Does interviewing in mid-october vs. mid-january have a huge effect on chances?

[and 99 others]

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I have an interview in a few weeks at a school for which the post-II OOS acceptance rate is almost single digit low. I also recently received an interview at a school I'm much more excited about. I want to reschedule this interview so I could interview at a school I'm much more excited about but the next closest day to reschedule is January. Would I basically be completely destroying my chances if I moved it to January as opposed to interviewing in October?

Obviously I don't have an acceptance now but I could also see myself withdrawing from this school if I hear back favorably from another school before January.

 

[907914]

I have an interview in a few weeks at a school for which the post-II OOS acceptance rate is almost single digit low. I also recently received an interview at a school I'm much more excited about. I want to reschedule this interview so I could interview at a school I'm much more excited about but the next closest day to reschedule is January. Would I basically be completely destroying my chances if I moved it to January as opposed to interviewing in October?

Obviously I don't have an acceptance now but I could also see myself withdrawing from this school if I hear back favorably from another school before January.

Chances are almost non existent, anyway. Just reschedule, I think.

 

[and 99 others]

Timing for when interview occurs is has no impact on chances.

But wouldn't there be fewer seats to offer if I were to interview towards the end of the interview season, thus limiting my chances?

 

[premed20172017]

Is there a way to pin this? This same question keeps coming up on school boards.

Thank you for the very informative information (aw always), wise @gonnif

 

[and 99 others]

Interviewing early vs late has little to no impact on your chances at a school.

The assumption here that the number of seats is the limiting factor, which isnt how the process works. It is the number of acceptances plus WL that a school needs to give out in order to ensure all seats will be filled by beginning of classes.

Yes but isnt the number of acceptances plus WL that are available to be offered lower as the cycle goes on, i.e. as more and more acceptances go out?

 

[deleted966164]

Yes but isnt the number of acceptances plus WL that are available to be offered lower as the cycle goes on, i.e. as more and more acceptances go out?

But the number of applications also goes down. Think about it - at the beginning there are say 10000 applications and 100 spots. In the middle of the cycle you have 5000 applications for 50 spots, then 1000 for 10 spots and finally... 100 apps for 1 spot.

 

[notsobabydoc]

But the number of applications also goes down. Think about it - at the beginning there are say 10000 applications and 100 spots. In the middle of the cycle you have 5000 applications for 50 spots, then 1000 for 10 spots and finally... 100 apps for 1 spot.

If that's the case, what's the point of applying early??? Since the outstanding application to spot ratio stays the same all along.

 

[deleted966164]

If that's the case, what's the point of applying early??? Since the outstanding application to spot ratio stays the same all along.

It probably doesn’t. What I wrote is an idealized example. Note that the example I gave does not assume an inflow of applications.

To be honest - nobody really knows what’s going on. Everything is a speculation. Bottom line is: you want to get to med school? - get good grades, crush the mcat, get good ECs with lots of medical experience, apply early, and don’t be a psycho.

 

[notsobabydoc]

It probably doesn’t. What I wrote is an idealized example. Note that the example I gave does not assume an inflow of applications.

To be honest - nobody really knows what’s going on. Everything is a speculation. Bottom line is: you want to get to med school? - get good grades, crush the mcat, get good ECs with lots of medical experience, apply early, and don’t be a psycho.

lol, good summary!

 

[yogglo]

don’t be a psycho.

I was so close :/