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How long is USC taking to send acceptance/waitlist/rejections after interview?
Has anyone been accepted lately? I'm dying here...
Has anyone been accepted lately? I'm dying here...
USC
- Thread starter WestGirl
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WestGirl,
I have an interview at USC in about a week and a half.... any advice?
What was it like? Any tough questions? I did check out the interviewfeedback.com site... but thought I'd ask you too....
I have an interview at USC in about a week and a half.... any advice?
What was it like? Any tough questions? I did check out the interviewfeedback.com site... but thought I'd ask you too....
The first notices of final action, accept or reject, are sent January 1. All candidates already interviewed who are not placed in these two categories are put on the wait-list. Initially, only 150 offers of admission are sent; however, additional offers are made.
Those on the wait-list are divided loosely into several priority groups. Candidates in this category or their advisors are invited to submit any significant new information and grades as they become available. Updates of work in progress such as research and volunteer experiences are valuable. There is significant movement from the wait-list after June 15; in a typical year, 40-50 are ultimately offered admission.
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Those on the wait-list are divided loosely into several priority groups. Candidates in this category or their advisors are invited to submit any significant new information and grades as they become available. Updates of work in progress such as research and volunteer experiences are valuable. There is significant movement from the wait-list after June 15; in a typical year, 40-50 are ultimately offered admission.
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Jawkma,
The interviews at USC were really laid back. I interviewed with a psychiatrist, so I was a little unnerved about what kind of interview to expect. But, it was really an enjoyable interview. She didn't even ask any of the "standard" questions, just wanted to get to know me. It was very conversational, rather than question/answer. The student interview was just as easy, but he had some form questions that he needed to answer (they have a sheet they evaluate you on). Things such as motivation, strength/weakness, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. So, just enjoy the day and the really nice lunch!! Good luck!
The interviews at USC were really laid back. I interviewed with a psychiatrist, so I was a little unnerved about what kind of interview to expect. But, it was really an enjoyable interview. She didn't even ask any of the "standard" questions, just wanted to get to know me. It was very conversational, rather than question/answer. The student interview was just as easy, but he had some form questions that he needed to answer (they have a sheet they evaluate you on). Things such as motivation, strength/weakness, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. So, just enjoy the day and the really nice lunch!! Good luck!
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Gower, so what if I interviewed after Jan 1? Does that mean I am not a part of the 150 acceptances and instead will either be a "waitlist" so to speak, or a rejection? I thought they didn't do the majority of their acceptances until they finished interviewing? I REALLY want to go to USC!
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Remember, the class size might be 150, but they send out almost twice that number of acceptances in order to fill their class.
Given that they interview about 500 applicants, the odds of getting in are about 50% after the interview. Not bad, eh?
I interviewed in February...I hope to hear from them soon.
Given that they interview about 500 applicants, the odds of getting in are about 50% after the interview. Not bad, eh?
I interviewed in February...I hope to hear from them soon.
T
the_rock
Can any of you tell me how to get in touch with USC? I dont have a phone # for them and I have not heard a peep from them since I sent my application on Nov 30. Is there a website I can go to for information?(other than the one listing all the names of applicants)Or is it too late for that school?
Some help is appreciated.
Thanks
Some help is appreciated.
Thanks
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someone on the interview feedback site said that the USC has a semi-rolling process. they take those who they really want, and the rest wait until early may, because they want to give all interviewers a fair chance.
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I interviewed there on Feb 20-something and I got my letter of acceptance today. It was dated March 13. I was very surprised to get anything back so quickly because they told me May like everyone else. My application is very average and the interviews were very standard, so go figure.
In 97-98 (the latest figures I have), USC had about 6100 applicants.
They interviewed 700 that academic year. In different years the number of interviews may lie in the range 600-800.
After interview, candidates are placed into three categories: accept, wait-list, reject.
Class size: 150
After the first 150 acceptances are sent, the wait list is loosely prioritized into several categories. There will be a latent period because about 50 of of those initially accepted, who are waiting for acceptances from other medical schools will later accept those offers, leaving 50 seats open for wait-listed candidates. Some accepted elsewhere do not relinquish their places until they are given a deadline, commonly June 15, to say yes or no, even though some already know they are going elsewhere, or will sit on their hands until the very last minute to make up their minds. That is why the greatest movement from the wait list is after June 15, a common deadline date set by AMCAS rules.
Your likelihood of getting accepted from the wait-list depends how near the top of the list you are. Since USC does not encourage phone calls, it is likely they want to keep that information close to the vest, probably because candidates' positions on the wait list may be somewhat fluid. When an accepted candidate withdraws, the spot may be filled with someone similar, say a female for a female, to keep whatever kind of balance in the class they have in mind. I am guessing on that last point with respect to USC, but it wouldn't surprise me if many medical schools also do that. After all, it is impossible to absolutely clearly rank one candidate higher than another because of, for example a GPA difference of .10, or an MCAT score difference of 1, or even more subjective variables. How medical schools that do rigidly rank wait lists do it, I don't know and I can't even imagine.
On that last commment, I am reminded of a paper that once appeared in a journal. Yale medical school did a follow up study on what happened to applicants they interviewed, and might have accepted, but who did not make it into the class. The conclusion: had they filled the class with those on the wait list, eventually turned away, and who found places in other medical schools, the class would have done just as well. This underlines the vagaries of admission decisions from school to school and from year to year. However, the extreme conclusion is not warranted that if the names of all applicants, or even just those interviewed, were placed in a barrel and a blindfolded committee chair was to pick names at random, the otcome would be as good as a more selective method. In any case, absolute precision in making choices is an impossibilty. And adcoms know that. This is true of any competition, such as beauty contests and Olympic iceskating, or non- competitions such as trial by jury and the grading of essay exams, in which fallible human judgement determines the outcome.
Maybe you should propitiate Fate with a burnt offering, or kill off the competition, as Alec Guiness did in an old comedy film, Kind Hearts and Coronets!
Initially, 150 offers are made
They interviewed 700 that academic year. In different years the number of interviews may lie in the range 600-800.
After interview, candidates are placed into three categories: accept, wait-list, reject.
Class size: 150
After the first 150 acceptances are sent, the wait list is loosely prioritized into several categories. There will be a latent period because about 50 of of those initially accepted, who are waiting for acceptances from other medical schools will later accept those offers, leaving 50 seats open for wait-listed candidates. Some accepted elsewhere do not relinquish their places until they are given a deadline, commonly June 15, to say yes or no, even though some already know they are going elsewhere, or will sit on their hands until the very last minute to make up their minds. That is why the greatest movement from the wait list is after June 15, a common deadline date set by AMCAS rules.
Your likelihood of getting accepted from the wait-list depends how near the top of the list you are. Since USC does not encourage phone calls, it is likely they want to keep that information close to the vest, probably because candidates' positions on the wait list may be somewhat fluid. When an accepted candidate withdraws, the spot may be filled with someone similar, say a female for a female, to keep whatever kind of balance in the class they have in mind. I am guessing on that last point with respect to USC, but it wouldn't surprise me if many medical schools also do that. After all, it is impossible to absolutely clearly rank one candidate higher than another because of, for example a GPA difference of .10, or an MCAT score difference of 1, or even more subjective variables. How medical schools that do rigidly rank wait lists do it, I don't know and I can't even imagine.
On that last commment, I am reminded of a paper that once appeared in a journal. Yale medical school did a follow up study on what happened to applicants they interviewed, and might have accepted, but who did not make it into the class. The conclusion: had they filled the class with those on the wait list, eventually turned away, and who found places in other medical schools, the class would have done just as well. This underlines the vagaries of admission decisions from school to school and from year to year. However, the extreme conclusion is not warranted that if the names of all applicants, or even just those interviewed, were placed in a barrel and a blindfolded committee chair was to pick names at random, the otcome would be as good as a more selective method. In any case, absolute precision in making choices is an impossibilty. And adcoms know that. This is true of any competition, such as beauty contests and Olympic iceskating, or non- competitions such as trial by jury and the grading of essay exams, in which fallible human judgement determines the outcome.
Maybe you should propitiate Fate with a burnt offering, or kill off the competition, as Alec Guiness did in an old comedy film, Kind Hearts and Coronets!
Initially, 150 offers are made
T
the_rock
I called on monday and they said that my file was still under review. They also said that they interview until the end of april, and if I wasn't denied yet, then that is a good sign. Oh well.
