uncomfortable spot

[KillaGorilla]

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I'm stuck over whether or not I should put a deposit down on NYU. When I applied to NYU I told myself I would only go if I could get some sort of scholarship. ( I did not expect a scholarship but the math told me to apply anyway). I got accepted without a scholarship on December 1st.

OK here's the desicion. NYU accepted me and it is my only acceptance. I had interviews at UMDNJ and Columbia in early December which I feel went very well because both interviewers said they would push for me at admissions meetings ( I hope the don't say this to everyone) . I am also going to Buffalo this week for another interview. While my original line of thought tells me withdraw from NYU because it's not part of the plan, I am scared of the hopefully small possibility that I wont get in anywhere else.

Would you pay the NYU deposit if you where me? Should I pony up $1500 and lock up a school I am not very excited about, or play what I think are good odds that I get in somewhere else?
My stats are on my predents profile. I am a non trad student 25yo, lots of research, good amount of shadowing and tons of work experience.
Thank you in advance to those who answer.

 

[Demps]

Yes pay $1500

It's better to be safe than sorry.

Say you opt. to go to UMDNJ or Buffalo later on (assuming you get into all 3 schools you interview @), making that deposit @ NYU and not going there... attending UMDNJ or Buffalo is still cheaper so... yes go right ahead and secure your spot.

 

[coolbeans123]

I'm stuck over whether or not I should put a deposit down on NYU. When I applied to NYU I told myself I would only go if I could get some sort of scholarship. ( I did not expect a scholarship but the math told me to apply anyway). I got accepted without a scholarship on December 1st.

OK here's the desicion. NYU accepted me and it is my only acceptance. I had interviews at UMDNJ and Columbia in early December which I feel went very well because both interviewers said they would push for me at admissions meetings ( I hope the don't say this to everyone) . I am also going to Buffalo this week for another interview. While my original line of thought tells me withdraw from NYU because it's not part of the plan, I am scared of the hopefully small possibility that I wont get in anywhere else.

Would you pay the NYU deposit if you where me? Should I pony up $1500 and lock up a school I am not very excited about, or play what I think are good odds that I get in somewhere else?
My stats are on my predents profile. I am a non trad student 25yo, lots of research, good amount of shadowing and tons of work experience.
Thank you in advance to those who answer.

Well ask yourself this, if NYU was the only acceptance you received, would you go or wait another year?

If you feel comfortable and confident to potentially wait another year, then turn down NYU. (Also keep in mind that some schools supposedly look down on you for turning down an acceptance anywhere)

If you don't feel right about waiting another year, you have to put down the deposit for NYU. Until you get an acceptance letter in your inbox, I wouldn't feel super confident about getting in any dental school no matter what anyone said. Sure the $1,500 could be a waste of money, but at least you're saving yourself a seat somewhere. I would do it just to be safe.

 

[Kahr]

I'm in the exact same situation, been mulling it over for the last week. NYU deposit due the 16th, my only acceptance. Interviewed at UW and thought it went very well, also have an interview next week at MWU-AZ, which I'd prefer infinitely over NYU for various reasons.

I think coolbeans' question is perfect, and it's something I've thought on independently. Am I willing to wait another year and not go to NYU if it's my only in?

Killa, I still don't know what I'm going to do myself, so I can't tell you what you should do. I've considered sending my check on the 15th (they say "postmarked" by the 16th, which I assume means when you mail it), then praying I hear good news within a few days so I can cancel the check. I know someone else was talking about calling them to get an extension, but I never saw anything new regarding that, and I doubt they'd go for it.

A very difficult decision to make, hope you find one that you can accept.

 

[r2thekesh]

"Postmark" is that funny looking ink stamp they stamp over your stamp (or stamped in place of your stamp) and it indicates the date which it was dropped at the post office or picked up by the mailman.

 

[Blue87Fiero]

If your predent stats are accurate you will probably get in somewhere else....but at the same time if I were you I would wait it out as long as could and then pay the 1500 the last day its due.

Its a tough decision but in the grand scheme of things 1500 isn't that much.

 

[Sisero68]

Put the deposit down.

It is a lot of money, however if you play the odds game you will spend much more then this if you have to reapply in another cycle and/or take more classes ect. Plus you get the ease of mind of knowing you have a seat and not worrying everyday if another school will accept you.

 

[KillaCam]

If you feel comfortable and confident to potentially wait another year, then turn down NYU. (Also keep in mind that some schools supposedly look down on you for turning down an acceptance anywhere)

.

Why would schools look down upon turning down other schools, even if you were accepted? The way I see it, if you turned down a program and decided to wait another year, it means that the school(s) was not offering you what you were looking for. You could spin it next year by stating that you learned that that school was not for you and are that much more willing to go to school X because of X reasons.

I think coolbeans' question is perfect, and it's something I've thought on independently. Am I willing to wait another year and not go to NYU if it's my only in?


A very difficult decision to make, hope you find one that you can accept.

I thought about this last year even though I was not put in this situation. I told and will still say that I would NOT attend NYU if it were the only school I was accepted in. I really disliked the school for my own reasons and especialy after seeing other schools I knew that NYU was not the spot for me. But then again I was confident that I could get in elsewhere or the next year had it not worked out. I felt that all NYU had to offer was an experience in NYC, something I could get without paying 500K.

 

[tinman831]

Pay the deposit. You may not get any other acceptances this year. You may not get accepted next year either. Play it safe.

 

[wired202808]

I'm stuck over whether or not I should put a deposit down on NYU. When I applied to NYU I told myself I would only go if I could get some sort of scholarship. ( I did not expect a scholarship but the math told me to apply anyway). I got accepted without a scholarship on December 1st.

OK here's the desicion. NYU accepted me and it is my only acceptance. I had interviews at UMDNJ and Columbia in early December which I feel went very well because both interviewers said they would push for me at admissions meetings ( I hope the don't say this to everyone) . I am also going to Buffalo this week for another interview. While my original line of thought tells me withdraw from NYU because it's not part of the plan, I am scared of the hopefully small possibility that I wont get in anywhere else.

Would you pay the NYU deposit if you where me? Should I pony up $1500 and lock up a school I am not very excited about, or play what I think are good odds that I get in somewhere else?
My stats are on my predents profile. I am a non trad student 25yo, lots of research, good amount of shadowing and tons of work experience.
Thank you in advance to those who answer.

I say put the money down. Its no longer pre-december 1st and at this point there is no guarantee that Buffalo or UMDNJ are lock ins. Meanwhile, Columbia might turn out negative incase you get a bad interviewer. Imo there's too much risk here to justify forgoing the deposit. If you dont get into the other 3 schools, you lose a year and you'll kick yourself in the ass every time you think about it.

It sucks because its 50/50 at this point and you might waste that money but what can you really do? What's more important starting dental school in 2012 or keeping an extra $1,500? I think the former is a lot more important than the latter.

 

[herkulease]

Ask yourself this question.

can you accept the possibility that you will NEVER be offered admission at any school again for the rest of your life?

I'm not looking at your numbers and honestly there are no set of numbers that means 100% acceptance regardless of any other factors. They mere increase your odds of acceptance. You simply don't know what next year will be like or how ultimately the other two interviews will go.

You can always earn back the $1500 you put down now over the course of your life. You can't however go and turn back time.

 

[coolbeans123]

I'm in the exact same situation, been mulling it over for the last week.

Are you really in Hawaii? That plane ticket from hawaii to new york must have been insane 😱

Why would schools look down upon turning down other schools, even if you were accepted? The way I see it, if you turned down a program and decided to wait another year, it means that the school(s) was not offering you what you were looking for. You could spin it next year by stating that you learned that that school was not for you and are that much more willing to go to school X because of X reasons.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=99656

Granted that's from the MD forums, but the same ideas might apply. I think it would bring up questions during an interview more then anything. Some questions that might come up:

Why did you apply there in the first place?
Why didn't you do your research on living/school in NYC?
Why didn't you withdraw your app after your interview if you didn't like it?
Are you more about going to certain school then becoming a dentist?
Is he going to reject our school if we offer him an acceptance? (this is probably the biggest question if I was a school)

Some schools might not care, some might make a big deal out of it, who knows? I'm just saying I think it would be more of a negative on your application then a positive.

 

[Baker2010]

Hey,
Its simple. Pay the deposit.
I have a friend who last cycle got an acceptance to somewhere that he didn't care to be at. So he didn't pay the deposit in hopes that he would get in somewhere else.
Long story short, he didn't get in anywhere else and hes reapplying again this cycle and it doesn't look like he's getting in anywhere this year.
Please, don't do that to yourself.

 

[KillaGorilla]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I like the way coolbeans put it: NYU or nothing what would I do. The reason I applied was because with a scholarship NYU becomes more feasble to pay off. Since that did not happen I don't understand how I could live with that amount of debt and zero outside help. The fact that I may not get in anywhere else is making me sick, but I don't want to make a bad decision because of that.

So let ask a new question because like many of you said the deposit money does not really matter. NYU or nothing and why? Assume no outside financial help, no job waiting and complete indifference to the fact it is in NYC. Also assume that i would be looking for work in the NY metro area as I have no ties to any other part of the country. If I paid the deposit and went to NYU would I be OK?

 

[thewobblytooth]

i have friends that go to NYU for dental school and to be honest, you'll pay off that debt eventually. it's really better than waiting another year for dental school to see where else you could get in.

 

[AlwaysSmiles]

I would pay it. Its insurance just in case you don't get accepted anywhere else. Its kind of like when you buy electronics and they get you to pay extra for a warranty and nothing happens. Then the one time you didn't pay for insurance, the darn thing breaks! You most likely will get in somewhere else, but putting down the deposit will at least give you peace of mind.

 

[wired202808]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I like the way coolbeans put it: NYU or nothing what would I do. The reason I applied was because with a scholarship NYU becomes more feasble to pay off. Since that did not happen I don't understand how I could live with that amount of debt and zero outside help. The fact that I may not get in anywhere else is making me sick, but I don't want to make a bad decision because of that.

So let ask a new question because like many of you said the deposit money does not really matter. NYU or nothing and why? Assume no outside financial help, no job waiting and complete indifference to the fact it is in NYC. Also assume that i would be looking for work in the NY metro area as I have no ties to any other part of the country. If I paid the deposit and went to NYU would I be OK?

While I hear mixed reviews about NYC metro. I think its better a bit upstate aka Westchester or even Long Island. Even in NJ, about 45 minutes outside of NYC, you can make that money back. It just might take longer to pay it off.

Here's my advice: Pay the NYU deposit for a peace of mind, there is still a high chance you'll get into Buffalo, UMDNJ or Columbia. You're only paying NYU to sleep easy at night knowing you have a backup. Additionally, Columbia isnt cheap either so be careful about that one.

 

[Kahr]

Coolbeans: yes, and yes it was quite expensive, but the travel time was the worst part.

Gorilla guy: if the debt is really bugging you, have you considered the military? I personally would never have considered nyu without a navy scholarship.

 

[Bereno]

I'm with everyone to pay the deposit. However, if I were in your shoes that would be a hard decision to make. Better safe than sorry at this point. Just wait a week or so, and if you don't hear back put the deposit down.