Has anyone else ever been given an interview in error?

[keenalkene]

I was really excited to get an interview request from one of my top choice med schools a few days ago. Got an email today saying the interview offer was extended in error and my app is still under review. It was pretty crushing honestly because I only have 2 II and I wasn’t crazy about the school for one of those and won’t hear about the other for a long time. My LizzyM is only 66 so I’m anxious about not getting in anywhere.

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[jarednogeek]

I just sounds really messed up to me man I’m sorry. Big error on their part. I guess it’s not as bad as them giving someone an acceptance and then taking it back though

 

[keenalkene]

I just sounds really messed up to me man I’m sorry. Big error on their part. I guess it’s not as bad as them giving someone an acceptance and then taking it back though

That’d be a whole different level of messed up if that’s ever happened. That’d be like proposing to a girl and saying oops wrong person.

 

[Goro]

I was really excited to get an interview request from one of my top choice med schools a few days ago. Got an email today saying the interview offer was extended in error and my app is still under review. It was pretty crushing honestly because I only have 2 II and I wasn’t crazy about the school for one of those and won’t hear about the other for a long time. My LizzyM is only 66 so I’m anxious about not getting in anywhere.

Humans are fallible, alas.

 

[Master Thinker]

Yeah the whole fiasco that Oakland had a few weeks ago

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I just sounds really messed up to me man I’m sorry. Big error on their part. I guess it’s not as bad as them giving someone an acceptance and then taking it back though

Which happened to a bunch of people this cycle.

 

[RNthenDoc]

Very unprofessional.

That really sucks, sorry that happened OP!

 

[LizzyM]

I did hear of it happening but the school went ahead and interviewed 6-10 applicants. The difference in quality of that cohort and the usual interviewed applicants was stark and made it clear to us our pre-interview reviewing system was better than just picking a random sample of applicants.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

There was that time someone shared a link to schedule yourself for Albert Einstein interviews without invitations...

Spoiler

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

There was that time someone shared a link to schedule yourself for Albert Einstein interviews without invitations...

Spoiler

Forgot about that lol.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

I did hear of it happening but the school went ahead and interviewed 6-10 applicants. The difference in quality of that cohort and the usual applicants was stark and made it clear to us our system was better than just picking a random sample of applicants.

You're at a top-20 school where NASA rocket scientist applicants are a dime a dozen; your system has to be better than a random sample!

 

[Stagg737]

That’d be a whole different level of messed up if that’s ever happened. That’d be like proposing to a girl and saying oops wrong person.

Pretty sure there's a thread on here somewhere about someone this happened too...

Or there's also that case where a school offered too many acceptances and had to defer a bunch of the accepted to the next class...

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

I think that a medical school admissions office that offers one or even a dozen II in error should let the students know that they were invited in error, but nevertheless welcome them for an interview (ie informed consent!). If a student is far below the usual stats, (without other compelling data), they could still choose to go to the II, but would then understand that their trip might be more of a donation to the local travel economy than a realistic chance for acceptance. Obviously if dozens of students are sent II invites in error, then a school would most likely have to issue emailed apologies, as the school would unlikely be able to accommodate so many "less qualified: applicants for interviews.

 

[Med Ed]

I was really excited to get an interview request from one of my top choice med schools a few days ago. Got an email today saying the interview offer was extended in error and my app is still under review. It was pretty crushing honestly because I only have 2 II and I wasn’t crazy about the school for one of those and won’t hear about the other for a long time. My LizzyM is only 66 so I’m anxious about not getting in anywhere.

That sucks, but the school was doing you a favor by being honest about the situation.

These types of mistakes are uncommon but they do happen from time to time. Over the years admissions has become increasingly reliant on third party software packages that each promise the world but invariably deliver much less. Add in some human error and the eventual outcome is preordained.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Pretty sure there's a thread on here somewhere about someone this happened too...

Or there's also that case where a school offered too many acceptances and had to defer a bunch of the accepted to the next class...

One school in the northeast sent out a bunch of acceptances accidentally earlier this cycle. To be fair, they were sent out to people who hadn’t even interviewed yet, but still. It’s probably hard not to get excited seeing an acceptance email, and like 1% of applicants do get in without an interview.

 

[bahdahboom]

I was really excited to get an interview request from one of my top choice med schools a few days ago. Got an email today saying the interview offer was extended in error and my app is still under review. It was pretty crushing honestly because I only have 2 II and I wasn’t crazy about the school for one of those and won’t hear about the other for a long time. My LizzyM is only 66 so I’m anxious about not getting in anywhere.

A guy I knew was sent an acceptance letter by mistake. It was terrible. He was later wait-listed then rejected. It happens

 

[Lucca]

There was that time someone shared a link to schedule yourself for Albert Einstein interviews without invitations...

Spoiler

Good times. Such a savage email

 

[Goro]

I think that a medical school admissions office that offers one or even a dozen II in error should let the students know that they were invited in error, but nevertheless welcome them for an interview (ie informed consent!). If a student is far below the usual stats, (without other compelling data), they could still choose to go to the II, but would then understand that their trip might be more of a donation to the local travel economy than a realistic chance for acceptance. Obviously if dozens of students are sent II invites in error, then a school would most likely have to issue emailed apologies, as the school would unlikely be able to accommodate so many "less qualified: applicants for interviews.

I see I have a disciple. Love the screen name!

 

[Isoval]

I see I have a disciple. Love the screen name!

“Senpai noticed me!”

 

[bananafish94]

I think all of my interviews and acceptance were likely in error.

 

[DrMcCoyDO]

I think all of my interviews and acceptance were likely in error.

I still feel that way, sometimes, and I’ve already graduated!

 

[bananafish94]

A guy I knew was sent an acceptance letter by mistake. It was terrible. He was later wait-listed then rejected. It happens

If I made a mistake like that I would just let the guy in. Everyone who gets an interview is already basically qualified already and I couldn’t let that weigh on my conscience. Unless it’s a situation where somehow everyone accidentally gets an acceptance email which would be a true nightmare.

 

[bahdahboom]

If I made a mistake like that I would just let the guy in. Everyone who gets an interview is already basically qualified already and I couldn’t let that weigh on my conscience. Unless it’s a situation where somehow everyone accidentally gets an acceptance email which would be a true nightmare.

Yep I agree. I don’t understand why they didn’t just let him in..

 

[Goro]

Yep I agree. I don’t understand why they didn’t just let him in..

Because it was a mistake, and med schools have an obligation to the public, not the hurt feelings of pre-meds.

 

[DrMcCoyDO]

Unless it’s a situation where somehow everyone accidentally gets an acceptance email which would be a true nightmare.

Not at the South Harmon Institute of Technology, it wouldn’t be!