Choosing an earlier/later interview?

[starfun21]

Hi, all!

I received an MSTP interview invitation yesterday, and I am completely thrilled. However, I am in a little bit of a pickle with the dates offered and wanted to solicit some opinions.

There were two dates offered -- one in December and one in January. The December dates conflict fully with my final exams. All of my professors were willing to take my finals earlier (more work for me, but do-able), but I would also be missing a day of a lab class and the professor will deduct 2.5% from my total grade.

The easier interview date would be January, although I would also still be missing the first week back in classes for next semester. However, I have heard that this school tends to hand out acceptances in rounds, so I might be at a disadvantage if I interview later -- and I also noticed that January is their last interview day (scary)!

I know my grades aren't as important this semester so I'm tempted to take the early one so that I have no regrets and know I did everything I could to go for an MSTP, but I want to make sure this decision would be worth it. Any thoughts out there?

Thanks so much!

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[inky]

Congratulations again on the II!

I would take the earlier date, especially if you know the school does early admissions. If your professors will let you take the final early I think that's worth it. Will the lab prof not let you do the lab at a different time or do make up work?

 

[starfun21]

Hi @inky!! Thanks so much for the congrats!!!!

I wanted to make my mind up quickly (and have been thinking about it since yesterday LOL) and totally agree. I ended up picking the earlier interview date as my first choice -- I know I'd regret if I didn't take the risk, even if it doesn't end up really helping my chances. I know I'm an underdog at most places this cycle so I need all of the help I can get!!

My prof unfortunately is not giving me any alternate times to make up the work, so I'll just have to suck it up and accept the 3% grade reduction. Thankfully, my GPA is one of the strongest points of my app, so it should be an OK decision. Definitely worth it if it ends up in an acceptance somewhere!!!!

Hope you're doing well, my friend. HUGE CONGRATS AGAIN on the acceptance at Wayne. So awesome. I keep wanting to tell people around here that inky got in to medical school because I'm just so stinking excited... and then I realize that they don't know who inky is -- and then I say to my self that I supposed I don't, either!! LOL best wishes, inky!!