Confused About Aways...

Go where you want to go. Period.

Will some places that are geographically remote from home be "turned off" if you keep your rotations in the same region? Maybe, but still other places won't care. I've seen both types in my experience.

But think about it - if you have two places you really want to be at, why not rotate and make sure they know that?

Yeah I wouldn't bank on the "opening up a geographic region" strategy. I know a few people from NE and midwest who did aways at southern programs, and that program was the only one in the region to offer them an interview.

I agree, do them where you have interest in going and/or want to know more about.

I agree with all above - I am from the Midwest and did a rotation in the NE - even had a letter from one of the big programs in the NE. I did not really get a whole lot of extra interviews in the NE because of that rotation. Some programs may pin you as a "NE person" and not consider you as strongly, but most will not do that. Plus, if you truly do want to stay in the NE, who cares how other programs pin you - you should just care about the NE programs. Only caveat to that is it is sometimes fun to get out of the city for 2-3 or even 4 rotations and see a different city/atmosphere and see if you like any other locations/educational cultures.

I have another question about Aways,

Is there a negative stigma for turning down an away rotation? Will turning down an offered away rotation look poorly on the student come time to apply? I am attempting to do 3 away rotations but I am applying to more than 3 schools in order to ensure that I can get a spot as a visiting student at a program I am interested in.

There are mixed reports from people cancelling away rotations and failing to receive interview invites. Causation and correlation cannot be determined because the interview selection process is just too damn random.

I have spoken to several matched applicants who turned down away rotations last minute. Those programs were not pleased.

What you can control is your communication with each program. If you are timely in your cancellation and possibly explain why you cancelled, you may not burn any bridges.

Bottom line, be prompt and be cordial. It is impossible to rotate everywhere and programs understand that.

I turned down away rotations at Emory, USC and Harbor-UCLA...didn't end up getting interview invites to any of those programs. Is it because I turned down the rotation after getting accepted? I'll probably never know.

IMO turning down an offered away can affect you negatively. Canceling one you've already scheduled definitely will.

I'm not sure any of us can offer a real answer.

I think it's also dependent on how the place schedules aways. If it's a program secretary who just adds names to the list - probably won't know/care if you apply and withdraw. Other places had the PD pick the rotators.

Only schedule an away at the place you want to be, and keep that schedule. I did manage to change the dates of an away, but had they not been able to, I would have cancelled my other offer.

No MS4 can tell you for sure what happens or how it influences anything, so may as well play it safe