25 gas interviews, having trouble deciding which to cancel

[anestheticman]

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Hey everyone,

So I have 25 invites total (and I sent out an ungodly number of apps) but would definitely fall into the weak applicant category. I think about half of these programs are a reach for me even though I got an interview but the other half I think I would have a good shot at being at least in the middle of the rank list.

How is everyone deciding which to cancel? With my clerkship schedule I can go on all of my prelim and gas interviews so far, but I'll be missing some holidays at home and will probably be wearing a wrinkled suit on some days looking a bit fatigued.

How much is too much? I think 25 is too much but I find it hard to let go of an interview at a reach school, just because it was so exciting to get the offer in the first place...

I would rather go to any of these programs versus scramble or wait a year... so should I just spend the 1000's of dollars and not worry about it?

😕

 

[au1818]

You should let them go so I can have them....Just PM me your interviews and i'll tell you which ones to drop.....j/k...You are obviously not as weak as you might have imagined and if I were in your position I would cull some of the more expensive interviews that are sure to end up near the end of your ROL. I personally want 10-12, but if I had the same situation, I might go on as many as 15 or so gas interviews plus prelims. JMHO!

 

[me454555]

If you got this many interviews you're not a weak candidate, they wouldn't invterview you if you had no chance of matching. Go on 10 - 12 at most, cancel the rest.

 

[Ferdie]

IMHO (and from what I've been told), 15 gas interviews is TOO MUCH! (not to mention 25 of 'em) Statistically, you will probably match with 10-12, as others have mentioned.

As for which I am canceling - I figure if they invite me for an interview I've got a good shot. Reach smeach. There were some programs I was more interested in when I sent out applications, and as I get invites from them I'm cancelling some other programs that I was initially less excited about. Mostly that's been determined by location, and a little (unfortunately) by travel expense to interview there.

 

[Canrenone]

Hey everyone,

So I have 25 invites total (and I sent out an ungodly number of apps) but would definitely fall into the weak applicant category. I think about half of these programs are a reach for me even though I got an interview but the other half I think I would have a good shot at being at least in the middle of the rank list.

How is everyone deciding which to cancel? With my clerkship schedule I can go on all of my prelim and gas interviews so far, but I'll be missing some holidays at home and will probably be wearing a wrinkled suit on some days looking a bit fatigued.

How much is too much? I think 25 is too much but I find it hard to let go of an interview at a reach school, just because it was so exciting to get the offer in the first place...

I would rather go to any of these programs versus scramble or wait a year... so should I just spend the 1000's of dollars and not worry about it?

😕

Have you thought about canceling interviews based on location? Take all the interviews in the Northeast, Southeast or Midwest. Pick a location and do all the interviews at once?

 

[Pilot Doc]

IMHO (and from what I've been told), 15 gas interviews is TOO MUCH! (not to mention 25 of 'em) Statistically, you will probably match with 10-12, as others have mentioned.

There is a great resource available for all these questions at the NRMP site. You will find that in 2007 among US seniors not a single soul who ranked 13 or more programs did not match. (n about 300). Between 8 and 12 ranks yields a match rate of 98.5%. Even 5-7 gives well above 90%.

So yes, 25 interviews is an egregious waste of resources for you and the programs. 15 is too many as well. I'd say somewhere between 8-12 is reasonable depending on how well they fit into your schedule and budget.

As for saftey vs. reach programs, you might try calling the programs and just telling them you have too many interviews, need to cancel some and don't want to take their space if you're marginal. I bet a couple will fess up that you're on their safety list.

 

[anestheticman]

There is a great resource available for all these questions at the NRMP site. You will find that in 2007 among US seniors not a single soul who ranked 13 or more programs did not match. (n about 300). Between 8 and 12 ranks yields a match rate of 98.5%. Even 5-7 gives well above 90%.

So yes, 25 interviews is an egregious waste of resources for you and the programs. 15 is too many as well. I'd say somewhere between 8-12 is reasonable depending on how well they fit into your schedule and budget.

As for saftey vs. reach programs, you might try calling the programs and just telling them you have too many interviews, need to cancel some and don't want to take their space if you're marginal. I bet a couple will fess up that you're on their safety list.

wow they would actually tell me that i'm on their safety list? i can't imagine them saying that to me.

i don't know i can't really cancel by location because i'm just not sure where i want to be... i guess i have to do more research on the locations and the programs. but i'm so busy, i haven't had time to research.

 

[amyl]

lately, when you guys are getting interview invited that you know you won't go on do you email them back to tell them you won't be coming or do you just not respond and not schedule a date?

 

[Ferdie]

lately, when you guys are getting interview invited that you know you won't go on do you email them back to tell them you won't be coming or do you just not respond and not schedule a date?

I got an invite last week from MCW that I'm trying to decide if I'll go on (it would be easy for me to go to it, but I'm not sure they're one of my top choices..), so I haven't called them yet, although I will very soon. Other programs that I know I won't go to I've let know right away.

 

[Pilot Doc]

wow they would actually tell me that i'm on their safety list? i can't imagine them saying that to me.

I doubt they will put it in those terms, and I suspect most programs will brush you off and not say anything. But I bet among 10 reach programs at least a few will give you some indications. You just have to be nice, tell a sympathetic story and continue to express interest in the program so you don't shoot yourself in the foot for places where you are competitive.

 

[gymone1]

anestheticman - I am in the same boat as you. Someone in the office of student affairs thought I was less that stellar and told me to apply to about 35-40 schools. Me, being anal, applied to 40 and have gotten interviews at 32 of them at this point.

I just sat down and made 3 columns: Definitely want to go to interview, Maybe, and Probably not. Once I filled them all in I had about 12 that I definitely wanted to go to and 12 that I maybe wanted to go to. When I looked at it that way it was really easy to email all the programs on the probably not list and cancel them and a few on my maybe list as well.

Then on my definitely interviewing list - I made sure I had a good mix of reach schools (hey they must like me since they offered me interviews straight away!), pretty good schools, and then added 2 safety schools which are OK and will train me well clinically are close to my family but lack the big name /reputation (they are also both easily drivable as well!)