I got an interview from Salus months before I'm scheduled to write my OAT. GPA is on the lower side. Should I go now instead of waiting till my OAT (end of March) or just wait, since they'll either reject/put application on hold till OAT scores are received? Other schools have put my application on hold till scores are received.
Interview before writing OAT
- Thread starter Fall1515
- Start date
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- Dec 14, 2015
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Hey @Fall1515
First, congrats on the interview! I figure your application must be pretty good since it balances out your lowish GPA and nonexistent OAT score.
Second, this is just one person's opinion. So do what you think is best for you.
Obviously, they can't accept you without an OAT and even if they like you, it all comes down to your OAT. I feel since you have a lowish GPA, your OAT weighs a lot more in a decision to accept you. I'm in the same boat. Lowish GPA, kinda late in the game, and aiming for a 330 at least. You can go to the interview, pay for the travel costs, but if in 3 months (plenty of time study and ace the OAT) you don't get a high enough score, then it was a waste. That's money you could be spending on a retest. I believe you can do awesome in 3 months if you put forth the effort. If you think you can do well in 3 months, i say go for it. Cause why not? But if you think there's a chance that you won't score high enough, then what's really the harm in waiting. I mean, you're on hold now, you're gonna be on hold in a month, in 2 months, 3 months. What i mean is, interviewing now won't put you any further ahead. They can't promise you a seat until the OAT. So you're on hold now, but basically you just sit at the bottom of the pile until your application is "complete." Or at least that's how i understood it to be.
Personally, i think you'll come across way better in an interview with an OAT to show. In case they ask you why you did bad in physics, you can flash them your physics 350 and show them you know your stuff. Like in a "making a comeback" kind of way.
But like i said, up to you!
First, congrats on the interview! I figure your application must be pretty good since it balances out your lowish GPA and nonexistent OAT score.
Second, this is just one person's opinion. So do what you think is best for you.
Obviously, they can't accept you without an OAT and even if they like you, it all comes down to your OAT. I feel since you have a lowish GPA, your OAT weighs a lot more in a decision to accept you. I'm in the same boat. Lowish GPA, kinda late in the game, and aiming for a 330 at least. You can go to the interview, pay for the travel costs, but if in 3 months (plenty of time study and ace the OAT) you don't get a high enough score, then it was a waste. That's money you could be spending on a retest. I believe you can do awesome in 3 months if you put forth the effort. If you think you can do well in 3 months, i say go for it. Cause why not? But if you think there's a chance that you won't score high enough, then what's really the harm in waiting. I mean, you're on hold now, you're gonna be on hold in a month, in 2 months, 3 months. What i mean is, interviewing now won't put you any further ahead. They can't promise you a seat until the OAT. So you're on hold now, but basically you just sit at the bottom of the pile until your application is "complete." Or at least that's how i understood it to be.
Personally, i think you'll come across way better in an interview with an OAT to show. In case they ask you why you did bad in physics, you can flash them your physics 350 and show them you know your stuff. Like in a "making a comeback" kind of way.
But like i said, up to you!
@PrettyOD Thanks for the reply! The school was insisting that I interview right away and I was going by the same logic as you thinking, even if all goes well I'm still gonna be put on hold till March. Pretty confused since I'm across the country and wanted to do a bunch of interviews all at once (if i end up getting them) to save money. But if there's an advantage of going now, then I will. I don't want to sound uninterested to the adcom so I hesitated from asking them if me coming now vs me coming in march would make any difference.
