TMDSAS OOS Acceptance - Do I Turn it Down?

[gavinchalamet]

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Hi all,


I’m an OOS applicant to TMDSAS and currently facing a difficult decision. I’d really appreciate any insight or advice from those who’ve been in similar situations.


Here’s the situation:

• I’ve been accepted to Texas Tech El Paso.
• I’m currently waitlisted at McGovern, Baylor, UTSW, UTRGV, Texas Tech Lubbock, and Sam Houston (DO).
• I graduated from the University of Michigan with a 3.93 GPA and scored a 522 MCAT.
• I’m currently working at the school that is my top choice (moved her to do my gap year and love the area/school/people), and I’ve received some informal intel from admissions suggesting I’m near the top of the OOS waitlist. That said, I understand there are very few OOS spots.

Here’s my dilemma with the April 30th “Plan to Enroll” deadline looming:

• If I accept El Paso, I need to withdraw from all waitlists.
• If I decline El Paso, I can stay on the waitlists but risk not getting in anywhere this cycle.

I’m predicting/hoping for significant waitlist movement around April 30th (e.g., an OOS admit from top choice school turning them down might open a spot for me), but obviously that’s not guaranteed.


My concerns about rejecting El Paso:

• It means potentially not matriculating this cycle, pushing med school and residency back another year.
• There’s a stigma around reapplying after turning down an acceptance, though I wonder if being in-state next cycle and having strong stats might mitigate that.

To be 100% honest, cost was a major reason I applied to Texas schools, but I’m not sure I’ll remain in Texas for residency. I’m aiming to match at strong programs (especially up north), and I’m not confident that El Paso historically matches well in those regions. I know it may sound strategic or even "gaming the system," but I’m just trying to be transparent and make the best decision I can with the information I have.


So, I’d love to hear:

• Have others been in a similar bind? What did you do?
• Does rejecting an MD acceptance as a reapplicant really tank your chances the next cycle—even with strong stats and a move to in-state status?
• Would it be foolish to risk it all for a better waitlist offer that might never come?

Thanks for reading, and for any guidance you’re willing to share.

 

[LizzyM]

I've said this before but not this year. Next year schools will see your year of graduation, the date you took the MCAT as well as your grades and scores and without even knowing if you got in anywhere the year before, they'll wonder why you didn't matriculate at the end of an earlier cycle. It comes across as odd -- as if their might be a story there but if you show that you were working at your regular job and not recovering from a horrific thing that precluded you from matriculating or even applying so that's not the story.... Some might think that you are worth interviewing despite coming across as damaged goods and others may take a pass.

I'm surprised that Texas will not let you stay on a non-Texas waitlist but I'm not a Texas admission rules maven.

 

[wysdoc]

I've said this before but not this year. Next year schools will see your year of graduation, the date you took the MCAT as well as your grades and scores and without even knowing if you got in anywhere the year before, they'll wonder why you didn't matriculate at the end of an earlier cycle. It comes across as odd -- as if their might be a story there but if you show that you were working at your regular job and not recovering from a horrific thing that precluded you from matriculating or even applying so that's not the story.... Some might think that you are worth interviewing despite coming across as damaged goods and others may take a pass.

I'm surprised that Texas will not let you stay on a non-Texas waitlist but I'm not a Texas admission rules maven.

Actually he can stay on WLs, both TX and OOS, for now if he chooses PTE, not CTE.
The only reason to turn down a school is if he gets a 2nd acceptance

 

[Isoval]

I think it would be ridiculously stupid to turn down the acceptance.

You have a guarantee in hand right now. It's a small program in the middle of nowhere, sure. But it's an MD program and you have the keys to the car.

I would not under any circumstance reject their offer of admission unless you are holding another offer already.

 

[mistafab]

Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

 

[wysdoc]

@gavinchalamet You are allowed to hold on to your Texas Tech El Paso acceptance for now and still stay on your Waitlists.

If don't withdraw from your WLs, you can stay on them all.
WL action for OOS applicants like yourself in Texas is most likely to happen after May 15th.

If you have more TMDSAS questions, you can DM me.
You probably won't be able to see anything on the CTMS tool unless you also get an AMCAS offer.

wysdoc

 

[NotTheOne]

I think it would be ridiculously stupid to turn down the acceptance.

You have a guarantee in hand right now. It's a small program in the middle of nowhere, sure. But it's an MD program and you have the keys to the car.

I would not under any circumstance reject their offer of admission unless you are holding another offer already.

El Paso may not be the shiny star program with all the pomp and circumstance but I’ve seen their students get residency matches across all specialties into great programs.