Deployed During Interview Cycle

[SFGuy2011]

I'll be on a combat deployment for 95% of the upcoming interview period, as I'll return to the U.S. at the tail end of only a few schools' interview period. I've already submitted my AMCAS for verification, but I wanted to know what other soldiers/sailors/airmen experienced by being deployed during the interview cycle.

Thanks ahead of time.

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[LizzyM]

What can you do? You could refuse to throw good money after bad and just not submit any secondaries and consider this cycle a total loss or you could turn those secondaries around as quickly as possible and then send a note to each school (separately because there is a chance that no one will actually read the secondary itself for months) stating that you will be unavailable for interview until x/x/xx due to deployment.

If a school wants to interview you, they will appreciate the heads up that you need an interview slot at the end of the season.

 

[bonsaitree1]

Maybe you'll be lucky and some schools might do a web conference with you! Duke does those kinds of things

 

[bold text]

I would wait until next cycle if I were in your situation. Deployment dates are never set in stone, they can always keep your boots on the ground longer. Come back next year with some combat stories for your interviewers and nice chunk of tax free combat change in the bank.

 

[SFGuy2011]

LizzyM - Thank you for your advice. I had planned on turning around my secondaries as soon as possible. I've already confirmed with one dean of admissions that said their school would do a interview via VTC if they did select me to be interviewed. There are a handful of other schools that will do this in extreme circumstances. However, I have made it clear on my primary application as to my actual deployment schedule. I will reiterate this on my secondaries as well. I will also follow your advice and send a separate note regarding my situation.

bold text - I understand what can happen with deployment dates as this isn't my first trip overseas. Traditionally our deployment forecasts are very accurate - within a couple of weeks. If I don't get in anywhere this cycle then I'll likely try to do an SMP and reapply next year. But, I'll be back in plenty of time to start school regardless of what happens, and I have enough stories as it stands.

Thank you all for your comments and advice.

 

[Bernoull]

LizzyM - Thank you for your advice. I had planned on turning around my secondaries as soon as possible. I've already confirmed with one dean of admissions that said their school would do a interview via VTC if they did select me to be interviewed. There are a handful of other schools that will do this in extreme circumstances. However, I have made it clear on my primary application as to my actual deployment schedule. I will reiterate this on my secondaries as well. I will also follow your advice and send a separate note regarding my situation.

bold text - I understand what can happen with deployment dates as this isn't my first trip overseas. Traditionally our deployment forecasts are very accurate - within a couple of weeks. If I don't get in anywhere this cycle then I'll likely try to do an SMP and reapply next year. But, I'll be back in plenty of time to start school regardless of what happens, and I have enough stories as it stands.

Thank you all for your comments and advice.

I just want to thank u for ur service and wish u the very best of luck during ur deployment n for ur application!

Godspeed...

 

[mfrizzo3]

FWIW I had to postpone my application a year. I had an 18 month deployment.

 

[SFGuy2011]

FWIW I had to postpone my application a year. I had an 18 month deployment.

Yeah that's a long deployment. Mine is going to be around 8 months. It could be a week or two in either direction, depending on when the Air Force decides it wants to bring us back. They seem to like to wait a few extra days if it will give them an extra month of "combat" pay.

 

[militaryman]

1

 

[militaryman]

Red Bull?

 

[Mid Life Crisis]

Sent you a PM.

 

[SFGuy2011]

For anyone that might be in a situation similar to mine, definitely take LizzyM's advice and send the admissions committee an email after you submit your secondary application. I've already heard back from a couple of schools that I've submitted secondaries to who said they would be willing to work with me if I was offered an interview. I'm pretty optimistic at this point, but we'll see what happens.

 

[SFGuy2011]

Just wanted to say thank you to LizzyM for the advice that she gave me. I was recently accepted to medical school for this cycle. For those of you in the military who are deployed during the application cycle - don't lose hope. Following LizzyM's advice, directly after submitting my secondary application I sent an email to every school that I applied to. I know that this was a big reason why I've had any success. Apply broadly, and if the admissions committee thinks you're a strong enough applicant they will accommodate your situation. Granted, I received many quick rejections - along with some silent ones. But thankfully, a couple of schools were gracious enough to understand my situation and offered phone or video interviews.

Thanks again LizzyM!!

 

[ruraldocmom]

Congratulations! I'm Active Duty AF--not deployed during the App cycle, but definitely terrified interview dates would fall during OREs or other things I couldn't miss. I'm accepted as well. Man, they certainly love those military stories--there is some kind of mythology/curiousity among interviewers who haven't been in. Definitely worked in my favor. Congrats again!

 

[SFGuy2011]

Congratulations! I'm Active Duty AF--not deployed during the App cycle, but definitely terrified interview dates would fall during OREs or other things I couldn't miss. I'm accepted as well. Man, they certainly love those military stories--there is some kind of mythology/curiousity among interviewers who haven't been in. Definitely worked in my favor. Congrats again!

Thanks ruraldocmom, and congrats to you as well!! I'm pretty happy about how things have turned out thus far, especially after hearing from others that I should just sit out this application cycle. I guess my story was good enough, and I'm really glad I didn't take that advice. I don't think it's necessarily bad advice, but I'm not getting any younger.

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks ruraldocmom, and congrats to you as well!! I'm pretty happy about how things have turned out thus far, especially after hearing from others that I should just sit out this application cycle. I guess my story was good enough, and I'm really glad I didn't take that advice. I don't think it's necessarily bad advice, but I'm not getting any younger.

Congrats SFGuy2011. Glad it worked out for you!

 

[CougarMD]

Major congrats SFGuy!! I remember reading this post originally, and I had my fingers crossed for you. So happy that you are in the class of 2015!!!!!

 

[amedeesse]

Just wanted to say congratulations! Hope your deployment goes well!

 

[Old Grunt]

Just wanted to say thank you to LizzyM for the advice that she gave me. I was recently accepted to medical school for this cycle. For those of you in the military who are deployed during the application cycle - don't lose hope. Following LizzyM's advice, directly after submitting my secondary application I sent an email to every school that I applied to. I know that this was a big reason why I've had any success. Apply broadly, and if the admissions committee thinks you're a strong enough applicant they will accommodate your situation. Granted, I received many quick rejections - along with some silent ones. But thankfully, a couple of schools were gracious enough to understand my situation and offered phone or video interviews.

Thanks again LizzyM!!

It shows you that this joint is full of good and bad advice. You were smart enough to take the good advice over the bad advice (i.e. "wait it out another year").

Congrats on getting in, good luck, and stay safe.

RLTW

 

[bold text]

I'm so full of bad advice.

 

[Old Grunt]

I'm so full of bad advice.

I don't know about that, but you were this time.

 

[DeBOmedic]

Just wanted to say thank you to LizzyM for the advice that she gave me. I was recently accepted to medical school for this cycle. For those of you in the military who are deployed during the application cycle - don't lose hope. Following LizzyM's advice, directly after submitting my secondary application I sent an email to every school that I applied to. I know that this was a big reason why I've had any success. Apply broadly, and if the admissions committee thinks you're a strong enough applicant they will accommodate your situation. Granted, I received many quick rejections - along with some silent ones. But thankfully, a couple of schools were gracious enough to understand my situation and offered phone or video interviews.

Thanks again LizzyM!!

Thank you for this thread! I am going through a similar situation....

I didn't find out I was getting deployed until I submitted my AACOMAS application. I've submitted the secondary applications as soon as I get them and e-mailed the schools individually per the advice of this thread. I am going to be deployed during the interview cycle through November so I won't even be able to start this year if accepted.

I haven't received positive responses from the schools so far. They just suggest applying next cycle. I've put so much into applying this year, but I'm sure you are all very aware. Do you think its unrealistic to ask schools to be flexible on the interviews and defer my acceptance until fall of 2014?

I don't have a problem re-applying, but that would mean I have to do it from overseas. I want to be able to be focused on my mission over there. We are not even sure if we have internet access where we are going.

I appreciate your help.
DeBo