Do high stats get interviews first?

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coquito

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Zero interview invites yet for me. I was complete at most schools the last week of July/first week of August. I keep seeing IIs going out to people that were complete around the same time or even later so it started to get me worried. But most of those IIs are to people with higher stats than me.

So my question is: do most schools throw out interview invites to the super-high MCAT people first then give the rest of us a chance? or are most schools chronological based on secondary completion dates? Basically, I am hoping that I might get some invites in the "next round" at some places once they start looking at the < 35 MCAT crowd.

(Otherwise, I'm starting to get paranoid. Like maybe one of my LORs slipped something negative in, though I have no reason to think that. I received secondaries from all the U of Californias but no IIs yet made me think the LORs could be the problem.)

This is me: MCAT 33, GPA ~3.85, scGPA ~3.75, non-trad, no red flags i know of...
 
Ugh. From what I am scoping on the school-specific threads, it would seem that way. I am looking at you Sackler.
 
Most schools definitely give priority to people with really amazing stats. The later you interview, the less your chances, but it's not perfectly correlated.
 
It probably differs for each school. I don't have any inside information to back that up though. It's still early in the cycle. With your stats I'm sure you'll get some II's soon, hang in there.
 
you will get interviews, wouldnt worry about it really. yeah, the first couple batches of interview invites get sent to the 35+ crowd, but you are no schlub either, just more middle of the pack.
 
I'm not sure if high stats get interviews first more so than good applicants get interviews first. If you're smart and hard working enough to get 3.9/36, the rest of your app is probably at least average so on the whole you have a good application.
 
check out the MDAPPS for tatertots (sp?)... they are getting an II every other day and turning some down like it's nothing...!!! I think people like tots are getting the IIs first and then the rest of us will have a fighting chance..it makes sense. Having said that, if that theory is true, by what date should we get worried if we haven't gotten a handful of IIs?
 
coquito said:
Zero interview invites yet for me. I was complete at most schools the last week of July/first week of August. I keep seeing IIs going out to people that were complete around the same time or even later so it started to get me worried. But most of those IIs are to people with higher stats than me.

So my question is: do most schools throw out interview invites to the super-high MCAT people first then give the rest of us a chance? or are most schools chronological based on secondary completion dates? Basically, I am hoping that I might get some invites in the "next round" at some places once they start looking at the < 35 MCAT crowd.

(Otherwise, I'm starting to get paranoid. Like maybe one of my LORs slipped something negative in, though I have no reason to think that. I received secondaries from all the U of Californias but no IIs yet made me think the LORs could be the problem.)

This is me: MCAT 33, GPA ~3.85, scGPA ~3.75, non-trad, no red flags i know of...
Click to expand...

I have the exact same stats as you and have received multiple IIs. I've been completing secondaries several days after I receive them if not the same day. I was complete early July for most the schools that I received IIs from. I still believe high stat/stellar applicants get interviewed first. But I also think some schools review applications in the order they receive them. So it is school specific.
 
Think of it as you would for five star recruits for college football.

Those guys get offered scholarships sometimes when they are SOPHOMORES in high school. There's obviously plenty of room for the rest of us, but med schools will use an interview and acceptance to get those great candidates and make them feel special. Same as a football program will do.

If you know (truly know, like backed up by other people, grades, scores) you're good enough, then so will med schools eventually. It's important to sell yourself just like an unknown football recruit. We are lucky we get the application to do that, and then secondaries.

FWIW, I have an II to Cornell with a 34Q, which I got in the very first round. I am certainly one of the lowest MCAT scores to get an invite this early, but I am confident there is something they saw in my app that they want.

If you have something they want and can add value, you have nothing to worry about. Part of the process is being honest with yourself though. Just my thoughts, and good luck to you in the cycle. At least caring a lot about it to get your secondaries done so early is a very good sign compared to many of my friends,
 
Yeah it may be specific to your schools. I have the same Mcat as you and have been invited/attended several II.
 
pv515 said:
Think of it as you would for five star recruits for college football.

Those guys get offered scholarships sometimes when they are SOPHOMORES in high school. There's obviously plenty of room for the rest of us, but med schools will use an interview and acceptance to get those great candidates and make them feel special. Same as a football program will do.

If you know (truly know, like backed up by other people, grades, scores) you're good enough, then so will med schools eventually. It's important to sell yourself just like an unknown football recruit. We are lucky we get the application to do that, and then secondaries.

FWIW, I have an II to Cornell with a 34Q, which I got in the very first round. I am certainly one of the lowest MCAT scores to get an invite this early, but I am confident there is something they saw in my app that they want.

If you have something they want and can add value, you have nothing to worry about. Part of the process is being honest with yourself though. Just my thoughts, and good luck to you in the cycle. At least caring a lot about it to get your secondaries done so early is a very good sign compared to many of my friends,
Click to expand...

Great explanation! You are now a charter member of the LizzyM simile club. (No, I would not recommend that you list this in the "what else would you like the committee to know?" section of your secondaries. 😉 )
 
It's super early still... You'll get interviews. I don't know how they choose.... I have a very low cum/science gpas and have 5 do interviews and 1 MD interview to a really good school.... Unless they considered my post grad gpa instead of cum my stats are not that great.
 
coquito said:
Zero interview invites yet for me. I was complete at most schools the last week of July/first week of August. I keep seeing IIs going out to people that were complete around the same time or even later so it started to get me worried. But most of those IIs are to people with higher stats than me.

So my question is: do most schools throw out interview invites to the super-high MCAT people first then give the rest of us a chance? or are most schools chronological based on secondary completion dates? Basically, I am hoping that I might get some invites in the "next round" at some places once they start looking at the < 35 MCAT crowd.

(Otherwise, I'm starting to get paranoid. Like maybe one of my LORs slipped something negative in, though I have no reason to think that. I received secondaries from all the U of Californias but no IIs yet made me think the LORs could be the problem.)

This is me: MCAT 33, GPA ~3.85, scGPA ~3.75, non-trad, no red flags i know of...
Click to expand...

A couple of years ago, I had more or less the same stats, was complete maybe a tad earlier than you describe, and as of late August only had a couple of invites (2 state schools). By mid September, I had a few more, and by October 1, I had all of the ones I was going to get...I applied to over 20 schools, and ended up with only 7 or 8 invites...I was bummed at the time, but I came to realize that I did pretty well, or at least well enough, because I ended up at a great school, and I had great choices.

So I think you need to hold on for September invites - seems way too early to be concerned. Not sure about your California chances, though - that could be part of the problem. Are you a CA resident? Aren't your stats considered low-ish for CA instate?
 
LizzyM said:
Great explanation! You are now a charter member of the LizzyM simile club. (No, I would not recommend that you list this in the "what else would you like the committee to know?" section of your secondaries. 😉 )
Click to expand...


Haha, I suppose I'm on my way to interviewing well if I have already impressed an Adcom member :laugh:.

I plan to list that I'm a seventh degree imperial yo-yo master. Schools will want me because I'm the yo-yo guy!
 
Does anyone know the stats of people accepted from the first batch of interview invites vs people accepted later on in the season? Is there any proof that there is actually a higher chance of acceptance?
 
speakwhales said:
Does anyone know the stats of people accepted from the first batch of interview invites vs people accepted later on in the season? Is there any proof that there is actually a higher chance of acceptance?
Click to expand...

Interviews done very late in the season (Late Dec/Jan onwards) have a lower chance of being immediately accepted. Since many schools are rolling admissions, there are less and less slots open as the interview season goes on. As time goes on, there are more people competing for a dwindling number of slots.

That said, it's still early yet
 
darkjedi said:
Interviews done very late in the season (Late Dec/Jan onwards) have a lower chance of being immediately accepted. Since many schools are rolling admissions, there are less and less slots open as the interview season goes on. As time goes on, there are more people competing for a dwindling number of slots.

That said, it's still early yet
Click to expand...

True for getting an interview invite but not true everywhere regarding offers. If a school is going to interview x applicants and make y offers it may make y/3 offers after interviewing x/4 applicants (with the understanding that it interviews the best applicants first), y/3 offers after the next x/3 applicants and the remainder after the last x/3 (often this last group includes courtesy interviews and less strong but admissible applicants).
 
pv515 said:
Think of it as you would for five star recruits for college football.

Those guys get offered scholarships sometimes when they are SOPHOMORES in high school. There's obviously plenty of room for the rest of us, but med schools will use an interview and acceptance to get those great candidates and make them feel special. Same as a football program will do.

If you know (truly know, like backed up by other people, grades, scores) you're good enough, then so will med schools eventually. It's important to sell yourself just like an unknown football recruit. We are lucky we get the application to do that, and then secondaries.

FWIW, I have an II to Cornell with a 34Q, which I got in the very first round. I am certainly one of the lowest MCAT scores to get an invite this early, but I am confident there is something they saw in my app that they want.

If you have something they want and can add value, you have nothing to worry about. Part of the process is being honest with yourself though. Just my thoughts, and good luck to you in the cycle. At least caring a lot about it to get your secondaries done so early is a very good sign compared to many of my friends,
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure i just (yesterday?) saw you use another CFB analogy.... I like it (see avatar) 👍
 
For the non-rolling admission, it really does not matter when you get an interview. The applicants are scored and ranked after the interview. But admissions do not always follow the scores. A few negative comments by a commitee member can pull down a seemingly oustanding applicant regardless score. The whole thing is finalized at the end of the season.
 
coquito said:
Zero interview invites yet for me. I was complete at most schools the last week of July/first week of August. I keep seeing IIs going out to people that were complete around the same time or even later so it started to get me worried. But most of those IIs are to people with higher stats than me.

So my question is: do most schools throw out interview invites to the super-high MCAT people first then give the rest of us a chance? or are most schools chronological based on secondary completion dates? Basically, I am hoping that I might get some invites in the "next round" at some places once they start looking at the < 35 MCAT crowd.

(Otherwise, I'm starting to get paranoid. Like maybe one of my LORs slipped something negative in, though I have no reason to think that. I received secondaries from all the U of Californias but no IIs yet made me think the LORs could be the problem.)

This is me: MCAT 33, GPA ~3.85, scGPA ~3.75, non-trad, no red flags i know of...
Click to expand...

I'm in a pretty similar situation (similar stats). I know it's early but it stresses me out nonetheless. Being a CA resident also doesn't exactly inspire confidence either. No known red flags, non-trad (I think? Taking a gap year so idk if that makes me non-trad) and just waiting for that first II to reassure me that I don't have some glaring error in my app. Probably shouldn't spend so much time on SDN haha
 
Last edited:
Essentially the same stats as you OP. I was complete second week of August and haven't received any II's yet either. Hopefully it all works out. I told myself I wouldn't panic until late September 🙂
 
LizzyM said:
True for getting an interview invite but not true everywhere regarding offers. If a school is going to interview x applicants and make y offers it may make y/3 offers after interviewing x/4 applicants (with the understanding that it interviews the best applicants first), y/3 offers after the next x/3 applicants and the remainder after the last x/3 (often this last group includes courtesy interviews and less strong but admissible applicants).
Click to expand...
Do you think that being one of the lowest stats candidates interviewing early could actually HURT you compared to if you were interviewing later? My thinking is this: If they had to send out acceptances from that early, high-stat interview batch, you're closer to the bottom of the pile from the get go (interview performance aside). However, if you're interviewed later on, you're likely in a more well-rounded group. Wouldn't you have a better chance if you were interviewed later?
 
Joosbocks said:
Do you think that being one of the lowest stats candidates interviewing early could actually HURT you compared to if you were interviewing later? My thinking is this: If they had to send out acceptances from that early, high-stat interview batch, you're closer to the bottom of the pile from the get go (interview performance aside). However, if you're interviewed later on, you're likely in a more well-rounded group. Wouldn't you have a better chance if you were interviewed later?
Click to expand...

Show me a low stats candidate who is interviewing early and I'll show you someone who has something going on that qualified them to compete with the big guys. I just don't see people who aren't superstars in some regard interviewing in the first 4 weeks or so.
 
yeah i just interviewed at a school yesterday and my interviewer even told me "so youre here early, either you're a great student or your parents are on the board of trustees here."


funny thing is that my stats are actually pretty average haha
 
Thanks for all the responses, the good news and the bad!

Yes, part of the problem could be the California schools. I am a Cali resident and I am not too worried about my GPA. My GPAs and BS and VR scores are all around the accepted medians for some of the schools and above for others... but a 10 in PS could definitely be pulling me down.

Since I know zero people in the "real world" applying to medical school, and I have no connections with any university right now, I guess I was unsure about this whole "silent rejection" thing and when I should basically consider my chances with a school very slim to none.

Like one of the other posters, I keep obsessing that maybe there is some big mistake or red flag I don't know about. If I could get just one II that would calm my fears a lot!

Of course my friends and family all think I'm a good candidate (years as a high school teacher at urban underserved school, full scholarship for a non-science MA at a "top 10" university, multilingual, years living/traveling in less developed countries, employment in international medical relief before teaching career, typical pre-med stuff in college, 3 years neurosurgical research)... but they are friends and family. And I have very little "professional" criticism about my application.

I don't have publications, RECENT clinical experience, RECENT advanced science coursework (but I'm a science teacher), and that PS score is low. But I thought I would match up with some school's mission well.
 
Thanks so much for the comments LizzyM. I've never been an online forum person before, but I'm flying blind here so I appreciate your experienced input a lot!

Last time I was in line for med school (8 years ago), I had 200 peers, tons of professors, honors advisors, and a bunch of pre-med clubs around for guidance. Now I've got a work colleague and my grandma... And grandmothers aren't exactly known for objective criticism 🙂
 
LizzyM said:
Show me a low stats candidate who is interviewing early and I'll show you someone who has something going on that qualified them to compete with the big guys. I just don't see people who aren't superstars in some regard interviewing in the first 4 weeks or so.
Click to expand...

I guess I don't know how early 'early' is to you, but I'm 28R/3.5ish gpa applicant with 2 IIs so far (not a ton, but still, I'm happy with that). I have non-spectacular ECs as well. Used to think they were great, now I realize they're pretty meh.
 
von Matterhorn said:
I guess I don't know how early 'early' is to you, but I'm 28R/3.5ish gpa applicant with 2 IIs so far (not a ton, but still, I'm happy with that). I have non-spectacular ECs as well. Used to think they were great, now I realize they're pretty meh.
Click to expand...

Must be that full time work experience in the health care sector. Two IIs by the end of Aug is not bad at all given your stats.
 
coquito said:
Thanks for all the responses, the good news and the bad!

Yes, part of the problem could be the California schools. I am a Cali resident and I am not too worried about my GPA. My GPAs and BS and VR scores are all around the accepted medians for some of the schools and above for others... but a 10 in PS could definitely be pulling me down.

Since I know zero people in the "real world" applying to medical school, and I have no connections with any university right now, I guess I was unsure about this whole "silent rejection" thing and when I should basically consider my chances with a school very slim to none.

Like one of the other posters, I keep obsessing that maybe there is some big mistake or red flag I don't know about. If I could get just one II that would calm my fears a lot!

Of course my friends and family all think I'm a good candidate (years as a high school teacher at urban underserved school, full scholarship for a non-science MA at a "top 10" university, multilingual, years living/traveling in less developed countries, employment in international medical relief before teaching career, typical pre-med stuff in college, 3 years neurosurgical research)... but they are friends and family. And I have very little "professional" criticism about my application.

I don't have publications, RECENT clinical experience, RECENT advanced science coursework (but I'm a science teacher), and that PS score is low. But I thought I would match up with some school's mission well.
Click to expand...

Wow, your extracurriculars sound awesome! The only area of concern is whether or not you adequately explained your career change. Your stats are nothing to worry about at all. I also haven't heard back from most Californian places I applied to, because I think they are generally very slow with the process. I think you will have interview invites soon and probably lots of acceptances -- reading SDN tends to be very anxiety inducing, but you just have to keep in mind that people normally post good news so it is very unrepresentative. Remember, the average applicant only receives 5 or so invites, but, in the end, you only need that one to count.
 
LizzyM said:
Show me a low stats candidate who is interviewing early and I'll show you someone who has something going on that qualified them to compete with the big guys. I just don't see people who aren't superstars in some regard interviewing in the first 4 weeks or so.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to change the topic, but I have a quick question LizzyM. If the interviewee gets an interviewer that is very impersonal (either purposefully or not) and difficult to connect with does the admissions committee take that into account when reading that particular interviewer's reports? In other words, does the admissions staff know that some interviewers are more personable and easier for interviewers to open up to than others and does the admissions staff take that into account?
 
Revolver1045 said:
I don't mean to change the topic, but I have a quick question LizzyM. If the interviewee gets an interviewer that is very impersonal (either purposefully or not) and difficult to connect with does the admissions committee take that into account when reading that particular interviewer's reports? In other words, does the admissions staff know that some interviewers are more personable and easier for interviewers to open up to than others and does the admissions staff take that into account?
Click to expand...

I'm not LizzyM, but barring some egregious problem (e.g., your interviewer is very combative about a topic, they actively try to make you uncomfortable/uneasy, etc.) they likely won't care. How do you control for "hard to get along with interviewers?" How much blame to you put on the interviewer versus the applicant (hint: you're not in a favorable position here)? If an interviewer consistently fails to learn about an applicant, I don't imagine the admissions office will continue to invite them to do interviews, so this likely isn't much of an issue. Sure, some people are cold/impersonal, but EVERYONE that interviews with that person will deal with the same thing.
 
Revolver1045 said:
I don't mean to change the topic, but I have a quick question LizzyM. If the interviewee gets an interviewer that is very impersonal (either purposefully or not) and difficult to connect with does the admissions committee take that into account when reading that particular interviewer's reports? In other words, does the admissions staff know that some interviewers are more personable and easier for interviewers to open up to than others and does the admissions staff take that into account?
Click to expand...

Also keep in mind that some schools have implemented a "bad cop/good cop" strategy with their interviews, to see how you perform under pressure. During one of my interviews last year, the interviewer flat out told me he didn't like my application and didn't know why I was chosen for an interview, but I stuck by my guns, and ended up with an acceptance and a scholarship offer to the school.
 
NickNaylor said:
I'm not LizzyM, but barring some egregious problem (e.g., your interviewer is very combative about a topic, they actively try to make you uncomfortable/uneasy, etc.) they likely won't care. How do you control for "hard to get along with interviewers?" How much blame to you put on the interviewer versus the applicant (hint: you're not in a favorable position here)? If an interviewer consistently fails to learn about an applicant, I don't imagine the admissions office will continue to invite them to do interviews, so this likely isn't much of an issue. Sure, some people are cold/impersonal, but EVERYONE that interviews with that person will deal with the same thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Nick that's what I figured. I personally have not had experience with a difficult interviewer, but SDN is not short of horrific interview stories. Granted the interviewee is the only side of the story and likely bias.
 
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