Anyone blow their interview and still get in?

[8-)]

I was wondering if anyone's had an interview they thought went awful but still ended up receiving a (surprise) acceptance. I've heard stories where that's happened and vice versa, where they thought the interview couldn't have gone better but still got rejected. Anyone out there whose intuition got fooled by thier interview experience?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DrThom]

Not yet.

The interviews I have blown, I got the result I expected.

Following suit, I should be receiving a waitlist from Tulane based on the mediocre interview I had there yesterday.

I think I just suck at interviewing though...

 

[Espion]

Heh, I put my foot in my mouth big time. Luckily the guy that interviewed me was just as much of a goofball as I am. I still managed to get in. C'est possible, folks. Even with my MCAT of 27T (T...ahhh, my only ego-seed, yes, I covet even though no one cares/cared. I can live with that.) and GPA of 3.6.

C'est possible. Just keep at it.

 

[D-Rob]

read this and you'll have your answer


http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=218

 

[DianaLynne]

I'll certainly let you know. I had what felt like my worst interview this week. The guy could barely make eye contact with me, seemed bored, and asked very cliche interview questions. He seemed like he was only doing the interview by some kind of heroic measures. I asked around, it turns out that's just how he is. So, I'll post again around March 24th. (Obviously, I'm talking about a school without rolling admissions.)

 

[Mr. Seeds]

My first interview went terrible and I got waitlisted. The rest went mostly good (though certainly with some less-than-perfect moments) and turned out good in the end.

 

[dogbyte]

I arrived to my Yale interview late. If by some miracle that I get in, I'll let you know. I'm going on the assumption that being late does not make a good first impression. Or does it?

 

[ambaduchi]

not for medical school (haven't had any interviews yet) but for getting competitive business jobs that have a gruelling interview process, i developed a rule of thumb to not come to conclusions based on how i felt about my interviews. i got job offers from places where i thought my interviews stank and once, didn't get an offer from a place where i thought i had absolutely rocked, where the person interviewing me virtually told me i was "in"...

go figure...

 

[kappasigMD41]

I was wondering if anyone's had an interview they thought went awful but still ended up receiving a (surprise) acceptance. I've heard stories where that's happened and vice versa, where they thought the interview couldn't have gone better but still got rejected. Anyone out there whose intuition got fooled by thier interview experience?

I think it would be very inappropriate to blow an interviewer.

 

[Mr. Seeds]

Hmmm, I thought I did pretty bad at Tulane, considering one of the interviewers told me to calm down (she apparently thought I was very anxious, though I didn't feel that I was). I had other acceptances at that time, so I wasn't stressed, but maybe I came across that way because I tend to say "umm" alot. Anway, I just found out I got in, and I really wasn't expecting an acceptance without at least languishing in the hold pool for awhile. This is the first time that my predictions have been wrong. Usually good interviews have meant acceptances, and bad ones meant waitlists.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

What exactly do you mean by "blow your interview"? Is it a specific thing you did or just you didn't click with the interviewer?

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Hmmm, I thought I did pretty bad at Tulane, considering one of the interviewers told me to calm down (she apparently thought I was very anxious, though I didn't feel that I was). I had other acceptances at that time, so I wasn't stressed, but maybe I came across that way because I tend to say "umm" alot. Anway, I just found out I got in, and I really wasn't expecting an acceptance without at least languishing in the hold pool for awhile. This is the first time that my predictions have been wrong. Usually good interviews have meant acceptances, and bad ones meant waitlists.

hey congrats!! You'd think they see enough anxious students that they could discern properly which ones truly need to calm down. It was nice that she cared though.

 

[8-)]

What exactly do you mean by "blow your interview"? Is it a specific thing you did or just you didn't click with the interviewer?

Actually, I haven't had any interviews yet (my file just recently got completed). But alot of my friends have had or are starting to get interviews and the issue came up that it's often hard to predict the outcome based on how you felt the interview went.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I arrived to my Yale interview late. If by some miracle that I get in, I'll let you know. I'm going on the assumption that being late does not make a good first impression. Or does it?

uh no, it makes a really ba dimpression i think. were you late to the orientation, tour thingy or the actual interview? how late? why? did you explain?

 

[tinkerbelle]

One of my interviews at Penn State was HORRIBLE. The interviewer was so rude and tried to pick fights with me about every little thing that I said. He asked me why I was wasting my time teaching (i luv teaching & my mom's a teacher... so I don't think it's a lowly job or a waste of time ), he thought my favorite volunteer activity was stupid, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I came out of that interview super pissed off and I thought I was definitely getting a rejection

But I just checked the mail and found a big envelope from Penn State. And they accepted me So I guess you never can tell.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

One of my interviews at Penn State was HORRIBLE. The interviewer was so rude and tried to pick fights with me about every little thing that I said. He asked me why I was wasting my time teaching (i luv teaching & my mom's a teacher... so I don't think it's a lowly job or a waste of time ), he thought my favorite volunteer activity was stupid, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I came out of that interview super pissed off and I thought I was definitely getting a rejection

But I just checked the mail and found a big envelope from Penn State. And they accepted me So I guess you never can tell.

Hey congrats, tinkerbell! You really deserve it and i'm really happy for you.

 

[tinkerbelle]

Hey congrats, tinkerbell! You really deserve it and i'm really happy for you.

Aww, thanks Psycho How have you been? Have you had your first interview yet?

 

[8-)]

One of my interviews at Penn State was HORRIBLE. The interviewer was so rude and tried to pick fights with me about every little thing that I said. He asked me why I was wasting my time teaching (i luv teaching & my mom's a teacher... so I don't think it's a lowly job or a waste of time ), he thought my favorite volunteer activity was stupid, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I came out of that interview super pissed off and I thought I was definitely getting a rejection

But I just checked the mail and found a big envelope from Penn State. And they accepted me So I guess you never can tell.

Wow, that's awesome. Maybe the guy was trying to see if you took back anything you said simply because he disagreed with you.

Congrats to you and Mr. Seeds!

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Aww, thanks Psycho How have you been? Have you had your first interview yet?

no, sorry i know i owe you an e-mail. my box is so cluttered...sorry

 

[tinkerbelle]

Wow, that's awesome. Maybe the guy was trying to see if you took back anything you said simply because he disagreed with you.

Congrats to you and Mr. Seeds!

Thanks But if you're trying to "sell" your school, this really isn't the best way to do it. I came out of the interview with a really negative impression of Penn State. Luckily my second interviewer was nice (isn't it wierd how pediatricians are always the NICEST interviewers??). Anyways. I hope you hear from schools soon Then you can tell us whether you have better intuition than most of us

no, sorry i know i owe you an e-mail. my box is so cluttered...sorry

yes you do That's ok slowpoke. You're still awesome

 

[opinionkitten]

i agree that its hard to tell outcome from interview performance. seems like most "interview from hell" stories that end with "and i got in!" are not about doing crappy on interviews but just about the interviewer playing hard ball, going after the applicant. this doesnt seem to reveal much about what the interviewer thinks about the person, more related to interview style and such. has anyone actually done crappy in an interview and got in? i got waitlisted at irvine after managing to stutter and articulate nothing for 35 minutes in an interview and was not surprised. interviewers that come after you strike me as better than those that coddle and smile the whole time.

 

[DrYo12]

i agree that its hard to tell outcome from interview performance. seems like most "interview from hell" stories that end with "and i got in!" are not about doing crappy on interviews but just about the interviewer playing hard ball, going after the applicant. this doesnt seem to reveal much about what the interviewer thinks about the person, more related to interview style and such. has anyone actually done crappy in an interview and got in? i got waitlisted at irvine after managing to stutter and articulate nothing for 35 minutes in an interview and was not surprised. interviewers that come after you strike me as better than those that coddle and smile the whole time.

hmmm...i dunno about the "interviewers that come after you" theory. Here's my impression of the whole interview setup. Basically, you're good enough on paper. Now they want to see you in person. Yes, part of what they want to see is how you react under stress (we know there is PLENTY of that in med school), but I would think that they should be trying to get a sense of who you are. You aren't always under the kind of stress that a stress-interviewer will artificially create (unless you are, then sorry dude) so I think if they just create a good atmosphere where you can give good, honest answers, the "real" you shines through.

 

[Mr. Seeds]

(isn't it wierd how pediatricians are always the NICEST interviewers??).

I've had two peds for interviewers, and they are definately the nicest interviewers.

 

[Ypo.]

I was wondering if anyone's had an interview they thought went awful but still ended up receiving a (surprise) acceptance. I've heard stories where that's happened and vice versa, where they thought the interview couldn't have gone better but still got rejected. Anyone out there whose intuition got fooled by thier interview experience?

The first interview I had, I blew it out of nervousness, and no, I didn't get accepted.

The fifth school I had had an interview, I blew it again (although I didn't think as badly as my first interview). But the school was nice and gave me a third interview, which I did well in, and I ended up getting accepted a week later.

Relating to the ped interviewers-I have interviewed with a child psychologist, and she tied for being the nicest interviewer so far.

 

[VWild]

I was wondering if anyone's had an interview they thought went awful but still ended up receiving a (surprise) acceptance. I've heard stories where that's happened and vice versa, where they thought the interview couldn't have gone better but still got rejected. Anyone out there whose intuition got fooled by thier interview experience?

I not only had an interviewer that seemed unbelievably bored with me but he kept looking at his watch like ugh is this over yet. He also argued with everything I said and acted like I was just wasting his time. Then I went to use the ladies room and the only stall left had some, um leftovers, in it so I thought oh I'll just flush it down first. The thing totally started to overflow all over the bathroom floor! So I went down to the admissions office and told them what happened and asked if they wouldn't mind calling a janitor to that bathroom. Afterwards I was like, CRAP why did I tell them what happened I should have just walked away. Anyway it was my #1 choice school and I left feeling like I had totally blown it. I got the acceptance 2 weeks later.

 

[sunUCB]

lol

I think it would be very inappropriate to blow an interviewer.

 

[8-)]

I not only had an interviewer that seemed unbelievably bored with me but he kept looking at his watch like ugh is this over yet. He also argued with everything I said and acted like I was just wasting his time. Then I went to use the ladies room and the only stall left had some, um leftovers, in it so I thought oh I'll just flush it down first. The thing totally started to overflow all over the bathroom floor! So I went down to the admissions office and told them what happened and asked if they wouldn't mind calling a janitor to that bathroom. Afterwards I was like, CRAP why did I tell them what happened I should have just walked away. Anyway it was my #1 choice school and I left feeling like I had totally blown it. I got the acceptance 2 weeks later.

Incredible! I guess you left an impression with the admissions office by not doing what most probably would have done.