How to choose where to interview

[VitaminVater]

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So I have been fortunate enough to receive multiple interview invites to close to all the schools I applied.
Being my indecisive self, I applied to way too many schools (23, but completed 21), broadly I'd say but also relatively top heavy.

I'm quickly running out of money (took out a 5K loan just for the cycle), and I don't think I'll be able to pay for travel to the rest of the places I can see myself going to. How can I decide where to interview and where to not? This process seems like such a crapshoot that I feel like I have to grab every interview slot I can find.
Any and all help is appreciated!

 

[br33gs]

I'm a current applicant as well, and I recently had to turn down an interview based on scheduling logistics. Basically, how I made my decision to either (1) turn down the interview or (2) more aggressively schedule/reschedule to accommodate it was to evaluate all the information I currently had about the schools and make the decision I felt most comfortable with. Unfortunately this wasn't ideal as I'd never visited either school, but was sort of a "work with what I have" scenario. One was a better-known program far from home; another was a smaller MSTP close to home. These distinguishing factors were enough for me to come to a clear decision.

It did feel really strange to let go of an interview. It's a huge change in mindset from the way I've been thinking about everything else this cycle, and I won't lie, I felt a little down about it for a day or so. But at this point in the process, it's a lot easier to let go of, and I've had some early success so it felt okay. I think you are in a similar situation with an application season that is going well. When I focus on the good things that have happened so far, this one strange decision falls off the map.

However, I think you're in a slightly different predicament because your decision is financial in nature. How many of your interviews will pay for your travel? (I saw you just got an II from WUSTL and they pay for everything, for example). My advice would be to slot in all those schools first, then work with the remainder to see what is best for you. Maybe taking on more debt is okay; maybe this is outside your comfort zone. Maybe interviewing widely is what best suits your "indecisive self"; maybe now that you have a few interviews under your belt you're comfortable crossing programs off your list.

Ultimately I'd recommend the decision that you are personally most comfortable with. When I think in these terms that usually helps me cast things in a clearer light. Hopefully someone else here can chip in with a relevant experience/ more obvious details, but I thought I'd contribute with how I tend to think about these problems when they come up.

 

[ValentinNarcisse]

They don't cover your interview travel and lodging costs these days? Times have changed.

 

[Neuronix]

Most places didn't cover airfare when I applied 12 years ago... I think I got airfare from 3 Midwest programs. Almost everyone had a stay with students option though.