When to decline interviews

[deleted945327]

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When’s the right time to start declining interviews and how many should you have before you start declining?

 

[Noname96]

After you get at least one acceptance, to your state school preferably

 

[deleted945327]

After you get at least one acceptance, to your state school preferably

So take all interviews that are given before December 1st?

 

[Noname96]

So take all interviews that are given before December 1st?

If money isn’t an issue, I would not risk missing out on any interviews. You never know, maybe that one school that you declined, was the only school that was willing to give you an acceptance. So, it’s better to be safe than sorry in this situation

 

[axiumgod]

I started declining interviews once I was invited to my top 8 choices. The law of diminishing returns!

 

[doc toothache]

After an acceptance is confirmed.

 

[princeafrica]

I got a lot of interviews (fortunately) but the cost of going to all of them was too high. I rescheduled a bunch of them to post December just Incase and only attended my top 5 interviews pre-December which I ended up getting in all. try to do it this way if cost is an issue instead of straight up canceling

 

[sunnyleo92]

I got a lot of interviews (fortunately) but the cost of going to all of them was too high. I rescheduled a bunch of them to post December just Incase and only attended my top 5 interviews pre-December which I ended up getting in all. try to do it this way if cost is an issue instead of straight up canceling

I am thinking to do the same. Currently, I am having 9 pre-December interviews. However, one of those is not my top choice and I intend to reschedule that one for post-Dec. However, I heard that schools can rescind your interview if you reschedule pre-Dec interview to post-Dec 'cause they assume that you are not interested in them. The school I want to reschedule is a private school that starts interviewing quite late- and I think acceptance rate for pre-Dec and post-Dec interview at this school does not differ that much. What do you think?

 

[macsak]

I am thinking to do the same. Currently, I am having 9 pre-December interviews. However, one of those is not my top choice and I intend to reschedule that one for post-Dec. However, I heard that schools can rescind your interview if you reschedule pre-Dec interview to post-Dec 'cause they assume that you are not interested in them. The school I want to reschedule is a private school that starts interviewing quite late- and I think acceptance rate for pre-Dec and post-Dec interview at this school does not differ that much. What do you think?

schools can rescind if they choose to do so
that's one (small) risk you take if you try to do this
you have to decide if you want to take the risk
most schools will not do this though...

 

[princeafrica]

schools can rescind if they choose to do so
that's one (small) risk you take if you try to do this
you have to decide if you want to take the risk
most schools will not do this though...

Yeah sorry I forgot to point out one thing. Tufts did not really let me. They gave me some pre-december dates. I declined them and asked for post december. They sent me new dates but still pre-december. I asked for post december again and they told me they don't do post december interviews (not true). So I just cancelled the interview

 

[FanOfCostco]

Yeah sorry I forgot to point out one thing. Tufts did not really let me. They gave me some pre-december dates. I declined them and asked for post december. They sent me new dates but still pre-december. I asked for post december again and they told me they don't do post december interviews (not true). So I just cancelled the interview

Tufts really wanted your vibranium

 

[Faefly]

When you get accepted in your preferred school or at least any school you would really attend!

 

[85-29]

I got a lot of interviews (fortunately) but the cost of going to all of them was too high. I rescheduled a bunch of them to post December just Incase and only attended my top 5 interviews pre-December which I ended up getting in all. try to do it this way if cost is an issue instead of straight up canceling

I need to call to schedule an interview and I've been going back and forth trying to decide if I should attend. Scheduling the interview for after December would be great since I would still have it just in case interviews at my preferred schools don't work out in my favor. How did you ask for post-December dates without sounding like the school is a second choice for you? I don't want to burn bridges with admissions, but at the same time, if I can save money and time by skipping the interview, that would be swell. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[tinman831]

I need to call to schedule an interview and I've been going back and forth trying to decide if I should attend. Scheduling the interview for after December would be great since I would still have it just in case interviews at my preferred schools don't work out in my favor. How did you ask for post-December dates without sounding like the school is a second choice for you? I don't want to burn bridges with admissions, but at the same time, if I can save money and time by skipping the interview, that would be swell. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Just say that due to scheduling conflicts, you'll be unable to attend any of the dates given for this fall. If there were any available dates in the spring, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[994850]

I got a lot of interviews (fortunately) but the cost of going to all of them was too high. I rescheduled a bunch of them to post December just Incase and only attended my top 5 interviews pre-December which I ended up getting in all. try to do it this way if cost is an issue instead of straight up canceling

How did you reschedule to post-December? In other words, how did you word your email? I am in a similar situation. It is getting very expensive, but I don't want to offend the school(s). Thanks in advance!

 

[deleted945327]

How did you reschedule to post-December? In other words, how did you word your email? I am in a similar situation. It is getting very expensive, but I don't want to offend the school(s). Thanks in advance!

Usually if you’re not given the option to schedule post-December, they will decline you right after they give you the interview in post-December when it was first pre-December. It shows them 100%, regardless of the cost, that you don’t prioritize their school for your top schools. It’s the most obvious way to find out if a applicant really wants to go their school.

 

[994850]

Usually if you’re not given the option to schedule post-December, they will decline you right after they give you the interview in post-December when it was first pre-December. It shows them 100%, regardless of the cost, that you don’t care to go to their school. It’s the most obvious way to find out if a applicant really wants to go their school.

Agreed. Tough situation. Thanks for your input.

 

[deleted945327]

Agreed. Tough situation. Thanks for your input.

Anyone can try to really argue it, but you will most likely get rejected regardless if you end up rescheduling post-December. It can be an amazing interview, and that just might not be enough because they already learned a lot about you not wanting to have the best chances for their school prior to December decisions.

 

[994850]

Anyone can try to really argue it, but you will most likely get rejected regardless if you end up rescheduling post-December. It can be an amazing interview, and that just might not be enough because they already learned a lot about you not wanting to have the best chances for their school prior to December decisions.

Yeah I totally agree.

 

[macsak]

Usually if you’re not given the option to schedule post-December, they will decline you right after they give you the interview in post-December when it was first pre-December. It shows them 100%, regardless of the cost, that you don’t prioritize their school for your top schools. It’s the most obvious way to find out if a applicant really wants to go their school.

sorry, this does not happen "usually" or "most likely"
it happens, yes, but you cannot be sure that is the only reason for the denial, nor even the main reason

 

[deleted945327]

sorry, this does not happen "usually" or "most likely"
it happens, yes, but you cannot be sure that is the only reason for the denial, nor even the main reason

Oh yea of course you can't be sure but I know 3 people personally that got denied that way.

 

[macsak]

Oh yea of course you can't be sure but I know 3 people personally that got denied that way.

coincidence does not equal causation

 

[princeafrica]

How did you reschedule to post-December? In other words, how did you word your email? I am in a similar situation. It is getting very expensive, but I don't want to offend the school(s). Thanks in advance!

Literally just wrote what tinman said above. Tufts took back their interview offer. Columbia let me reschedule and even called me asking if I am sure I want to cancel after declining it later after dec.

 

[Mason91]

You can attend 10 interviews and still not get any acceptance. Interviews =/ acceptances. It'd also look really bad if you reapply to a school from which you had rejected an interview.

 

[deleted942432]

Unless you are an URM or an applicant with very high stats, you are taking a huge risk by rejecting interviews. It's not worth it. If it doesn't work out in your favor, you will end up hating yourself. It's cheaper to attend those interviews then having to reapply again for next cycle.