Programs that will rank you do...

[Ice-1]

What are the indications that you guys have picked up on the interview trail for those programs that are likely to rank you? To my knowledge, they can't come right out and say that they are going to rank you highly, but I think the program directors do give some indications. A couple of things I have picked up on are:
1. Good chance that you will be ranked if the PD writes you a letter after the interview thanking you for coming, especially if handwritten, and if not a form letter (you can tell if they mention specific things from your interview in the letter)
2. Strong pitch to sell the program to you at the last part of each interview with stated desire for you to rank the program highly

What other stuff are you guys finding as recruiting inducements or indications that you have a great shot at being ranked?

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[inositide]

What are the indications that you guys have picked up on the interview trail for those programs that are likely to rank you? To my knowledge, they can't come right out and say that they are going to rank you highly, but I think the program directors do give some indications. A couple of things I have picked up on are:
1. Good chance that you will be ranked if the PD writes you a letter after the interview thanking you for coming, especially if handwritten, and if not a form letter (you can tell if they mention specific things from your interview in the letter)
2. Strong pitch to sell the program to you at the last part of each interview with stated desire for you to rank the program highly

What other stuff are you guys finding as recruiting inducements or indications that you have a great shot at being ranked?

How often have people received these follow up notes from the program director, hand written or otherwise? I think it is very common for them to say that they hope you will consider them or that tell you that would like to have someone of your qualifications in their program and stuff like that. I have not seen these unsolicited follow up notes from the PD however.

 

[BStein76]

What are the indications that you guys have picked up on the interview trail for those programs that are likely to rank you?

I have received handwritten and form letters from interviewers, program directors and department heads; problem is I won't know what really mattered until March rolls around.

 

[Tigerz_Fan]

During my interviews, the vibe I got from the PDs was a statement along the lines of "you would be a good fit in this program." One program sent me an email the same day. I just sent a quick thank you email to the PD of my top pick. I plan on sending the formal thank you letter later, and HOPEFULLY he will respond. Or maybe he just forgot that I exist.....

 

[BStein76]

During my interviews, the vibe I got from the PDs was a statement along the lines of "you would be a good fit in this program." One program sent me an email the same day. I just sent a quick thank you email to the PD of my top pick. I plan on sending the formal thank you letter later, and HOPEFULLY he will respond. Or maybe he just forgot that I exist.....

Some schools have folders filled with representative letters from program directors/faculty at institutions where students did not match (suggesting that these letters vary in importance from institution to institution). In the end, our dean told us to rank the programs according to our personal preferences regardless of the email/letters from the programs.

 

[Ice-1]

Some schools have folders filled with representative letters from program directors/faculty at institutions where students did not match (suggesting that these letters vary in importance from institution to institution). In the end, our dean told us to rank the programs according to our personal preferences regardless of the email/letters from the programs.

Of course, that is very good advice and that's the way we should all rank our programs. The idea was to get people's experiences when programs indicated that they might rank you! Any more stories out there?

 

[rugtrousers]

E-mails from interviewers and PDs, impromptu interview with another faculty member set up at the end of the day - again, won't know until March rolls around.

 

[DrNick2006]

the best indications I have had was being told that I was an impressive applicant or that they hope to see me next year, and a few post interview emails from PD's. No secret room discussions promising me fellowship of chice yet

 

[Roadrunner]

Being as IM is becoming less sought after then maybe all of those compliments are genuine. But honestly, I've heard a strong positive closer at every program I've been at. I don't think I'm some super-star applicant so my guess is that the flatery is just flatery. I've gotten a few hand-written notes from smaller programs and I think they are sincerely recruiting. But with bigger programs I'm not taking anything for granted until match day.

Anecdote: You've all heard these stories...A friend who matched in IM last year told me on match day, "I'm definitely going to U of _____!" I asked, "How can you be certain? Will you be cool with things if you don't match there?" He replied that his interview at ______ was just excellent and unless he totally read them wrong with what they were saying then he's definitely going there. An hour later when he opened his envelope and read that he matched at his second choice he was totally dismayed. I'm not sure that there's one single moral to this story, but my take-home was that you can't count on anything until you read that letter... (and sometimes gut feelings are inaccurate)