Why do some schools stop interviewing in Dec/Jan?

[blacco]

If you end up offering few early acceptances and keep most applicants on the waitlist as traffic day approaches, why stop early? At least if you continue through March, you might expect that students who aren't interested (because they have a preferable acceptance elsewhere) would decline the interview invite.

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[Cornfed101]

Do you specifically know of a school that offers few early acceptances? Most schools accept 2-2.5x what they matriculate.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Because they are confident that they have enough students accepted and on the waitlist to fill their seats.

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[blacco]

But what is the advantage to ending interviews in Dec/Jan versus extending the cycle? Even if you interview the same number of candidates, why not do it over a wider window?

Do you specifically know of a school that offers few early acceptances? Most schools accept 2-2.5x what they matriculate.

My impression is that a minority of applicants are accepted early (before December), while many are added to waitlists and accepted in the spring.

 

[mwsapphire]

Are there schools that end the interview season in Jan? I've heard of places that Pause interviews/invitations around the holidays but that's it...

 

[A girl has no name]

Are there schools that end the interview season in Jan? I've heard of places that Pause interviews/invitations around the holidays but that's it...

I think a handful of schools stop interviewing in December or January. Off the top of my head, I know that NYU, Mayo, and Pitt end their interviews mid-December, for example.

 

[tessellations]

Are there schools that end the interview season in Jan? I've heard of places that Pause interviews/invitations around the holidays but that's it...

NYU and Pitt both have their last interviews in December.

 

[Goro]

If you end up offering few early acceptances and keep most applicants on the waitlist as traffic day approaches, why stop early? At least if you continue through March, you might expect that students who aren't interested (because they have a preferable acceptance elsewhere) would decline the interview invite.

Waste of time and resources, as the wait list will be large enough to ensure a full class. How Admissions Deans are able to do this is one of the Dark Arts. Getting things done faster ensures that the candidates that they want are snapped up faster.

 

[mwsapphire]

Waste of time and resources, as the wait list will be large enough to ensure a full class. How Admissions Deans are able to do this is one of the Dark Arts. Getting things done faster ensures that the candidates that they want are snapped up faster.

Imagine being complete a little late due to something out your control and then happening to apply to a school that end interviews in Dec. ( like, a last min committee letter problem that leaves you complete Late Aug) and then finding out one of your fave schools literally sends all their II's before T-giving for interviews that end in Dec...

 

[Goro]

Imagine being complete a little late due to something out your control and then happening to apply to a school that end interviews in Dec. ( like, a last min committee letter problem that leaves you complete Late Aug) and then finding out one of your fave schools literally sends all their II's before T-giving for interviews that end in Dec...

My response would be "Life happens"

 

[Cornfed101]

Imagine being complete a little late due to something out your control

Plan very far in advance... I was ready to apply in March before the cycle started to be prepared for "things out of my control". My advice to this person would be to wait till next cycle.

 

[KnightDoc]

Imagine being complete a little late due to something out your control and then happening to apply to a school that end interviews in Dec. ( like, a last min committee letter problem that leaves you complete Late Aug) and then finding out one of your fave schools literally sends all their II's before T-giving for interviews that end in Dec...

A mistake a lot of people around here make is thinking the schools care about us. As the adcoms keep telling us, we are merely the inputs in their machine. They do what's best for them. For the schools that end early, that's what's best for them.

Put another way, they think the odds of losing an attractive candidate who interviews somewhere else early and then doesn't bother showing up to a later interview at their school outweighs the risk of losing out on a candidate who is complete late through no fault of their own, so they choose to finish early. They also apparently think the benefit of extending their interview season simply doesn't justify the cost in time and resources.

Fortunately, every school does not feel the same way. (Or, maybe, unfortunately, since this also just extends the cycle, which, you will find, frustrates many people come May-August when they still don't know whether or where they are going to school in the fall, and they are upset that this is the case literally a whole year after they submitted their applications. Again, the schools don't care about this, either! )

 

[Developer]

Plan very far in advance... I was ready to apply in March before the cycle started to be prepared for "things out of my control". My advice to this person would be to wait till next cycle.

This is the key right here. Be ready to submit day 1 and expect the unexpected. It may not seem fair but early applications seem to have a significant advantage.

 

[blacco]

1) and what should a school do after they have spent the time and effort to organize an interview day, getting the 10-20 or more faculty in the schedule, getting staff, rooms, etc and now people decline?
2) by March 15th by guidelines, schools should have offered acceptance at least to same number of first year seats they offer
3) very broadly schools get 5,000+ applications and can at max have interview slots for 1,000 which must be reduce to under 500 acceptances and waitlists for a 100 or so seats.

1. If they interviewed the applicant that declined on an earlier date, they would have waisted resources to do so. If people decline, you would go to the next on your list, and you would be selecting for applicants that are more likely to choose your school.

Thanks for your comment. I get that it’s an enormous challenge for schools and there probably isn’t a perfect system...

 

[mwsapphire]

i cant emphatically concur strongly enough. When I get the slew of questions of “how late is late for MCAT, application, etc” or “can I take 3 prereqs AND prep/take MCAT AND fill out AMCAS AND take 4 weeks out of the country” or whatever the question is, it makes me want to tear my hair out!

An applicant is fully, completely, totally in control as to WHEN they submit an application is submitted. Nobody is holding a gun to your head saying “submit now or I will blow your brains out.” If something comes up to delay, you CHOOSE whether to submit or not. Your choice, no one else

As for planning ahead, as far as I am concerned applicants should concerned what is the most optimal timing and path to apply not when is the latest. On that note, I suggest that applicants need to have their MCAT score (and all prereqs) done no later than January of application year. With MCAT score and GPA you can start targeting and researching schools, begin on their secondaries, and be fully ahead of the AMCAS submission.

Guys guys OMG I didn't mean to make this so heated.
I took a July MCAT, had a last min letter issue, was complete 9/13 as a result, and have still have had some success so this doesnt impact me and I'm not personally offended- I was just making a general comment.
TBH, idk how a school interviews 1000+ people from Aug-Dec that honestly seems harder than staggering it out but whatever.

 

[mwsapphire]

NYU interviewed 1100 over the course of 16 weeks. at once or twice a week, that is under 50 applicants per interview day

But how are like 30 people interviewed on the same day that sounds messy...

 

[xkcd6330]

But how are like 30 people interviewed on the same day that sounds messy...

Baylor interviews something like 60 people per day. They had us in a big lecture hall. Everything ran really smoothly, they just had more interviewers and students signed up to help.