2nd Interview

[InfectiousLaughter]

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Has anyone ever heard of schools asking an applicant to return for a second interview, after a previous first interview during the same cycle? If so, are there any particular reasons that this happens?

I received an email recently asking me to interview again at a school I interviewed at a few months ago because the school “wants additional information.” The school is only one state over, but if still need to take an additional day off work (and I am thankful to also have another interview during the week they offered, which would make it challenging to take off a second day). I’m having difficulty understanding what information they would need that would require me to return in person that I could not clarify in other ways, so I assume that maybe there was a discrepancy in how my two interviewers evaluated me?

Curious to hear if anyone has had this experience, and what the second interview focused on if so.


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[imbesrs]

Typically a discrepancy from what I've heard on these forums, and the school is nice enough to offer you a second interview day and not just throw you out

 

[DNAJB6]

Just kidding... I'm sure it is fine. I'm guessing they want to discuss a certain aspect of your application more in depth (e.g. research, ECs. etc.) because of an ambiguity or discrepancy.

 

[KnightDoc]

Has anyone ever heard of schools asking an applicant to return for a second interview, after a previous first interview during the same cycle? If so, are there any particular reasons that this happens?

I received an email recently asking me to interview again at a school I interviewed at a few months ago because the school “wants additional information.” The school is only one state over, but if still need to take an additional day off work (and I am thankful to also have another interview during the week they offered, which would make it challenging to take off a second day). I’m having difficulty understanding what information they would need that would require me to return in person that I could not clarify in other ways, so I assume that maybe there was a discrepancy in how my two interviewers evaluated me?

Curious to hear if anyone has had this experience, and what the second interview focused on if so.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't have any special insight on why you are being asked to return for a second interview, but I believe @imbesrs is correct in pointing out that they liked you enough to not toss you, but have some concern that they are graciously allowing you to address at your own expense and inconvenience. I do, however, have what might be a stupid question -- given that you already have an A, have another interview that week, and are concerned about taking more time off work, why are you even considering going on the second interview? Is this school so much better than the one you already have?

As the adcoms repeatedly point out, med school admissions are a seller's market, and we as candidates are at their mercy UNTIL we have an A, at which point the tables turn somewhat, depending on how attractive you are as a candidate and what your other options are. If it were me, unless it's a school I absolutely loved for some reason, or is way better or possibly significantly less expensive than the A I already had, I'd thank them for their consideration and explain that I would love to be considered, am still interested in receiving an A, and would be happy to provide any additional information they would like, but I have other obligations and am not in a position to make another trip to their campus at this time, and then let the chips fall where they may.

In this case, if they don't accommodate you, they don't need you and you don't need them. Move on. Otherwise, if you really like the school, it's a seller's market and you are at their mercy, so go back to a second interview and don't forget to say "Thank you, sir, may I have another?" 🙂

 

[InfectiousLaughter]

I don't have any special insight on why you are being asked to return for a second interview, but I believe @imbesrs is correct in pointing out that they liked you enough to not toss you, but have some concern that they are graciously allowing you to address at your own expense and inconvenience. I do, however, have what might be a stupid question -- given that you already have an A, have another interview that week, and are concerned about taking more time off work, why are you even considering going on the second interview? Is this school so much better than the one you already have?

As the adcoms repeatedly point out, med school admissions are a seller's market, and we as candidates are at their mercy UNTIL we have an A, at which point the tables turn somewhat, depending on how attractive you are as a candidate and what your other options are. If it were me, unless it's a school I absolutely loved for some reason, or is way better or possibly significantly less expensive than the A I already had, I'd thank them for their consideration and explain that I would love to be considered, am still interested in receiving an A, and would be happy to provide any additional information they would like, but I have other obligations and am not in a position to make another trip to their campus at this time, and then let the chips fall where they may.

In this case, if they don't accommodate you, they don't need you and you don't need them. Move on. Otherwise, if you really like the school, it's a seller's market and you are at their mercy, so go back to a second interview and don't forget to say "Thank you, sir, may I have another?" 🙂

First, thank you both for the insight.

My consideration for why I might go is along the lines of what you mentioned. I did quite like the school when I was there and ranked it similarly to the school I have been accepted to on my own preferences list when I did pros/cons after interviewing. I also don’t have financial aid information yet, and cost is a major factor in my decision making process. While I don’t think it’s likely to end up the cheaper option, I am hesitant to make a decision based on that.

As I’m writing this, I’m wondering if maybe I’d actually be best to do a “help me decide x vs y” post to see if anyone has any particular insight on the financial aid at the two schools.

Thanks again for your input. I hope you all have a great start to your new year!


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[KnightDoc]

First, thank you both for the insight.

My consideration for why I might go is along the lines of what you mentioned. I did quite like the school when I was there and ranked it similarly to the school I have been accepted to on my own preferences list when I did pros/cons after interviewing. I also don’t have financial aid information yet, and cost is a major factor in my decision making process. While I don’t think it’s likely to end up the cheaper option, I am hesitant to make a decision based on that.

As I’m writing this, I’m wondering if maybe I’d actually be best to do a “help me decide x vs y” post to see if anyone has any particular insight on the financial aid at the two schools.

Thanks again for your input. I hope you all have a great start to your new year!


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Good luck!!! I wouldn't bother with a X vs. Y post, since your financial aid offer could very well be different from whoever happens to post. If it were me, I'd find the request offensive and annoying since I already had the other A, and I'd offer to try to allay their concerns without another visit at my expense. If you really like the school and want to see an offer, though, you really have no choice but to suck it up, since you are then forfeiting your leverage.

 

[medicine999]

I had a second interview at my state school, and then was rejected. I think it was to see how interested in the school I was and if I'd really go there, cuz my stats are way over the average for that school and I think they were trying to yield protect, but that might just me being overconfident in my interview abilities. My interviewer asked a lot of questions about what specifically made me interested in that school and what I knew about the school. I was sick that day with the flu, and probably blew that second interview day, and I forgot to get the contact info of my interviewer and never sent a thank you email, so idk.

So definitely do your research and come with a lot of stuff prepared about why you like the school. If there's a chance that they'll give you more money and you'd actually go there it seems worth it to me. Go for it.

 

[gyngyn]

I had a second interview at my state school, and then was rejected. I think it was to see how interested in the school I was and if I'd really go there, cuz my stats are way over the average for that school and I think they were trying to yield protect, but that might just me being overconfident in my interview abilities. My interviewer asked a lot of questions about what specifically made me interested in that school and what I knew about the school. I was sick that day with the flu, and probably blew that second interview day, and I forgot to get the contact info of my interviewer and never sent a thank you email, so idk.

So definitely do your research and come with a lot of stuff prepared about why you like the school. If there's a chance that they'll give you more money and you'd actually go there it seems worth it to me. Go for it.

"Yield protection" happens before the first interview.
No school wastes two interview slots in the name of yield protection.

 

[gyngyn]

The most likely reason for a second interview is a strong division on the committee regarding a particular candidate.
In other words, some folks strongly want the candidate and others strongly don't.

 

[medicine999]

"Yield protection" happens before the first interview.
No school wastes two interview slots in the name of yield protection.

True I probably blew the interviews ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

 

[Goro]

strongly concur with this. Somebody is fighting for you and trying to convince others. It is hard to explain how the small group dynamics of an adcom can function at this granular level

Sometimes we exchange gunfire.

 

[deleted966164]

I forgot to get the contact info of my interviewer and never sent a thank you email, so idk.

That. They really just want that email/card.

 

[deleted1088791]

Could a second interview function as a discussion of institutional action (multiple), if it was never brought up in the first interview?

 

[KnightDoc]

Could a second interview function as a discussion of institutional action (multiple), if it was never brought up in the first interview?

Nice thread bump!!!! 🙂

I'm not an adcom, but common sense dictates that a second interview could function as a discussion of absolutely anything at all that is in your file. The only guarantee is that it will NOT be rehash of the first interview, with the same interviewers, because they already have that and it would consequently be a monumental waste of time!!!

 

[Goro]

Could a second interview function as a discussion of institutional action (multiple), if it was never brought up in the first interview?

Anything in your app is fair game for discussion, save traumatic events.

 

[DNAJB6]

Anything in your app is fair game for discussion, save traumatic events.

Does that include crazy professors and MCAT horror stories? 😀