How common are interviews in February/March?

[mreyno18]

I am a 3rd year and will be applying the cycle after my senior year. I am trying to think of things to do during that year. I know I will need to make time in the summer for the application process and for interviews in the fall/winter. I have a 3.98 gpa so I don’t need to necessarily have to do another academic program to boost my gpa. Also, since I will be applying before this gap year, what I do during this gap year will not really boost my application too much. I have excellent: (at time of application) ECs, volunteering (1300+), clinical hours (CNA: 2000+), research (1500), leadership, etc. so I don’t really need any significant booster during this gap year that I can predict on my future hours on AMCAS.

I was thinking:

• Spend the summer doing a clinical research internship and applying to medical school
• Then during the fall and early winter I would work as a nursing assistant at home, allowing for me to go on interviews.
• Then come spring, I have always wanted to do a ywam DTS. Ywam is a Christian organization and they have 5 month programs where you go almost anywhere in the world and spend 3 months (Feb-Apr) in “discipleship and Bible school” and then 2 months (May-June) in a remote area of the world doing outreach. They have a global health one where you get trained in Australia to do lots of medical things and assist the other health professionals. Then go to New Guinea working in mobile clinics in remote villages doing both spiritual and health outreach. This would go from the start of February until the end June. I would be in a big city for the first 3 months and have internet access. I may have internet access in the last 2 months, but it will be limited.

Obviously this is very specific, but I was wondering how likely it is that I would get interviews that would take place in February. Obviously being in Australia, I wouldn’t be able to go to any interviews in February or March. Are those common? Because if so, I need to change plans...

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[KnightDoc]

I think you need to change plans, not because you'll need to worry about IIs in February or March, but because you'll be halfway around the world during prime time of decision season. Yes, As begin to be issued in October, but a lot of schools are either non-rolling, or just don'[t release decisions that early. Take a look at the school specific threads of the schools you are thinking about, and see what I mean. In addition, you'll miss all the second looks, and will have to make decisions just based on your visits during your interviews.

Have you thought about applying now? I realize that won't be possible if you haven't taken the MCAT yet and aren't planning on taking it this spring, but, if your ywam turns out to be impractical, it doesn't sound like a gap year will be particularly productive or necessary for you. I'm applying next cycle, and wouldn't dream of being out of the country for more than a week or two from May through the following May.

While you are in a remote area of the world doing outreach, there is no telling what opportunities or deadlines you are going to miss. If you have your heart set on doing this, you should probably seriously consider TWO gap years, and applying when you return. JMHO.

 

[mreyno18]

As begin to be issued in October, but a lot of schools are either non-rolling, or just don'[t release decisions that early

Thank you for your opinion/advice! Wouldn't the decisions be given online? I do have complete access to the internet during the first 3 months (February - April) as I will be in a large city (Townsville, Australia) and will be on a "college-like" campus. I just would have limited internet access during May and June. I know that I will not get a chance to get second looks -- is that the only thing that I would miss out on? Would there be any reason why having internet during May and June would be absolutely necessary?

 

[Stride]

Obviously being in Australia, I wouldn’t be able to go to any interviews in February or March. Are those common? Because if so, I need to change plans...

Not sure what you mean by common. Are they as common as interviews that take place b/w Sept-Dec? No. But they still happen. I got an II like three weeks ago. What if you got an II from your dream school in March?

Would there be any reason why having internet during May and June would be absolutely necessary?

Yes! Many reasons! It is impossible to know what your application cycle will look like. Theoretically, you could leave someone in charge of your app to make sure CTE dates are covered, but I sure as heck wouldn't trust someone else with this big of an investment. What is you were on multiple waitlists that you might get off of? Needed to weigh financial aid packages? Adcom had a question about your file? Going w/o internet for two months is a huge risk. At the very least, you would need to notify the schools.

If you are set on doing this (which seems really awesome btw), I would consider a gap year before applying.

 

[KnightDoc]

Thank you for your opinion/advice! Wouldn't the decisions be given online? I do have complete access to the internet during the first 3 months (February - April) as I will be in a large city (Townsville, Australia) and will be on a "college-like" campus. I just would have limited internet access during May and June. I know that I will not get a chance to get second looks -- is that the only thing that I would miss out on? Would there be any reason why having internet during May and June would be absolutely necessary?

WL movement, and anything else the school might need to communicate to you prior to matriculation, and maybe require an immediate response. And, not just internet. Schools also have access to phones, and have been reported to occasionally use them. I certainly wouldn't want to fail to respond to a call because it was more important for me to be inaccessible a few months before my possible matriculation.

You might do it and things might very well work out just fine, so long as you are okay with the possibility that everything might blow up in your face and you might have to start another cycle when you get home. To me, it feels like timing to a trip to the airport to arrive 15 minutes before your flight is scheduled to take off. What could possibly go wrong???

 

[hopefulfuturemd1999]

I agree with others in this thread, I'm still in the fall 2021 cycle, and have had 3 interviews (1 in December, 1 in February, and 1 in march). It could be due to me submitting secondaries in September, but I still wouldn't risk it. Additionally, many schools having rolling admissions with interview seasons in August-March/April, so I would keep that in mind. Good luck!