Is it a little strange?

[Miltown]

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I was accepted to Western U after an early interview, which is great. However, I was hoping to get interviews at schools like CCOM or PCOM and I haven't heard much. I was also invited to interview at Southeastern. I'm confused as to why I would be accepted to Western and not even get interviews at CCOM or PCOM. What's the deal?

 

[TopQuark]

When did you complete your secondaries? From the school specific discussion threads, it seems like PCOM and CCOM are moving slow this year.

 

[AMEHigh]

Nope, not strange at all.

 

[Emerald84]

Yep. they are.

 

[CardioPlus]

The process is just that unpredictable

 

[JaggerPlate]

The process is just that unpredictable

Nailed it. Counting on anything in this process is a foolish thing to do in my opinion. Try your hardest, put your best foot forward, but never assume you'll get an interview anywhere. You could have stats way above averages etc and there could still be something missing from your application that the committee was looking for. On the other hand, it works both ways and sometimes you get interviews at schools where you didn't think you stood a chance. Be grateful for an acceptance.

 

[JediZero]

*shrugs* I got interviews at two schools with 10k+ applicants, but not even a secondary from one of my state schools. No reason why.

Different places look at different things, and use different methods to evaluate candidates. You catch a lucky break and get reviewed by an adcom in a cheerful mood, or get screwed because you're reviewed by someone having a bad day.

Basically, each school is an independent process, and what happens with one has no effect on what happens in another.

 

[scpod]

....Basically, each school is an independent process, and what happens with one has no effect on what happens in another.

You'll find that this is the case throughout your entire medical career. You will not get a residency invite to a place where all your friends were invited, even though you had better grades and board scores than any of them. You gotta get used to it. You're in the real world now.

 

[JaggerPlate]

You'll find that this is the case throughout your entire medical career. You will not get a residency invite to a place where all your friends were invited, even though you had better grades and board scores than any of them. You gotta get used to it. You're in the real world now.

I think it comes down to the fact that no matter how much you prepare/pad yourself as an applicant, you still just don't know what certain admission committees are looking for. It really can come down to one little thing that someone else has and you don't, and this factor was more important to something superior your possessed. The kicker is that you probably will never know what it was either, and these little factors aren't consistent between people admitting you into things. Like you said, it's life ... try to be the best, don't expect anything, apply as broadly as you can and hope you get lucky!!

 

[Miltown]

Thanks for your posts everyone. I don't really feel any less anxious about getting those interviews, but I won't take it as personally if it doesn't happen. I'm just happy to be accepted somewhere!