Closed file interviews

[TheElement]

When they say that they'll have your personal statement, does this include the supplemental essays that you write as well? I'm still deciding which of my two major activities to center around for the PS. I was thinking of relegating the other one to the supplemental topic.

 

[Raryn]

I'd imagine it varies from school to school what information is given to the interviewers. I've heard of some schools doing true "closed file" where the interviewers get a name and thats it.

 

[matyd]

I was talking to a doc that has done a couple interviews at a DO school so this may not apply or it may... No telling. She said that when she did her interviews they gave them the prospective medical student's name, classes they've taken and thats it. No grades were given to them at all. After the interviews they went to lunch and showed each students picture and gave out their gpa's, mcat score, etc. etc.

 

[moe_4eva]

At my "closed file" interview, the interviewers were given everything but my grades. Depends entirely on the school's view of what your "file" consists of. What are you scared of them seeing?

 

[MilkmanAl]

My closed file included absolutely nothing. My interviewers knew nothing about me except my name.

 

[OldFolkDoc]

Closed = nothing but name, and maybe home location. (UCSF was closed)

Semi-closed can mean anything, OHSU had everything but my MCAT and Grades.

Open is open.

That said, don't let the interviews affect your primary, secondary writing topics. Choose the most compelling and interesting topic for your primary... this will open the door to interviews and determine weather or not they choose to read your secondaries at all. Note that secondary questions vary from school to school, so don't count on being able to use the same/similar topic across the board. Also, if its a closed file interview, then you'll tell it all again anyway. If its open file, you'll enlighten them on the various details of what you wrote/tell it all again (b/c sometimes they don't read/retain what's in your file). Regardless, just write something super-compelling for your primary.

Hope this helps,
-OFD

 

[mikedc813]

I'd imagine it varies from school to school what information is given to the interviewers. I've heard of some schools doing true "closed file" where the interviewers get a name and thats it.

As a medical student, I was on the ADCOM at my school and we did closed file interviews. We got a name, and nothing more.

 

[bodonid]

At my only closed interview, my interviewers knew nothing but my name, but interestingly this is the last year that they will be doing closed interviews.