chances of getting an interview in December?

[medschoolmyname]

I know many of you have said that the process is random, and many have also said that the chances of getting decrease every day that passes, but if I havent gotten a single interveiw and its almost turning December how worried should I be? Do I need to start planning for re app?

Also where do you think schools are when it comes to open interview invitations? Would you say that most dates until January have filled up? Thanks.

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[pathologyDO]

I know people that interviewed in January and February who got acceptances so you're not completely out of luck yet.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

Have you considered applying to DO for this cycle? IDK if it would be too late but if have the stats, it might work out.

 

[medschoolmyname]

Im pretty confident I have the stats for DO, but don't you think the AMCAS delay could have pushed the time for interviews as well? I know I am not out of luck yet, but slowly starting to realize time is running out.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

Im pretty confident I have the stats for DO, but don't you think the AMCAS delay could have pushed the time for interviews as well? I know I am not out of luck yet, but slowly starting to realize time is running out.

If you applied early enough, schools have looked at your file at least once. If they didnt want to give you an interview then, what makes you think they will the next few times they look at it? Please dont think I am criticizing you. I actually applied this cycle and am in a similar boat at a lot of schools. What I just told you is what I tell myself. This process is too scattered to go in with any expectations....

 

[PreMedOrDead]

To be fair, I would wait until the turn of the year and into February to start panic.

Assuming your application has already been reviewed, interview slots are dwindling and the fight for them will get increasingly competitive. If you haven't gotten an interview offer and you've been complete for several months I would start damage control. Rather than scrambling to add schools or make a DO application, I would prepare for a reapplication that includes a couple DO schools. Make sure that this application is ready to go by May of next year and well-edited. Open your AMCAS and copy/paste everything in. Submit the minute AMCAS opens and start pre-writing secondaries. You'll be verified almost immediately and if you pre-write your secondaries you can submit them the second you are given them. This leaves you open to the earliest, and least competitive, application cycle.

Meanwhile, I would plan an off year and how are you intending to improve your application. GPA/MCAT? ECs? Letters? etc. If you can, get feedback from programs that offer it.

 

[medschoolmyname]

If you applied early enough, schools have looked at your file at least once. If they didnt want to give you an interview then, what makes you think they will the next few times they look at it? Please dont think I am criticizing you. I actually applied this cycle and am in a similar boat at a lot of schools. What I just told you is what I tell myself. This process is too scattered to go in with any expectations....

well i can tell u most of my secondaries were submitted early july to mid august so I do not know if that qualifies as early enough, and I am aware that nothing is guranteed.

To be fair, I would wait until the turn of the year and into February to start panic.

Assuming your application has already been reviewed, interview slots are dwindling and the fight for them will get increasingly competitive. If you haven't gotten an interview offer and you've been complete for several months I would start damage control. Rather than scrambling to add schools or make a DO application, I would prepare for a reapplication that includes a couple DO schools. Make sure that this application is ready to go by May of next year and well-edited. Open your AMCAS and copy/paste everything in. Submit the minute AMCAS opens and start pre-writing secondaries. You'll be verified almost immediately and if you pre-write your secondaries you can submit them the second you are given them. This leaves you open to the earliest, and least competitive, application cycle.

Meanwhile, I would plan an off year and how are you intending to improve your application. GPA/MCAT? ECs? Letters? etc. If you can, get feedback from programs that offer it.

I finished most of my secondaries late july mid august so I do not know if that counts as early enough, and to be honest the only area I could probably fix is my MCAT which is a 30, GPA is a 3.95, but only problem with that is I really suck at taking standardized tests. Throughout my education standardized tests have been the bane of my educational career. You know I have done so much ECs (medical/nonmedical, tutoring, community outreach, research, etc). @Espadaleader told me I still had a good chance at getting in (this was a different thread about a week ago) so I am seeing a difference of opinion to be honest regarding my chances. all i can tell you is that I am waiting on 17 schools who have not said anything yet, and about 6 who I have been put on hold or small pooled. So I will definetly get ready for next year, but will hold my hopes until the end of the year, 37 days to see if I get anything which is plenty of time I guess.

I just wanted to get some insight on school interview dates (like when do most schools stop interviewing?)

 

[pietachok]

Have you considered applying to DO for this cycle? IDK if it would be too late but if have the stats, it might work out.

Do not submit DO applications now.

The deadlines for submitting applications to osteopathic programs are later, and I'm sure they enjoy and welcome the influx of application fees from panicking MD applicants at this point in the cycle. However, when I was on DO interviews, it was pretty by some comments made that there are more than enough applicants early in the season such that they never even get around to reviewing some of those later submissions. Also, if you haven't already thought it out, you're going to have zilch to try and convince them you genuinely are interested in osteopathy.

I applied late one season while panicking. I had a 3.5 GPA and a 34T MCAT and didn't get a single interview from DO programs that year. The following year I got into multiple MD programs, but I also got an interview at all but 2 DO programs (stated b/c I had no DO LOR) and was admitted to all I interviewed with.

Also, if you don't really want to go DO, you're going to regret doing it on your first round of applications and live with a lot of "what ifs" thereafter, and really kick yourself come residency applications if you want to do something competitive and have that much more going against you.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

well i can tell u most of my secondaries were submitted early july to mid august so I do not know if that qualifies as early enough, and I am aware that nothing is guranteed.


I finished most of my secondaries late july mid august so I do not know if that counts as early enough,

You realize you contradicted yourself in back-to-back sentences...

and to be honest the only area I could probably fix is my MCAT which is a 30, GPA is a 3.95, but only problem with that is I really suck at taking standardized tests. Throughout my education standardized tests have been the bane of my educational career.

While below 'average' matriculant, 30 is absolutely fine. Granted they are exceptions and not the rule, I personally know applicants who have gotten into programs as competitive as Case, Mayo, and some top tier privates with a 30. It's all about how you, your application, and your letter writers sell you to committees.

You know I have done so much ECs (medical/nonmedical, tutoring, community outreach, research, etc). @Espadaleader told me I still had a good chance at getting in (this was a different thread about a week ago) so I am seeing a difference of opinion to be honest regarding my chances. all i can tell you is that I am waiting on 17 schools who have not said anything yet, and about 6 who I have been put on hold or small pooled. So I will definetly get ready for next year, but will hold my hopes until the end of the year, 37 days to see if I get anything which is plenty of time I guess.

I'm not trying to butter you up and make you feel good. I'm just trying to make sure you stay proactive. The worst thing to happen is you fall into complacency and start missing deadlines the next application cycle. Granted it's far away, I've seen it happen. Hope for the best, but continue to 'beef up' your application, especially if there are any spots that are 'average' or less.

I just wanted to get some insight on school interview dates (like when do most schools stop interviewing?)

Some already have or will conclude by the turn of the year. Most conclude in late winter, early spring (think February, March). A few go as late as April. Many schools schedule a month in advance, so they are filling up January and February interview slots at this point.

As for schools, if you were complete in August, chances are they have reviewed your application and not decided to interview you at this point. Since the cycle gets consistently more competitive, chances are you will not be reconsidered for an interview if that is the case. However, that doesn't make it impossible, and there are certainly people who have interviewed once late in the cycle and achieved admission. Again, they're the exception.

Main thing is, with all this in mind, you stay positive and don't get too preoccupied with it. If you must stay proactive (you're a premed, assumable Type A, so probably) and you are really interested in a particular school that hasn't talked to you yet, and they are receptive, go ahead and write and send a letter of interest. It can't hurt.

 

[medschoolmyname]

You realize you contradicted yourself in back-to-back sentences...



While below 'average' matriculant, 30 is absolutely fine. Granted they are exceptions and not the rule, I personally know applicants who have gotten into programs as competitive as Case, Mayo, and some top tier privates with a 30. It's all about how you, your application, and your letter writers sell you to committees.



I'm not trying to butter you up and make you feel good. I'm just trying to make sure you stay proactive. The worst thing to happen is you fall into complacency and start missing deadlines the next application cycle. Granted it's far away, I've seen it happen. Hope for the best, but continue to 'beef up' your application, especially if there are any spots that are 'average' or less.



Some already have or will conclude by the turn of the year. Most conclude in late winter, early spring (think February, March). A few go as late as April. Many schools schedule a month in advance, so they are filling up January and February interview slots at this point.

As for schools, if you were complete in August, chances are they have reviewed your application and not decided to interview you at this point. Since the cycle gets consistently more competitive, chances are you will not be reconsidered for an interview if that is the case. However, that doesn't make it impossible, and there are certainly people who have interviewed once late in the cycle and achieved admission. Again, they're the exception.

Main thing is, with all this in mind, you stay positive and don't get too preoccupied with it. If you must stay proactive (you're a premed, assumable Type A, so probably) and you are really interested in a particular school that hasn't talked to you yet, and they are receptive, go ahead and write and send a letter of interest. It can't hurt.

Yeah my bad on the contradictory sentences I messed up there. Thanks for your insight! Ill try my best not to get to preoccupied and try to send to some of the schools who haven't responded some type of letter of interest. Thanks!

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Ill try my best not to get to preoccupied and try to send to some of the schools who haven't responded some type of letter of interest. Thanks!

Visit the school-specific threads and comb through the secondary application emails/website to make sure that they are welcome, first.

Best of luck.

 

[smile8888]

You can check individual school threads to see where interviews are scheduled. Many are in Jan, some are in feb, and I know Albert Einstein has already scheduled into March already.

 

[justAstudent]

Hey there! Just wanted to drop by and wish you luck. I'm holding on to hope that I'll get in this year but also preparing for the worst. I'm going to write some letters of interest to send out these next few weeks. Maybe they'll help, maybe they won't but it'll give me some peace of mind. Hang in there buddy. I'm rooting for you.

 

[medschoolmyname]

u guys really are the best!

Visit the school-specific threads and comb through the secondary application emails/website to make sure that they are welcome, first.

Best of luck.

Will do! im working on OUWB and they have on their application site an area for letters of intent.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

u guys really are the best!

Will do! im working on OUWB and they have on their application site an area for letters of intent.

Letters of intent and letters of interest are not the same thing, so beware.

 

[tantacles]

I know people that interviewed in January and February who got acceptances so you're not completely out of luck yet.

I was invited to interview at my school in April and was accepted in May. Basically, it's extremely school dependent.

 

[histidine]

Start preparing now for the worst. If you don't get any interviews by the end of the cycle, you probably have severe deficits in your app (or possibly just extremely unlucky). You want to talk to advisors/doctors to find out what's wrong and fix it. If you start now, you may be able to successfully apply next cycle. If not, take a year off and fix it. I had to take a year off between my application cycles to fix my app, and it's working out very successfully.

 

[medschoolmyname]

Start preparing now for the worst. If you don't get any interviews by the end of the cycle, you probably have severe deficits in your app (or possibly just extremely unlucky). You want to talk to advisors/doctors to find out what's wrong and fix it. If you start now, you may be able to successfully apply next cycle. If not, take a year off and fix it. I had to take a year off between my application cycles to fix my app, and it's working out very successfully.

I really don't think my app is weak other than my mcat. I had my PS reviewed by my writing workshop instructor. Of course I'm biased but even taking bias into account I don't think my app has any glaring weakness. My app is probably just not as competitive as I thought.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Start preparing now for the worst. If you don't get any interviews by the end of the cycle, you probably have severe deficits in your app (or possibly just extremely unlucky). You want to talk to advisors/doctors to find out what's wrong and fix it. If you start now, you may be able to successfully apply next cycle. If not, take a year off and fix it. I had to take a year off between my application cycles to fix my app, and it's working out very successfully.

To be fair, you're sporting a LizzyM in the ballpark of 75-77, which is greater than all but 6 medical programs in the nation. But this shouldn't detract from what you said, as it's correct, but may not yield the same results.

I really don't think my app is weak other than my mcat. I had my PS reviewed by my writing workshop instructor. Of course I'm biased but even taking bias into account I don't think my app has any glaring weakness. My app is probably just not as competitive as I thought.

Don't retake a >= 30 MCAT unless you're regularly scoring significantly higher (> 33) on practice tests. Your LizzyM is greater than or equivalent to about half the schools in the country, so that's not likely the limiting factor here.

Comb through your app and be as critical as you can. Maybe ask someone else who deals with admissions to do the same. Address these issues in the time you have, and make sure your app is in on the first day.

 

[histidine]

To be fair, you're sporting a LizzyM in the ballpark of 75-77, which is greater than all but 6 medical programs in the nation. But this shouldn't detract from what you said, as it's correct, but may not yield the same results.

Well I retook the MCAT. It was slightly above average the first time

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Well I retook the MCAT. It was slightly above average the first time

That's why I gave the range on your LizzyM

 

[medschoolmyname]

Quick question do schools admissions send out ii/rejections in the weekends? Or are most off at the time?

 

[zacharyw]

Quick question do schools admissions send out ii/rejections in the weekends? Or are most off at the time?

Mayo sent me rejection 2am on a saturday while vandy offered II sunday morning.

 

[medschoolmyname]

Mayo sent me rejection 2am on a saturday while vandy offered II sunday morning.

Makes sense.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Quick question do schools admissions send out ii/rejections in the weekends? Or are most off at the time?

Most are offered during the week during office hours (9 AM - 4 PM), but some schools have automated emails that go out on weekends or at off hours. Mayo is notorious for sending out most of their correspondences (e.g. LoR requests, IIs, rejections) via an automated process at ~3 AM EST the same time every week. Some schools even allow faculty to review applications on their free time, so those can be at odd hours as well.

 

[LizzyM]

I am still reviewing applications (at odd hours) and we still have intereview slots available so it is not over yet.... YMMV depending on the school.

 

[Great White Buffalo]

I am still reviewing applications (at odd hours) and we still have intereview slots available so it is not over yet.... YMMV depending on the school.

On another thread, I suggested that schools have more applications this year, around 5-7% more. Substantiated by U of Michigan Tracker. This seems to be a record year of applicants. Sort of unlucky for us born in the 1990s to be the largest cohort of applicants in history. Do you agree from your ad com vantage point. Is it being bandied about in the adcoms world, more applicants, but not more adcoms??

 

[masaraksh]

I am still reviewing applications (at odd hours) and we still have intereview slots available so it is not over yet.... YMMV depending on the school.

GIMME GIMME!

seriously

 

[LizzyM]

On another thread, I suggested that schools have more applications this year, around 5-7% more. Substantiated by U of Michigan Tracker. This seems to be a record year of applicants. Sort of unlucky for us born in the 1990s to be the largest cohort of applicants in history. Do you agree from your ad com vantage point. Is it being bandied about in the adcoms world, more applicants, but not more adcoms??

I really don't know for sure. If there are too many applicants and too little time (too few readers), someone in charge of applications can triage what comes in and send for review only those that seem to be most promising based on grades/scores. Of course, a state school that gets 2,000 applications will be different than a school that deals with >7,000.

 

[medschoolmyname]

I really don't know for sure. If there are too many applicants and too little time (too few readers), someone in charge of applications can triage what comes in and send for review only those that seem to be most promising based on grades/scores. Of course, a state school that gets 2,000 applications will be different than a school that deals with >7,000.

yeah like don't get me started on the number of applicants a school like george washington gets, i was blown away when i saw those numbers.

 

[solitarius]

I saw a powerpoint presentation from Loyola Stritch's admissions department. They increased the % of their student body from very competitive undergrads quite a bit, and they said 75% of their students had research experience and were aiming for 90%+ in the future. Stritch. Um, okay.

 

[LizzyM]

I saw a powerpoint presentation from Loyola Stritch's admissions department. They increased the % of their student body from very competitive undergrads quite a bit, and they said 75% of their students had research experience and were aiming for 90%+ in the future. Stritch. Um, okay.

What's your point? Do you begrudge them in their attempts to attract "the best" including those applicants with research experience? Is 75% really a greater proportion of all successful applicants than the national pool of successful applicants or is it about average?

 

[solitarius]

What's your point? Do you begrudge them in their attempts to attract "the best" including those applicants with research experience? Is 75% really a greater proportion of all successful applicants than the national pool of successful applicants or is it about average?

Nope, my point is that all schools are becoming very competitive.

 

[medschoolmyname]

well my birthday is this week and its the week of thanksgiving, I hope the hearts of admissions officers soften up and I get a nice birthday surprise this week. II plz!!! Fingers crossed!!!

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Nope, my point is that all schools are becoming very competitive.

Loyola seems to be working its way up to be one of the more premiere institutions. It only makes sense that they are reflecting that in admissions. Top schools like well-rounded individuals with big numbers and research. If the applicant pool supports that, which it does, expect them to cash in.

well my birthday is this week and its the week of thanksgiving, I hope the hearts of admissions officers soften up and I get a nice birthday surprise this week. II plz!!! Fingers crossed!!!

Happy birthday! Good luck