Calling all Fulbrighters: Which schools were least flexible for interviews?

[carpediem22]

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[RedPhys]

I think the overwhelming consensus has been to apply after your fullbright year, so why you decided to apply when you know it's gonna be a giant pain to do interviews is beyond me.

Good luck.

FWIW, Cornell seems to be pretty accommodating with regards to interview stuff.

 

[carpediem22]

I think the overwhelming consensus has been to apply after your fullbright year, so why you decided to apply when you know it's gonna be a giant pain to do interviews is beyond me.

Good luck.

FWIW, Cornell seems to be pretty accommodating with regards to interview stuff.

I mean, that part is pretty self-explanatory: I want to start medical school when I get back. I don't want to take a second gap year when I have 8 years of school to get through. Yes, a lot of people decide to wait, but a lot of people also do what I'm doing. From what I have seen on SDN many have successfully done it and gotten into great MSTPs. I'm just curious about the nitty-gritty scheduling details.

It's going to be a pain but I think if I schedule it right I should be ok, and it'll give me something to talk about in my interviews. Many of the schools I am applying to have interview dates in either early November or mid-January, so I should be able to group interviews together. And if I get in by rolling admission to one of my tops before my second trip back, I will probably just take it.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I can't speak from personal experience but I do have a number of friends who have done the Fulbright after graduating. To answer your first question it's a boost for your app but by itself it's not going to carry an app alone. It's hard to compare it to other scholarships because all have different standards and are looking for different things (ie the Goldwater for example is awarded only to people with top GPAs and top research experiences so those are the type of people who would excel in admission anyway).

But anyway from the ones who did what you did and apply directly most were fine in terms of scheduling interviews(although keep in mind having tons of interviews back to back to back is grueling and can absolutely affect your performance). Some had issues. What I will say is this is one of those plans that sounds great in theory. However, what might be a problem and what was a problem for some of my friends is that there might be plenty of people before you who have already gotten interview invites and signed up for dates, things start being alot more tricky. Your'e not the only person who has a specific schedule to accommodate around. This isn't really too much an issue of schools being accommodating either; by and large a number are(although there's no trend as to which are or aren't from my friends experiences). It's just having to try and fit these interviews in small windows that can be hard. But overall, I think you should be fine; just be on top of this as soon as you start getting interview invites.

Your overall level of competitiveness matters here also. This plan is much more feasible if you have top stats and are in position to get lots of interviews lined up. This way even if hypothetically only half of the interview invites are feasible for you to attend you'll still end up with acceptances. It also makes it even more imperative to apply with a realistic list.

 

[carpediem22]

I can't speak from personal experience but I do have a number of friends who have done the Fulbright after graduating. To answer your first question it's a boost for your app but by itself it's not going to carry an app alone. It's hard to compare it to other scholarships because all have different standards and are looking for different things (ie the Goldwater for example is awarded only to people with top GPAs and top research experiences so those are the type of people who would excel in admission anyway).

But anyway from the ones who did what you did and apply directly most were fine in terms of scheduling interviews(although keep in mind having tons of interviews back to back to back is grueling and can absolutely affect your performance). Some had issues. What I will say is this is one of those plans that sounds great in theory. However, what might be a problem and what was a problem for some of my friends is that there might be plenty of people before you who have already gotten interview invites and signed up for dates, things start being alot more tricky. Your'e not the only person who has a specific schedule to accommodate around. This isn't really too much an issue of schools being accommodating either; by and large a number are(although there's no trend as to which are or aren't from my friends experiences). It's just having to try and fit these interviews in small windows that can be hard. But overall, I think you should be fine; just be on top of this as soon as you start getting interview invites.

Your overall level of competitiveness matters here also. This plan is much more feasible if you have top stats and are in position to get lots of interviews lined up. This way even if hypothetically only half of the interview invites are feasible for you to attend you'll still end up with acceptances. It also makes it even more imperative to apply with a realistic list.

Thank you -- very helpful response.

I do think that I am in a position to get multiple interviews -- 3.97 cGPA, 4.0 sGPA, 98th percentile MCAT (520), and overall a strong app without the Fulbright. I should be verified in a day or two, so hopefully it'll be early enough to get my pick of interview dates... we'll see. Luckily most of my top choices don't have rolling admissions, so it doesn't matter if I pick an unpopular date in January.

 

[samac]

I would be nervous trying to schedule interviews, you're applying top heavy which is fine, but just be warned you probably want some mid tier safties there.
It'll be difficult, but if it works out for you more power to ya.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thank you -- very helpful response.

I do think that I am in a position to get multiple interviews -- 3.97 cGPA, 4.0 sGPA, 98th percentile MCAT (520), and overall a strong app without the Fulbright. I should be verified in a day or two, so hopefully it'll be early enough to get my pick of interview dates... we'll see. Luckily most of my top choices don't have rolling admissions, so it doesn't matter if I pick an unpopular date in January.

You're in great shape. You will get II's at top schools(your list for the most part is fine). Just pick carefully which interviews you really want to go to. It sounds great to say I'm going to do 8 interviews in my one trip to the US in November but after a couple and the long trips in the US that go along with it you're going to be exhausted and it will affect your performance in the other ones. Apply where you want and you can apply broadly if you really want to cover your bases. But have a system in place. Your plan sound solid----try and line up your top choices interviews early and only do the January ones if you really need them.

 

[carpediem22]

You're in great shape. You will get II's at top schools(your list for the most part is fine). Just pick carefully which interviews you really want to go to. It sounds great to say I'm going to do 8 interviews in my one trip to the US in November but after a couple and the long trips in the US that go along with it you're going to be exhausted and it will affect your performance in the other ones. Apply where you want and you can apply broadly if you really want to cover your bases. But have a system in place. Your plan sound solid----try and line up your top choices interviews early and only do the January ones if you really need them.

That is what I'm planning to do. Unfortunately some schools only interview in January, but I think I'll wait and see where I get invited and go from there. And it won't be possible for me to do 8 interviews in one trip anyway -- MD/PhD interviews are usually two days, so max I could do is 3-4.

I know my list is top heavy, but I'm also applying to some MD programs that are less so. Unfortunately for the PhD I want, the only schools that really offer funded programs happen to also be top schools. There aren't any true MD/PhD safeties anyway...

 

[GrapesofRath]

That is what I'm planning to do. Unfortunately some schools only interview in January, but I think I'll wait and see where I get invited and go from there. And it won't be possible for me to do 8 interviews in one trip anyway -- MD/PhD interviews are usually two days, so max I could do is 3-4.

I know my list is top heavy, but I'm also applying to some MD programs that are less so. Unfortunately for the PhD I want, the only schools that really offer funded programs happen to also be top schools. There aren't any true MD/PhD safeties anyway...

You're list is fine. MD/PhD candidates with your stats(assuming you have sufficient research background) generate II's at highly ranked schools unless there is a clear red flag in their application.