interview time and waitlist position

[chibihibi]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hi, here's something I've been wondering for a while.
I understand that interviewing late at rolling schools is bad, and once the classes get filled, one might be interviewing for waitlist positions. But among this pool of late interviewing people, does interviewing relatively early vs. relatively late matter? Say if one interviews in February, does that individual have a higher chance of getting a "high" waitlist position than a person interviewing in late March?

Also, at non-rolling schools, it's the getting the interview part that's important, wheareas WHEN you actually do the interview doesn't really matter, right? So as long as the school does not run out of interviews before one's file is reviewed for interview invites, late vs. early doesn't really matter. I apologize in case these are really obvious questions, but I'm the only one I know personally that's applying to the US schools and this forum is a huge source of info for me! 🙂

 

[Cranial Gavage]

Say if one interviews in February, does that individual have a higher chance of getting a "high" waitlist position than a person interviewing in late March?

While some schools create ranked waitlists, others do not. For instance, at MUSC, applicants on the waitlist are not ranked. When a slot in the class opens, the AdCom reevaluates each applicant in the waitlist pool to make a decision. (I know- it sounds cumbersome- but that is what I was told.)

If a school does rank its waitlist, your scores, GPA, and experience will play a far more significant role in your waitlist position than your interview date.

 

[LikeClockWork]

I always assumed the schools that do rank the waitlist wait until after all the interviewer were complete before ranking them. Or I suppose they could always rank as they go, with better candidates bumping down the lower candidates as it goes along. I do know that U of L tells you which third of the waitlist you're ranked in, but they don't do that until after the interviews for the season are complete.