Theory on why invites are done so fast this cycle?

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goone2524

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My theory is because this cycle was the first one that had applicants using the the new CB MCAT last year (for a full year). This allows for many more applicants to apply early than any other cycle. Although the total number of applicants has not increased significantly this year, but the number of applicants applying early has. This is why we have seen many schools saying they have received a record number of applications early on. Also schools like NYMC and VCU which which were extending invites well into Feb. last yr are alreading winding down in December.

What are your guy's theories? :confused:
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What are you asking?
 
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schools aren't done sending invites.

edit: i dont konw much about the schools you mentioned.
 
ryserr21 said:
schools aren't done sending invites.
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I know they are not. I am just saying some schools are already winding down. And extending invites for April already and VCU is already out of invite spots. This is much faster than previous cycles as noted by other reapplicants.
 
goone2524 said:
Just what you guys think is the main reason for schools like NYMC and VCU finishing up their invites so quickly this year in December.
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What are you basing this assumption on? SDN anecdotes, or information directly obtained from those schools?

I think your premise is off base...schools are not finishing up their invites "so quickly" this year versus recent years...plenty of invites yet to come AFAIK.
 
flip26 said:
What are you basing this assumption on? SDN anecdotes, or information directly obtained from those schools?

I think your premise is off base...schools are not finishing up their invites "so quickly" this year versus recent years...plenty of invites yet to come.
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VCU already posted that they have no more invite spots. And people in the NYMC thread are posting invites now for April 16th.
 
goone2524 said:
VCU already posted that they have no more invite spots. And people in the NYMC thread are posting invites now for April 16th.
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But on what are you basing your premise that this represents some big change from recent years? Personal experience? SDN anecdotes.

And is there evidence available from AMCAS for this cycle that total apps are the same as last year? Or is it more? And have people finally gotten the take home message to apply early? Any evidence that a greater percentage of apps were completed earlier this year than say last year?

Look, I am one of the biggest advocates on SDN of the value of applying early.
 
flip26 said:
But on what are you basing your premise that this represents some big change from recent years? Personal experience? SDN anecdotes.

And is there evidence available from AMCAS for this cycle that total apps are the same as last year? Or is it more? And have people finally gotten the take home message to apply early? Any evidence that a greater percentage of apps were completed earlier this year than say last year?

Look, I am one of the biggest advocates on SDN of the value of applying early.
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Yes. I agree with you. More concrete evidence needs to be researched. Thats why its just my theory with the First Full Year the MCAT was CB last year. The many opportunties to retake and 30 days to get your score. This meant a lot of people got the chance to apply early this cycle with good scores. Meaning schools could of sent out more invites earlier than anticipated.

Thats all I am saying just my opinion. What do you guys think?
 
i agree with goone.. that seemed to allow a lot more people to apply a lot earlier and schools like VCU and NYMC which i applied to (in september) and have not been able to get an invite either, to fill up their slots much faster than before.

lol whats up with everyone else being so negative towards the OP.. wat hes sayin makes senes
 
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CrownwithCoke said:
i agree with goone.. that seemed to allow a lot more people to apply a lot earlier and schools like VCU and NYMC which i applied to (in september) and have not been able to get an invite either, to fill up their slots much faster than before.

lol whats up with everyone else being so negative towards the OP.. wat hes sayin makes senes
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Your user name::thumbup:.
 
goone2524 said:
I know they are not. I am just saying some schools are already winding down. And extending invites for April already and VCU is already out of invite spots. This is much faster than previous cycles as noted by other reapplicants.
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yea i see what you are saying. That is interesting.

goone2524 said:
hey congrats on UCI!!! Love that school.
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Thanks!!
 
CrownwithCoke said:
i agree with goone.. that seemed to allow a lot more people to apply a lot earlier and schools like VCU and NYMC which i applied to (in september) and have not been able to get an invite either, to fill up their slots much faster than before.

lol whats up with everyone else being so negative towards the OP.. wat hes sayin makes senes
Click to expand...

Somebody else can look it up, but there WAS some data released by AMCAS regarding how many applicants had applied in June and July versus prior years...now I don't remember the exact year to year comparison, but I don't think that there was any indication of a large shift...

As for your case, applying in September is very late, you know...why is the computer based MCAT your theory for "earlier apps" this year as opposed to last year, and why were you so late with your app this year if you had the same opportunities to take multiple MCATs? And hasn't the computer based test been around since 2006???

The truth of the matter is that more than enough people apply by the end of July than there are available slots...applying late (September onward) has never been a good idea.
 
ryserr21 said:
schools aren't done sending invites.

edit: i dont konw much about the schools you mentioned.
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pleaaase I hope you are right ='(. I'm still waiting *sniffle*
 
flip26 said:
Somebody else can look it up, but there WAS some data released by AMCAS regarding how many applicants had applied in June and July versus prior years...now I don't remember the exact year to year comparison, but I don't think that there was any indication of a large shift...

As for your case, applying in September is very late, you know...why is the computer based MCAT your theory for "earlier apps" this year as opposed to last year, and why were you so late with your app this year if you had the same opportunities to take multiple MCATs? And hasn't the computer based test been around since 2006???

The truth of the matter is that more than enough people apply by the end of July than there are available slots...applying late (September onward) has never been a good idea.
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I do not think that sending in secondaries/being complete in Sept is late. Primaries, yeah. But early to mid Sept is really not "late." It's not early, but certainly not late.
 
scarletgirl777 said:
I do not think that sending in secondaries/being complete in Sept is late. Primaries, yeah. But early to mid Sept is really not "late." It's not early, but certainly not late.
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I'm with you on this one. I was marked complete for my schools in early september and have received numerous interviews since then.
 
dynezxice said:
I'm with you on this one. I was marked complete for my schools in early september and have received numerous interviews since then.
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Totally agree...I have gotten interviews from places I was complete in October and November even
 
there seems to be very conflicting opinions on this. some reapps and trads think that the interview invites are flying out and soon to be gone. but current M1 students seem to think they are SLOOOW. personally, i feel for some schools particularly the ones some would consider 'safeties' where lots of people apply, such as NYMC and VCU, are running out of interview invites. sidenote: VCU has NOT run out, they just don't have any dates available, but they have a new schedule with more dates when they send out a new batch of invites. i think they just let it run out for christmas break. hope everyone has a good holiday and good luck with the invites/acceptances.
 
ugh threads like these give me headaches. Now I don't know what to think :confused: in terms of my prospects of getting an interview invite post-winterbreak. (complete mostly late september - late october)
 
Food said:
ugh threads like these give me headaches. Now I don't know what to think :confused: in terms of my prospects of getting an interview invite post-winterbreak. (complete mostly late september - late october)
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Don't give up hope yet! I was complete late July for a school and just got an interview invite today.
 
yay berk, you're one of those rocking the app process. it's always good to know some people are killing the process (not jus the other way round haha), gives hope and encouragement to the rest of us :D
 
bluesmd said:
yay berk, you're one of those rocking the app process. it's always good to know some people are killing the process (not jus the other way round haha), gives hope and encouragement to the rest of us :D
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Aww thank you! Yeah, I have been EXTREMELY lucky. You've done really well yourself :thumbup: I hope this cycle isn't over yet! :xf:
 
jgberken said:
Aww thank you! Yeah, I have been EXTREMELY lucky. You've done really well yourself :thumbup: I hope this cycle isn't over yet! :xf:
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Great school, great GPA, great EC's, great MCAT =/= good luck :p :thumbup:

But, we appreciate the modesty.
 
jgberken said:
Aww thank you! Yeah, I have been EXTREMELY lucky. You've done really well yourself :thumbup: I hope this cycle isn't over yet! :xf:
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thanks, yeah i'm sooo grateful for my acceptances. it's definitely good to know that we have somewhere to go at least. i hope that many people will soon join us and breathe a sigh of relief. yeah i too definitely hope it isn't over. i'm waiting on three more schools i would really like to interview at.

TRN1983 said:
Great school, great GPA, great EC's, great MCAT =/= good luck :p :thumbup:

But, we appreciate the modesty.
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i disagree, yeah berk obviously has a strong app. but, luck definitely plays some part in application process. some people with good everything get lots of interviews but then are waitlisted everywhere and then have to wait to find out. some people with good numbers also get rejected if they only apply to top-tier places.
 
IMHO good everything + lots of wait-lists is the result of "less-than-great" interviews. If someone is applying to few schools, or top heavy then luck plays a factor. But, applying to quite a few schools with a reasonable distribution has little luck to do with it IMHO. Along with great numbers, Berk obviously has a great personality and is articulate.

I'd like to blame my lack of success on bumb-luck, but it's not. I've got a few things working against me that I just have to work on... that's all :(
 
TRN1983, did you apply late, you have an excellent app. you should have more interviews (you should blame it on bum luck haha). i definitely disagree about luck sorry :D look at my apps. i am very grateful and believe that i am very lucky to have acceptances so early. granted, they aren't top heavy schools, but i do believe luck does play some part. because even if you have a good well rounded application there is stil a possibility you don't get in anywhere. i hope you get some interview invites asap! good luck
 
I'm pinning my bumb luck on starting my volunteer work in the spring of '08. I applied in a reasonable time frame, I'm confident in my LOR's, I know I write well, and people said my PS was really good. So, it's got to be primarily b/c of the volunteer issue, IMHO. When you apply to 30+ schools bumb luck only goes so far.

On the plus side, the "one" interview I had my first interviewer (retired professor, volunteer adcom) said "I think you're a wonderful young man and it'd be my pleasure to recommend you to the admissions committee. You're exactly the kind of student we need at this school." Hopefully that'll turn into an acceptance, but I've seen wonderful compliments turn into rejections and wait lists before, so I'm not counting on it. But, to me it means I can interview okay, ya know? So, I'm sure I'll get in some day :)

Anyway, we'll have to agree to disagree on the luck issue. But, thanks for the kind words and encouragement :D And, HUUUUUUUGE congrats on your acceptances. :)
 
goone2524 said:
My theory is because this cycle was the first one that had applicants using the the new CB MCAT last year (for a full year). This allows for many more applicants to apply early than any other cycle. Although the total number of applicants has not increased significantly this year, but the number of applicants applying early has. This is why we have seen many schools saying they have received a record number of applications early on. Also schools like NYMC and VCU which which were extending invites well into Feb. last yr are alreading winding down in December.

What are your guy's theories? :confused:
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For my two schools, we haven't filled all of our interview slots and we are still going through applications. A majority of our applications came in before the second week of September but we have only interviewed about 45% of the people that we expect to interview and have about 1/3 of the class filled at this point.

Because of the large number of applications that were sent early, many schools have sent out all of their invitations for interview and will only send out new invitations if there are cancellations. In those cases, the process totally favored the folks who applied earliest.

For people who are anticipating applying for the next admissions cycle, get your stuff done early period. For those people who think that they might have to reapply for the next admissions cycle, get your things together and be prepared to apply early. For those who have applied and haven't heard anything, the season is about 1/2 done and you may receive some invitations in January provided the schools that you have applied to have not filled all of their interview slots (most haven't but some have as the OP indicated). At this point, I would enjoy the holidays and not lose hope especially if you applied to a multitude of schools and haven't heard back from most of them.
 
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