Question about "declining" an interview once you've already accepted the invite

[Mystique]

Ok, I have a dilemma, and I need the advice of my fellow SDN peeps. I applied to "X" school and was offered an interview for early March. I accepted the interview date B/C at that time I was still waiting to hear back from some other schools. Since then, I've had interview invites elsewhere, and now I have no further interest in attending the interview at "X" school. Is there a "nice" way of telling them I'm no longer interested in interviewing. It costs way too much money to go out there to interview, and to be honest this school is pretty low on my list. What would you recommend I do? Write a letter--if so what should I include? Call them?? I don't want to sound like an arrogant b*&^*. I want to be polite in case I have to deal w/ the school at any point later on in my medical career. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

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[Doctora Foxy]

I would call them and politely tell them you can't go. It's faster than a letter, and they'll apreciate you telling them asap so they can invite someone else (like me )

 

[pre-hawkdoc]

just call them and tell them that due to your status at other schools, you feel that it is best for both yourself and school X that you cancel your interveiw arrangements. i would follow that up with a letter telling them that you appreciate the opportunity to interview for a spot in their class, but due to other circumstances you are not able to. you could also thank them for any assistance they've given you in the process and wish them luck in selecting qualified applicants for the entering class of 2002.
something along that line should be fine. besides, if you go somewhere else, the chances of dealing with the admissions office later in your career is slim--not that they'd remember you anyway.
hope this has helped. any other thoughts for the 'jig?

 

[Original]

Yes go ahead and cancel it. I had to cancel one interview the day before the interview. I called the director who I had been telling for over a month that I absolutely love her school. I told her I got accepted at school X and would have to pull my apps. I appologized for all the inconvenience that I'm sure I had caused. It still hurts whenever I think about it. But hey it's better sooner than later. Handle your business.

 

[UCMonkey]

I agree with Dr. Foxy. Call them and tell them you can't come. That way, you free up that spot more quickly for someone else. If you don't want to sound arrogant, just tell them that you can't afford the trip. That's what I just did yesterday with Penn State.

They will probably ask you to follow up in writing to officially withdraw your app and close your file.

 

[ccryder]

I just e-mailed a school two days after receiving the exact interview date and two weeks b/f the actual interview, that due to personal circumstances, I would no longer be able to attend the interview. I then thanked them for all of their assistance during the process. Schools realize that this happens and I think they appreciate honesty this early on in the process. It would be much worse if you attended the interview knowing that you would not like to attend that school.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

I did this with MCPHU. I had an interview set for Jan 29, but decided to cancel. I left a voice message and sent a letter. Later on, a fellow SDNer posted that Hahnemann had called to ask him/her to visit the school for an interview on the 29th. I felt like such an altruist.

 

[vyc]

i just send an email asking to cancel the interview and to withdraw my application.
they know what's up. it's not like they'll be personally offended. trust me. they have a lot of other applicants they can interview instead.

 

[E'01]

How about if you want to decline a student host but want to keep the interview? I know it sounds picky, but I really don't want to stay with a particular host because I have to take a sleeping bag and I know I won't be well rested. I'd just rather stay at a hotel in that case, especially since the interview day is supposed to be from 9-5

 

[none]

Many schools want a formal written letter withdrawing no matter how else you contact them, so send that as soon as possible.

 

[megkudos]

I would call as soon as possible then follow up with a formal letter of withdrawal from the school.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Ok, this is what you do. You call the school up and tell them that you can't make the interview, but that they need not fret. You've been kind enough to arrange for Papa Smurf to take your place. Just tell me the place and time, and I'm there. See, it's quite simple.

 

[C U in MD school]

wait a minute everyone...

ThingAMaJig: why would you not want to go to this interview? do you have a acceptance at any other school? if you dont, i would suggest you go to this interview despite the fact the school is not on your top ten list. because how do you know you will be accepted at the other schools you got an interview out? spend the 300, cuz by the time you look back your med education, 300 will seem like a joke next to your loans.

 

[nebula7]

I agree with C U in MD School. If you DON'T have an acceptance whenever your interview date rolls around, then you should go to the interview. No matter how good you feel about how your other interviews went (I felt great about mine last yr and wasn't accepted!).You could wait until the last min. to buy plane tix, if you have to fly.

If you DO have an acceptance, I would do like others have said. Call 1st so they'll know ASAP, then send a formal, signed letter withdrawing your app.

 

[gel1]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by SwampMan:
•I did this with MCPHU. I had an interview set for Jan 29, but decided to cancel. I left a voice message and sent a letter. Later on, a fellow SDNer posted that Hahnemann had called to ask him/her to visit the school for an interview on the 29th. I felt like such an altruist. •••••Hey Swampman--I cancelled an interview at MCPHU for Jan. 29 also. So how do you know it wasn't ME who was the altruist???

I called to cancel the interview (fastest way to let them know), then withdrew my app in writing over email. Works like a charm.

 

[Mystique]

Hey, everyone! Thanks for the advice. I'm going to call later this morning and tell them I'm not going to be able to make it. It's too expensive ($600+) for me to make the trip out there especially since most of the class is already filled. Anyways, thanks for the helpful advice. You guys rock!

 

[THE instiGATOR]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by gel1:
• •••quote:•••Originally posted by SwampMan:
•I did this with MCPHU. I had an interview set for Jan 29, but decided to cancel. I left a voice message and sent a letter. Later on, a fellow SDNer posted that Hahnemann had called to ask him/her to visit the school for an interview on the 29th. I felt like such an altruist. •••••Hey Swampman--I cancelled an interview at MCPHU for Jan. 29 also. So how do you know it wasn't ME who was the altruist???

I called to cancel the interview (fastest way to let them know), then withdrew my app in writing over email. Works like a charm.•••••I guess we'll never know!

We can both sleep well at night, however, knowing that we helped another poor soul out. <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

 

[souljah1]

ThingA,

I agree with the other posters. If you haven't gained acceptance yet I would seriously consider going. If you have gotten in somewhere where you know you would choose that school over the school you have an appointment with, cancel cancel cancel.

I'm in that boat. NYMC invited me for an interview on 3/4. I've already been accepted to a school in NYC that I would definitely choose over NYMC. I'm not going to tell them that for I think it is none of their business. I'm just going to call them and say that I am no longer interested in visiting and thank you very much...blah blah. Then I'll send a letter. I was one of those people that sent the accidental invite back in january. That pissed me off. Maybe I'll mention that in my letter .

Best of luck.