Advice on scheduling multiple interviews

[quixote1974]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm getting a lot of interview requests at once, and I am awaiting for requests for programs that are at the very top of my list.

I've got a couple of questions for you all:

What length of time is considered "rude" before replying to a request to interview? Do programs expect you to reply right away, or would it be ok to wait, so you can schedule other programs in the same geographical area?

What suggestions do you have about scheduling in general? Do you try to schedule the interviews in similar geographical regions at around the same time?

What days of the year bad times to interview? e.g. is the holiday season, between Dec. 15-first week of January bad? Is December and January unpredictable because of weather, etc?

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[Scrubbs]

I tried to schedule interviews that were in other parts of the country together... but I scheduled them individually as I got them. If you wait too long to call, they may not have a spot for you. After Nov. 1st (when programs have generally sent out at least the first rounds of interview invitations) if you are already going to be in a certain area, you can call the other programs and let them know. Just a little nudge about how you're very interested in their program, and you are already going to be in the area...

Also, schedule all of your interviews and cancel/reschedule as needed. If you schedule something lower on your list, and then a better program comes along with only that date available, you can try to reschedule the first program. Sometimes you won't be able to, but usually you can.

As for times of the year... a lot of programs didn't have dates available around x-mas and new year's. Almost everyone takes the holidays off. Travel is somewhat unpredictable in Dec/Jan because of weather, but it wasn't too much of a problem last year. Only one of my friends had to cancel something because of a storm... and he was able to reschedule it. I think the program had a lot of cancellations and added another interview day.

Good luck!