Non-Rolling Schools - Interview Early?

[Innocuous]

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I was curious what everyone thinks about interviewing early at schools with non-rolling admissions. Do you think that it would actually be a disadvantage given that they do not make a decision until you are long gone from their mind/memory? Even if they rank you, if you interview in September (and do awesome!) and someone interviews in December and also does well, I feel like you would be at a disadvantage given that the other applicant's "awesomeness" is fresh in their minds.

I was looking through a few 2012/2013 threads and it seemed like many if not most people accepted interviewed December-January. Any thoughts? If you are given the first interview date at a non-rolling dream school along with every other date for a month, would you take the first one or delay it as long as possible?

 

[BundleofHis]

I'm wondering exactly the same thing! I got offered the first interview day at a non-rolling school... Anybody have any advice or experience?

 

[gyngyn]

I'm wondering exactly the same thing! I got offered the first interview day at a non-rolling school... Anybody have any advice or experience?

The process of evaluating and ranking students proceeds apace at all schools. Their notification of these results is what differentiates rolling from non-rolling schools.

 

[Ismet]

Misconception about non-rolling schools. The only thing that's non-rolling at most, if not all, of the schools is YOUR KNOWLEDGE of your admissions decision. Admissions committees meet all throughout the interview season to evaluate and rank applicants, so your file will still be "fresh" in their mind.

 

[BundleofHis]

Excuse my ignorance, but why would a school choose to not be rolling?

 

[gyngyn]

Excuse my ignorance, but why would a school choose to not be rolling?

Excellent question.

There may be historical reasons (many are 'ivies," or ivy wannabes).

 

[Ismet]

Excuse my ignorance, but why would a school choose to not be rolling?

Maybe to reduce the number of calls the admissions office gets on a daily basis asking when decisions for X interview day are going to be released But in all seriousness, idk. My school just made the switch last cycle.

 

[Innocuous]

Misconception about non-rolling schools. The only thing that's non-rolling at most, if not all, of the schools is YOUR KNOWLEDGE of your admissions decision. Admissions committees meet all throughout the interview season to evaluate and rank applicants, so your file will still be "fresh" in their mind.

So you would say interviewing early is a good sign? Or that it doesn't matter at all?

 

[catzzz88]

So, theoretically, wouldn't it be better to interview later in the season if they truly make a decision closer to the end rather than throughout?

So you can be fresh in their mind.

 

[dirty630]

So, theoretically, wouldn't it be better to interview later in the season if they truly make a decision closer to the end rather than throughout?

So you can be fresh in their mind.

As Ismet said, they make a decision on you soon after your interview, they just don't tell you until later.

 

[Ismet]

So, theoretically, wouldn't it be better to interview later in the season if they truly make a decision closer to the end rather than throughout?

So you can be fresh in their mind.

Scroll up and see posts #3 and #4.

 

[McRunner]

Which schools are "non-rolling"?

 

[dirty630]

Which schools are "non-rolling"?

The ones I know how off the top of my head are Harvard, Penn, and Pitt. Northwestern isn't purely rolling but I hear they defer most people until March.

 

[BundleofHis]

So, since they have their minds made up about us (acceptance or rejection - I understand that you can also be deferred) then how would a LOI come into play? Should you just generally not send them to non-rolling schools after interviewing?

 

[Cambover]

The ones I know how off the top of my head are Harvard, Penn, and Pitt. Northwestern isn't purely rolling but I hear they defer most people until March.

Cornell is also non-rolling.