What happens if you receive an acceptance and pay the deposit?

[Dr2B4Ever]

Hi SDNers,

I have not interviewed anywhere yet, although I am applying this cycle. I was just wondering what happens if you receive an acceptance from one DO school and accept it. Do you automatically get withdrawn from other schools? Can you still accept interviews at other schools? I realize that many times you won't get your money back if you decide to go elsewhere. However, if I get accepted to school #1 and have to put down a deposit before I find out about school #2 (which, hypothetically I'd rather attend), do I still have a shot at it?

Sorry, this all is truly hypothetical because I'm not sure where I want to go yet. I am asking specifically for DO schools, but if anyone happens to know the MD answer as well I'd appreciate it!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[YaBoyAR]

i THINK you do not get automatically withdrawn. however. if you pay the deposit, and later decide to attend another school, you lose your deposit.

 

[Skippygonenuts]

Every school has a different policy as to when you lose your deposit or if u only lose some of it.

In reference to interviewing and accepting, if you hypothetically apply to 10 schools and get accepted to the first one you interview at and get accepted, you would have about 2 to 4 weeks to pay deposits.

After that, you might get an interview from the other 9 schools. You can still go to all of those interviews and get acceptances. You would just have to pay each schools deposits in the time they ask for. For DO schools you are allowed to hold onto multiple acceptances until your first day in medical schools.

For MD schools, you only have until May 15, after which time, schools announce to each other that they have accepted you and you really are forced to choose one school and drop the rest.

Remember, thi costs a lot of money, but for some people it's worth it. Some schools only make u lose a percentage of your deposit while others make you lose the whole thing.

Good luck.

 

[ShyRem]

Every school is different. Some have "pay-by" dates such as December 15, Feb 15, May 15. Others have a "pay within 60 days if you have an acceptance by Nov 1, 30 days if you get accepted by Feb 15, 14 days if accepted after March 1". A few DO schools have policies of "pay by May 1". These deposit amounts can vary from $0 to $2000. You can hold as many acceptances/seats as you wish, but be aware folks on waitlists may feel like lynching you if you hold more than a couple.

Couple that with differing refund policies, and you have potentially thousands of dollars wasted.

However, the bottom line of your question "what happens if you get accepted and pay a deposit" is 'you get to go to medical school.' An early acceptance/deposit can mean a significant decrease in the application season stress factor.

 

[Dr2B4Ever]

Thank you everyone! I really had no idea how this worked... therefore I am extremely grateful for your responses!!!

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

Hi SDNers,

I have not interviewed anywhere yet, although I am applying this cycle. I was just wondering what happens if you receive an acceptance from one DO school and accept it. Do you automatically get withdrawn from other schools? Can you still accept interviews at other schools? I realize that many times you won't get your money back if you decide to go elsewhere. However, if I get accepted to school #1 and have to put down a deposit before I find out about school #2 (which, hypothetically I'd rather attend), do I still have a shot at it?

Sorry, this all is truly hypothetical because I'm not sure where I want to go yet. I am asking specifically for DO schools, but if anyone happens to know the MD answer as well I'd appreciate it!

Let's consider a real example. I was accepted on October 21, 2009. My acceptance letter explained that I had to send in a $250 deposit on or before December 31, 2009. I did so. I had pending applications at eight other schools. Interview invitations at some of the other schools started arriving after my acceptance. I went to other interviews. None of the schools knew that I had been accepted elsewhere. I went to three other interviews mostly out of curiosity and to have a basis of comparison. I eventually was accepted at other schools as well. One of the other interviews was before I sent in the 250 bucks and several were after - none after I sent in the $2,000 additional deposit.

So, I decided to attend PCOM Georgia (the first school to accept me). An additional deposit of $2,000 was due on or before April 15, 2010. I am sure than many applicants with acceptance at one or more schools will put down the modest initial deposit holding out hope perhaps of acceptance somewhere else. Few are willing to pay thousands only to forfeit it later on. So, after April 15th, several seats open up as a result of those who fail to pay the additional (and large) additional deposit.

Acceptance at one school does not mean that every other school scratches you off of their list of prospective students. The fact is that many well qualified applicants are accepted at more than one school and, sadly, many applicants get no acceptance at all and many not even an interview.

With nearly every applicant applying to multiple schools, each medical school receives many more applications than available seats. For example, PCOM Georgia, with 80 seats received over 3,000 applications for the Class of 2014 (86 are actually accepted as the AOA allows for an 8% overage in anticipation of some no shows on the day orientation begins). 3,000+ applications for 86 acceptances = a one in 35 or so shot.

This sounds depressing but there is much that you can do to improve your personal odds. The Adcom folks have just a few minutes to review each file. Your applications should scream: "Take Me." How? (1) Apply early; (2) take it upon yourself to verify that your application is complete; (3) write a killer personal statement [the "I have wanted to be a doctor since Santa gave me a Doctor Kit for Christmas when I was six years old won't cut it - sorry] (4) obtain personalized LORs that speak to who you are as a person [She was a student in my Chemistry class and made a good grade won't cut it either] (5) convey that you have that fire in your belly to be a doctor that nothing short of being one will be put out.

You can do it! Good luck

 

[lawyerdoc2b]

Hi SDNers,

I have not interviewed anywhere yet, although I am applying this cycle. I was just wondering what happens if you receive an acceptance from one DO school and accept it. Do you automatically get withdrawn from other schools? Can you still accept interviews at other schools? I realize that many times you won't get your money back if you decide to go elsewhere. However, if I get accepted to school #1 and have to put down a deposit before I find out about school #2 (which, hypothetically I'd rather attend), do I still have a shot at it?

Sorry, this all is truly hypothetical because I'm not sure where I want to go yet. I am asking specifically for DO schools, but if anyone happens to know the MD answer as well I'd appreciate it!

Let's consider a real example. I was accepted on October 21, 2009. My acceptance letter explained that I had to send in a $250 deposit on or before December 31, 2009. I did so. I had pending applications at eight other schools. Interview invitations at some of the other schools started arriving after my acceptance. I went to other interviews. None of the schools knew that I had been accepted elsewhere. I went to three other interviews mostly out of curiosity and to have a basis of comparison. I eventually was accepted at other schools as well.

So, I decided to attend PCOM Georgia (the first school to accept me). An additional deposit of $2,000 was due on or before April 15, 2010. I am sure than many applicants with acceptance at one or more schools will put down the modest initial deposit holding out hope perhaps of acceptance somewhere else. Few are willing to pay thousands only to forfeit it later on. So, after April 15th, several seats open up as a result of those who fail to pay the additional (and large) additional deposit.

Acceptance at one school does not mean that every other school scratches you off of their list of prospective students. The fact is that many well qualified applicants are accepted at more than one school and, sadly, many applicants get no acceptance at all and many not even an interview.

With nearly every applicant applying to multiple schools, each medical school receives many more applications than available seats. For example, PCOM Georgia, with 80 seats received over 3,000 applications for the Class of 2014 (86 are actually accepted as the AOA allows for an 8% overage in anticipation of some no shows on the day orientation begins). 3,000+ applications for 86 acceptances = a one in 35 or so shot.

This sounds depressing but there is much that you can do to improve your personal odds. The Adcom folks have just a few minutes to review each file. Your applications should scream: "Take Me." How? (1) Apply early; (2) take it upon yourself to verify that your application is complete; (3) write a killer personal statement [the "I have wanted to be a doctor since Santa gave me a Doctor Kit for Christmas when I was six years old won't cut it - sorry] (4) obtain personalized LORs that speak to who you are as a person [She was a student in my Chemistry class and made a good grade won't cut it either] (5) convey that you have that fire in your belly to be a doctor that nothing short of bewing one will be put out.

You can do it! Good luck

 

[jm192]

I didn't read the other responses, so if this is useless, ignore me.

I received an acceptance to LMU-DCOM and paid the deposit. I then received an acceptance elsewhere. I e-mailed the Admissions Chair and informed her I would not be matriculating.

I'll be starting at the other school a week from Monday.

The deposit is non-refundable though. Osteopathic schools run $1,000 to $2,000 for the deposit. I really couldn't afford to pay that TWICE. If you can, awesome.

 

[Atom bum]

... I am sure than many applicants with acceptance at one or more schools will put down the modest initial deposit holding out hope perhaps of acceptance somewhere else....

Modest at PCOM maybe. I wish more DO schools were like PCOM and their 250 fee.
I have a 1500 dollar, non-refundable deposit due by August 25th to keep my seat at LECOM.

 

[wolverinepwns]

Every school is different. Some have "pay-by" dates such as December 15, Feb 15, May 15. Others have a "pay within 60 days if you have an acceptance by Nov 1, 30 days if you get accepted by Feb 15, 14 days if accepted after March 1". A few DO schools have policies of "pay by May 1". These deposit amounts can vary from $0 to $2000. You can hold as many acceptances/seats as you wish, but be aware folks on waitlists may feel like lynching you if you hold more than a couple.

Couple that with differing refund policies, and you have potentially thousands of dollars wasted.

However, the bottom line of your question "what happens if you get accepted and pay a deposit" is 'you get to go to medical school.' An early acceptance/deposit can mean a significant decrease in the application season stress factor.

this is what I will be praying/begging for this next few months!