Traveling during application cycle - bad idea?

[aspirations101]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So I am applying to DO schools this June and plan to submit June 20th. In early July my family is going overseas to visit family for a couple weeks and I'm going with them. I'm wondering is this a bad idea? I will have Internet access at all times to access aacomas except of course the few hours that we will be traveling.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[sandstorm223]

No problem at all. You can easily complete primaries and secondaries from vacation spots--I did just that last application cycle! It will, however, likely dominate otherwise pleasant vacation time.

 

[BugzBunnyDoc]

you'll be fine. Takes about four weeks to be verified and then you start receiving secondaries (so you probably won't start getting them until the end of July anyways). Also, you can look for the thread where all the secondary questions for all schools are posted and pre-write them if you are eager. The secondaries tend to be the same from year to year with an exception here and there.

 

[mathnerd88]

So I am applying to DO schools this June and plan to submit June 20th. In early July my family is going overseas to visit family for a couple weeks and I'm going with them. I'm wondering is this a bad idea? I will have Internet access at all times to access aacomas except of course the few hours that we will be traveling.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

It honestly depends. It is the safest bet that you stay within the states, because interview phone calls do happen instead of emails. If you can still keep your US phone line working overseas, that would be fine. I do know BCOM interviews super early (they send out II in end of June last cycle and interviewed throughout July for acceptances in first week of August.)

CUSOM gives out II by phone call by end of July, and I believe started to give them in August. LECOM gives out II starting first week of July. I had interviews at LECOM-E in mid-July, and LECOM-B in first week of August.

Some people will tell you that it isn't a problem, but some more "neurotic" ones like me would say that it isn't a good idea. It is best to take a vacation after the cycle is over and you're already in. You never know what can happen in the cycle. If you have an application that adcoms like right away, you're going to be interviewed ASAP.

 

[samac]

Don't be neurotic like Mathnerd. Enjoy your vacation.

 

[DrMikeP]

Some schools have an early application/accpetance process. If you are applying for such then early travel probably unwise. If not then internet access should be sufficient to keep the process going while away. Just have contact info and such available if needed and be willing to write secondaries while away. Good luck.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Fegbert]

.

 

[TUVIX]

Go on vacation. Worst case scenario is you delay your app a tiny bit, but that should not even have to happen. DO cycle is later than MD and you can submit secondaries in October and still be on the early side of things.

 

[OverlyRomantic]

Nah, I did the same exact thing and it worked out. Great date to submit by the way

 

[ortnakas]

July is early enough you should be able to go on vacation and be fine. Just try to check your email every once in a while. September/October would be a different story.

 

[brotherbanjo]

I would say go for it too. You'll never be able to prep for absolutely every situation that can come up anyways, so you have to draw the line somewhere on how much the application cycle runs your life.

If there is a specific school that you know you are interested in, you could always call them and ask what their timetable is for interviews and such. Admissions offices are usually happy to give out that info. You could also apply to a few extra schools than your normally would too, just in case there are conflicts.

I will say that I traveled overseas during an application cycle and one school had only one interview day for all candidates, which happened to be while I was gone... It worked out though, because I will be attending a different school this fall that I am very happy with. I definitely feel like missing an interview due to travel was a fluke though as most schools will have multiple interview days available, usually over a span of multiple weeks that you can choose from. (My travel was in September, which is a much busier application time than July. So there would be less possibilities for conflict in July)

Bottom line, I'd say enjoy your trip as there are usually many ways around possible conflicts!

 

[BryanBeid]

I just went to Iceland and got an interview invite on my first day there. Then got accepted to that school. So at this point it's probably good luck and you should go for it.

 

[Giovanotto]

Don't be neurotic like Mathnerd. Enjoy your vacation.

Has nothing to do with being neurotic. Until OP gets in somewhere I would stay put. I can't tell you how many phone calls and emails I had to attend to and make following the submission of my primary. Never mind pre-writing secondaries.

TLDR; You COULD, but I WOULDN'T. Not smart, imo.

 

[businesscasual12]

I worked on filling out apps while I was in Russia and then dealt with secondaries while on vacation stateside. It was fine and I do not feel like I jipped myself of my vacations. Just get up a little extra early or stay up a little late to fill them out. You will be fineee.

 

[Giovanotto]

I worked on filling out apps while I was in Russia and then dealt with secondaries while on vacation stateside. It was fine and I do not feel like I jipped myself of my vacations. Just get up a little extra early or stay up a little late to fill them out. You will be fineee.

lol, what? We're not talking about text messaging your friend or writing a page in your dairy. Man, my application cycle went WAY differently than I'm gathering from this thread. Dealing with admission departments at schools like NOVA was a full-time job in itself.

Anyway, I reread OP's message. Two weeks should be do-able.

 

[DrMikeP]

lol, what? We're not talking about text messaging your friend or writing a page in your dairy. Man, my application cycle went WAY differently than I'm gathering from this thread. Dealing with admission departments at schools like NOVA was a full-time job in itself.

Anyway, I reread OP's message. Two weeks should be do-able.

Nova is more an exception in a number of ways. I made sure everything was in during first of June and took MCAT mid June then started getting secondaries in July. Completed those in July and interviews in Aug and Sept. A few calls and emails were required but nothing that needed massive effort until actual IIs. Secondaries aren't that difficult as long as you arent doing +30. Even screw ups were handled via email.

I was accepted and it worked out.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[mathnerd88]

Nova is more an exception in a number of ways. I made sure everything was in during first of June and took MCAT mid June then started getting secondaries in July. Completed those in July and interviews in Aug and Sept. A few calls and emails were required but nothing that needed massive effort until actual IIs. Secondaries aren't that difficult as long as you arent doing +30. Even screw ups were handled via email.

I was accepted and it worked out.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

As long as his US phone access is available, the OP should be fine. Personally, it is easier for me to write secondaries in the comfort of my own home rather than somewhere new.

However, if you really want to relax and enjoy your trip, it would be better if you were already accepted and took a vacation during the summer right before medical school. You don't want to have application woes hanging in the back of your head during vacation.

During the summer of the application process was when I was constantly writing, checking emails, and calling schools go make sure my application was received. Also, I had to deal with some hiccups with AACOMAS. It was a disaster for many applicants for AACOMAS.