Reapplying to a medical school in the fall whose offer I rejected this semester?

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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BIgdoctorguy

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BIgdoctorguy said:
Hello fellow Premedical Students!

A local medical college in my state offers an early acceptance program for junior premedical students and I applied as I researched the school and visited and thought it meshed well with my core values and what I am looking for in a medical school. I was fortunate enough to receive an interview, scheduled next month! I believed that this was the best medical school for me in-state, and my mcat practice scores suggested that I could match reasonably well within the median for the school. I was lucky enough to receive an interview offer, however the problem that has arisen is that my actual MCAT scores were much, much higher than I ever expected to get (around the T10 range). Numerous people have told me that I could easily aim higher for a higher ranked medical school outof state, and I am very excited by the idea. The issue is that I still want to apply to the medical school that offered me the early acceptance interview in the fall, just alongside other T20 medical schools in the fall. Do you think rejecting an acceptance offer for the early acceptance program will ruin my chances of getting an offer for acceptance to the medical school in the fall?
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Honestly, I would personally just play it safe and take the guaranteed acceptance...
 
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To my understanding a lot of secondaries ask if you have ever been accepted to a med school before, so you might be out of the running for more than just that school if you turn down their acceptance. Correct me if I’m wrong.
 
My MCAT also falls within the range of several top schools. And I haven’t gotten a single acceptance yet. This process is difficult, complicated, and depends on so much more than just an exam score.

Enjoy your acceptance. Rejoice in not having to go through an app cycle. Let your hair free in the wind. Kiss some butterflies. Rewatch the entire Friends series. Break the world record for largest Omlette ever.
 
Your situation seems pretty unique, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

I know someone who rejected an offer from a school because they believed they could get into somewhere better. That person applied the following year and did not get in anywhere.

If you weren't ready to 100% commit to going to this school, why did you even apply through this early acceptance method?

The question you have to ask yourself is if you're willing to burn bridges on a sure thing for the potential of going somewhere better.
If I was on the admissions committee on that early admissions school, I would not accept you during the regular application if you rejected the early admission offer. If this is a sacrifice that you're willing to make, then by all means do what you want.
 
ClamShell said:
My MCAT also falls within the range of several top schools. And I haven’t gotten a single acceptance yet. This process is difficult, complicated, and depends on so much more than just an exam score.

Enjoy your acceptance. Rejoice in not having to go through an app cycle. Let your hair free in the wind. Kiss some butterflies. Rewatch the entire Friends series. Break the world record for largest Omlette ever.
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If you watch it for 8 hours a day, Friends takes about one spring break. And it is the best spring break ever.
 
As everyone else has pointed out - why would they even bother interviewing you if you reapplied? By turning down the offer, you’d make it clear that you weren’t really interested in this school.

Of course, there’s also the “turned down an acceptance” issue that might arise, so you may be out of luck with most schools. What is the rest of your application like, anyway? Would you even really be competitive for top schools if you ignored that potential problem?

I think this is a lot of risk with very little potential reward.
 
Thank you for your replies! I realized I am being ridiculous, life is so much more than just ranking of your medical school! Plus why try to mess with something that I already like? I truly like the school and its programs, so why risk all of that? You guys are right, I am very fortunate enough to be where I am, and I should be grateful for that.
 
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BIgdoctorguy said:
Hello fellow Premedical Students!

A local medical college in my state offers an early acceptance program for junior premedical students and I applied as I researched the school and visited and thought it meshed well with my core values and what I am looking for in a medical school. I was fortunate enough to receive an interview, scheduled next month! I believed that this was the best medical school for me in-state, and my mcat practice scores suggested that I could match reasonably well within the median for the school. I was lucky enough to receive an interview offer, however the problem that has arisen is that my actual MCAT scores were much, much higher than I ever expected to get (around the T10 range). Numerous people have told me that I could easily aim higher for a higher ranked medical school outof state, and I am very excited by the idea. The issue is that I still want to apply to the medical school that offered me the early acceptance interview in the fall, just alongside other T20 medical schools in the fall. Do you think rejecting an acceptance offer for the early acceptance program will ruin my chances of getting an offer for acceptance to the medical school in the fall?
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I have friends who applied out of their BS/MD this cycle. They applied out because their MCAT came out really good, and they had nearly perfect GPAs. Only one has been successful in obtaining an offer to ONE different program, but he had a 527, and only applied out to MD/PhD programs. The others I know are also in the 100th percentile MCAT range and while have had a few interviews have not yet received an acceptance other than the one that was guaranteed to them originally. This could change, but I would advise you that unless your a 524+ 3.9+ with considerably strong ECs, stick to what you have.
 
BIgdoctorguy said:
A local medical college in my state offers an early acceptance program for junior premedical students and I applied as I researched the school and visited and thought it meshed well with my core values and what I am looking for in a medical school. I was fortunate enough to receive an interview, scheduled next month! I believed that this was the best medical school for me in-state, and my mcat practice scores suggested that I could match reasonably well within the median for the school. I was lucky enough to receive an interview offer, however the problem that has arisen is that my actual MCAT scores were much, much higher than I ever expected to get (around the T10 range). Numerous people have told me that I could easily aim higher for a higher ranked medical school outof state, and I am very excited by the idea. The issue is that I still want to apply to the medical school that offered me the early acceptance interview in the fall, just alongside other T20 medical schools in the fall. Do you think rejecting an acceptance offer for the early acceptance program will ruin my chances of getting an offer for acceptance to the medical school in the fall?
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You have the option of withdrawing your application and canceling the interview, so you don't risk getting an acceptance from the in-state school at this time.

But if you decide to jump on the T-10 Aspirant Bandwagon, be sure your ECs are everything that highly-selective schools expect to see. It isn't just about the stats.
 
gonnif said:
You have been saved from making, by far, the biggest premed mistake possible of turning down an acceptance.

The belief that you could get in some place better is the academic equivalent of greed, like a gambler who keeps playing but loses everything
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You're full of different analogies and metaphors aren't you gonnif!
 
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Just take the acceptance OP! Good job and good luck in med school!

Good job on the MCAT as well!
gonnif said:
Ah yes, many people have told me that I am full of it! At least 3 bags worth
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3 bags? I think you're being too generous... Puns, metaphors, analogies, etc.
 
ClamShell said:
My MCAT also falls within the range of several top schools. And I haven’t gotten a single acceptance yet. This process is difficult, complicated, and depends on so much more than just an exam score.

Enjoy your acceptance. Rejoice in not having to go through an app cycle. Let your hair free in the wind. Kiss some butterflies. Rewatch the entire Friends series. Break the world record for largest Omlette ever.
Click to expand...
And save a LOT of money! Applying to medical school costs a lot of money as does traveling for the interviews, etc. Go on a great vacation - learn a bit of a new language, etc. A very high MCAT score does not guarantee you T10 admission. The T10 successful applicants have the same MCAT as you, but they also add needed diversity, were green berets or equivalent in our armed forces, grew up reading by flashlight in a car, almost cured cancer, saved children from burning buildings, etc. So just so you have the same MCAT score as some people from T10 does not mean you are T10. Take your guaranteed acceptance and do well in all of your endeavors prior to applying to residency and the world will be your oyster. No one will ever second guess you about your med school decision - it is understood that a guaranteed acceptance in this situation is an amazing draw.
 
gorowannabe said:
And save a LOT of money! Applying to medical school costs a lot of money as does traveling for the interviews, etc. Go on a great vacation - learn a bit of a new language, etc. A very high MCAT score does not guarantee you T10 admission. The T10 successful applicants have the same MCAT as you, but they also add needed diversity, were green berets or equivalent in our armed forces, grew up reading by flashlight in a car, almost cured cancer, saved children from burning buildings, etc. So just so you have the same MCAT score as some people from T10 does not mean you are T10. Take your guaranteed acceptance and do well in all of your endeavors prior to applying to residency and the world will be your oyster. No one will ever second guess you about your med school decision - it is understood that a guaranteed acceptance in this situation is an amazing draw.
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Reading things like this make me feel bad for not growing up in harsh circumstances. Like i feel like I’m soft and naive. I know I shouldn’t feel this way but it’s difficult not to.
 
ClamShell said:
Reading things like this make me feel bad for not growing up in harsh circumstances. Like i feel like I’m soft and naive. I know I shouldn’t feel this way but it’s difficult not to.
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Yeah, well, it sucks. Be grateful you haven’t had it hard, and it is okay that you haven’t.

We’re all a little naive. Sure, if you haven’t had to rough it ever, you might not really understand things from that perspective, but life is all about circumstances and learning from each other.
 
ciestar said:
Yeah, well, it sucks. Be grateful you haven’t had it hard, and it is okay that you haven’t.

We’re all a little naive. Sure, if you haven’t had to rough it ever, you might not really understand things from that perspective, but life is all about circumstances and learning from each other.
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Yeah. But my parents are cutting me off as soon as med school starts. So eventually I’m gonna have to learn how to live on dimes. And become stronger in the process.
 
ClamShell said:
Yeah. But my parents are cutting me off as soon as med school starts. So eventually I’m gonna have to learn how to live on dimes. And become stronger in the process.
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You do get stronger and independent. Yeah, being on your own is scary af but so many before us have done it! You’ll be fine. Debt sucks but you make it work. Just be smart about what you spend on.
 
ciestar said:
You do get stronger and independent. Yeah, being on your own is scary af but so many before us have done it! You’ll be fine. Debt sucks but you make it work. Just be smart about what you spend on.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the encouragement!
 
Do you already have an acceptance offer or an offer to interview for early acceptance? Because those are two different things entirely. If you are offered the interview, take it. Usually they notify ED applicants within 2 weeks I think. If you don’t get in, you are released from your obligation to early decision and can still submit apps to other schools.
 
gonnif said:
You have been saved from making, by far, the biggest premed mistake possible of turning down an acceptance.

The belief that you could get in some place better is the academic equivalent of greed, like a gambler who keeps playing but loses everything
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Doesn't OP only have an interview to this program? Not an acceptance. Couldn't they cancel it with no serious repercussions?

IMO, OP should cancel the interview if they will always wonder what if. If they know they'd be 100% without a shadow of a doubt happy at this school then go ahead.
 
Great GPA / Grades are always important, but it's all about how you pitch yourself to the admissions committee. Probably best to take a year off to strengthen your application. Reach out if you need specific advice!


ClamShell said:
My MCAT also falls within the range of several top schools. And I haven’t gotten a single acceptance yet. This process is difficult, complicated, and depends on so much more than just an exam score.

Enjoy your acceptance. Rejoice in not having to go through an app cycle. Let your hair free in the wind. Kiss some butterflies. Rewatch the entire Friends series. Break the world record for largest Omlette ever.[/QUOTE
Click to expand...
 
gonnif said:
You have been saved from making, by far, the biggest premed mistake possible of turning down an acceptance.

The belief that you could get in some place better is the academic equivalent of greed, like a gambler who keeps playing but loses everything
Click to expand...
Are there greedy individuals that pull off SAVAGE stuff and get in the next go round?
 
gorowannabe said:
And save a LOT of money! Applying to medical school costs a lot of money as does traveling for the interviews, etc. Go on a great vacation - learn a bit of a new language, etc. A very high MCAT score does not guarantee you T10 admission. The T10 successful applicants have the same MCAT as you, but they also add needed diversity, were green berets or equivalent in our armed forces, grew up reading by flashlight in a car, almost cured cancer, saved children from burning buildings, etc. So just so you have the same MCAT score as some people from T10 does not mean you are T10. Take your guaranteed acceptance and do well in all of your endeavors prior to applying to residency and the world will be your oyster. No one will ever second guess you about your med school decision - it is understood that a guaranteed acceptance in this situation is an amazing draw.
Click to expand...

@Goro:
Another adcom member is claiming that in order to be competitive for top-10 medical schools, one needs:
  • Special Forces military service
  • Impoverished upbringing
  • Medical-research breakthrough
  • Having saved children from burning buildings, either as a firefighter or an ordinary civilian
In addition to the 3.8/520 that's table stakes there. Comments? It seems like Peace Corps or Teach for America doesn't quite make the grade for top-10 medical schools!
 
Walter Raleigh said:
@Goro:
Another adcom member is claiming that in order to be competitive for top-10 medical schools, one needs:
  • Special Forces military service
  • Impoverished upbringing
  • Medical-research breakthrough
  • Having saved children from burning buildings, either as a firefighter or an ordinary civilian
In addition to the 3.8/520 that's table stakes there. Comments? It seems like Peace Corps or Teach for America doesn't quite make the grade for top-10 medical schools!
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Peace Corps and Teach for America also count! Any military service counts. So does starting a successful NGO. So does working as a lawyer for refugees, so does working as a rabbi in an inner city synagogue. Starting a navigator program in a primary care clinic for underserved, or heading up a team at the EPIC EMR company works. While some of our T10 students are just regular superb students, many more have also done really amazing things. My point to this very novice level person in this process was to make the person understand that getting the same score as the students at a T10 does not make one a T10 student. He seemed fine going to the guaranteed acceptance until he got his MCAT back and then started to have second thoughts, so it seemed like sage advice to just point that out to him.
 
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Thanks for the clarification! I thought that serving as an Air Force loadmaster in C-130 cargo planes, for example, wasn't enough and didn't quite count - you needed the kinds of things that wound up in newspapers to even have a shot! Very few people are cut out, physically and mentally, for Special Forces - and few of those apply to medical school.
 
I was in an early assurance post-bacc program and my MCAT far surpassed my expectations. We were allowed to apply out without losing our seat so I did since I knew I would regret not taking the opportunity. I was successful and will no longer be matriculating to the school where I held my conditional A. I am in an extremely unique/ odd-ball program so I know this is not the norm for conditional acceptance programs. For what it is worth, my application and acceptance to this program were completely independent from AMCAS. They did not have my AMCAS ID and the application portal was a 3rd party company. When I applied to other schools via AMCAS they had no idea I was in a program with a conditional acceptance/ linkage. If you lose your seat, don't apply out. But if you are in a similar situation to me, I say go for it!
 
Walter Raleigh said:
@Goro:
Another adcom member is claiming that in order to be competitive for top-10 medical schools, one needs:
  • Special Forces military service
  • Impoverished upbringing
  • Medical-research breakthrough
  • Having saved children from burning buildings, either as a firefighter or an ordinary civilian
In addition to the 3.8/520 that's table stakes there. Comments? It seems like Peace Corps or Teach for America doesn't quite make the grade for top-10 medical schools!
Click to expand...

As someone at one of these schools, these kids are still the exception rather than the norm. You need interesting ECs rather than cookie-cutter ones, but the bar isn’t nearly that high.
 
differentiating said:
As someone at one of these schools, these kids are still the exception rather than the norm. You need interesting ECs rather than cookie-cutter ones, but the bar isn’t nearly that high.
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Thank you for this! For whatever reason Walter seems to be completely obsessed with the idea that one needs to be otherworldly to be accepted to a top 10 school.
 
Toutie said:
Thank you for this! For whatever reason Walter seems to be completely obsessed with the idea that one needs to be otherworldly to be accepted to a top 10 school.
Click to expand...

To be fair, it sounds like they were responding to gorowannabe’s hyperbole about T10 level ECs. I was just trying to clarify that my class has a lot more people like me than people like that.
 
Well, there was an adcom that seemed to corroborate this, at least at first; how many Green Berets really apply to medical school in a given year? How many firefighters?
 
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