Question: Is Bargaining Bad?

[moops]

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Okay- say you have an acceptance from a great competitive school. You want to go to an even greater school which you are waitlisted for. Is it appropriate to say, "I have been accepted at __ school, in which I have currently submitted my deposit... etc. But ___ is still my first choice, and I hope to go..blah blah."

Whadda dilly yo? (flips around like busta rhymes)

 

[scifi]

i'm wondering the same thing.

i have a friend who was waitlisted at columbia, stanford, and harvard. she wrote letters to all 3 telling them where she was waitlisted and said that she was still interested in them (she also told harvard they were her first choice). she got a call from columbia saying that they would accept her on the condition that she withdraw from the other schools. she took the offer.

hope that helps.

 

[wadoc]

My premed advisor told me that "an acceptance elsewhere is the most powerful tool you have." He reccomended calling the school up to say "I've got an acceptance at _____, but am still very interested in your institution (ie, it's my top choice)... what can you tell me about my status?" He thinks they'll say 1) you're in, 2) you're very likely to get in, or 3) we can't tell you anything at this time.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

scifi--

From the AAMC:

"Under no circumstances should an applicant be asked to withdraw from waiting lists as a condition of accepting a place."

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/policies/recommendations.htm

Did she withdraw from the waitlist at Harvard? If it's her first choice, it's her right to stay on the list even while accepted at Columbia.

 

[Doc Ivy]

Yeah, I hear what you're saying...I wouldn't withdraw from any waitlist until that acceptance was in my hand

 

[scifi]

Originally posted by VienneseWaltz
scifi--

From the AAMC:

"Under no circumstances should an applicant be asked to withdraw from waiting lists as a condition of accepting a place."

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/policies/recommendations.htm

Did she withdraw from the waitlist at Harvard? If it's her first choice, it's her right to stay on the list even while accepted at Columbia.

well, her exact words were "on the condition that [she] go there [columbia]." i assumed that meant withdrawing from the other schools. 😕

 

[X]

I think it may be correct that they can't force you to withdraw from a waitlist.
But then again, they said they are offering a place only on the condition that you attend...they have the full right to do that. So in a way, yep you can't go anywhere else. Technically, she can stay on Harvard's list as long as she likes, and she can get in there, but can't attend.....has to attend Columbia if she takes that offer. Sort of the same thing with the EDP.

X

 

[Bonds756]

If said tactfully, I think telling a school about your acceptance can be a positive thing. It shows that you are a coveted applicant and that you are interested enough in that school to still inquire about your position despite being accepted at other good schools.
However, be careful not to come off too strongly about your other acceptances.

 

[scifi]

i also knew another guy in the "acceptable pool" at ucsd. he told ucsd that he had an acceptance at uci but he was still interested in them. he got in. 😎

 

[Curci]

Since Columbia is a non-AMCAS school, I don't think they have follow the AAMC guidelines. There's also an AAMC guideline to not require a deposit to hold a place in class, but there are plenty of schools that don't follow that one.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Originally posted by Curci
Since Columbia is a non-AMCAS school, I don't think they have follow the AAMC guidelines. There's also an AAMC guideline to not require a deposit to hold a place in class, but there are plenty of schools that don't follow that one.

"*It is recommended that the acceptance deposit not exceed $100 and be refundable until May 15. After that date, a school may retain the deposit as a late withdrawal fee. If the applicant matriculates at the school, the school is encouraged to credit the deposit toward tuition. "

You make a good point that Columbia is a non-AAMC school. Doesn't change the fact that it's really crappy to make a student withdraw from waitlists as a condition of accepting a place, though.

 

[Doc Ivy]

I may be wrong here but although Columbia is a non-AMCAS school, I still think that they are a part of the association of american medical colleges i.e the AAMC

 

[carrigallen]

Originally posted by Doc Ivy
I may be wrong here but although Columbia is a non-AMCAS school, I still think that they are a part of the association of american medical colleges i.e the AAMC

I second that. I think that Columbia is an institution accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges. I think that such a policy may not be viewed favorably by the university accreditation committee, even though the policy is only a recommendation. Of course, it is possible that the narrative information provided may not be accurate.

 

[moops]

can we get to the thread topic puuuleeeeze! 🙂 is bargaining okay? does the fact you are expected EVERYWHERE else help you to get into the one place you want to go?

 

[JM.]

I think it can be beneficial - as several people, pre-med advisors and such, have told me to do it. Unfortunately, I don't have anything but a pile of waitlists to bargain with...