When do you freak out? (Interview invites)

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godawg300

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So from everything I have read, it takes maybe 3 interviews to land an acceptance. I know this isn't really fact based but it would be nice to know a ballpark measure. Let's assume you were complete by late July at most places and are a very average/slightly below average candidate. Would 3 interviews by December mean you are on the right track? Does 0 interviews by December mean you are doomed? At what stage in the game do people start worrying that they won't get in. I know it's super early right now but I'd like to have some realistic backup plans in place.

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I'm already worried. You should always have a realistic backup plan in place regardless of whether you get in or not
 
I'm with @hoihaie, panic mode engaged. I'm already working towards building my application for next cycle in case I need to reapply, better to be safe than sorry.
 
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I'm with @hoihaie, panic mode engaged. I'm already working towards building my application for next cycle in case I need to reapply, better to be safe than sorry.
Yupp. I'm already telling myself that my app for the next cycle will be really solid. ;)
 
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the second you submit your application. Make sdn proud. Freak out.
 
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All day everyday.

RIP sanity
 
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Until you have an acceptance in hand, act like you have to reapply. I don't say this to make anyone neurotic, but it's better than the alternative of waiting until April and realizing you didn't do anything to improve your application over the year. Keep volunteering/researching/etc until you are accepted.

It's hard to put a number on how many II's you should have to feel safe, because there are many outcomes after an interview. If you have 0 interviews by December, it's not the end of the road yet for this year, but you should really be sure by then that you have a plan in place for a reapp.
 
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Was really happy for a couple days, then started to freak out.
 
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I had 8 interviews and only one solid acceptance. Although I don't think I got the gist of interviewing until I interviewed for fellowship.

I think three early on is really good. It also depends on how many places you applied to.
 
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Well looks like I should stay in freak out mode until I have an acceptance. I had a friend 2 cycles ago that had 12 interviews and 0 acceptance until very late when someone got off one of her waitlist. That's one of my biggest fears.
 
That's very unusual.

She must have had a red flag or something because she interviewed at really top schools and got waitlisted everywhere.
Really scared me personally even though she ended up at an MD program.
 
She must have had a red flag or something because she interviewed at really top schools and got waitlisted everywhere.
Really scared me personally even though she ended up at an MD program.
When I see something like "12 interviews, 0 acceptances," I tend to assume that the person simply does not interview well.
 
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I will only freak out if I bomb my 2 interviews that I already have in a few weeks and don't get any more II's by the end of September. And I agree that 12 interviews with 0 acceptances is very unusual. I fear for my interview ability, so I plan on doing 3-4 more mock interviews before my first real interview.
 
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She didn't get any rejections, all waitlists. Doesn't that just mean bad luck? If they don't reject you but waitlist you doesn't that mean they liked you somewhat?
 
Last cycle I spent the year as if I would have to reapply. Knowing that I had done so much during the year to improve my application made the sting of not getting in a lot less painful.
 
Last cycle I spent the year as if I would have to reapply. Knowing that I had done so much during the year to improve my application made the sting of not getting in a lot less painful.

How many schools did you apply to last year/how many this year? Do you feel more stress this year?
 
How many schools did you apply to last year/how many this year? Do you feel more stress this year?

29 last year, 24 MD and 8 DO this year. Less stress this year because I know how it works and I got everything in on day 1.
 
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29 last year, 24 MD and 8 DO this year. Less stress this year because I know how it works and I got everything in on day 1.

Sorry if this is asking too much but did you get interviews and stuff. Did you apply late last year...basically do you have an idea why you didn't get an acceptance.

My biggest fear is that let's say your grades are good and everything else is okay and you apply early....if you don't get in what could you possible do to improve.
 
Sorry if this is asking too much but did you get interviews and stuff. Did you apply late last year...basically do you have an idea why you didn't get an acceptance.

My biggest fear is that let's say your grades are good and everything else is okay and you apply early....if you don't get in what could you possible do to improve.

Continuing old ECs and maybe finding new ones in areas that your application is lacking.
 
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Sorry if this is asking too much but did you get interviews and stuff. Did you apply late last year...basically do you have an idea why you didn't get an acceptance.

My biggest fear is that let's say your grades are good and everything else is okay and you apply early....if you don't get in what could you possible do to improve.

I applied late for someone with my GPA. I submitted my primary in mid July and wasn't verified until September. I added and continued a bunch of EC's and took night classes.

EDIT: I did get one interview last cycle.
 
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I've been wondering the same thing. I was complete at many schools mid-July (although I'm wrapping up secondaries now too), and already there are people complete after me receiving interviews.

It's not that I'm a bad applicant (I have a very focused application with a high GPA and good MCAT), but you just never know what makes the medical school wheels spin.

So yeah, freakout mode initiated.
 
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I got 6 interview invites, attended 5 of the interviews and had 2 acceptances.

Took Mcat July 13, so I wasn't complete with all my secondaries until first week of September. Interview invites were about 2-3 weeks before interview.
2 interviews in late October, 1 in November, 2 in December, and the last interview invite didn't come until Feb (which I declined, already had 2 acceptances).

Long brutal process, but don't freak out until January. Stay busy, and try to focus on something else after your last secondary is submitted.
A lot of silence to deal with in the interim. Good luck to all.
 
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I got 6 interview invites, attended 5 of the interviews and had 2 acceptances.

Took Mcat July 13, so I wasn't complete with all my secondaries until first week of September. Interview invites were about 2-3 weeks before interview.
2 interviews in late October, 1 in November, 2 in December, and the last interview invite didn't come until Feb (which I declined, already had 2 acceptances).

Long brutal process, but don't freak out until January. Stay busy, and try to focus on something else after your last secondary is submitted.
A lot of silence to deal with in the interim. Good luck to all.
Nice. Thanks for the advice too. May I ask what your stats and EC's were?
 
I had 8 interviews and only one solid acceptance. Although I don't think I got the gist of interviewing until I interviewed for fellowship.

I think three early on is really good. It also depends on how many places you applied to.

So what's the gist?
 
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Nice. Thanks for the advice too. May I ask what your stats and EC's were?
In medapps, really worth registering to see MDAPPS for schools you applied to.

MCAT 33, GPA 3.7, but years of volunteer and community service, 2 patents on clincial projects for computer coding.
 
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Best thing to do is apply early and hope for the best. Personally, I'd start preparing for a reapplication if I don't hear from schools by December. I would have to agree with Ismet that nothing is set in stone until you have that acceptance. Hoping one of my II lands me an acceptance.
 
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In medapps, really worth registering to see MDAPPS for schools you applied to.

MCAT 33, GPA 3.7, but years of volunteer and community service, 2 patents on clincial projects for computer coding.
I do have MDapps, and I just checked your profile. Very nice! What do you think about my credentials on MDapps? My username is the same.
 
I do have MDapps, and I just checked your profile. Very nice! What do you think about my credentials on MDapps? My username is the same.

More than excellent stats, good ECs and service/volunteering. But no research??? Sadly, that will hold you back at top 20 schools.

You will get multiple acceptances at the schools you have listed, but they will pricey for the private/OOS.
Unless you have some connection to NC, that may be a no go. Same with Tulane, need to give a good reason why you want to go to New Orleans.

Other than your alma mater, not really any reach schools, but with no research, I guess you are held back.
University of Michigan would love you, we have a huge contingent of Wash U here in Ann ARbor,
but would need some research to get an interview, same for Pitt/Rochester/Vandy/Case-Cleveland Clinic/Mayo.

WIth your stellar academic credentials and other volunteer/service work, my recommendation would have been to ditch the scribing, and get a year of research and apply next cycle
(especially if you are still around Wash U, the opportunities there would be limitless).

Didn't anyone at Wash U give you any advice on the research?? You have the ability to get into a top 20 school if you get some research.
However, if you just want to get the MD, you should get in this cycle, but you are settling. Just depends on what you want, and when you want it.
Good luck, and best wishes on getting the part of the country you can enjoy.
 
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More than excellent stats, good ECs and service/volunteering. But no research??? Sadly, that will hold you back at top 20 schools.

You will get multiple acceptances at the schools you have listed, but they will pricey for the private/OOS.
Unless you have some connection to NC, that may be a no go. Same with Tulane, need to give a good reason why you want to go to New Orleans.

Other than your alma mater, not really any reach schools, but with no research, I guess you are held back.
University of Michigan would love you, we have a huge contingent of Wash U here in Ann ARbor,
but would need some research to get an interview, same for Pitt/Rochester/Vandy/Case-Cleveland Clinic/Mayo.

WIth your stellar academic credentials and other volunteer/service work, my recommendation would have been to ditch the scribing, and get a year of research and apply next cycle
(especially if you are still around Wash U, the opportunities there would be limitless).

Didn't anyone at Wash U give you any advice on the research?? You have the ability to get into a top 20 school if you get some research.
However, if you just want to get the MD, you should get in this cycle, but you are settling. Just depends on what you want, and when you want it.
Good luck, and best wishes on getting the part of the country you can enjoy.
LOL the advice was "You don't need research to get into medical school," given by a well-respected member of the WUSM faculty. They said don't do it if you don't enjoy it. And I truly love volunteering and doing service. Most applicants do community service as a box-checking thing, but for me, research would have been extremely boring box-checking. I absolutely hate doing things I don't have passion for. I'm willing to do research in medical school just to be competitive for the selective specialties.

I am a NC resident (lived there for 14 years before college, my parents live there and established domicile, I have NC driver's license and voter registration).

I'm just living temporarily in St. Louis for my scribe job. I don't plan on claiming MO residency.

My goal is to get into medical school, not necessarily a top 20. As you can probably tell, I tried my best to apply strategically, choosing schools that emphasize service over research. I applied to WUSM just for the hell of it since WUSTL is my alma mater.
 
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LOL the advice was "You don't need research to get into medical school," given by a well-respected member of the WUSM faculty. They said don't do it if you don't enjoy it. And I truly love volunteering and doing service. Most applicants do community service as a box-checking thing, but for me, research would have been extremely boring box-checking. I absolutely hate doing things I don't have passion for. I'm willing to do research in medical school just to be competitive for the selective specialties.

I am a NC resident (lived there for 14 years before college, my parents live there and established domicile, I have. NC driver's license and voter registration).

I'm just living temporarily in St. Louis for my scribe job. I don't plan on claiming MO residency.

My goal is to get into medical school, not necessarily a top 20. As you can probably tell, I tried my best to apply strategically, choosing schools that emphasize service over research. I applied to WUSM just for the hell of it since WUSTL is my alma mater.
With those stats and an honest commitment to community service, I am sure you would not have to reapply. However, it is never a bad idea to prepare for any outcome good or bad.
 
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With those stats and an honest commitment to community service, I am sure you would not have to reapply. However, it is never a bad idea to prepare for any outcome good or bad.
Oh, don't worry. My plan for this year is to become a trainer scribe (adds leadership and teaching experience), help out with my alma mater's chapter of APO as an alum adviser (may be minimal work depending on what the current president and actual chapter adviser wants, but would add leadership), and MAYBE passively ask around for clinical research openings at WUSM. Unless there's a better way to improve my backup app for next year?
 
LOL the advice was "You don't need research to get into medical school," given by a well-respected member of the WUSM faculty. They said don't do it if you don't enjoy it. And I truly love volunteering and doing service. Most applicants do community service as a box-checking thing, but for me, research would have been extremely boring box-checking. I absolutely hate doing things I don't have passion for. I'm willing to do research in medical school just to be competitive for the selective specialties.

I am a NC resident (lived there for 14 years before college, my parents live there and established domicile, I have NC driver's license and voter registration).

I'm just living temporarily in St. Louis for my scribe job. I don't plan on claiming MO residency.

My goal is to get into medical school, not necessarily a top 20. As you can probably tell, I tried my best to apply strategically, choosing schools that emphasize service over research. I applied to WUSM just for the hell of it since WUSTL is my alma mater.

You should be all set then, if you are happy with your choices, and you are correct, don't do anything as a box checking exercise. Research doesn't have to be clinical or science based, as a computer science major, I did programming research projects (though on clinically based projects). I anticipate you'll be getting multiple acceptances to choose from. Best to you.
 
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Oh, don't worry. My plan for this year is to become a trainer scribe (adds leadership and teaching experience), help out with my alma mater's chapter of APO as an alum adviser (may be minimal work depending on what the current president and actual chapter adviser wants, but would add leadership), and MAYBE passively ask around for clinical research openings at WUSM. Unless there's a better way to improve my backup app for next year?
Sounds like an excellent plan! I also enjoy community service a lot more than research. That is the whole point why I wanted to get a medical degree and not a PhD.
 
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You should be all set then, if you are happy with your choices, and you are correct, don't do anything as a box checking exercise. Research doesn't have to be clinical or science based, as a computer science major, I did programming research projects (though on clinically based projects). I anticipate you'll be getting multiple acceptances to choose from. Best to you.
Thanks! I truly believe I'll be happier attending a school that I have the best fit for instead of some random top 20.
 
So what's the gist?

It's hard to pinpoint exactly. When I interviewed for Fellowship, the main thing that happened is that I was more relaxed. During my interviews I was myself instead of an anxious wreck worried about every little thing I and the interviewer said and did.

I finally got that they were just getting to know me instead of judging every little piece of hair on my head (and I don't have much of it).
 
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So how many interview invites would one feel comfortable that they would get at least one acceptance. Like if you did 10 interviews would you feel pretty certain that you would most likely get at least one acceptance?
 
So how many interview invites would one feel comfortable that they would get at least one acceptance. Like if you did 10 interviews would you feel pretty certain that you would most likely get at least one acceptance?

Unless you're a bad interviewer, then yes I'd say it's reasonable to assume that going to 10 interviews would most likely net at least 1 acceptance. It's not an exact science though.
 
Unless you're a bad interviewer, then yes I'd say it's reasonable to assume that going to 10 interviews would most likely net at least 1 acceptance. It's not an exact science though.

Ugh halfway there then :(
 
And there's the proof. People with decent music taste can be the very thing that the anal sphincter surrounds.
 
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And there's the proof. People with decent music taste can be the very thing that the anal sphincter surrounds.
My sarcasm has gone too far. Forgive me for those offended. I by no means am complaining. In fact I can not explain my luck and will be the first to say I would never imagine this even happening. Sorry for playing into the traditional neurotic persona. </3
 
It's okay. I still like muse. Even you couldn't ruin that for me.
 
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