Bad Interviews?

[sarahbeth607]

Has anyone had a really terrible interview experience at a school they were really interested in? I recently went to interview at Case Western and my interviewer was horrible! He only quizzed me about current events, gambling, and local politics, which I failed miserably. I don't even think he read my file, since he didn't ask me one question that pertained to anything on my application, my interests, or my experience.

So now I'm awaiting their admissions decision. Is there anything I can do to improve my chances? I really feel like this wasn't my fault.

Anyone get in somewhere after a bad interview, or is all hope lost?

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[tinkerbelle]

You could send them an update letter and let them know you are still really interested in their school.

Don't think bad interview = rejection though. I have had two bad interviews (at one school, the interviewer kept putting down all of my accomplishments and activites. At the other school, the interviewer barely asked me any questions. My interview lasted like 5 minutes. I doubt he even read my file. He seemed so freaking bored with me. I actually wrote an anonymous comment on the evaluation form before i left the admissions office). At any rate, I still received acceptances from both schools.

Good luck SarahBeth

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Has anyone had a really terrible interview experience at a school they were really interested in? I recently went to interview at Case Western and my interviewer was horrible! He only quizzed me about current events, gambling, and local politics, which I failed miserably. I don't even think he read my file, since he didn't ask me one question that pertained to anything on my application, my interests, or my experience.

So now I'm awaiting their admissions decision. Is there anything I can do to improve my chances? I really feel like this wasn't my fault.

Anyone get in somewhere after a bad interview, or is all hope lost?

yea, I did, at several schools. I've got a lot going on personally right now and i know i should have cancelled the itnerviews, but i thought i could handle them and i really couldn't. It was totally my fault and i can't blame it on the interviewer. In some cases I tried to explain what was going on, and i'm hoping they understand and don't think i'm always like i was at the interview.

 

[Mitro]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, you have good days and bad - same for your interviewers. As for Case, I had a terrible interview there and ended up getting in anyway, so there's still hope.

 

[uclabruin2003]

maybe he was trying to stress-test you? they may be trying to see how you react to certain pressures.

 

[pjm]

I believe when I interviewed at Case that the admissions director directly told us that if we felt we had a bad interview, to please tell him about it ASAP (as in before you leave the building) and he would consider setting up a new interview for you.

I realize this is a little late now, but you could send some sort of mail to the admissions director and let him know.

 

[UCLAstudent]

I had a terrible interview at one of my top two choices, UCLA. I haven't heard back post-interview, though.

 

[DrThom]

My Ohio State interview could have went ALOT better..

I was initially waitlisted but then pulled out the acceptance.

 

[synapse lapse]

My Baylor interview could have gone better. Student interview was less than enthused at me, to put it nicely. It is my top choice school, so that didn't help either. Haven't heard back yet, but hearing some of the success stories on here after bad interviews gives me hope.

 

[uncgirlriah]

I had one good interview at UNC and one that was HORRIBLE! The interviewer first told me that my coursework would never get me a "real job" if I didn't get into medical school (when I took the standard courses for a biology major and chemistry minor) and made snide comments on my taking portuguese as a foreign language. He didn't even ask why I took it, if he had he would have found out that my roommate was from Brazil and I didn't just take it because it was an easy language. I had declared myself disadvantaged on the AMCAS application because of my background and he told me flat out in the interview that he had never heard anyone declare themself disadvantaged b/c of such a thing and that I wasn't disadvantaged at all. Excuse me, but he has no clue about where I grew up! (sorry, i'm still a little mad) He then laughed at me and told me that I shouldn't practice rural medicine b/c there was no money in it. I thought we were supposed to become doctors for the greater good and to help people. The list of bad things could keep going on and on, but I'll stop now. Bottom line: you're not alone in terms of having a bad interview. We're all in this together.

 

[ah1120]

I had one good interview at UNC and one that was HORRIBLE!

Yeah, I had a similar experience at UNC, one good and one miserable. I felt like the miserable one just wanted to challenge everything I said. He seemed much more interested in pointing out the logistical difficulties of my situation than in assessing whether or not I would be a good candidate for UNC. I didn't get to talk about any of my experience or interests; it seemed like I was on the defensive the whole time. A couple of people I've talked to said it sounded like the whole "good cop, bad cop" routine. Anyone hear of anything like that at UNC?

-ah1120

 

[GuyLaroche]

I had one good interview at UNC and one that was HORRIBLE! The interviewer first told me that my coursework would never get me a "real job" if I didn't get into medical school (when I took the standard courses for a biology major and chemistry minor) and made snide comments on my taking portuguese as a foreign language. He didn't even ask why I took it, if he had he would have found out that my roommate was from Brazil and I didn't just take it because it was an easy language. I had declared myself disadvantaged on the AMCAS application because of my background and he told me flat out in the interview that he had never heard anyone declare themself disadvantaged b/c of such a thing and that I wasn't disadvantaged at all. Excuse me, but he has no clue about where I grew up! (sorry, i'm still a little mad) He then laughed at me and told me that I shouldn't practice rural medicine b/c there was no money in it. I thought we were supposed to become doctors for the greater good and to help people. The list of bad things could keep going on and on, but I'll stop now. Bottom line: you're not alone in terms of having a bad interview. We're all in this together.

I am reading this post and thinking: what on earth! These are highly reportable things that this interviewer has done. You should write an anonymous letter to the admissions office reporting this interviewer. Should you decide not to go to UNC, then really make a big deal out of it. This is wrong. Just wrong.

 

[dopaminophile]

I suppose it's relevent to ask: how much weight should WE put on the interview? Say we're in the wonderful positition of having multiple acceptances. Would a bad interview deter you from going to a school you otherwise were excited about? Would a really wonderful interview experience bring you to enroll in a school you weren't sure about before? I think the vibe I get on interview day is as important to my own decision as it is to the school's... at least.

my2c

-dope-

 

[mustangsally65]

I had one good interview at UNC and one that was HORRIBLE! The interviewer first told me that my coursework would never get me a "real job" if I didn't get into medical school (when I took the standard courses for a biology major and chemistry minor) and made snide comments on my taking portuguese as a foreign language. He didn't even ask why I took it, if he had he would have found out that my roommate was from Brazil and I didn't just take it because it was an easy language. I had declared myself disadvantaged on the AMCAS application because of my background and he told me flat out in the interview that he had never heard anyone declare themself disadvantaged b/c of such a thing and that I wasn't disadvantaged at all. Excuse me, but he has no clue about where I grew up! (sorry, i'm still a little mad) He then laughed at me and told me that I shouldn't practice rural medicine b/c there was no money in it. I thought we were supposed to become doctors for the greater good and to help people. The list of bad things could keep going on and on, but I'll stop now. Bottom line: you're not alone in terms of having a bad interview. We're all in this together.

Sorry to hear that, uncgirlriah

I had my interviews at UNC today as well, and wasn't too happy either. The first one was okay, but really short, and the guy only asked me questions off his sheet and barely even looked at me the whole time. The second one was going okay until she told me that I didn't have much of a chance to get in at UNC. I don't know if it was a stress tactic or if she was serious, but why would I get an interview if I had no chance of being accepted? At least she was only an instructor, and not on the adcom.

 

[GuyLaroche]

I suppose it's relevent to ask: how much weight should WE put on the interview? Say we're in the wonderful positition of having multiple acceptances. Would a bad interview deter you from going to a school you otherwise were excited about? Would a really wonderful interview experience bring you to enroll in a school you weren't sure about before? I think the vibe I get on interview day is as important to my own decision as it is to the school's... at least.

my2c

-dope-

I'll quote Richard Silverman of Yale: "You go to a school because it's a good school, and not because you had a good interview there." I presume the opposite is true also.

 

[sarahbeth607]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, you have good days and bad - same for your interviewers. As for Case, I had a terrible interview there and ended up getting in anyway, so there's still hope.

Thanks for the comforting words, but I have a feeling that your stats are better than mine. I think I'm painfully borderline at Case, so the interview was probably pretty important.