Worth canceling a decent IV place for one off the waitlist?

[pt3sh]

Hey all, some of the better interviews I am getting now are second or third waves, as if to say that I was on the waitlist prior. However, they are now conflicting with a few solid mid-tier programs. I am a decent interviewer (e.g. can hold a nonaustic conversation with a couple laughs), but not the best, and am afraid that if I am already ranked at the bottom going into the new interview, it may be better to put my eggs into the original basket. What would you guys do? Take the new interview or keep the old?

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[dermhopefull11]

Honestly, I would take the invitation from the better school (if you would prefer that school over the interviews you already have). Just because you don't get the first wave of invites doesn't mean you came off the waitlist per say. If they weren't seriously considering you for a position in their program, they sure as heck wouldn't waste time interviewing you.
I think more programs send out interview invites in different waves, for whatever reason. Maybe one faculty member finished reviewing their applications before another. I think here on SDN we probably don't get a true sense of the multiple waves of invites that go out (as demonstrated by some programs which have sent out invites heard of through the interview trail but nobody posted them on SDN).

That being said, if you only ended up going to like 5 interviews total-yes maybe I would think twice about the decision--but it sounds like you probably have way more than 5 interviews.
Go for the better programs-they invited you to interview there for a reason.

 

[vicinihil]

Some schools that have so-so derm programs send out just 1 wave where as other programs that are much stronger like Mayo send 3 waves or more? Waves doesn't mean waitlist. If they waitlist you, then it means waitlist.