Making a Final Decision (+ Scheduling Revisits)

[clockitnow]

I am traveling right now. I am going to get back April 9th. I have gotten into a few schools, which are pressuring me to decide about revisit weekends. I am still waiting to hear from a bunch of schools. I know that a lot of the revisit dates are going to overlap and I don't have a solid ranking of programs in my mind, but have sort of have a tier system (ie. school x comes before y or z). I think that I will want to visit say 2 or 3 schools before I make a final decision. If all of those revisits can't be scheduled before April 15th, and I don't think that they will, will schools allow me to delay my decision?

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[b&ierstiefel]

I am traveling right now. I am going to get back April 9th. I have gotten into a few schools, which are pressuring me to decide about revisit weekends. I am still waiting to hear from a bunch of schools. I know that a lot of the revisit dates are going to overlap and I don't have a solid ranking of programs in my mind, but have sort of have a tier system (ie. school x comes before y or z). I think that I will want to visit say 2 or 3 schools before I make a final decision. If all of those revisits can't be scheduled before April 15th, and I don't think that they will, will schools allow me to delay my decision?

Well, first of all, congratulations on getting multiple acceptances. It must be a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and I understand that making a decision is tough. If you have a tier system and you definitely know that you would rather attend schools A, B, C, over schools D, E, F, then I would just go ahead and withdraw from D, E, and F just to simplify things. Let the top tier schools that have accepted you know that you are continuing to strongly consider them and tell them of your plans. Hopefully they will understand and let you schedule the revisits to different dates to better fit your travel schedule.

 

[freddytn]

I thought the decision dates set by the medical schools was May 15th. Maybe that helps. Sometimes you can appeal to the individual schools to allow you more time but just don't play the game too long. Like other posts on this forum, it is suggested and highly recommended that you only keep 1-2 acceptances at any one time rather than hold them all until the end.

 

[whoa nusse!]

clockitnow brings up a good point. How many revists did you current MSTP-ers go to. How many is it appropriate to go to? I can narrow my choices somewhat but I do not want to be too quick to cut out schools. I am worried that if I eliminate certain schools prior to a revisit, I may be making a mistake. I would feel much more comfortable making a decision after revisiting schools but how many can I justify revisiting?

 

[whoa nusse!]

FYI, so this discussion can be more real, I have just posted my acceptances in the acceptance thread.

-W.O. Nusse

clockitnow brings up a good point. How many revists did you current MSTP-ers go to. How many is it appropriate to go to? I can narrow my choices somewhat but I do not want to be too quick to cut out schools. I am worried that if I eliminate certain schools prior to a revisit, I may be making a mistake. I would feel much more comfortable making a decision after revisiting schools but how many can I justify revisiting?

 

[Neuronix]

I am traveling right now. I am going to get back April 9th. I have gotten into a few schools, which are pressuring me to decide about revisit weekends.

Remember that you don't have to go to the revisit weekend if you want to go to a school. So, don't worry if you can't schedule one.

I am still waiting to hear from a bunch of schools. I know that a lot of the revisit dates are going to overlap and I don't have a solid ranking of programs in my mind, but have sort of have a tier system (ie. school x comes before y or z).

I would rank what you have now, go to the top second looks, and cancel those if you get better acceptances.

I think that I will want to visit say 2 or 3 schools before I make a final decision. If all of those revisits can't be scheduled before April 15th, and I don't think that they will, will schools allow me to delay my decision?

You have until May 15th. Any schools that want to hear by April 15th need to back off. Some will ask for it, but they'll usually give you more time if you need it.

 

[Habari]

to both clockitnow and whoa nussie!:
first, congrats - pretty sweet to have choices. since i know both of you have been accepted at tri I, i want to clarify something - something that needs to be clarified each year, i suppose:

Any schools that want to hear by April 15th need to back off

this is not uniformly true. if a school starts part of their program by a certain date (mandatory summer rotations, for example) - then april 15th is their date. you can check the aamc rules on this if you want verification.

however, if you have revisits that take place after that date, and you are seriously interested in those schools, then programs like triI will most likely give you extensions [they do verify that there is a revisit you will be attending]. also understand that you can hold as many waitlists as you want past both the april15th and may15th dates, you just can't hold multiple acceptances.

since i went through this same dilemma a few years ago, i do have some advice. first - i did matric at triI, and i did so after their deadline only because i was revisiting 2 schools. i ended up going to ~6 or so revisits. this was silly. i was admittedly a little confused about where to go, and the revisits were very helpful, but there were definately some that i knew-with reasonable certainty-i would not be attending unless something amazing happened.

the number of revists you want to attend is up to you - but i can assure you that the novelty will wear off, and there will be something about each school you visit that you like. i would say that 3 revisits sounds reasonable - but this number is somewhat arbitrary. remember - it is not only your time - but a schools money, and an anxious waitlisters spot that you are holding.

 

[clockitnow]

First of all, thank you all so much for your help. It really means a lot to me that I can count on my SDN buddies to reply within just a short time when I am on the other side of the world and have a rare occasion of decent internet. This was causing me a bit of stress, but I feel better. My game plan is going to be to wait a bit to hear from schools and then schedule max 3 revisits, petitioning the schools I am considering to allow me to delay my decision until after they are over. Good luck to everyone else in the upcoming weeks. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am nervous.

P.S. If you want to see what I have been up to... check this out pics

 

[Neuronix]

this is not uniformly true. if a school starts part of their program by a certain date (mandatory summer rotations, for example) - then april 15th is their date. you can check the aamc rules on this if you want verification.

Prior to May 15 of the matriculation year (April 15 for schools whose first day of class is on or before July 30), each school permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants) - including those applying to M.D./Ph.D. programs and those to whom merit or other special scholarships have been awarded:

A minimum two-week time period for their response to the acceptance offer.

To hold acceptance offers from any other schools without penalty.

After May 15 of the matriculation year (April 15 for schools whose first day of class is on or before July 30), each school implement school-specific procedures for accepted applicants who, without adequate explanation, continue to hold one or more places at other schools. These procedures:

May require applicants to:

Respond to acceptance offers in less than two weeks.

Submit a statement of intent, a deposit, or both.

Should recognize the problems of applicants with multiple acceptance offers, applicants who have not yet received an acceptance offer, and applicants who have not yet been informed about financial aid opportunities at schools to which they have been accepted.

Should permit accepted applicants to remain on other schools' waiting lists and to withdraw if they later receive an acceptance offer from a preferred school.

From http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/policies/admissionofficers.htm
So yeah, if a program has a mandatory summer program, they can ask sooner. Still, it seems like alot of programs that ask for early decisions are not in this boat.

It's an important decision--you should take as much time as you need for it. Most will grant extentions on their "deadline".