Deciding factors after interview?

After your interview, from what my interviewer told me, I think that all the factors are meshed together. It's just that your interview "score/evaluation" is added into the whole pot of criteria. At the University at Buffalo School of Dentistry, my interviewer said that the committee will meet, consider the intervewer evaluation, add the score into their huge formula (which includes GPA, DATs, extracurrics, observation exp., desire, motivation, personality, etc.) and churn out a number. There are cutoffs for reject, alternate status, or accept.

Hence, for people with lower GPAs interviews are more "make-or-break" in importance to their acceptance odds.

For the bulk of interviewees, I think they should know that being invited for interview means you're pretty safe in terms of academics; so the interview is important for them too- it adds that entire human dimension to their applicant "formula" and it is the factor that separates them from other applicants who are identical on paper.

So to answer your question I would say it's the interview that's most important.

 

Jack is totally right.

Vondy, since you asked if you should send a thank-you note, I have to say this. Now that you've been to your interview, there's nothing much you can do. However, you can send nice thank-you notes and increase your chance of getting accepted like I did. I send notes both to my interviewer and the chair person of the committee, saying that I really needed to find out asap if I was accepted. I wrote that the school was my 1st choice and needed to find out my status because I was about to send deposits to other school. The dean sent me a welcome e-mail to their school the same day.

 

Most schools look at DAT, GPA, and then your interview is scored. The only time that they really take a look at your volunteer work, etc. etc. is if you're on the bubble. Like Jack Worthing said there are cut offs for accepteds, waitlists, and rejecteds. I would not listen to too many tales about people with sub par GPAs and low DATs. These are the exception to the rule. We don't know their situation. They may have a parent or relative who's on the board. They may fit into a minority status which can also boost their chances. I would worry about grades and DAT scores first and foremost. Believe me, it's a much easier interview when they aren't asking about your track record or weak spots on your DAT. At one school a buddy of mine had the same interviewer that I had, but his grades and DATs were a bit lower. The questions they asked us were totally different as a result. He got hammered about this and that, and in mine they just asked me about my hobbies and interests. I bet I scored a lot higher in my interview than he did, even though he's better at that sort of thing.