How many interviews do applicants get?

[flodhi1]

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So I was wondering how many interviews are a good sign for an acceptance? now I know it's on a case by case basis and the more the merrier but I'm just asking in a general sense. How many interviews do average and competitive applicants tend to get? 👍

 

[Don15]

I read somewhere that average is 1 acceptance for every 3 interviews. This doesn't mean you should automatically assume if you have 3 more interviews that you are definitely getting accepted. Treat every interview like it is your only one.

 

[Barcu]

It really depends and is pretty difficult to provide a good answer.

If you look at most schools, maybe 1/4 up to 1/2 of those interviewed get an acceptance. But of course, there are other factors at play. Maybe someone interviewed but withdrew, so these numbers can be a little misleading.

It also depends on you as an applicant Some people, may get 5 interviews and 5 acceptances. Others are not quite that lucky. Your school list and your ability to interview will be factors there.

I would say you would want at least a few interviews to feel pretty good. You wanna get a little experience. And you need to be prepared (mock interviews, answers to common questions, knowledge of the school, etc).

 

[Mithril]

Too many variables. Any statistics you come across will just give you a false sense of security.

 

[Slowpoke]

let us hope it is 1.

 

[drizzt3117]

As others have said, it's hard to say bc how many interviews you get depends wholly on how many programs you apply to and which ones, relative to your profile. I applied to 32, got 26 offers, attended 18, got 12 acceptances, idk how useful that is to you though. (~3.7/40)

 

[wanderer]

Varies a ton by school. Temple for example accepts something like 80% of IS interviewees. WashU accepts <30% of interviewees. I'd say that if you have 3 or more interviews you are very likely to be accepted somewhere unless you are really bad at interviewing or have very poor ECs. Most schools outside the top 20 accept 50% of interviewess.

 

[kautionwirez]

As others have said, it's hard to say bc how many interviews you get depends wholly on how many programs you apply to and which ones, relative to your profile. I applied to 32, got 26 offers, attended 18, got 12 acceptances, idk how useful that is to you though. (~3.7/40)

😱

I wish I had your shoes right now for this cycle....

 

[CaliGirl14]

😱😱😱 32 schools with those stats?!
lol Y U do Dat?

I second this.

Y u do that?

 

[drizzt3117]

😱😱😱 32 schools with those stats?!
lol Y U do Dat?

CA resident, applied to essentially the top 25 schools + CA, got slightly more love than I expected.

 

[drizzt3117]

😱

I wish I had your shoes right now for this cycle....

You know, I ended up attending the 2nd school I interviewed at. It was nice to have a lot of options but it also makes for a long cycle. I think if I had to do it all over again I would have shut things down by Xmas with half the interviews and a few acceptances in hand, but my cycle was sort of constant instead of a burst of interviews, I was just getting 1-2 offers a week from august to feb.

 

[kpcrew]

depends on your stats and the rest of your application
you can apply to 20 schools and get 0 if you have a low gpa and low mcat or apply to 10 and get 9 interviews
it's a bit of a crapshoot, sometimes high stats applicants get rejected outright without even an interview

 

[doctorshateher]

Anywhere from zero to the number of school they applied to (though its very rare to ever reaching 100% interview return).

It depends entirely on your primary app, the schools you apply to and if the school sees you as a fit via PS, ECs and secondary essays.

 

[NickNaylor]

You know, I ended up attending the 2nd school I interviewed at. It was nice to have a lot of options but it also makes for a long cycle. I think if I had to do it all over again I would have shut things down by Xmas with half the interviews and a few acceptances in hand, but my cycle was sort of constant instead of a burst of interviews, I was just getting 1-2 offers a week from august to feb.

I had the same experience. I was accepted to the school I'm attending in early December but went on 4 or 5 more interviews. It would've been nice to stop after I got that acceptance, but I just couldn't turn down interviews. I think I would've always been asking "what if."

 

[Narmerguy]

I had the same experience. I was accepted to the school I'm attending in early December but went on 4 or 5 more interviews. It would've been nice to stop after I got that acceptance, but I just couldn't turn down interviews. I think I would've always been asking "what if."

In my opinion it seems hard to turn down an interview before you've seen what kind of money they're all willing to offer.

Any school could rise to the top of my pile if they offered enough money.

 

[Etorphine]

In my opinion it seems hard to turn down an interview before you've seen what kind of money they're all willing to offer.

Any school could rise to the top of my pile if they offered enough money.

To preface this post, I'm uninformed about these cash incentives, but at what stage will they straight up offer you cash to go? Do you have to tell them you've been accepted to XXX and XXX other schools, or will they just offer? In my own case, it is August and I've gotten 10 interviews this cycle (including multiple top-20 and top-10), still waiting to hear back from 15 other schools. Most likely, I will get multiple acceptances if I play my cards right, but how do I get the moneys?

 

[NickNaylor]

To preface this post, I'm uninformed about these cash incentives, but at what stage will they straight up offer you cash to go? Do you have to tell them you've been accepted to XXX and XXX other schools, or will they just offer? In my own case, it is August and I've gotten 10 interviews this cycle (including multiple top-20 and top-10), still waiting to hear back from 15 other schools. Most likely, I will get multiple acceptances if I play my cards right, but how do I get the moneys?

Email them.

 

[MayoorBust]

To preface this post, I'm uninformed about these cash incentives, but at what stage will they straight up offer you cash to go? Do you have to tell them you've been accepted to XXX and XXX other schools, or will they just offer? In my own case, it is August and I've gotten 10 interviews this cycle (including multiple top-20 and top-10), still waiting to hear back from 15 other schools. Most likely, I will get multiple acceptances if I play my cards right, but how do I get the moneys?

Btw I have 10 interviews (a couple from the top 20 and top 10) and I am not even thinking about this until I have an acceptance in hand. This process is really a humbling experience.... don't count your chickens before they hatch. 👍

 

[NickNaylor]

Btw I have 10 interviews (a couple from the top 20 and top 10) and I am not even thinking about this until I have an acceptance in hand. This process is really a humbling experience.... don't count your chickens before they hatch. 👍

Definitely true. You can't really start the "bargaining game" until you have multiple acceptances from "peer institutions" of the school you're interested in. And even then, there are some schools that simply won't give you merit aid (Hopkins, for example). The Ivies are generally generous with their financial aid, but not everyone will receive the grants, etc. that they offer. If you really want a chance at a scholarship, apply to schools known for their merit aid (Chicago, Vandy, Mayo, and Penn come to mind, though I'm sure there are others).

 

[aSagacious]

Definitely true. You can't really start the "bargaining game" until you have multiple acceptances from "peer institutions" of the school you're interested in. And even then, there are some schools that simply won't give you merit aid (Hopkins, for example). The Ivies are generally generous with their financial aid, but not everyone will receive the grants, etc. that they offer. If you really want a chance at a scholarship, apply to schools known for their merit aid (Chicago, Vandy, Mayo, and Penn come to mind, though I'm sure there are others).

While we're on the subject (not that I'll ever be in this position) do schools basically take your word for it?

"Hey, I just got offers from X, Y, and Z and am trying to compare financial aid packages... do you have any merit scholarship money lying around?"

"Oh yeah sure fill out your FAFSA and we'll give you 20k/yr towards tuition"

...is it really as easy as that?

 

[kpcrew]

While we're on the subject (not that I'll ever be in this position) do schools basically take your word for it?

"Hey, I just got offers from X, Y, and Z and am trying to compare financial aid packages... do you have any merit scholarship money lying around?"

"Oh yeah sure fill out your FAFSA and we'll give you 20k/yr towards tuition"

...is it really as easy as that?

i thought that there's a certain date where schools can see the schools to which their applicants have received acceptances.

 

[aSagacious]

i thought that there's a certain date where schools can see the schools to which their applicants have received acceptances.

Oh yeah, good point. *derp* That means we're getting past my bedtime.

 

[deleted357625]

😱😱😱 32 schools with those stats?!
lol Y U do Dat?

late application?

 

[drizzt3117]

late application?

Nope, I applied on the first day.

 

[Lil Mick]

More antecdotal evidence (average accepted MD/PhD student): applied to 18 schools as MD/PhD, had interview offers at most, went to 10 interviews, accepted to 5 programs. (The reason for so many was a bad year of college with a red flag on some of the applications.)

 

[SteveJMarist]

I hope the 1 in 3 average statistic is correct. 🙂

 

[bozmajeh]

As others have said, it's hard to say bc how many interviews you get depends wholly on how many programs you apply to and which ones, relative to your profile. I applied to 32, got 26 offers, attended 18, got 12 acceptances, idk how useful that is to you though. (~3.7/40)

you applied to 😱 32 schools?
I bet you were so sad that 6 schools didn't offer you interview.

 

[CodeBlu]

All it takes is one...

Generally if you get 3-4 interviews... and you're not a social ****** and the committee likes you... you got it made.

 

[monkeyMD]

All it takes is one...

Generally if you get 3-4 interviews... and you're not a social ****** and the committee likes you... you got it made.

What is a "social ******" anyway.

 

[nadaba]

What is a "social ******" anyway.

You know, I haven't met a single person on the interview trail who is obviously a weirdo. Maybe a few who were just a little off, but nothing major. I wonder if this social ****** thing is a myth.

 

[AZFutureDoc]

You know, I haven't met a single person on the interview trail who is obviously a weirdo. Maybe a few who were just a little off, but nothing major. I wonder if this social ****** thing is a myth.

I've met some veeeeerrrrry strange people on the trail. Some of them asked the most awkward questions to speakers, and I could see adcoms sitting in the back of the room just giggling and shaking their heads at the lack of common sense of some of the interviewees.

 

[nadaba]

I've met some veeeeerrrrry strange people on the trail. Some of them asked the most awkward questions to speakers, and I could see adcoms sitting in the back of the room just giggling and shaking their heads at the lack of common sense of some of the interviewees.

Maybe I just need to give it time

 

[monkeyMD]

Maybe I just need to give it time

I think I want to create a new thread for stories about "social ******s." (man, that sounds harsh).