Advice for turning down an interview request.

[bgav]

I was invited to a visit/interview at a school I applied to. In order to go, I'd have to miss several days of school and incur penalties to my grades as a result. I'd like to turn down the trip, but I don't want the school to think I'm not interested. Any thoughts?

[Deleted]

I was invited to a visit/interview at a school I applied to. In order to go, I'd have to miss several days of school and incur penalties to my grades as a result. I'd like to turn down the trip, but I don't want the school to think I'm not interested. Any thoughts?

I think you could say just that and ask for it to be rescheduled or maybe done over the phone. After all they are academia so they should be able to understand your concern more than anybody else.

[socialpsych]

I think you could say just that and ask for it to be rescheduled or maybe done over the phone. After all they are academia so they should be able to understand your concern more than anybody else.

This -- or, are you sure your current professors won't excuse you? They have all been through this and know how important it is; my profs were pretty understanding last year when I had to miss school for interviews.

[LaurenA]

I agree with the previous posters--I can't imagine turning down an interview BUT still wanting to be considered as anything but a very bad plan. Can you fly red-eye, ask the dept to leave a little early/come a little late, anything so you don't miss so much class?

[UnlikelyGrad]

I agree with the other posters--ask the inviting school for a different date. I did that when I visited my current U--had a big test the date of their visit date! They were happy to accommodate me. The nice thing was, since I came a week before the other applicants, I had the whole department to myself...and current grad students falling over themselves to be the ones to show me around.

Asking your professors at your current school to reschedule tests etc. should be a back-up option.

[chimerical]

I had to miss a lot of class for job interviews my senior year, but I was able to make it work. First thing is to talk to the school about potentially rescheduling. This may not be possible if it's an interview weekend in which they go through all the candidates at once, but it's still worth a shot. Also ask if they give the option of phone or VoIP interviews.

Don't be afraid to talk to your professors either. They may not be willing to reschedule an exam, but would probably be amenable to makeup work or emailed assignments. No matter what it's important that you try to interview in some capacity, be it on a different date or over the phone. Don't worry about seeming like a pain - I had to reschedule one of my job interviews three times and I still ended up getting an offer.

Edited January 19, 2010 by chimerical

[workingonit]

Definitely don't turn down the interview if you want to go to the school (or at least want the acceptance)--most schools will turn you down if you decline the interview offer without either (a) a makeup interview date/phone interview/some kind of extended contect or ( a very, very good reason.

[ktm244]

I know this post is old, but i was creeping on here and found it and my situation is quite relevant.

I go to a school on a quarter system, so we have finals in about two weeks. Well my Top school invited me to an interview during finals week. unfortunatley I had to contact them and tell them that I could not go due to the fact that I was taking finals, and asked if I could reschedule. It happened to be an interview weekend, so they couldn't reschedule, but told me they would try to set up a phone interview or Skype interview. I've been worried since then that I ruined my chances, but if I had gone I would have failed my classes, and wouldn't have been able to go to grad school anyway; so it was sort of a lose-lose.

just thought I would vent. I hope everything worked out for the OP

[bgav]

Hey

So the whole trip ended up being cancelled because of the weather and by then I'd decided not to attend the program anyhow, so it all worked out.