Stuck between reapplying and acceptance

[MaizeGoBlue]

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So I'm having a dilemma right now between taking my acceptance to UDM for this cycle, or reapplying next cycle. I had some opportunities this semester (1 acceptance, waitlist at Marquette & Buffalo, still waiting to hear from UNLV, and turned down interview at VCU) but ultimately only an acceptance to an expensive private school. I'm a Michigan resident, and somehow didn't receive an interview at UM (even though I met with the admissions director last spring and she said I had a very strong application/nothing more to add, and I will be meeting with her again next week.) UDM would leave me about 450k in the hole when I graduate, which is pretty hard for me to stomach. Unfortunately I didn't really understand the gravity of tuition numbers until I had already applied, or I would have narrowed my school choices down. I have fairly competitive stats (21 AA, 20 TS, 19 bio, 20 GC, 21 OC, 19 PAT, 26 RC, 19 QR, 3.6 s&cGPA, enough shadowing hours, good EC's, etc) and I was able to get a fair number of interviews this cycle.
What does everyone think? I'm sure schools wouldn't love the fact that I turned down an acceptance, but I feel I could just show the schools that I've done my financial research and it would put me in a bad spot down the road to practice how I want when I graduate. Also I'm not sure how I could approve my application, other than potentially assisting during my gap year (as I don't have any actual work experience in dentistry.)

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

Dang that's definitely a tough situation because 450k is a lot and you do have a pretty competitive app, but reapplying after an acceptance is really risky :/

I'd hope for the best with one of the cheaper schools you are waitlisted at and then reconsider whether or not to withdraw later in the cycle.

 

[mcbnerd]

How much longer do you have to put down a deposit for UDM? If you have time past Feb 15, I would wait for UNLV. If not, I wouldn't risk your acceptance.

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[MaizeGoBlue]

How much longer do you have to put down a deposit for UDM? If you have time past Feb 15, I would wait for UNLV. If not, I wouldn't risk your acceptance.

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I have until March 1st for Detroit, which is another $1000. Unfortunately UNLV would still run me about 400k, as the first year of tuition is insanely expensive.
I'm not against a payback option such as HPSP or NHSC, but unfortunately the HPSP has already passed and apparently 3 year scholarships are somewhat rare. In terms of NHSC, the awards aren't handed out until sometime in the somewhere, in which case it would be too late for me to withdraw from school. Additionally, the scholarship is super competitive and while I grew up in an underserved area, my upbringing was pretty comfortable.

 

[mcbnerd]

How much would UM be for you?

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[MaizeGoBlue]

How much would UM be for you?

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Somewhere between 220-260k I think? Depends on my living situation, I have close friends and family I could potentially live with as well that would drop my living costs.

 

[jws95]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you right now (MI resident, accepted to NYU but waitlist at UM and UDM). Would you be able to live at home if you went to UDM? That would definitely save money

 

[MaizeGoBlue]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you right now (MI resident, accepted to NYU but waitlist at UM and UDM). Would you be able to live at home if you went to UDM? That would definitely save money

I'm not from SE Michigan, but my brother rents a house a royal oak and he said I could rent a room for $250 or so a month. That'd help a lot, but I think it'd still be around 420-430k.

 

[jws95]

I'm not from SE Michigan, but my brother rents a house a royal oak and he said I could rent a room for $250 or so a month. That'd help a lot, but I think it'd still be around 420-430k.

That sounds like a good deal Royal Oak is only a 10-15 min drive from UDM, with rent that low (assuming you live there all 4 years) shouldn't it go down to 360k?

 

[mcbnerd]

Did you estimate how much money you would miss out on if you were to start your dental career a year later? Also taking into account application/interview costs for next cycle

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[MaizeGoBlue]

That sounds like a good deal Royal Oak is only a 10-15 min drive from UDM, with rent that low (assuming you live there all 4 years) shouldn't it go down to 360k?

No that 415k-ish number is including the lowered rent...

 

[MaizeGoBlue]

Did you estimate how much money you would miss out on if you were to start your dental career a year later? Also taking into account application/interview costs for next cycle

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I haven't done anything on excel or anything yet, but I've done some basic math. Say I make 120k, 30k goes to taxes. I think another 30-40 would go to loans + interest. Also if I wait another year, while I won't make nearly as much money, I also won't be paying loans/accumulating interest.

 

[jws95]

No that 415k-ish number is including the lowered rent...

Hmm, personally I don't feel comfortable dropping an acceptance to apply next cycle because its not guaranteed that you will get an interview or even gain acceptance next cycle. Also you would have to explain to other schools why you dropped an acceptance which I'm not sure if they look down upon that.

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

Hmm, personally I don't feel comfortable dropping an acceptance to apply next cycle because its not guaranteed that you will get an interview or even gain acceptance next cycle. Also you would have to explain to other schools why you dropped an acceptance which I'm not sure if they look down upon that.

@stoopidmonkeycatdog just posted about his gf's sister who is applying for the 5th time and no acceptances. More people on SDN discuss applying for a third or fourth time. Two times is almost a given and common. If you like to gamble, then yeah, let go of your acceptances and reapply for next year.

If you don't think that people struggle for an acceptance with near perfect GPAs and higher DAT in the 23-25AA ballpark, click around on SDN. You'll see plenty of threads.

Best of luck. Make the choice that is RIGHT for YOU.

 

[RS2224]

450k is a lot. But, schools are gonna think you can do that to any one of them at any time and that you don't want to a dentist as bad. I'm not questioning your desire to be a dentist. It's obviously apparent. But, in this field where people apply 3-4 times to get even one acceptance and will go anywhere if they have to if they had one acceptance just to be a dentist.. they could possibly think that you don't want it as bad as others.

 

[TLV-TUS]

Graduating a year early means an extra year to work at your last paid salary...that could end up being cheaper on the long run... sounds weird I know, but take a year of a dentist paycheck into the equation and losing a year is more costly than the difference in tuition... PLUS- No one guarantees you'll get in next cycle to anywhere...and you have to be prepared to the ultimate question: "Why on earth did you apply to a school that you wouldn't even attend being your only acceptance?"...
These are my two cents...
Goodluck!

 

[577455]

I remember asking myself what I would do if I didn't get into UMich and ended up at a private school. I honestly would have attended the private school. Nothing in the application cycle is guaranteed. Right now, you have a guaranteed pathway to becoming a dentist. Do you really want to risk that and go through all this again?

UMich estimated cost for 4 years is 292,000. Sure you can save money IF you go to UMich, but when you add 1 year of lost income, having to pay for another application cycle, the possibility of you not getting in anywhere... it's not worth it. It's not an ideal situation but you can still go to UDM, become a dentist, and live a great life. Best of luck to you.

 

[DOC YANKEM]

450k is a lot. But, schools are gonna think you can do that to any one of them at any time and that you don't want to a dentist as bad. I'm not questioning your desire to be a dentist. It's obviously apparent. But, in this field where people apply 3-4 times to get even one acceptance and will go anywhere if they have to if they had one acceptance just to be a dentist.. they could possibly think that you don't want it as bad as others.

RS2224 has a great point. Many applicants haven't received an acceptance yet, let alone an interview, and would be desperate to be in your situation. I would be glad that I have a door open for opportunity.

On the other hand, I would only reapply if I was sure I could get into another school that was 150-200k cheaper. That is a difference of 2-3 years of salary as an associate.

 

[DDSER1]

I wouldn't do it. The competition gets more and more intense every year, and unless you add substantial experience or redo the DAT and get a higher score, your cycle is probably going to go the same as it did this year. At the end of the day, UDM is a great school that prepares you really well clinically so if you take full advantage of the opportunities they provide, I have no doubt you can succeed and become a strong dentist. If you also want to specialize I'm pretty sure the #1 ranked student at UDM matched into harvard ortho this year, so there's that too.

 

[DC206R]

Go. This is why I don't I apply to schools that I wouldn't go to if accepted.

Edit: I sounded like an ***. I would go. Like everyone else has mentioned. Nothing is guaranteed.

 

[Likkriue]

UNLV after getting instate after one year should cost 310-320k max. So there is still that.

And if you could rent for that low from your brother, I would go to udm.

 

[NavyDDS1990]

Not worth risking your whole career. There's no guarantee you would get accepted at UM next cycle, what if you only end up with expensive schools again? Drop them and reapply? Remember, getting into dental school is only getting competitive each year, and some people would even kill to get an acceptance at anywhere. Although 450K is a lot, I believe if you refinance well and plan ahead of time, you will be fine. Indeed 3-year HPSP are more limited than 4-year ones, but why don't you give it a shot and see how it plays out for you? 3 year is still way better than nothing.

 

[pete6277]

I agree with the above posters. Not worth the risk.

 

[MaizeGoBlue]

UNLV after getting instate after one year should cost 310-320k max. So there is still that.

And if you could rent for that low from your brother, I would go to udm.

How do you figure about UNLV? From my math it'd run me about 400k after interest is added (especially because tuition alone is 90k for the first OOS year)

 

[Typical Average Student]

During your application, there is a section that asks whether or not you have been accepted to a school, you'll need to explain why you withdrew your seat.... knowing that you declined it due to high tuition... you don't have a valid argument as to why you did not investigate further into the cost of the school but instead decided to waste the time of committee members going through your application. Especially when you declined an interview from VCU, you have no valid argument. There's no point of you applying to those schools in the first place, knowing that their tuition is publicly displayed on the internet and interview...

Plus, the price difference vs. the loss of income coming out will break you even anyway. You don't know if the next school you get into (IF you get in another one) is going to be that much different.

 

[osker246]

How do you figure about UNLV? From my math it'd run me about 400k after interest is added (especially because tuition alone is 90k for the first OOS year)

They also say room and board is $21k a year. Do you really plan on spending $84k for just room and board for 4 years? Living with room mates brings that cost down big time.

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[DC206R]

How do you figure about UNLV? From my math it'd run me about 400k after interest is added (especially because tuition alone is 90k for the first OOS year)

Just rough math before interest is about 315k ish. So yeah, once you include the interest of the 4 years, it's about 380-390k.

 

[MaizeGoBlue]

They also say room and board is $21k a year. Do you really plan on spending $84k for just room and board for 4 years? Living with room mates brings that cost down big time.

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No I have room and board budgeted as 10-12k per year in my excel file.

 

[DSlotted]

Go to UDM

 

[schmoob]

Take it. You have a guaranteed spot this year, that doesn't mean you will have something next year. Go to school and do your best. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Dude, bird in the hand and all that jazz.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Don't screw up your career by not going to school. You don't have a guaranteed shot next year. The average DAT for accepted student's is slowly creeping up into a territory similar to your scores. Do you really want to take the risk?

 

[DOC YANKEM]

Don't screw up your career by not going to school. You don't have a guaranteed shot next year. The average DAT for accepted student's is slowly creeping up into a territory similar to your scores. Do you really want to take the risk?

Depends on which state we're talking about here... I would say it already caught up in New York State😱😱😱

 

[Trigeminal08]

This dilemma is something you should've thought about before applying in the first place.

Take the acceptance and run!

 

[DOC YANKEM]

This dilemma is something you should've thought about before applying in the first place.

Take the acceptance and run!

@Likkriue

 

[Likkriue]

@Likkriue

Lol he's not referring to me.

 

[DOC YANKEM]

Lol he's not referring to me.

LOL of course not. I immediately remembered your avatar and had to include your name in the post. 😛

 

[doc toothache]

Trying hard to shoot both feet with one shot.

 

[Trigeminal08]

Trying hard to shoot both feet with one shot.

Easy with one of these!

 

[schmoob]

Easy with one of these!

The trusty blunderbus.....
I'm such a nerd.

But back to OP. What people here are recommending, whether it has tact or not, is to take the acceptance. As you can see, it's hard to get in. Take what you can get and make the best of it.