GAAAAH...wtf, Feinberg?

[mellybean]

I e-mailed Feinberg Admissions yesterday to see whether I could group interviews, though I hadn't heard back from them since sending in my secondary. I understand that they have a lot of applications to review (mine wasn't complete until late August), but the response they gave me was the most generic one they could've sent.

---

"Thank you for your e-mail. Your application is complete and currently
under review. The review time varies from applicant to applicant. Once
any decision is made, you will be notified in writing.

Applicants who are invited to interview are given a choice of around 3
or 4 interview dates. If an applicant would like to request an alternate
interview date, they may contact our office at that time to request one.


Sincerely,

Northwestern University's
Feinberg School of Medicine
Office of Admissions"

---

I give up. I'm assuming that they won't actually give a yes/no response before I buy my plane tickets.

Anyone else have any luck with this sort of thing? Any tips, because what I did sure didn't seem to work? Is it just Feinberg that's like this, or would I get the same type of response from other schools?

Frustrated and wondering how much money I'll have to spend on plane tickets through this process...

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[Towelie]

You have to call. Emailing is totally useless.

 

[mellybean]

You have to call. Emailing is totally useless.

I did call. They told me to send an e-mail. This is like Catch-22.

 

[BucsFan813]

I did call. They told me to send an e-mail. This is like Catch-22.

I've been complete at Northwestern for close to three months without a word...

What's interesting is that although I have interviews/acceptances at higher ranked schools , I still get ticked off by not knowing anything.

 

[ADeadLois]

They get a ton of applicants, so it might be difficult of them to accommodate your request especially if they haven't made a decision about an interview yet. However, Feinberg is a good enough school that if you did get in interview invite it might be worth the time and money to go at another time. A lot of people would kill for an interview there.

 

[mellybean]

They get a ton of applicants, so it might be difficult of them to accommodate your request especially if they haven't made a decision about an interview yet. However, Feinberg is a good enough school that if you did get in interview invite it might be worth the time and money to go at another time. A lot of people would kill for an interview there.

If I get an interview there, I would go even if I had to buy another plane ticket. I don't mind the fact that they find it difficult to accomodate my request - it's to be expected, especially on such short notice. My issue, I guess, is with the absolute generic nature of their response to me. I could've asked any question about the interview process, and they could've given me this same response. What I wanted to know was 1) would they even consider reviewing my application to accommodate this development? and 2) would they even be able to schedule me in at the end of November? Neither of these questions were answered directly. I know that it is somewhat egotistical of me to have assumed that they would give me a personalized response, what with the large number of e-mails they receive on a daily basis.

Should I just go ahead and buy my tickets? I guess their response basically means that they aren't going to speed up review of my application or try to accommodate my grouping request.

 

[ADeadLois]

If I get an interview there, I would go even if I had to buy another plane ticket. I don't mind the fact that they find it difficult to accomodate my request - it's to be expected, especially on such short notice. My issue, I guess, is with the absolute generic nature of their response to me. I could've asked any question about the interview process, and they could've given me this same response. What I wanted to know was 1) would they even consider reviewing my application to accommodate this development? and 2) would they even be able to schedule me in at the end of November? Neither of these questions were answered directly. I know that it is somewhat egotistical of me to have assumed that they would give me a personalized response, what with the large number of e-mails they receive on a daily basis.

Should I just go ahead and buy my tickets? I guess their response basically means that they aren't going to speed up review of my application or try to accommodate my grouping request.

Yeah, their e-mails tend to be on the generic side but they usually answer the question. I think it's implied in your response that they can't accommodate your request. They probably have a standard response ready-to-go for different application-related questions so that they're consistent with the info that they are giving out.

 

[thesmartazz]

I give up. I'm assuming that they won't actually give a yes/no response before I buy my plane tickets.

Anyone else have any luck with this sort of thing? Any tips, because what I did sure didn't seem to work? Is it just Feinberg that's like this, or would I get the same type of response from other schools?

Frustrated and wondering how much money I'll have to spend on plane tickets through this process...

I hear that...

I called them yesterday and got the same generic, crappy email this morning. (They also told me to email as opposed to call them, so I did.) I'm tired of waiting on them, especially after their ridiculous 2-week deadline for the secondary. I submitted U Chicago a full month after Northwestern, yet they were able to make a decision by last Friday. If Feinberg is going to request such a quick turnaround on the secondary, they should strive to be proportionally speedy with offering interviews... [ends rant]

Can someone give an estimate of how long it'll take Northwestern to offer an interview? Was someone recently offered one? If so, when did you complete your secondary? Thanks, everyone.

 

[freetheyaz]

why not get the $12 travel insurance, and you can just change your flight if you need to?

 

[agr285]

I hear that...

I called them yesterday and got the same generic, crappy email this morning. (They also told me to email as opposed to call them, so I did.) I'm tired of waiting on them, especially after their ridiculous 2-week deadline for the secondary. I submitted U Chicago a full month after Northwestern, yet they were able to make a decision by last Friday. If Feinberg is going to request such a quick turnaround on the secondary, they should strive to be proportionally speedy with offering interviews... [ends rant]

Can someone give an estimate of how long it'll take Northwestern to offer an interview? Was someone recently offered one? If so, when did you complete your secondary? Thanks, everyone.

I think there were some people getting interviews as quickly as 3 to 4 weeks after being complete.

 

[Sarchis]

Here was the timeline for my application...Sumitted August 25th, complete August 31, invited to interview Sept 7, interviewed October 10th...now waiting until at least November for a reply...hope that helps!

 

[BigKurz]

Yea, i was complete 9/7, but I have friends that submitted after me and have since received interviews, so they seem to be picking/choosing at will.

I'm figuring i'm in an undeclared "hold".

 

[FamousPotatoes]

I got the secondary on 8/29 and submitted on 9/4. My LORs were ready on 8/31 but Feinberg didn't download them until 9/19, the LOR deadline, when I called them and asked about it. So I guess I've been complete since 9/19 and still no word.

 

[SoFla62]

So big news on the status page front. Yup. Today, my status box changed from that pinkish/yellowish color to all white. I'm sure this means news is eminent. Probably, they're just getting ready to update the page with my acceptance, no interview needed.

That, or there's something wrong with my monitor.

 

[Senor Fish]

Once you get an interview, they were pretty willing to help me reschedule. The downside was that I had to reschedule for almost a month later than what was offered. Ugh.

Hope you hear something soon.

SF

 

[Dr Durden]

For what it's worth, I was complete on 9/22 and got an invite on 10/26. My four choices for interview dates were within the first two weeks of December. Good luck getting speedier reviewers everyone.

 

[thesmartazz]

I got my interview invite last night at 11:59 p.m. I was only given one option (12/12), and I have jury duty that can't be moved on that Tuesday. Time to call Feinberg again...

 

[BigKurz]

So is it just me or has NU not rejected anyone yet?

Of course...considering that I've been complete for 2 months i think i get the idea...

 

[morriske]

So is it just me or has NU not rejected anyone yet?

Of course...considering that I've been complete for 2 months i think i get the idea...

I love how the status page says "your application is complete and under review". No its not! you looked at it 2 months ago when it was complete and decided not to interview me! I wish these schools would stop blowing smoke up my a$$ and tell it like it is...

 

[DrVanNostran]

I love how the status page says "your application is complete and under review". No its not! you looked at it 2 months ago when it was complete and decided not to interview me! I wish these schools would stop blowing smoke up my a$$ and tell it like it is...

Seriously, I feel like this whole process is a sham sometimes.

 

[Frankie.A]

I got my interview invite last night at 11:59 p.m. I was only given one option (12/12), and I have jury duty that can't be moved on that Tuesday. Time to call Feinberg again...

how did you find out about your interview at NU?

 

[mellybean]

Seriously, I feel like this whole process is a sham sometimes.

Yeah, for real. I understand LizzyM's point about how certain faculty members might be slower, etc., but no word at all two months or more after file completion - at least for a rolling admissions school - is, in my opinion, a clear sign that they don't want you. I tried to hold out for Feinberg this week and didn't purchase my tickets until today. Bye-bye, $300. Me = fool.

 

[45408]

SailCrazy was complete all last fall, but he got a January interview.

 

[DrVanNostran]

Yeah, for real. I understand LizzyM's point about how certain faculty members might be slower, etc., but no word at all two months or more after file completion - at least for a rolling admissions school - is, in my opinion, a clear sign that they don't want you. I tried to hold out for Feinberg this week and didn't purchase my tickets until today. Bye-bye, $300. Me = fool.

I know what you mean, makes me wonder why some schools have rolling admissions.

 

[Julius Erving]

Alright, well I don't know what people's status page says exactly, but I've been complete since early-August. Mine says "Your application is complete and still under review." Still is not emphasized by them, i took the liberty b/c no one else is indicating such a response. Do other people see the word still, or is it an indicator that maybe my file has been reviewed and they haven't decided whether to give an interview, where as the other peeps haven't even been reviewed yet????

 

[tdd340]

I've been complete since early october and mine also says "still", I think its pretty standard

 

[mikeinsd]

I got confirmed 10/02 and interview offer on 10/24 for 12/05 only (no options like it says they have). So it pretty much seems like the whole thing is random...

 

[mellybean]

Alright, well I don't know what people's status page says exactly, but I've been complete since early-August. Mine says "Your application is complete and still under review." Still is not emphasized by them, i took the liberty b/c no one else is indicating such a response. Do other people see the word still, or is it an indicator that maybe my file has been reviewed and they haven't decided whether to give an interview, where as the other peeps haven't even been reviewed yet????

I'm pretty sure it says "still under review" whether they've reviewed your application or not. Does anyone know if Feinberg has been sending out interview holds/rejections yet?

 

[Mortal_Lessons]

Not exactly sure, but I've been complete at Feinberg since 9/29 and haven't heard anything from them since then. It's annoying to see someone complete on 10/04 get an interview a few weeks later. Maybe we're all in the "maybe" pile...

 

[Prizzi]

I was complete on 9/22 and haven't heard anything from them either

 

[DrZeke]

I was complete on 9/22 and haven't heard anything from them either

might be that 7 in verbal. I wasn't going to apply to Feinberg - I have an 8 in verbal - because they seem to be a bit of a #s school. I noticed that people with 30's will get in there ,but they tend to have that 10 across the board thing going on. I know that even tho I have a 30+ I probably have ****ty chances at Feinberg, because of my 8.

At least that's what I gathered from the MSAR. I have been complete since 9/28 or something and I am not expecting much love...but you never know.

Hope you guys hear from them soon I think that some of us who are "still under review" have probably been reviewed and are possibly in a secret hold category.

 

[el1984]

i dunno...i have 12s across the board. decent ecs....complete since august 21. still under review. my essays must have been complete **** or something. i even called them, and they wouldn't tell me anything other than i should just wait. this is a bad year.

 

[DrZeke]

yeah...I was just saying, but honestly, I think sometimes it's a complete crapshoot. When I wrote my essay to Feinberg I talked about all my small group work experiences...cuz my friends there said that that's what they look for...

I dunno, you never know. I hope you hear back man.

 

[thesmartazz]

Hey, all. I have some good news. Even though the interview dates on the Feinberg website were pushed back all the way until January, I called the interview coordinator at Northwestern and got an interview on 12/8, the day after my Pritzker interview. So when the good news comes, don't be bashful about calling them up! I'm so happy that it all worked out! *pumps fists in air*

 

[monkily_stealth]

So is it just me or has NU not rejected anyone yet?

Of course...considering that I've been complete for 2 months i think i get the idea...

I've seen people in IL threads that say they've been rejected at NU. By the way, I'm also in the "still under review" BS category.

 

[Ridcully]

I know what you mean, makes me wonder why some schools have rolling admissions.

Northwestern isn't rolling. They sent out a small round of acceptances at the end of November, but all other acceptances go out at the end of February.

 

[MDapp06]

Hi All...just wondering...has anyone heard from Feinberg lately? My status is still "Complete and Under Review"...

good luck to everyone!

mdapp06

 

[blackrsx]

Hi All...just wondering...has anyone heard from Feinberg lately? My status is still "Complete and Under Review"...

good luck to everyone!

mdapp06

i believe the next batch (the first was in Nov) comes out mid feb

 

[monkily_stealth]

Hi All...just wondering...has anyone heard from Feinberg lately? My status is still "Complete and Under Review"...

good luck to everyone!

mdapp06

I too am apparently "Complete and Under Review", although I'm wondering what that means at this point.

 

[kevster2001]

Feinberg's last round of acceptances are coming in a few weeks (sometime during february). so i'm not sure what that means for hte people who still have not interviewed. i know that NW has a habit of simply shutting people out of their systems without actually giving them a rejection letter

 

[MDapp06]

Thanks for the responses! I called the office of admissions, and the lady I spoke with said that they extend interview invites until the first few weeks of February. So there is still hope for those of us who are waiting!!

good luck!

mdapp06

 

[ADeadLois]

Hi All...just wondering...has anyone heard from Feinberg lately? My status is still "Complete and Under Review"...

good luck to everyone!

mdapp06

I received an interview invite a week and half ago after giving up hope for them, so don't do the same.

 

[MDapp06]

I received an interview invite a week and half ago after giving up hope for them, so don't do the same.

Thanks, ADeadLois! That's great news -- hopefully I'll get the same news soon

good luck to all

mdapp06

 

[junqu]

could the people with the "Complete and under review" confirm if they've interviewed yet?

 

[junqu]

bump

 

[iwannagomed]

a word from the admissions office...

interviews will be conducted into the end of feb...

remaining invites will all go out very soon...

 

[junqu]

bump

lets turn this into the neurotic Feinberg thread of nothing useful.