Class of 2019!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[breakintheroof]

I tried to dodge the question a bit. I thought it made things feel a bit to competitive lol. He smacked me right back to the question though. I was like oh snap. . Okay I'll answer!

I got several variations of this question.

"What would you say makes you different from other applicants?"
"What would you bring to our school?"
"How should I describe you to the admissions committee?"

At first I found this question very uncomfortable and hard to answer. Who finds it easy to self-recommend? Eventually I came to think of this as a valuable question, albeit one that disrupts the flow of a conversational interview, because it places some of the control back in the interviewee's hands. My very last interviewer of the cycle took this a step further by describing exactly how my application would be reviewed after the interview, sketching an elaborate diagram showing the timeline and voting scheme. He explained to me that we would end our interview only when I told him I felt comfortable that he would accurately communicate the key points in my application to the committee.

I appreciated that. I think if I were to interview someone, I might ask this same question. What do you all think?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[f4reignbeauty]

I got several variations of this question.

"What would you say makes you different from other applicants?"
"What would you bring to our school?"
"How should I describe you to the admissions committee?"

At first I found this question very uncomfortable and hard to answer. Who finds it easy to self-recommend? Eventually I came to think of this as a valuable question, albeit one that disrupts the flow of a conversational interview, because it places some of the control back in the interviewee's hands. My very last interviewer of the cycle took this a step further by describing exactly how my application would be reviewed after the interview, sketching an elaborate diagram showing the timeline and voting scheme. He explained to me that we would end our interview only when I told him I felt comfortable that he would accurately communicate the key points in my application to the committee.

I appreciated that. I think if I were to interview someone, I might ask this same question. What do you all think?

I also think it's a valuable question. The interviewer is basically your advocate. I had a similar question along the lines of "how would your friends describe you?"

 

[RedPhys]

I appreciated that. I think if I were to interview someone, I might ask this same question. What does you all think?

I think it is a good question. In the interview, it is time to talk about who you are and get to know you face-to-face, so if you can prepare a response that articulates well all the different facets of who you are, then it is good. After all, the interviewer is giving you free reign on talking about your fit with the school. Give them your best side, I say.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

The question I had was more along the lines of "What do you bring to the table?" I must say I love that question. It gives you an opportunity to "brand" yourself.

 

[palatopharyngeus]

I'm watching a documentary about penguins omg omg omg SO CUTE ahhhhhhhhh

OMG OMG OMG ME TOO!! SO MANY RECIPES!!

 

[ridethecliche]

I got several variations of this question.

"What would you say makes you different from other applicants?"
"What would you bring to our school?"
"How should I describe you to the admissions committee?"

At first I found this question very uncomfortable and hard to answer. Who finds it easy to self-recommend? Eventually I came to think of this as a valuable question, albeit one that disrupts the flow of a conversational interview, because it places some of the control back in the interviewee's hands. My very last interviewer of the cycle took this a step further by describing exactly how my application would be reviewed after the interview, sketching an elaborate diagram showing the timeline and voting scheme. He explained to me that we would end our interview only when I told him I felt comfortable that he would accurately communicate the key points in my application to the committee.

I appreciated that. I think if I were to interview someone, I might ask this same question. What do you all think?

I started answering by saying "Well, I can't speak for other applicants..." and I was interrupted by my interviewer saying, "Right. I was asking you to speak for you."

I talked about how I'd taken my time after undergrad working in the field and how I'd realized that this was the career that I wanted. Basically mentioned experience again. I have to admit that I was slightly caught off guard by it. This time though, I did remember to bring up community and community building since I made sure to brush up on my application a few times.

I really like the way your interviewer broke it down for you by showing you how things are done. It probably allowed you to address each category which is pretty rad.

Honestly, my biggest issue is that a lot of my big activities outside of work were in undergrad. It feels like a former life now and I have a hard time describing it sometimes just due to the distance and the fact that it feels less important and relevant now than it did at 21 (I'm 26). I think I was able to make it more relevant in my head this time around when I talked about why Jeff. I hope it worked. We'll see.

Edit: I did so much in undergrad. Injuries and such after graduation really limited my extracurricular stuff. I think this is the first time I was able to talk about that with an interviewer because he straight up asked me why there was a hole in my resume.

 

[jeghaber]

I got several variations of this question.

"What would you say makes you different from other applicants?"
"What would you bring to our school?"
"How should I describe you to the admissions committee?"

At first I found this question very uncomfortable and hard to answer. Who finds it easy to self-recommend? Eventually I came to think of this as a valuable question, albeit one that disrupts the flow of a conversational interview, because it places some of the control back in the interviewee's hands. My very last interviewer of the cycle took this a step further by describing exactly how my application would be reviewed after the interview, sketching an elaborate diagram showing the timeline and voting scheme. He explained to me that we would end our interview only when I told him I felt comfortable that he would accurately communicate the key points in my application to the committee.

I appreciated that. I think if I were to interview someone, I might ask this same question. What do you all think?

Weird. I don't really remember being asked this question much. Maybe I just had oddball interviewers; I think I was only asked "why medicine" maybe two or three times too. I do remember being asked what my spirit animal was though

 

[jsquared91]

OMG OMG OMG ME TOO!! SO MANY RECIPES!!

penguin recipes?

 

[palatopharyngeus]

penguin recipes?

ya delicious

 

[jsquared91]

ya delicious

Those aren't chickens...

 

[ridethecliche]

This gif is appropriate. Just copy pasta. Too large for the forum!

i.imgur.com/3MBC1LW.gifv

 

[breakintheroof]

I started answering by saying "Well, I can't speak for other applicants..." and I was interrupted by my interviewer saying, "Right. I was asking you to speak for you."

I'm glad your interviewer said this--the question, I think, is particularly awkward when phrased as a comparison. I like @Leslie_Knope's version best:

"What do you bring to the table?"

I really like the way your interviewer broke it down for you by showing you how things are done. It probably allowed you to address each category which is pretty rad.

He focused on the mechanics of the process. "There's a subcommittee. Your other interviewer and I have seats at that table. [Sketches table.] We each vote yes or no or maybe on your application. [Sketches up and down arrows.] If there is a disagreement, then she and I will talk about you. That is when I will explain to them what you tell me now."

Weird. I don't really remember being asked this question much. Maybe I just had oddball interviewers; I think I was only asked "why medicine" maybe two or three times too. I do remember being asked what my spirit animal was though

It's funny, I also had few instances of "Why medicine?" There's so much variance. Another example, some people report that all of their interviewers tell them their personal statement was fantastic. Not a single one of my interviewers made any direct references to my PS--neither its quality nor its content nor its language. When I first noticed this, I thought, like somebody who just spent the day at work with a new haircut, "If they didn't say anything, does that mean they hate it?" But if mine was bad, how did I get as many interviews as I did? I decided to stop reading into the questions I got. Just variance, probably.

 

[f4reignbeauty]

...One of my interviewers asked me, "Do you ever think you're annoying?" ...

All I could do was laugh, smile and turn that into a positive. I didn't know what he meant by that, but ehh...

 

[jsquared91]

This gif is appropriate. Just copy pasta. Too large for the forum!

i.imgur.com/3MBC1LW.gifv

It's been a while since we've had a complete penguin digression on this thread... It's improving the quality of my day.

 

[breakintheroof]

It's been a while since we've had a complete penguin digression on this thread... It's improving the quality of my day.

Here's an unrelated digression...it's fun to read into some people's usernames how old they presumably are.

@claduva94 < @WinterSoldier93 < [92] < @jsquared91 < @Tman90

Then there are the children of the '80s (or before!). None of us that I know of have our birth years in our usernames, probably a reason for that ... @ridethecliche @FriendlyFH @breakintheroof (and @Leslie_Knope too, no?)

 

[ridethecliche]

...One of my interviewers asked me, "Do you ever think you're annoying?" ...

All I could do was laugh, smile and turn that into a positive. I didn't know what he meant by that, but ehh...

"I'm awesome, but drunk rtc is the worst. Last weekend he tried going to bed with an entire pizza. Yeah I know it was delicious, but seriously..."

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Then there are the children of the '80s (or before!). None of us that I know of have our birth years in our usernames, probably a reason for that ... @ridethecliche @FriendlyFH @breakintheroof (and @Leslie_Knope too, no?)

You're forgetting someone!

 

[jsquared91]

Here's an unrelated digression...it's fun to read into some people's usernames how old they presumably are.

@claduva94 < @WinterSoldier93 < [92] < @jsquared91 < @Tman90

Then there are the children of the '80s (or before!). None of us that I know of have our birth years in our usernames, probably a reason for that ... @ridethecliche @FriendlyFH @breakintheroof (and @Leslie_Knope too, no?)

You've broken the code! Haha its been one of my user names since aim

 

[WinterSoldier93]

@breakintheroof @claduva94 @Tman90 @jsquared91 @researchismymiddlename @hellanutella @FriendlyFH @onceawolverine @sunflower18 @Sandmeezy @onceawolverine @ProbablyAPenguin

Bored in class so I just wrote this rap verse...


Yeah I'm youngblood, gonna go to medical school.
Don't call me out, and don't call me no fool.
They say that gunners we were always gonna be.
That ain't no lie - jus' listen to me.

Y'all have helped me so much through this whole cycle.
All the apps, all the essays that I had to recycle.
It's been nine months - yea - such a damn long time...
But that sweet white coat is gonna be mine!

Droppin' sick rhymes, stuck with senioritis
But next year I'm'a be like - IS THAT DERMATITIS?
Step 1, Step 2, they'll be here fast
Spittin' all the knowledge we worked to amass

Before I finish this lil' song of mine
I wanna ask you a question just one last time
This application cycle's been one big fuss
But medical school - ARE YOU READY FOR US!??


WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHH

 

[palatopharyngeus]

Droppin' sick rhymes, stuck with senioritis
But next year I'm'a be like - IS THAT DERMATITIS?

lmao thanks for the laughs man

 

[sunflower18]

@breakintheroof @claduva94 @Tman90 @jsquared91 @researchismymiddlename @hellanutella @FriendlyFH @onceawolverine @sunflower18 @Sandmeezy @onceawolverine @ProbablyAPenguin

Bored in class so I just wrote this rap verse...


Yeah I'm youngblood, gonna go to medical school.
Don't call me out, and don't call me no fool.
They say that gunners we were always gonna be.
That ain't no lie - jus' listen to me.

Y'all have helped me so much through this whole cycle.
All the apps, all the essays that I had to recycle.
It's been nine months - yea - such a damn long time...
But that sweet white coat is gonna be mine!

Droppin' sick rhymes, stuck with senioritis
But next year I'm'a be like - IS THAT DERMATITIS?
Step 1, Step 2, they'll be here fast
Spittin' all the knowledge we worked to amass

Before I finish this lil' song of mine
I wanna ask you a question just one last time
This application cycle's been one big fuss
But medical school - ARE YOU READY FOR US!??


WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHH

That's so awesome!!!!!!!! I bet you'll be writing the song lyrics for your med school parody video next year

 

[KillaKitteh]

I just used my Xbox gamer tag... sans the number that goes with it.

 

[ridethecliche]

I honestly think all my interviews would have gone better if I had done this last year. Sadly, nothing else in my cycle would have been better...

What a freaking bizarre year it had been.

 

[Sandmeezy]

@breakintheroof @claduva94 @Tman90 @jsquared91 @researchismymiddlename @hellanutella @FriendlyFH @onceawolverine @sunflower18 @Sandmeezy @onceawolverine @ProbablyAPenguin

Bored in class so I just wrote this rap verse...


Yeah I'm youngblood, gonna go to medical school.
Don't call me out, and don't call me no fool.
They say that gunners we were always gonna be.
That ain't no lie - jus' listen to me.

Y'all have helped me so much through this whole cycle.
All the apps, all the essays that I had to recycle.
It's been nine months - yea - such a damn long time...
But that sweet white coat is gonna be mine!

Droppin' sick rhymes, stuck with senioritis
But next year I'm'a be like - IS THAT DERMATITIS?
Step 1, Step 2, they'll be here fast
Spittin' all the knowledge we worked to amass

Before I finish this lil' song of mine
I wanna ask you a question just one last time
This application cycle's been one big fuss
But medical school - ARE YOU READY FOR US!??


WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHH

Bars.

 

[gooeyzoe]

CONGRATS EVERYONE ON YOUR ACCEPTANCES.

I'm just wondering--are we supposed to do anything else once we withdraw from all others except from one acceptance? Is there a form I have to fill out before April 30th or would the school I choose just know... ?


I'm getting anxious for no reason.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

CONGRATS EVERYONE ON YOUR ACCEPTANCES.

I'm just wondering--are we supposed to do anything else once we withdraw from all others except from one acceptance? Is there a form I have to fill out before April 30th or would the school I choose just know... ?


I'm getting anxious for no reason.

Just contact the school you chose and ask them this question. Congratulations!

 

[FFH]

Recently, Yale has been winning the heart of a Dr. Seuss lover, me, with their second year show

How the Grinch Stole the Yale System.

The Grinch, embittered over an ill-fated longing for Angoff 30 years earlier, comes down from his perch in East Rock of Who Haven with a plot to destroy the Yale system. He steals students’ iPads, stethoscopes and hammers, and the codes that allow them to take tests in anonymity. Despite his efforts, however, the students are doing just fine without all the things that were taken from them. Without her iPad, one comments, she actually pays attention to lectures! The Grinch, played by John Andrews, realizes that his efforts have come to naught, that the Yale system has survived. The heart of the Yale system, he comes to see, is the Yale student.

A glimpse of it.

 

[researchismymiddlename]

@breakintheroof @claduva94 @Tman90 @jsquared91 @researchismymiddlename @hellanutella @FriendlyFH @onceawolverine @sunflower18 @Sandmeezy @onceawolverine @ProbablyAPenguin

Bored in class so I just wrote this rap verse...


Yeah I'm youngblood, gonna go to medical school.
Don't call me out, and don't call me no fool.
They say that gunners we were always gonna be.
That ain't no lie - jus' listen to me.

Y'all have helped me so much through this whole cycle.
All the apps, all the essays that I had to recycle.
It's been nine months - yea - such a damn long time...
But that sweet white coat is gonna be mine!

Droppin' sick rhymes, stuck with senioritis
But next year I'm'a be like - IS THAT DERMATITIS?
Step 1, Step 2, they'll be here fast
Spittin' all the knowledge we worked to amass

Before I finish this lil' song of mine
I wanna ask you a question just one last time
This application cycle's been one big fuss
But medical school - ARE YOU READY FOR US!??


WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHHH

OML THAT WAS EPIC!!!!

 

[ProbablyAPenguin]

Wahooo

I have officially heard back from all of my schools.

It's OFFICIALLY DONE.

Now I just need to figure out where I am going.

 

[palatopharyngeus]

OML THAT WAS EPIC!!!!

your username is epic

 

[palatopharyngeus]

Wahooo

I have officially heard back from all of my schools.

It's OFFICIALLY DONE.

Now I just need to figure out where I am going.

congrats! you are in a fortunate dilemma

 

[ProbablyAPenguin]

your username is epic

Thanks!

 

[Lawpy]

Blast from the past. Glad to see everyone is smashing the cycle successfully, especially the long-standing veterans @No Limits @sunflower18 @turayza @ProbablyAPenguin @FriendlyFH @hellanutella and everyone else.

 

[sunflower18]

Blast from the past. Glad to see everyone is smashing the cycle successfully, especially the long-standing veterans @No Limits @sunflower18 @turayza @ProbablyAPenguin @FriendlyFH @hellanutella and everyone else.

Thanks!!! How have you been??

 

[youmeandthesea]

Recently, Yale has been winning the heart of a Dr. Seuss lover, me, with their second year show

How the Grinch Stole the Yale System.

The Grinch, embittered over an ill-fated longing for Angoff 30 years earlier, comes down from his perch in East Rock of Who Haven with a plot to destroy the Yale system. He steals students’ iPads, stethoscopes and hammers, and the codes that allow them to take tests in anonymity. Despite his efforts, however, the students are doing just fine without all the things that were taken from them. Without her iPad, one comments, she actually pays attention to lectures! The Grinch, played by John Andrews, realizes that his efforts have come to naught, that the Yale system has survived. The heart of the Yale system, he comes to see, is the Yale student.

A glimpse of it.

I love that parody haha

 

[ridethecliche]

On the runway heading to London! Hella nutella has awesome travel tips and I'm so ready for this vacation!

Hope you guys have a great week. Crossing my fingers for good news for everyone over this next week. I'll probably be around since ill have internet everywhere.

Wooohooooo!

 

[FFH]

On the runway heading to London! Hella nutella has assume travel tips and I'm so ready for this vacation!

Hope you guys have a great week. Crossing my fingers for good news for everyone over this next week. I'll probably be around since ill have internet everywhere.

Wooohooooo!

Keep calm and ride on! RTC. You've worked pretty hard and it's time to reap your brownie points and have a blast.

I've only been to London once about a decade ago to take a course with scholarship, which covered plane tickets, room and board for the course, but not the extra days I spent in London to travel on my own. The currency exchange rate was so ridiculous that everything was 15 times more expensive in London than in the country where I was living. I ended up not eating anything for the week but some bread and butter. Lost a few lbs, still had fun though.

 

[ridethecliche]

Holy crap, my aunt is organizing the evacuation of UN and NGO staff from Yemens capital since they're being bombed.

 

[ridethecliche]

And I just realized I should have talked more about sports and being a team player in all my interviews... Comes back to the thing I mentioned earlier to breakintheroof where some of this feels like a former life since I competed 5 years ago. The lessons learned still apply though.

Le sigh. Where has my head been the last few months. I should feel lucky to have even gotten into one spot given how discombobulated I feel.

And while I'm still kvetching, my housemate apparently wants me out by the end of May even though I wasn't planning on leaving my job till sometime in June. Totally unexpected. Maybe I'll use it as an excuse to leave work early and travel. I'm so sick of dealing with this crap.

 

[lemmym]

And I just realized I should have talked more about sports and being a team player in all my interviews... Comes back to the thing I mentioned earlier to breakintheroof where some of this feels like a former life since I competed 5 years ago. The lessons learned still apply though.

Le sigh. Where has my head been the last few months. I should feel lucky to have even gotten into one spot given how discombobulated I feel.

And while I'm still kvetching, my housemate apparently wants me out by the end of May even though I wasn't planning on leaving my job till sometime in June. Totally unexpected. Maybe I'll use it as an excuse to leave work early and travel. I'm so sick of dealing with this crap.

You don't have a lease? Otherwise I'm all for quitting early and actually getting to enjoy life a bit more before this next chapter of our lives begins

 

[lemmym]

Totally random question - I'm thinking about getting a tablet/ipad for next year. Anyone have a strong opinion about whether an apple or android tablet would be more useful as far as apps and things of that nature go?

 

[hellanutella]

I feel like I've been sitting here, twiddling my thumbs for the past two weeks. I desperately want to drop most of my acceptances, but I don't think I can justify a withdrawal until I see the finaid package. .____.

And I just realized I should have talked more about sports and being a team player in all my interviews... Comes back to the thing I mentioned earlier to breakintheroof where some of this feels like a former life since I competed 5 years ago. The lessons learned still apply though.

Le sigh. Where has my head been the last few months. I should feel lucky to have even gotten into one spot given how discombobulated I feel.

And while I'm still kvetching, my housemate apparently wants me out by the end of May even though I wasn't planning on leaving my job till sometime in June. Totally unexpected. Maybe I'll use it as an excuse to leave work early and travel. I'm so sick of dealing with this crap.

You have my empathy, RTC. Hope this trip is a welcome respite from your everyday life/app cycle craziness. Take some time for self-indulgence and relaxation. You've earned a break. (And glad my silly packing tips could be of help!).

 

[ridethecliche]

You don't have a lease? Otherwise I'm all for quitting early and actually getting to enjoy life a bit more before this next chapter of our lives begins

I do have a lease, I'm just exhausted about dealing with this stuff. It's been happening on and off and I almost want to just put my foot down but I'm not sure I want to spend the energy on it.

Like this housemate legit asked "friend or date?"when I had a friend over once since I'd had a date over for dinner recently. I was like how is that your business and she wouldn't let it go till I answered. When I told her it was a friend, she was like 'good because if it was a date I would have told her'.

I was dumbfounded...

 

[turayza]

Blast from the past. Glad to see everyone is smashing the cycle successfully, especially the long-standing veterans @No Limits @sunflower18 @turayza @ProbablyAPenguin @FriendlyFH @hellanutella and everyone else.

Look who's alive!!

 

[lemmym]

I do have a lease, I'm just exhausted about dealing with this stuff. It's been happening on and off and I almost want to just put my foot down but I'm not sure I want to spend the energy on it.

Like this housemate legit asked "friend or date?"when I had a friend over once since I'd had a date over for dinner recently. I was like how is that your business and she wouldn't let it go till I answered. When I told her it was a friend, she was like 'good because if it was a date I would have told her'.

I was dumbfounded...

Yikes Yeah that is annoying. I totally feel your pain. Living with people can be more exhausting than its worth especially when they are as inconsiderate as you just described. At least you will be done with this situation soonish (one way or another).

 

[ridethecliche]

Yikes Yeah that is annoying. I totally feel your pain. Living with people can be more exhausting than its worth especially when they are as inconsiderate as you just described. At least you will be done with this situation soonish (one way or another).

The kicker?
She's 31.

(I'm 26).

Some people.....

And that's enough venting haha.

Does anyone have big plans for the weekend?

Also, I learned a new spine word today: spondyloptosis.
Terrifying. I sat at a desk shuddering for 5 minutes straight after seeing what that MRI looks like.

 

[Sandmeezy]

The kicker?
She's 31.

(I'm 26).

Some people.....

And that's enough venting haha.

Does anyone have big plans for the weekend?

Nothing I'll really remember....jk lol (t)werking to replenish my funds post miami vacay.

 

[Leslie_Knope]

Nothing I'll really remember....jk lol (t)werking to replenish my funds post miami vacay.

Doing some advocacy work, without being too specific here on the public forum.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

The kicker?
She's 31.

(I'm 26).

Some people.....

And that's enough venting haha.

Does anyone have big plans for the weekend?

Also, I learned a new spine word today: spondyloptosis.
Terrifying. I sat at a desk shuddering for 5 minutes straight after seeing what that MRI looks like.

Sorry to hear about your inconsiderate roommate.

Also, I looked up spondyloptosis. I agree with you there, it's quite terrifying.

 

[ridethecliche]

FOR SCIENCEEE!!!