Starting in January, but potentially leaving to start dream school in June?

[C0r4l1n3]

Ok so I’m in quite the pickle. 
I have been accepted to a program that starts in January. I honestly am not particularly thrilled about this program as I have been waitlisted in the top 10 of my dream program but it starts in June. I don’t want to wait another year and apply again so I will go to this January program if I have to. I know it’s a long shot but I can’t possibly be the only one going through this: Has anyone ever started a program in January and then left the program to start a better one that accepted you later? (I understand that there’s a lot of investment that goes into it and it would be a huge hassle to do this. I’d like to know if other have ever done it.)

[wamucc]

As you stated it's a lot of investment, etc on your part, but frankly the worst thing is you're taking a seat from someone else who really wants to be there. If you can bail before the program starts so they can pull someone from their waitlist, I say go for it, but if you start the program, you should finish it.

[comPAssionatecamel]

I'm currently going through the financial aid process for a Jan program right now and if you're on the same boat, I can't even imagine having to re-do all those calculations and budgeting plans to a whole new program/living arrangement. If it's easy to do and you're able to ask for more money or give back extra money after this new decision, then I would still agree with the downside stated above. But, from what I've experienced with this process, you're asking/putting money towards a specific school so you would have to start that same process all over again in almost the same fiscal year, if that's even allowed. 

Edited November 24, 2020 by copticmare

[DKBobby]

This is actually no longer possible unless you are willing to violate the CASPA Honor Statement and potentially be out of both programs and not be allowed to utilize CASPA in the future.

You signed this statement: "Within five (5) calendar days of enrollment at a PA program to which I have been admitted, I must notify all other designated programs for which my application is still under consideration that I no longer wish to be considered for admission to their program."

 

 

[BRKS1994]

Doesn’t matter if it’s doable or not. If you drop out of a program when it’s already started you’re taking away a seat from someone else and who knows, it might’ve been that persons top school even though it wasn’t yours. Moral of the story is don’t apply to any school that you wouldn’t see yourself going to no matter how broadly you apply.

[UGoLong]

On 11/23/2020 at 2:43 PM, C0r4l1n3 said:

Ok so I’m in quite the pickle. 
I have been accepted to a program that starts in January. I honestly am not particularly thrilled about this program as I have been waitlisted in the top 10 of my dream program but it starts in June. I don’t want to wait another year and apply again so I will go to this January program if I have to. I know it’s a long shot but I can’t possibly be the only one going through this: Has anyone ever started a program in January and then left the program to start a better one that accepted you later? (I understand that there’s a lot of investment that goes into it and it would be a huge hassle to do this. I’d like to know if other have ever done it.)

I echo the others who answered you. It would show quite a lack of character to enroll and drop out more or less halfway through your didactic phase. You would hurt the person who would have loved to take that seat and also deprive the school from the tuition of one student. And you would have violated the CASPA statement you signed.

You're not a bad person for thinking about doing this but don't do it. If you are in the top 10 for a program that starts in 7-8 months, your odds of getting in aren't bad but you never know. If you don't want to go where you were accepted, then don't.

Good luck no matter whatever you decide. Being  PA means thinking about the patient as well as yourself. This is good practice.

[Christine616]

I am in the same boat as you. I have 3 interviews this week (one yesterday, one today and one on Thursday) and probably won't hear back from these schools before my start in January and I still have yet to heard back from schools I'm waiting from. Is it possible? Yes, I heard from some people in the class of University of Maryland: Baltimore/ Anne Arundel Community College 2022 that it can be done. Their cohort went from 40 to 39 because a student withdrew because they got into a school closer to home. 

Would I do it? No, again imagine had not been accepted to the school in January and just had the school you are on the waiting list for. Could you imagine not getting in and then hearing that a spot opened up after matriculation that could have been yours. Not good.

I followed @UGoLongadvice in another thread (especially after they emailed me saying that I was in consideration for second round of interviews in mid December )and I will tell you the same advice. Email the school (I will also be doing this to the school I emailed at yesterday who informed me that I won't hear back until after Christmas). Inform them of your situation. At best they might bump you up on the waiting list (assuming that all the spots are filled) and at worst nothing can be done and you go to your school in January. Or take your chance and either defer another year if you can or give up your spot. Personally for me I would not recommend the latter because you don't know if you will be accepted and I would not want to redo the whole process all over again. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Christine616