"In The Area" emails just to get an interview

[ynot89125]

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Okay so let me preface this by saying that I don't have anything against ITA emails. I think they are a great way to save money on flights which I know from personal experience can cost an arm and a leg. But I keep getting the sense from reading these threads that people are sending ITA emails IN ORDER to get an interview after prolonged periods of inactivity witht their application.

As in they were not planning to go to said city but sent an ITA email to the school anyway to see if they could get an interview.

What do you guys think about this? Personally I feel like it is unnecessary. If a school decides not to give you an interview there is a reason. Asking for a interview doesn't eliminate whatever issues the school had with your application that caused them to not interview you. I expect that you would have to completely amaze your interviewers for the interview to change anything.

 

[type12]

This is the most tame thing I've seen people lie about to get into medical school... So, if they can do worse, I wouldn't be surprised if this happens.

 

[Plecopotamus]

Given the outcomes people seem to report on here, I do not the "ITA" emails are very effective.

This is the most tame thing I've seen people lie about to get into medical school... So, if they can do worse, I wouldn't be surprised if this happens.

I'm more curious about this. What are people lying about? I can't imagine what single thing you could lie about that would make a marked difference in the success of your application and wouldn't be so huge that you'd be in huge trouble if you were found out.

 

[darkjedi]

ITA emails are not that helpful honestly. If you are willing to go to the length of pretending you are in the area, you might as well just sit down and write a real letter of interest, which will actually be taken into consideration.

 

[type12]

I'm more curious about this. What are people lying about? I can't imagine what single thing you could lie about that would make a marked difference in the success of your application and wouldn't be so huge that you'd be in huge trouble if you were found out.

One example:

Had a roommate claim he was Mexican, both parents white, last name white. Before his interview, he tanned himself, but it was obvious. Got waitlisted only at NYU dental. He called in Aug lying that he was called about his waitlist status and is returning the call (I only heard his side of the call since I was in the apt). Luckiest timing in the world? Apparently someone had called before about not attending, and person on the line assumed good news was for him without checking? They called back a few minutes after, confused and inquired if he remembers who he spoke to, but said they will honor the acceptance.

I think he's in his third year now. He could not stop talking about how intelligent he was and how he can play people. And that he did nothing wrong.

 

[ChemEngMD]

One example:

Had a roommate claim he was Mexican, both parents white, last name white. Before his interview, he tanned himself, but it was obvious. Got waitlisted only at NYU dental. He called in Aug lying that he was called about his waitlist status and is returning the call (I only heard his side of the call since I was in the apt). Luckiest timing in the world? Apparently someone had called before about not attending, and person on the line assumed good news was for him without checking? They called back a few minutes after, confused and inquired if he remembers who he spoke to, but said they will honor the acceptance.

I think he's in his third year now. He could not stop talking about how intelligent he was and how he can play people. And that he did nothing wrong.

Sounds like your roommate and I need to take a little trip down to el barrio...

 

[sunflower18]

One example:

Had a roommate claim he was Mexican, both parents white, last name white. Before his interview, he tanned himself, but it was obvious. Got waitlisted only at NYU dental. He called in Aug lying that he was called about his waitlist status and is returning the call (I only heard his side of the call since I was in the apt). Luckiest timing in the world? Apparently someone had called before about not attending, and person on the line assumed good news was for him without checking? They called back a few minutes after, confused and inquired if he remembers who he spoke to, but said they will honor the acceptance.

I think he's in his third year now. He could not stop talking about how intelligent he was and how he can play people. And that he did nothing wrong.

omg that is the craziest story!!! I can't believe that admissions person would have told him good news without checking!!

 

[CyberMaxx]

I don't understand what the benefit of this would be. I can't imagine a school would give you an interview just because you are in the area if they were not going to already. Further, it is not going to save you any money because you are not actually in the area. I get that this is a stressful process, but writing a fake in the area email seems crazy!

 

[osprey099]

I don't understand what the benefit of this would be. I can't imagine a school would give you an interview just because you are in the area if they were not going to already. Further, it is not going to save you any money because you are not actually in the area. I get that this is a stressful process, but writing a fake in the area email seems crazy!

Technically, it may allow your app to jump ahead of line and get reviewed before others, which can offset a late complete date to the detriment of all the people who were complete before you. Since it's agreed that getting an II is easier the earlier you are, some cookie cutters may get an II because of the ITA that they may not have received if they had been reviewed in their original place in line. This practice is disgusting. Everyone should play fair. If you submit late, that's your own fault and you shouldn't try to cheat at the expense of those who submitted earlier than you.

 

[TreadLightly]

I don't understand what the benefit of this would be. I can't imagine a school would give you an interview just because you are in the area if they were not going to already. Further, it is not going to save you any money because you are not actually in the area. I get that this is a stressful process, but writing a fake in the area email seems crazy!

I was under the impression that ITAs could possibly help you reschedule an interview (to a slightly earlier date) if you already had an ii and the admissions office was nice and willing?

I've never heard of anyone getting an ii simply because they sent a letter, and I seriously doubt they would let you jump so far ahead of other interviewees to the point where it helps you.

One example:

Had a roommate claim he was Mexican, both parents white, last name white. Before his interview, he tanned himself, but it was obvious. Got waitlisted only at NYU dental. He called in Aug lying that he was called about his waitlist status and is returning the call (I only heard his side of the call since I was in the apt). Luckiest timing in the world? Apparently someone had called before about not attending, and person on the line assumed good news was for him without checking? They called back a few minutes after, confused and inquired if he remembers who he spoke to, but said they will honor the acceptance.

I think this guy got super lucky...First, he got waitlisted instead of rejected, then he worked up the balls to call and lie, which could have won him a rejection, then they didn't check his name (??!?!), followed by the incredibly nice gesture of honoring the acceptance.

I think most schools would have said, "sorry my bad, you're still waitlisted" *click*

 

[histidine]

I sent out a few "in the area" emails. I was actually in the area. It worked for 2 out of the 3 schools. Ironically, they couldn't schedule me close enough to my other interview for me to actually be able to only book 1 flight for 2 interviews. I think if you are competitive for the school (mission lines up, grades line up, MCAT lines up) then you have a good chance of getting a positive result. I would not send "in the areas" to reach schools.

 

[gyngyn]

I don't understand what the benefit of this would be. I can't imagine a school would give you an interview just because you are in the area if they were not going to already. Further, it is not going to save you any money because you are not actually in the area. I get that this is a stressful process, but writing a fake in the area email seems crazy!

As much as I would like to increase efficiency in the system, I have never put any stock in ITA communications. So many applicants (and even their parents!) have used this ploy that it casts suspicion on all.

 

[histidine]

As much as I would like to increase efficiency in the system, I have never put any stock in ITA communications. So many applicants (and even their parents!) have used this ploy that it casts suspicion on all.

Then again, some schools specifically state on their website to contact them if you are in the area. WUSTL is one example.

 

[CyberMaxx]

As much as I would like to increase efficiency in the system, I have never put any stock in ITA communications. So many applicants (and even their parents!) have used this ploy that it casts suspicion on all.

LOL, are people's parents really that involved in the process? I have some friends whose parents are paying their application fees, but that's about the extent of it.

 

[Narmerguy]

I don't understand what the benefit of this would be. I can't imagine a school would give you an interview just because you are in the area if they were not going to already. Further, it is not going to save you any money because you are not actually in the area. I get that this is a stressful process, but writing a fake in the area email seems crazy!

As much as I would like to increase efficiency in the system, I have never put any stock in ITA communications. So many applicants (and even their parents!) have used this ploy that it casts suspicion on all.

It seems like you would get a marginal at best benefit from rescheduling an earlier interview if you weren't already competitive. It's silly to use this tactic as a way to try to improve your chances if you aren't legitimately "in the area", but I suspect that people will do it anyway because it gives them a sense of control over an often long and uncertain process.

I sent out a few "in the area" emails. I was actually in the area. It worked for 2 out of the 3 schools. Ironically, they couldn't schedule me close enough to my other interview for me to actually be able to only book 1 flight for 2 interviews. I think if you are competitive for the school (mission lines up, grades line up, MCAT lines up) then you have a good chance of getting a positive result. I would not send "in the areas" to reach schools.

I've had some success with in the area emails. From others I've spoken to, I do think it helps if you're not a strong reach at the school, but if you're legitimately in the area and finances are a struggle for you, then it won't hurt to send the email.

 

[JLC]

IMO you had better have a solid application in order to do so and a good reason as well and even then its no guarantee they can help.
I sent out many ITAs email, as I was not in the country and was able to get back to back dates at cornell and columbia, michigan and upitt. However I still had to return back to the US a second time for interviews at Hopkins and stanford.

 

[wrangler418]

if you're actually in the area I don't see a problem with these emails. Sometimes they work. I lived on the west coast and had back-to-back-to-back interviews at Mt. Sinai, NYU, and Columbia, so I sent an ITA email to Cornell and got an invite the next day. Sometimes they really do intend to give you an interview, but they just haven't gotten to your app yet

 

[C.glabrata123]

One example:

Had a roommate claim he was Mexican, both parents white, last name white. Before his interview, he tanned himself, but it was obvious. Got waitlisted only at NYU dental. He called in Aug lying that he was called about his waitlist status and is returning the call (I only heard his side of the call since I was in the apt). Luckiest timing in the world? Apparently someone had called before about not attending, and person on the line assumed good news was for him without checking? They called back a few minutes after, confused and inquired if he remembers who he spoke to, but said they will honor the acceptance.

I think he's in his third year now. He could not stop talking about how intelligent he was and how he can play people. And that he did nothing wrong.

What a sociopath.

 

[jaybird117]

I spoke to someone at my NYU interview yesterday, and according to them, they more or less just shove further emails from you into your file without reading. The only reason they even take them is to keep people from complaining.