Interview request

[dentdude]

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I am living overseas this year, and have applied to dental schools. I have some interviews scheduled for sometime in Novermber, so i'll be coming back to America during that time. I'm also waiting to hear back from another school. Would it be a bad idea to call/email this other school to basically say something like "If you're planning to invite me for an interview at all, would you be able to do it during that time that i'm in the country so that I don't have to fly back a second time?"

 

[dantemac]

I'd be more vague and ask them just about a generic application status. I know it's an expensive question for you, but I wouldn't push it.

 

[Baker2010]

I'd be more vague and ask them just about a generic application status. I know it's an expensive question for you, but I wouldn't push it.

Dantemac is right. Plus, requesting an interview, I don't see a way that could come off as positive.
I feel your pain though, I live in the northeast and had an early interview in CA and I would have loved to asked the other ca schools about this so I don't have to fly there and book hotels more than once $$$ unfortunately that's how the game goes

 

[dantemac]

Interviews are a financial and logistical nightmare, but completely worth it in my opinion!

 

[BobLoblawDDS]

Unfortunately that's the way the cookie crumbles. I booked my flights and hotels as early as possible to get lower pricing and so I wouldn't miss out on the times I needed. If I had waited I could've booked two interviews back to back and saved myself an extra plane ticket.

Oh well. We've already spent thousands on this stuff. What's stopping us now, right? 😳

 

[amalgamgrillz]

I am living overseas this year, and have applied to dental schools. I have some interviews scheduled for sometime in Novermber, so i'll be coming back to America during that time. I'm also waiting to hear back from another school. Would it be a bad idea to call/email this other school to basically say something like "If you're planning to invite me for an interview at all, would you be able to do it during that time that i'm in the country so that I don't have to fly back a second time?"

If it's just one school, then it flying back shouldn't be that big of a deal. It's a drop in the bucket compared to international tuition fees..so I wouldn't risk angering them.

 

[Waldo2012]

I was in this situation. Oklahoma invited me for an interview and I was waiting to hear back from Baylor. I called Baylor and asked when they were going to extend interview invites to out of staters. Then I contacted Oklahoma and asked if it would be okay, because I was on a tight budget, if I waited a week or two to hear back from a close by school to try and schedule both of the schools in one trip. Oklahoma replied and was very understanding. I was able to get interviews at both and now have them planned in the same weekend. It depends on how you feel too. Oklahoma isn't my top choice and so if they were upset by what I said I wouldn't have been extremely disappointed. But if they were my top school I might have approached it differently. It did work out though... so far.

 

[dantemac]

I had Western give me an interview in early October, I delayed it, and then ASDOH give me one later in November. I had to call both and get them the same week, they were more than accommodating, seeing as a 6 hour drive both ways is better than 6 hour flights.

If you really want to hold out for an interview, delay the others. Try to make it the same trip. (Logistical nightmare, I know).

 

[dentdude]

Dantemac is right. Plus, requesting an interview, I don't see a way that could come off as positive.
I feel your pain though, I live in the northeast and had an early interview in CA and I would have loved to asked the other ca schools about this so I don't have to fly there and book hotels more than once $$$ unfortunately that's how the game goes

i hear what ur saying but do u tihnk it'd make any difference if i stated that i also understand that there's a possibility that i may not be invited at all? it happens to be that this school in my top choices

 

[dentdude]

Oklahoma isn't my top choice and so if they were upset by what I said I wouldn't have been extremely disappointed. But if they were my top school I might have approached it differently. It did work out though... so far.

What would u have done differently if they had been ur top choices, cus that's the boat i'm in.

 

[Baker2010]

i hear what ur saying but do u tihnk it'd make any difference if i stated that i also understand that there's a possibility that i may not be invited at all? it happens to be that this school in my top choices

I mean, if you want, you can try but I just hear that some schools are much less receptive to that kind of question than others.
Like one of the above posters mentioned that Oklahoma was understanding.
Maybe if you phrase it right then it will be ok?
It would suck if they took offense to it as though you expect an interview and it coming off sounding like "well if you are going to give me an interview, do it now" type of thing.