question about interviews from a future applicant

[UDbiochem]

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Ok... i'm a junior right now in college, so i'll start doing mcats and amcas and everything in the spring.... i've got a question about interviews...

There is a possibility that I won't be around in the January of my senior year. There is a study-abroad trip to Antartica that I have had my heart set on since freshman year.

As long as I get all my applications done early, do you think i can probably finish all my interviews before then, or do you think that adcomms and everyone will be understanding when scheduling since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

I know it's pretty far in the future, but i have to sign up for the antartica trip in a few months.

 

[tidbit218]

Hey. Based on my own experience, I would say it depends on how many schools you apply to. I have interviews into February, but I applied to 20 schools. Obviously you don't have much control over when you get the invitations to interview, but all my schools have been really understanding about scheduling so far. If it were me, I'd go on the trip (which sounds awesome) and plan to schedule around it. Good luck. 🙂

Elizabeth

 

[Neuronix]

You probably could schedule your interviews around your trip, but you likely could not go to any second looks, depending on how long your stay up there will be. For anyone who doesn't know about second looks yet, they're typically weekends you spend at a program of interest where you have been accepted and they wine you and dine you and try to convince you to come. They tend to be a real good time, and if you're not sure where you want to be for the next 8 years of your life (and who is?) they're a good thing to attend.

That's about the only thing I can think of. I'm sure you can get mail (albiet slowly) and have phone service out there, so you can still communicate with programs that waitlist or accept you. I wouldn't let second looks discourage you from going, it's just something to consider.

 

[ninebillion]

Just curious: What is the Antarctica program you're hoping to participate in?

 

[UDbiochem]

it's a study abroad program, the most amazing program ever. i know people who have been on it. It's offered here at my school, the University of Delaware.

It's 3-4 weeks, first you land in argentina, board a russian research vessel, sail to antartica. you meanwhile are taking journalism and photojournalism classes on the ship. land in antartica, hike, kayak, take pictures of penguins, whales, you name it.

imagine the looks i'll get when people ask me what i'm doing for my january break... "i'm going to antartica!" (University of Delaware has this incredibly winter break, we get from christmas until the first week in february or so... people use it to take a couple classes to catch up/get ahead/study abroad...)

 

[R_C_Hutchinson]

you see this ---> 🙄
that's me GREEN with envy. that trip sounds AMAZING. congrats on even having the opportunity. If it was my call, i wouldnt skip a chance that for all the interviews in the world

lucky frickinfrackin...
(now if i can only find a way to transfer to your school my senior year...)

 

[dan0909]

wowee...thats crazy...U of delaware sounds amazingly awesome...

 

[labfiend]

Wow. That sounds amazing. I'm only in the middle of this process myself, but I'd say go. I agree with tidbit that it depends on how many schools you apply to, and how quickly they process your app/decide to offer you an interview. Interviews stretch from September to January/February, so if you're free (and willing to miss tons of school) in September/October/November/December, I'd think you could fit in a good number of interviews then (many are 2-day interviews, which takes a toll on you and your semester). As for revisits in the spring...I was under the impression that revisits were later than January, since most places don't let you know whether or not you're in until later--I could be way off base on that, though, so don't take my word for it. Do make sure to get your AMCAS in early, and your secondaries in as soon as you can after getting them, since that'll help you get early interviews.

That trip sounds amazing, and if you've been looking forward to it since frosh year, I'd say go. Things will definitely work out well enough, and I imagine you'd be extremely disappointed if you decided to forgo the trip in favor of interviews.

 

[Neuronix]

OH! It's only a month. There's a 6 month program also that I thought you were referring to. Go! That's easy to schedule around.

 

[UDbiochem]

hey guys, this trip is also open to non UD students also!!

it might be difficult to fit in the trip if spring semester starts earlier than february 1st or so.... that's the only issue with non UD students, because most schools i assume don't have the winter session like we do. Otherwise, apply!

http://international.udel.edu/studyabroad/programs/database.asp?PWDID=156