Should I go to my interview?

[mikestuy]

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I just wanted to solicit everyone's opinion.

<P>I'm trying to decide whether I should go to my interview at Finch/Chicago Medical School. It's scheduled for the week of May 18th.

<P>The problem is that I haven't been accepted anywhere else yet. I've been wait-listed at three schools: SUNY Upstate, Drexel and NYMC. I've also been placed "on hold" at two other schools after interviewing there: SUNY Downstate and Penn State.

<P>If I were to be accepted to these five schools tomorrow, Finch/CMS would not be in my list of the top three. It's more of a "safety school" for me. Also, I would rather not go to school in the Midwest if I can stay in the Northeast.

<P>But, what if I don't get into any of the other five schools? What are the chances of that given that I'm on three wait lists?

<P>In addition, there is the expense of getting to North Chicago, which is about hour north of downtown Chicago. Airfare, hotel, cab fare comes to around $600. Should I spend this much for a school that isn't high on my list of preferences?

<P>And being that it's already mid-May and that it will be the last few days of interviews at Finch/CMS, what are my chances of actually being accepted there?

<P>Then again, maybe I should go to my interview because there really isn't such a thing as a bad medical school. And I don't feel that I should be giving up an opportunity.

<P>Does anyone have an opinion out there?

<P>--Michael

 

[Yogi Bear]

if i remembered correctly, one or a few SDNers in the past who interviewed late at finch got acceptances like a week after interview. they're pretty quick about it at this late in the cycle. it's ur call. unless u'd be willing to risk possibility of reapplying or can't imagine urself at finch, i'd go.

 

[Cydney Foote]

You've been invited to an interview -- by all means, go and do your best! Even if it's not one of your top schools, the practice will be very good for you. And in the greater scheme of things (figuring what you'll pay for med school and, even better, what you'll make afterwards), $600 is negligible. Go to the interview, do the best job you can, and hope you can fall back on your really-not-bad safety school.

 

[DarkChild]

you havent been accepted anywhere else - GO TO THE FINCH INTERVIEW!!
then tell them how you're really excited about the school and why. at this point, if i were you, i'd be more worried about getting in somewhere than the particulars of where you get in. so what if Finch isnt your top choice, isnt it better there than nowhere?
and no, i dont think there is anything unethical about telling a school you're really excited about them, even though you arent. take no prisoners man. 😎

 

[SolidGold]

Originally posted by DarkChild
you havent been accepted anywhere else - GO TO THE FINCH INTERVIEW!!

I second that!

 

[pocwana]

Originally posted by SolidGold

Originally posted by DarkChild
you havent been accepted anywhere else - GO TO THE FINCH INTERVIEW!!
then tell them how you're really excited about the school and why. at this point, if i were you, i'd be more worried about getting in somewhere than the particulars of where you get in. so what if Finch isnt your top choice, isnt it better there than nowhere?
and no, i dont think there is anything unethical about telling a school you're really excited about them, even though you arent. take no prisoners man. 😎

I second that!

i third it.

let's think for a second. $600 and a few days for the interview or $1000s if you have to reapply. though it's not a guaranteed acceptance at Finch, it's a greater likelihood overall. but, if you think you wouldn't want to go to finch for four years and are willing to face the possibility of reapplying, then don't go to the interview.

 

[iwannabeadoc]

Go. If you get off the wait-list elsewhere you can always drop Finch. At the same time, not even going to the interview would defeat the whole purpose of Finch being your "safety school". What good is a parachute if you don't use it?

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Originally posted by mikestuy
<P>If I were to be accepted to these five schools tomorrow, Finch/CMS would not be in my list of the top three. It's more of a "safety school" for me.

Considering that you don't have an acceptance yet, I wouldn't say that any school is a "safety" school. Good luck at your interview.

 

[UCLAMAN]

Beggars can't be choosers....i agree with what everyone else has said. you have no acceptances yet, so you sorta have to go to the interview if you want to improve your chances of getting in somewhere. Why did you apply to Finch at all if you didn't want to go there?

You said it was your safety school...considering you have no acceptances yet I'd say you better be SAFE and go to the interview.

If you don't go to the Finch interview you run a higher chance of having to reapply. Remember, reapplication can be difficult not only financially but also because adcoms are going to want to see improvements in your application.

I think you would probably get in at one of the schools you are waitlisted/hold at. However, there is also the possibility that you might not so just to be safe(and add another shot at an acceptance) you may want to go to the finch interview. If I were in your shoes, I would go to the Finch interview.

 

[Lara]

Last year, I found an interview invite in my mailbox for Drexel upon returning from Temple! Keep in mind that I'm Canadian so the exchange rate was added to the already high cost of applying to the States. But without an acceptance yet, I knew I had to go back to Philly. And in the end, I had a good time (stayed at a Holiday Inn, toured the city, caught a Champions on Ice show) and liked the school.

I know it seems annoying to spend extra time and cash when you have five other possibilities, since chances are one will come through. But you'll really really kick yourself if they don't work out and you're stuck wondering "what if". It's just not worth the risk, and you'll probably like Finch better that you think. 🙂 And maybe you can squeeze in a tour of Chicago while you're there. Good luck!

 

[uclamendoza]

I agree 100% with the above posts on this thread. Without an acceptance, going to the interview may be the good luck charm in getting into a med school, such as Finch or any of your wait-listed schools. For cheap airfares, go online and compare prices......you'll be amazed by some of the prices.........good luck with your interview and enjoy the Chicago area. Stay positive.

 

[jennie 21]

The only situation in which you should not go to the Finch interview is if you would be absolutely unwilling to go to Finch, if it were the only place to accept you. If you would prefer reapplying over going to Finch, then don't go to the Finch interview. Otherwise, go. You will probably get in off one of your other waitlists but you might not; I don't think it's worth taking the chance.

 

[XENON-RAMZ]

canadians can get into drexel???

GO TO THE FINCH INTERVIEW, YOU WILL REGRET IT AND LOOK AT THOSE 600 BUCKS LIKE THEY R NOTHING IF U END UP IN A BAD SITUATION!

 

[Lara]

I'm lucky to have dual US/Canadian citizenship through my parents. 🙂 I'm not sure I could have been considered at Drexel otherwise.

 

[PluckyDuk8]

Couple of hints to cheapen your trip...I really, really, doubt it should cost you $600. I'm sure others who have travelled to finch can help out with this (I'm from Chicago so I just hopped on my car and drove). BTW, it is more than an hour away from downtown.

Fly into midway. Travelling to and from there is a little annoying but if you gotta fly cheap that's the way to go.

Stay with a student host.

The Metra goes all the way up to North Chicago and to Waukegan...If your student host is in Waukegan you can make it up there and probably bus it to their place (or they'll have a car and pick you up)...or let's say you are staying at a hotel somewhere. You can take the el to the hotel and the metra to the school. Saves from you renting a car, but it will take longer to travel. The metra is pretty quick, though, but the way up to North Chicago is a long ride.

 

[mikestuy]

I appreciated everyone's advise and I did end up going to my interview at Finch (you convinced me). It wasnt bad at all. And cost nowhere near $600 - just a little over $300.

<P>I ended up flying to Midway, taking the train to downtown Chicago and taking the Metra to Waukegan where I stayed with a student host.

<P>Thanks!

 

[iwannabeadoc]

You da man.

 

[PluckyDuk8]

Originally posted by mikestuy

<P>I ended up flying to Midway, taking the train to downtown Chicago and taking the Metra to Waukegan where I stayed with a student host.

<P>Thanks!

I'm happy my advice was good. It will cost you $300. You can pm me with a virtual check. I'm glad going to the interview was worth it for you. Always better to do it than to say "what if." BTW, I withdrew my application at Finch post interview, so who knows you may end up having my spot.

 

[phar]

medical school interview in May??????

 

[mikestuy]

yes, an interview in may. apparently, it's a tradition for them.

<P>btw, i got accepted to finch about a week and a half after my interview.

 

[MDmiracle]

Congrats, Man!

No more worrying whether you get in. Now you can sit back and wait for a waitlist offer.

 

[SolidGold]

Sweet!! Congrats on the acceptance at Finch.

I interviewed there on one of the last days of May last year but did not get in. Finch is a pretty good school and does not deserve the criticism they get here on SDN.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

yea, mikestuy! Congrats!

 

[Moskeeto]

hey, thats pretty cool. way to go mike!

 

[EvoDevo]

Way to go, dude! Yours is a great story! Fate often hands us opportunity but many don't reach for it.

I bet that you feel like a million bucks!