Early interview in the cycle

[rainbowsunshine]

Is it meaningful to get an interview invite early on in the cycle vs. later? Should I read into that to ascertain that the school is very interested as a candidate to have them interview as soon as they send invitations?

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[Mr.Smile12]

Is it meaningful to get an interview invite early on in the cycle vs. later? Should I read into that to ascertain that the school is very interested as a candidate to have them interview as soon as they send invitations?

Congratulations (if applicable)!

Read into it whatever you want. Unless there is a specific "order" when it comes to interviewing (IS/OOS, ED/RD, MSTP), yeah, take the optimistic position: they really want to follow-up.

 

[Goro]

Is it meaningful to get an interview invite early on in the cycle vs. later? Should I read into that to ascertain that the school is very interested as a candidate to have them interview as soon as they send invitations?

The earlier, the better! It means the svhool thinks you're a catch.

 

[LizzyM]

Don't let any of the above go to your head. Remain humble. Don't try to make them sell you on the school and don't take a "you'd be lucky to get me" attitude. You'd think it would go without saying but some applicants can be full of themselves and that is a turn-off for interviewers.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

To be honest I don’t really think it means much, from my limited N=1 experience at least there was basically no correlation

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Means you met their first round criteria, whatever it may be but doesn’t mean you will get an A. Same goes with whatever interviewers tell you after the interview. My N=1 got interview invitation early, interviewers were very impressed and admission dean emailed saying high in their list but it’s too early and ended up with WL.

 

[radnerd]

Don't let any of the above go to your head. Remain humble. Don't try to make them sell you on the school and don't take a "you'd be lucky to get me" attitude. You'd think it would go without saying but some applicants can be full of themselves and that is a turn-off for interviewers.

@LizzyM

First of all, thank you for sharing all your valuable experiences with the community and guiding us.

Applying your staircase theory, should we assume that the post-II acceptance rates for candidates interviewing early in the season (at the top of the stairs) might be higher than the average acceptance rate for a particular school? For instance, if School X’s average acceptance rate is 35% for all candidates, might the rate for these “top of the stair” candidates be much higher? This could be because the school wants them to matriculate, and they benefit from being at the front of the line.

I would also appreciate inputs from other esteemed members like @Mr.Smile12, @Goro, and @Faha, or anyone else who might have reliable insight.

 

[LizzyM]

@LizzyM

First of all, thank you for sharing all your valuable experiences with the community and guiding us.

Applying your staircase theory, should we assume that the post-II acceptance rates for candidates interviewing early in the season (at the top of the stairs) might be higher than the average acceptance rate for a particular school? For instance, if School X’s average acceptance rate is 35% for all candidates, might the rate for these “top of the stair” candidates be much higher? This could be because the school wants them to matriculate, and they benefit from being at the front of the line.

I would also appreciate inputs from other esteemed members like @Mr.Smile12, @Goro, and @Faha, or anyone else who might have reliable insight.

Eventually, being a top candidate before the interview might make it more likely that you will be made an offer but I've also seen some applicants demoted to the bottom step after interview. Schools are going to be conservative at the start and if they will eventually admit 35% of all interviewed applicants, the initial rounds will go to the top 15-20% after interviews until there is a better idea of the mushy middle. Someone in the top 35% after a fifth of the interviews are conducted could wind up at the 60th percentile at the end of the cycle which will be too low for an offer. As is often said here, assume you have been rejected everywhere until you have an offer in hand.

 

[radnerd]

Eventually, being a top candidate before the interview might make it more likely that you will be made an offer but I've also seen some applicants demoted to the bottom step after interview. Schools are going to be conservative at the start and if they will eventually admit 35% of all interviewed applicants, the initial rounds will go to the top 15-20% after interviews until there is a better idea of the mushy middle. Someone in the top 35% after a fifth of the interviews are conducted could wind up at the 60th percentile at the end of the cycle which will be too low for an offer. As is often said here, assume you have been rejected everywhere until you have an offer in hand.

That makes perfect sense. Always playing conservatively is a better approach. Thank you for clarifying it and sharing your perspective.