Should I interview? - dilemma

Question

Something I've been thinking of a bit the last couple of days:

I received an interview invite from NYU. I have no intention of attending, but have considered using an NYU admt as leverage for getting some $$$ out of schools I've been admitted to. I would still have to go to NYC and spend a vacation day, though chances of an admit are pretty good after interview. However, I don't know if my heart would fully be into the interview since the school no longer excites me.

To make things more complicated, I have a friend who has a very similar profile (race, WE, better gpa, slightly lower gmat) also applying R1 who absolutely LOVES stern and is freaking out about not receiving an invite yet.

So given my situation, should I withdraw or go through with the interview? If I withdraw, will that help his chances (if the answer to this is yes, then I will def withdraw)?

thanks!

yellowjacket · Answer

I guess there's 2 ways of looking at this:

1. You've done all the hard work in Sept/Oct and want to reap the benefits.
2. You really don't care about attending Stern anymore so no point in interviewing.

I think if there is any chance that you may still matriculate at Stern (with scholarship or something), then you need to go ahead and interview there. If there is no chance that you will matriculate at Stern, then withdrawing may make sense. I have no idea how the adcom works and whether your withdrawal may have a direct impact for your friend - but it will help someone who is still set on going to Stern.

Just my $0.02!

sam77sam7 · Answer

I don't know anything about this - but can you really negotiate with schools by telling them you have money from another school?

Seems like the schools have people lining up to attend, and if you don't want what they offer, they can just go down the line. Either way, I say skip the interview. If you have absolutely no intention of attending, then it seems it would be a waste of time for everyone involved, and while I do not think it would help your friends profile, your friend may see you interviewing as a selfish move if you have no desire to matriculate.

Just my two cents! Congrats again on the K admit! :-D

~Sam

~Sam

Raabend · Answer

I say skip the interview also. I dont understand how you would bring up a Stern admit in order to get more $$$. Wont that reflect poorly?

Also, I think your interview spot will go to somebody else who still really wants to attend. Be the nice guy! 8-)

nink · Answer

ditto, unless you really want some schollie money and you will try anything.

personally I am way too lazy to pull off anything like pitting one school against another for schollie money.

MeddlingKid · Answer

I don't think schools are going to give you money just because you have an admit to another school. This certainly isn't a great year for bargaining. If you choose not to attend, they have plenty of other awesome candidates who are eager to take your place. I would suggest skipping the Stern interview and saving your day off for something fun.

maverick2011 · Answer

It's your decision. I wouldn't feel selfish one bit. You've done all the work to this point and paid your fee. Therefore, you've earned the right to see how it plays out even if you THINK you wouldn't attend. You never know, they could offer you a significant scholarship.

Jerz · Answer

I would skip the interview for a few reasons. First, if you already know you won't attend, you're really wasting the adcom's (and your) time by interviewing there. Second, if you're not excited by the chance to go to Stern because you're already admitted to other schools, I think it'll show in your interview, so you may not even do as well as you'd think. Third, I agree with the others who suggested it's better to give up the spot to people who are more interested/likely to attend Stern.

isa · Answer

If there's the slightest chance that you will attend Stern if admitted (w/o money, or with loads of it), I would interview.

If there's no chance at all you'll attend if admitted, I'd withdraw the application.
Two reasons:
1) I don't think an admit from Stern will really help you negotiate $$ from Booth or Kellogg unless you get a full ride of some kind. (Leveraging Booth vs Kellogg - that on the other hand might have some merits, but that's another conversation)
2) It's just the nice thing to do - declining to interview will mean someone else will have the chance. Even if that person doesn't have Stern as a top choice, it's increasing the likelihood that someone who really really wants to go there will get in. Plus, it's good karma and all that.

terp26 · Answer

agreed. NYU leverage won't do much for you at booth or kellogg. If you had a full scholly at HBS, that would be another thing.

I withdrew Darden because I didnt want to make the trip to VA to interview and I wasn't going to attend anyway.

foodstamp · Answer

I completely agree with maverick. You earned that interview and it is your right to go through with it. What if Stern gave you a full ride?

If you are 100% committed on NOT attending regardless of how big Stern's scholarship could be then I would withdraw because I don't think NYU's money will be a huge bargaining chip with Booth, Kellogg. Both of these schools have waitlists and can easily fill your seat. If you are one of B/K's top applicants then maybe Stern's money could help you negotiate something. But I think that if you were one of their top applicants they would have already given you significant scholarships.

If the chance of you attending Stern is >0, no matter how small it may be, I would choose to interview. You never know how you will feel about Stern when they give you an offer with a full scholarship.

Raabend · Answer

I think you should turn this into a poll Soni!!!!!!!! FUN FUN FUN!!!!!!!!

solaris1 · Answer

Well, you withdrawing will certainly not have any impact on your friend's chances because it's not like the admissions committee decides to interview "x" number of applicants only. It's still too early in the applications cycle for NYU Stern to worry about complex yield projections, and so if NYU Stern finds your friend's application compelling he will get an interview invitation irrespective of your decision to pursue the interview or not.

Assuming traveling to New York isn't prohibitively expensive, I think you should go ahead and interview just to "greenlight" another school on your profile!

And who knows, you might meet someone, fall in love, and decide to live in New York anyway.

pguard · Answer

I agree with the poll. This could be (wishful thinking) a dilemma that multiple people on GMAT club have to deal with.

Admit from school “x” fully intend to accept but have an interview at school “y”...

Also, has anyone ever heard of a successful negotiation/plea for scholly?

traffix · Answer

I cant believe that i am saying this, because I m never in favor of withdrawing under any circumstances, but if u have no intentions of going there even with a full waiver, then, u rather withdraw ur application and save ur time, money as well as the interviewers time.

To me, the bigger question is whether you should decline NYU with full scholarship in favor of Kellogg or Booth with little to no $$. I would have a tough time leaving that much $$ on the table especially when it is coming from an elite school. I agree with solaris1, u attending/not attending the interview would have little to no impact on ur friend this early in the application cycle.

young_gun · Answer

why not save the NYC trip for a columbia interview? :wink:

billyjeans · Answer

I don't know dude, I personally I wouldn't mind the experience. But lets say if you withdraw your app, and your friend gets an interview the next day, you will probably get a good friend for life. I say that's pretty return/investment ratio.

sonibubu · Answer

Wow, responses all over the spectrum. I wouldn't leverage the admit, I would only leverage the offer of $$$ if I were to get some along with an admit. But it's looking like my heart really isn't into it and I don't want to waste my time and NYU's time, so I will prob just go ahead and withdraw.

Just too many variables...will I perform in the interview...will I get admitted...will I get $$$...

Just too many variables...will I perform in the interview...will I get admitted...will I get $$$...

riverripper · Answer

I wouldn't do it but that is me.

leonidas · Answer

I agree, too many variables involved. Do a probability check and make a decision

BTW, "negotiate $$ from Booth or Kellogg", can we do that in Bschool?

Should I interview? - dilemma

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