Interview for Alternate List???

[jdcinza13]

Hi folks,
I just wanted some thoughts from everyone here, I have gotten advice from a friend as well. Has anyone been invited to interview for an alternate list? What are your thoughts on that. I just got one, and will obviously go, but I wanted to see if anyone else had come across this situation...Let me know, Thanks!

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[KingHamster]

I would absolutely go, and treat it like any normal interview (meaning give your best shot), I know tons of people who got in through wait-list, seriously.

 

[demonicr]

i never heard of an interview for an alternate spot. especially since its not dec 1st yet. hey, but since your are offered a chance to interview for an alternate spot, if you need the extra insurance just in case you don't get accepted to the other schools, i would defiantely go.

 

[Dr.Smiley-OR]

Yeah, me too. I never heard about interview for an alternative list. How do you know that you are interviewed for an alternative spot instead of a real spot. The schools wouldn't let you know that. And the alternative list will not be made until the school offers all its spots to the applicants. And if the school already has an alternative list, then why would it bothers to waste its time interviewing you? An alternative list usually contains several applicants who are waiting for the next available spots. This is a weird matter, care to explain more? Thanks!

 

[boogaking]

Alternate spots??? Yikes!!! what school is this? Now im getting worried!!!

 

[KingHamster]

Yeah, me too. I never heard about interview for an alternative list. How do you know that you are interviewed for an alternative spot instead of a real spot. The schools wouldn't let you know that. And the alternative list will not be made until the school offers all its spots to the applicants. And if the school already has an alternative list, then why would it bothers to waste its time interviewing you? An alternative list usually contains several applicants who are waiting for the next available spots. This is a weird matter, care to explain more? Thanks!

I'll explain a little although I'm not the original author. My roommate got a letter from Boston U. dental school last year (2004 entering cycle) stating, -not a exact quote but very similar- "we have accepted enough students to fill our class and some more, but if you want to come interview for an alternative list (aka wait list), then please call and schedule", then when he went for his interview, the first thing adcom told all the students was that they were being interviewed for the wait list.

Not exactly sure when he applied though, since I moved in around Dec. 2003. However, I actually read this letter myself, so apparantly some schools tell students that they are now interviewing for a chance to be placed on a wait list.

 

[Mo007]

Expect the alternate list to roll as early as January 2005 in some schools. It pays to apply early.

 

[busdriver]

hey i was interviewed as an alternate for ucla in january (of last year) and i turned in my app pretty early too (like in june). it confused me why they wanted to interview me so early as an alternate and i still don't know exactly why. but yeah, they specifically told me "you are interviewing as an alternate" and this was before their class was filled (supposedly). yeah so i dunno. but definitely go to the interview because i know some people that were interviewed as alternates and were accepted. the part that stunk was that i had to wait till mar/april just to hear where i was on the alternate list (like if i was high or low on the list). so that was kind of nerve-racking. but it was cool by then cuz i was accepted to other schools of my choice.

 

[45540]

I applied to a few schools in december of last year and was interviewed in march/april. I was informed that the class was already full and i was interviewing for the waitlist. Even with all that I was accepted to all three schools that way.

So definitely treat it as a real interview and it should pan out.

 

[vasco]

I know that Louisville fills up its out of state spots on december 1st. So any interview after dec 1st is for an alternate spot. I thought that was really quick. I'm sure than only about half of the out of staters accepted on Dec 1st will actually attend. So the alternate interviews are real deals.

 

[J2AZ]

Case has begun to send out alternate list interview invites.

 

[jdcinza13]

I wasn't going to mention school names, but the last post had it right on the money. It was an official letter from the school, but it said we would like to interview you for an alternate list. I'm going to treat it like any other interview, but it was the first time i'd actually heard of an "alternate list interview", especially before Dec. 1. Go figure. I'm going to call them tomorrow to find out what the details are.

 

[The Musketeer]

Yes, Case do start their alternate list interviews very early as they do have a lot of applicants. The reason for the early alternate list is that because their tuition is also on the higher end of the spectrum, some applicants that get accepted at Case and other less expensive schools will usually opt for the latter. Therefore many spots will open up and to fill it, Case will have to rely on the alternate list.

Also, some people who are still on the alternate list after when all the spots have been officially filled may also be given a deferred acceptance.

I wasn't going to mention school names, but the last post had it right on the money. It was an official letter from the school, but it said we would like to interview you for an alternate list. I'm going to treat it like any other interview, but it was the first time i'd actually heard of an "alternate list interview", especially before Dec. 1. Go figure. I'm going to call them tomorrow to find out what the details are.

 

[Red823]

hey i was interviewed as an alternate for ucla in january (of last year) and i turned in my app pretty early too (like in june). it confused me why they wanted to interview me so early as an alternate and i still don't know exactly why. but yeah, they specifically told me "you are interviewing as an alternate" and this was before their class was filled (supposedly). yeah so i dunno. but definitely go to the interview because i know some people that were interviewed as alternates and were accepted. the part that stunk was that i had to wait till mar/april just to hear where i was on the alternate list (like if i was high or low on the list). so that was kind of nerve-racking. but it was cool by then cuz i was accepted to other schools of my choice.

I asked the adcom at UCLA and they mentioned something about a list of interviewees for the position and a list of interviewees for alternates. I don't know why that is the case or if that means there is a parallel list of very qualified applicants vs less qualified applicants. No clue about this. if anyone knows more please explain.

 

[canthacklt]

I was also interviewed at UCLA last February as an alternate, and they told me that I would find out my position on the waitlist by the end of March. It turns out they flat out accepted me about a week after I interviewed, so apparently it's possible to get in without even being put on the waitlist.

 

[jdcinza13]

Yes, Case do start their alternate list interviews very early as they do have a lot of applicants. The reason for the early alternate list is that because their tuition is also on the higher end of the spectrum, some applicants that get accepted at Case and other less expensive schools will usually opt for the latter. Therefore many spots will open up and to fill it, Case will have to rely on the alternate list.

Also, some people who are still on the alternate list after when all the spots have been officially filled may also be given a deferred acceptance.

So, if you're on the alternate list this year, it's possible to be guaranteed a spot in 2006??? That's not too bad!

 

[The Musketeer]

So, if you're on the alternate list this year, it's possible to be guaranteed a spot in 2006??? That's not too bad!

I believed only a certain number of successful applicants will be granted deferred acceptance. One of my friends now got in because of the deferred acceptance. So even if you are on the alternative list, anything can happen!