Insight Needed

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Your stats are probably holding you back a bit here, and if you haven't applied to all nine schools, I definitely would if I were you. Your next best bets are probably Kent followed by Barry. Just make sure you've done all your homework before kent and present yourself very confidently in January. Use the holiday break to have friends and family interview you using the list of questions on the school feedback page on SDN. This will provide you with a pretty comprehensive list of what Kent will ask.

I'm sorry about NYCPM, but interviews are so dependent. Who knows, maybe if you had interviewed the day before or wore a different shirt, you may have gotten in. Just rock the kent interview, and you'll be fine. A friend of mine last cycle got a 37 MCAT and a 3.8 GPA. She interviewed at 4 schools before WashU finally accepted her. One failed attempt isn't the end of the world!

Good luck!

I am not someone who has gotten an interview since I am still in college.

If I were you I would try to see if you can shadow another podiatrist between now and the interview in January. You have about 3 weeks until the interview so you can't take a class between then. You can't up your stats at all until then.

So DON'T go into the interview thinking of failure. Attempt to block the NY rejection out of your mind for the next 3 weeks. It would be stupid to cancel the interview b/c you got rejected from NY. Also, Kent State is a bit easier from what these people have stated before.

Yes, your stats may not be the best, but don't give up after one rejection

i was under the impression that if you got an interview, it was pretty much in the bag. i guess there are always exceptions, but this is unusual, right? his stats seem to be decent, so what gives?

Originally Posted by PrePodPolice

i was under the impression that if you got an interview, it was pretty much in the bag. i guess there are always exceptions, but this is unusual, right? his stats seem to be decent, so what gives?

You know, that's what I thought too. Especially considering that NYCPM offers a free hotel room to interviewees. Ie why would they waste their time/$$ interviewing somebody they're gonna probably gonna reject anyway? Now I'm a bit worried myself too since I'm interviewing at NYCPM in late January. Sigh.

To be honest, the OP's stats are below average for NYCPM, which most likely worked against his/her favor. But don't lose hope yet, I think you would have a pretty good chance at Kent. Their averages are lower than NYCPM, so less worries here. Are you still in school? If so, try scheduling a mock interview with the career center.

Originally Posted by 90watt

You know, that's what I thought too. Especially considering that NYCPM offers a free hotel room to interviewees. Ie why would they waste their time/$$ interviewing somebody they're gonna probably gonna reject anyway? Now I'm a bit worried myself too since I'm interviewing at NYCPM in late January. Sigh.

To be honest, the OP's stats are below average for NYCPM, which most likely worked against his/her favor. But don't lose hope yet, I think you would have a pretty good chance at Kent. Their averages are lower than NYCPM, so less worries here. Are you still in school? If so, try scheduling a mock interview with the career center.

im worried, too! lol and i'm pretty sure im not even going there since i already made it to my first choice, but i still wanna be accepted.

If all the schools cared about were what you look like on paper, they wouldn't bother with an interview. People get rejected all the time.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

If all the schools cared about were what you look like on paper, they wouldn't bother with an interview. People get rejected all the time.

Good point. I forgot about that.

Originally Posted by PodHopeful

So I just got rejected from NYCPM...POST interview. I have a 21 N MCAT, 3.1 cGPA and 2.8 sGPA...

This was my one of my top schools and I was really hoping to get in. Can anyone offer any insight? I have an interview set up at KSUCPM in early January but now I'm just scared I'll get rejected once again. PM me if you'd like, I really need some insight on this. Thanks!

For what it's worth, my student interview went great (at least I thought so), she even told me not to worry about a thing. The Dean/DPM panel interview was a bit more intense as they asked a lot about my weak spots. Wasn't bad enough that I thought I didn't have a chance. I don't know anymore...

Can you tell us what specific questions they asked you? and how you responded?

Clearly, it's very possible to get rejected post-interview, and even denied an interview. Heck I applied to Temple uber-late last cycle (in May) and was given an interview 30 days before the start of the semester only to be denied an interview this cycle...and I applied in October this time around! I declined the interview last year, so perhaps that was my undoing this go around. Who knows.

I believe that if a school doesn't accept you post-interview it's because the school feels that you may have difficulty fitting into THEIR culture. They chose to interview you so clearly you have the stats to be accepted. I imagine that towards the end of a cycle, schools become a lot more picky about whom they select to interview/accept because of the pile-up of applications. Of course, the opposite argument can be made that schools are desperate to fill their class toward the end of the cycle and will take anyone with minimal cognition-debatable.

So, if a school doesn't accept you, they are doing you a service. Dust yourself off, lick your wounds, and better yourself for the next interview. Don't give up-someone will take you. In the end, the best school is the one you attend : )

Originally Posted by PrePodPolice

im worried, too! lol and i'm pretty sure im not even going there since i already made it to my first choice, but i still wanna be accepted.

lol...vanity. I feel ya tho-it's nice to be wanted

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My advice: have prepared, thought out answers to...

1) why podiatry. Why not med/dent? Helping ppl is ubiquitous in healthcare. What exactly about podiatry intrigues you? This is personal, and your honesty will shine through. Just don't say you're in it for fast cars, fast money, hot chicks, and sexy feet.
2) when did you know podiatry was for you? It doesn't have to be a life-changing moment. It could also be a series of events or discussions or moments of reflection that did it for you.
3) why NYCPM in particular? Be specific here...not just I love NYC or my Uncle goes here : ) What exactly has your uncle told you about the school that draws you to it.
3) why a low MCAT? Did you work while studying for it? Had major engagements/responsibilities to fulfill?
4) answers to why you did so-so in a given course
5) do you feel prepared for a medical curriculum? You must confidently answer this question without hesitation or reservation. You can throw in your cGPA and an upward trend if you got one as 'proof'

As with all answers, give examples to back up your statements-nothing wins an argument like cold hard facts. Above all, show confidence in who you are and what you've accomplished, smile, look your interviewers in the eye when answering, and don't be afraid to highlight your experiences if they are relevant to the topic at hand. And don't sweat the short essay at the beginning of the day-they just want to see if you can write something semi-intelligent under 'duresse'. PM if you need further insight.

You will get into kent. Easy as pie.

Don't be discouraged by 1 interview. Applying to schools is never easy, and with your stats, you can't let a rejection turn you away from an upbeat manner in regards to interviews. I think you should really enjoy your Kent State interview. I certainly did. No medical school interview is "easy." Prepare well (like most of the posters have suggested) and try to stay calm (I freaked out a little during my Kent interview since it was my first). Good luck, and I hope to hear the good news soon!

Cheers,
SF

Originally Posted by SuperFeisty

Don't be discouraged by 1 interview. Applying to schools is never easy, and with your stats, you can't let a rejection turn you away from an upbeat manner in regards to interviews. I think you should really enjoy your Kent State interview. I certainly did. No medical school interview is "easy." Prepare well (like most of the posters have suggested) and try to stay calm (I freaked out a little during my Kent interview since it was my first). Good luck, and I hope to hear the good news soon!

Cheers,
SF

calm coupled with confidence.
that will be golden

prepare for it and you will do great!

Agree with ManUnderFire, understand the questions and know your answers. I had decent stats and I answered the "How I would handle a medical curriculum" question poorly (in hindsight). My saving grace was the school said I was still strong candidate and I pushed on and got accepted.

If you get an interview invite, the adcom sees something in your app. Don't worry about your other interviews, they want you there for a reason. Give them a reason to take you in.

Just be yourself and everything else will just flow

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Stop being hopeful and start shadowing. You are stabbing an already mediocre application in the heart over two afternoons spent following and listening to a podiatrist, and that doesn't even begin to touch on the other benefits that shadowing confirms.

Kent states interview was easy because Carla (the lady sending you all the emails) leads the interview. She is so sweet that you cannot help but feel comfortable. There was only one prof in my interview and he honestly didn't have much to say. I actually had fun at DMU in my interview, we laughed and talked about golf, so I disagree in that some interviews actually are easy. I even told the third years at DMU that the interview was fun, they laughed. Back to kent though, you will hear this 100x being there: every one is chill. I agree 100% and the people are so charismatic and fun, you will be fine. Idk if their class was filling up but when I was there people were so happy go lucky I knew I was in right away. Then again I had got into dmu at this point and was probably beaming with confidence, minus the fact that I was hung over at the interview. Tell them you like the fact that you like their 100% residency stat, like the low cost of living and like what you've heard about their staff, facilities or something. That's all I did. I really didn't even want to go there but it was so close I went anyhow. It is a good school, just sell your self. That's one thing I learned through this process, you need to learn how to sell your self. It's actually easy, if you're not confident enough to sell yourself at this point than you're going into the wrong profession and well you need to learn to for any profession lol. Key point to that, I told the schools I brought doing research to the table, so that I would give back to the school in that way. I think they all appreciated that especially Barry. If you're worried about the questions they will ask, don't be. Think abut the staple questions, and be cool. That's all I did, really.

I have a random question but do schools discriminate if you take "easy" courses that technically count for the science gpa?

I don't mean to bash any departments/majors but I chose to take Intro to Geology (PHY 120 at my school) this past semester in hopes that an A in the course would bump up my science gpa. It worked out as the class was relatively easy, but I'm just wondering if pod schools can acknowledge this and see that you are doing it intentionally. I mean to fight it I can just say I took it as an elective for pleasure, right?

Next semester I'm planning on taking an intro level computer science course also hoping if i excel in it it can also help my sci gpa.

Regardless I am a bio major and have taken harder sciences so I'm just looking to find some easier classes to help increase the gpa.

Honestly, am I taking the right approach here?

Originally Posted by itsallgood19

I have a random question but do schools discriminate if you take "easy" courses that technically count for the science gpa?

I don't mean to bash any departments/majors but I chose to take Intro to Geology (PHY 120 at my school) this past semester in hopes that an A in the course would bump up my science gpa. It worked out as the class was relatively easy, but I'm just wondering if pod schools can acknowledge this and see that you are doing it intentionally. I mean to fight it I can just say I took it as an elective for pleasure, right?

Next semester I'm planning on taking an intro level computer science course also hoping if i excel in it it can also help my sci gpa.

Regardless I am a bio major and have taken harder sciences so I'm just looking to find some easier classes to help increase the gpa.

Honestly, am I taking the right approach here?

It's a numbers game: cGPA, scGPA, prereqGPA, MCAT...that's it, that's all. As long as you have the pre-reqs under your belt (with competitive scores), you can sleep well at night. And you can take hopscotch 101 all the way to 501 and list them as science in your AACPMAS app if it's offered by some science dept (geology, for example)...don't bother taking advanced quantalbiopsychosocialneurophysicalchemistry only to get Cs and other non-sense like that.

A 21 MCAT? I'm sorry, but to me the MCAT is the only standard that can be compared to other students. GPAs can be falsely inflated at some schools. If I was on an admission committee I would be concerned about the apparent disconnect between a decent GPA but poor MCAT.

The argument that someone may be a poor "standard test" taker doesn't cut it with me. After all, the boards are a standard test. If someone performs that poorly on the MCAT, I'm not confident the student will make it through the curriculum and I'm even less confident the student will pass the boards.

Sorry, but I'm a believer that the schools have to tighten up the admission requirements for our profession to move ahead and gain more respect. It may not be what you want to hear, but it's simply how I feel.

Originally Posted by ManUnderFire

Clearly, it's very possible to get rejected post-interview, and even denied an interview. Heck I applied to Temple uber-late last cycle (in May) and was given an interview 30 days before the start of the semester only to be denied an interview this cycle...and I applied in October this time around! I declined the interview last year, so perhaps that was my undoing this go around. Who knows.

I believe that if a school doesn't accept you post-interview it's because the school feels that you may have difficulty fitting into THEIR culture. They chose to interview you so clearly you have the stats to be accepted. I imagine that towards the end of a cycle, schools become a lot more picky about whom they select to interview/accept because of the pile-up of applications. Of course, the opposite argument can be made that schools are desperate to fill their class toward the end of the cycle and will take anyone with minimal cognition-debatable.

So, if a school doesn't accept you, they are doing you a service. Dust yourself off, lick your wounds, and better yourself for the next interview. Don't give up-someone will take you. In the end, the best school is the one you attend : )

agreed it's important to know that the school rejects you post interview because you will probably not fit in their culture. for me it was a moment of hard realization when rejected from a school whose mission statement aligned with my views

so for post interview rejects just think of it as the school missing out on great potential