Bad letters of recommendation??

[Guest]

Hey all, 

Super paranoid applicant here. Just wondering if the fact that one is getting interviews means we do not have a bad letter of rec?? Getting increasingly paranoid as I did not get an invite from where I did my subI however I thought I got along with everyone and they said they’d write a supportive letter. Like 40 people did a subI there so maybe they just are full? I also have much more than the average number of invites right now per the spreadsheet (I’m at 23) and am wondering if programs ever send out invites based on scores etc alone without reading letters?? Would it ever be appropriate to ask your home PD if there is any problem with your letters??? I want to start cancelling some interviews but my confidence is rock bottom based on this subI thing and I’m way too scared to drop any  until I’ve resolved this. Anyone who reviews apps on here with experience?

[Guest]

You would not have 23 invites with a bad letter. Good on the program to not waste your time if they do not think you are a good fit. That said it can still hurt. Don't let it get to you.

[Guest]

(10-19-2021, 06:42 PM)Guest Wrote: You would not have 23 invites with a bad letter. Good on the program to not waste your time if they do not think you are a good fit. That said it can still hurt. Don't let it get to you.

Thanks, that’s definitely the most positive way to think about it and gonna stick with that for the future. Tbh if I didn’t match then I’ll cross that bridge later but doesn’t help to be in a bad mindset before interviews. Good advice!

[Guest]

why did they not invite you?

[Guest]

(10-20-2021, 01:23 AM)Guest Wrote: why did they not invite you?

Not a clue; haven’t been rejected yet but I know they’ve sent invites out. Like I said; they straight up had more SubIs than there are interview spots (assuming interview 30-40) so some of us bound to get left out I guess.

[Focus]

(10-20-2021, 03:05 AM)Guest Wrote:

(10-20-2021, 01:23 AM)Guest Wrote: why did they not invite you?

Not a clue; haven’t been rejected yet but I know they’ve sent invites out. Like I said; they straight up had more SubIs than there are interview spots (assuming interview 30-40) so some of us bound to get left out I guess.

I had a similar experience. Basically it means you didn't make the cut as one of their top subi choices. Their letter will be generic but not harmful.

[Guest]

Not interviewing sub-Is should be more normalized. There's nothing you are going to be able to show or talk about in an interview that couldn't be picked up over a month of working with the service.
In the years of in-person interviews, it should be viewed as a beneficial thing, because then you are not wasting your time and money traveling across the country for a courtesy interview at a program that is not actually going to end up ranking you highly.
It sounds harsh, but its really saving you both time and money.
Just because a program doesn't interview you after a sub-I, also doesn't mean that they are necessarily going to write a bad letter for you. Probably just means that they didn't see you as the right "fit" for their program.

[Guest]

(10-24-2021, 02:22 PM)Guest Wrote: Not interviewing sub-Is should be more normalized. There's nothing you are going to be able to show or talk about in an interview that couldn't be picked up over a month of working with the service.
In the years of in-person interviews, it should be viewed as a beneficial thing, because then you are not wasting your time and money traveling across the country for a courtesy interview at a program that is not actually going to end up ranking you highly.
It sounds harsh, but its really saving you both time and money.
Just because a program doesn't interview you after a sub-I, also doesn't mean that they are necessarily going to write a bad letter for you. Probably just means that they didn't see you as the right "fit" for their program.

This is true. Do not assume a bad letter of recommendation. Courtesy interviews are highly inefficient.

[Focus]

For what it is worth I have reviewed over a thousand neurosurgery applications and I would say that I can count on one hand the number of genuinely negative letters that I have seen.

[guest1111]

(10-24-2021, 04:02 PM)Focus Wrote: For what it is worth I have reviewed over a thousand neurosurgery applications and I would say that I can count on one hand the number of genuinely negative letters that I have seen.

Can you share what is going to happen with step 1 and step 2 scores for next cycle? I was told that a passing step 1 score will be required but the numerical step 1 scores will be blinded during the application review process. However, it may depend on programs.