Is there any point interviewing this late in the season?

[iBro]

Hello all! I have been fortunate enough to have two acceptances early in application cycle. One is to my top choice, which happens to be my state school (cheapest). Unfortunately I have not received any acceptance packages so it looks like I will be paying nearly full price for each school.

I have two more interviews scheduled for this month. Is there any point interviewing at these schools, assuming the chance for a half to full ride is slim this late? Although I have never visited these two private OOS schools, I don't see any way I would pay 20-30k extra a year to attend one of them.

Thanks!

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[judb16]

just my two cents, but if you don't see yourself realistically attending those other schools (for whatever reason.. tuition, distance from home, etc), I see no point in taking the interview. It's just a waste of time, money and could be someone else's spot. If you could see yourself attending the other schools then take the interviews. You earned the chance to see what those schools are like. Don't make it an issue about where you can get the best scholarship, where school is the cheapest. Nearly everyone will have some kind of debt and, in my opinion, how you fit at the school is much more important.

Some people are still dying for a single acceptance to any school (regardless of their financial aid package). Just be grateful you have some options. And congrats on the two acceptances! well done.

 

[iBro]

just my two cents, but if you don't see yourself realistically attending those other schools (for whatever reason.. tuition, distance from home, etc), I see no point in taking the interview. It's just a waste of time, money and could be someone else's spot. If you could see yourself attending the other schools then take the interviews. You earned the chance to see what those schools are like. Don't make it an issue about where you can get the best scholarship, where school is the cheapest. Nearly everyone will have some kind of debt and, in my opinion, how you fit at the school is much more important.

Some people are still dying for a single acceptance to any school (regardless of their financial aid package). Just be grateful you have some options. And congrats on the two acceptances! well done.

COA is high on my list in determining where I go to school. 50k COA vs 85k COA is not insignificant. I'm a great fit at my top choice, but I would entertain the idea of going somewhere else if a large scholarship is offered. What I'm asking is are schools still giving out acceptance packages this late in the season?

 

[Mansamusa]

COA is high on my list in determining where I go to school. 50k COA vs 85k COA is not insignificant. I'm a great fit at my top choice, but I would entertain the idea of going somewhere else if a large scholarship is offered. What I'm asking is are schools still giving out acceptance packages this late in the season?

They are giving out acceptances, but I wouldn't hold my breath on scholarships.

 

[judb16]

COA is high on my list in determining where I go to school. 50k COA vs 85k COA is not insignificant. I'm a great fit at my top choice, but I would entertain the idea of going somewhere else if a large scholarship is offered. What I'm asking is are schools still giving out acceptance packages this late in the season?

Oh, then I didn't totally understand your original question. my bad. I agree with Mansamusa though. Wouldn't hold your breath. COA is definitely important. Also didn't realize your state school was 50k?! That's crazy. Thats the price of OOS or a lot of private schools. If your IS is 50k and those privates are 85k, I have a hard time believing they'd offer you 35k worth of scholarships (thats over 40% of tuition) this late in the season. Even if they offered you 35k, (to make the tuitions equal) you'd have to move.

I completely agree with you. I wouldn't pay 20-35k extra for a private school. I'm not even sure I'd pay same tuition for an OOS school that I'd have to move to and start my life completely over (of course depending on how far said OOS school is, how well you fit at the school, and opportunities). I thought we were talking about much smaller differences.

Best of luck.

 

[iBro]

Oh, then I didn't totally understand your original question. my bad. I agree with Mansamusa though. Wouldn't hold your breath. COA is definitely important. Also didn't realize your state school was 50k?! That's crazy. Thats the price of OOS or a lot of private schools. If your IS is 50k and those privates are 85k, I have a hard time believing they'd offer you 35k worth of scholarships (thats over 40% of tuition) this late in the season. Even if they offered you 35k, (to make the tuitions equal) you'd have to move.

I completely agree with you. I wouldn't pay 20-35k extra for a private school. I'm not even sure I'd pay same tuition for an OOS school that I'd have to move to and start my life completely over (of course depending on how far said OOS school is, how well you fit at the school, and opportunities). I thought we were talking about much smaller differences.

Best of luck.

50k is COA not tuition. So about mid 30k for tuition plus living expenses. It's seeming like any tuition scholarship is unlikely at this point so I doubt I will attend interviews this month. Plus I have strong ties to my state school.

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[Sgucci]

I wouldn't interview with acceptances. Interviews are stressful and you want to be ice-cold chill before you go to medical school. The main point of interviewing this late in the cycle is to get on a waitlist so you can apply to programs like Tulane ACP.

 

[christmasindr]

Did you try contacting the financial aid office about this?

 

[bananafish94]

I wouldn't interview with acceptances. Interviews are stressful and you want to be ice-cold chill before you go to medical school. The main point of interviewing this late in the cycle is to get on a waitlist so you can apply to programs like Tulane ACP.

That's not remotely true.

 

[Sgucci]

That's not remotely true.

Got any counter-evidence?
Yes it is. Often-times late in the cycle, you're going to be on a waitlist most likely, and with how slowly waitlists moved last cycle the best way to cut losses is to do exactly what i said.

 

[bananafish94]

Got any counter-evidence?
Yes it is. Often-times late in the cycle, you're going to be on a waitlist most likely, and with how slowly waitlists moved last cycle the best way to cut losses is to do exactly what i said.

For starters, tons of school specific-threads that I've read. For example, last night I read UIC's 2014-2015 thread. People who interviewed in late March were getting lots of acceptances from them. Is it less likely? Yes. But I really don't buy the mentality that medical schools go to the effort of interviewing into March or later just to put people on a waitlist. It doesn't make sense and it's a profound waste of resources.

 

[williameb23]

People still get in this late and if you see yourself attending any of the schools you'll be interviewing at in the next month, then go. Otherwise cancel your interviews and give someone else a chance at getting an acceptance (potentially their first).

 

[judb16]

Got any counter-evidence?
Yes it is. Often-times late in the cycle, you're going to be on a waitlist most likely, and with how slowly waitlists moved last cycle the best way to cut losses is to do exactly what i said.

For starters, tons of school specific-threads that I've read. For example, last night I read UIC's 2014-2015 thread. People who interviewed in late March were getting lots of acceptances from them. Is it less likely? Yes. But I really don't buy the mentality that medical schools go to the effort of interviewing into March or later just to put people on a waitlist. It doesn't make sense and it's a profound waste of resources.

Agree with bananafish. Its DEFINITELY less likely you'll get an immediate acceptance. However, most schools have been building their waitlist during the entire interview season. I was the second interview date at one school and was waitlisted. They've been building their wait list since day one, no need to wait until March. But people DO get in this late without making a pit stop on the wait list.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

Got any counter-evidence?
Yes it is. Often-times late in the cycle, you're going to be on a waitlist most likely, and with how slowly waitlists moved last cycle the best way to cut losses is to do exactly what i said.

There needs to be evidence in the first place to necessitate counter-evidence. You're speculating.

A: Speculative argument.
B: Questions argument.
A: "You have no counter-evidence! HA."

Airtight logic.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

In response to OP, not much I can add. If you think you'll enjoy the out of state schools, and it is not a tremendous financial burden to attend the interviews, go.

If you feel you would have no interest in the schools outside of the slim potential to receive massive scholarship money, I wouldn't recommend the effort.

 

[Sgucci]

There needs to be evidence in the first place to necessitate counter-evidence. You're speculating.

A: Speculative argument.
B: Questions argument.
A: "You have no counter-evidence! HA."

Airtight logic.

This is what generally happens though. People get waitlisted most of the time when they're invited for interviews late in the cycle. School threads show that.

 

[Mansamusa]

This is what generally happens though. People get waitlisted most of the time when they're invited for interviews late in the cycle. School threads show that.

I have 3 IIs this month and next month. 1 says they review out of order, so when you interview doesn't matter. 1 has a ton of waitlist movement. The other, I have no idea how they work. There is no generally

 

[Sgucci]

I have 3 IIs this month and next month. 1 says they review out of order, so when you interview doesn't matter. 1 has a ton of waitlist movement. The other, I have no idea how they work. There is no generally

When it's this late, chances are your application was passed up before. Even if it was out of order do you honestly believe the school didn't see your application till february? come on. your attitude helps while interviewing but it isn't very realistic. best candidates are generally interviewed first when the class isn't close to capacity.

 

[Mansamusa]

When it's this late, chances are your application was passed up before. Even if it was out of order do you honestly believe the school didn't see your application till february? come on. your attitude helps while interviewing but it isn't very realistic. best candidates are generally interviewed first when the class isn't close to capacity.

It depends on the school. Like one of the interviews I have this month sent me the II in December. Some schools are rolling. Some schools have accept dates where they only accept X% of the class. Some never accept over the class size and therefore have a ton of waitlist movement. Some have no waitlist movement. Some accept 1:1 students:class size. Some end up needing to accept 6:1. Much of it is school dependent

 

[Sgucci]

It depends on the school. Like one of the interviews I have this month sent me the II in December. Some schools are rolling. Some schools have accept dates where they only accept X% of the class. Some never accept over the class size and therefore have a ton of waitlist movement. Some have no waitlist movement. Some accept 1:1 students:class size. Some end up needing to accept 6:1. Much of it is school dependent

I will say you are right for some schools like v-tech, and have valid points. I'm just posting a general trend i've noticed.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

I will say you are right for some schools like v-tech, and have valid points. I'm just posting a general trend i've noticed.

Please go easy on propagating poorly investigated or misleading information. When posters are able to talk your argument down to an n=1 "just posting a general trend I've noticed," your original post shouldn't be stated so adamantly as a fact.

 

[Sgucci]

Please go easy on propagating poorly investigated or misleading information. When posters are able to talk your argument down to an n=1 "just posting a general trend I've noticed," your original post shouldn't be stated so adamantly as a fact.

It's neither of those. It's experience from attending interviews later in the cycle and word of mouth from adcoms during that time, as well as a probe of the school thread. don't generalize me.

 

[hypericum]

Got any counter-evidence?
Yes it is. Often-times late in the cycle, you're going to be on a waitlist most likely, and with how slowly waitlists moved last cycle the best way to cut losses is to do exactly what i said.

Do you have any evidence?
Here's my n=1 anecdote: I got an II on 1/28, interviewed on 2/1, accepted today 2/10.

While it's certainly true that there are less spots available for later interviewers, that doesn't mean you should go around telling people there's no point to interviewing late.

 

[Sgucci]

Do you have any evidence?
Here's my n=1 anecdote: I got an II on 1/28, interviewed on 2/1, accepted today 2/10.

While it's certainly true that there are less spots available for later interviewers, that doesn't mean you should go around telling people there's no point to interviewing late.

I have my experience and if you look around in any of the previous year school threads toward the end of the cycle you'll see all the evidence you need. It's also commonly advised here. ps i never said there's no point, just that you're most likely on the waitlist. if you were a strong candidate you'd have been interviewed way earlier, bottom line.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

Here's my n=1 anecdote: I got an II on 1/28, interviewed on 2/1, accepted today 2/10.

Congrats on the acceptance!!

I'd recommend just ignoring that guy tbh... his posts have been blowing the site up recently and most of them were detracting from my mental health.

 

[bananafish94]

Do you have any evidence?
Here's my n=1 anecdote: I got an II on 1/28, interviewed on 2/1, accepted today 2/10.

While it's certainly true that there are less spots available for later interviewers, that doesn't mean you should go around telling people there's no point to interviewing late.

Wow. Talk about a turnaround time! Congratulations!