Does the date you get an interview impact chances of getting accepted?

[jdogs2]

I've had a couple interviews recently where the school said "we don't release decisions until March so that everyone who interviews has the same chance of getting accepted" but I'm just confused how that could be true. Is there not a reason why someone got an interview in August vs January, for example? Did the readers not like the August person's app better, therefore giving the August person a better chance of getting accepted?

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[Mr.Smile12]

There have been studies that show UIM/SED applications tend to be submitted later in the cycle. Also some candidates may drop out because they got their offers earlier from other schools that fit them better.

 

[jdogs2]

There have been studies that show UIM/SED applications tend to be submitted later in the cycle. Also some candidates may drop out because they got their offers earlier from other schools that fit them better.

So what about applicants who submitted at roughly the same time? If 3 applicants who submitted to Northwestern (one of the schools that told me there's an equal chance of getting accepted regardless of interview date) on July 27th receive interviews in August, November, and January, how am I supposed to believe that to be true? Why else would applicant #3 only get an invitation in January vs August or November other than like, some readers being slower than others or something?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So what about applicants who submitted at roughly the same time? If 3 applicants who submitted to Northwestern (one of the schools that told me there's an equal chance of getting accepted regardless of interview date) on July 27th receive interviews in August, November, and January, how am I supposed to believe that to be true? Why else would applicant #3 only get an invitation in January vs August or November other than like, some readers being slower than others or something?

Without knowing any insider details of how they do things, you never really know. Were the three applications fully completed at the same time (letters received, scores received including Casper/PREview, screeners and reviewers feedback received, supplemental fees and applications received, interview scores received)? Did the admissions committee take a long time to deliberate one file that the other two files were deferred to another meeting? There are multiple twists and turns that remain hidden in the black box of the admissions office/committee.

In short,

 

[Muq]

Just came here to say I am also very neurotic about Northwestern decisions (and will remain neurotic until march)

 

[Hollow Knight]

MrSMile's cartoon sums it up

It depends on the school. You should apply early, and after that, stop worrying about it

 

[LindaAccepted]

At the end of the cycle you are either 100% accepted or 100% rejected. Attempting to calculate the odds now isn't going to change anything. Or help you.

 

[xffan624]

Right around this time of the year I got an interview invite for later in the month and it was the school I ended up getting into and going to. Any II is a chance.

 

[LizzyM]

If you look at my staircase analogy, you'll see that you can be invited to interview at any point and still end up admitted because your place on the staircase, as determined by your written application and your interview, puts you at the top of the cohort of interviewed applicants.

Yes, it can be that your application reader was slower than others, or that by luck of the draw your application was sent for review later than your peer's application (because getting 700 applications to review in one day would overwhelming, better to hand them out 35 at a time and say, "have these back to us next week" and repeat that process each week for 20 weeks). After your application is reviewed, the invitation issuer might hold back until the dates available are 2-4 weeks out rather than 2-4 months out because booking interviews 4 months in advance seems to lead to requests to reschedule which wastes everyone's time.

Trust the process.