Second Looks

[Guest]

(03-12-2021, 01:24 PM)Guest Wrote: APD at Cornell dropped the "feel free to let us know if you're in the area" to the entire group of applicants

IMO I felt like I had more to lose than gain by asking residents/faculty if they would entertain an in-person visit. I got great feedback from letters of interest to programs higher on my list + program-initiated calls from programs lower on my list, so I left it at that. I also had two of my mentors make calls which I think did way more for my position on rank lists than any in-person visit would do

Agreed. Plus, one faculty member or a resident telling an entire group of applicants doesn't mean everyone in the department (including chair and PD) agrees and will look favorably upon a 2nd visit. Depending on the chair/PD's perspective, it can easily reflect poorly on an applicant given the SNS's explicit guidelines.

[Guest]

(03-12-2021, 01:24 PM)Guest Wrote: APD at Cornell dropped the "feel free to let us know if you're in the area" to the entire group of applicants

IMO I felt like I had more to lose than gain by asking residents/faculty if they would entertain an in-person visit. I got great feedback from letters of interest to programs higher on my list + program-initiated calls from programs lower on my list, so I left it at that. I also had two of my mentors make calls which I think did way more for my position on rank lists than any in-person visit would do

Did Cornell ever reach out to you or respond favorably after the interview?

[Guest]

(03-12-2021, 01:31 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-12-2021, 01:24 PM)Guest Wrote: APD at Cornell dropped the "feel free to let us know if you're in the area" to the entire group of applicants

IMO I felt like I had more to lose than gain by asking residents/faculty if they would entertain an in-person visit. I got great feedback from letters of interest to programs higher on my list + program-initiated calls from programs lower on my list, so I left it at that. I also had two of my mentors make calls which I think did way more for my position on rank lists than any in-person visit would do

Agreed. Plus, one faculty member or a resident telling an entire group of applicants doesn't mean everyone in the department (including chair and PD) agrees and will look favorably upon a 2nd visit. Depending on the chair/PD's perspective, it can easily reflect poorly on an applicant given the SNS's explicit guidelines.

True it does depend on who it was initiating. If it was a chair or PD who said it then SNS be damned. The residents also were good about relaying the impressions from the visit to the right people. I am certain that I went from low to mid-ranked (based on geography) to top of the list based on their feedback at one west coast program.

OP is right in saying that its a double edged sword though. The reverse also happened at a place I felt strongly about, but on visiting found the residents were verrrrrrry different from the zoom dynamic portrayed and I couldn't fake the enthusiasm to be there while out at dinner/bars. Sure I dropped a few rank spots here. 

We're using the terminology of second look, but really most of us never had a real look at all. Visiting this year was crucial to forming my rank list personally.

[Guest]

(03-12-2021, 01:39 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-12-2021, 01:31 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-12-2021, 01:24 PM)Guest Wrote: APD at Cornell dropped the "feel free to let us know if you're in the area" to the entire group of applicants

IMO I felt like I had more to lose than gain by asking residents/faculty if they would entertain an in-person visit. I got great feedback from letters of interest to programs higher on my list + program-initiated calls from programs lower on my list, so I left it at that. I also had two of my mentors make calls which I think did way more for my position on rank lists than any in-person visit would do

Agreed. Plus, one faculty member or a resident telling an entire group of applicants doesn't mean everyone in the department (including chair and PD) agrees and will look favorably upon a 2nd visit. Depending on the chair/PD's perspective, it can easily reflect poorly on an applicant given the SNS's explicit guidelines.

True it does depend on who it was initiating. If it was a chair or PD who said it then SNS be damned. The residents also were good about relaying the impressions from the visit to the right people. I am certain that I went from low to mid-ranked (based on geography) to top of the list based on their feedback at one west coast program.

OP is right in saying that its a double edged sword though. The reverse also happened at a place I felt strongly about, but on visiting found the residents were verrrrrrry different from the zoom dynamic portrayed and I couldn't fake the enthusiasm to be there while out at dinner/bars. Sure I dropped a few rank spots here. 

We're using the terminology of second look, but really most of us never had a real look at all. Visiting this year was crucial to forming my rank list personally.

Seems like you've posted a few times here so just out of curiosity - are you from a lower-ranked school/didn't have well-connected mentors to reach out for you? I just didn't feel the need to schedule second looks but could have been completely wrong in retrospect.

[Guest]

(03-12-2021, 02:01 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-12-2021, 01:39 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-12-2021, 01:31 PM)Guest Wrote:

(03-12-2021, 01:24 PM)Guest Wrote: APD at Cornell dropped the "feel free to let us know if you're in the area" to the entire group of applicants

IMO I felt like I had more to lose than gain by asking residents/faculty if they would entertain an in-person visit. I got great feedback from letters of interest to programs higher on my list + program-initiated calls from programs lower on my list, so I left it at that. I also had two of my mentors make calls which I think did way more for my position on rank lists than any in-person visit would do

Agreed. Plus, one faculty member or a resident telling an entire group of applicants doesn't mean everyone in the department (including chair and PD) agrees and will look favorably upon a 2nd visit. Depending on the chair/PD's perspective, it can easily reflect poorly on an applicant given the SNS's explicit guidelines.

True it does depend on who it was initiating. If it was a chair or PD who said it then SNS be damned. The residents also were good about relaying the impressions from the visit to the right people. I am certain that I went from low to mid-ranked (based on geography) to top of the list based on their feedback at one west coast program.

OP is right in saying that its a double edged sword though. The reverse also happened at a place I felt strongly about, but on visiting found the residents were verrrrrrry different from the zoom dynamic portrayed and I couldn't fake the enthusiasm to be there while out at dinner/bars. Sure I dropped a few rank spots here. 

We're using the terminology of second look, but really most of us never had a real look at all. Visiting this year was crucial to forming my rank list personally.

Seems like you've posted a few times here so just out of curiosity - are you from a lower-ranked school/didn't have well-connected mentors to reach out for you? I just didn't feel the need to schedule second looks but could have been completely wrong in retrospect.

Mixed bag. Lower ranked med school but had supportive mentors due to time researching with a powerhouse institution who made calls to multiple places. Maybe I didn't need to but I wouldn't have slept at night knowing I left anything to chance.