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[eigen]

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Forgive me for believing the schools will do what is in their best interests, without regard to the public anything. Honestly, as much as some folks might love to visit schools to get a feel for the place, which anyone could always do on their own under normal circumstances, what candidate who is already spending thousands of dollars during an application cycle would not think it is a benefit to avoid the time and expense of an in person interview? If people were given a choice, and there was no perception that a virtual interview would put someone at a disadvantage, I'd bet just about everyone would choose to avoid the time and expense of an in person interview, particularly with no guarantee of an A at the outset.

I've got to ask..... Have you ever done virtual interviews for something high stress and high-stakes like this?

It's absolutely miserable from both ends. It's much harder to read the people who are interviewing you, and it's much harder for them to get a good read on your non-verbal queues, which tends to result in the interviewee coming off worse via virtual interviews, in my experience. Not only that, but as the applicant you will be exposed to fewer people at the school when compared to all of the side interactions you'd have with an in-person interview, and you won't get nearly as good of a feel of the actual interpersonal environment.

If it is at all possible, I would very much imagine both applicants and adcoms would prefer in-person interviews, despite the expense and logistical challenges.

 

[squids82]

I've got to ask..... Have you ever done virtual interviews for something high stress and high-stakes like this?

It's absolutely miserable from both ends. It's much harder to read the people who are interviewing you, and it's much harder for them to get a good read on your non-verbal queues, which tends to result in the interviewee coming off worse via virtual interviews, in my experience. Not only that, but as the applicant you will be exposed to fewer people at the school when compared to all of the side interactions you'd have with an in-person interview, and you won't get nearly as good of a feel of the actual interpersonal environment.

If it is at all possible, I would very much imagine both applicants and adcoms would prefer in-person interviews, despite the expense and logistical challenges.

I can attest to hating virtual meetings/interviews. We've had to do that for all of our city meetings and commissions since March - interruptions galore when you can't get physical cues.

 

[KnightDoc]

I would fly out to an in-person interview to get a chance to get know a school. A lot of people are actually bummed that interviews are virtual this year, despite the costs.

Also, bruh, are you even applying this year? I’m a hella lot more worried about *getting* interviews than whether or not they’re online. It doesn’t matter to me the interview format, I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get me the best options for med school.

As of now, yes, I am applying. And, as of now, I was pretty psyched that I was going to be able to sidestep the expense and disruption to my schedule that traveling for interviews was going to impose.

And, yes, at this point in the cycle, EVERYONE is a lot more worried about getting interviews. As I said in one of my earlier posts, based on observations from last year, that concern will begin to dissipate as IIs begin to roll in. The balance totally shifts when As start coming in in October, not for everyone, but for strong applicants. Interviews are typically canceled all over the place after that date.

The speculation has been that strong candidates who in the past would have canceled interviews won't this year if they are online. They will surely cancel a disproportionate amount of in person interviews if many other schools are not requiring them.

It is great that you have the time and money to fly for interviews; many people don't, and would prefer to save getting to know a school up close and personal for after they have As and know what their options are, since, unfortunately, in almost all cases less than one half of all interviews result in an A.

 

[KnightDoc]

I've got to ask..... Have you ever done virtual interviews for something high stress and high-stakes like this?

It's absolutely miserable from both ends. It's much harder to read the people who are interviewing you, and it's much harder for them to get a good read on your non-verbal queues, which tends to result in the interviewee coming off worse via virtual interviews, in my experience. Not only that, but as the applicant you will be exposed to fewer people at the school when compared to all of the side interactions you'd have with an in-person interview, and you won't get nearly as good of a feel of the actual interpersonal environment.

If it is at all possible, I would very much imagine both applicants and adcoms would prefer in-person interviews, despite the expense and logistical challenges.

No, I have not yet had virtual interviews, although I have, of course, had virtual classes. Yes, they suck as compared to in person. That doesn't change the fact that having to travel, at my own expense, to distant cities sucks even more, especially during a global pandemic. As long as all interviewees are similarly disadvantaged, I'll be just fine.

Based on everything I've seen on SDN, no school that will insist on in person interviews will be doing so to benefit me, and schools conducting virtual interviews have made a decision to muddle through with a less than ideal ability to read my non-verbal cues out of a concern for my health and well being. That, at least to me, would be a non-trivial factor that would be part of my decision making process.

Of course, I would want to visit a place before making a 4 year commitment, either at a second look or or at something else, but, believe me, as a prospective applicant, not having to do so before having As and knowing what my options are would be extremely beneficial.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

As of now, yes, I am applying. And, as of now, I was pretty psyched that I was going to be able to sidestep the expense and disruption to my schedule that traveling for interviews was going to impose.

And, yes, at this point in the cycle, EVERYONE is a lot more worried about getting interviews. As I said in one of my earlier posts, based on observations from last year, that concern will begin to dissipate as IIs begin to roll in. The balance totally shifts when As start coming in in October, not for everyone, but for strong applicants. Interviews are typically canceled all over the place after that date.

The speculation has been that strong candidates who in the past would have canceled interviews won't this year if they are online. They will surely cancel a disproportionate amount of in person interviews if many other schools are not requiring them.

It is great that you have the time and money to fly for interviews; many people don't, and would prefer to save getting to know a school up close and personal for after they have As and know what their options are.

I agree strong candidates may end up doing more interviews than before. I don't see a reason for my son to cancel interviews even after if he gets some acceptances on 10/15. I also think in-person interviews are too taxing on student given that most candidates are applying for 20+ medical schools. Visiting schools after acceptance is better way to know about the school than on a stressful interview day. We took same approach for UG i.e. not a single campus visit given that he applied broadly across the country and visiting from CA would have taken too much time and also disruptive to his activities. He visited his UG school after acceptance, didn't see a reason to visit other choices and doing exceptionally well.

 

[KnightDoc]

I agree strong candidates may end up doing more interviews than before. I don't see a reason for my son to cancel interviews even after if he gets some acceptances on 10/15. I also think in-person interviews are too taxing on student given that most candidates are applying for 20+ medical schools. Visiting schools after acceptance is better way to know about the school than on a stressful interview day. We took same approach for UG i.e. not a single campus visit given that he applied broadly across the country and visiting from CA would have taken too much time and also disruptive to his activities. He visited his UG school after acceptance, didn't see a reason to visit other choices and doing exceptionally well.

As with just about everything else, the benefits to the current process fall strongly on the side of the school. Everything you say about the student getting to know to the school is true, but, just keep in mind, as @eigen referenced, schools strongly prefer in-person because it gives them a much better sense of the applicant than they can get online.

Any school that believes the risk/reward in this environment favors in person should just be recognized for putting its own interests ahead of its applicants. Not particularly unique in this process, but just another data point. Sure, candidates with few options will go along, not because they want to, but because they won't have a choice. Once again, a shout out to schools abusing their market power in a seller's market! The only good news is that the top candidates that most of them want are not forced to go along, but, as with most other things, it does kind of suck for the rest of us. 🙂

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

The only good news is that the top candidates that most of them want are not forced to go along, but, as with most other things, it does kind of suck for the rest of us. 🙂

I expect you to be a strong candidate.

 

[KnightDoc]

I expect you to be a strong candidate.

Thank you; you are too kind! We'll know more once I take the MCAT.

 

[9blade]

Interesting thread. It was a good read. I personally prefer in person interviews because I don't think I would translate well to online interviews. However, these are the times we find ourselves in. Hopefully if we are accepted, by the time visiting day comes around in April of 2021, we've found a solution to this COVID19 situation. I hope if universities are doing online interviews, they use Zoom and not that one way interview thing AMCAS wants to do. I want to at least be able to ask questions.

 

[KnightDoc]

Interesting thread. It was a good read. I personally prefer in person interviews because I don't think I would translate well to online interviews. However, these are the times we find ourselves in. Hopefully if we are accepted, by the time visiting day comes around in April of 2021, we've found a solution to this COVID19 situation. I hope if universities are doing online interviews, they use Zoom and not that one way interview thing AMCAS wants to do. I want to at least be able to ask questions.

No worries there. The AMCAS thing is not meant to be an interview substitute -- it's just another hoop like a secondary question to give schools another metric to use to screen us. It's canned, and it goes to all schools that want it. Online interviews will absolutely be two-way, whether it's Zoom or something else.

Most of us prefer in person to have the opportunity to make personal connections and get a feel for the place, but this really should be balanced against the fact that just about everyone you meet will be trying to sell the place, and the whole process is so high pressure, and the time so carefully planned that it's still difficult to get a real, unvarnished feel.

Personally, while I never gave it any thought until now, and I really HATE online classes, I think the time, expense and wear and tear on my body saved by not having to travel, and the ability to literally take every single interview offered, without having to rearrange my schedule or spend thousands of dollars to do so, as well as to hopefully have more choices down the road, far outweighs any benefit to an in person interview, especially when everyone is in the same boat.