Calling all 2015-2016 applicants

[LizzyM]

Last year, I said that not having an interview invite by Thanksgiving may be a sign that the cycle will be unsuccessful and a "Plan B" should be made. I know at least one lucky SDN poster who might be the exception to the rule or maybe the rule is totally bogus.

If you submitted at least one secondary to a MD school in the past cycle, please participate in the poll. I'll come back in a week with an odds ratio and some other slicing and dicing and we'll see if the rule holds up or if Turkey Day Doom is a fallacy.

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[Catalystik]

The scientific method in action. Gotta love it.

 

[dreee]

I thought my interview invite was pretty late - for sure after Thanksgiving. I went back to check my email and Alas!! It was emailed to me 7 days before Thanksgiving! 😱

You're on to something!!

 

[sharpstickie]

I got my II the day before thanksgiving!

 

[Donald Juan]

I entered med school in 2012, so I won't participate in the poll. But I received my first II in the beginning of January, and was accepted (never waitlisted) in March.

I still think the rule as stands, i.e. consider the fact you might not start med school and start looking into plan B (considering what you need to do for reapplication, what you will do with your gap year, etc.) should be things a student starts doing at this point. It also doesn't mean you give up hope, and if you get a single, late interview, it doesn't mean that won't be the school you get into.

 

[mw18]

Are you interested in determining whether applying late is also a detriment, or should there be a caveat for only those who filled out a secondary before a certain date?

 

[LizzyM]

Are you interested in determining whether applying late is also a detriment, or should there be a caveat for only those who filled out a secondary before a certain date?

Aren't the deadlines for secondaries Nov 1 at most MD schools?

 

[Catalystik]

Aren't the deadlines for secondaries Nov 1 at most MD schools?

Just in my state there a several that go into December, January, and February.

 

[LizzyM]

Just in my state there a several that go into December, January, and February.

😳 Hmmm... This is the pilot. We can do a larger study next year controlling for confounding factors.

 

[emma2015]

I thought my first II was after Thanksgiving as well... Checked and it was a week before! I had 3 II's after Thanksgiving though, for what it's worth. Admitted to 1, wait listed at 3.

 

[Lawpy]

Hey @LizzyM . I wasn't sure whether you had accounted for the Great SDN Survey of 2015 that @Lucca had done few months back that substantiated your turkey rule. I think another survey/poll is fine but I personally feel that your overall holiday rules are good measures to assess application status easily. Sure there may be a few exceptions but the overall trend seems fairly strong.

 

[LizzyM]

Hey @LizzyM . I wasn't sure whether you had accounted for the Great SDN Survey of 2015 that @Lucca had done few months back that substantiated your turkey rule. I think another survey/poll is fine but I personally feel that your overall holiday rules are good measures to assess application status easily. Sure there may be a few exceptions but the overall trend seems fairly strong.

I had forgotten about that given my small and biased brain. This is a good opportunity to replicate with the applicants in the most recent cycle. Next: does the maxim "interviews 3, a doctor you'll be" still hold? We'll wait until August for that one to account for some of the 9th hour admissions from the wait list.

 

[JustAPhD]

I had forgotten about that given my small and biased brain. This is a good opportunity to replicate with the applicants in the most recent cycle. Next: does the maxim "interviews 3, a doctor you'll be" still hold? We'll wait until August for that one to account for some of the 9th hour admissions from the wait list.

This reminds of a preview for a TV show. "Stay tuned for scenes from LizzyM's next episode!"

 

[Catalystik]

I had forgotten about that given my small and biased brain. This is a good opportunity to replicate with the applicants in the most recent cycle. Next: does the maxim "interviews 3, a doctor you'll be" still hold? We'll wait until August for that one to account for some of the 9th hour admissions from the wait list.

@Lucca said he could only view the first 100 responders to his poll, and you're past that already.

The "Interviews Three" quote was from years ago. I think now it's more like Interviews five: Hope is Alive. Just my impression, with no data to back it.

 

[Lawpy]

I had forgotten about that given my small and biased brain. This is a good opportunity to replicate with the applicants in the most recent cycle. Next: does the maxim "interviews 3, a doctor you'll be" still hold? We'll wait until August for that one to account for some of the 9th hour admissions from the wait list.

And yet another LizzyM rule found and to be verified!

 

[sharpstickie]

Maybe it should be "interviews 3, a doctor you'll be... Unless you're a real D"

 

[GrapesofRath]

The interview 3 MD you will be rule seems to be outdated. Beyond that, you have to keep in mind many state schools just automatically will give out IIs to anybody who clears very basic numerical thresholds(ie 3.3/28 gets a II in a number of states). These are largely just "formality/courtesy" type interviews.

My guess is the reason many schools end up accepting half the people they interview is because the top applicants sweep the board at non top 20 schools and go something like 5/6 while the borderline applicants if things break right go 1/4. I really have seen rather few cases of the generic 3.6/30 50-50 applicant to go something like 5/7 in interviews. An unequal allocation of acceptances amongst people in other words.

 

[clutchfan]

I received my first interview on 12/28/15 and ended up with 5!

 

[mackkdad]

I received 3 II's before Turkey Doom Day and 1 late February. 1 acceptance so far and 3 on WL's so I guess your theory applies to me.

 

[starspells]

Every single person I know that applied during their SMP received interviews after December. This is probably because schools will wait to offer an interview after they have submitted midterm or first term grades.

 

[LizzyM]

Every single person I know that applied during their SMP received interviews after December. This is probably because schools will wait to offer an interview after they have submitted midterm or first term grades.

It isn't that they received interviews in December but whether they received any interview before Thanksgiving.
Please ask those you know to make an account and vote. I need as many data points as possible and I'm particularly interested in those who had unsuccessful cycles as the data at the moment are skewed toward successful applicants.

 

[Whyamionhere]

I'm in that lovely unlucky group, interview before Thanksgiving and no acceptances. However to provide some perspective/context, I applied in October, got the interview only at my state school right before Thanksgiving, and applied to an absolutely tiny and unrealistic list of schools. Hopefully this cycle I can move into the group that provides your theory correct, under normal application circumstances.

 

[starspells]

It isn't that they received interviews in December but whether they received any interview before Thanksgiving.
Please ask those you know to make an account and vote. I need as many data points as possible and I'm particularly interested in those who had unsuccessful cycles as the data at the moment are skewed toward successful applicants.

Sorry I should have clarified. All the SMP students I personally know that applied during the SMP did not receive their first interview until at least December (so no interviews before Thanksgiving). It makes sense as schools will wait for first term grades for those applicants. I will ask them!

 

[jpsturg]

I also received my first II the day before Thanksgiving

 

[KagawaFan]

Last year, I received 2 II before Thanksgiving and 3 II afterwards and did not receive any acceptances. This year I received 3 II before Thanksgiving and 1 II afterwards and gained an acceptance at a medical school.

 

[LizzyM]

Last year, I received 2 II before Thanksgiving and 3 II afterwards and did not receive any acceptances. This year I received 3 II before Thanksgiving and 1 II afterwards and gained an acceptance at a medical school.

Please vote based on your experience in the 2015-2016 cycle (received interview before Thanksgiving and got accepted by June 2). Thanks!

 

[bcemslayer]

I put my answer in the poll, my situation might not apply though? One and only one US II before thanksgiving. But I was only accepted to a Canadian school - II don't come out until February for every school.

 

[LizzyM]

I put my answer in the poll, my situation might not apply though? One and only one US II before thanksgiving. But I was only accepted to a Canadian school - II don't come out until February for every school.

Really? No Canadian school interviews candidates until February? I did not know that!

Let's say that the nibble from the States was a harbinger of good news from Canada after the new year, eh?

 

[bcemslayer]

Really? No Canadian school interviews candidates until February? I did not know that!

Let's say that the nibble from the States was a harbinger of good news from Canada after the new year, eh?

Yeah we will go with that 🙂

Schools send out interview invites late January and early February - a school will send out all interviews at one time. Depending on the school, they usually interview everyone over one or two weekends between late February - end of March. And acceptances go out early May.

 

[LizzyM]

Yeah we will go with that 🙂

Schools send out interview invites late January and early February - a school will send out all interviews at one time. Depending on the school, they usually interview everyone over one or two weekends between late February - end of March. And acceptances go out early May.

Very interesting. Much like PhD programs I know of although they tend to send offers in March.

 

[bisonbison]

I'm in the "At least one interview invite before Thanksgiving, as of June 2 not admitted to any medical school" so now I'm feeling pretty badly about not getting in seeing the results

 

[LizzyM]

I'm in the "At least one interview invite before Thanksgiving, as of June 2 not admitted to any medical school" so now I'm feeling pretty badly about not getting in seeing the results

But it looks like you know what your weakness is (and I don't mean pizza flavored popcorn) and you are working to fix it. Good luck in your next cycle!

 

[bisonbison]

But it looks like you know what your weakness is (and I don't mean pizza flavored popcorn) and you are working to fix it. Good luck in your next cycle!

Hahaha! Good point! 😉 I'd never fix my love for pizza popcorn. Thank you!

 

[believer2015]

I received my first II before Thanksgiving and two after that. Still no acceptances (wait lists).

 

[believer2015]

But it looks like you know what your weakness is (and I don't mean pizza flavored popcorn) and you are working to fix it. Good luck in your next cycle!

me too :-/ and my interviews went well (at least that's what I thought)

 

[bananafish94]

I got my first interview on December 18th, proving that Santa is indeed real. I received three more up until February 5th. I got accepted to one school (the first interview) and was waitlisted everywhere else. That being said, the people who use SDN tend to be more prepared and organized for their applications than the public at large, so I have reservations about the quality of the data.

 

[LizzyM]

I got my first interview on December 18th, proving that Santa is indeed real. I received three more up until February 5th. I got accepted to one school (the first interview) and was waitlisted everywhere else. That being said, the people who use SDN tend to be more prepared and organized for their applications than the public at large, so I have reservations about the quality of the data.

I hear you . Only 43% of all applicants get admitted but the poll right now has responses mostly from people who have been admitted (80-20 split). I've reached out to the reapplicant forum in the hope that some reapplicants in the coming cycle might come over here and respond about their last cycle. that said, I'm really interested in the proportion of people who had no interview invitations by Thanksgiving who eventually got in (invited after T-day and admitted/all without offers by T-day).

 

[jih]

The interview invite for my acceptance came in the first week of March.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

Next: does the maxim "interviews 3, a doctor you'll be" still hold? We'll wait until August for that one to account for some of the 9th hour admissions from the wait list.

I pray to the gods--the old and the new, that this is me

 

[LizzyM]

The interview invite for my acceptance came in the first week of March.

The question is not when was the interview invite that resulted in an acceptance but did you have an interview invite arrive before T-day yes or no? Did you get admitted anywhere yes or no? The answer to the two questions categorizes applicants into one of 4 cells.

 

[C3H6O3]

I had two DO interview invites which were sent to me in September and one OOS MD interview invite which was sent to me in December. I was accepted to both DO schools and rejected at the MD school.

 

[bananafish94]

I hear you . Only 43% of all applicants get admitted but the poll right now has responses mostly from people who have been admitted (80-20 split). I've reached out to the reapplicant forum in the hope that some reapplicants in the coming cycle might come over here and respond about their last cycle. that said, I'm really interested in the proportion of people who had no interview invitations by Thanksgiving who eventually got in (invited after T-day and admitted/all without offers by T-day).

And another confounding variable is that if extremely qualified people apply late for whatever reason, they still stand a good chance at getting in even if their interviews are later. Specifically, I would be interested in the proportions broken down by month of completion.

 

[LizzyM]

And another confounding variable is that if extremely qualified people apply late for whatever reason, they still stand a good chance at getting in even if their interviews are later. Specifically, I would be interested in the proportions broken down by month of completion.

As mentioned earlier, we'll work out a larger study in the next cycle to account for very late primaries.

 

[trickydick]

I hear you . Only 43% of all applicants get admitted but the poll right now has responses mostly from people who have been admitted (80-20 split). I've reached out to the reapplicant forum in the hope that some reapplicants in the coming cycle might come over here and respond about their last cycle. that said, I'm really interested in the proportion of people who had no interview invitations by Thanksgiving who eventually got in (invited after T-day and admitted/all without offers by T-day).

Perhaps 80% of the people on SDN(utilizing the wealth of information available here) do get accepted, and many people that would not have been accepted/interviewed at any point learn not to apply until they have a more competitive application. Also, a poll like this will get disproportionately more responses from people that are exceptions to the rule while many people that didn't get any interviews at any point will likely be too embarrassed to admit it even on an anonymous poll. Your experience and that of some of the other people on here will validate the Thanksgiving rule much more than this poll will.

 

[jih]

The question is not when was the interview invite that resulted in an acceptance but did you have an interview invite arrive before T-day yes or no? Did you get admitted anywhere yes or no? The answer to the two questions categorizes applicants into one of 4 cells.

I know... just wanted to point out an oddity. I did have an interview before Thanksgiving.

 

[XxThaDoggxX]

And another confounding variable is that if extremely qualified people apply late for whatever reason, they still stand a good chance at getting in even if their interviews are later. Specifically, I would be interested in the proportions broken down by month of completion.

So true. A colleague of mine had everything complete on October 31st and had more interviews than I can count on one hand...He also had a 43 MCAT score

His quote "I almost thought about taking the test again, as I really wanted to see if I could get a 45"

 

[bananafish94]

So true. A colleague of mine had everything complete on October 31st and had more interviews than I can count on one hand...He also had a 43 MCAT score

His quote "I almost thought about taking the test again, as I really wanted to see if I could get a 45"

MCAT > everything

 

[italiancowgirl]

I was in the previous cycle but was exactly that weird applicant who has no interviews until the end and then got outright accepted. I think based on observation that tends to happen to applicants who have some strange confounding thing in their application. I have a complicated history because of illness that makes my record seem mediocre at best but if that is taken into account my record looks much stronger. It scared some schools but once I had a chance to discuss it in person the school that accepted me felt much better and accepted me.

 

[OchemOficionado]

The rule is probably correct. There will always be exceptions though. My friend submitted in to 30 schools August. Didn't interview until Jan/Feb and was accepted to her top choice, a top CA school, just today!

 

[Nerdeka]

So plan should be to apply in June and take a vacation until Thanksgiving. 🙂