Should I interview right after a 30 hour flight or at the end of the interview season?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Halcyon32

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2015
Messages
337
Reaction score
178
I am in something of a conundrum. I have an interview scheduled for a few days from now. I am currently overseas and my visa to enter the US only just arrived (I am an international student). Now, I can book a ~30 hour flight that will arrive at 5pm the day before my interview. Obviously, my main concern here is that I will be fried for the interview day (this school does only MMIs, no one-on-one interviews). Now, my other option is to reschedule my interview for mid Feb, basically the very end of the interview season. My concern here is that my chances will be much lower if I were to interview 2 months from now. I know typically the interview date doesn't affect one's chances but I feel like the fact that this one is at the end of the interview cycle, most of the seats will have been accounted for already as this school is very competitive/desirable. On top of that, I have already rescheduled once before and I feel like doing so again especially only 2 or 3 days in advance would reflect poorly on me.

This school is far and away my top choice school and I want to do everything in my power to make sure I have the best chance. If I were to not reschedule, I feel like the fact that the flight arrives in the early evening is very helpful since I know I will be exhausted so I can just knock out early, get a full night's sleep, and hopefully be fresh the next day.

Please let me know what you all think!

Members don't see this ad.
 
I say do the interview asap and you'll hear back quicker depending on how and when the school sends out As. Just knock out as soon as you reach a hotel. MMIs imo do not require that much prep, and you should be prepped for them already by now. Only concern here is if weather conditions delay your flight.


Just grab a cup of coffee before your interview lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
I would personally book the 30 hour flight. I agree that getting in at 5pm will allow enough to get a good sleep.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I say do the interview asap and you'll hear back quicker depending on how and when the school sends out As. Just knock out as soon as you reach a hotel. MMIs imo do not require that much prep, and you should be prepped for them already by now. Only concern here is if weather conditions delay your flight.


Just grab a cup of coffee before your interview lol.
Yeah, some unforeseen delay is a big factor here but then the decision will have been made for me.

Haha I have never drank a cup of coffee in my life but I think I may give in on the morning of.
 
have an eye mask and noise cancelling headphones (or ear plugs) and you should be able to sleep quickly inflight. Also, check airline how full the flight is and try to get the empty row.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
have an eye mask and noise cancelling headphones (or ear plugs) and you should be able to sleep quickly inflight. Also, check airline how full the flight is and try to get the empty row.
Oh this made me think of another factor. The flight will have 3 layovers, adding to the tiredness factor.
 
Oh this made me think of another factor. The flight will have 3 layovers, adding to the tiredness factor.
Most international travel has layovers. Also, don't drink alcohol or carbonated drinks and may be eat less during the flight :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Do the 30 hour option, it will give you something to talk about and you’ll look dedicated af.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 4 users
Do the 30 hour option, it will give you something to talk about and you’ll look dedicated af.
Yeah lol hopefully they ask about it during one of the MMI stations
 
I am in something of a conundrum. I have an interview scheduled for a few days from now. I am currently overseas and my visa to enter the US only just arrived (I am an international student). Now, I can book a ~30 hour flight that will arrive at 5pm the day before my interview. Obviously, my main concern here is that I will be fried for the interview day (this school does only MMIs, no one-on-one interviews). Now, my other option is to reschedule my interview for mid Feb, basically the very end of the interview season. My concern here is that my chances will be much lower if I were to interview 2 months from now. I know typically the interview date doesn't affect one's chances but I feel like the fact that this one is at the end of the interview cycle, most of the seats will have been accounted for already as this school is very competitive/desirable. On top of that, I have already rescheduled once before and I feel like doing so again especially only 2 or 3 days in advance would reflect poorly on me.

This school is far and away my top choice school and I want to do everything in my power to make sure I have the best chance. If I were to not reschedule, I feel like the fact that the flight arrives in the early evening is very helpful since I know I will be exhausted so I can just knock out early, get a full night's sleep, and hopefully be fresh the next day.

Please let me know what you all think!
Schedule for later in the season. A 30 hr flight will indeed fry you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
As someone who travels internationally often, you should absolutely move your interview date. Jet lag and the pain and soreness you’ll feel after 30 hours cannot be fixed with one night of sleep
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I personally believe rest is overrated for acute, high-stress situations such as interviews. I mean don’t be absolutely strung out but I’ve found getting 5 vs. 8 hours of sleep the night before doesn’t make a difference as long as you’ve prepared well. If you know yourself and know you function fine well rested or not, go for it. If you know you need rest and want to be relaxed, wait.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Yeah, some unforeseen delay is a big factor here but then the decision will have been made for me.

Haha I have never drank a cup of coffee in my life but I think I may give in on the morning of.

I would not recommend doing a diet change the day of an interview. Maybe you are allergic, cause diarrhea, etc...
 
Members don't see this ad :)
How well do you honestly function on no sleep in the event your flight gets delayed? I’m fairly used to functioning on bad sleep, and my first acceptance was from an MMI school where I interviewed after ~3 hours of sleep the night before. You have to know yourself, though. If you don’t want to risk it, take the later date.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Yeah, I agree with @Goro on this. Too many risk factors with international travel and the airplanes are so full that it can be difficult to get a seat if a flight is delayed. Additionally, once you have been invited for interview, your chances are not significantly decreased by when you actually interview. Despite the perception of rolling admissions, schools dont fill up and say "that's all we are taking." it is really the rolling interview slots that are the determining factor
I personally believe rest is overrated for acute, high-stress situations such as interviews. I mean don’t be absolutely strung out but I’ve found getting 5 vs. 8 hours of sleep the night before doesn’t make a difference as long as you’ve prepared well. If you know yourself and know you function fine well rested or not, go for it. If you know you need rest and want to be relaxed, wait.
How well do you honestly function on no sleep in the event your flight gets delayed? I’m fairly used to functioning on bad sleep, and my first acceptance was from an MMI school where I interviewed after ~3 hours of sleep the night before. You have to know yourself, though. If you don’t want to risk it, take the later date.
I have made international trips before (sometimes over 30 hours) and my degree of tiredness/incapacitation fluctuates. Sometimes I can't sleep/don't feel tired for hours, sometimes I knock out at the sight of a bed. I do think that it being a high-octane situation plays to my favor as well as the fact that it is an MMI for which I can hardly prepare. It also looks like some of the planes are not packed and I may be able to get a whole row to myself. Topped off with the fact that I will at least be likely to get a full night's sleep immediately before, I think I will be going for the earlier interview. If the flight gets delayed then I will be rescheduling the interview regardless.

Thanks all for the advice and input! Would love to hear more suggestions and tips on how to maximize restfullness.
 
Would love to hear more suggestions and tips on how to maximize restfullness.

Someone suggested earlier, but to reiterate: eye mask, ear plugs, melatonin, a book, and a window seat! That's my winning combo for getting sleep on a flight. Can't guarantee it, but it helps! I also sometimes get a glass of red to really set in the drowsiness. Since you have three flights rather than one long one, I might skip the melatonin though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
love to hear more suggestions and tips on how to maximize restfullness.

I'm a professional sleeper, I gotchu. I hit some melatonin the night before every interview. I would suggest also trying to keep track of the time at your destination - since your flight is 30 hours try to start a sleep/wakeful cycle that corresponds to the time zone of where your interview is during your flight to help you acclimate beforehand (assuming you aren't in the same one). I usually sleep better on planes than in my bed so I've never needed it on a flight, but maybe taking melatonin too would help you sleep during your flight.

A note on melatonin tho; you probably want to try using it in your nightly routine beforehand to see if that would work for you. I do well with it, but I have a friend who has trouble staying asleep when she takes it, and she feels worse the next day.
 
This is absolutely the most insane thing I've read on the internet ever.

I WILL sleep anywhere, but planes are soothing bc they move. Same w trains, cars, busses. When i figure out how to get my bed to move at 60+mph this might change
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I WILL sleep anywhere, but planes are soothing bc they move. Same w trains, cars, busses. When i figure out how to get my bed to move at 60+mph this might change
Maybe you should be a cruise ship doctor.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: 2 users
This is absolutely the most insane thing I've read on the internet ever.

Only partially insane for to cramped quarters. Constant vibrations cause fatigue, just like how driving makes you more tired.
 
What you've described here is a recipe for disaster. Show the adcoms you're capable of forethought by rescheduling now.
I don't see how a delayed flight is indicative of a lack of forethought. This could happen whether the flight is 30 hours or 3 hours and is totally out of the applicants control. It's unrealistic to expect all applicants to arrive more than a day in advance to their interview on the off chance that the flight would be delayed. Plus it's not like the committee knows its a 30 hour flight
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I don't see how a delayed flight is indicative of a lack of forethought. This could happen whether the flight is 30 hours or 3 hours and is totally out of the applicants control. It's unrealistic to expect all applicants to arrive more than a day in advance to their interview on the off chance that the flight would be delayed. Plus it's not like the committee knows its a 30 hour flight
I didn't say it was a lack of forethought. I'm saying that, given the possibility that something could go wrong with any of four flights over the course of 30 hours, it would demonstrate forethought. You're right, the committee wouldn't know OP had just come off 30 hours of travel unless they're told. That's the point: if OP isn't at their best because of this marathon travel, why would the adcoms cut them any slack?
 
Top