Early interviews

[southcom]

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I'm a third year and I just found out from my school that for some odd reason that we will not recieve our loan check untill feb if we use jan as one of my off months. Now this sucks. First question is that how it is done at everyone's schools that tuition is due in Jan but no money till feb. If Jan is an off month for interviews? I was planning on having dec and jan off to interview, but now will either have to load up my credit card and hedge the money for a month or interview in Nov-Dec. In the EM world how many interviews are done in November, esspecially early November or how feasible is it to fit 10-12 interviews in Dec with christmas vacation? Also what is everyone's opinion on taking such early interviews. Thanks for your help with this in advance.

 

[EctopicFetus]

I'm a third year and I just found out from my school that for some odd reason that we will not recieve our loan check untill feb if we use jan as one of my off months. Now this sucks. First question is that how it is done at everyone's schools that tuition is due in Jan but no money till feb. If Jan is an off month for interviews? I was planning on having dec and jan off to interview, but now will either have to load up my credit card and hedge the money for a month or interview in Nov-Dec. In the EM world how many interviews are done in November, esspecially early November or how feasible is it to fit 10-12 interviews in Dec with christmas vacation? Also what is everyone's opinion on taking such early interviews. Thanks for your help with this in advance.

Ill take a stab since I am bored to DEATH! Keep in mind someone else might have had a different experience.

Most of your interview offers will be for Dec and Jan and this yr about a week into Feb. I couldnt imagine doing 10-12 of them in 3 and 1/2 weeks. You will be exhausted from being run ragged and you def wont perform well in the end. I has a few offers for interviews before thanksgiving, but most started the week after and ran up to Xmas. So about 4 weeks, then they start again after new yrs.

I would be hesitant to do this but I totally understand your $$ predicament. keep in mind that as an MS4 you can get the residency loan (about 12K) which is meant to be used to cover residency applying and moving (though no one knows where you actually spend it). So this might help you as well.

You can get these loans from any number of lenders and I believe that there is a thread in the EM forum on this topic.

Good luck. If I didnt answer one of your Qs please re-ask it and ill give it another stab!

 

[EctopicFetus]

I'm a third year and I just found out from my school that for some odd reason that we will not recieve our loan check untill feb if we use jan as one of my off months. Now this sucks. First question is that how it is done at everyone's schools that tuition is due in Jan but no money till feb. If Jan is an off month for interviews? I was planning on having dec and jan off to interview, but now will either have to load up my credit card and hedge the money for a month or interview in Nov-Dec. In the EM world how many interviews are done in November, esspecially early November or how feasible is it to fit 10-12 interviews in Dec with christmas vacation? Also what is everyone's opinion on taking such early interviews. Thanks for your help with this in advance.

Ill take a stab since I am bored to DEATH! Keep in mind someone else might have had a different experience.

Most of your interview offers will be for Dec and Jan and this yr about a week into Feb. I couldnt imagine doing 10-12 of them in 3 and 1/2 weeks. You will be exhausted from being run ragged and you def wont perform well in the end. I has a few offers for interviews before thanksgiving, but most started the week after and ran up to Xmas. So about 4 weeks, then they start again after new yrs.

I would be hesitant to do this but I totally understand your $$ predicament. keep in mind that as an MS4 you can get the residency loan (about 12K) which is meant to be used to cover residency applying and moving (though no one knows where you actually spend it). So this might help you as well.

You can get these loans from any number of lenders and I believe that there is a thread in the EM forum on this topic.

Good luck. If I didnt answer one of your Qs please re-ask it and ill give it another stab!

 

[SoCuteMD]

Ill take a stab since I am bored to DEATH! Keep in mind someone else might have had a different experience.

Most of your interview offers will be for Dec and Jan and this yr about a week into Feb. I couldnt imagine doing 10-12 of them in 3 and 1/2 weeks. You will be exhausted from being run ragged and you def wont perform well in the end. I has a few offers for interviews before thanksgiving, but most started the week after and ran up to Xmas. So about 4 weeks, then they start again after new yrs.

I would be hesitant to do this but I totally understand your $$ predicament. keep in mind that as an MS4 you can get the residency loan (about 12K) which is meant to be used to cover residency applying and moving (though no one knows where you actually spend it). So this might help you as well.

You can get these loans from any number of lenders and I believe that there is a thread in the EM forum on this topic.

Good luck. If I didnt answer one of your Qs please re-ask it and ill give it another stab!

With all that said, budgeting can work wonders as well. I'm just an MS1, but I just reduced my request for this semester by a month's worth of living expenses due to careful spending from August-December. You have almost a year to plan, so if you can put aside a little bit (I know student budgets are notoriously tight!) every month, you might be surprised!

 

[LuvbugMD]

In my opinion, the worst part about the application process is waiting for interviews. You never know if and when you will receive invites. Therefore, it may be difficult to plan your "interview trail" according to your own personal timeline.

I was fortunate to be granted several interviews before Thanksgiving and I finished interviewing a week before Christmas. On average, I had about 2 interviews each week beginning in mid November. I too had my own personal timeline because I had a research project planned in January. Therefore, I made sure to get my ERAS application, LORs, and all other documents into ERAS weeks before the Dean's Letter was released. I received a few interviews even before the Dean's Letter went out on Nov. 1 and the rest followed within the next couple of weeks. I may have received early interviews because programs had a chance to review my application long before the Dean's Letter was sent. I'm not sure though. This process is crazy...

I hope this helps. Good Luck

 

[basementbeastie]

so your school is suggesting that they are not going to charge you tuition for that jan?? not likely!! i had no issues and that included jan off specifically for interviews....i would double check that info....

 

[EctopicFetus]

In my opinion, the worst part about the application process is waiting for interviews. You never know if and when you will receive invites. Therefore, it may be difficult to plan your "interview trail" according to your own personal timeline.

I was fortunate to be granted several interviews before Thanksgiving and I finished interviewing a week before Christmas. On average, I had about 2 interviews each week beginning in mid November. I too had my own personal timeline because I had a research project planned in January. Therefore, I made sure to get my ERAS application, LORs, and all other documents into ERAS weeks before the Dean's Letter was released. I received a few interviews even before the Dean's Letter went out on Nov. 1 and the rest followed within the next couple of weeks. I may have received early interviews because programs had a chance to review my application long before the Dean's Letter was sent. I'm not sure though. This process is crazy...

I hope this helps. Good Luck

Agreed I had some before but I had interview offers roll in as late as 1 week ago (which I declined). Def get everything in. You will be at an advantage if you dont have to travel too much or too far. It can be done but IMO 2 interviews per week for a long time is exhausting and I love being with people but I think you start taking things for granted and your disinterest might show!

 

[ErGirl]

I too am bored to DEATH!! 🙂 But I must say -- loving 4th year.
My thoughts: 12 interviews in Nov/Dec is totally possible. You will definitely want to get your app out as early as possible to help you get early invites. If you are a strong applicant, this will also help you get early invites.
You could likely do 2-3 in November and 8-10 in December. It would be nonstop, but it could work. Also, most rotations allow you a few days off, so if you needed you could 2 in January easily.
I did rotations in both Dec and Jan because I refuse to give up ending 4th yr early and having fun/traveling. The key is talking to 4th years at your school and finding out which rotations are the most lax with interview schedules.
Finally, you can always charge your flights/hotel and pay them off when your loan money comes in. I have used very little cash while traveling.
One very final note, a lot of us have taken out extra loan money for this process and this money is available from the day you start 4th year (like $15,000). So, you could take out an extra loan and put in savings until you start interviewing.
Just my thoughts................................
Good luck!

 

[dchristismi]

I am not bored to death... I'm tired, and caught a bug from all my peds pts in the ED...

But I'm also an intern. Heh. And I did all my interviews (12) before Christmas, and matched at the first one I did (Nov 9th.)

I had a scheduling issue such that I couldn't take Jan to interview, and it worked out fine for me. Granted, I got a lot of interview offers early, but it's completely doable.

Good luck,
Danielle

 

[southcom]

Thanks everyone. I have a meeting with my PD next week as he is my advisor and I am going to ask him about it. I feel that I am a fairly strong applicant on paper so I do hope this helps with getting interviews early. Any more opinions are more than welcome. If he gives me the thumbs down on doing it I will have to either go the loan route, which I hate I will owe 150 G as it is, or pay my tuition with my credit card roughy 7G and pay the month of interest prob 80-90 dollars. Thanks again, BKN when does your school start interview season, as I will prob apply there as well. Allways wanted to go to El Paso 😉

 

[BKN]

Thanks everyone. I have a meeting with my PD next week as he is my advisor and I am going to ask him about it. I feel that I am a fairly strong applicant on paper so I do hope this helps with getting interviews early. Any more opinions are more than welcome. If he gives me the thumbs down on doing it I will have to either go the loan route, which I hate I will owe 150 G as it is, or pay my tuition with my credit card roughy 7G and pay the month of interest prob 80-90 dollars. Thanks again, BKN when does your school start interview season, as I will prob apply there as well. Allways wanted to go to El Paso 😉

We interview twice weekly from 1 Nov to the second week of Feb. I interview everyboody, unless I have to go out of town. So I'll do about 100. You guys think you're exhausted! Well at least I'm not having to learn where the light switch is on a new car every other day.

 

[EctopicFetus]

Thanks everyone. I have a meeting with my PD next week as he is my advisor and I am going to ask him about it. I feel that I am a fairly strong applicant on paper so I do hope this helps with getting interviews early. Any more opinions are more than welcome. If he gives me the thumbs down on doing it I will have to either go the loan route, which I hate I will owe 150 G as it is, or pay my tuition with my credit card roughy 7G and pay the month of interest prob 80-90 dollars. Thanks again, BKN when does your school start interview season, as I will prob apply there as well. Allways wanted to go to El Paso 😉

FYI if your credit card rate is around 20% (like most) on 7K you will pay about $140 per month.