Awaiting interviews at rolling schools: When to give up hope?

[Creatine]

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Please consider the following scenario. Although I am using my particular situation as an example, this scenario may apply to anyone who has applied to rolling admissions schools.

I have been complete at Baylor, UVA, and Rochester for approximately a month now. According to the 2005 Interview Thread, many interviews have been offered at these schools.

Since I have not received one of these interviews, should I assume that my application is not worthy of an interview? What is the likelihood that I may receive an interview at a later date if I didn't receive a prompt interview invite? Does anyone have any experience receiving an interview at a rolling admissions school many months after your application was complete?

Ordinarily, I would wait contently, but if it is unlikely that I will receive an interview from these schools in the future, I am considering applying to additional schools through AMCAS in hopes of receiving a decent number of interviews.

I would appreciate any thoughts you may have.

 

[Senor.Frog]

Did you only apply to (3) schools? I would suggest you apply to more, not because you have not received an invite from these (3) but because your chances of getting in are higher with more schools.

Also, just because you get an invite doesn't mean you will get an accept. Some schools offer accepts to 50% of their interviewees whereas others accept 1/3.

So, just apply to a few more and that should help alleviate some of this stress about not getting an invite.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

I think you need to chill out, it's still very early in the cycle and the fact that you have not yet received interviews not indicate anything.

 

[skhichi]

yeah, definitely apply to more schools, but at the same time don't worry about not getting an interview at the ones you did apply to. I mean so many different factors are involved in decided who gets an interview and you never know one could be in the mail right now.

 

[sfbear]

In general, though, when do you think it's time to give up hope. November? December? Two months post-completion?

 

[uclabruin2003]

give up hope? uh never. there are some who have interviews all the way up to feb, march and april. so nov and dec is nothing....ha. plus you may be stuck on the waitlist until the first day of class or so i have heard from other folks.

 

[calstudent]

give up hope? uh never. there are some who have interviews all the way up to feb, march and april. so nov and dec is nothing....ha. plus you may be stuck on the waitlist until the first day of class or so i have heard from other folks.

I agree. Is it depressing? Yah. But, that does not mean giving in. Definitely add more schools.
Some schools may not have even gotten to your file yet, and my understanding is that interviews come in waves.

 

[Creatine]

Did you only apply to (3) schools? I would suggest you apply to more, not because you have not received an invite from these (3) but because your chances of getting in are higher with more schools.

Also, just because you get an invite doesn't mean you will get an accept. Some schools offer accepts to 50% of their interviewees whereas others accept 1/3.

So, just apply to a few more and that should help alleviate some of this stress about not getting an invite.

I suppose I wasn't clear in my initial post. I am applying to about 18 schools. I have received 4 interviews so far (UMich, Mayo, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest). However, in order to maximize my chances to gain an acceptance, I would like to receive between 8-12 interviews. Since I have not received interviews at three schools in which I believe my application to be competitive (Baylor, UVA, Rochester), I wonder whether it would be appropriate to apply to more schools (beyond the 18 I have already applied to) in order to reach my target number of interviews.

But enough of the specifics about me. The question that will be applicable to many on this board is whether it is typical for an applicant to receive an interview at a rolling admissions school many months after a complete application. So, for example, for those who were complete at UVA a month ago and have not received an interview yet, is it still VERY likely that they could still receive an interview? Or is it much LESS likely considering that the applicant did not receive an interview in the "initial round" of invites?

Thanks again.

 

[calstudent]

I suppose I wasn't clear in my initial post. I am applying to about 18 schools. I have received 4 interviews so far (UMich, Mayo, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest). However, in order to maximize my chances to gain an acceptance, I would like to receive between 8-12 interviews. Since I have not received interviews at three schools in which I believe my application to be competitive (Baylor, UVA, Rochester), I wonder whether it would be appropriate to apply to more schools (beyond the 18 I have already applied to) in order to reach my target number of interviews.

But enough of the specifics about me. The question that will be applicable to many on this board is whether it is typical for an applicant to receive an interview at a rolling admissions school many months after a complete application. So, for example, for those who were complete at UVA a month ago and have not received an interview yet, is it still VERY likely that they could still receive an interview? Or is it much less likely considering that the applicant did not receive an interview in the "initial round" of invites?

Thanks again.

I have no idea about likeliness, but you have some AMAZING interview offers!
Judging by that, you will get many more as well, I would guess.
You're in good shape 👍

 

[Radio Edit]

yup, give up hope. wave good bye to your medical .career 🙄 🙄 🙄

 

[ZappBrannigan]

Maybe you've been looking in the wrong thread. How about you check out the rejection one and see how many people were flat out rejected by the schools you have interviews to.

 

[Creatine]

Maybe you've been looking in the wrong thread. How about you check out the rejection one and see how many people were flat out rejected by the schools you have interviews to.

I am not unthankful for my interview invites. This process can humble the best applicants, and I want to be sure to receive at least one acceptance. In order to do so, I believe 8-12 interviews would be a good number to shoot for.

In regards to the comment posted by Radio Edit, Instead of "giving up hope", as in an all-or-nothing proposition, I suppose it would be more accurate for my question should be restated as: "When should hope start waning?" and "How rapidly should hope wane?"

 

[ZappBrannigan]

I didn't mean for it to sounds like I was accusing you of being ungrateful. It's just that there are really only a few interviews (like 3) for Rochestor so far, they're only just getting started. Far more people have received rejections from the schools you have gotten interviews at then those who have gotten interviews at the schools you are waiting on (if that makes sense). Hope shouldn't wane until you receive a rejection from a school. I know it's difficult; I got an interview early on so I've been expecting the same quick response from other schools, but it's just not happening.

 

[wends]

patience is a virtue...plus all those other interviews should keep you busy.....i dont know if I'd want 8-12 interviews man, thats $$ and energy....im sure out of the 4 you aready have you'll get an acceptance early on....but i do understand your feeling on maximizing acceptances...just write update letters to schools you dont hear from after a while. 👍 your fine so far

 

[qwerty one]

I think you need to relax a bit. It's not even September yet. Just because you haven't received interview invites at those schools doesn't mean you're "not worthy," you just haven't received them yet.

Relax, have patience. If you want to apply to more schools to maximize your chances, then go for it. But that's a different matter entirely and you shouldn't think that any lack of correspondence from those schools means you won't get an interview, ever.

 

[leechy]

I've heard (anecdotally) of people being complete at schools in july and getting interviews in february or march... so i'm not sure you can know for sure after one month of waiting that you're not going to get an interview.

 

[Creatine]

Thanks very much for all of your words of experience and reason.

Regarding "update letters", what type of information that would be included in such a letter? Do admissions committee's welcome these types of correspondence? And would such a letter positively impact your application?

Thank you!

 

[marr]

Thanks very much for all of your words of experience and reason.

Regarding "update letters", what type of information that would be included in such a letter? Do admissions committee's welcome these types of correspondence? And would such a letter positively impact your application?

Thank you!

From my personal experience "update letters" are useless since ADCOM have in their mind the applicant that they want to admit. But if it makes you feel better then send one in. I believe that an "update letter" is neutral at best on its impact on ADCOM.