Tufts MBS vs CCOM (waitlist)

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NoCoastHero

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Hello all,

EDIT: If accepted to CCOM, which should I choose? CCOM or Tufts SMP?

So background info,
-Indiana resident, 3.4 GPA, 509 MCAT, just took one year gap to scribe
-This past cycle I only locked down one II at CCOM. I loved CCOM and felt like I interviewed well, but I got waitlisted. I sent in a letter of intent and had a close CCOM alumni submit a LOR (he has good CCOM connections and was his class president). I applied to several SMPs after realizing I wasn't going to be getting many interviews. I've decided Tufts is my top SMP of those that I applied to, so help me decide if I should just pursue Tufts or if I should wait to hear from CCOM

Tufts Pros:
-I have loved Boston my whole life
-Central downtown location
-Good placement rate into MD schools
-Good research opp
-Boost GPA
-potentially cheaper to do SMP and other MD programs (IUSM)

Tufts Cons:
-1 to 2 extra years of schooling
-potentially turning down an acceptance??
-would it look bad if I got accepted to CCOM and turned it down after asking for a LOR?

CCOM Pros:
-start school right away
- I do love Chicago, but I think I want to live outside the Midwest for a while (but I could also do this for residency)
-great school, great residency locations

CCOM Cons:
- HUGE pricetag

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Can't you do both? Plan to pursue Tufts, but if you get accepted to CCOM, drop the SMP. I don't think foregoing an acceptance is ever a good idea.
 
Just for the sake of conversation, who do you think foregoing an acceptance is a bad idea?

I'll answer both interpretations of why it's a bad idea and who it's a bad idea for since your question is a worded weird.

Applications are highly competitive - nothing in the future is guaranteed. An extra year or two of premed work (which you touch on), results in increased cost (e.g SMP program cost), future lost income, further delayed investment in retirement, etc. With nothing being guaranteed, this could result in an additional 30-50k in debt without an acceptance to a med program. Declining an acceptance will almost certainly forego a future offer from that school. While I don't know this to be true, I wouldn't be surprised if all schools within an application system could see this past acceptance - acceptances are shared with AMCAS and AACOMAS. Even if they aren't shared, many schools ask if you have ever been accepted into a medical school, which when you answer honestly (and ethically), it will not look favorable that you declined (especially without any sound reasoning like a major family emergency, injury, etc.).

With the above in mind, you're a middle of the road to below average applicant (evident by your scores and single II). That is okay! But be aware of that and make decisions that best support your future. If you don't get accepted, keep chasing your goals by enrolling in the SMP and strengthening your app. But why risk performing well on an SMP or another application cycle if you don't have to? If, for instance, you developed a cure of cancer (or some other mind blowing unique experience) during your gap year that would have multiple programs vying for you, I could see you foregoing an acceptance. Anything average being added will help your candidacy, but will not cement anything.
 
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