Interviews!! selecting schools to visit

[ak1921]

I received interview offers from 7 schools and still have several more to hear from during January.

Although I was so excited to get so many offers, it is giving me such a tough time now.

My adviser told me to select max. 5 schools that I really want to attend since interview itself is quite exhausting.

But some people told me I should be attending all the interviews as I will never know whether I will be accepted to those I choose.

It's possible to fit in all the interviews without overlap but then I must be traveling around for whole two months.

I should respond to schools before January and it's just stressing me out.

Please help me!!!

 

[bamafan]

It's free, it's fun, and a tremendous opportunity for you to assess your fit with PIs and schools. Go for as many as you feel you can manage and for which you have genuine interest.

[ak1921]

It's free, it's fun, and a tremendous opportunity for you to assess your fit with PIs and schools. Go for as many as you feel you can manage and for which you have genuine interest.

Thanks for the advice I should start arranging my interview dates then. Have you been to any interview yet? I am really excited about it but kinda worried I won't be able to enjoy it. It's frustrating to think that you are being judged during the whole time.

[lifesgood]

Congratulations on your amazing success so far!  Like Bamafan, I think you should interview for all of them if you can.  I have not had any visits the schools requested, but I did visit two places after I asked about dropping by.  Both schools were very helpful and scheduled visits with profs whom I had emailed earlier.  One lady talked to me for about 2 hours!  I left both campuses feeling better than I had before I went, and much more comfortable walking into an interview.  You're lucky that your schools invited you to interview.  And you never know: one of the schools you might cut could end up being the one you like most and accept you.  Good luck to you through it all!