Rolling Admissions and an Interview

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Chemist0157

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As far as I know about rolling admissions, it is to my advantage to have my stuff done as soon as possible. I recently got an interview offer from Penn State. I really need to have the interview on a Friday, but the closest one is October 3rd. I could also have it on September 17th (Wednesday), 24th (Wednesday), or 29th (Monday).

I feel stupid for asking this since it's only half a month's difference, but is it really that bad if I wait until the 3rd?
 
That's funny. When I called to re-schedule my Penn State interview, they told me that they only had Tuesday interviews....

Anyways, if that's really the only date that works for you, then take it. I don't think that it's that late into the application/interview cycle for you to be worried.
 
From my understanding, October 3rd is still rather early in the timeline of interviews... because interviews typically go up through March, right? (and begin ~Sept)
 
i would go for the earliest possible. sure it means missing classes, but this si your future no? im dealing with the same issue sadly, but i opted to miss class and go to the interviews
 
I would check MDAplicannts for comments to see if people that interview that first week in October are still in the first batch of decisions on the 15th. If they are then I don't see any advantage to an earlier interview if your still in the same batch of interviewees.
 
I appreciate the comments. I'm still a full-time student so just taking the earliest date on Sept. 17th sucks. Wednesdays are rough school-wise, even if we fly. The beginning of October isn't that late, right?
 
I appreciate the comments. I'm still a full-time student so just taking the earliest date on Sept. 17th sucks. Wednesdays are rough school-wise, even if we fly. The beginning of October isn't that late, right?

Not at all.
 
Lizzy, if you've got the time to respond to this, I'd really appreciate it:

If your application is confirmed as complete by a given school in late July or early August (for instance), and you notice that several people who completed their application to the same school around the same time have been offered interviews to that school... and then a few weeks pass by... Is it safe to assume that you're almost definitely (of course not too much is definite in this world) not going to get an interview invite from that school?

Thanks so much.

The earliest offers of admission can go out to applicants is ~Oct 15 so you should be in the first or second batch in a rolling admission situationif you interview on Oct 3. That's very early!
 
Lizzy, if you've got the time to respond to this, I'd really appreciate it:

If your application is confirmed as complete by a given school in late July or early August (for instance), and you notice that several people who completed their application to the same school around the same time have been offered interviews to that school... and then a few weeks pass by... Is it safe to assume that you're almost definitely (of course not too much is definite in this world) not going to get an interview invite from that school?

Thanks so much.

This early in the season?? Don't worry about it. The early birds are many and it can take 6 weeks (or more) to dig out from under that first week's avalanche of applications. Sometimes it is early October before I finish with applications submitted in July.
 
This early in the season?? Don't worry about it. The early birds are many and it can take 6 weeks (or more) to dig out from under that first week's avalanche of applications. Sometimes it is early October before I finish with applications submitted in July.

Thank you so much for the response! That definitely helps ease my mind a bit. 🙂
 
If I should happen to see you on the street, I will be forced to present you with a fresh, long-stemmed rose. I hope you understand.

This early in the season?? Don't worry about it. The early birds are many and it can take 6 weeks (or more) to dig out from under that first week's avalanche of applications. Sometimes it is early October before I finish with applications submitted in July.
 
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I scheduled my interview for Oct. 3rd. I just can't swing a Wednesday interview. Thanks for the responses!

(Hopefully, those who have been suggesting that I wait aren't doing so because they're applying to Penn State too 😀).
 
This early in the season?? Don't worry about it. The early birds are many and it can take 6 weeks (or more) to dig out from under that first week's avalanche of applications. Sometimes it is early October before I finish with applications submitted in July.

But what if they are people who were definitely complete AFTER you were? And im curious, once you have looked at those apps., do you pretty much choose the ones you want and forget the others? or do you continually review applications throughout the year? Sorry for all these questions, this whole process is just so mysterious and nerve-racking.
 
But what if they are people who were definitely complete AFTER you were? And im curious, once you have looked at those apps., do you pretty much choose the ones you want and forget the others? or do you continually review applications throughout the year? Sorry for all these questions, this whole process is just so mysterious and nerve-racking.

Due to vacations and the need to train new adcom members, my school doesn't get started reviewing applications until August. By the time we get started, there are several thousand applications stacked up. They aren't, as best I can tell, time stamped and dealt with on a first come first served basis. Mostly, you take the one at the top of the stack. In some cases, the appies with the best stats (gpa and MCAT) might rise to the top of the stack and be reviewed first (want to get those applicants here for an interview before someone else interviews them & makes an offer). There are a million reasons, including luck of the draw, why people who were complete after you were are invited for interview ahead of you. As the stack of "applications to review" grows shorter, the stack of "applicants that should be interviewed" grows taller. These applicants might be ranked and those at the top of the list are invited to interview, more are added to the list, the list is sorted again so that the highest ranked are at the top and so on. The very best applicants tend to apply early but to give all the interviews out at the beginning isn't a good strategy because there are always those late-comers who are very, very good but sometimes less well informed about the application process (many are non-trad or from small schools not known for pre-med). So, let's say we rank students from 1 to 10 and begin by inviting all the 9s and 10 for interview. Eventually, the pile is worked down such that the top of the list are 8s and 9 with the occasional 10. If you are an 8, you can expect an invitation to interview a little later than someone who was a 9. Eventually, the stack may be whittled down so that those who were reviewed early but ranked as a 7 are invited to interview later in the season.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. I will be reading applications for 5 months and interviewing applicants for 6 months. Applying early has become more and more common and we now have on hand about 67% of all the applications we expect to see this year. Obviously, it is going to take a long time to work through that stack, and more are added to it every day!

For those of you who ask why I'm here rather than reading more appies 😛 ; I discovered long ago that I can't do more than a couple hours of that work per day (it is in addition to my "day job") without becoming cynical or having all the applicants blend together. Everyone gets a fairer shake if I take it slow.

One more thing... Even if we had already identified the first 300 whom we'd like to interview from among the early applicants, if we start offering interviews now for November and December we'd be fielding a lot of phone calls from people who need or want to reschedule either now or closer to the date. I think tha the office has found it much more efficient to offer interviews a month or 6 weeks in advance but not much more than that.
Good luck to everyone.
 
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Due to vacations and the need to train new adcom members, my school doesn't get started reviewing applications until August. By the time we get started, there are several thousand applications stacked up. They aren't, as best I can tell, time stamped and dealt with on a first come first served basis. Mostly, you take the one at the top of the stack. In some cases, the appies with the best stats (gpa and MCAT) might rise to the top of the stack and be reviewed first (want to get those applicants here for an interview before someone else interviews them & makes an offer). There are a million reasons, including luck of the draw, why people who were complete after you were are invited for interview ahead of you. As the stack of "applications to review" grows shorter, the stack of "applicants that should be interviewed" grows taller. These applicants might be ranked and those at the top of the list are invited to interview, more are added to the list, the list is sorted again so that the highest ranked are at the top and so on. The very best applicants tend to apply early but to give all the interviews out at the beginning isn't a good strategy because there are always those late-comers who are very, very good but sometimes less well informed about the application process (many are non-trad or from small schools not known for pre-med). So, let's say we rank students from 1 to 10 and begin by inviting all the 9s and 10 for interview. Eventually, the pile is worked down such that the top of the list are 8s and 9 with the occasional 10. If you are an 8, you can expect an invitation to interview a little later than someone who was a 9. Eventually, the stack may be whittled down so that those who were reviewed early but ranked as a 7 are invited to interview later in the season.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. I will be reading applications for 5 months and interviewing applicants for 6 months. Applying early has become more and more common and we now have on hand about 67% of all the applications we expect to see this year. Obviously, it is going to take a long time to work through that stack, and more are added to it every day!

For those of you who ask why I'm here rather than reading more appies 😛 ; I discovered long ago that I can't do more than a couple hours of that work per day (it is in addition to my "day job") without becoming cynical or having all the applicants blend together. Everyone gets a fairer shake if I take it slow.

One more thing... Even if we had already identified the first 300 whom we'd like to interview from among the early applicants, if we start offering interviews now for November and December we'd be fielding a lot of phone calls from people who need or want to reschedule either now or closer to the date. I think tha the office has found it much more efficient to offer interviews a month or 6 weeks in advance but not much more than that.
Good luck to everyone.


Very informative post 👍
 
This is just key. So key.

Eventually, the pile is worked down such that the top of the list are 8s and 9 with the occasional 10. If you are an 8, you can expect an invitation to interview a little later than someone who was a 9. Eventually, the stack may be whittled down so that those who were reviewed early but ranked as a 7 are invited to interview later in the season.
 
By the time we get started, there are several thousand applications stacked up. They aren't, as best I can tell, time stamped and dealt with on a first come first served basis. Mostly, you take the one at the top of the stack. In some cases, the appies with the best stats (gpa and MCAT) might rise to the top of the stack and be reviewed first (want to get those applicants here for an interview before someone else interviews them & makes an offer). There are a million reasons, including luck of the draw, why people who were complete after you were are invited for interview ahead of you.

Thanks LizzyM!!! This gives me hope still.
 
Lizzy M, is it true that interview comes between August and Sept are for really attractive applicants who the school wants to have decision at oct 15?
 
Lizzy M, is it true that interview comes between August and Sept are for really attractive applicants who the school wants to have decision at oct 15?

i'm assuming you meant "attractive" in the sense that the person is a really good applicant...not that schools save all of their early interviews for physically attractive people.
 
i'm assuming you meant "attractive" in the sense that the person is a really good applicant...not that schools save all of their early interviews for physically attractive people.

Most of my pre-10/15 interviews are at schools that asked for 2x2 pics, so maybe it's a little of both 😀
 
Lizzy M, is it true that interview comes between August and Sept are for really attractive applicants who the school wants to have decision at oct 15?

Didn't she just address this issue, at least with respect to her school?
 
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