Gonna be in area, ask for an interview?

[damntexan]

I just got an interview at UT Houston and I was wondering if I should call the other Texas schools to ask if I am going to be interviewed??? Has anyone done this???
I'd rather just take care of all of them at once instead of making several repeated trips....I gots no money!!!!!!!!!!

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[coldchemist]

DrKevin did it and it worked for him. I'd say go for it--they know this is an expensive process so I'm sure they'll be understanding.

 

[redleft123]

Interview trips can be expensive. I called and said that I wanted to consolidate my campus visits, and 5 of 6 schools went ahead and scheduled interviews for me. I gave them plenty of notice.

 

[WuzUpDoc]

well, i actually asked tufts to help me out since i'll be going to BU in a couple weeks and the guy who answered the phone seemed to be totally oblivious to what i was asking. he just kept being like, "did you get an invite? well, then, since you didn't get an invite yet, you can't do anything." (he sounded like some young student...) anyways, he didn't really seem to understand my situation. maybe other schools will be more understanding.

 

[loomis]

i just did this with WashU (gonna be at mayo in a few weeks). e-mailed them a few minutes ago. i'll let you know what they say!!!
loomis

 

[coldchemist]

Originally posted by WuzUpDoc
well, i actually asked tufts to help me out since i'll be going to BU in a couple weeks and the guy who answered the phone seemed to be totally oblivious to what i was asking. he just kept being like, "did you get an invite? well, then, since you didn't get an invite yet, you can't do anything." (he sounded like some young student...) anyways, he didn't really seem to understand my situation. maybe other schools will be more understanding.

Man, this would make me mad. That sucks because I need to know about Tufts AND I'm going to be interviewing at BU as well in a couple of weeks. I wish they wouldn't always assume that we knew every last one of their policies and procedures--it's like, I'm just asking, dude, now how about a semi-polite response instead of talking to me like I'm a little kid? All they have to say is "it's not our policy to give interview invitations over the phone."

 

[Fritz]

I called one of my schools to see if they are going to allow me to consolidate my visits, and they said that the ad com still has to look at my file, I am still in review. Once they make a decision they'll let me know. I guess no luck for me to save money. I'll have to go more than once to the East Coast. 400/ticket every time. But it probably does not hurt to try. You never know what it can happen.
Good luck!

 

[Amy B]

I think I have mixed thought on this one. On one hand interview trips are expensive, but on the other hand don't you think schools may think you are being arrogant by assuming you are going to get an interviewing and by your scheduling them on your timetable rather than the school.

I guess if your stats and application is very steller, then go for it, but if not, I wouldn't suggest doing it. I may be wrong, this is just my opinion.

 

[damntexan]

well I emailed them all...got a few generic "check your status by clicking this link" responses. I think I might need to call to actually get an answer. How annoying!

 

[Fritz]

Sometimes I think the schools should be a little bit more understanding of the circumstances of each individual. After all, most of us are still in school, or have recently graduated and barely making enough money to support ourselves. It is not like we are some movie star making millions of dollars a year and we can fly out to interviews whenever the schools desire. I really don't think it sounds arrongant to ask them if you could consolidate your visits. In my e-mails I did not say that I wanted to come on such and such date. I said something along the line, if the school would consider to give me an interview, can they do it on such and such date. I think depends a lot on how you phrase it. The schools should understand, and I think a lot of them do, that we are trying to save some money, that's all. Let's say that you have 10 interviews and you have to fly out to all of them, at 400/ interview it is about 4000 that you will be spending in addition to the 2000 that you've already spent on AMCAS and secondaries. I think it is a lot of money, and if you don't have that money in the bank and you have to take a loan or to put the charges on the credit card, than it is getting even more complicated. So I don't really think that the schools mind if you ask them politely if you could coordinate visits.