One interview and accepted?

[deleted632431]

Has anyone just gotten one interview and got accepted to that school? I'm kinda in this boat right now :X

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[allantois]

I know some people. Usually happens at one's own alma mater.

 

[miamiheatfan]

Not me but my friend, one interview in October and got accepted, still hasn't heard from any other school.

 

[MrLogan13]

I've had two interviews so far and one acceptance, so it's not the exact same situation you're asking about. Obviously, it'd be better to have landed more interviews, but it's definitely possible with just one.

 

[Silverflash]

It's certainly possible, of course. Likelihood obviously depends on the school; I interviewed at a school this cycle that accepts between 60-70% of the people they interview. At many other schools, less than 20% interview acceptance rate is the norm.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Congrats on your acceptances. Remember, you can only go to one school.

 

[swimwear17]

My best friend last year had no interviews until around February. Then, all of a sudden, she receives an interview to UCSD in March and was accepted there by april.

Apparently this kind of thing happens to california residents all the time.

 

[Catalystik]

Congrats. But I thought you had two interviews.

Edit: Rethinking it, I believe the two interviews may have taken place at the same institution on the same interview day.

 

[Ismet]

Congrats. But I thought you had two interviews.

She's apparently already written off the "bad" one.

OP, like I and many others said in your previous thread, applicants are VERY bad at interpreting how they did in an interview. You can't use your interviewers non-verbal cues to gauge how it went. Just wait it out and do whatever else you need to do.

 

[ridethecliche]

One of the fellows I work with only interviewed at mcw and was accepted.

 

[laf53221]

I've only had one interview...early in September and I was accepted by October. Got one other interview but I cancelled since the school I was accepted to was one of my top choices. But it's definitely possible, all you need is one acceptance. Good luck!

 

[claduva94]

It's certainly possible, of course. Likelihood obviously depends on the school; I interviewed at a school this cycle that accepts between 60-70% of the people they interview. At many other schools, less than 20% interview acceptance rate is the norm.

No for the most part schools are around 40-50%. WashU is the lowest I've seen and it is still above 20%.

 

[sonofagrignard]

Very possible. Happened to me. Know your app, have a conversation, and good luck.

 

[Osteoth]

Possible but not statistically likely. Hope for more but know you have a puncher's chance with that one.

 

[LChristmas]

I interviewed at one and was accepted through EDP.

 

[baxt1412]

I was accepted to the first school I interviewed at but had another interview that same week that I'm still waiting to hear back from.

 

[HinduHammer]

Has anyone just gotten one interview and got accepted to that school? I'm kinda in this boat right now :X

Yes, I had my first interview on Tuesday and was accepted Friday (yesterday). It was my state school though not my alma mater. Apparently, however, this is a rather rare occurrence for which I am supremely grateful.

 

[drnk12]

My first (and only, so far) interview will be at Jefferson in Jan. Love the school, gonna give it everything I have to try and achieve that acceptance.

 

[NoDakDok]

Has anyone just gotten one interview and got accepted to that school? I'm kinda in this boat right now :X

The majority of my medical school class only applied to my medical school.

No for the most part schools are around 40-50%. WashU is the lowest I've seen and it is still above 20%.

IIRC Columbia has one of if not the worst post-interview acceptance rates. Last I checked they interviewed well over 1000 applicants...

 

[kthxbai]

She's apparently already written off the "bad" one.

OP, like I and many others said in your previous thread, applicants are VERY bad at interpreting how they did in an interview. You can't use your interviewers non-verbal cues to gauge how it went. Just wait it out and do whatever else you need to do.

I'd just like to chime in and say that I've been extremely accurate with my post-interview predictions. 5 for 5 so far, and I don't see myself slowing down on the premonition train. So no, not all of us are bad.

 

[NoDakDok]

I'd just like to chime in and say that I've been extremely accurate with my post-interview predictions. 5 for 5 so far, and I don't see myself slowing down on the premonition train. So no, not all of us are bad.

A lot more than just an interviewer's opinion goes into whether a school accepts or declines you. 5/5 means you're lucky, not that your premonitions are based on a valid premise.

 

[Ismet]

I'd just like to chime in and say that I've been extremely accurate with my post-interview predictions. 5 for 5 so far, and I don't see myself slowing down on the premonition train. So no, not all of us are bad.

As said above, the interview is a small factor in the admissions decision. My decision after reading an application is very seldom swayed by the interview, and if it is swayed, it's usually in the negative direction. My point was that applicants tend to see the worst in an interview and judge non-verbal cues and lack of smiling and a ton of other things as a "bad" interview, when in fact that's just the interviewer's personality.

Congratulations, I'm sure you're a competitive applicant for the schools you were accepted to, and I have no doubt your interviews went well. My comment was geared towards the other end of the spectrum (thinking the interview went poorly), though.

 

[kthxbai]

As said above, the interview is a small factor in the admissions decision. My decision after reading an application is very seldom swayed by the interview, and if it is swayed, it's usually in the negative direction. My point was that applicants tend to see the worst in an interview and judge non-verbal cues and lack of smiling and a ton of other things as a "bad" interview, when in fact that's just the interviewer's personality.

Congratulations, I'm sure you're a competitive applicant for the schools you were accepted to, and I have no doubt your interviews went well. My comment was geared towards the other end of the spectrum (thinking the interview went poorly), though.

Thank you for you kind words! But I was 5 for 5 in guessing acceptances and wait lists alike. I guess it was a fit vibe, and the schools felt the same about me as I did about them.

 

[Shams al Deen]

As said above, the interview is a small factor in the admissions decision. My decision after reading an application is very seldom swayed by the interview, and if it is swayed, it's usually in the negative direction. My point was that applicants tend to see the worst in an interview and judge non-verbal cues and lack of smiling and a ton of other things as a "bad" interview, when in fact that's just the interviewer's personality.

Congratulations, I'm sure you're a competitive applicant for the schools you were accepted to, and I have no doubt your interviews went well. My comment was geared towards the other end of the spectrum (thinking the interview went poorly), though.

Interesting, and I'm sure it depends on the school. But I remember reading something from an AAMC survey that indicated that the interview was THE biggest factor for admission.

EDIT: Here's the link to that survey
https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf

 

[Ismet]

Interesting, and I'm sure it depends on the school. But I remember reading something from an AAMC survey that indicated that the interview was THE biggest factor for admission.

EDIT: Here's the link to that survey
https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf

To me, it's more nuanced than what is the biggest factor. For the most part, the people with good interviews have good applications and LORs. The interview just supports the strong application and glowing recommendations. Sometimes, the interview elucidates professionalism issues or a lack of understanding of medicine or something in an otherwise strong applicant...in THAT case, the interview is absolutely vital to the decision. And then other times, a less strong applicant on paper gets to interview and the interviewer says something like "we MUST admit this brilliant person," and that can bump up the application. So the interview absolutely has importance, I just think for the most part it doesn't make a huge difference in my decision (reading the whole application before the interview reports).

And yes, it might depend on the school and even individual committee members. I attend a school that has a lot of self-selection, i.e. most of the applicants are extremely strong, so that probably biases my perspective.

 

[Shams al Deen]

To me, it's more nuanced than what is the biggest factor. For the most part, the people with good interviews have good applications and LORs. The interview just supports the strong application and glowing recommendations. Sometimes, the interview elucidates professionalism issues or a lack of understanding of medicine or something in an otherwise strong applicant...in THAT case, the interview is absolutely vital to the decision. And then other times, a less strong applicant on paper gets to interview and the interviewer says something like "we MUST admit this brilliant person," and that can bump up the application. So the interview absolutely has importance, I just think for the most part it doesn't make a huge difference in my decision (reading the whole application before the interview reports).

And yes, it might depend on the school and even individual committee members. I attend a school that has a lot of self-selection, i.e. most of the applicants are extremely strong, so that probably biases my perspective.

Sounds way more reasonable than the "be all end all" narrative that med school interviews are often given.

 

[ridethecliche]

As said above, the interview is a small factor in the admissions decision. My decision after reading an application is very seldom swayed by the interview, and if it is swayed, it's usually in the negative direction. My point was that applicants tend to see the worst in an interview and judge non-verbal cues and lack of smiling and a ton of other things as a "bad" interview, when in fact that's just the interviewer's personality.

Congratulations, I'm sure you're a competitive applicant for the schools you were accepted to, and I have no doubt your interviews went well. My comment was geared towards the other end of the spectrum (thinking the interview went poorly), though.

If you are very seldom swayed by an interview, then why interview people you weren't impressed with to begin with?

It's things like this that make this process more competitive, expensive, and irrational than they have to be.

 

[Ismet]

If you are very seldom swayed by an interview, then why interview people you weren't impressed with to begin with?

It's things like this that make this process more competitive, expensive, and irrational than they have to be.

I didn't say that we interview people we weren't impressed with...

If you get offered an interview, on paper you are qualified for admission. Med schools don't waste their time interviewing someone who is not a potential admit on paper. Then the interview factors into the equation, plus the 800 or so other applicants who are also interviewed. Not everyone can be accepted. I know it seems unfair and irrational from the applicant standpoint, but it's really not.

 

[ridethecliche]

I didn't say that we interview people we weren't impressed with...

If you get offered an interview, on paper you are qualified for admission. Med schools don't waste their time interviewing someone who is not a potential admit on paper. Then the interview factors into the equation, plus the 800 or so other applicants who are also interviewed. Not everyone can be accepted.

Haha, totally misread that previous post!