Has anyone have experience in which they received an interview from a school because their recommendation writer came from that school? However, without that letter, your scores are probably not good enough for it? Thus the result of the interview is either a rejection or a wait list that you never seem to come off of?
Courtesy Interview?
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Unless your letter is from the president of the entire health sciences center or the Dean of Admissions himself, I doubt such a thing exists.
I applied to 10-12 MD schools when I applied. One of my LOR's came from a faculty member at a Top 10 med school. This faculty member is the head of a department and has been there for 10+ years. I saw the letter (GREAT letter). That med school was the ONLY program that didn't give me an interview. I'm sure that LOR helped helped at my other schools, but if the head of a department couldn't get me an interview there (my scores were on par with the school), I'm not sure what could......
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I got an LOR from a doctor that I was doing research with. Midway through applying, he asked me if I had heard back from X. I told him I had not. With me sitting there, he called the admissions office and got the dean of admissions on the phone to ask about my application. They told him that I was in the pile and they just hadn't gotten to me yet. I had a phone message with an interview invite two hours later.
I got waitlisted. And I kind of suspect that it might have been the exact situation described by the OP.
I got waitlisted. And I kind of suspect that it might have been the exact situation described by the OP.
Thank you TexasPhysician on your knowledge. I am sorry the opposite happened to you.
DocArmy, did it seem like your person was extremely influential? Did he/she said they want you in and see you as a great plus to their alma mater? I think there shouldn't be any kind of courtesy interview given, it's a shame to waste the time and the spot only to give face to the recommendation writer and give false hope.
DocArmy, did it seem like your person was extremely influential? Did he/she said they want you in and see you as a great plus to their alma mater? I think there shouldn't be any kind of courtesy interview given, it's a shame to waste the time and the spot only to give face to the recommendation writer and give false hope.
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I had the same experience as DocArmy. The doc I was shadowing offered to call the school directly for me, and did so right in front of me. The doc was on a first name basis with the admissions director. I got an interview, but was ultimately waitlisted (they wanted a higher MCAT). The doc offered to call again (and give a little friendly pressure to coerce them), but I politley declined.
I have no doubt that the right connections will not only get you an interview, but can get you into a program that you may not have otherwise qualified for.
I have no doubt that the right connections will not only get you an interview, but can get you into a program that you may not have otherwise qualified for.
Wow, did you get off the wait list? I think many people get into programs they were not qualified for grades/mcat wise, but probably would be a perfect fit personality wise and people wise.. i wonder which is more important...
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This did not happen to me, but I know for a fact that it is quite common for a number of different places. Like other said, I have only seen it when someone has placed a phone call on behalf of the applicant, not just because of who the letter writer is. This can also be much more common in private schools, but I am just mentioning a correlation that I have noticed personally from my friends. It does happen in public schools though...
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My husband applied to 8 schools, and the only school he didn't get an interview at was the one that his DO recommendation writer came from.
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Isn't it weird? I'm no longer upset by this, but it still boggles my mind. There is no way a letter from a school faculty could hurt you right?
Unless:
1. The DO recommender was highly unpopular
2. The letter was less than par (One sentence to a paragraph about you that is so generic everyone can tell it was written in less than 5 minutes, or impersonal and does not describe what they want to hear about you)
3. The DO recommender wrote to say you shouldn't come to this school
4. Your other letters don't match the DO letter's content...
So many possibilities......
1. The DO recommender was highly unpopular
2. The letter was less than par (One sentence to a paragraph about you that is so generic everyone can tell it was written in less than 5 minutes, or impersonal and does not describe what they want to hear about you)
3. The DO recommender wrote to say you shouldn't come to this school
4. Your other letters don't match the DO letter's content...
So many possibilities......
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The only school I didn't get into was the one my recommendation writer is faculty at.
bunnies and teddies
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As of right now I have not, but I also have not pursued the matter further with multiple acceptances (private school with significantly higher tuition than where I am currently accepted). I have no doubt that if I pushed the issue that I would get into the school or its branch campus. Just my personal experiences.
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did not get interview from my recommender's school but got interviews from other schools instead... not sure how the whole process works
