Leaving One School for Another

[Avelox]

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Does anyone know the protocol for leaving a school for another one if you are accepted from the waitlist from the 2nd one? Does it ever happen? I am on the waitlist at a school but my other one starts a month earlier but I would choose to go to the other if I am off the waitlist and accepted.

Also, would it be even ok for me to talk to the 2nd school about my situation or would they not like the fact that I left another program for there's etc.

 

[Glycerin]

Does anyone know the protocol for leaving a school for another one if you are accepted from the waitlist from the 2nd one? Does it ever happen? I am on the waitlist at a school but my other one starts a month earlier but I would choose to go to the other if I am off the waitlist and accepted.

Also, would it be even ok for me to talk to the 2nd school about my situation or would they not like the fact that I left another program for there's etc.

I'm a bit confused. Are you a pre-pharm that has been accepted to School A for this fall, but you are on the waitlist for School B for this fall? If so, if School B sends you an acceptance before School A begins, then the polite thing to do would be to notify School A that you are foregoing your spot so that they can offer the spot to someone on their waitlist. You'll probably lose your deposit that you gave to School A, too, since those are typically non-refundable.

 

[Allure]

You have to look at the refund policy of the school that already accepted you. Most schools will give you back your money 100% the first week, then it goes down to 75% the second week and so on. If that school is far away, then it would be a problem for you if you need to move. You can probably stay at the hotel for a week or two. But you have to be really careful because you might get W's if you stay in the program too long. I know people that get accepted at the school of their choice really late and then end up leaving the school that they got in first, but with their situations, it's only a day or two after school started, not a whole month. So it really depends if and when school B accepts you.

 

[Avelox]

I've been accepted to School A for this fall and am waitlisted for School B. School A started in August, the other starts in September. If I do end up getting into B eventually (early sept or what not), is it heard of for people to leave school A (even tho you may have already attended classes for 3-4 weeks) for school B?

I understand some of my tuition will not be refunded but I also know that school B will cost me upwards to 45kish less then school A in the long run.

 

[117296]

I've been accepted to School A for this fall and am waitlisted for School B. School A started in August, the other starts in September. If I do end up getting into B eventually (early sept or what not), is it heard of for people to leave school A (even tho you may have already attended classes for 3-4 weeks) for school B?

I understand some of my tuition will not be refunded but I also know that school B will cost me upwards to 45kish less then school A in the long run.

You may need to look at your financial aid options. Once it has been disbursed, it may be the case that it cannot be un-disbursed, and I know you cannot collect financial aid at two schools for the same academic term.

 

[Avelox]

Hmm true.. the tuition costs for school A is 7k more then B for this fall. If I could even get half the tuition from A back I think i'd be fine in terms of financial situation. But what about the other aspects? If the financial aspects do not hinder me and school B is a better overall school is the move a no brainer? Also, Should I even talk to school B about my situation and such or would they not like the fact that I am already attending another school already and still waiting on them?

 

[MindOverMatter]

You can avoid this problem altogether by only applying to one school.

Worked for me.

 

[Glycerin]

You can avoid this problem altogether by only applying to one school.

Worked for me.

Most people can't afford--figuratively speaking--to put all of their eggs into one basket. 😉

 

[117296]

Hmm true.. the tuition costs for school A is 7k more then B for this fall. If I could even get half the tuition from A back I think i'd be fine in terms of financial situation. But what about the other aspects? If the financial aspects do not hinder me and school B is a better overall school is the move a no brainer? Also, Should I even talk to school B about my situation and such or would they not like the fact that I am already attending another school already and still waiting on them?

I mean that once aid is disbursed from a school and you withdraw, you have to pay that money back that was loaned and you may still not be able to use financial aid at school B. You really need to get a hold of your financial aid offices and see what the policy is.

Which brings me to my question: In your mind, there must be a clear advantage of school B over school A. My question is: Will you be happy at school A? If the answer is yes, starting school A should be the point of no return.

If the answer is no, decline your acceptance. If you get in off of the waitlist, great...if not, it's ok to wait another year. Tis much better to wait another year than be somewhere you don't like for 4.

I was going through the same situation (waitlist), but my answer to the question was yes. I would have been happy with school A.

No one can answer that question except for you.

 

[Avelox]

Well the thing is, I'm sure I'll be reasonably happy at school A but the school B is a top 5 school as opposed to School B which is a top...50 school. I guess its just my own desire to go the best school but has anyone ever left a school a few weeks into it for another off the waitlist?

 

[Glycerin]

the school B is a top 5 school as opposed to School B which is a top...50 school.

None of the current rankings are correct, so don't buy into that hogwash. Your education is what you make of it. I say stay where you currently are and save yourself the hassle and headache of having to come up with School B's tuition, moving expenses, and all that jazz.

 

[StallionRx]

None of the current rankings are correct, so don't buy into that hogwash. Your education is what you make of it. I say stay where you currently are and save yourself the hassle and headache of having to come up with School B's tuition, moving expenses, and all that jazz.

I agree.

Professions like law, engineering, etc seem to put alot of emphasis on where you studied. A PharmD is a PharmD wherever you go. Definetly not worth the headache. Best bet is to go to the cheaper one.

 

[RXpress]

Well the thing is, I'm sure I'll be reasonably happy at school A but the school B is a top 5 school as opposed to School B which is a top...50 school. I guess its just my own desire to go the best school but has anyone ever left a school a few weeks into it for another off the waitlist?

As far as I know, those ratings are based on how much funding a school receives for research. That doesn't exactly paint a very good picture of what kind of pharmacists those schools churn out. Save yourself a headache, you've already started at school A, stay there.

 

[Avelox]

Well the money in the long term would be a bit cheaper at school B... School A is public and B is private with a pretty huge gap in tuition costs... and yes i know rankings are "worthless" but A is arguably one of the best pharmacy schools in the country and universally accepted as such for a variety of reasons and for many years ... the idea of passing it up is kind of hard to imagine. That being said I don't even know if i will get in but still...

 

[Glycerin]

Well the money in the long term would be a bit cheaper at school B... School A is public and B is private with a pretty huge gap in tuition costs... and yes i know rankings are "worthless" but A is arguably one of the best pharmacy schools in the country and universally accepted as such for a variety of reasons and for many years ... the idea of passing it up is kind of hard to imagine. That being said I don't even know if i will get in but still...

I think you're fretting too much over a "what if" situation. Be happy you got in somewhere; some people don't.

 

[Avelox]

I never said I'm complaining about my situation, I am happy I got in somewhere. But its all about opportunities and I'm also not thinking of a bunch of "what ifs". It is just 1 if and I'm only posing it because I wanna be prepared -- If I do get into the other school would it be unheard of to leave the program i'm in now for it. Has this ever really happened?

 

[Glycerin]

I never said I'm complaining about my situation, I am happy I got in somewhere. But its all about opportunities and I'm also not thinking of a bunch of "what ifs". It is just 1 if and I'm only posing it because I wanna be prepared -- If I do get into the other school would it be unheard of to leave the program i'm in now for it. Has this ever really happened?

Since we're picking apart comments 😉, I never said you were complaining. I said fretting, which means worrying, which to me sounds like what you're doing if it compelled you to post in the first place. And I didn't say a "bunch of what ifs;" I said A "what if."

For your final question, I'm sure it has happened, though I couldn't tell you the details of each and every time, since I'm sure each would be independent of another. This is going to be something that you have to decide regardless of how many times or if this has ever occurred to anyone else. Besides, SDN only represents a small number of pharmacy students; just because none of us have experienced this or knows someone who did, it doesn't mean that it's never occurred.

 

[cycloketocaine]

I never said I'm complaining about my situation, I am happy I got in somewhere. But its all about opportunities and I'm also not thinking of a bunch of "what ifs". It is just 1 if and I'm only posing it because I wanna be prepared -- If I do get into the other school would it be unheard of to leave the program i'm in now for it. Has this ever really happened?

I think that if you really want to go to the school B (waitlisted school), then you need to wait for that school. If you are still questioning attending the school you have been accepted to, you probably don't *really* want to go there. That being said, I think it would be kind of crappy for you to start at A and move to B (if you get accepted). You are taking someone's spot who is sitting on the waitlist and who would probably love to attend the school that you have doubts about. What if you were #1 on the waitlist at B, and since that school has already started, they can't take you off because someone else decided to go somewhere "better"?

 

[Avelox]

Obviously I'm not going to take the risk of waiting a year just for a school when I could go elsewhere. I don't think anyone would do that unless they were just ridiculously radical in where they wanted to go. Realistically ofcourse I went to school A regardless if it was my first choice and I'm not saying I won't be happy there. I just know I'll be happIER at school B and that could be for superfitial reasons but its there nonetheless for me. As for being unfair, ya I know it is, but that is life in the application process. If someone did that and I got screwed I'd live it with it; I can't base my life decision on whether it is fair or not to others. Besides, at this point I am taking a seat at School B - even if I do move its not like i'm taking someone ELSES spot at School B who does not have another school they could attend, anyone who got in there has gotten into other schools more likely than not.

 

[cycloketocaine]

Obviously I'm not going to take the risk of waiting a year just for a school when I could go elsewhere. I don't think anyone would do that unless they were just ridiculously radical in where they wanted to go. Realistically ofcourse I went to school A regardless if it was my first choice and I'm not saying I won't be happy there. I just know I'll be happIER at school B and that could be for superfitial reasons but its there nonetheless for me. As for being unfair, ya I know it is, but that is life in the application process. If someone did that and I got screwed I'd live it with it; I can't base my life decision on whether it is fair or not to others. Besides, at this point I am taking a seat at School B - even if I do move its not like i'm taking someone ELSES spot at School B who does not have another school they could attend, anyone who got in there has gotten into other schools more likely than not.

Well then, it sounds like you've already made your decision and are seeking our approval. Do whatever you want, nobody here knows you or know what makes you happy.

 

[117296]

well Then, It Sounds Like You've Already Made Your Decision And Are Seeking Our Approval. Do Whatever You Want, Nobody Here Knows You Or Know What Makes You Happy.

+1

 

[Avelox]

Well I suppose it was an attempt for approval but I also did wanna see if it wasn't unheard for someone to do this. I don't know its a difficult dilemna that i most likely won't even have to face