Picking interview date - does it make an impact?

[fayevalentine]

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Hi guys! I am extremely fortunate and received an interview invitation from a dental school (the name of which I wish to keep private for anonymity). I was given two options - a date in October and one in November. Since both options are pre-December, does it really matter? Or should I take the earlier one just to be safe? Am I overthinking it? Thank you for any advice you can offer.

 

[Likkriue]

My logic is the more you take earlier, the easier it is to schedule later interviews when you get them. So I have two September interviews, that allows me to free up october/november for others I might receive later on.

If imagine I didnt schedule those in september, and I pushed them october/november? When I get more interview invites, it'll be harder for me to schedule them. I advise taking the earlier one as it gives you more flexibility.

 

[workofshart]

The general consensus is any date pre Dec 1st is considered equal. I personally would go for the earlier date just to get it out of the way and to give yourself more time to worry about how you did

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[fayevalentine]

give yourself more time to worry about how you did

lmao I will be terrified both before and after 🙂

 

[fayevalentine]

My logic is the more you take earlier, the easier it is to schedule later interviews when you get them. So I have two September interviews, that allows me to free up october/november for others I might receive later on.

If imagine I didnt schedule those in september, and I pushed them october/november? When I get more interview invites, it'll be harder for me to schedule them. I advise taking the earlier one as it gives you more flexibility.

This is very good advice, thank you!

 

[DMDDDSHopeful]

My logic is the more you take earlier, the easier it is to schedule later interviews when you get them. So I have two September interviews, that allows me to free up october/november for others I might receive later on.

If imagine I didnt schedule those in september, and I pushed them october/november? When I get more interview invites, it'll be harder for me to schedule them. I advise taking the earlier one as it gives you more flexibility.

There's no logic here; just emotions--and emotions are rarely logical. How well you do on the interview and the person's subjective feelings about you are all that matters. What month, day, time all play into psychology which most fields do not consider a hard science. Interview dates, and interviews themselves, are not a hard science.

 

[JLT223]

I'd pick the earlier date, but that's just me.

 

[Incis0r]

Take the earlier (October) date to have a higher chance of acceptance.

Here is why:
Many schools make decisions on their interview candidates on the same day or within one week of interviewing them (the admissions committee meets weekly). They just keep the decisions unavailable until Dec. 1 since that is the date that dental schools have, per mutual agreement, determined to be the earliest date that acceptances can be released.

There seems to be a misconception out there that everyone interviewed pre-Dec is compared against each other a week or two before Dec. 1, and Dec. 1 is when acceptances are released. This is not true. Decisions on your file are made within a week of your interview while you are still fresh in the minds of the interviewers. It truly is rolling admissions.

As a result, it is to your great advantage to take the earliest date you can get, since that means the class has more seats available, which in turn means that you have a better chance to get in. Think about it....are you more likely to get in if there are 5 seats left, or if there are 50?

With great respect, I highly urge you to take the October date instead of the November date.

 

[fayevalentine]

Thank you everyone! I am taking all of your advice into consideration. I appreciate all of your thoughts on this.