When should I just settle and move on?

[Firephoenix938]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Pretty much title, but I got one II-->A. I am so extremely grateful for the A but I am wondering when I should stop waiting on other schools and just go into AMCAS and just say "screw it imma commit." Ik they have the April 30 day, and the commit tool in June (correct me on this timeline if I am wrong), but when is it reasonable to move on and just put it to bed? Just wanted to hear people's thoughts on when to move on and just commit and put it outta mind.

Also, thanks to everyone for providing opinions and perspectives on my app. Whether it wasn't what I wanted to hear or stuff I needed to hear, I appreciate it all. Through all the crashouts in this wild process, I'm grateful it all worked out. Ik my application was a gamble (or a donation in some eyes), but I'm glad the gamble paid off, and I got an MD acceptance. Thank you, SDN and all its contributors, for the help, because I was truly clueless about a lot during this process. Grateful to say I will be a doctor and for the opportunities to achieve my goals within the field!

 

[Goro]

April 29

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yeah, you never know. Late round interviews do happen. But I agree March/April is crunch time.

 

[Med Ed]

Agree with April 29.

Now, you would do well to log out of this account (and your Reddit account) and never speak of them to anyone.

 

[polymerization]

I feel the same way.

I think, maybe, some might read your post and think "OK, so they never really wanted to go to many of the other schools on their list in the first place, so this is not a very serious person." And that's one way to look at it.

But from my perspective, I see that we are at least halfway through the cycle. The CycleTracks and Admits of the world are showing that classes are filling. You already have an acceptance.

Even if your A is in-state, it is likely not a commutable distance. You still have to move and start thinking about reconstructing your life somewhere else. Everyone is saying April 29, but schools start orienting late July. That's not a lot of time to formulate and execute on plans.

Actually, it's kind of overwhelming. The school I was admitted to has a housing shortage, and leases are offered on a first-come-first-served basis, so what if my only opportunity for housing comes and goes in mid-April, before the cycle is actually "over?" Can I ship my car/a moving pod/my partner/pets literally anywhere across the country at the drop of a hat like that? How do loans work? Can I expect help or resources from the school with relocating? How am I going to make this work?

This idea that "it's not over until it's over" is a torture, in part, because if you're anything like me, you feel it is premature to make plans around the acceptance you already have (who knows, maybe THE Ohio State University reaches out last minute)... but it is even more ridiculous to make Plans B-K around every other possible school that could, maybe, potentially, interview and admit you. This in sight of the reality that if you applied early and all at once, the likelihood is that you didn't make it to the priority interview list at this point and would be second or third string, with many of a school's offers already handed out, making an A feel less likely, at least given what we know.

So it's logical to start mentally/emotionally culling. I have also daydreamed about withdrawing from most of my schools, just to diminish the mental strain of holding all these possibilities at once and just letting myself start getting acclimated with the idea of actually attending a particular school.

I've heard a lot of stories of people being accepted to dream schools very late in the cycle and turning them down in the end because they had already crystallized their plans around an earlier acceptance. At the time, I thought that was ridiculous! But I think I get it now. It's not as easy as just wanting it.

 

[pazzer2]

You didn't mention the school name that you were accepted to, and for privacy reasons I can understand. But could you tell us if it was an MD school vs DO school?

Second question: If accepted to some of these other state schools would you be considered in state (OSU, UC, etc)? Reason is that the in-state vs out of state cost of attendance is quite a bit different. Over the course of 4 years that could add up to a substantial sum. Please do include the payback period in your calculations.

 

[Snazzy_iceberg]

Agree with April 29.

Now, you would do well to log out of this account (and your Reddit account) and never speak of them to anyone.

What's the reasoning for this? Lol

 

[Firephoenix938]

What's the reasoning for this? Lol

Im also curious. Could be cuz of my crashout posts, or just general advice. Id assume the former😭

 

[Firephoenix938]

You didn't mention the school name that you were accepted to, and for privacy reasons I can understand. But could you tell us if it was an MD school vs DO school?

Second question: If accepted to some of these other state schools would you be considered in state (OSU, UC, etc)? Reason is that the in-state vs out of state cost of attendance is quite a bit different. Over the course of 4 years that could add up to a substantial sum. Please do include the payback period in your calculations.

Md
And lets just say the tuitions would be very comparable for almost all the schools

 

[Firephoenix938]

I feel the same way.

I think, maybe, some might read your post and think "OK, so they never really wanted to go to many of the other schools on their list in the first place, so this is not a very serious person." And that's one way to look at it.

But from my perspective, I see that we are at least halfway through the cycle. The CycleTracks and Admits of the world are showing that classes are filling. You already have an acceptance.

Even if your A is in-state, it is likely not a commutable distance. You still have to move and start thinking about reconstructing your life somewhere else. Everyone is saying April 29, but schools start orienting late July. That's not a lot of time to formulate and execute on plans.

Actually, it's kind of overwhelming. The school I was admitted to has a housing shortage, and leases are offered on a first-come-first-served basis, so what if my only opportunity for housing comes and goes in mid-April, before the cycle is actually "over?" Can I ship my car/a moving pod/my partner/pets literally anywhere across the country at the drop of a hat like that? How do loans work? Can I expect help or resources from the school with relocating? How am I going to make this work?

This idea that "it's not over until it's over" is a torture, in part, because if you're anything like me, you feel it is premature to make plans around the acceptance you already have (who knows, maybe THE Ohio State University reaches out last minute)... but it is even more ridiculous to make Plans B-K around every other possible school that could, maybe, potentially, interview and admit you. This in sight of the reality that if you applied early and all at once, the likelihood is that you didn't make it to the priority interview list at this point and would be second or third string, with many of a school's offers already handed out, making an A feel less likely, at least given what we know.

So it's logical to start mentally/emotionally culling. I have also daydreamed about withdrawing from most of my schools, just to diminish the mental strain of holding all these possibilities at once and just letting myself start getting acclimated with the idea of actually attending a particular school.

I've heard a lot of stories of people being accepted to dream schools very late in the cycle and turning them down in the end because they had already crystallized their plans around an earlier acceptance. At the time, I thought that was ridiculous! But I think I get it now. It's not as easy as just wanting it.

I would say, to the first point, I can get how some might interpret it that way, but it is just ranked order. Each school on my list I chose because id definitely go there (like if I had no As and got an A from any school on that list I’d see myself making a home there for 4 yrs. But getting into a school, now my priority is, can I minimize debt, what’s the benefit between location and cost, cost vs prestige, what hospitals the school is connected to, etc. and the school I got into the tuition would be really really friendly.


And exactly right on the its on the turn of the cycle, so all the priority As and IIs are out. I was an early applicant too, so its not confidence building. And exactly right on my thoughts with housing, loans, towing around pets/things. Im on the same page as you with not wanting to have Plans B-K. I want to crystallize a lot and not think about 20+ possibilities with all the other schools. At first it was a, “if this school takes me would I be happy and would I fit with the mission.” And those schools I put on my list. Now its all the other logistics when Im in the position to compare and contrast stuff.
Im glad you can somewhat relate because it feels kinda ungrateful to complain or feels like I didnt care about the schools I applied to, but that could not be further from the truth. I just dont want last minute scrambling. The school I got into starts very early

 

[A224B]

April 29 is not last minute scrambling, just do it then and don't overthink it

 

[PickaGodnPray]

Sadly in this long drawn out process you could still hear back from schools in February or March. Hell, some people find out about WL movement the week before classes start. I had a friend at a DO school have a student leave their small group discussion in the middle because they got off an MD waitlist that started in less than 5 days. Is this process fair? No, not at all. Is there anything we can change about it? Also no.
I get it is stressful. I would like nothing more than to start apartment hunting with my fiance for the A I have and move on with my life, but I am happy to wait while knowing I have the security of an A I didn't have last year like so many other applicants. I know nothing I say will relieve the stress, but try to spend the final 6-7 (🤷‍♀️) months with friends and family doing things you like doing in your current location since you may be moving. Put together a final update letter to some schools, recognize what is left is out of your control, and just enjoy life in the meantime. You did the hard part, so give yourself some slack and celebrate it!
P.S. If you can kick you might want to add that to any update you send to OSU, I hear they might be looking for someone with that specific skill set lol

 

[A224B]

Congrats on the A, Picky, you spent a heck of a lot of time and effort to get it. Your time spent on the AMCAS struggle bus shows the grit of your character relative to those people who just sailed right in. Study hard

 

[Firephoenix938]

Sadly in this long drawn out process you could still hear back from schools in February or March. Hell, some people find out about WL movement the week before classes start. I had a friend at a DO school have a student leave their small group discussion in the middle because they got off an MD waitlist that started in less than 5 days. Is this process fair? No, not at all. Is there anything we can change about it? Also no.
I get it is stressful. I would like nothing more than to start apartment hunting with my fiance for the A I have and move on with my life, but I am happy to wait while knowing I have the security of an A I didn't have last year like so many other applicants. I know nothing I say will relieve the stress, but try to spend the final 6-7 (🤷‍♀️) months with friends and family doing things you like doing in your current location since you may be moving. Put together a final update letter to some schools, recognize what is left is out of your control, and just enjoy life in the meantime. You did the hard part, so give yourself some slack and celebrate it!
P.S. If you can kick you might want to add that to any update you send to OSU, I hear they might be looking for someone with that specific skill set lol

Really great points and perspective! Im happy u get to just chill and wait in peace rather than stress! Also congrats on the engagement (ik it was prolly a while ago for the actual date) but cheers to a great wedding in the future.

And im not tryna be cocky but if they held a walkon tryout i think i could do better than jayden felding. My kicks in high school were more on target than him. Maybe I make the team and leverage the sports team to get me into the med school😭😭. Jk but man our kickers suckkkk