How do interviews work?

[700003]

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I don't get how assigning interview slots works…the general consensus is that being complete early gets you early interviews. But does this mean that any applicant who is complete early-mid August will not get any early (same-year) interviews or will be forced to attend the January interviews at the earliest? Do schools really give out most of their interviews slots to those applicants who were complete by July (hence making August completers at a big disadvantage)?

 

[MDmichelle]

no

 

[MilaKunisDoe]

I think Basically they send you an invite for an interview after they see your application. Then they usually ask you questions during the inteview and then you have to answer their questions

 

[eteshoe]

I think Basically they send you an invite for an interview after they see your application. Then they usually ask you questions during the inteview and the you have to answer their questions

Oh! So that's how interviews work. Thanks for clearing that up 😉

 

[redferrari]

Not saying I represent everybody, but I submitted mid-August last year and had three interviews before Thanksgiving. I don't think there's some magic formula to determine when you get interviews, although applying early will set you up better.

 

[WellWornLad]

It's going to be different at every program. The most common situation is that if you get your application in before they start looking at their pile and you make the cut you'll generally get your pick of available interview dates (assuming you pick quickly - these days you really need to answer quickly when you get an invite). If you're marginal in their eyes you may have to wait until after a first round of invites goes out once they see what is left, or get called up last minute if someone drops a date. Some programs start looking at their pile on day 1, others will wait a bit. Don't read too much into the timing.

 

[ortnakas]

It's "first come first serve" to some extent. There's no hard and fast rule saying you're SOL if you're complete on August, but there are more opportunities for you to get an interview invite if you're complete sooner.

 

[Goro]

Earliest interviews will go to applicants who meet the school's mission, have the best stats and app or some other eye popping facet.

I don't get how assigning interview slots works…


Not always.
the general consensus is that being complete early gets you early interviews.

If you're not a good candidate, you won't get any interviews. Do a search in these forums for LizzyM's staircase analogy.

But does this mean that any applicant who is complete early-mid August will not get any early (same-year) interviews or will be forced to attend the January interviews at the earliest?

No...more like by Labor Day. But this will still vary from school to school
Do schools really give out most of their interviews slots to those applicants who were complete by July (hence making August completers at a big disadvantage)?

 

[700003]

Not saying I represent everybody, but I submitted mid-August last year and had three interviews before Thanksgiving. I don't think there's some magic formula to determine when you get interviews, although applying early will set you up better.

Do you mean you submitted your primary mid-August? Can you share your stats? Are you URM, military. etc?

 

[redferrari]

Do you mean you submitted your primary mid-August? Can you share your stats? Are you URM, military. etc?

Yes, I submitted AMCAS around mid-August. LizzyM~70. Not URM or military. I do have a unique background, though for anonymity sake, I will not divulge details.