What to do if you get accepted but already have plans for 2008?

[hferdjal]

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I recently got accepted to medical college yesterday and class literally starts in 3 days (June 16! Eurgh). I was on the waitlist for a long long time. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of a ALOT of things at the moment, ranging from personal, spiritual and academic and I don't think I want to start med school at the moment without fulfilling these obligations. Plus, I know I can do A LOT better than a 27 this year if I retake the MCATs.

NOW MY QUESTION: I was wondering if anyone knew if universities typically allow you to withhold your application for 1 year and reserve a seat for the following class (class of 2009). Or is this option only given to people that automatically get accepted instead of being on the waitlist for 99% of the summer.

I'd personally ask them, but I just want to know if anyone here knows before I trouble them. Thanks for reading.

 

[Jolie South]

i think it varies from school to school. all you can do is ask. call up the admissions office and see if they are willing to offer you a deferral.

however, being that you came off the waitlist i'm not sure this will be an option. once they go to the waitlist, they're really trying to fill their class for THIS year.

you can reapply next year, but that's a gamble IMO.

 

[Depakote]

I recently got accepted to medical college yesterday and class literally starts in 3 days (June 16! Eurgh). I was on the waitlist for a long long time. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of a ALOT of things at the moment, ranging from personal, spiritual and academic and I don't think I want to start med school at the moment without fulfilling these obligations. Plus, I know I can do A LOT better than a 27 this year if I retake the MCATs.

NOW MY QUESTION: I was wondering if anyone knew if universities typically allow you to withhold your application for 1 year and reserve a seat for the following class (class of 2009). Or is this option only given to people that automatically get accepted instead of being on the waitlist for 99% of the summer.

I'd personally ask them, but I just want to know if anyone here knows before I trouble them. Thanks for reading.

I can't speak to the nature of your obligations but I was in a pretty similar situation a few years back (sitting on a waitlist with a lot of obligations that I had to make). I spoke to the people I had committed to about the possibility of me getting into medical school and they were all very supportive. If this is what you really want, go for it. There's no reason you should retake the MCAT if you're already in.

Theoretically, it is possible to ask for a deferred acceptance for the following year's class once accepted, but they tend to pull people from the waitlist to fill this year's seat, I'm not sure that they'll give you a seat in the next year's class when all they have to do is move to he next spot on the waitlist to find someone very eager to take your spot.

 

[hferdjal]

Thanks for the responses guys. But yea, eurgh, that's what I figured what my options would be. I also checked online and my medical college does NOT offer deferrals for sure. I guess I'm going to make a tough decision in the next couple of hours. I want to go to Medical School, but I just feel like I need more time to grow up, and that's what this year is doing for. Also, I'd just feel like such an intellectual runt with my 27 and 2-3 day preparation period if I decided to accept the offer. I feel like I should be arrogant and confident when I step in (if that makes sense). Also I think I can do better on my MCATs ... and probably get offers from a more "competitive" Medical School next year.

But yea, it's also true that I may never get this opportunity again. I'll think about it again. eurgh.

 

[kedrin]

i would say you would be crazy to miss out on this chance. You barely got in this year what makes you think that next time your chances will improve?

just go to school, you gave no real greater reasoning for you to not attend this year.

 

[bcat85]

I completely agree with the above. You barely got in this year, so GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.

 

[Depakote]

btw. MCAT scores stop mattering day 1.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Seriously, GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. There are no guarantees in this life, you can't bet on getting an acceptance anywhere next year if you hardly got in this year.

Growing up is a mindset.

 

[hferdjal]

Alright guys, thanks for all the advice 😉. I think I'm gonna sign off and give this one some thought with my parents and friends. I need to make sure I'm making the right decision.

 

[Mister Pie]

I believe the common wisdom that is thrown around on this forum is that even if you did retake the MCAT and ended up doing better, you would look bad for having had been offered an acceptance and then turning it down.

 

[docbot]

let's see, you applied to medical school, and, after much waiting and agony, finally got in. Then you decide, no, on second thought, you WANT to retake the MCAT 😱, go through another application cycle 😱, and hope you get another acceptance next time?! It's your life, dude, but I no understand. You crazy. Do you have lots of extra time and money (and reapplying and the MCAT will cut deep into the time you plan on spending on your spiritual activities)? Remember, putting off medical school for a year (or longer) means another year of zero income and paying back loans. Remember the time value of money? You must be they guy that Depakote used for his avatar, cause you're just punching yourself in the face.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I think you're crazy...go to school.

 

[Maxwell Edison]

Never mind that **** and go. You've been offered the golden ticket, Charlie.

 

[redlight]

i can understand your apprehension about suddenly going to medical school on a few days notice when you've spent the last weeks or so with the mindset that you're starting the whole process over and can improve your chances of admission.

however, i don't think you should assume u can get into med school again. scores are going up each year and the competition is getting more fierce (check out the increases in gpa and mcat for matriculants over the years) so don't bank on being more competitive, even if you do improve your mcat.

i'm not sure if being accepted to med school off a waiting list will hurt your chances of admission for the next cycle, though. i would imagine your circumstance is unique (not being able to defer acceptance after being admitted 3 days before first day of classes) and it would keep you from being blacklisted (from other schools, but maybe not from the school that accepted you)

personally, i think you should really go to this school. you opted to stay on the waiting list, so unless another school makes an offer, i don't see why you shouldn't go. you should have withdrew from the school if you thought it was too late to get prepared for first day of class... also, because you were still on the waitlist, i think you should have been prepared to move anyways..

i just hope your main reason for not wanting to go to this school isnt the prospect of potentially improving your mcat score and increasing your chances of admission at more "competitive" schools. you got into a school that you were apparently ok with (for you stayed on the waitlist) so go! no reason to be greedy😉

 

[Law2Doc]

I recently got accepted to medical college yesterday and class literally starts in 3 days (June 16! Eurgh). I was on the waitlist for a long long time. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of a ALOT of things at the moment, ranging from personal, spiritual and academic and I don't think I want to start med school at the moment without fulfilling these obligations. Plus, I know I can do A LOT better than a 27 this year if I retake the MCATs.

NOW MY QUESTION: I was wondering if anyone knew if universities typically allow you to withhold your application for 1 year and reserve a seat for the following class (class of 2009). Or is this option only given to people that automatically get accepted instead of being on the waitlist for 99% of the summer.

I'd personally ask them, but I just want to know if anyone here knows before I trouble them. Thanks for reading.

Deferrals are not given as a matter of right. You languished on the waitlist and almost didn't get into med school. You'd be foolish not to go. It's already time folks are applying for the next cycle, so there is really no way you are going to be dramatically improved by the next cycle. And you don't give up an acceptance in hand with a 27 MCAT in hopes you will turn things around next time. Lots of people take it again and do the same or worse. So pack up your issues and go to school if you still want to be a doctor. Hard to tell from your post if you do though, as it doesn't seem to be a priority.

And just a note on terminology. The class of 09 is the class that is graduating in 09. You will be entering the class of 2012.

 

[bawer234]

You should go. This shouldn't even be a real question for you.

 

[sistahnik]

I really don't want to offend anyone but I don't get it when people say they really want to do something, the opportunity comes along and they act as if it was something that they just thought about. Some ppl really know that medicine is a calling for them and don't even get into a school at all, think about what you are doing my friend. 😳

 

[HIVdoc2b]

"What to do if you get accepted but already have plans for 2008?"

You drop them like a sack of steaming monkey crap and RUN, not walk, to accept their offer.

I guess you have to make the decision that's right for you, but I think you'd be crazy not to go. You applied for E'08 because you wanted to go to med school, right? You got in, congratulations. GO.

 

[Concordia]

I was in a similar situation about a month ago, and you have to go with your gut. You have spent all this time, energy and money on the application process, you have invested so much of yourself into getting to this point...are you ready to give it all up?
Ask yourself if you are willing to re-do the last year or two of your life, w/o any guarantees for success. I can't say it was a really difficult debate for me...this is what I wanted, this is what I worked for, and now that I have it I am not giving it up.
Good luck with your decision...I hope you are happy with whatever it is. And congrats

 

[DoctorPardi]

Look I am not sure about the specifics of your obligations but they either A) Don't matter in light of medical school or B) Will understand and be happy to let you go.

If you just started a new job as say a research assistant somewhere and obligated yourself, then yeah it does suck to leave, but this is one of the few situations where quitting outright might not matter at all. They will either understand, or they will be pissed, but either way they can not in any real way effect you once you're enroute to becoming a doctor. (the research assistant thing is just a hypothetical, but you can imagine that for a number of similar jobs: teaching, corporate etc)

The other scenario might be if you took a hospital or clinical job of some sort. Sure they will have to do another resume search and find someone else, but your manager or the doctor you work for will likely be excited for you and be happy to let you go.

So I don't know if your obligations fall into either of those types of categories, but if they do, then it doesn't really matter. Also I made a 27 on the MCAT and I am very happy to get in with a score 3-10 points lower than most of my classmates.

Ask yourself why you can't go now, and then ask yourself what will you tell an adcom member when they say "so you got accepted last year but didn't go?!?!" Can you explain it in such a way that makes sense? If there is some life changing event going on like your wife got pregnant or your mom just got terminally ill, then that is something. If you just got a job and started volunteering at your church then you need to make a decision between medical school and whatever else you can consider yourself doing. If you don't go this year, it may never happen, you are lucky to get in with a 27 and should be signing the dotted line asap. (of course this is all my opinion and I really do want to become a doctor, you seem doubtful and that is something ultimately only you can work out)

edit: Are you sure all this isn't just cold feet? You have probably been planning on not getting in since March and now all of a sudden "SHOW UP IN THREE DAYS" seems unthinkable. You've got a whole plan for next year and goals on improving your application, but remember none of this matters. If you want to become a doctor, then go become one, if you feel your fears are legitimate then you can wait but you should recognize this may be your only chance.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

Alright guys, thanks for all the advice 😉. I think I'm gonna sign off and give this one some thought with my parents and friends. I need to make sure I'm making the right decision.

This OP would be taking the whole whackjob premed obsession with 'top-tier' schools to a whole new level, turning down an acceptance because he thinks he can score a higher MCAT and get into a better school. Seriously everybody, the difference between the very best US allo school and the very worst is more like the difference between alligator/crocodile than sparrow/tiger shark. I can understand having cold feet at the altar but geez do you want to be a doctor or don't you? If you don't at least be courteous enough to let them know asap, there are plenty of people on this very board who would eat their grandmother and begin class 2 weeks after school starts to get that degree.

 

[JeepMD]

From someone who had an acceptance 2 years ago, didn't go (albeit for what I presume to be a different reason), and thought I would get in again this time around, DON'T GIVE UP THE ACCEPTANCE! Not a day goes by that I don't regret not doing everything necessary to take that acceptance and run with it. And here I am now spending all my time stressing about strengthening my application and spending all my time and money on the application process again. Ultimately the decision is up to you, but you REALLY need to think if these committments can't be cast aside and picked up later (maybe summer after M1).

 

[decafplease]

I recently got accepted to medical college yesterday and class literally starts in 3 days (June 16! Eurgh). I was on the waitlist for a long long time. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of a ALOT of things at the moment, ranging from personal, spiritual and academic and I don't think I want to start med school at the moment without fulfilling these obligations. Plus, I know I can do A LOT better than a 27 this year if I retake the MCATs.

NOW MY QUESTION: I was wondering if anyone knew if universities typically allow you to withhold your application for 1 year and reserve a seat for the following class (class of 2009). Or is this option only given to people that automatically get accepted instead of being on the waitlist for 99% of the summer.

I'd personally ask them, but I just want to know if anyone here knows before I trouble them. Thanks for reading.

Dear God, man! GO!!!!!! I have an acquaintance that literally needed Mommy and Daddy to FORCE her to go to med school (drove her to the first day of class and dragged her out of the car) because she chickened out after convincing herself she'd never get off the wiatlist. She is now a VERY happy intern. Just do it.