Time frame questions about interviews

[openstage]

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Before I write this, I know many people will respond, “it varies from school to school.” I get that. But if you’ve been through the process, I’m just curious how it went for you. What is the timeframe for an interview and visit? Weekdays or weekends? Mornings or later in the day? Alone or with other candidates? How long does it actually take? Do people take a few days to tour the school and area? How many nights should I book in a hotel if I fly in? Thanks,

 

[965978]

Let me just start with the disclaimer that this is for traditional interview style MD only. MD-PhD is dramatically different. MMI’s are also different.

1) Almost always weekdays. Rarely weekends.
2) All day. You check in between 8-10 in the morning and check out between 1-4 in the afternoon.
3) Presentations, tours, and lunch are with everyone else (the group can range from 10-30 interviewees). Interviews themselves are conducted one-on-one usually.
4) The actual interview itself is about 30-60 minutes.
5) You don’t need several days to tour the area but you can if you want.
6) Most people fly in the day before or two days before.

I know you didn’t ask this, but I HIGHlY recommend staying with a student host. A lot of them are kind enough to give some very useful interview tips because they’ve been through the interview process at that exact school. A lot of them even know factually that happen to be on the admission committee so they can have some insider info as well.

 

[965978]

As for scheduling interviews, that heavily depends on the school. Some want you in ASAP after the interview invite. Others let you take your time. Tufts has an “open invite” policy where your invite is valid the entire cycle and you can interview whenever you want.

 

[puahate]

Let me just start with the disclaimer that this is for traditional interview style MD only. MD-PhD is dramatically different. MMI’s are also different.

1) Almost always weekdays. Rarely weekends.
2) All day. You check in between 8-10 in the morning and check out between 1-4 in the afternoon.
3) Presentations, tours, and lunch are with everyone else (the group can range from 10-30 interviewees). Interviews themselves are conducted one-on-one usually.
4) The actual interview itself is about 30-60 minutes.
5) You don’t need several days to tour the area but you can if you want.
6) Most people fly in the day before or two days before.

I know you didn’t ask this, but I HIGHlY recommend staying with a student host. A lot of them are kind enough to give some very useful interview tips because they’ve been through the interview process at that exact school. A lot of them even know factually that happen to be on the admission committee so they can have some insider info as well.

I feel like this can be a double edge. Like what if the host doesn't like you? They can write you off right there.

Also you'd be on game mode the whole time, draining your energy.

 

[965978]

I feel like this can be a double edge. Like what if the host doesn't like you? They can write you off right there.

Also you'd be on game mode the whole time, draining your energy.

1) That applies to anything. For example, there’s a chance your interviewer won’t like you. And the only way your host can get you rejected if they report to the admissions office that you did or said something so inappropriate that it would warrant a rejection.

2) You don’t have to be on game mode. Just don’t say something ridiculous or offensive.

 

[puahate]

1) That applies to anything. For example, there’s a chance your interviewer won’t like you. And the only way your host can get you rejected if they report to the admissions office that you did or said something so inappropriate that it would warrant a rejection.

2) You don’t have to be on game mode. Just don’t say something ridiculous or offensive.

1. If the host doesn't like you everything in the interview may be discounted. You prepare for the interview. You have no idea how host can operate.

2. What if you pass gas or clog the toilet using the bathroom. Legit anything could happen.

 

[puahate]

The solution to number one is "be a good person"

I agree but like anything. Things happen. There's always that 1% chance

 

[openstage]

Let me just start with the disclaimer that this is for traditional interview style MD only. MD-PhD is dramatically different. MMI’s are also different.

1) Almost always weekdays. Rarely weekends.
2) All day. You check in between 8-10 in the morning and check out between 1-4 in the afternoon.
3) Presentations, tours, and lunch are with everyone else (the group can range from 10-30 interviewees). Interviews themselves are conducted one-on-one usually.
4) The actual interview itself is about 30-60 minutes.
5) You don’t need several days to tour the area but you can if you want.
6) Most people fly in the day before or two days before.

I know you didn’t ask this, but I HIGHlY recommend staying with a student host. A lot of them are kind enough to give some very useful interview tips because they’ve been through the interview process at that exact school. A lot of them even know factually that happen to be on the admission committee so they can have some insider info as well.

 

[openstage]

Excellent response - just what I needed. Thanks.

 

[Goro]

Before I write this, I know many people will respond, “it varies from school to school.” I get that. But if you’ve been through the process, I’m just curious how it went for you. What is the timeframe for an interview and visit? Weekdays or weekends? Mornings or later in the day? Alone or with other candidates? How long does it actually take? Do people take a few days to tour the school and area? How many nights should I book in a hotel if I fly in? Thanks,

Our interviews go from M-W.
Start at 8 finished by 2 or 2:30
Most people stay one night, unless they're really interested in checking out the area.

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

At our school, interviews are only weekdays. Three days a week from early September through February.
Usually about 20 people per interview day.
Must arrive by about 8am and, depending on when interview is scheduled, may not be able to leave until about 5pm.

Some schools have a dinner event the night before the interview. It is optional but encouraged.
Would recommend to almost always go the day before and figure out WHERE you need to be the next day anyway. I think that MONDAY interviews are best day to select so that you can travel on Sunday and not miss school or work.

For your most important interviews, check airbnb - often residents are offering up a second bedroom etc. Residents will be very unlikely to have much interest or say in med school admissions process, but may know a decent amount about the medical school. Or just treat yourself to an occasional hotel room for your most important interviews. This is not the time to be cheap. Even in NYC, can get Hampton Inn SUN night room for about $125, if you select a MONDAY interview. Sunday nights are relatively cheap for hotels in most parts of the country.

Keep a good eye on the nationwide weather situation. Most airlines will let people change their flights without charge when a big storm might impact travel. And keep in mind that even a flight to a warmer climate might get canceled if plane was to be coming from Chicago etc. And tornados and hurricanes can impact travel even in August and September. If there is a chance your flight might get canceled, try to move your travel to a day earlier.

 

[907914]

How does a heavy interview schedule affect fall quarter/fall semester lab classes? For instance, I have a 6 credit class with 2 hour labs MWF this coming fall. Will it be theoretically possible to either schedule interviews to happen before school starts (Late September), over winter break, or on T/Th so that I can fly out late Monday night and be back by Wednesday morning?

 

[965978]

How does a heavy interview schedule affect fall quarter/fall semester lab classes? For instance, I have a 6 credit class with 2 hour labs MWF this coming fall. Will it be theoretically possible to either schedule interviews to happen before school starts (Late September), over winter break, or on T/Th so that I can fly out late Monday night and be back by Wednesday morning?

Interviews don’t happen over holiday breaks.

If you have to fly to the east coast and the school doesn’t have interviewes on a Tue or Thus, you can ask to defer the interview until after the semester is over If your professor won’t let you miss class. Most reasonable professors will let you miss class for a medical school interview, unless there is a legitimate reason not to (if you have the final on that day, for example).

 

[theKingLT]

How does a heavy interview schedule affect fall quarter/fall semester lab classes? For instance, I have a 6 credit class with 2 hour labs MWF this coming fall. Will it be theoretically possible to either schedule interviews to happen before school starts (Late September), over winter break, or on T/Th so that I can fly out late Monday night and be back by Wednesday morning?

Avoid taking the lab in the fall if possible. If not be prepared to miss. Get on the TA's good side from the get go. Defer interviews to non-rolling schools

 

[907914]

Avoid taking the lab in the fall if possible. If not be prepared to miss. Get on the TA's good side from the get go. Defer interviews to non-rolling schools

If I am lucky enough to get early cycle II invites, is it possible to do a good portion of them before end of September?

 

[theKingLT]

If I am lucky enough to get early cycle II invites, is it possible to do a good portion of them before end of September?

I definitely wouldn't bank on that. You can try to maximize chances of early interviews by making sure you submit primary on day 1 and pre-writing secondaries. Even so, I submitted primary like a week after it opened, was verified first week of July and completed all secondaries within a week or 2 of getting them, so I was pretty damn early for everything but the EARLIEST interview I got was last week of september. Then about 10 spread out October-early December and a handful more in jan-march. N=1 but the point is hoping for lots of early interviews is just wishful thinking. Best to plan for the worst case scenario

Edit: also at my late September interview, the majority of the other interviewees said it was their first interview as well. This was a T20 school so definitely strong applicants

 

[907914]

Avoid taking the lab in the fall if possible. If not be prepared to miss. Get on the TA's good side from the get go. Defer interviews to non-rolling schools

Not taking lab in fall is likely not possible. I am on a biotech research track next year. While the lab class is offered both fall and winter, winter is when I will be hitting the ground rolling with actually implementing student led research (15-25 hours a week in lab) whereas fall is just designing the project.

Thanks for the info, I will see what I can do!

Edit: I guess I am lucky I can only afford like 3 or 4 interviews

 

[theKingLT]

Not taking lab in fall is likely not possible. I am on a biotech research track next year. While the lab class is offered both fall and winter, winter is when I will be hitting the ground rolling with actually implementing student led research (15-25 hours a week in lab) whereas fall is just designing the project.

Thanks for the info, I will see what I can do!

Ya I mean you do what you gotta do. All of my professors were very willing to work with absences for med school interviews. Class makes it tougher but tons of people do it every year. If the lab is in the morning or early afternoon you can probably schedule a lot of interviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays and not necessarily miss for every interview. Fly out Monday after lab, interview Tuesday and fly back that evening after interview. I did most of mine this way. You won't have any flexibility in flight times though so it will cost a little more.

 

[907914]

Ya I mean you do what you gotta do. All of my professors were very willing to work with absences for med school interviews. Class makes it tougher but tons of people do it every year. If the lab is in the morning or early afternoon you can probably schedule a lot of interviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays and not necessarily miss for every interview. Fly out Monday after lab, interview Tuesday and fly back that evening after interview. I did most of mine this way. You won't have any flexibility in flight times though so it will cost a little more.

I’ve got $10,000 for the whole application plus moving to wherever I get in...we’ll see! Thanks for the advice.

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

@MemeLord
I am a big fan of gap years. There is no rush to apply to medical school now (unless your MCAT is aging out).

Most students need to get the most of their senior year by participating, all in. A lot of senior year courses will be smaller seminar courses, or labs, And you want to try to stay involved or get involved in research, as well as community service activities and other ECs. Interviewing, if you are a successful applicant, ideally involves about 6-10 interviews, which is generally going to take you away from school for 2 days each trip.

No one can really attend to their high level senior coursework AND research AND EC's AND interview and still have time for wellness/exercise/friends while interviewing. If you read some of the threads on here, you will see that applying, worrying about interview invites, studying for interviews, decompressing after interviews, obsessing over interview decisions, etc takes a lot of time. Much better to put yourself "all in" at school for your final year, and then accept a gap year job that will allow you to be flexible around your interviews. (This advice is for the students who expect, based on good advice, to get 8-10 interviews).

Again, there is no rush to apply to medical school right out of college. Most of the people we interview have at least one gap year, and many of them have several. Most of the matriculated class is not right out of undergrad. You will be a much more interesting applicant if you have some work experience. MMI questions and many other behaviorally-based interview questions tend to fall flat when students answer them based on college experiences as opposed to real-life work experience. (And military answers take it up another notch!)

 

[907914]

unless your MCAT is aging out).

Is would being unable to afford another year of child care, spouse graduates at the same time as I do (two body problem,thankfully not premed though....), and simply feeling ready to move forward in career?

No one can really attend to their high level senior coursework AND research AND EC's AND interview and still have time for wellness/exercise/friends while interviewing.

During senior year is when I plan on reducing all of my ECs to focus on interview cycle. Is just classes and cycle manageable?

Most of the people we interview have at least one gap year, and many of them have several.

When ADCOMS view gap years, do they strictly look at post-college years or also pre-college years (IE; military type stuff)?

MMI questions and many other behaviorally-based interview questions tend to fall flat when students answer them based on college experiences as opposed to real-life work experience. (And military answers take it up another notch!)

My primary reasoning for dropping all the ECs senior year/applying senior year is I know I am a stellar interviewer and feel as though I have done all I can to improve app (6 years Army, several thousand hours clinical employment, about a thousand hours volunteering, about 500 hours research etc.). Am I being naive?

 

[theKingLT]

I’ve got $10,000 for the whole application plus moving to wherever I get in...we’ll see! Thanks for the advice.

My cycle cost me about $8,000 in total from primary app fees through interviews. That was with doing it as cheap as possible as well (student hosts instead of hotels, public transportation whenever possible, inconvenient flight times, packing food from home, etc.). This is heavily dependent on how many interviews you get though and where you're flying to/from. Regardless, if there's ever a time where taking on some debt is worth it, it's now.

Personally I wouldn't recommend delaying a year just to make the app cycle more convenient. I had a great cycle with a full course load, D1 athletics training schedule, and 15 interviews, and I don't regret it. It sounds to me like you're ready to start, so I say go for it. Disclaimer though, I'm a little biased against the attitude that "delaying never hurts". Do what you feel is best for you.

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

Is would being unable to afford another year of child care, spouse graduates at the same time as I do (two body problem,thankfully not premed though....), and simply feeling ready to move forward in career?

During senior year is when I plan on reducing all of my ECs to focus on interview cycle. Is just classes and cycle manageable? When ADCOMS view gap years, do they strictly look at post-college years or also pre-college years (IE; military type stuff)?

My primary reasoning for dropping all the ECs senior year/applying senior year is I know I am a stellar interviewer and feel as though I have done all I can to improve app (6 years Army, several thousand hours clinical employment, about a thousand hours volunteering, about 500 hours research etc.). Am I being naive?

I did not know about your impressive military and real life experience. My answer refers in general to those in UG who went directly to college. For someone like you, with 6 yrs military experience, you do not need a gap year. You have plenty of life experience and I understand the need to move on at this point. (The vast majority of people on this site who are in UG now have little real life experience and really should take a gap year).

In your case, you will be able to drop your EC's as you have so much from your real life experience. The 2 body problem is a challenge - whether both are doing medicine or not. It may be difficult for the other partner to have to wait until May 1 to look for a job, (or later, if you are open to considering WL positions), but likely a much better option than partner getting job somewhere and you trying to get into medical school at that place.

For others on this thread though, keep in mind that you can make decent money in a gap year, so you should not be afraid to do a gap year because of financial issues. You can usually make enough to pay your bills and save some. OP is ready to move on right after UG - but OP did 6 years before UG. Certainly a prospective applicant who went straight through high school and UG can consider doing 1 or 2 gap years...

 

[Peter Pan.]

I’m applying the upcoming cycle but have looked through some school threads this semester. Looks like most interviews are Monday’s and Fridays.

 

[Peter Pan.]

How does a heavy interview schedule affect fall quarter/fall semester lab classes? For instance, I have a 6 credit class with 2 hour labs MWF this coming fall. Will it be theoretically possible to either schedule interviews to happen before school starts (Late September), over winter break, or on T/Th so that I can fly out late Monday night and be back by Wednesday morning?

Several of my professors have told our school they will excuse us from class for interviews. Talk to your professors and see if they will accommodate.

 

[907914]

Several of my professors have told our school they will excuse us from class for interviews. Talk to your professors and see if they will accommodate.

Is it acceptable to reach out to the professor now to ask What his policies are on students missing lab for interviews?

 

[Peter Pan.]

Is it acceptable to reach out to the professor now to ask What his policies are on students missing lab for interviews?

Yes the earlier you reach out the better.