withdraw application

[strive01]

this might be a silly question but i sent in my primaries a long time ago to all my schools but i decided later that i didnt want to apply this cycle (for reasons that dont matter at the moment) but I do want to apply next cycle and reuse my application.

So my question is how do i 'withdraw' my application now? is there any way? or do i call up each school individually and tell them? Is that even necessary? If I just dont send in my secondaries that also says that I wont be applying this cycle.. will it look bad that my application I just left my application incomplete and did not call them?

Sorry.. im just not sure what the right protocol is for this..

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[JJMrK]

Not sending in secondaries is as good as withdrawing.

 

[apumic]

Not sending in secondaries after applying can be a very big kiss of death for the following app cycle if you hope to apply to those schools again.

If you want those schools to give you any sort of consideration in the future, the last thing you want to do is make it look like you weren't really interested this time around, because when you apply again next yr w/o having shown interest (post-primary) they're going to assume you're probably just using them as a "plan b again" (regardless of the truth -- that's going to be their perception). You don't want to ever give them the perception that you're not serious about applying to their school. Bad idea....👎

 

[strive01]

really? ah. should i call each one up indivudally and tell them that I plan not to apply this year? wont i just get a secretary or something? i sent like 30 primaries out 🙁

Not sending in secondaries after applying can be a very big kiss of death for the following app cycle if you hope to apply to those schools again.

If you want those schools to give you any sort of consideration in the future, the last thing you want to do is make it look like you weren't really interested this time around, because when you apply again next yr w/o having shown interest (post-primary) they're going to assume you're probably just using them as a "plan b again" (regardless of the truth -- that's going to be their perception). You don't want to ever give them the perception that you're not serious about applying to their school. Bad idea....👎

 

[apumic]

really? ah. should i call each one up indivudally and tell them that I plan not to apply this year? wont i just get a secretary or something? i sent like 30 primaries out 🙁

*shrugs*

I don't know what to tell ya. Not being able to do 30 secondaries and 30 interviews is one of many reasons not to send out 30 primaries. The average applicant sends out 13 apps, not 30. Assuming the reason you're wanting to withdraw is having too many secondaries and not enough time, I doubt telling a school you couldn't get to their secondary due to having sent out 30 primaries is going to get much sympathy from anyone at that school.

It may not ruin your chances but I recall reading in a med school admissions book somewhere that schools tend to blacklist (informally, I'd assume) students who submit a primary and then don't complete a secondary when they are sent one. Telling the school you're officially withdrawing probably won't change their assumptions about you unless you have a "legitimate" reason (e.g., sudden and very severe illness preventing you from completing it by a deadline).