Can they ask this?

[PluckyDuk8]

Quick question...Can (or should I say would) an interviewer ask you about what's happening with you and other schools? For instance, would they ask if I've received other interviews/acceptances/rejections? In my first interview at Loyola, he said something like, "I see you went to Northwestern for u.g., I bet you want to go there." I awkwardly answered that I was already rejected there, to which he said do you have any idea why, I don't see a reason why (it was a closed interview and it was probably because of my MCAT). So I didn't really give him an answer, but he said that I should call them to find out. This awkard moment all ended up ok because I have gotten in, but I have another interview coming up and I would like to know if others have gotten questioned about it and if so what to say/what they said.

Thanks.

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[MD2b06]

They're not supposed to, but they always do. Where else are you applying? Where else have you interviewed? If you get into school X and here, which would you choose and why? Be prepared for all these questions. They're very common on the interview trail.

 

[johnstoner]

so what should one do if that happens to them?

 

[MD2b06]

Originally posted by johnstoner
so what should one do if that happens to them?

Depends on the situation... For example, when they asked where else you're applying, I normally stated regional schools that all their applicants apply to. If you're interviewing at UMiami, saying you've also applied/interviewed at UF or USF is not a red flag. What I would hesitate to do is to state that you've interviewed at much better schools. Schools obsess about their yields, it's one of the factors that determines their U.S. News ranking, so they may hesitate to offer you an acceptance if they don't think they have any chance of getting you to matriculate.

 

[MD2b06]

Just a side note, the whole yield thing is another reason that schools waitlist a tremendous number of applicants. As applicants get into certain schools, they usually withdraw applications from schools they've interviewed at, but are no longer interested in. (i.e, they've gotten into a school that ranks higher on their list). This obviates the need for schools to waste precious acceptances on applicants that won't matriculate. That's why the whole admissions process is so drawn out, often running well into the summer months.

 

[PluckyDuk8]

...and what to answer if they ask if you have been accepted somewhere? On another note, don't they have ways of finding this out (maybe not your interviewer but the schools in general)? And yikes, what if I am asked again "why do you think you were rejected at X"...

 

[mikecwru]

Originally posted by MD2b06
They're not supposed to, but they always do. Where else are you applying? Where else have you interviewed? If you get into school X and here, which would you choose and why? Be prepared for all these questions. They're very common on the interview trail.

I didn't think that it was illegal to ask where you applied to, where you got in, where do you really want to go, etc, in a med school interview. It is technically illegal for *residency* interviews but I never heard of it being outlawed for med school interviews.

mike

 

[Neuronix]

Everywhere I go at least one interviewer asks me where else I'm applying. I really think they're doing it to see why you applied to the schools you applied to and maybe to compare their school to the other schools to try to sell you their school better.

I always tell them the honest truth about where I applied then tell them about why I applied to the schools I did (strong Neuroscience program, reasonable cost of living, etc...). Then I tell them some things I really like about their school and why I want to go there. I always get a positive response from that.

I've had some funny encounters too, such as when a faculty member asked me if I applied to Wash U, where he did his post-doc, I replied "I'm on hold for interview". He came back with, "yeah they did that to me too". The student interviewers who ask this alot of times like to talk about all their interview fun. So just be honest and relaxed is my advice.

 

[Random Access]

Assume they're going to ask. As someone said, there are regional considerations as well as ranking considerations.

For example, one of my friends interviewed at ECU, and they said, "so, you're applying to Carolina, right?" And he said yeah. "Is Carolina your first choice?" He lied and said, "well Carolina and ECU are both my first choices." ECU in particular really wants to know if you're going to go there is what I heard.

You have to make sure you give them a response that they'll like.

 

[Pneumo]

I've interviewed at four places so far, including Loyola. One of my interviewers at Loyola asked me where else I was applying and where I had interviews. The other three I've interviewed at (including N'western) didn't ask me. My belief is that more competitive schools accept that their applicants will hold multiple acceptances at some point.

 

[republicandr]

I have interviewed at 7 schools so far and every one of them asked me where else I applied. I did not hesitate to tell them. I am from the West Coast and the schools I interviewed at were on the East Coast, so I think they were just curious.

One of my interviewers asked me where my top choice was. I told him my top two choices (none of which was his school). They want to see how honest you are as well.

If I were an interviewer, I would want to see the reasons for applying to the schools. There may be family in the area that the applicant wants to be able to visit, etc.

 

[UCLA2000]

Yes they can ask that. Better yet, they can call the school and verify whatever you tell them.

 

[dpy]

Originally posted by MD2b06
Just a side note, the whole yield thing is another reason that schools waitlist a tremendous number of applicants. As applicants get into certain schools, they usually withdraw applications from schools they've interviewed at, but are no longer interested in. (i.e, they've gotten into a school that ranks higher on their list). This obviates the need for schools to waste precious acceptances on applicants that won't matriculate. That's why the whole admissions process is so drawn out, often running well into the summer months.

anyone feel that the med school app process should be more like applying to residency? just have the applicants rank the schools they want to go to after interviewing there and then have the schools rank the applicants. having a match day like residency programs would let everyone know on the same day while eliminating waitlists and the pain of waiting throughout the summer on waitlists

 

[cabruen]

The Texas medical schools do just that. Match day is February 1.

 

[Nefertari]

Originally posted by dpy
anyone feel that the med school app process should be more like applying to residency? just have the applicants rank the schools they want to go to after interviewing there and then have the schools rank the applicants. having a match day like residency programs would let everyone know on the same day while eliminating waitlists and the pain of waiting throughout the summer on waitlists

Just thinking exactly the same thing! Maybe even to rank schools before interviewing to save everybody time, $$ & stress. AAMC has been in this business for so long--they need to get their butts in gear.

Standardize the process even more, esp. 2ndary applications! Some schools ask for nothing & some ask you to retype your entire activities list (i.e. Drexel ) & science coursework! Ridiculous.