2014-2015 Western Michigan University Application Thread

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so are those of us that are interviewing via telephone already selected for an on-site interview, too? Or is this another selection tool for deciding who visits?

Im thinking that applications may be viewed again after the telephone interview with the added info gained from it, then a certain number of people will get an in person interview. that'd make a lot of sense imo.
 
so are those of us that are interviewing via telephone already selected for an on-site interview, too? Or is this another selection tool for deciding who visits?
I remember reading something like 50% of all telephone II's receive an onsite interview.
 
II received earlier today. Any know what to expect for the phone interview and how it'll be structured? I snooped through last year's thread a little, but I couldn't find much info. Also, apparently we have an in-person interview after the phone one? that's really strange. I thought this school was saving us the ticket fare if we are on the side of the country lol.

so are those of us that are interviewing via telephone already selected for an on-site interview, too? Or is this another selection tool for deciding who visits?

I don't think you snooped very well. What I understood from last year's thread, after the phone interview, they go over your stuff and decide for an on-site interview. The phone interview is basically the questionnaire we already completed after the secondary.
 
I think it was said earlier in the thread, and it's on the Admissions FAQ, that there were 600 phone interviews offered, and just over 300 on-campus interviews offered after that.

(Emailing scheduling person now since I have not gotten the slot selection message yet)

Edit: And now I can't find the specific link...oh well. xD But I copy-pasted that into an email to someone else, and those are the numbers I have.
 
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II received earlier today. Any know what to expect for the phone interview and how it'll be structured? I snooped through last year's thread a little, but I couldn't find much info. Also, apparently we have an in-person interview after the phone one? that's really strange. I thought this school was saving us the ticket fare if we are on the side of the country lol.

The phone interview is an additional layer of screening. They'll get around 5000-6000 applications this year, they'll give about 10% of those phone interviews (600); they'll give about 1/2 of those in-person interviews (300). They'll fill 60 seats from the 300 people they interview in person.
 
Got a response and am scheduled for September 12th!...but I still haven't gotten the confirmation email. My email checked out on the site (and again, I've checked my spam/junk plenty of times)--I don't know why their system doesn't seem to like me 🤔

Was there information in that email that I will need for the interview that I don't have already? E.g.-am I expected to call them and the number is in there? If not, I don't really want to bother them again.
 
Did you schedule an in person interview or a telephone interview?
 
Got a response and am scheduled for September 12th!...but I still haven't gotten the confirmation email. My email checked out on the site (and again, I've checked my spam/junk plenty of times)--I don't know why their system doesn't seem to like me 🤔

Was there information in that email that I will need for the interview that I don't have already? E.g.-am I expected to call them and the number is in there? If not, I don't really want to bother them again.
Not really. It was basically just a reminder email with the date that you chose and the time. Also said that if you need to reschedule, email them. Mine did have my interviewer's name though.

They will call you.
 
holistic review started: 7/28
holistic review completed: 8/28
 
If I was complete 7/24 but still no holistic review, should I call?

You might want to- my application was submitted, marked as complete, and holistically reviewed over the span of last week- maybe yours has been misplaced? Or maybe they're just gearing up to reject me fast, you never know 😛
 
My holistic review started on Aug 27th, and completed on Sept 1. I wonder if it's a bad thing to be reviewed so fast...
 
Complete 7/24 and holistic review finally started 9/2. Was beginning to wonder if they had looked at my app, laughed hysterically while showing it to other committee members, and placed it in the burn pile to help warm the cold, grey hearts of the adcom members as they sit in their dimly lit stone wall dungeon slaving away during the bleak Michigan winter. <----- My version of the app reviewing process.
 
Complete 7/24 and holistic review finally started 9/2. Was beginning to wonder if they had looked at my app, laughed hysterically while showing it to other committee members, and placed it in the burn pile to help warm the cold, grey hearts of the adcom members as they sit in their dimly lit stone wall dungeon slaving away during the bleak Michigan winter. <----- My version of the app reviewing process.
Same here, man. Same here.
 
Complete 7/24 and holistic review finally started 9/2. Was beginning to wonder if they had looked at my app, laughed hysterically while showing it to other committee members, and placed it in the burn pile to help warm the cold, grey hearts of the adcom members as they sit in their dimly lit stone wall dungeon slaving away during the bleak Michigan winter. <----- My version of the app reviewing process.

Sounds accurate. But now that we see you're a Blackhawks fan, we'll give you special consideration. ((Not really, but I <3 Blackhawks))
 
The phone interview was interesting...Some of the questions were repeated and I definitely felt like I was being repetitive in my answers.:beat:
It was essentially an open-ended repeat of the online assessment. Also, my throat hurts from all that talking.

Oh well, here's to hoping!!
 
Holy cats, has anyone else had their holistic review start and finish in 2 days? Was it that easy for them to look at my app and be like HAHAH NOOOOOO
 
Holy cats, has anyone else had their holistic review start and finish in 2 days? Was it that easy for them to look at my app and be like HAHAH NOOOOOO
My holistic review took only one day. I feel like that can't be good...
 
My holistic review took only one day. I feel like that can't be good...

i think its just how different people review them. some probably mark each app as complete as they finish reading them while others probably do so in batches.
 
Complete 7/24 and holistic review finally started 9/2. Was beginning to wonder if they had looked at my app, laughed hysterically while showing it to other committee members, and placed it in the burn pile to help warm the cold, grey hearts of the adcom members as they sit in their dimly lit stone wall dungeon slaving away during the bleak Michigan winter. <----- My version of the app reviewing process.

Same thing, complete 7/24 and hollistic review started 9/2. Mabey it's bc I called and they thought "let's put him out of his misery" haha
 
You guys seem to stress out over the holistic review. Let me share my perspective as a student that was admitted last year.

You WANT the holistic review to happen. Holistic review is like the first cut. If they are interested in you, they will give you a holistic review. I don't think the length of it matters. As someone else said, that might be a matter of who does your review more than anything else.

Once holistic review is finished, they make another cut - to phone interviews. If they're still interested in you, they'll give you a phone interview. My phone interview didn't happen until NOVEMBER (I was complete in August). I think they'll give about 10-15% of the applicants (500-700) phone interviews.

After that, the next cut - to in-person interviews. I think they give around 300 of these. From those 300 in-person interviews, they fill a class of 60. My in-person interview wasn't until February, and I was offered admission shortly thereafter. I know people who had interviews in October last year and didn't get in until the summer.

So the short answer: don't stress your application status. If you're still getting reviewed (i.e. moving forward in the process), THAT IS A GOOD THING. It means they're still interested.
 
what'd they say when you called them?
Same thing, complete 7/24 and hollistic review started 9/2. Mabey it's bc I called and they thought "let's put him out of his misery" haha
 
You guys seem to stress out over the holistic review. Let me share my perspective as a student that was admitted last year.

You WANT the holistic review to happen. Holistic review is like the first cut. If they are interested in you, they will give you a holistic review. I don't think the length of it matters. As someone else said, that might be a matter of who does your review more than anything else.

Once holistic review is finished, they make another cut - to phone interviews. If they're still interested in you, they'll give you a phone interview. My phone interview didn't happen until NOVEMBER (I was complete in August). I think they'll give about 10-15% of the applicants (500-700) phone interviews.

After that, the next cut - to in-person interviews. I think they give around 300 of these. From those 300 in-person interviews, they fill a class of 60. My in-person interview wasn't until February, and I was offered admission shortly thereafter. I know people who had interviews in October last year and didn't get in until the summer.

So the short answer: don't stress your application status. If you're still getting reviewed (i.e. moving forward in the process), THAT IS A GOOD THING. It means they're still interested.
so it is possible that holistic review can never start? Just curious in general, so like you said it's like a small pool?
 
so it is possible that holistic review can never start? Just curious in general, so like you said it's like a small pool?

Yes, someone could be screened out without a holistic review. The bulk of people get a holistic review, but let's say someone applies with an extremely low MCAT and extremely low GPA (let's say a 22 and a 2.4) ... then they probably aren't going to get a holistic review. Just my perspective as a student.

With 5000-6000 people applying this year, some will get screened out but the bulk will go to Holistic review. Of those holistically reviewed, a large number (I think >500) will get phone interviews. Of those a good number will get in-person interviews (around 300 last year, probably the same this year). Of those, they'll pick 60.

It's all about reviewing as many people as possible to pick the most amazing ones (not just the ones with the highest MCAT or GPA, even if the school screens out the very low scores).

As always, feel free to ask any questions about the school, the first class, etc... if I can answer, I will.
 
Yes, someone could be screened out without a holistic review. The bulk of people get a holistic review, but let's say someone applies with an extremely low MCAT and extremely low GPA (let's say a 22 and a 2.4) ... then they probably aren't going to get a holistic review. Just my perspective as a student.

With 5000-6000 people applying this year, some will get screened out but the bulk will go to Holistic review. Of those holistically reviewed, a large number (I think >500) will get phone interviews. Of those a good number will get in-person interviews (around 300 last year, probably the same this year). Of those, they'll pick 60.

It's all about reviewing as many people as possible to pick the most amazing ones (not just the ones with the highest MCAT or GPA, even if the school screens out the very low scores).

As always, feel free to ask any questions about the school, the first class, etc... if I can answer, I will.
I don't know about the screening process.

It is crazy that 5-6000 people will be applying for 60 spots. 😱

wait, shouldn't we be studying for a formulative exam? :laugh:
 
Yes, someone could be screened out without a holistic review. The bulk of people get a holistic review, but let's say someone applies with an extremely low MCAT and extremely low GPA (let's say a 22 and a 2.4) ... then they probably aren't going to get a holistic review. Just my perspective as a student.

With 5000-6000 people applying this year, some will get screened out but the bulk will go to Holistic review. Of those holistically reviewed, a large number (I think >500) will get phone interviews. Of those a good number will get in-person interviews (around 300 last year, probably the same this year). Of those, they'll pick 60.

It's all about reviewing as many people as possible to pick the most amazing ones (not just the ones with the highest MCAT or GPA, even if the school screens out the very low scores).

As always, feel free to ask any questions about the school, the first class, etc... if I can answer, I will.

Well their cutoff MCAT is 24.

500/5000 people is only 10% and 500/6000 is 8.3%. We'll say 500 phone interviews for 5500 apps is roughly 9%. Out of the interviews, they don't pick exactly 60, what if people turn down the offer. They'll most likely send out 100 or so acceptances over the year as the class is getting filled. Also when you get accepted here, you only have 2 weeks to make a decision.
 
Well their cutoff MCAT is 24.

500/5000 people is only 10% and 500/6000 is 8.3%. We'll say 500 phone interviews for 5500 apps is roughly 9%. Out of the interviews, they don't pick exactly 60, what if people turn down the offer. They'll most likely send out 100 or so acceptances over the year as the class is getting filled. Also when you get accepted here, you only have 2 weeks to make a decision.

The 2 weeks is at a lot of schools but IIRC you can hold multiple acceptances until April 15 (moved it up this year) and you get the money you put down back. A lot of people will hold lots of acceptances and then drop all but one right before the deadline after second looks. As a new school, I'm assuming their yield was around ~40%, since even at high yield schools it's only around ~75-85%
 
Holistic Review Started09/02/2014 12:20 pm
Holistic Review Completed09/04/2014 05:05 pm
Hoping for some phone interview love!!
 
Anyone who completed their phone interview and still waiting to hear back from WMed?
 
About how long have people been waiting between "holistic review completed" and an invite for a phone interview?
 
me! I really wanted an on-site interview...but it's been awhile since my phone interview.
Mind sharing when you had your phone interview? I had my phone interview on 8/22.. the online portal says my telephone interview was completed on 8/26. So it's been 2 weeks for me already.. ;(
 
Holistic Review Complete 9/3 less than 24 hours after it started. Here's to hearing about a phone interview in the near future. :xf:
 
Almost a month since my holistic review started and still not complete, is this a bad sign?
 
what are the phone interview questions like? Does it really last the entire hour?
 
Mind sharing when you had your phone interview? I had my phone interview on 8/22.. the online portal says my telephone interview was completed on 8/26. So it's been 2 weeks for me already.. ;(
Yeah, it says my interview was completed on 8/26 as well. I think I actually had it on 8/19.
 
stupid question: what does the holistic review actually mean they did?
 
stupid question: what does the holistic review actually mean they did?

It means they looked at (/are looking at) your application instead of screening it out based on simple metrics (e.g. MCAT / GPA).

As far as anyone can tell, the speed with which your review is completed is not predictive of anything.

You might get a reviewer who writes things down on paper, and enters them all in one sitting weeks later. Or you might get a reviewer who enters it immediately after reading your file. Holistic review completed just means that someone actually looked at your file, and gave some info to Admissions to try to figure out whether you should be offered a phone interview.
 
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