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[soccorlover123]

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[Goro]

Deferrals are granted rarely, and typically for emergencies.

 

[deleted1005514]

Some schools require a deposit to hold your seat for deferral. They should have sent you deferral guidelines when you were accepted.

 

[deleted480308]

Hi SDN,
I had a few questions about deferring medical school. ANY help would be great!

1) Can you send a defer request to multiple schools prior to april 30, or is it binding that you will attend that school once you send the request?
2) If circumstances change and you no longer can/wish to defer, can you go back on it and enter in this year's class?
3) Does it in any way impact financial aid?
4) How does the asking to defer process typically work? How is the 're-applying' process?
5) What reasons did medical schools accept for deferral?
6) If the school does not accept the request, do you still have your place in this years class?

Thank you!

What is your reason?

 

[FutureSurgical]

1. I think it’d be wise to wait until the 30th to pick your final school. Before then, I’d look at each school’s deferral policy. My school allows it for a multitude of reasons, including working to fund your medical school education. No deposit required; you’ll be put into the next subsequent class. Others are not as good with letting students defer
2. That’s case dependent for the school. I’d lean towards “no” since, once the put you on the deferred list, they’ll pull someone off the waitlist to take your spot. Could be wrong though
3. I don’t think it would unless it’s a merit-based scholarship that was determined based on this year’s class demographics. For the class of 2025, you could lose out on it if you no longer fit the criteria. If it’s government aide, that’s iffy since it could be based on income. If you earn a certain level of income, it may knock you out of the running for need-based grants. That’s something to discuss with the school if you elect to defer
4. At my school at least, you fill out a form explaining why you’re deferring. It needs to be signed off before getting approved. But I’d imagine for every school, you sign a form stating you cannot apply to other medical schools while on deferment. If you do, it will get your acceptance rescinded. I’m pretty sure this includes applying through AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS for every school.
5. Once again, this is dependent on the school. I know people who deferred for a 1-year masters in different fields, like public health, epidemiology, and even Spanish. Others found a nice gig to save money for a year while working. One physician I know deferred because her child had a birth defect they found early on and wanted to be with the child in it’s first year of life. The kid is fine now and she’s going into her top choice residency in her top choice location. I would really look into each schools policy on allowing deferrals
6. This is assumed to be correct. They won’t reject you because they didn’t allow deferral. Now that’s assuming you’re professional about it. If you raise hell over that, they may give you an indefinite amount of time to do what you wanted to do before medical school

 

[and 99 others]

In this same topic, if you pursue a deferral at one school, do you have to remove yourself from the waitlist at other schools?

 

[Engrailed]

In this same topic, if you pursue a deferral at one school, do you have to remove yourself from the waitlist at other schools?

Are you saying that your choice to defer would depend on the school you get into?
Deferrals are usually given for extenuating circumstances.

 

[KnightDoc]

In this same topic, if you pursue a deferral at one school, do you have to remove yourself from the waitlist at other schools?

I would confirm with @gonnif, but if these requests are only considered "pre-matriculation," that implies you are committed, so that means after you have CTEd, which removes other WLs as a consideration.

 

[Goro]

In this same topic, if you pursue a deferral at one school, do you have to remove yourself from the waitlist at other schools?

Most schools will not consider any deferral request until pre-matriculation. You have to pick a school then request. You cant request then decide which school

 

[and 99 others]

Are you saying that your choice to defer would depend on the school you get into?
Deferrals are usually given for extenuating circumstances.

No, what I am saying is that I am going to defer no matter what but I won't find out if I get into my top choice until May or June.

I would confirm with @gonnif, but if these requests are only considered "pre-matriculation," that implies you are committed, so that means after you have CTEd, which removes other WLs as a consideration.

Most schools will not consider any deferral request until pre-matriculation. You have to pick a school then request. You cant request then decide which school

Al the schools I have been accepted at have agreed to let me defer already. So I actually have requested already and am now deciding which school. But I just want to know if schools can FORCE me to remove myself from any waitlists if I choose to defer with them.

 

[OchemOficionado]

No, what I am saying is that I am going to defer no matter what but I won't find out if I get into my top choice until May or June.

Al the schools I have been accepted at have agreed to let me defer already. So I actually have requested already and am now deciding which school. But I just want to know if schools can FORCE me to remove myself from any waitlists if I choose to defer with them.

It’s likely school dependent. Your best move is to ask them directly, but I can’t imagine they can force anything until a commit date arrives.

 

[KnightDoc]

No, what I am saying is that I am going to defer no matter what but I won't find out if I get into my top choice until May or June.



Al the schools I have been accepted at have agreed to let me defer already. So I actually have requested already and am now deciding which school. But I just want to know if schools can FORCE me to remove myself from any waitlists if I choose to defer with them.

I don't think so since, technically, you haven't even committed to them yet. They have all just told you they WOULD allow you to defer. You haven't formally requested or been granted a deferral yet, since you haven't committed. (Or, did you make a request in writing and have they granted it, in writing? If so, this would be contrary to what the adcoms here have been saying! ) If they have given you this indication without forcing you to drop your other As, why would they force you to drop your WLs before the CTE date?

Also, have you considered that your WL schools will probably be a lot less receptive to a deferral request, since they would be pulling you to fill a seat this year. When you tell them you want to defer for a year, they are likely to say no thanks and just move on to the next person on the WL. In that case, what would you do? Obviously, you can't ask the WL school now if they would let you defer, but have you considered this possibility, since it is your top choice?

 

[and 99 others]

I don't think so since, technically, you haven't even committed to them yet. They have all just told you they WOULD allow you to defer. You haven't formally requested or been granted a deferral yet, since you haven't committed. (Or, did you make a request in writing and have they granted it, in writing? If so, this would be contrary to what the adcoms here have been saying! ) If they have given you this indication without forcing you to drop your other As, why would they force you to drop your WLs before the CTE date?

Also, have you considered that your WL schools will probably be a lot less receptive to a deferral request, since they would be pulling you to fill a seat this year. When you tell them you want to defer for a year, they are likely to say no thanks and just move on to the next person on the WL. In that case, what would you do? Obviously, you can't ask the WL school now if they would let you defer, but have you considered this possibility, since it is your top choice?

All I've done thus far is email and ask if, given my situation, they would be willing to defer me. Some of them have given me a date to decide by and which I guess is just the CTE date for that school?

And I would only request the deferral after I received an acceptance from the WL. I already spoke to that school to ask if they grant deferrals in general even for students accepted off the WL and they said yeah so hopefully it won't be an issue if they decide to take me.

 

[KnightDoc]

All I've done thus far is email and ask if, given my situation, they would be willing to defer me. Some of them have given me a date to decide by and which I guess is just the CTE date for that school?

And I would only request the deferral after I received an acceptance from the WL. I already spoke to that school to ask if they grant deferrals in general even for students accepted off the WL and they said yeah so hopefully it won't be an issue if they decide to take me.

You're in great shape, and, no, in this case they definitely won't ask or force you to withdraw from WLs before the time you would have to do so anyway. I hope the WL school wasn't BSing you about deferals, though. Common wisdom is that they go to the WL to fill seats in the current cycle, not to give folks who weren't their first choice in one cycle first dibs on the next cycle before even seeing the next cycle's applicants. Of course, anything is possible!! Assuming the WL school wouldn't defer you, would you give up your first choice, or the deferral?

 

[and 99 others]

You're in great shape, and, no, in this case they definitely won't ask or force you to withdraw from WLs before the time you would have to do so anyway. I hope the WL school wasn't BSing you about deferals, though. Common wisdom is that they go to the WL to fill seats in the current cycle, not to give folks who weren't their first choice in one cycle first dibs on the next cycle before even seeing the next cycle's applicants. Of course, anything is possible!! Assuming the WL school wouldn't defer you, would you give up your first choice, or the deferral?

I would give up my first choice. I am pretty set on deferring.

 

[KnightDoc]

I would give up my first choice. I am pretty set on deferring.

Good luck .. I'm rooting for you!!

Please report back if you get off the WL and they do let you defer. This would be valuable information that would definitely shock our friendly resident adcoms.