Re-receiving interviews the second time around

[thruthewire]

Meaningful explanations for non-interview are uncommon in my experience, no matter who gives them.

This was an explanation post-interview for why I was waitlisted. This school (SUNY Buffalo) employs a random review process, so I'm not fretting yet about not getting an II again, but I do hope to get one regardless.

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[gyngyn]

This was an explanation post-interview for why I was waitlisted. This school (SUNY Buffalo) employs a random review process, so I'm not fretting yet about not getting an II again, but I do hope to get one regardless.

Ditto.

 

[Goro]

I had one interviewee have a LOR from her son. yes, her 12 year old son. I guess she thought that being a good mom equated with being a good physician. Result= Reject!

I had a 4.0/MCAT of 40 interviewee who was such a gunner she wanted to answer the other people's questions. Another reject.

But the parent dragging the kid to the interview? That leaves me slack-jawed with amazement!

They did not have communication or interpersonal skills.
They had a low opinion of the people we care for.
They let their mother write them an LOR.
They behaved in an antagonistic manner on interview day (yelled at the parking attendant).
Their parent had to physically pull them into the admissions office on interview day.
The list is long.

 

[gyngyn]

I had one interviewee have a LOR from her son. yes, her 12 year old son. I guess she thought that being a good mom equated with being a good physician. Result= Reject!

I had a 4.0/MCAT of 40 interviewee who was such a gunner she wanted to answer the other people's questions. Another reject.

But the parent dragging the kid to the interview? That leaves me slack-jawed with amazement!

He was physically pushing the poor kid.
I haven't had a baby LOR yet! At least he wasn't pretending to be an objective observer.

 

[thruthewire]

Ditto.

Gotcha. Thanks for the responses, I'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best.

 

[kthxbai]

@gyngyn
I've always suspected that people observe interviewees all throughout the interview day and then report to the admissions office any bad (or maybe particularly good) behavior. Is that true? And if so, to what extent?

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn
I've always suspected that people observe interviewees all throughout the interview day and then report to the admissions office any bad (or maybe particularly good) behavior. Is that true? And if so, to what extent?

It's going to depend on the culture of the school. In a place where there is a strong sense of community and where students and staff feel safe and valued, there is a greater likelihood that observed deviations from expected behavior by applicants will be reported.

I happened to observe the behaviors in my post personally, though.

 

[Goro]

At our school it would be the student tour guides, the admissions office staff and anyone who comes in to give you a talk, like on Financial Aid. So if you're looking bored, or make disparaging comments about the staff, or the school, that news gets back to the Adcom. I've seen it get interviewees rejected. Now, before you start fussing, these were RARE events.

@gyngyn
I've always suspected that people observe interviewees all throughout the interview day and then report to the admissions office any bad (or maybe particularly good) behavior. Is that true? And if so, to what extent?

 

[kthxbai]

At our school it would be the student tour guides, the admissions office staff and anyone who comes in to give you a talk, like on Financial Aid. So if you're looking bored, or make disparaging comments about the staff, or the school, that news gets back to the Adcom. I've seen it get interviewees rejected. Now, before you start fussing, these were RARE events.

Thanks for the info! About looking bored, is it really such a deal breaker? I get that you want those who are enthusiastic about the school, but is it really so bad to not particularly enjoy a tour?

 

[Goro]

More a problem in the interview itself.

Thanks for the info! About looking bored, is it really such a deal breaker? I get that you want those who are enthusiastic about the school, but is it really so bad to not particularly enjoy a tour?

 

[jl lin]

You'd be surprised how often this happens.
They use their own name (not that of the applicant or his father) and purport to be an objective evaluator, too.

I'm sorry but this is just embarrassing. LOL

 

[gyngyn]

I'm sorry but this is just embarrassing. LOL

I think they forget that their name is listed (as a parent) in the primary application.

 

[QofQuimica]

Thanks for the info! About looking bored, is it really such a deal breaker? I get that you want those who are enthusiastic about the school, but is it really so bad to not particularly enjoy a tour?

It's not bad to not enjoy the tour. It's bad to let it show that you didn't enjoy the tour. At my med school, there was this one applicant who fell asleep during the financial aid talk. The financial aid director was offended and reported it to the Admissions Dean. I understand financial aid isn't the most exciting thing in the world, and maybe the kid was tired from flying cross country, etc. etc. But seriously, at least have enough social skills to pretend like you care! And for sure you should assume that everyone you run across is watching you from the moment you set foot on campus to the moment you get in your car (or cab) and drive away.

 

[thruthewire]

It's not bad to not enjoy the tour. It's bad to let it show that you didn't enjoy the tour. At my med school, there was this one applicant who fell asleep during the financial aid talk. The financial aid director was offended and reported it to the Admissions Dean. I understand financial aid isn't the most exciting thing in the world, and maybe the kid was tired from flying cross country, etc. etc. But seriously, at least have enough social skills to pretend like you care! And for sure you should assume that everyone you run across is watching you from the moment you set foot on campus to the moment you get in your car (or cab) and drive away.

Hahahaha I'm sorry that's hilarious, I could very easily see how someone could fall asleep in the finaid talk

 

[kthxbai]

It's not bad to not enjoy the tour. It's bad to let it show that you didn't enjoy the tour. At my med school, there was this one applicant who fell asleep during the financial aid talk. The financial aid director was offended and reported it to the Admissions Dean. I understand financial aid isn't the most exciting thing in the world, and maybe the kid was tired from flying cross country, etc. etc. But seriously, at least have enough social skills to pretend like you care! And for sure you should assume that everyone you run across is watching you from the moment you set foot on campus to the moment you get in your car (or cab) and drive away.

OK, that's just bad on the applicant's part. I assume s/he got rejected? I suppose your behavior needs to be particularly egregious to be reported? Say, if you talk a little to a fellow applicant during the tour it wouldn't matter, but if you completely disrespect the student guide then you'll have issues?

 

[QofQuimica]

OK, that's just bad on the applicant's part. I assume s/he got rejected? I suppose your behavior needs to be particularly egregious to be reported? Say, if you talk a little to a fellow applicant during the tour it wouldn't matter, but if you completely disrespect the student guide then you'll have issues?

Yes, that kid did get rejected.

Again, just try to behave like you possess a modicum of social skills. That means when other people (tour guide, financial aid officer, whatever) are talking to you, listen to them. It really isn't difficult.

 

[Doctor Bob]

I had one interviewee have a LOR from her son. yes, her 12 year old son.

Did she waive her right to read the letter?

 

[ohioguy]

How likely is it to receive an interview from a school 2 cycles in a row? I was told by many people, advisors and people who have gone through the process that schools are quite likely to reinvite you for an interview if you were interviewed->waitlisted the first time around. I was also told it's almost certain a school will reject you pre-interview if they rejected you straight up post interview the first time around. Any truth to this?

Well, n=1 but I remember out of the 3 schools that wait listed me a prior cycle, 2 of them accepted me the next cycle. That probably wouldn't have happened though had my app not been significantly improved.

 

[oncemagic]

this is very much n=1 but i interviewed and was rejected from a school in 2012 who interviewed me fairly early on in the season and accepted me today. admittedly, i have turned into a person who is a much better fit for the institution because of the rejection but i don't think that anyone should be discouraged from applying to a school as a reapplicant if they really want to attend

 

[reapplicanthelpme2014]

I just received an II from a school that I was rejected from last cycle post-interview. Here's to hoping for a better outcome!

 

[thruthewire]

One of the schools I was waitlisted at last cycle reinterviewed me and accepted me straight this time around. I'm so happy about it.