closed file interviews

[3dee]

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I have a CLOSED file interview in a few weeks. I was reading the interview feedback for this school and noticed that someone was asked "what was your MCAT and GPA?"

Is there any way to get around this question if asked?

 

[spicedmanna]

I have a CLOSED file interview in a few weeks. I was reading the interview feedback for this school and noticed that someone was asked "what was your MCAT and GPA?"

Is there any way to get around this question if asked?

No, I don't think so. You just want to lay it straight, when asked a direct question like that. If you try to make a big deal out of it, that's exactly what it'll end up being.

That being said, I doubt many experienced interviewers are going to ask this question, because if they are having you for an interview, it's because you are a good academic candidate already and they are trying to assess elements that cannot be assessed well on paper.

 

[supergumbo]

I don't see why an interviewee of a closed interview would ask that question since the point of it is to assess qualities that are not determined on paper.

 

[bioman2006]

I don't see why an interviewee of a closed interview would ask that question since the point of it is to assess qualities that are not determined on paper.

I got this question both times last year. Since they don't know a thing about you, it's pretty much a segue into talking about your academic life. Also, it turns up the pressure if you have bad grades, a low MCAT, or both. I hated both of my closed-file interviews last year. It's a rather lazy way to do an interview, and it does nothing to clear up any red flags in your application if they don't get addressed.

 

[engineeredout]

I don't think I got asked my GPA, at least I don't remember, but on both my NYCOM and LECOM interviews I was asked my MCAT, even though they were "closed interviews". I have no idea why they'd even bother asking, it seems to defeat the purpose. But yeah like people say, just say it and move on.

I like the closed file interview, not just for hiding the GPA/MCAT. I think it gives you the ability to talk about yourself and what you've done without the interviewer being so bored to tears because he read all about it five minutes before you came into the room.

 

[DrYoda]

I don't see why an interviewee of a closed interview would ask that question since the point of it is to assess qualities that are not determined on paper.

Because it's the school that wants a number blind interview not necessarily the interviewer, so the interviewer often goes on a sleuthing expedition.

OP: too direct a question to avoid.

 

[Rollo]

Why would you want to avoid this question? Besides, I have never heard of anyone successfully avoiding an interview question.

"Tell me your GPA and MCAT."

"Tell me your GPA and MCAT, buddy boy."



As mentioned already, if they offered you an interview, that means they want to find out more about you that cannot be assessed by grades/MCAT alone. If your GPA/MCAT is low, then follow up the answer with some confident assessment about yourself that will make them think, "This person isn't ashamed of their mistakes and worked hard to make themselves a better person."

 

[sardaukar]

Yea I had a similar experience at a "closed file" interview. They were asking me about my MCAT score, and I was surprised because I was fully prepared to talk about my personality and experiences, etc. In that split second I thought that they would look at my stats after the interview anyway, so this would be a good opportunity to explain things that they might not like. So I talked about why I took the MCAT multiple times, and I am glad I was asked that question, because otherwise, they would just make guesses as to why I did that. It helps to have my own input in the matter.

 

[DO2Be2013]

Weird. No one said a word about my grades or MCAT at my LECOM interview. And my GPA is pretty low.

 

[MossPoh]

I took part in a few closed file interviews and they asked my MCAT and what I got in organic chemistry in all of them. I was just honest. It wasn't stellar by any means, but being straightforward is the best way to go. I got accepted at 2 of them and waitlisted at one.

 

[slick27]

I agree, closed file interviews are just a lazy way to interview. I know they don't read it because they don't want it to influence their decision, but seriously. If you were interviewing for a job, they would certaining read your resume before interviewing you. It is a way to get to know you before hand to give you something to talk about in your interview.

I felt my closed file interview was annoying. Every question he asked could of been found in my application. Are you in school? What are you doing? What was your MCAT GPA? I really wanted to say, "well if you would of read my file you would know."

I personally think reading the file allows you to address the qualities that are not on paper more since you have a better starting point of understanding the canidates history.

 

[phillyirish]

.

 

[nevinleiby]

I like the closed file interview, not just for hiding the GPA/MCAT. I think it gives you the ability to talk about yourself and what you've done without the interviewer being so bored to tears because he read all about it five minutes before you came into the room.

👍

Why would you want to avoid this question? Besides, I have never heard of anyone successfully avoiding an interview question.

As mentioned already, if they offered you an interview, that means they want to find out more about you that cannot be assessed by grades/MCAT alone. If your GPA/MCAT is low, then follow up the answer with some confident assessment about yourself that will make them think, "This person isn't ashamed of their mistakes and worked hard to make themselves a better person."

👍

At all of my interviews, I first got the interviewers to like me and think that I would definitely be in. Next, when they asked if I had any questions I asked them to imagine that they were at the adcom meeting and were discussing my record. I asked them how the discussion would go and what I could do to ease their worries. I systematically explained away their concerns. with my application

If I had not brought this up, they would have not have understood my situation and probably would have rejected me in committee.

I never tried, but sounds worthwhile albeit direct =)

Any interview is good - open or closed. Seriously. If you made it to the interview, your app looked good on paper. 👍

In regards to closed interviews, I didn't really care too much either way...if anything, it was almost better.

When I walked into the interview, they knew nothing about me. First off, you'll probably get a "tell me about yourself" kind of question. I usually got a question like that anyway. Or I kind of molded some of my replies to answer that (eg, "Why medicine? Why osteopathy? type of questions).

With a closed interview, I don't have to wonder what they actually read, what they remembered, and what they were concerned about in my primary/PS and secondary and who I shadowed. I can focus on my reasons why I applied to medical school to be a doctor and why I am interested in their program in particular. I think that for most applicants, this energy is contained within your PS and your shadowing - use this to your advantage. My reasons, desires, and energy is visible within 3 minutes of the interview - the interviews can immediately tell that I know what I'm getting into and that I'm a serious applicant. That response is then used as a basis for almost every other response and followup question in the interview.

In contrast, for my first interview (which was an open, no SDN feedback since it was a charter class), I knew that they read my file, so I didn't re-hash the summary of my PS like I did for the other 6 interviews. I did, but I didn't talk it up with the energy like I would if they knew absolutely NOTHING about me. So even though they read about me and asked me all of these questions, they never really were introduced to ME in the most natural way..."who are you?"

So when they go back to your file, they might notice...
a) "Man! This guy got a 3.7!? And did very well on his first MCAT!"
b) "Hmm...not as high as what I was hoping for, but man...he's really level-headed. He met the requirements for admission/interview screening. He was swamped doing a,b,c,d,e during undergrad and did pretty well. He's interested, energetic, and knows a lot about our program. He's not an egghead, but I trust this guy. He gets my approval." 👍

So, OP, you really can't avoid the question if it's asked - this isn't politics . You can't just start talking about your addiction to Biochemistry instead and hope that no one will notice =). Be honest. If you did poorly, give a very brief reason, and focus on what you have done to improve yourself since then. For one interview, they asked why I had a low Phys mcat score, my response: "um...I did very well actually. I was higher than your average score. I did not do as well in Vr as I would have liked, but that is because ________. Granted I could re-take just to boost my Vr, but getting a Vr score higher than my 7 isn't going to make me a better physician."

Congrats on your interview. Focus on what they can't read off a paper because that is probably why you are even there.