Question - Deferring for a year @ one med school and reapplying to other schools for more options (but more complicated)?

[deleted1204455]

---

Members don't see this ad.

TLDR: got accepted to DO school far away and deferred for a year, now re-applying to closer MD schools just in case they take me, would the original deferred school take back their acceptance for that?

Long Version w/ Context: I got accepted for class of 2028 at one school, a DO school in a state very far from home, and deferred it for a year bec at the time they were not eligible for federal aid and I did not want to take out private loans. That school is now eligible for federal loans and I paid them a $1000 deposit and have a seat for class of 2029. I haven't signed anything, like no contract, agreement or anything yet, they don't want me to do that til at least January. All there is is a deferral policy on their website that states deferrals should not be taken in order to delay the decision or wait for acceptance to other schools.

Anyway, I was going to apply to other schools (MD schools since there are more of them here and I don't feel like doing the full application process twice again) in my state this cycle, hoping to be able to stay closer to home, and if not I would go to that DO school I deferred. I didn't think there was anything wrong with this since if I did tell the deferred school "nevermind," they would get my $1000 and another student lined up to take my place and everyone's happy. Also, I definitely did not defer for the purpose of applying to other schools, it was for financial reasons, but now I am really wanting not to go across the country to a super red state for 4 yrs min. if I have the option not to. Also, AMCAS and AACOMAS both have admissions traffic rules that involve not being allowed to hold multiple deposits/positions only AFTER April-May of the matriculation year, which would be 2025 for me.

So cuz of all this, it didn't even occur to me that this would be a problem. But I'm seeing online people on reddit and SDN and stuff acting like this is controversial, and/or unethical fraud, and/or punishable by acceptance rescinding, lawsuit, and death. Is that true?? If it is I don't wanna risk it, cuz I really do wanna go to med school more than anything, but it just doesn't make sense to me that it would actually be a thing.

 

[wysdoc]

Yes they can take back the acceptance because you agreed not to apply elsewhere as a condition of your deferral.
You could withdraw your seat at that school if you are sure you don’t want to go there ever.

 

[deleted1204455]

Yes they can take back the acceptance because you agreed not to apply elsewhere as a condition of your deferral.
You could withdraw your seat at that school if you are sure you don’t want to go there ever.

I didn't agree to that though, all I said was "can I defer for financial reasons" and they said yes and sent me a link to pay my deposit. There was never any agreement to not apply elsewhere, or even mention of it. No contract or agreement or anything signed either.

I'm not sure I don't want to go there ever, I'm sure I do wanna go there IF I don't get into a closer school.

 

[wysdoc]

I didn't agree to that though, all I said was "can I defer for financial reasons" and they said yes and sent me a link to pay my deposit. There was never any agreement to not apply elsewhere, or even mention of it. No contract or agreement or anything signed either.

I'm not sure I don't want to go there ever, I'm sure I do wanna go there IF I don't get into a closer school.

You quoted their deferral policy yourself in your first post!

 

[deleted1204455]

You quoted their deferral policy yourself in your first post!

Yeah I know, it was that deferrals shouldn't be taken "in order to delay the decision or wait for acceptance to other schools." That's not my situation.
1) that doesn't say "don't apply to other schools", it says "don't defer for the purpose of keeping your options open."
2) that WASN'T my purpose for taking the deferral. My purpose was legit, so I could get federal aid the next year. This re-applying thing just kind of came up later.

 

[wysdoc]

what is your take on this @Goro?

 

[chilly_md]

There's little point asking here now if you already went ahead and applied to those MD schools this cycle.

 

[Goro]

OP is being dishonest with his school, whatever legalese spin he tries to put on it

It's a great to enter a profession that values honesty. /s

And Admissions Deans do look at SDN.

And yes, they can yank your acceptance, as they should.

EDIT: you're now losing a year of clinician's salary too.

 

[deleted1204455]

OP is being dishonest with his school, whatever legalese spin he tries to put on it

It's a great to enter a profession that values honesty. /s

And Admissions Deans do look at SDN.

And yes, they can yank your acceptance, as they should.

EDIT: you're now losing a year of clinician's salary too.

My pronouns aren't he, and I was really looking more for actual facts than ppl's personal feelings on this e.g. "as they should". If an actual admissions dean did respond to this, that would be great, since it would give me an actual answer.

If there's a point in saying anything else, I don't understand why it would be ok to hold multiple seats that you have given a deposit to up until April/May of a matriculation year regularly, but not if you have deferred. That's what's making me doubt this "it is dishonest and bad and they don't want you to do it" thing.

 

[deleted1204455]

There's little point asking here now if you already went ahead and applied to those MD schools this cycle.

i didn't yet, that's the point

 

[wysdoc]

My pronouns aren't he, and I was really looking more for actual facts than ppl's personal feelings on this e.g. "as they should". If an actual admissions dean did respond to this, that would be great, since it would give me an actual answer.

You have had that answer, from @Goro.

 

[chilly_md]

i didn't yet, that's the point

The deadline has passed at most schools, and for those it has not, it is likely too late at this point to submit an app for them to fully consider.

 

[deleted1204455]

The deadline has passed at most schools, and for those it has not, it is likely too late at this point to submit an app for them to fully consider.

There are multiple schools that the deadline has not yet passed for. The wisdom of applying to schools last-minute was really not my question.

 

[Goro]

My pronouns aren't he, and I was really looking more for actual facts than ppl's personal feelings on this e.g. "as they should". If an actual admissions dean did respond to this, that would be great, since it would give me an actual answer.

If there's a point in saying anything else, I don't understand why it would be ok to hold multiple seats that you have given a deposit to up until April/May of a matriculation year regularly, but not if you have deferred. That's what's making me doubt this "it is dishonest and bad and they don't want you to do it" thing.

Because when you don't show up to matriculation at school you lied to, they've lost a seat that could have been filled by someone else.

It appears that you've already made your decision, so I don't see what further help we can give you. You're certainly not going to be told what you want to hear.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I was really looking more for actual facts than ppl's personal feelings on this e.g. "as they should". If an actual admissions dean did respond to this, that would be great, since it would give me an actual answer.

If there's a point in saying anything else, I don't understand why it would be ok to hold multiple seats that you have given a deposit to up until April/May of a matriculation year regularly, but not if you have deferred. That's what's making me doubt this "it is dishonest and bad and they don't want you to do it" thing.

If you're nitpicking because @Goro is an adcom and not an admissions dean... geez...

As an admissions director in my immediate past life, you are violating the policy that states you shouldn't use the deferral process to get an acceptance elsewhere.

That said, if you turn down your deferral, you lose your money. I'm not going to send the enrollment police after you. Frankly, $1000 is a light amount for a non-refundable deposit. I would have asked for MUCH more, subject to what university counsel told me (play to sunk cost). But many others have done what you have done... which is why very few schools have deferral policies. And I wouldn't be surprised if eventually this school won't give more. Or most other schools. We presume you are acting on good faith, and sometimes people have valid reasons to defer matriculation. I have often asked for a check-in every three months with evidence of continued activity as described in your deferral (how's that Americorps project going?), or (if the adcom grants my office the option) I can revoke your acceptance (with documentation). But seriously, if you don't want to be here, I won't swoon over you like a spurned prom date.

Why shouldn't you hold multiple deferred seats? A deferral doesn't help the admissions committee with its goal to fill the class. There's no reason to extend options to applicants when we have our job: fill the seats and the class. It also doesn't look good if we issue a ton of deferrals. It hurts our selectivity and competitiveness with the people we are accountable to (deans, university president circle, board of trustees).

It is this lack of good faith that justifies medical school adcoms extending waitlists to 3x to 5x the size of the matriculating class because we cannot rely on the commitments we have... not to mention the "interview hold" lists and the ghosting. That's why complaints about how the admissions process is a black box fall on my deaf ears.

We obviously won't be dropping names of schools here. There are a handful of schools that I would be less harsh about requesting a deferral but still trying to apply to other programs, or concerns about financial aid. Sure, doing this won't show up on your background check, but hopefully you won't wind up with the deferral as your only way to become a doctor.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

One more thing: we do report your deferral to AMCAS or AACOMAS (no crosstalk). I doubt either service will do anything either, but your actions are tracked and collectively reported.

Read the applicant code of conduct for AMCAS and AACOMAS. You must act in good faith.

 

[Dral]

This is a question of intent and action.

Did your original intent violate their deferral policy? No
Do your current actions violate their deferral policy? Yes

 

[deleted1130898]

TLDR: got accepted to DO school far away and deferred for a year, now re-applying to closer MD schools just in case they take me, would the original deferred school take back their acceptance for that?

Long Version w/ Context: I got accepted for class of 2028 at one school, a DO school in a state very far from home, and deferred it for a year bec at the time they were not eligible for federal aid and I did not want to take out private loans. That school is now eligible for federal loans and I paid them a $1000 deposit and have a seat for class of 2029. I haven't signed anything, like no contract, agreement or anything yet, they don't want me to do that til at least January. All there is is a deferral policy on their website that states deferrals should not be taken in order to delay the decision or wait for acceptance to other schools.

Anyway, I was going to apply to other schools (MD schools since there are more of them here and I don't feel like doing the full application process twice again) in my state this cycle, hoping to be able to stay closer to home, and if not I would go to that DO school I deferred. I didn't think there was anything wrong with this since if I did tell the deferred school "nevermind," they would get my $1000 and another student lined up to take my place and everyone's happy. Also, I definitely did not defer for the purpose of applying to other schools, it was for financial reasons, but now I am really wanting not to go across the country to a super red state for 4 yrs min. if I have the option not to. Also, AMCAS and AACOMAS both have admissions traffic rules that involve not being allowed to hold multiple deposits/positions only AFTER April-May of the matriculation year, which would be 2025 for me.

So cuz of all this, it didn't even occur to me that this would be a problem. But I'm seeing online people on reddit and SDN and stuff acting like this is controversial, and/or unethical fraud, and/or punishable by acceptance rescinding, lawsuit, and death. Is that true?? If it is I don't wanna risk it, cuz I really do wanna go to med school more than anything, but it just doesn't make sense to me that it would actually be a thing.

Sounds like you're suffering from a case of FOMO OP. Go to the DO school, take the next year to do non-medical things, save up money, and save yourself the mental stress of an application cycle. If you need to sign something by January, that gives you two months to put together an entire app with waiting time to be reviewed. Adcoms move slower during the holidays.

Moving to a new place often exposes you to new opportunities. Take your DO and be rich and successful.