Withdrawing Applications

[EqSci]

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Would this ever affect you in a negative way? I feel like it's common courtesy to do this if I'm positive I will be going somewhere I was already accepted, but it still feels a little like burning a bridge. Is there any time in my life (internships, etc) where it would be a benefit to me to be able to say I was accepted into more than one school?

To word it a different way, is there any reason one should not withdraw an application?

 

[athane960]

I highly doubt it would affect you negatively. I think of it as a courtesy to other people who may have their application in that school and want to go there. You may be opening up a spot for them. I pulled a lot of applications, I sent a polite email stating thank you for your consideration but I have already made my choice . . . something like that.

 

[2BaVet]

Hi EqSci,

I'm prob. not the right person to give you advice but I'm going to share what I feel like:

Well, I think that if you know exactly where you want to go, then there is no point in not withdrawing. I don't believe they will ask you which schools you got in but even if they do, you could always say that you made your mind and didn't want to keep others from getting in which would show how well you know what you want and that you don't hesitate with your decisions which I believe is a wonderful quality. However, if you still haven't decided whether you would wanna go to those other schools you are waiting to hear from, I'd say wait a little bit more, it's almost done! So it depends on you.. Just make sure that you won't regret it whatever you decide

 

[ZooNose]

I don't think that there would ever be a beneficial reason in the future to be able to rattle off a list of schools that you were accepted to and didn't attend (unless you wanted to impress someone!).

But I'd say that if you havn't heard back from some schools yet, you should continue to give them a shot, if only because you never know if one of them might offer you a scholarship, which would make for a financially enticing offer!

 

[EqSci]

Thanks everyone for your opinions!!

ZooNose, I thought you didn't find out about scholarships until much later... summer? Or will some schools offer a scholarship before you've made a decision?? That could very well be a deciding factor if it's true.

 

[JustCats]

Schools are required to give you until April 15th to make a decision and the purpose of that agreed-upon deadline was to level competition for incoming students by allowing time for financial aid packets to be awarded. As long as you are accepted and not wait listed, and as long as you have completed your FAFSA in a timely manner, you should know about financial aid before April 15th. It is in the best interest of each school to have this info to you in time for you to make an informed decision.

Thanks everyone for your opinions!!

ZooNose, I thought you didn't find out about scholarships until much later... summer? Or will some schools offer a scholarship before you've made a decision?? That could very well be a deciding factor if it's true.

 

[chris03333]

Schools are required to provide you with your financial aid package before they require you to make a decision about attending. As long as you are accepted and not wait listed, you will know about financial aid before April 15th.

Where did you get that idea?

 

[rugbychick16]

Schools are not required to give you any sort of info about a financial aid package...at least none I've heard of. You deal with that on your own thru FAFSA and loan companies, the school does not care how you pay. They might send you out a list of expected school year costs with your acceptance, but those are not set in stone anyway. I highly doubt you would hear about any scholarships this spring yet, so don't worry about that.

 

[JustCats]

Schools are not required to give you any sort of info about a financial aid package...at least none I've heard of. You deal with that on your own thru FAFSA and loan companies, the school does not care how you pay. They might send you out a list of expected school year costs with your acceptance, but those are not set in stone anyway. I highly doubt you would hear about any scholarships this spring yet, so don't worry about that.

You are incorrect. This is precisely why schools have financial aid offices. Your FAFSA info is submitted to the colleges of your choice each college then prepares an award letter depending on your resources, their resources, and their desire to have you as a student. The school determines whether or not they want to offer you aid, how much aid they want to offer you, and in what form--grants, scholarships, subsidized and unsubsidized loans. The only loans and scholarships YOU are responsible for seeking out are private, unsubsidized loans or private scholarships. This is true for undergraduate and graduate/professional schools.

 

[JustCats]

Vet colleges agreed on the 4/15 decision deadline years ago specifically so there would be a level playing field--a fair competition between colleges for incoming students. The date would allow them all time to prepare financial aid award offers for admitted students so they could all compete fairly for incoming students.

The info is also in the Cornell pre-vet newsletter archives:

File Now for Financial Aid; U.S. Vet. School Deposits Due April 15 Applicants: Would you want a financial aid package before making your decision to accept or decline an offer of admission? If so, you want to file for financial aid this month even if you do not know whether you are admitted. Applicants who file early are much more likely to have a financial aid package before the national April 15 deadline to accept or decline offers of admission and financial aid. All veterinary colleges in the United States use the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). And, all have agreed that April 15 is the universal deadline -- no veterinary school should require your decision before April 15.



By filing the FAFSA early, you will help yourself receive vital financial information in a timely manner. You may file the FAFSA on-line at http://www.FAFSA.ed.gov. Cornell also requires the CSS Profile, which may be found at http://www.collegeboard.org/finaid/fastud/html/proform.html. The Cornell DVM Financial Aid web site is at http://www.vet.cornell.edu/public/financialaid/.

Where did you get that idea?

 

[eatpinkpenguins]

Hey- JustCats and anyone else, I am currently filling out the FAFSA and stuff but really want to compare tufts and penn's financial aid awards (I'm deciding between these two) but found this on Penn's website:

Only after accepting an offer to attend the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (i.e., returned Student Data Form and Deposit), should an incoming student complete applications for student financial aid. Additional information will be sent to the student after applications have reviewed by the University Student Financial Services.

Due to the number of applicants to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, we are unable to answer individual questions regarding financial aid unless you have accepted an offer to attend the School.




so you really need to send in the deposit to hear what aid they would give you? 👎 lame!

 

[JustCats]

Chris03333 and RugbyChick--I corrected my initial post and provided additional clarification in follow ups. See below. Thank you for catching me!

Where did you get that idea?

 

[eatpinkpenguins]

(PS Sorry for hijacking the thread! I'm just frustrated w/ form and $$ decisions)

 

[JustCats]

I guess when you're Penn you don't feel you need to compete for students. That leaves you with a hard decision. Fill out your FAFSA and find out what your EFC is. Compare that to Penn's costs and you'll have an idea of what your "financial need" would be if you went to school there. Then see whether you can find info on the Penn website about what percent of calculated need they typically meet and HOW they meet it--what percent are grants, loans, etc.

Due to the number of applicants to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, we are unable to answer individual questions regarding financial aid unless you have accepted an offer to attend the School.

so you really need to send in the deposit to hear what aid they would give you? 👎 lame!

 

[JustCats]

RugbyChick--this is from the KSU website for the financial aid office. I linked to it from the KSU vet school site:

EFC stands for expected family contribution. The federal processor calculates this number based on the information you provide on your FAFSA. It represents how much you/your family can afford to pay toward your education for the academic year. The EFC is subtracted from your cost of attendance (COA) to determine your financial need. If you have any financial need, the Office of Student Financial Assistance will offer you need-based aid on your award notification. COA - EFC = Your financial need

Schools are not required to give you any sort of info about a financial aid package...at least none I've heard of. You deal with that on your own thru FAFSA and loan companies, the school does not care how you pay. They might send you out a list of expected school year costs with your acceptance, but those are not set in stone anyway. I highly doubt you would hear about any scholarships this spring yet, so don't worry about that.

 

[chris03333]

All the EFC stuff posted is correct, but the schools are under no obligations to send you your financial aid awards before you accept your acceptance... Sometimes this will be only a couple of months before you start.

 

[EqSci]

All the EFC stuff posted is correct, but the schools are under no obligations to send you your financial aid awards before you accept your acceptance... Sometimes this will be only a couple of months before you start.

I think that's where everyone is getting confused. The schools CAN explain your financial aid package/awards before April 15th, but they don't HAVE to. The April 15th deadline is only regarding acceptances/declines.

 

[EqSci]

Chris03333 and RugbyChick--I corrected my initial post and provided additional clarification in follow ups. See below. Thank you for catching me!

Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to get my FAFSA in quickly and contact Iowa in the hopes that they may be able to tell me what they're offering before April 15th.

 

[Emio]

#1 - EqSci, it would be silly to withdraw before you found out your status. you haven't even been waitlisted yet... you're a PA resident, no? yes, it's a possibility you'll be waitlisted in a few weeks, but the in state applicant pool always has a better shot. it's also a possibility you'll be accepted. you're giving up awfully early.

#2 - vet school financial aid isn't like undergrad financial aid. the school doesn't look at an applicant and say "gee, s/he got above 1400 on their GREs... let's give them $5,000." most everybody is going to get the same $40,500 aid package, making it a moot point for decisions. in some instances, yes, an exemplary applicant will be made a special financial offer, but it ain't common. i could be WAY off base here, but that's the way it seems to be.

 

[JustCats]

I have only heard the Cornell presentation thus far, and they do assign admitted students a score based on merit--GRE scores, grades, etc.--that they take into account when they award financial aid.

#2 - vet school financial aid isn't like undergrad financial aid. the school doesn't look at an applicant and say "gee, s/he got above 1400 on their GREs... let's give them $5,000." most everybody is going to get the same $40,500 aid package, making it a moot point for decisions. in some instances, yes, an exemplary applicant will be made a special financial offer, but it ain't common. i could be WAY off base here, but that's the way it seems to be.

 

[VAgirl]

With the few schools I was dealing with last year, most seemed to not do financial aid packages before we had to accept decline. However, FWIW, UC Davis did offer me a scholarship before I had to make a decision about schools. (Not the full aid package, but like Emio said, that part is predictable based off of the federal rules. So the scholarship info was really the only thing I couldn't predict.) So some schools do let you know some extra financial info ahead of time. I feel like Iowa State was one that told me last year they didn't do that until after April 15th, though...

 

[EqSci]

I feel like Iowa State was one that told me last year they didn't do that until after April 15th, though...

Thanks, I guess I won't expect it then... it doesn't factor into my decision much (if at all), but I'll contact them just to check anyway.

 

[EqSci]

#1 - EqSci, it would be silly to withdraw before you found out your status. you haven't even been waitlisted yet... you're a PA resident, no? yes, it's a possibility you'll be waitlisted in a few weeks, but the in state applicant pool always has a better shot. it's also a possibility you'll be accepted. you're giving up awfully early.

I think I just replied to you on the Penn thread, but I'll reply here too.

That's kind of why I made this thread. My parents seem to think the same way you do - that's it's giving up, burning a bridge, etc. But from being on here, it seems like withdrawing vet school apps is a common thing, and it's more as a courtesy than anything else - there are so many people that would love to go to Penn. It just doesn't make sense to 'wait and see' for.. what? A boost to my ego? It wastes the adcom's time. So I wanted to make sure there weren't any reasons that I shouldn't withdraw before I did.

Yes, I'm a PA resident, but the cost of Penn IS is nearly as high as Iowa OOS, so it made my decision easier.

 

[sumstorm]

I have been contemplating this thread... and here are some basic thoughts:

Withdraw your application only if you are absolutly certain nothing would persuade you to choose Penn over Iowa, including things like a relative getting ill. I don't know your educational background (if you have always been IS, etc) which might make the distance to family more or less difficult for you. Also, be absolutly certain the costs are comparable enough, including living expenses and extras like traveling home for visits/holidays/etc. I would willingly move across country or out of country if I don't get an instate position, but I have done it before and have paid some high prices (like my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and died before I could return home, and my other grandfather having a massive heart attack and being too far away to afford to fly or drive home.) I am not saying you should or shouldn't go to Iowa based on those types of things...just make sure your good with the potential issues (plus, perhaps you/your family can afford immediate flights and such if need be.)

Don't know if that makes a lot of sense, and I am sure it differs with individuals, families, and communities.

Personally, I would probably just wait till I knew if I was in or not, then make decisions....but I like to know as many of the cards in play as possible before making decisions.

 

[Emio]

I think I just replied to you on the Penn thread, but I'll reply here too.

That's kind of why I made this thread. My parents seem to think the same way you do - that's it's giving up, burning a bridge, etc. But from being on here, it seems like withdrawing vet school apps is a common thing, and it's more as a courtesy than anything else - there are so many people that would love to go to Penn. It just doesn't make sense to 'wait and see' for.. what? A boost to my ego? It wastes the adcom's time. So I wanted to make sure there weren't any reasons that I shouldn't withdraw before I did.

Yes, I'm a PA resident, but the cost of Penn IS is nearly as high as Iowa OOS, so it made my decision easier.

i misunderstood the situation then. usually when people have made a decision, they withdraw the application before the interview, not before the decision. my apologies, i didn't realize iowa was your first choice.

best of luck to you 🙂

 

[EqSci]

I have been contemplating this thread... and here are some basic thoughts:

Withdraw your application only if you are absolutly certain nothing would persuade you to choose Penn over Iowa, including things like a relative getting ill. I don't know your educational background (if you have always been IS, etc) which might make the distance to family more or less difficult for you. Also, be absolutly certain the costs are comparable enough, including living expenses and extras like traveling home for visits/holidays/etc. I would willingly move across country or out of country if I don't get an instate position, but I have done it before and have paid some high prices (like my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and died before I could return home, and my other grandfather having a massive heart attack and being too far away to afford to fly or drive home.) I am not saying you should or shouldn't go to Iowa based on those types of things...just make sure your good with the potential issues (plus, perhaps you/your family can afford immediate flights and such if need be.)

Don't know if that makes a lot of sense, and I am sure it differs with individuals, families, and communities.

Personally, I would probably just wait till I knew if I was in or not, then make decisions....but I like to know as many of the cards in play as possible before making decisions.

Thank you sunstorm. You make excellent points, and I appreciate that you brought them up, because I never really considered them. I have thought extensively about moving far away but those particular scenarios never entered my mind.

You know, I think you changed my mind about withdrawing. Not because I'm considering Penn again, but because I don't think it's terrible to wait and see with Penn. I paid money to apply and I spend time to interview. I don't think I need to feel guilty for holding out to see their decision - I doubt my withdrawal will make or break someone(that's what waitlists are for). Perhaps it will be out of my hands then anyway.

Again, thank you for taking the time to voice your opinion!

 

[EqSci]

i misunderstood the situation then. usually when people have made a decision, they withdraw the application before the interview, not before the decision. my apologies, i didn't realize iowa was your first choice.

best of luck to you 🙂

No problem, and thanks! I interviewed because I had never been to UPenn and wanted to keep an open mind and give it a chance.

 

[ZooNose]

I paid money to apply and I spend time to interview.

I couldn't agree more. I think you owe it to yourself. Good luck!

 

[pressmom]

I got into Ohio State really early and considered withdrawing my applications at other schools. I'm so glad I didn't. It would really behoove anyone reading this thread to think long and hard before withdrawing apps even if you really like the first school you're accepted to. I'm really glad I waited the three months and went to my Tennessee interview because now I'm here and I love it. It was 4/4 when I heard about my acceptance, and I got really antsy to just commit to somewhere, but wait and see. Even if you love the first place you go to, if it is financially and time-wise feasible to go to other interviews, GO!!!! I can see if people get into their in-state and know they can only afford to go OOS as a last resort, then withdraw, don't go. But if you are accepted OOS and get other OOS interviews, go to them. You never know. Plus, as some people said, you don't know whether they'll give you a better package than the one you've gone to! I remember someone on here last year got a scholarship that made OOS tuition into IS tuition right off to bat. You just never know...

 

[rugbychick16]

Yeah I was not clear either, I meant you don't find out by the april 15th deadline. I did not find out about my federal loan amounts and HPSL until well into the summer when tuition and costs for the coming year were finalized.

 

[EqSci]

I couldn't agree more. I think you owe it to yourself. Good luck!

Good to hear. Thank you!

 

[sumstorm]

EqSci, glad it helped you! I don't regret any of my decisions to travel, live far from home, etc, but I have always found it is easier to live without regrets if you can make a decision fully informed. I moved away from home (3hours) when I was 14 for a consortium school, and since then I seem to always end up at least 12 hours from home (pretty sad since 'home' was Indiana which is pretty central) and I have moved to 7 states since graduation!