2015-2016 APPIC Internship Interview Thread

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I was wondering if I could enlist advice. I currently have 16 interviews scheduled with the potential of 2 more. My schedule during the first two weeks looks exhausting and I am worried about being tired/stressed/burnt out during that time frame. My DCT has advised me to drop down to 10 interviews in an effort to reduce my fatigue and improve my performance at my top sites. Also, it could open up spots for other applicants who are more interested in those sites than I am. The anxious side of me worries that dropping interviews reduces my odds of matching. This may be completely irrational, especially considering the statistics in previous years. I know that this is a good problem to have and I am certainly not complaining. I just don't want to make a decision that could negatively impact me down the road.
 
sms06h said:
I was wondering if I could enlist advice. I currently have 16 interviews scheduled with the potential of 2 more. My schedule during the first two weeks looks exhausting and I am worried about being tired/stressed/burnt out during that time frame. My DCT has advised me to drop down to 10 interviews in an effort to reduce my fatigue and improve my performance at my top sites. Also, it could open up spots for other applicants who are more interested in those sites than I am. The anxious side of me worries that dropping interviews reduces my odds of matching. This may be completely irrational, especially considering the statistics in previous years. I know that this is a good problem to have and I am certainly not complaining. I just don't want to make a decision that could negatively impact me down the road.
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I have a similar situation as you. I ended up with 10 in person and switched 2 to phone. I definitely could not handle more (unless perhaps the scheduling worked out perfectly). Can you switch to phone for a couple, esp those that are "open houses" (who seem to be more open to this)? I'm also worried as my top choices seem to come at the end of two packed weeks and I don't bounce back as easily as I used to. I know folks who've done 18 interviews but I don't think I could do it successfully.
 
sms06h said:
I was wondering if I could enlist advice. I currently have 16 interviews scheduled with the potential of 2 more. My schedule during the first two weeks looks exhausting and I am worried about being tired/stressed/burnt out during that time frame. My DCT has advised me to drop down to 10 interviews in an effort to reduce my fatigue and improve my performance at my top sites. Also, it could open up spots for other applicants who are more interested in those sites than I am. The anxious side of me worries that dropping interviews reduces my odds of matching. This may be completely irrational, especially considering the statistics in previous years. I know that this is a good problem to have and I am certainly not complaining. I just don't want to make a decision that could negatively impact me down the road.
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I would consider it, esp as your DCT is suggesting you drop down. In a way, focusing on your few favorites may causes you to be ranked more highly there and could actually increase your odds of matching? I think it would be worse to be ranked so-so at a lot of sites than being ranked highly for a fewer number of sites that are great fits. My 3 cents!
 
hamsterpants said:
I have a similar situation as you. I ended up with 10 in person and switched 2 to phone. I definitely could not handle more (unless perhaps the scheduling worked out perfectly). Can you switch to phone for a couple, esp those that are "open houses" (who seem to be more open to this)? I'm also worried as my top choices seem to come at the end of two packed weeks and I don't bounce back as easily as I used to. I know folks who've done 18 interviews but I don't think I could do it successfully.
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Thankfully only 6 of these interviews are on-site; however, two of my lowest choices are on-site. I'm considering respectively declining those two since they are low on my list and are full day interviews, which I imagine will be exhausting. Even though the phone/Skype are less exhausting and time consuming (each one is about 45 minutes to an hour), there is one day where I have three interviews. This seems like a lot, especially since I like spending time really researching the program and area before the interview. This is definitely a tricky decision... I really appreciate your advice @hamsterpants . I think you're probably right about how I am ranked could be impacted and how it will be better to be ranked higher at fewer places than so-so at more sites.
 
sms06h said:
Thankfully only 6 of these interviews are on-site; however, two of my lowest choices are on-site. I'm considering respectively declining those two since they are low on my list and are full day interviews, which I imagine will be exhausting. Even though the phone/Skype are less exhausting and time consuming (each one is about 45 minutes to an hour), there is one day where I have three interviews. This seems like a lot, especially since I like spending time really researching the program and area before the interview. This is definitely a tricky decision...
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Oh wow, while I'm glad to hear not all of them are on-site, three interviews in one day sounds overwhelming! I definitely could not do it, as I'm a one at a time person. Since they are phone interviews, would the sites be open to changing the day of the interview? They seem to be more flexible when it comes to phone interviews and I don't think it would hurt to ask.
 
I've noticed one of the sites I applied to has sent out both invites and a mass rejection, They have also extended their notification date. Is it common to have several mass rejection dates when they extend their notification date ?
 
Hi everyone, this is a hypothetical question.

If I rank say 3 sites, and one or more of them end up going into phase 2 (and I don't match at any), does that mean they didn't rank me at all?

Also, I only have 3 invites. Any advice for interviews other than just making sure I kick ass at them? lol

Thanks!
 
sms06h said:
I was wondering if I could enlist advice. I currently have 16 interviews scheduled with the potential of 2 more. My schedule during the first two weeks looks exhausting and I am worried about being tired/stressed/burnt out during that time frame. My DCT has advised me to drop down to 10 interviews in an effort to reduce my fatigue and improve my performance at my top sites. Also, it could open up spots for other applicants who are more interested in those sites than I am. The anxious side of me worries that dropping interviews reduces my odds of matching. This may be completely irrational, especially considering the statistics in previous years. I know that this is a good problem to have and I am certainly not complaining. I just don't want to make a decision that could negatively impact me down the road.
Click to expand...

if you're going to have potentially 18 interviews, then you're going to match. pick your top sites and focus on them. it's better to bring your less fatigued, A game to 10 interviews than half assed, tired effort to 18. that one percent with 10 or more interviews that doesn't match probably doesn't because they're overly confident or are burnt out from too many interviews.
 
JedMosley said:
Sorry if this was asked before-- this thread is getting long!

How frowned upon is it to e-mail the DCT and ask for a switch in interview dates, if the reason is because a flight schedule to get me to them from the last interview would be near impossible? Would they take this as me not liking their site as much?
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I asked two sites to switch. One of them I asked if it would be at all possible to bring it closer to another interview in the same city, but he said there was no way as the spots were set in stone. At another site I had a major conflict between two sites. Just as I was about to choose between one, I appealed to one of the sites and they found someone to switch with me. So it could go either way. In the end, the other site not switching worked out as the other site I switched ended up moving to that date.

Hope it works out for you.
 
I have to ask. How many application did those of you with 10+ interviews submit? I'm just curious. I'm seeing people with more interviews than the number of applications I submitted.
 
seahorse4 said:
I have to ask. How many application did those of you with 10+ interviews submit? I'm just curious. I'm seeing people with more interviews than the number of applications I submitted.
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I submitted 20 apps.
 
Some of my sites say that "ranked applicants" are invited to an optional open house after final rankings have been submitted. Will some sites not rank everyone that was invited for an interview? If so, will they let you know if you are not being ranked by them?
 
randomapplicant22 said:
Some of my sites say that "ranked applicants" are invited to an optional open house after final rankings have been submitted. Will some sites not rank everyone that was invited for an interview? If so, will they let you know if you are not being ranked by them?
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Yes, some sites will choose not to rank some applicants that they have interviewed. It's a small number, but it does happen. When I've seen it happen, we did not let the applicants know. Really did not matter in those cases since we matched pretty low in our list and would not have gotten to them even if we had ranked them.

Note: this was for interview sites, not open houses.
 
seahorse4 said:
I have to ask. How many application did those of you with 10+ interviews submit? I'm just curious. I'm seeing people with more interviews than the number of applications I submitted.
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I submitted 15 apps and got 13 interviews, 12 in person, 1 via Skype b/c travel is impossible.
 
ab2844 said:
Hi everyone, this is a hypothetical question.

If I rank say 3 sites, and one or more of them end up going into phase 2 (and I don't match at any), does that mean they didn't rank me at all?

Also, I only have 3 invites. Any advice for interviews other than just making sure I kick ass at them? lol

Thanks!
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I believe that is how it works! I found this example helpful when I was trying to understand their algorithm: https://natmatch.com/psychint/aboutalg.html

Sorry, no really great interview advice since I'm interviewing now too so I'm definitely not the expert - I have just heard that the more genuine you are, the better, so you truly end up at a site that you want and they truly want you. I will say that the interviews I have had so far have felt pretty informal and really comfortable - not the sorts of questions people tell you to prep for - but I haven't been to many yet.
 
ab2844 said:
Also, I only have 3 invites. Any advice for interviews other than just making sure I kick ass at them? lol
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I'm also interested in this as someone with 4 invites out of 12 applications. How to increase chances of matching at sites with ~30 interviewees and 3-4 interns
 
123EW said:
I only got one. Maybe that is a good sign for you that you really are on a waitlist?
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I also got two noncommittal rejection emails from Memphis VA. So I'm just taking that to mean it's a no. For what it's worth, I also know 2 people that got invitations and then got the rejection email on the 15th, so it sounds like the site might be a bit disorganized.
 
My program is pretty insistent that we submit exactly 15 apps. I did 16. I had 12 very good matches and 4 pretty good matches. In the end, I couldn't decide between two of the latter so I did both. Interestingly, my rejections mostly came from the "pretty good" pile.

I got 12 interviews which is more than I (or my advisor) expected. Some aspects of my app were nontraditional so it was hard to predict how exactly they would be received. I think being geographically open really helped.
 
Did the person who received an invite from UC-Davis UCC through email or phone? I was surprised to see Dec interview dates, because they said that they would do interviews in Jan first week.
 
Just a note to those interviewing at DSH Coalinga, but the interview dates reported in their initial email have changed. They are now holding interviews on 1/21 and 1/25. No interviews are being held on 1/26, and nothing was mentioned about 1/22.
 
seahorse4 said:
I have to ask. How many application did those of you with 10+ interviews submit? I'm just curious. I'm seeing people with more interviews than the number of applications I submitted.
Click to expand...
I submitted 19 apps, received 12 interviews, rejected from 4 officially, and still waiting to hear back from 3 (one of which is most likely a rejection, as invites were listed here on Monday).
 
hamsterpants said:
My program is pretty insistent that we submit exactly 15 apps. I did 16. I had 12 very good matches and 4 pretty good matches. In the end, I couldn't decide between two of the latter so I did both. Interestingly, my rejections mostly came from the "pretty good" pile.

I got 12 interviews which is more than I (or my advisor) expected. Some aspects of my app were nontraditional so it was hard to predict how exactly they would be received. I think being geographically open really helped.
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Agreed on this 100% I was really surprised by the number of invites I received, and I think I got so many invites because the fit was really great (and I come from a pretty well respected program, I think that definitely helps). The two sites that rejected me were ones that I really didn't fit, and I really only applied to because I wanted to be in that location.
 
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Has anyone heard from Ann Arbor VA? I know that they don't do interviews, but I was just wondering if they had reached out and invited anyone to the open house or told anyone that they would not be ranked?
 
Has anyone heard from Orlando VA or Alexian Brothers -Adult PHP and addictions rotation?
 
randomapplicant22 said:
I'm also interested in this as someone with 4 invites out of 12 applications. How to increase chances of matching at sites with ~30 interviewees and 3-4 interns
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With 4 invites your odds are quite good if you are ranked by all of them. I don't think there is any strategy to "increase" chances but if you are genuine and convey the qualities that are a good fit with a site then you don't decrease them. They selected you for interview on the basis of how your application "fits" with the profile of those who have been successful interns there before and those who appear to have the kind of career goals that they feel they can prepare interns for well. If you reinforce those points of fit and connect well with the interviewers then you will be in the mix. It is a horrifically weird process to go through, but most folks do find their place.
 
Did anyone interviewing at Elmhurst hear back about the interview schedule after e-mailing Dr. Pearson with preferred date? Thank you.
 
h704 said:
Has anyone heard from Ann Arbor VA? I know that they don't do interviews, but I was just wondering if they had reached out and invited anyone to the open house or told anyone that they would not be ranked?
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Yes. I heard from them today (via phone) just letting me know that they're interested in my application and look forward to meeting me at one of the open house days (which I had already RSVP'd to prior to the call). They didn't say whether or not I'd be ranked, though.
 
I apologize in advance for the double post. Just trying to increase the chances that it is seen by someone who can help. 🙂

I was offered a late interview to Loma Linda SOM after previously being rejected. The interview day they offered is Monday, January 11th from 7:30 to 12:00, and I already have an interview scheduled for that day. Please, please PM me if you would be willing to switch!
 
hthpsych said:
Yes. I heard from them today (via phone) just letting me know that they're interested in my application and look forward to meeting me at one of the open house days (which I had already RSVP'd to prior to the call). They didn't say whether or not I'd be ranked, though.
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Which track(s) did you apply for? Thanks in advance!
 
psyched2graduate said:
I apologize in advance for the double post. Just trying to increase the chances that it is seen by someone who can help. 🙂

I was offered a late interview to Loma Linda SOM after previously being rejected. The interview day they offered is Monday, January 11th from 7:30 to 12:00, and I already have an interview scheduled for that day. Please, please PM me if you would be willing to switch!
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Try posting on the interview switch-eroo thread as well!
 
h704 said:
Has anyone heard from Ann Arbor VA? I know that they don't do interviews, but I was just wondering if they had reached out and invited anyone to the open house or told anyone that they would not be ranked?
Click to expand...

I heard from them via phone as well on Thursday. They informed me that my application was ranked very highly and we're calling to encourage me to attend the open house.
 
scootermcgavin said:
Which track(s) did you apply for? Thanks in advance!
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I heard from them yesterday via phone as well. I applied to the PTSD clinical team, women's health clinic and mental health clinic. The person I heard from is part of the PTSD and women's health rotations.
 
AlmostThere727 said:
I heard from them via phone as well on Thursday. They informed me that my application was ranked very highly and we're calling to encourage me to attend the open house.
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That sounds great, but I'm curious, doesn't this violate APPIC's policy about discussing rankings with applicants? Or am I misreading this?
 
empathiosis said:
That sounds great, but I'm curious, doesn't this violate APPIC's policy about discussing rankings with applicants? Or am I misreading this?
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Skirts the grey area. As long as they did not ensure that the applicant would be ranked within the definite acceptance group, or solicit rank information from the applicant, they're technically in the clear. Really depends on the verbiage used.
 
Site name & Match ID number: Family Service and Guidance Center of Topeka
-Invite or rejection: Rejection
-Date notified: 12/18/15
-How notified (mass email, personal email, phone): mass email
 
WisNeuro said:
Skirts the grey area. As long as they did not ensure that the applicant would be ranked within the definite acceptance group, or solicit rank information from the applicant, they're technically in the clear. Really depends on the verbiage used.
Click to expand...

I actually hadn't even thought about that. They may have said "rated" highly and not "ranked," as most sites do rate the application on various areas. But there was certainly no indication of exactly where I stood. I just got the sense that I'm definitely in the running somewhere.
 
internship2016 said:
I haven't heard from Orlando VA either. What's up with that? They have passed the 15th suggested date and their own date of the 18th.
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Me three. I was thinking of emailing them on Monday. The good thing is that they don't prioritize site visits. So, we won't have to finagle travel and such.
 
Anyone have sites they have not heard back from as of 12/20? Has anyone heard from Children's Institute, Inc. in Los Angeles or Howard University in DC?
 
Wanajack said:
Anyone have sites they have not heard back from as of 12/20? Has anyone heard from Children's Institute, Inc. in Los Angeles or Howard University in DC?
Click to expand...

I have not heard back from Children's Institute either but their notification date is posted as 1/10/16. Hope we get news before then!
 
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