Not sure what’s implied here, but every year at least half a dozen students/parents DM me for my opinion.
Discussions help lot of students and parents but only upset diehards 
Last year when my D, called in immediately to notify another BSMD school she won’t pursue them (as she chose another) the “admin person” thanked her and told that they have ample time to go down the line (can’t verify whether they did but coincidentally or not, one Parent said in this same forum last year their kid got in next week on the same college… so maybe )
So i am assuming if enough time left … they may go next in waiting
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My question is the other way - if people stayed on elite school waitlists and got in and their current choice is a BSMD, how their decisionmaking is affected. Some may be just staying on waitlists for the fun of it but others might genuinely pick a top 10/20 over a BSMD.
This all depends on a number of factors:
The type of BSMD they have committed to
The top UG college they get in from the wait list
How sure they (the student and parent combined) are about BSMD path vs a top UG school or a different career choice altogether.
It also takes into account buyers remorse if any. After committing to a BSMD they may have “some epiphany” or some new information, or a “lightbulb idea”, or simply plain “the grass is greener on the other side” syndrome.
Now mind you, this can also be reversed — a student has committed to a top UG school and gets into a BSMD from the waiting pool… the same scenario is repeated lol
So regardless of most people on here asking others to withdraw from other schools “if they are certain about their selection”, I actually say that if you have even an iota of an inkling that you may want to think more… DO NOT withdraw from other colleges, as May 1 is THE deadline for a reason. Others who are in waiting will get a chance after that date. Do not withdraw only to later feel “If I had only”. Some other person who got a chance from the waiting list will still get their chance a few days later… after May 1st.
The colleges, consultants and others try to push for their own self interests but for the benefit of the accepted student ---- take your time until the date that has been given to you… rightfully…which is May 1st.
Now ironically I have to also add ---- unless of course you are absolutely sure that that is your top choice and that is the only school on earth that u want to attend Lol hahahaha
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Yes some consultants, parents and colleagues push for withdrawal. 6 years back we withdrew from RPi/AMC quickly since my DS he didn’t like the location and won’t go for sure. Others we waited until he visited Vandy.
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Agree people do hear from BSMD and change their mind but the pool of elite BSMDs have dwindled quite a bit that can be in serious contention with elite schools (HPME, WashU, BostonU, USC, Rice/Baylor that have all gone away in the past 10+ years). There were people who gave up Harvard to go to Rice/Baylor only to turn around and go to a T5 medicine after Rice.
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In scenarios like that, I think they chose Rice Baylor to have a relatively good bird in the hand with a very low GPA and MCAT requirement to know for sure that their goal would be attainable. Most people are scared of having to maintain a high GPA and achieving a good MCAT score in UG. Once they realize that they have achieved both and have a chance at a T5 med school, it’s a no brainer to try for it. All of the Baylor programs allow applying out. However, they had to have gone through the HPAC process to have a committee letter for their AMCAS applications.
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People who got into rice/baylor that I know are cream of the crop (top 0.001% of graduating students). They never needed safeties, only their parents.
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Learning from others’ past experience is usually a great way to avoid making costly mistakes. Though, at times, it also inhibits growth, which is usually a product of own life experience, especially when they have to get out of their own comfort zone. Being risk aversed might not give them the biggest growth potential, but they’d get something that they can live with. Not everyone is meant to be at their peak potential. To each his own.
That’s been argument over the years but zealots will attack you for that and even say you are boasting about your own kid and their kid is much smarter and wisely staying in the program.
If the kid wants safety so be it. There was a time I told a parent and kid in person when they came to interview at Baylor from Florida to choose Stanford or Yale but the kid chose HPME but it was the kid’s choice because they felt the instate medical options after Yale or Stanford were not very attractive if it went that way and they preferred NW in T20 as an average more than Yale + instate. HPME graduates I knew were doing very well too! Financially it was a better choice not to go to HPME but the kid preferred to take the loans in med school if needed.
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6 years back one girl (dad was active here and posted in experience thread 2 years back) got PLME, HPME, BU and few other BSMDs and Stanford. Dad wanted her to take HPME and girl opted for Stanford. He asked for my input and I told him to go with girl’s choice. She got lower MCAT score than my S but she got into Harvard, JHU, UCSF and Stanford (but not UPenn) and opted for Harvard. His conclusion was for motivated kids BSMD is not good. He joked he was destined to pay full price for UG and medial school and I opted for $$$ 
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Yep, if the parents are fullpay they get stuck with the bill everywhere. This kid was getting better aid from both Stanford and Yale and there was no free financial aid at NW for MD although their aid for undergrad was not bad (COA for parent was under 40k). I was told back then the most they might get as free money is 5k per year for MD and rest has to be loans, at least for a HPME student who wouldn’t be considered for their scholarships being reserved to attract specific type students into MD.
More than the money, the named scholarships opens up lot of opportunities especially in UG. In medical school, donor is mentoring DS.
This is why when someone DM me for opinions, I always ask more questions about thei preferences, their family situations. Each family is different. Not all students are the same. Even though they might have similar potentials, not all want to feel as if they are always in competition mode. Not everyone is destined or can afford T5-T10. I think that as long as all roads lead to Rome (MD or DO), they should be fine taking whichever road they feel most comfortable with. It’s a personal journey that they own. Freedom to choose comes with the responsibility to own the results even if it’s suboptimal. The parents could help their kids sort through the nitty gritty, but ultimately it’s their kid’s lives and no parents can live them for their kids.
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Good question… it’s purely individual priority.
IMO, if you are happy with College A (BSMD/Traditional) and determined then go with it… (and withdraw from others… simple)
I think of it like… if i decided to marry A… then why will i be on “dating circle” 
… if you are having wet feet or fear of commitment then don’t.
Here we go again…
As usual , I hear " motivated kids" (not smart blah blah etc., 
)…
I know kids, who didn’t like anything with TX and certain states (due to their own reasoning) and chose “Berkley” and others (for premed/CS) along with their GF/BF…and they are happy.
For every good reason/ranking…there maybe bad news/reason “not to take” (From Brown to Mom n Pop colleges)
This is where NONE can say (or should) other than the “individuals” as their reasoning/priorities may be different (Again I worked with student who don’t want to go anywhere there is snow/cold 
)
Seriously, blah blah is the answer?
Read his response
May be it’s an arranged marriage forced by parents and you still want to look around? 
This is BSMD (education) thread… and i gave an analogy…
That’s if one is HAPPY with their selection (College, marriage, job or whatever) then why will they have “doubt”