Accepted into my school of last choice, waitlisted to two others: Need advice

[DJHorn]

Hello everybody! 

Here is my situation. I was fortunately accepted into a PA school and have officially accepted my seat with the deposit! However, going into the application process this was my school of last choice (although still very blessed and excited to get in). I am currently on the waitlist for two other schools, and still waiting to hear back from another school for interviews. The school I'm accepted into starts in July, and the two waitlisted schools said it could be until May to hear if I receive a spot. If I were to get off the waitlist at one of these schools, how easy or challenging is it going to be to give up my current spot and accept the new spot? Is this a rude thing to do? The preparation for my current PA school starts now, and I will be looking for housing soon. I just wonder does anyone else have any similar experience and advice for this situation?

Thank you so much!

[EMEDPA]

You have a spot. Congrats! What do you call someone who graduates from their least favorite program at the end of the day?

A PA 

[rev ronin]

1 hour ago, DJHorn said:

If I were to get off the waitlist at one of these schools, how easy or challenging is it going to be to give up my current spot and accept the new spot? Is this a rude thing to do?

Not hard at all. You'll make someone else's day. The gotcha is that you lose the deposit. No it's not a rude thing to do, but it is courteous to give as much notice as you can.  You're already planning for one place; you may have additional expense and heartburn if you have to shift gears and move somewhere else on short notice because you liked the school better.  That is a self-limiting problem: you can always decide to remove yourself from the waitlist at either or both schools if you decide you're not able or willing to make the switch between schools and would rather stay put.

[ohiovolffemtp]

Your situation is very common.  Giving up a seat in a PA program is not uncommon - it's why the schools maintain waitlists.  You need to let the school who you're leaving as soon as possible.  It's no harder to accept a spot at a new school than it was to accept the 1st one.

However, it's unwise to give up a definite spot unless you have a definite replacement.  You do need to consider if you will have time to make all of the arrangements to attend and live at the new program before it starts.  Seriously consider the bird in the hand.

[68WEMTto65DPAC]

On 1/6/2024 at 11:03 PM, DJHorn said:

Hello everybody! 

Here is my situation. I was fortunately accepted into a PA school and have officially accepted my seat with the deposit! However, going into the application process this was my school of last choice (although still very blessed and excited to get in). I am currently on the waitlist for two other schools, and still waiting to hear back from another school for interviews. The school I'm accepted into starts in July, and the two waitlisted schools said it could be until May to hear if I receive a spot. If I were to get off the waitlist at one of these schools, how easy or challenging is it going to be to give up my current spot and accept the new spot? Is this a rude thing to do? The preparation for my current PA school starts now, and I will be looking for housing soon. I just wonder does anyone else have any similar experience and advice for this situation?

Thank you so much!

First of all, congratulations on getting that covered A, and even for the waitlists (which are not great, but aren’t rejections!).

In terms of how difficult it’ll be to shift gears into another school is a matter of where you are in the process if and when you get off the waitlist. Did you already commit to a lease? Did you move? Did you already process your financial aid/scholarships/however you’re going to pay for school for that program? Can you afford another seat deposit? All of these, and many others, are factors that will play into the challenges of dropping your current seat for another.

Is it rude? Absolutely not! Give as much notice as possible. But programs understand this process very well. Like someone else said, you will be making someone else’s day in the process!

Congratulations and best of wishes in your PA journey!