Is the change in Traffic Rules causing this change??

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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In the past, med schools would find out (I think in Feb) which of their acceptees are holding multiple acceptances, and at another date, all med schools would know which students had at least one acceptance The rules, I believe, have been eliminated (correct me if I’m mistaken)… I think the reason for the change with the latter rule was to prevent a more desirable school from rejecting a good candidate simply because s/he had an acceptance.

Ok, this is just anecdotal, but I’m definitely seeing a change this year.

As some of you know, I have a Facebook group of premeds and parents of premeds. During previous cycles, we would see 1 or 2 students with October acceptances, a couple students with Nov/Dec acceptances, and then the rest would get acceptances in the New Year thru Spring…and a couple would only get WL acceptances in May or June.

However, this year, we have a WHOLE bunch of students with MD acceptances already!

Perhaps med schools thinking that they need to “lock up” some students asap? Maybe thinking that if they accept early, the students will withdraw other apps/cancel other interviews? And/or maybe they’re tired of the app cycle running into July??

What say you?

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I think what you’re seeing is not due to change in traffic rules, but rather a reflection of which schools the students applied to and/or the strength of the applicant.

In the past MOST acceptances went out before Christmas since most med schools have rolling admissions or a combination of spring (March) decisions with earlier acceptances for top students. Mostly it’s just some state med schools and few top program that delay releasing all admission decisions until March.

Med schools have no need to “lock up” students because med school admission is still a buyer’s market with 3-10x as many applicants as available seats.

The school acceptance report used to start being sent to schools in mid-March–after the AMCAS deadline for schools to accept enough students to completely fill their classes. A deadline that is still part of the traffic rules.

BTW, at least one of my predictions is coming true–UMKC is charging accepted students $1000 deposit to hold a seat.