Traffic day clarifications

[Nedsson]

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So, as of yesterday I was holding a couple of MD seats. However, I literally just received an email from another school that accepted me off the waitlist. So, am I correct in assuming that even though the email I received says I must let them know by May 10, AAMC traffic rules mean that I must make my decision this weekend and let everyone know by Monday, April 30 (or does it need to be before Monday, ie Friday)?

 

[lovehate]

So, as of yesterday I was holding a couple of MD seats. However, I literally just received an email from another school that accepted me off the waitlist. So, am I correct in assuming that even though the email I received says I must let them know by May 10, AAMC traffic rules mean that I must make my decision this weekend and let everyone know by Monday, April 30 (or does it need to be before Monday, ie Friday)?

From what I understand, you must make the decision this weekend by april 30th.

 

[lovehate]

From what I understand, you must make the decision this weekend by april 30th.

Actually thinking about it I am not sure. I don't know if they can list you in their acceptance list if you haven't accepted the offer yet.

 

[TurtleyReady4Med]

@Goro @gonnif grace us with your wisdom

 

[Goro]

From what I understand, you must make the decision this weekend by april 30th.

That's my understanding. And congrats on the accept, OP!

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

So how does one quite get in trouble for violating traffic day rules? The AAMC sees you have multiple on May 1 and tells you to pick ASAP? If you Nedsson talks to them and/or to the schools, can he get 'special permission' of sorts maybe?

 

[DBC03]

I think you have to make a decision between your other schools by April 30, then you have until May 10 to decide if you want to accept the waitlist position. This would mean you're holding only 1 acceptance on traffic day, then you still have a few days to decide on the new opportunity.

Once May 1 hits, most schools will give students only 5 days to decide.

 

[boogiecousins94]

Stupid question I have, but in theory isn't it less work for a school to accept someone off the WL with no acceptances than someone with acceptances since they would have to notify schools etc.? I know its not that much extra work but if its for a lot of people at once and two WL people are almost the same stat/demographic wise wouldn't it be easier to accept the non-accepted student? That would also probably lead to increased yield

 

[Med Ed]

So, as of yesterday I was holding a couple of MD seats. However, I literally just received an email from another school that accepted me off the waitlist. So, am I correct in assuming that even though the email I received says I must let them know by May 10, AAMC traffic rules mean that I must make my decision this weekend and let everyone know by Monday, April 30 (or does it need to be before Monday, ie Friday)?

The school that just made you the offer has likely already informed the other schools where you are holding acceptances, so they should be okay with you having the time to decide.

Per the traffic rules, after April 30 you have at least five business days to consider any new offer of acceptance. If you drop all but one of your "old" acceptances I think you're safe to hold on to the new one until at least May 4.

 

[Nedsson]

1) you must make a decision of the non-waitlist acceptances by end of business on April 30 and hold only 1
2) you have until May 10th for the late WL acceptance
3) you can hold both the single acceptance and the WL acceptance for 2 weeks
4) However you should extremely proactive and contact both schools and let them know what you are doing.


https://www.aamc.org/download/364264/data/2014trafficrules.pdf
5) (Change) On or before April 30*, each school or program permit ALL applicants (except for EDP applicants):
a. A minimum two-week time period for their response to the acceptance offer.
b. To hold acceptance offers or a wait list position from any other schools or programs without penalty (i.e. withholding funding support).

Thanks so much @gonnif . Just to make sure I have this right... I need to notify the schools that I know am not attending by Monday. However, I can hold both the seat from the school I was leaning towards, and the acceptance off the waitlist for a few days while I figure out which one is the better fit? As soon as I know, I let the one that I won't be attending know so that they can offer the seat asap to another deserving applicant.

 

[Goro]

The school that just made you the offer has likely already informed the other schools where you are holding acceptances, so they should be okay with you having the time to decide.

Per the traffic rules, after April 30 you have at least five business days to consider any new offer of acceptance. If you drop all but one of your "old" acceptances I think you're safe to hold on to the new one until at least May 4.

Med Ed and @gonnif , can you enlighten this layman on this process, and bear with me?

Jane has accepts from Drexel, Wake, Temple and Rowan. She is waitlisted at NYMC, Albany and Hofstra

On 4/30 she withdraws from all except Temple.

On 5/25, she gets an accept of the waitlist from Albany.

Can she then dump Temple for Albany?

On July 2, she gets an accept of the waitlist from Hofstra.

Can she then dump Albany for Hofstra?

 

[gokfacha]

If one has both MD and DO acceptances, does traffic day rules apply to DO schools as well? Can MD schools see acceptances to DO schools and vice versa?

 

[Goro]

If one has both MD and DO acceptances, does traffic day rules apply to DO schools as well? Can MD schools see acceptances to DO schools and vice versa?

No and no.

 

[Nedsson]

That's my understanding. And congrats on the accept, OP!

Thanks @Goro The support I've gotten on sdn this cycle has been nothing short of amazing. Indeed, my whole experience this cycle has been both amazing and crazy. I'm humbled by the success that I've had, especially given that it took talking to one of my mentors to convince me to apply MD as well as DO. Added to which, the school that I'm leaning towards attending... is not the flagship public school in my state, which if you had told me 6 months ago I'd be giving up attending (especially for a slight tuition increase) I'd have never believed you. Sorry for the rambling. Thanks again for the encouragement

 

[dumbojumbo]

Are schools an applicant is waitlisted at influenced in their final decision at all by seeing the other places the applicant has been accepted to? @Goro @gonnif

 

[dumbojumbo]

“At all” meaning is there any circumstance where a school may be be influenced, no matter how small, by an applicant’s existing acceptance when considering WL? That answer is possibly yes.

Do you want more specificity? You cant have it. That is as specific as you can get.

I suppose I meant is it common for admissions officers to look into the schools a waitlisted applicant has been accepted at and use that info when making a final decision.

 

[dumbojumbo]

Not common. Certainly less likely early in the WL cycle and more likely as cycle continues when things become more chaotic, but never common

Thanks!!