No Interviews Yet, Should I be Worried?

[persia]

Well, I was wondering if I should be worried if I've been verified since late August and done almost all my secondaries by say, almost two weeks ago but no one's asked me to come and interview.

Should I be completely upset about this or should I just keep my chin up and have some faith? I mean, alot of people are interviewing now and even being accepted and I don't have any interviews. When should I really start getting anxious about not hearing ... does anyone know? Or am I just being insanely nervous?

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[Fritz]

I am in a similar situation, but at least I have an interview. But before I found out about it, about a week ago, I was very depressed. I am still worried about it, because I have not heard anything from all my other schools. I think that maybe they have a lot of applications to review, and maybe it takes a while to go through all of them. I think it is still early in the process.

 

[rgporter]

Originally posted by persia
Well, I was wondering if I should be worried if I've been verified since late August and done almost all my secondaries by say, almost two weeks ago but no one's asked me to come and interview.

Should I be completely upset about this or should I just keep my chin up and have some faith? I mean, alot of people are interviewing now and even being accepted and I don't have any interviews. When should I really start getting anxious about not hearing ... does anyone know? Or am I just being insanely nervous?

I'd say you should wait atleast 6 weeks before you get worried. The fastest I've heard of anyone hearing back is 2 weeks after having their file complete. If you don't have eye popping stats you'll probably be waiting a little while since the adcoms are no doubt waiting for the gems from the august MCAT.

 

[TTSD]

Yeah.. same boat. Except my thing is still suck in AMCAS and waiting on MCAT scores.

 

[periodic]

i hear you persia. don't be worried, i agree with the 6 week thing. i've got one interview lined up, and i heard about it a little over 5 weeks after I sent in my secondary (which was the first one i sent in).

the people who are interviewing now definitely did their secondaries earlier than september...don't take that as admonishment though, i sent most of mine in mid-Sept as well.

 

[UCIgrad2002]

HEY PERSIA,

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I'M GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING. I WAS VERIFIED DURING THE END OF AUGUST AS WELL, AND I APPLIED TO 45 SCHOOLS. I ONLY HEARD BACK FROM GW SO FAR IN REGARD TO AN INTERVIEW, AND THEY WERE PRETTY QUICK, TOOK THEM ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AFTER THEY RECEIVED MY SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS. OTHER THAN THAT, I'VE BEEN WAITING ANXIOUSLY TO HEAR BACK FROM SCHOOLS LIKE NYMC, DREXEL, NJMS, VERMONT, USC, PENNSTATE, CREIGHTON, TEMPLE, UAB, MSSM, BU, VCU, TUFTS, FUHS, JEFFERSON, AND SOME OTHERS THAT HAVE A COMPLETED FILE FROM ME. I FOUND OUT THAT MOST OF THE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR ARE REALLY BEHIND IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. I TALKED TO DREXEL TODAY AND THE LADY TOLD ME THAT THEIR SERVICE HAS BEEN DOWN FOR A WEEK OR TWO, AND IT WON'T BE RUNNING UNTIL A COUPLE DAYS, SO THEY'RE LAGGING FOR SURE. USC I JUST FOUND OUT IS STARTING TO SEND OUT INTERVIEW INVITES. AS FOR THE OTHERS, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK ITS KINDA UNFAIR CUZ I HAD MY AMCAS OUT BY EARLY JULY AND I'M IN THE SAME BOAT AS PEOPLE THAT JUST SENT IT OUT LIKE A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHATEVER THOUGH, ITS ALL GOOD. I HOPE THAT ALL OF US WILL BE HEARING SOME GOOD NEWS SOON. BEST OF LUCK TO YA AND DON'T WORRY. I TRULY THINK THAT WE ARE STILL PRETTY EARLY IN THIS WHOLE MIX. A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT APPLIED EARLY LAST YEAR DIDN'T HEAR BACK FROM MANY SCHOOLS IN REGARD TO INVERVIEWS UNTIL MARCH/APRIL AND SOMETIMES EVEN MAY! SO I THINK WE ALL STILL HAVE GOOD CHANCES. JUST BE OPTIMISTIC, I KNOW HOW GRUELING THIS TIME CAN BE. TAKE CARE AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE. REGARDS.

 

[Amy B]

Cheer up and don't be alarmed this early in the process. Wait for a month or so and then worry.

 

[plusminus]

Originally posted by UCIgrad2002
HEY PERSIA,

I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I'M GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING. I WAS VERIFIED DURING THE END OF AUGUST AS WELL, AND I APPLIED TO 45 SCHOOLS. I ONLY HEARD BACK FROM GW SO FAR IN REGARD TO AN INTERVIEW, AND THEY WERE PRETTY QUICK, TOOK THEM ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AFTER THEY RECEIVED MY SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS. OTHER THAN THAT, I'VE BEEN WAITING ANXIOUSLY TO HEAR BACK FROM SCHOOLS LIKE NYMC, DREXEL, NJMS, VERMONT, USC, PENNSTATE, CREIGHTON, TEMPLE, UAB, MSSM, BU, VCU, TUFTS, FUHS, JEFFERSON, AND SOME OTHERS THAT HAVE A COMPLETED FILE FROM ME. I FOUND OUT THAT MOST OF THE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR ARE REALLY BEHIND IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. I TALKED TO DREXEL TODAY AND THE LADY TOLD ME THAT THEIR SERVICE HAS BEEN DOWN FOR A WEEK OR TWO, AND IT WON'T BE RUNNING UNTIL A COUPLE DAYS, SO THEY'RE LAGGING FOR SURE. USC I JUST FOUND OUT IS STARTING TO SEND OUT INTERVIEW INVITES. AS FOR THE OTHERS, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON. I THINK ITS KINDA UNFAIR CUZ I HAD MY AMCAS OUT BY EARLY JULY AND I'M IN THE SAME BOAT AS PEOPLE THAT JUST SENT IT OUT LIKE A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHATEVER THOUGH, ITS ALL GOOD. I HOPE THAT ALL OF US WILL BE HEARING SOME GOOD NEWS SOON. BEST OF LUCK TO YA AND DON'T WORRY. I TRULY THINK THAT WE ARE STILL PRETTY EARLY IN THIS WHOLE MIX. A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT APPLIED EARLY LAST YEAR DIDN'T HEAR BACK FROM MANY SCHOOLS IN REGARD TO INVERVIEWS UNTIL MARCH/APRIL AND SOMETIMES EVEN MAY! SO I THINK WE ALL STILL HAVE GOOD CHANCES. JUST BE OPTIMISTIC, I KNOW HOW GRUELING THIS TIME CAN BE. TAKE CARE AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE. REGARDS.

your ALL-CAPS mega-post just gave me a stroke

 

[freesolo]

45 schools =o

 

[kingcer0x]

I have been completed at most of the 20 schools i applied to for 2-3 weeks now and have one interview request. Don't worry... SDNers are typically on their game and get their applications in early. For the rest of us who are busy working full time, taking classes, or both, our interview requests are coming, wait and see...

Good luck to everyone!!!

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by Moose1

45 schools? If these schools use AMCAS, they can see exactly which other schools you applied to. I think you will have a hard time convincing a school that you are truly interested in THEIR school and applied to 44 other ones just to cover your bases. Hope it works out for you, dude. I guess you will never think to yourself, "What would have happened if I applied to....."

Schools do not see which other schools you have applied to as far as I know.

 

[Tone2002]

Still... but 45 schools?

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by Tone2002
Still... but 45 schools?

I agree...45 is probably a bit overboard...but the OP is from cali...it is not uncommon for cali residents to shotgun the app process since people with average stats can't really count on the UCs and we have a billion premeds in our state. I applied to 35+ last year. Ended up returning only 30 secondaries.

 

[echostation]

my file was completed at GW and NYMC about August 15th yet I haven't heard from them. Should I phone??

 

[rgporter]

Originally posted by echostation
my file was completed at GW and NYMC about August 15th yet I haven't heard from them. Should I phone??

Yup.

 

[UCLAMAN]

whoops...sorry...dunno if the OP is from cali...i was thinking all caps UCI was the OP....in any event...the real OP, "persia" may be from cali as well which would explain the number of schools.

 

[jlee9531]

haha dont dog on the ucigrad.......

im also a cali grad and applied to 43 schools.

kinda sucks how it works out that way but i might as well do everything i can to get in on the first shot.

i got nothing but love for cali med school applicants.......ours is a long and arduous road.........(that will unfortunately most likely leave cali..... )

 

[UCIgrad2002]

yeah, i totally agree with you, cali applicants got it pretty rough, since our state schools (the ever-so-famous UC's) are extremely difficult to get into, eventhough the majority of them accept only in-state applicants. i knew 45 would be too much, but i figured i wanted to give my chance as many possibilities as possible. hehe, i guess now i'm suffering the consequences of my actions. filling out that many secondaries is a job and a half! i wouldn't recommend to other applicants applying to that many schools, especially if you're not from california. also, as far as i know from different people i've talked to on adcomms, individual schools do not know what other schools you applied to. anyway, for all of those still stressing about the wait period, i guess we are still pretty early in the game. when i get in touch with more of these schools i'll be sure to post what i learned from them for you guys. as always, best of luck to everyone! i hope ALL of us make it this year. God willing, i hope this time next year our posts on sdn will have a little "MS1" in our signature. kindest regards.

 

[Neuronix]

Originally posted by Moose1

45 schools? If these schools use AMCAS, they can see exactly which other schools you applied to. I think you will have a hard time convincing a school that you are truly interested in THEIR school and applied to 44 other ones just to cover your bases. Hope it works out for you, dude. I guess you will never think to yourself, "What would have happened if I applied to....."

UCLAMan is absolutely right. The schools you are applying to do not know which other schools you are applying to. Applying to a large number of schools can be adviseable if an applicant is borderline, particularly if their state school(s) either don't exist or are very competitive (CA).

I've seen people apply to more (50s and 60s), and get in to 1 or 2.

 

[JM.]

Don't sweat it. I didn't get any interviews until January. If you are already panicking - you are going to have about 9 more months of indigestion.

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by jlee9531

i got nothing but love for cali med school applicants.......ours is a long and arduous road.........(that will unfortunately most likely leave cali..... )

Theres nothing wrong with leaving cali...I'm completely happy where I am...There are quite a few people in my class who turned down UCI and USC to come here...One person in our class got into UCI, UCSD, and UCLA...turned them all down to be here. There is a world outside of Cali...(albeit a cold one in some cases but that doesnt necessarily mean its bad).

 

[Sadame]

i agree, don't be afraid to leave home. i left my home in paradise (hawaii) to go to college at ucla. probably not as drastic a change as going from cali to the east coast as far as weather is concerned, but it was still a huge change and i'm doing fine.

 

[CaMD]

What kinds of stats do you need to get into a UC as an in state applicant?
I know there's not an official safety cut-off, but what scores would *probably* get you in, assuming the rest of your app. is pretty good?

I ask because I'm in the process of converting to be a CA resident (Formerly MN, until I moved out here after graduation this summer). These posts sound like I'm making life harder for myself, exactly how bad is it?

Do you know what percent of CA residents who apply get into A UC?

Any advice/knowledge is appreciated! Thanks.

 

[PianoGirl04]

Originally posted by CaMD
What kinds of stats do you need to get into a UC as an in state applicant?
I know there's not an official safety cut-off, but what scores would *probably* get you in, assuming the rest of your app. is pretty good?

I ask because I'm in the process of converting to be a CA resident (Formerly MN, until I moved out here after graduation this summer). These posts sound like I'm making life harder for myself, exactly how bad is it?

Do you know what percent of CA residents who apply get into A UC?

Any advice/knowledge is appreciated! Thanks.

For that matter, what are the answers to these questions for an out-of-state resident? I've got my fingers crosses for UCSD, but no interview love yet...

 

[UCLAMAN]

Originally posted by PianoGirl04
For that matter, what are the answers to these questions for an out-of-state resident? I've got my fingers crosses for UCSD, but no interview love yet...

I don't know the exact numbers but UCLA and UCSF take the most out of staters(still a fairly low percentage). UCSD, UCI, and UCD rarely take out of state residents. I'm pretty sure UCI and UCD have classes that are almost 100% in state and ucsd is close to that as well I think.

Unfortunately I can't direct you to hard facts....so take my statement with a grain(or two) of salt. I'm pretty sure thats how the UCs deal with out of staters though.

 

[UCIgrad2002]

yes, that is right on the button. UCSF is probably the best chance for out of staters, but the problem is that UCSF is the toughest UC to get into. i have a few friends on the adcom at UCSF and they told me for california residents the average person they granted an interview to had a gpa of above 3.65 and a MCAT score of 30-31, with double digits in each of the sections. however, for those of you that do not fall within this range, do not get discouraged. i know plenty of ucsf students that got in with stats below this. as far as uci and ucd, the whole class is primarily made up of instate residents. i went to uci for undergrad (hence my id) and never came across one person who got in the med school from out of state. i am sure a couple out of staters did make it though, i just never came across them. for the instaters though, i know a couple friends of mine that got into uci with a 3.4 and 25 mcat! yeah, i couldn't believe it either. the average usually is about a 3.6 and a 30. ucd is pretty much the same. also, for anyone who applyied to these schools and hasn't received a secondary yet, don't worry, i know for one that uci is pretty behind in sending them out. i've heard from many people that the uc's send them out in two batches, one early and one later (about two months after submitting your amcas), if you made the initial screening. good luck to ya all.

 

[PianoGirl04]

The MSAR says that 74 out-of-staters interviewed at UCSD last year, and that they accept about 1/2 of all interviewees. However, only 2 people matriculated! I've got my work cut out for me, I guess. I've made it past the initial screening, but I'll be lucky if I get an interview.

Does it help to have some sort of tie to the area? For example, I was born in La Jolla, and I'm hoping things like this might give me a tiny bit of an edge over another equally qualified out-of-stater. If only being a native Californian could still get me in-state tuition if I get in...

 

[OrthoFixation]

Originally posted by UCIgrad2002
i have a few friends on the adcom at UCSF and they told me for california residents the average person they granted an interview to had a gpa of above 3.65 and a MCAT score of 30-31, with double digits in each of the sections.

These don't seem like astronomical stats for the "average." Remember, there is a big difference between average and median values. A few extreme outlying data points can really pull the averages.

A 30 MCAT is not rocking the world, although certainly respectable. Texas is pretty tough also and mainly takes instate applicants (90% mandated by law, but typically much higher).

Are these numbers really much higher than the national averages for allopathic schools?

 

[chapinsita]

Jlee and UCIgrad are making me feel like I should have applied to more schools! I applied to 19 and returned 16 secondaries (except UCSF who will most likely reject me now). I'm also a Cali resident and have just avg. accepted stats. Hmm....maybe I should still apply to more schools. Why is Cali so brutal!

 

[UCIgrad2002]

chapinsita,

don't worry about it, i'm sure you'll be just fine. i kinda regret applying to that many schools now, filling out that many secondaries was just too much. you're right though, cali is totally brutal, i wish our state was like the others. hopefuly this lousy recall, if done, will help out future applicants (i highly doubt it though, lol). best of luck to ya and keep your head up, i'm sure good news will be in store for ya. laters.

 

[persia]

Originally posted by jmwalker
Don't sweat it. I didn't get any interviews until January. If you are already panicking - you are going to have about 9 more months of indigestion.

Thanks JMwalker, I think this is just what I wanted to hear. Congratulations on Harvard! I could definitely wait till January for an interview like that. With so many SDN'ers already getting loads of interviews and even acceptances I was getting really nervous.

I'm not from Cali and applied to 28 schools. So far my file is complete at 22 schools. One secondary to go in the mail today (Tufts) and the last few should be done this weekend.

I really wasn't sure if it was ok to not hear until later in the year, too. It would make sense that being an 'average' applicant with some interesting experiences, that I might have to wait for a while as they sift thru the piles of appls.

I have only received one outright rejection so I guess that's a good thing.