Can someone help me with a "closed file" interview?

[USArmyDoc]

Hey guys,
I have my first and only allopathic interview coming in January at Meharry Medical College. I would love to attend the school. I see that it is a closed file interview and that they ask you your MCAT and GPA. Does this change the interviewer's impression of you right away? In addition, I feel that there is a particular part of my application that really stresses the person I am and would like to be. However, since it is closed file, how will I get to express that? Any info would be great.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Law2Doc]

Hey guys,
I have my first and only allopathic interview coming in January at Meharry Medical College. I would love to attend the school. I see that it is a closed file interview and that they ask you your MCAT and GPA. Does this change the interviewer's impression of you right away? In addition, I feel that there is a particular part of my application that really stresses the person I am and would like to be. However, since it is closed file, how will I get to express that? Any info would be great.

I'm confused. In an open file, they know your stats. In a closed file if they ask you about your stats then they know your stats. Why would that change their impression? As for the latter question, you can always steer the interviewer to the topics you want to emphasize, by working those topics into responses to semi-related things. Perhaps answer a question, and use the topics you want to emphasize as pertinent examples "for example, when I was/did _______" If they give you an opportunity to tell them about yourself, or why med school etc., those are openings to bring in all your other stuff. You can work in stuff when the turn the floor over to you for questions too, but that's often at the tail end of the interview.

 

[MarzMD]

Like Law2Doc said, if you have a good interviewer, you will be able to work in anything you want to talk about. It is really easy to steer the conversation towards your strengths or anything you want to talk about. As far as them knowing your stats, yes I think it may change the interviewers impression of you. However, dont be afraid to talk about your numbers. I have found that having a prospective on everything about your application will take you a long way. Always have a way to turn anything bad into something good, like what you have learned from whatever experience. They are interviewing you for a reason, so dont be defeated by one part of your application. Just turn it into a positive and state what you learned about it, and thats all you can do.

 

[USArmyDoc]

I'm confused. In an open file, they know your stats. In a closed file if they ask you about your stats then they know your stats. Why would that change their impression? As for the latter question, you can always steer the interviewer to the topics you want to emphasize, by working those topics into responses to semi-related things. Perhaps answer a question, and use the topics you want to emphasize as pertinent examples "for example, when I was/did _______" If they give you an opportunity to tell them about yourself, or why med school etc., those are openings to bring in all your other stuff. You can work in stuff when the turn the floor over to you for questions too, but that's often at the tail end of the interview.

I got ya. What I see as an interview is a situation which the interviewer has all the information on the interviewee. Hence, the interview can proceed with an understanding between the interviewer and interviewee of all that encompasses that individual. My worst fear is simple that my greatests strengths will not come up. I guess I will have to MAKE them come up.

 

[willow18]

In my closed-file interview, we ended up talking about Tolstoy, Chekhov and Flaubert. Just answer the questions in a conversation kind of tone, and topics will come up by themselves. The interviewer will still ask the questions, so you won't have to do any ice-breaking.

Re your strengths. In closed file interviews the interviewers tend to ask exactly that question, "what is/are your strengths" or "so I like you a lot, but what would you want me to tell the adcom about you"...

 

[USArmyDoc]

In my closed-file interview, we ended up talking about Tolstoy, Chekhov and Flaubert. Just answer the questions in a conversation kind of tone, and topics will come up by themselves. The interviewer will still ask the questions, so you won't have to do any ice-breaking.

Re your strengths. In closed file interviews the interviewers tend to ask exactly that question, "what is/are your strengths" or "so I like you a lot, but what would you want me to tell the adcom about you"...

Okay, so you are saying that they pretty much open it up for you to explain what you really want to talk about it indirectly?

 

[willow18]

I can't say it will always be the case. But since it's closed file, it will inherently tend to be that way. They'll ask a general question like "so tell me about your route to medicine" or the even more general "so tell me about yourself". Yes, you will definitely have an opportunity to push your agenda, but make sure it appears natural/spontaneous.

 

[USArmyDoc]

I can't say it will always be the case. But since it's closed file, it will inherently tend to be that way. They'll ask a general question like "so tell me about your route to medicine" or the even more general "so tell me about yourself". Yes, you will definitely have an opportunity to push your agenda, but make sure it appears natural/spontaneous.

Thank you