Turning down MD acceptance; reapplicant for 'research' school?

[TheAppleJuice]

so I was just reading the thread on "retaking MCAT after MD acceptance" and had a similar question.

I have not taken the MCAT yet or applied but I know I want to get into research.

My question is, if I got some MD acceptances but none from schools known for research, would it look equally as bad reapplying or would I be able to explain this

Should I just not bother applying to any school I wouldn't attend, even if it means getting rid of so called "safety" schools? I am still a junior and I wouldn't mind taking a gap year if it came to that. I know my McAT will determine a lot so we'll see

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[gyngyn]

Don't do this.

 

[aldol16]

You should have safety schools that you would attend if you weren't accepted to any other school that cycle. Your "safety" schools shouldn't be schools that you have no interest whatsoever in attending.

Also, many people have state schools as their safety schools - most state schools have strong research programs. They're not top ten research powerhouses but there are plenty of opportunities to participate in research.

 

[Skenti]

Should I just not bother applying to any school I wouldn't attend, even if it means getting rid of so called "safety" schools? I am still a junior and I wouldn't mind taking a gap year if it came to that. I know my McAT will determine a lot so we'll see

Don't apply to any school that you wouldn't go to if it was your only option.

 

[Kgizzle]

If you get in... other schools will have access to that info. So you will not get accepted into another school if you drop an acceptance and don't matriculate.

 

[cactusman]

If you got to the interview stage despite the massive red flag from turning down an offer, they would probably ask why. If you say the school you turned down didn't have enough research, adcoms would probably wonder why research was more important to you than becoming a doctor (and then they'll reject you).

 

[Turkishking]

no

 

[Hopeful_vet]

so I was just reading the thread on "retaking MCAT after MD acceptance" and had a similar question.

I have not taken the MCAT yet or applied but I know I want to get into research.

My question is, if I got some MD acceptances but none from schools known for research, would it look equally as bad reapplying or would I be able to explain this

Should I just not bother applying to any school I wouldn't attend, even if it means getting rid of so called "safety" schools? I am still a junior and I wouldn't mind taking a gap year if it came to that. I know my McAT will determine a lot so we'll see

Why would you apply to a school that you wouldn't consider attending? Take a minute to think about that and you should have your answer.

 

[Kgizzle]

Why would you apply to a school that you wouldn't consider attending? Take a minute to think about that and you should have your answer.

I think some people just like casting a wider net and just look at straight stats. They interview at schools that they know nothing about and are like.hmmm I don't like this place and end up only getting accepted at that school. It's impossible to really know every detail about every school and how you feel about them. Now not matriculating with only one acceptance, that just plain dumb.

 

[ortnakas]

Safety schools don't exist. If they do, they're schools you're likely to be accepted to AND would be willing to go to. Never apply anywhere you're not actually interested in.

 

[tarheelpenner]

the answer to the question: should I turn down my MD acceptance? will always be no. don't apply to schools you don't want to go to, and don't apply until you feel your application is at its strongest. its that simple.

 

[holdthemayo]

Presumably in this hypothetical future you also applied to top research oriented schools and didn't get in.

Why would they suddenly want to accept you the next cycle?

When it comes time to apply, you need to apply with your best possible application, then choose the best school you got into (or the cheapest, or the closest to home, or whatever is important to you). If you only got into the last ranked school on your list, then thank the deity of your choice that you included it on your list and go become a doctor.

 

[Goro]

Why would someone who likes research, and presumably has done research, actually apply to schools that are weak in research????

Do you want to be a doctor, or a researcher? If the latter, get a PhD.

so I was just reading the thread on "retaking MCAT after MD acceptance" and had a similar question.

I have not taken the MCAT yet or applied but I know I want to get into research.

My question is, if I got some MD acceptances but none from schools known for research, would it look equally as bad reapplying or would I be able to explain this

Should I just not bother applying to any school I wouldn't attend, even if it means getting rid of so called "safety" schools? I am still a junior and I wouldn't mind taking a gap year if it came to that. I know my McAT will determine a lot so we'll see

 

[Dr. Kid]

Why would someone who likes research, and presumably has done research, actually apply to schools that are weak in research????

Do you want to be a doctor, or a researcher? If the latter, get a PhD.

Listen to dad

 

[CCmetal94]

I am the only one that applied to med school just hoping I would get into any school at all? Willing to move cross country and everything. If the school I was accepted to had good research opportunities I just viewed that as a bonus.

 

[sullen-burger]

I am the only one that applied to med school just hoping I would get into any school at all? Willing to move cross country and everything. If the school I was accepted to had good research opportunities I just viewed that as a bonus.

Just goes to show how different peoples' perspectives can be, even on something so seemingly obvious.

 

[787593]

so I was just reading the thread on "retaking MCAT after MD acceptance" and had a similar question.

I have not taken the MCAT yet or applied but I know I want to get into research.

My question is, if I got some MD acceptances but none from schools known for research, would it look equally as bad reapplying or would I be able to explain this

Should I just not bother applying to any school I wouldn't attend, even if it means getting rid of so called "safety" schools? I am still a junior and I wouldn't mind taking a gap year if it came to that. I know my McAT will determine a lot so we'll see

Do not

 

[coffeeandcodeine]

At the beginning of the cycle, I was so worried about getting accepted to *any* medical school, I can't imagine even thinking about turning down an acceptance. I was absolutely thrilled to get an interview invite from my last choice school -- I would have been really happy to go anywhere on my list, or anywhere in the country. I really think this is the best attitude to start the application cycle with, and I actually attribute a lot of my success this cycle to that mentality.

I am the only one that applied to med school just hoping I would get into any school at all? Willing to move cross country and everything. If the school I was accepted to had good research opportunities I just viewed that as a bonus.

 

[wanderyonder]

The old saying goes: never apply to a school that you can't see yourself going to, and that includes all of your safety schools. You will pretty much be "blacklisted" if you do this

 

[Welshman]

I have a good point that no one has brought up yet. Why would you apply to a school you wouldn't go to?

 

[sullen-burger]

I have a good point that no one has brought up yet. Why would you apply to a school you wouldn't go to?

Where would we be without your wisdom?

 

[Dr. Kid]

I have a good point that no one has brought up yet. Why would you apply to a school you wouldn't go to?

Hmm. If you go back to the high school senior position, people apply to places like Purdue for safety, but don't actually want to go there, or expect Purdue to be their only choice. It never occurred to them that Purdue may end up being their only choice.

There's a guy with excellent sgpa and mcat scores over at the NSUCOM thread. Decided it was a good idea to apply to top tier MDs, and throw NSUCOM in there...turns out NSU was his only acceptance. He's turning it down.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Should I just not bother applying to any school I wouldn't attend, even if it means getting rid of so called "safety" schools?

Read this to yourself and really think about what you are saying. You'll need to practice if you are to do well on CARS.

Hmm. If you go back to the high school senior position, people apply to places like Purdue for safety, but don't actually want to go there, or expect Purdue to be their only choice. It never occurred to them that Purdue may end up being their only choice.

There's a guy with excellent sgpa and mcat scores over at the NSUCOM thread. Decided it was a good idea to apply to top tier MDs, and throw NSUCOM in there...turns out NSU was his only acceptance. He's turning it down.

Oh look lordlana is back.

 

[TXMED_1695]

Playing "what-ifs" is not real planning, or productive. You can play this game, but it's never going to help you. The reasoning is also flawed, what if I get accepted into a school I do not want to attend. Got CARS?

 

[Dr. Kid]

Read this to yourself and really think about what you are saying. You'll need to practice if you are to do well on CARS.



Oh look lordlana is back.

who dat?

 

[deleted480308]

Hmm. If you go back to the high school senior position, people apply to places like Purdue for safety, but don't actually want to go there, or expect Purdue to be their only choice. It never occurred to them that Purdue may end up being their only choice.

There's a guy with excellent sgpa and mcat scores over at the NSUCOM thread. Decided it was a good idea to apply to top tier MDs, and throw NSUCOM in there...turns out NSU was his only acceptance. He's turning it down.

That's a poor decision