Urgent - Will medical schools deny me for applying early assurance?

[tommyhillfigger4]

My university offers an "Early Assurance Program" (NOT early decision, this is something different) that college sophomores can apply to. Basically, they see what extracurriculars and GPA you have racked up so far in undergrad and select up to a dozen candidates to be considered for a guaranteed seat at my undergrad's medical school. It is binding, meaning that if you do apply out during the normal application cycle, you lose the acceptance but you can still apply normally again. The conditions you must meet prior to matriculation are a 3.5 and 504, which isn't too bad considering it is an MD school. However, it is an unranked MD school.

Here's my dilemma. I'm a current college sophomore in spring semester with a 4.0 GPA (basically done with pre-reqs) and some clinical/nonclinical extracurriculars, but nothing amazing. I am considering applying to this program but I am really worried and not sure if I should. Let's say I get accepted to the program, but I end up wanting to apply out in the future because some miracle causes me to get a high MCAT score, and with Step 1 being P/F, I'm not sure if attending an unranked MD school will close doors for me since no one knows the implications of this new change. As a result, I apply out and then the AMCAS application will ask me if I've been accepted to medical school before. Technically I have, and given that I put yes, I'm afraid these medical schools will automatically consider this a giant red flag because traditionally, schools do NOT like when people turn down acceptances but this acceptance is was not obtained through the normal application process. This will leave me with not only no guaranteed acceptance, but also no acceptances from any school because they found out I was already accepted and decided to reject me due to "poor judgement."

Something to note is that when applying to this early assurance program, it is not done through AMCAS, it is done through the university website. Also, even if I get rejected from this program, I'm afraid that I'll be considered a "reapplicant," which I am not sure would be a disadvantage or not.

I really do not know what to do. On one hand, I want to apply because I think I'm fairly competitive and it gives me a guaranteed acceptance. On the other hand, I'm afraid that I'll want to apply out given that it is an unranked school and then all other schools will deny me anyways, leaving me with no chance of ever becoming a physician again.

Any advice?

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[tommyhillfigger4]

@Goro @LizzyM @gonnif

 

[KnightDoc]

My university offers an "Early Assurance Program" (NOT early decision, this is something different) that college sophomores can apply to. Basically, they see what extracurriculars and GPA you have racked up so far in undergrad and select up to a dozen candidates to be considered for a guaranteed seat at my undergrad's medical school. It is binding, meaning that if you do apply out during the normal application cycle, you lose the acceptance but you can still apply normally again. The conditions you must meet prior to matriculation are a 3.5 and 504, which isn't too bad considering it is an MD school. However, it is an unranked MD school.

Here's my dilemma. I'm a current college sophomore in spring semester with a 4.0 GPA (basically done with pre-reqs) and some clinical/nonclinical extracurriculars, but nothing amazing. I am considering applying to this program but I am really worried and not sure if I should. Let's say I get accepted to the program, but I end up wanting to apply out in the future because some miracle causes me to get a high MCAT score, and with Step 1 being P/F, I'm not sure if attending an unranked MD school will close doors for me since no one knows the implications of this new change. As a result, I apply out and then the AMCAS application will ask me if I've been accepted to medical school before. Technically I have, and given that I put yes, I'm afraid these medical schools will automatically consider this a giant red flag because traditionally, schools do NOT like when people turn down acceptances but this acceptance is was not obtained through the normal application process. This will leave me with not only no guaranteed acceptance, but also no acceptances from any school because they found out I was already accepted and decided to reject me due to "poor judgement."

Something to note is that when applying to this early assurance program, it is not done through AMCAS, it is done through the university website. Also, even if I get rejected from this program, I'm afraid that I'll be considered a "reapplicant," which I am not sure would be a disadvantage or not.

I really do not know what to do. On one hand, I want to apply because I think I'm fairly competitive and it gives me a guaranteed acceptance. On the other hand, I'm afraid that I'll want to apply out given that it is an unranked school and then all other schools will deny me anyways, leaving me with no chance of ever becoming a physician again.

Any advice?

You are definitely overthinking this. You would NOT be a reapplicant since it is not done through AMCAS. You don't even have an acceptance yet if you go this route, since it is conditional based on your MCAT and GPA. It is NOT binding, since you have the option to drop it, apply out, and even apply to your program if you want to. You have nothing to worry about, and will be a first time applicant if you apply out, whether or not you also choose to apply to your home school. I say go for it, since it will be a good back up for you.

After you see your MCAT, you will decide whether you want the guarantee, in which case you won't be applying anywhere else, or if you want to apply out, in which case you will submit an AMCAS application. By the way, if you take the guarantee, I am 99% sure you will then "apply" through AMCAS, since all MD schools use it, even though your acceptance is already guaranteed. Until you do this, you are not an "applicant" anywhere.

 

[yellowranger]

I would say that it is at least worth putting together an application. It can help you look at your current flaws in a way that you couldn't before.

 

[LizzyM]

I've seen people admitted to BA/MD programs apply out and get into top 10 schools. If a school thinks you'd be an asset to their program, they won't mind stealing you away from another school.

 

[tommyhillfigger4]

You are definitely overthinking this. You would NOT be a reapplicant since it is not done through AMCAS. You don't even have an acceptance yet if you go this route, since it is conditional based on your MCAT and GPA. It is NOT binding, since you have the option to drop it, apply out, and even apply to your program if you want to. You have nothing to worry about, and will be a first time applicant if you apply out, whether or not you also choose to apply to your home school. I say go for it, since it will be a good back up for you.

After you see your MCAT, you will decide whether you want the guarantee, in which case you won't be applying anywhere else, or if you want to apply out, in which case you will submit an AMCAS application. By the way, if you take the guarantee, I am 99% sure you will then "apply" through AMCAS, since all MD schools use it, even though your acceptance is already guaranteed. Until you do this, you are not an "applicant" anywhere.

Thank you so much for the response. So if I happen to apply out in the future and they ask me “have you applied to medical school before?” I would say no?

 

[tommyhillfigger4]

I've seen people admitted to BA/MD programs apply out and get into top 10 schools. If a school thinks you'd be an asset to their program, they won't mind stealing you away from another school.

In my case, if the AMCAS application asks if I’ve applied to medical school before, what would I put?

 

[tommyhillfigger4]

I would say that it is at least worth putting together an application. It can help you look at your current flaws in a way that you couldn't before.

I am certainly thinking of applying just to get the experience if it does not consider me as a “reapplicant.”

 

[KnightDoc]

Thank you so much for the response. So if I happen to apply out in the future and they ask me “have you applied to medical school before?” I would say no?

Yes, until you submit an AMCAS application, you have not "applied" to medical school. You were merely granted an early assurance, contingent upon several factors, one of which was not applying out! The only this changes is if you do thake the guarantee, submit an AMCAS to your school, then change your mind and apply in a subsequent cycle -- THEN you are a reapplicant who turned down an acceptance!

By the way, you didn't ask this, but you should know -- if you are granted an early assurance and you do apply out, the odds are high that your home school will not take you when you apply as a regular applicant after turning down their guarantee. If they wanted to let you use them as a safety, they wouldn't make you forfeit the guarantee in order to apply out.

 

[KnightDoc]

In my case, if the AMCAS application asks if I’ve applied to medical school before, what would I put?

I am pretty sure @LizzyM's response assumes you are applying in the same cycle, so you would not yet be a reapplicant.

The ONLY reason not to just apply to see what happens (and to get the experience) is if you are seriously thinking about applying out, being accepted and then turning the guarantee down really will severely hurt your chances of being accepted regular decision to your home school.

 

[LizzyM]

If you haven't applied through AMCAS, I doubt you're considered a reapplicant when you apply through AMCAS for the first time. And AMCAS knows all so I don't believe they even ask this.... although individual schools may ask but they know, too, because you'd be in their database from the previous application.

Don't sweat it.

 

[Goro]

Thank you so much for the response. So if I happen to apply out in the future and they ask me “have you applied to medical school before?” I would say no?

Nobody's going to ask you this. You are overthinking.

 

[tommyhillfigger4]

Nobody's going to ask you this. You are overthinking.

I thought applications asked this to see if you are a reapplicant (multiple cycles). Guess they know without asking if you’ve applied to them before

 

[tommyhillfigger4]

I am pretty sure @LizzyM's response assumes you are applying in the same cycle, so you would not yet be a reapplicant.

The ONLY reason not to just apply to see what happens (and to get the experience) is if you are seriously thinking about applying out, being accepted and then turning the guarantee down really will severely hurt your chances of being accepted regular decision to your home school.

Thank you. I think I will end up applying!

 

[tommyhillfigger4]

If you haven't applied through AMCAS, I doubt you're considered a reapplicant when you apply through AMCAS for the first time. And AMCAS knows all so I don't believe they even ask this.... although individual schools may ask but they know, too, because you'd be in their database from the previous application.

Don't sweat it.

Thank you. I will be applying.

 

[Goro]

I thought applications asked this to see if you are a reapplicant (multiple cycles). Guess they know without asking if you’ve applied to them before

You thought wrong. If anything, they MAY ask if you've been accepted elsewhere.