Interviews make me unmotivated to do secondaries..

[Tippyboat]

I am very grateful for getting interviews early and I'm really excited, but it is making me consider not doing a few secondaries at schools I don't like as much.

First, I know NO amount of interviews guarantees an acceptance, I could end up with nothing. But still, the prospect of saving a few hundred dollars sounds really good to me, especially when I am seeing myself at those schools less and less (still really awesome schools of course, but maybe not for me anymore).

Has anyone else had this experience? Is it a legitimate strategy to cut down a few secondaries when the interviews hopefully indicate that my app is at least okay? I would decrease my total applications from 22 to maybe 20 or 19.

Thanks for your help!

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[Mr Karatepants]

Keep in mind that you are talking about saving a few hundred dollars on an application process that will probably cost 5-10 thousand, for an education that will cost you 150-200 thousand.

In other words, if you're going to skimp on the secondaries, do it to save yourself effort and sanity, but not the money.

On the other hand, turning down interviews once you get an acceptance is a worthwhile thing to do.

 

[mccarty7]

(sigh...) Jealous.

 

[jm192]

I am very grateful for getting interviews early and I'm really excited, but it is making me consider not doing a few secondaries at schools I don't like as much.

First, I know NO amount of interviews guarantees an acceptance, I could end up with nothing. But still, the prospect of saving a few hundred dollars sounds really good to me, especially when I am seeing myself at those schools less and less (still really awesome schools of course, but maybe not for me anymore).

Has anyone else had this experience? Is it a legitimate strategy to cut down a few secondaries when the interviews hopefully indicate that my app is at least okay? I would decrease my total applications from 22 to maybe 20 or 19.

Thanks for your help!

I was a secondary fiend until I got accepted. I'd sure hate to leave a secondary uncompleted, especially for a school that might accept me. Once you have an acceptance under your belt, you can start weeding out schools.

I appreciate wanting to save money. I'm borderline broke and can't wait for loan money to hit my bank account.

If you think you might hear back soon, maybe delay a few secondaries a tad bidt. But don't overdo it.

 

[clinicallabguy]

I am very grateful for getting interviews early and I'm really excited, but it is making me consider not doing a few secondaries at schools I don't like as much.

First, I know NO amount of interviews guarantees an acceptance, I could end up with nothing. But still, the prospect of saving a few hundred dollars sounds really good to me, especially when I am seeing myself at those schools less and less (still really awesome schools of course, but maybe not for me anymore).

Has anyone else had this experience? Is it a legitimate strategy to cut down a few secondaries when the interviews hopefully indicate that my app is at least okay? I would decrease my total applications from 22 to maybe 20 or 19.

Thanks for your help!

The same thing happened to me. Of course, ideally you would want to complete every secondary to increase your chances, but you hit a wall after so many especially if you get interviews at schools that you are excited about.

I think that there were 2-3 secondaries that I didn't complete because I had interviews at schools that I liked better. After I got acceptances, I knew that there was no point to filling out these secondaries considering how excited I was, or rather wasn't, about those particular schools. If your interviews are in September, perhaps you could get news in October regarding acceptance, rejection, or waitlist. That should still be before most secondary application deadlines, I believe.

I think it's up to you, but I don't know that it will kill you to take a breather from writing secondaries if you have multiple interviews. If you have 1 interview, I'd keep filling them out.

 

[Tippyboat]

Thanks for the advise, everyone. After being obsessed about being as early as possible with everything, it pains me to think about sending in secondaries in October to the point I'd rather just not do it haha. But yes that plan sounds reasonable.

What particularly makes this money-saving urge palpable is starting to look at flights and hotels. $#@$#@^

 

[flip26]

I sent out way too many primaries last year, around 25. Four or 5 of those primaries were a "panic" impulse when I hit 8/1 without any interview invites plus a couple of pre secondary "rejections" from places like Mayo and Vandy. But Aug 3 I got my first, and then several more by the end of the month, and I calmed down - my plan was on track.

I ended up doing only 15 secondaries - all submitted in July - I burned out on them and could not make myself do one more. It all turned out fine, but I was in an excellent position with my instate schools, so I really did not need to go overboard on secondaries.

So, my advice is "it depends." If you live in one of the states with really good instate chances (TX, Ohio, Fla, VA, MS, LA, AL...) then you can cut back on secondaries.

 

[Kaustikos]

I sent out way too many primaries last year, around 25. Four or 5 of those primaries were a "panic" impulse when I hit 8/1 without any interview invites. But Aug 3 I got my first, and then several more by the end of the month, and I calmed down.

I ended up doing only 15 secondaries - all submitted in July - I burned out on them and could not make myself do one more. It all turned out fine, but I was in an excellent position with my instate schools, so I really did not need to go overboard on secondaries.

So, my advice is "it depends." If you live in one of the states with really good instate chances (TX, Ohio, Fla, VA, MS, LA, AL...) then you can cut back on secondaries.

That and don't do the UK secondary....EVER

 

[sewcurious]

I'm not sure if someone already said this. I remember going through what you are. Just remember after you do a certain amount (for me about 7, esp UCSDs) the questions become very similar and there is way less creative thinking, and more cutting and pasting and editing.