dlung said:
I'm thinking of dropping my final interview b/c after thinking about it, I can't see it cracking my top 4 programs... It's a great program, and I feel bad not taking them up on the offer, but I'm tired of traveling and interviewing (this would be #15 I think)... and it seems like a waste of the $400 I'd spend if it's only going to be a sort-of-fall-back program -- even then, a poor one, since I think most people who end up there rank it in their top 2.
Sound reasonable?
I can understand your frustration with the interview trail (having just driven 2800 miles in the last 2 weeks), but the last interview I had may very well be my #1 pick (or close to it). I really didn't think before going that it would be anywhere close to the top of the list, and what I had heard about the town wasn't all that great, and I considered cancelling the interview. After visiting the program, I think it looks awesome.
Would I be happy at any of the other programs where I interviewed? Yes, I believe so. This one had the combination of all the things I was looking for, and there are aspects of it that I would never have known without talking to the residents. The town also is not at all what I had been told (seems my info was a bit out of date).
Again, if I end up at my bottom choice, I think that I will still be very happy there and will be off to a great career in EM. I'm still very glad that I didn't cancel this last interview.
If you REALLY can't see yourself being happy in the program, then don't go, but you may be pleasantly surprised. Also, considering that EM is getting very competetive and attracting very good candidates, you never know how things will fall out in the match. You may not get your top 4 (and I'm not saying that means anything about you as a candidate).
The unwritten rule told to me by the chairman of our program is that you should rank 10 places to be confident of matching. If it could be in the top 10, I think that I would go.
'zilla
