Canceling an interview for 1 "track" in a program but keeping the other--ok?

[nancysinatra]

All right, I am in a tricky position. I have back-to-back interviews at two different tracks within one program, where I'm very interested in one of the tracks (call it Track A), but have realized that the other track (say Track B) just does not fit with my goals or interests (which have actually become much clearer to me as I've made my way down the interview trail!), and also, I have limited days I can be gone from school in January. If I cancel Track B with decent notice in a polite way, will it harm my reputation among the people who are ranking candidates for Track A? The administrative assistants who scheduled both my appointments made an effort to get them back to back, I think. So obviously people in the tracks all know each other.

If needed I'll just go to both Track A and B interviews, but honestly I'm sure they'd feel the same as I do, and would not want to spend the day interviewing a candidate whose goals and interests are so different from the focus of their program.

Any advice? Thanks!

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[2tall]

By tracks you mean psych and some other field (e.g. anesthesiology)...or do you mean General vs CAP? Either way...

If you give sufficient notice (which is the professional thing to do when canceling an interview), why would that harm your reputation? Cancel with at least 7 days notice.

If people in both tracks know each other...they already know you're indecisive (j/k)...i mean undecided...so why waste your time attending both after you've got your epiphany.

 

[nancysinatra]

No, they are both in psychiatry.

The reason I'm worried about what the program people might think is because it seems like canceling, while acceptable and common of course, is one thing when you don't have to look back at that program, at least not anytime soon. However it could be another thing if you have an interview that same week with people in the same program. Also, Track B is really small. There weren't many interviewing days and they might have done me a special favor by scheduling my interviews back to back. If so, I'd hate to cancel if that is in any way going to be perceived as rude.

I am leaning towards canceling but just want others' input so I know I'm not doing something wrong.

Thanks!

 

[CaMD]

I think canceling it is ok, especially if you give them at least a week's notice. (If it's less than a week, then maybe consider keeping it so the staff don't hate you?) If I were a program I would much prefer you cancel if you're no longer interested than waste the time of interviewers.

I assume the reason the program has multiple tracks is to cater to people w/ different interests. If you have more info now about what you want to do, them if anything it might make them realize how serious you are about program A?

(Just a fellow applicant, but that's my 2cents.)

 

[heyjack70]

I agree with previous posters. It is okay to cancel if you are professional about how you let them know. Even though it's quite late in interview season, the program may give the interview spot you do not want to another applicant.