Early interviews hurt applicants chances at those schools

[ZekeMD]

Does anyone else feel that their early interviews at schools may hurt their chances at those particular schools? Assuming I've been waitlisted at Pitt (which is looking probable since I havent received an email), I will have been waitlisted at my first 3 interviews, but accepted at almost evey school I interviewed at since the 3rd. I'm starting to wonder if maybe since I hadnt had much experience interviewing that it hurt me at the first few schools. I thought the first 3 went very well and thought I would get in for sure. Maybe I said something wrong and didnt realize it. Anyone else feel like this?

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[celticmists18]

My experience had been totally opposite. My first interview was on 9/17 and I was accepted on 10/20. I have since interviewed at 4 others schools and been wait-listed at all of them!

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by celticmists18
My experience had been totally opposite. My first interview was on 9/17 and I was accepted on 10/20. I have since interviewed at 4 others schools and been wait-listed at all of them!

Likewise - one and only acceptance is from first interview in Oct, the others were waitlsits.

 

[oldtimer]

Originally posted by ZekeMD
Does anyone else feel that their early interviews at schools may hurt their chances at those particular schools? Assuming I've been waitlisted at Pitt (which is looking probable since I havent received an email), I will have been waitlisted at my first 3 interviews, but accepted at almost evey school I interviewed at since the 3rd. I'm starting to wonder if maybe since I hadnt had much experience interviewing that it hurt me at the first few schools. I thought the first 3 went very well and thought I would get in for sure. Maybe I said something wrong and didnt realize it. Anyone else feel like this?

I think that Zeke is referring to non-rolling schools. It is interesting that you noticed this. Your waitlists may be due to your lack of interviewing experience at the beginning and then getting better at it as you had more interviews, but it may be a similar phenomenon that Iserson describes in his book that happens during residency interviews. At the beginning of the application process, the adcoms have not had a chance to see the potential pool of applicants and therefore have an ideal applicant in mind. This ideal applicant has great scores, GPA, EC's, etc. When they compare you to this ideal applicant, you obviously will get lower marks. As the interview season progresses, the adcoms have had a chance to see what the pool looks like and probably will lower their expectations. Therefore, the same applicant would compare much better if interviewed later when expectations are lower. When you think about it, this reasoning makes a lot of sense. That's why it is probably a better idea to interview much later at non-rolling schools.

 

[futuredrswife]

At the beginning of the application process, the adcoms have not had a chance to see the potential pool of applicants and therefore have an ideal applicant in mind. This ideal applicant has great scores, GPA, EC's, etc. When they compare you to this ideal applicant, you obviously will get lower marks. As the interview season progresses, the adcoms have had a chance to see what the pool looks like and probably will lower their expectations. Therefore, the same applicant would compare much better if interviewed later when expectations are lower. When you think about it, this reasoning makes a lot of sense. That's why it is probably a better idea to interview much later at non-rolling schools.

ITA. I also think it has to do with the number of spots they're trying to reserve (at rolling schools), and who's interviewing with you. Let's say you're interviewed the first week of interviews. You're interviewing with the cream of the crop, in that school's eyes, because everyone there is on their high-priority list. Let's say that the school interviews 20 people on each interview day, and allows acceptances for 10. Well, at the first meeting, they say, "Well, Candiate K has excellent stats, and we really like him, but we're really only accepting 10 candidates, and Candidates A-J are even better." Hold.

But if you're interviewing in, say, March, when the rest of the applicants are pulled from the if-we-get-to-them pile, and the school knows that they have to fill X number of spots in a week, you're much more likely to be admitted right away.

Or I could be totally crazy. But my husband was hold-listed at the first two places he interviewed at, and accepted at the third. (He has rejected all subsequent interview invitations, so my theory stands.)

 

[quideam]

Well, i hope that theory is correct, because Pitt was my 5th interview (mid-October), and Penn and Yale were both even later .... Here's to PRAYING at this point!!!

 

[Eraserhead]

there's no point to these trains of logic.

 

[quideam]

Originally posted by DoctorKevin
there's no point to these trains of logic.

Choo Choo!!! <train de-rails....lots of pre-meds get squished>

 

[Eraserhead]

Originally posted by quideam
Choo Choo!!! <train de-rails....lots of pre-meds get squished>

haha

 

[ZekeMD]

Originally posted by quideam
Well, i hope that theory is correct, because Pitt was my 5th interview (mid-October), and Penn and Yale were both even later .... Here's to PRAYING at this point!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Pitt was my second interview

 

[quideam]

Originally posted by ZekeMD
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Pitt was my second interview

Okay, I take it back then!!! I will officially remain NEUTRAL on this topic

Hang in there!! Only a few more days left... *sigh*... I seriously need some vodka... and instead, all I have is my thesis to write and a warm beer to keep me company. Actually, I think my boyfriend may have taken it... damn, damn!!

 

[ZekeMD]

Originally posted by quideam
Okay, I take it back then!!! I will officially remain NEUTRAL on this topic

Hang in there!! Only a few more days left... *sigh*... I seriously need some vodka... and instead, all I have is my thesis to write and a warm beer to keep me company. Actually, I think my boyfriend may have taken it... damn, damn!!

Whew...good call. Vodka... thats a good idea!

 

[trudub]

When residency interviews come around, I will certainly remember this post.