One offer and one hold, want to go to the hold school, need your advice

[czf]

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First time applying here as an international. Got an offer in November and a hold in December. Though grateful for the offer, I would still prefer to go to the school that put me on hold just a bit. The HOLD school told me that they will generate a waitlis by April 15th from the hold list. So far I've done a few things including:

1. finished the missing English prereq with a B+
2. going to shadow in the States for the first time next Friday
3. done BLS training from American heart foundation
4. very likely to get a clinical research position in March (did basic research before but never clinical)

My questions are as follows:
1. The HOLD school encouraged all hold scrubs to send post-interview update. When do you think it's the best time for me to send in such letter?

2. Would an extra ref letter be useful? I'm thinking asking my shadowing doctor or my potential clinical research supervisor to write me a letter, but with such short time of interaction, is it even appropriate to ask them?

3. MOST IMPORTANTLY, what do I need to with the offer after April 30th? I heard I need to further pay for a deposite to hold my seat but is that it? If I, due to some blessing from the LORD, actually receive an offer from the HOLD school, do I simply take the offer and decline the other offer with no other hassel/paperwork?

P.S.The two schools are actually on par in terms of ranking, with the HOLD one closer to home and cheaper in tuition and ok a bit higher in ranking (I know I'm a ranking *****).

Thank you all in advance for your advices.

 

[LizzyM]

Send your up-date letter on April 15th. Or April 14th. Point being, you want to be considered if a spot becomes available. I can't tell you how many people get called off the waitlist and say, "oh, I'm sorry, I already signed a lease with three roommates in ___ and I'm going to go there; sorry I forgot to withdraw from the waiting list."

An extra ref letter is not likely to be helpful.The question is not "is he good enough" but "who among the people on our list will fill this empty seat?"

You may hold one offer after April 30 and as many waitlist spots as you wish. If you get off the waitlist, you just accept that offer and contact the other school immediately and say, "thanks but I'm going to withdraw from your school." Easy-peasy.

 

[czf]

Send your up-date letter on April 15th. Or April 14th. Point being, you want to be considered if a spot becomes available. I can't tell you how many people get called off the waitlist and say, "oh, I'm sorry, I already signed a lease with three roommates in ___ and I'm going to go there; sorry I forgot to withdraw from the waiting list."

An extra ref letter is not likely to be helpful.The question is not "is he good enough" but "who among the people on our list will fill this empty seat?"

You may hold one offer after April 30 and as many waitlist spots as you wish. If you get off the waitlist, you just accept that offer and contact the other school immediately and say, "thanks but I'm going to withdraw from your school." Easy-peasy.

Thank you so much for your advices. I would just like to ask one more question, are there any advantages to send the update letter right before the deadline as compared to, let's say, end of March?

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you so much for your advices. I would just like to ask one more question, are there any advantages to send the update letter right before the deadline as compared to, let's say, end of March?

Yes. Right now many schools are hoping for withdrawals, not thinking about the waitlist.
Usually the "better" the school, the later they start pulling from the waitlist. This year traffic day is the end of April.

 

[czf]

Yes. Right now many schools are hoping for withdrawals, not thinking about the waitlist.
Usually the "better" the school, the later they start pulling from the waitlist. This year traffic day is the end of April.

I'm still a bit confused. Are you saying that if I send the letter right now, it's just going to be ignored? But if I send the letter near the deadline, it may catch more attention from the admin office?

 

[gyngyn]

I'm still a bit confused. Are you saying that if I send the letter right now, it's just going to be ignored? But if I send the letter near the deadline, it may catch more attention from the admin office?

The best time to let the dean know of your interest is when the waitlist is moving at a school where the list is unranked.
If you are holding nowhere or at a "lesser" school, an LOI makes no difference.
Right now many schools are hoping that they make it to the waitlist not looking at LOI's.