiffle-waffling between which is the best cow to keep, what's the incentive to give a cow up early if I know it won't significantly expedite the delivery of that cow to a new owner, but rather just have it sit in storage for an extra week or two. Might as well take my time and debate which cow I'm going to choose as long as possible. I'd rather it be on my farm in my control, than sitting useless in a warehouse owned by big government until May 15th rolls around. To be honest, these are my cows that I earned through hard work. I should be given as much time as I want to choose which one is my #1.

Believe me, people withdrawing now or May 14th is going to have little to no effect on you. It may delay your waitlist offer by at most a few days. But realistically, you probably weren't going to find out before then anyway.

Fantastic post!

Your cow analogy doesn't work on a number of levels. Rather than creating imaginary analogies concerning gluttonous farmers and starving peasants, try debating pre-May 15th school selection on its own merits. Many of us are trying to make very difficult decisions involving tens (or sometimes hundreds) of thousands of dollars and major relocations. This is life-altering stuff. Medical school selection is far different than an arbitrary cow selection. It gives me insight into how you're thinking about all of this, though--with immaturity and childishness.

The system has a fail-safe built in by the inclusion of a deadline. You need to learn to be patient.

Learn from mdeast how to have an intelligent, well thought-out response.

 

[BBender716]

I'm waiting until the week before because I've already withdrawn from several well in advanced, but I'm still holding onto two acceptances and asking for extra financial assistance and seeing if either can help me out prior to committing to one or the other. Hope the spots are going to SDNers!

 

[dermda]

So May 15 is on a Saturday. So what will happen if we can decide by the last second (12am on Friday)?

 

[pipette]

I understand your reasoning and agree with it in spirit, I just don't think that pipette was right in saying "at this point in the game I think it's pretty silly to be holding on to more than two acceptances." I personally am only holding 2 acceptances at this point, but not on the principle that it would be automatically inconsiderate to be holding more. I think it's kind of arbitrary and, frankly, rather patronizing to say that it's "silly" to be holding more than 2 at this point... I mean honestly, people on this board love to generalize their own situation and experience to everyone else. We're really not all that similar!

It was not my intention to sound patronizing, and admittedly nor was "silly" the correct or appropriate word. I was not trying to encourage people to make rash decisions about something as life and debt altering as choosing a medical school. My main point was simply that if you are holding an acceptance to a school that you are not seriously considering going to (NOT waiting for further financial aid information, NOT waiting to attend a second look, etc), then withdraw.

Cows and farmer analogies aside, in my opinion (in the least generalizing-of-my-situation way as possible) I never held more than two acceptances at a given time because I knew that it meant I would be holding someone else's seat and delaying a school's admission process. When I received additional acceptances, I weighed it against the two I was holding, did the research, and withdrew from one. I did this because I thought it was the right thing to do, and without beginning an existential discussion on the justice (or lack thereof) of the medical school application process, it is simply my hope that someone else would do the same for me for the schools that I am on the waiting list for.

Cheers.

 

[neuronal]

So May 15 is on a Saturday. So what will happen if we can decide by the last second (12am on Friday)?

This is actually my question as well... What if we miss the deadline by a few days? Will we get penalized in some way?

 

[flip26]

It was not my intention to sound patronizing, and admittedly nor was "silly" the correct or appropriate word. I was not trying to encourage people to make rash decisions about something as life and debt altering as choosing a medical school. My main point was simply that if you are holding an acceptance to a school that you are not seriously considering going to (NOT waiting for further financial aid information, NOT waiting to attend a second look, etc), then withdraw.

Cows and farmer analogies aside, in my opinion (in the least generalizing-of-my-situation way as possible) I never held more than two acceptances at a given time because I knew that it meant I would be holding someone else's seat and delaying a school's admission process. When I received additional acceptances, I weighed it against the two I was holding, did the research, and withdrew from one. I did this because I thought it was the right thing to do, and without beginning an existential discussion on the justice (or lack thereof) of the medical school application process, it is simply my hope that someone else would do the same for me for the schools that I am on the waiting list for.

Cheers.

We don't know your circumstances, and you don't know ours. I venture to say that most people "holding" on to acceptances are evaluating if not still waiting on financial aid offers.

More importantly, holding on to offers is NOT delaying a school's process, nor is it hurting any other applicant. Schools put out far more offers than seats in the class, and they tend to wait until after May 15 to see if their yield has dropped to the point that they need to make additional offers.

 

[pelliper]

So May 15 is on a Saturday. So what will happen if we can decide by the last second (12am on Friday)?

My guess is you'd get a notice from AMCAS telling you to pick a school.

 

[pipette]

We don't know your circumstances, and you don't know ours. I venture to say that most people "holding" on to acceptances are evaluating if not still waiting on financial aid offers.

More importantly, holding on to offers is NOT delaying a school's process, nor is it hurting any other applicant. Schools put out far more offers than seats in the class, and they tend to wait until after May 15 to see if their yield has dropped to the point that they need to make additional offers.

This is just not true for all schools. A school that I am on the wait list for, which happens to be my top choice has given out the full number of acceptances as seats and has a ranked wait list. Every person that withdraws opens up another seat and another acceptance is awarded the next day. So yes, you don't know my circumstances nor those of all medical schools out there. All I am commenting on is that if someone is not considering going to a given school, I think they should withdraw.

 

[flip26]

This is just not true for all schools. A school that I am on the wait list for, which happens to be my top choice has given out the full number of acceptances as seats and has a ranked wait list. Every person that withdraws opens up another seat and another acceptance is awarded the next day. So yes, you don't know my circumstances nor those of all medical schools out there. All I am commenting on is that if someone is not considering going to a given school, I think they should withdraw.

This is simply not true. Another "seat" is not opened up - all med schools over commit - they do not replace each rescinded offer with another waitlist offer the next day.

 

[paki20]

My guess is you'd get a notice from AMCAS telling you to pick a school.

a school I interviewed at said they we MUST only have one school by the deadline or we would be receiving "an unpleasant call from the Dean the next day and face consequences"..

 

[mdeast]

This is simply not true. Another "seat" is not opened up - all med schools over commit - they do not replace each rescinded offer with another waitlist offer the next day.

Even if it was true. It's 3 days. If you're #2 on the list and the person you're replacing withdraws on May 15th instead of today...you're still getting their spot regardless.

 

[paki20]

This is simply not true. Another "seat" is not opened up - all med schools over commit - they do not replace each rescinded offer with another waitlist offer the next day.

sorry man but you're wrong..you would probably be correct if you said most med schools over-commit but making a blanket statement like "all med schools over commit" is just not true..schools like Cleveland Clinic (and from what I remember Mayo also and am sure there are others) only accept the exact number of seats available..the Dean at Cleveland Clinic attempts to call people on the waitlist ASAP following a withdrawal..

having said that there is a deadline for a reason...people have the right to hold onto to their acceptances until the deadline..lets have patience people..this entire process sucked and tested our patience for months..we can handle a couple of more weeks..

 

[pipette]

This is simply not true. Another "seat" is not opened up - all med schools over commit - they do not replace each rescinded offer with another waitlist offer the next day.

I don't believe you know this is true for every medical school. Listen, I'm not trying to make absolute claims here. I know a school that does this from an acquaintance that works in the admissions office, and am fairly certain the school I am waiting for does this as well.

 

[dermda]

a school I interviewed at said they we MUST only have one school by the deadline or we would be receiving "an unpleasant call from the Dean the next day and face consequences"..

that's a good point but I'm assuming that since May 15 is on a weekend, we might have until Monday morning to make a decision?

 

[MiniMoo]

that's a good point but I'm assuming that since May 15 is on a weekend, we might have until Monday morning to make a decision?

I would withdraw the friday prior, just to be on the safe side.

 

[premad]

I would withdraw the friday prior, just to be on the safe side.

Penn wants your deposit/commitment by the 14th at 5:00pm. So, I plan to use Friday as my deadline for all schools. I don't know how much other schools care, though.

 

[SAILB0AT]

People who have earned multiple acceptances have the privilege of holding them for as long as they like before May 15th, for any reason whatever. That's the rule. If people are operating within the rules, then you can't tell them that what they are doing is wrong.

Why is it that no one actually reads the rules?!?


Quote from AAMC guidelines for applicants:
(the same set that suggests the May 15 guideline). If you consider May 15th a rule, so should this; just because there are no punishments doesn't mean it's not against the rules.

"In fairness to other applicants, when an applicant has made a decision, prior to May 15, April 30 for MD-PhD applicants, not to attend a medical school or program that has made an offer of acceptance, the applicant promptly withdraw his or her application from that (those) other school(s) or program(s) by written correspondence delivered by regular or electronic methods."

 

[auburnO5]

This is simply not true. Another "seat" is not opened up - all med schools over commit - they do not replace each rescinded offer with another waitlist offer the next day.

UAB did not over subscribe their class. They replace each rescinded offer that day.

 

[justinbaily]

Why is it that no one actually reads the rules?!?


Quote from AAMC guidelines for applicants:
(the same set that suggests the May 15 guideline). If you consider May 15th a rule, so should this; just because there are no punishments doesn't mean it's not against the rules.

"In fairness to other applicants, when an applicant has made a decision, prior to May 15, April 30 for MD-PhD applicants, not to attend a medical school or program that has made an offer of acceptance, the applicant promptly withdraw his or her application from that (those) other school(s) or program(s) by written correspondence delivered by regular or electronic methods."

The rules are whatever individual medical schools require before your offer is rescinded. Those are AMCAS guidelines. I'm not sure what your point is.

 

[paki20]

that's a good point but I'm assuming that since May 15 is on a weekend, we might have until Monday morning to make a decision?

yeah i would not risk it...,you will have to e-mail the school your withdrawal which will have a time stamp on it and date...plus what is one extra day after the deadline going to do anyways in terms of changing your mind for what school you want to matriculate at..definitely not worth the risk..

 

[ksmi117]

This is actually my question as well... What if we miss the deadline by a few days? Will we get penalized in some way?

Schools have the right to rescind your acceptance if you are holding more than one acceptance.

As for me, I'm still holding 6 acceptances. Withdrew from 2 today. It's harder than it seems to make a final choice with all these factors.

 

[jbz24]

I would withdraw by May 14 the latest (a day before to make sure). There's really no point risking it.

 

[metallica81788]

I would withdraw by May 14 the latest (a day before to make sure). There's really no point risking it.

I'm probably doing that.

Plus, you're not going to decide your future in one day.

 

[JJMrK]

Better for students on waitlists and I'm assuming admissions committees because they have a better picture of what the class is shaping up to be and how the waitlist will move.



Say you have five cows...you are given a deadline to pick one cow to eat. There are people around you who have no cows and are starving. What do you accomplish by keeping all cows, looking at them, and saying to yourself, "wow, look how nice all these cows look. I raised them and they are mine to keep"?

I'm not saying anything is wrong. I am merely proposing the considerate action. If people don't do it, fine, it's in the rules. Everyone knows the May 15 deadline and should be aware that most people hold spots until the last second (for a number of practical and selfish reasons).

You're analogy isn't paralleled by reality. In a real analogy it would look like this, from my perspective.

I own 5 beautiful cows, but the government says I can only keep one. There are other people that may already own a cow (but it's sort of an undesirable cow, may not produce enough good milk), so they want a better one. There are other people that are without any cows, but certainly are surviving. Maybe these people weren't ready for a cow, or they'll find that they prefer chickens or lambs. Or, maybe they just were unlucky and are in the unfortunate position of having to wait in line for the leftover cows.

The government says that I have until May 15th to give up all but one cow. If I give them up earlier, it's very unlikely that the government will re-distribute the cows until after May 15th. So, by giving up the cows earlier, I do not increase the speed at which my fellow man will get a new cow...rather, just to let the bureaucratic government have more time to organize it's cow releasing program. Assuming I'm wiffle-waffling between which is the best cow to keep, what's the incentive to give a cow up early if I know it won't significantly expedite the delivery of that cow to a new owner, but rather just have it sit in storage for an extra week or two. Might as well take my time and debate which cow I'm going to choose as long as possible. I'd rather it be on my farm in my control, than sitting useless in a warehouse owned by big government until May 15th rolls around. To be honest, these are my cows that I earned through hard work. I should be given as much time as I want to choose which one is my #1.

Believe me, people withdrawing now or May 14th is going to have little to no effect on you. It may delay your waitlist offer by at most a few days. But realistically, you probably weren't going to find out before then anyway.

Great post.