Everyone Asks Which Schools my Interviews Are At

[LAtoDavis]

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I'm bothered by being asked where my interviews are at. It's not the question, itself; it's the way it's always asked. As in, people are trying to see if I'm interviewing at top, mid, or lower tier schools because they're trying to form an opinion about me based on where I'm going to end up.

I think that the school prestige thing gets taken too far. This isn't law school, and IMO, residency and specialty have more to do with this "prestige" crap than which medical school you go to. My IIs are at "good" (top 25? lol) allopathic schools, too.

Anyone else feel me on this?

 

[songl4a]

.

 

[Person0715]

#premedlife, always gotta be sizing up the competition. amiright?

In all seriousness, it might just be an icebreaker. Who knows? If it bothers you that much, just vaguely mention geographically where you are have interviewed and then quickly change the subject...or just walk away.

 

[LAtoDavis]

#premedlife, always gotta be sizing up the competition. amiright?

In all seriousness, it might just be an icebreaker. Who knows? If it bothers you that much, just vaguely mention geographically where you are have interviewed and then quickly change the subject...or just walk away.

It's not premeds though. It's people like my apartment manager, PIs from other labs, random guys at Nordstrom, etc etc

I think I'm going to say what the other poster said... or maybe University of Grand Cayman or something and then act all defensive to see what they do next?

 

[Person0715]

It's not premeds though. It's people like my apartment manager, PIs from other labs, random guys at Nordstrom, etc etc

I think I'm going to say what the other poster said... or maybe University of Grand Cayman or something and then act all defensive to see what they do next?

Lol, that's oddly specific. Someone from there must have especially irked you.

 

[CoffeeBean1]

They're probably just making conversation.. The general public is only going to know schools that are associated with big name undergrads and not school "tiers"

 

[Lucca]

Dude, those guys aren't trying to size you up...they are trying to date you.

 

[TxC]

I only let my close friends know that I'm a premed lol

 

[ProbablyAPenguin]

If they keep probing you, say something like Harvard or some made-up school, and then reciprocate the question.

Tell them it's at Princeton!!

 

[miszfifi820]

i really thought i was the only one who has decided to stop telling people that im applying to medical school.

 

[snowflakes]

Just mention one or two schools you're not really attached to, and be easy-going about it. Works well too if you mention one or two geographically close schools.

I get that it's stressful. I dreaded when people asked me about where I was applying/interviewing because I seriously thought for a while I wouldn't get in anywhere. I got really good at dodging the "what are you going to do when you graduate" question my senior year. People are just making conversation, so you can just say "I'm interviewing at a couple schools in the area, but we'll see what happens" and then firmly and quickly steer the conversation in another direction before they have a chance to ask more follow-up questions.

 

[ski89]

I find it overly invasive when people ask me what my MCAT score is or what my GPA is. But as far as where I am interviewing? Who cares? It's impressive to get an MD interview no matter where it is!

 

[FutureOncologist]

If my premed friends asked, I would say "Ross, SGU, and American University" because "I didn't want a job anyway."

Regular non-premeds/family I told them I was staying in the south, JHU, and Stanford.

 

[allantois]

#whitepeopleproblems

 

[allantois]

I only let my close friends know that I'm a premed lol

I only tell strangers that I'm a Biology major (even though I'm not, lol) and just tell them I want to be a teacher or something if they keep probing as to what I want to do.

 

[altblue]

I only tell strangers that I'm a Biology major (even though I'm not, lol) and just tell them I want to be a teacher or something if they keep probing as to what I want to do.

I told people a similar thing and kept getting snubbed for it (even with teaching). A girl who I later found out was interested in me became visibly uncomfortable when I told her I was a bio major and asked me "errr, uhhh, what can you do with that?" Also, a plumber told me "at least I make more more than someone with a biology degree."

IDC anymore and now I tell people not at my shcool I'm "maybe going to grad or med school" and that's usually enough to avoid the same questions about specialty, where I want to go etc. 😉

(It still kind of bugs me when one person at my school cringed when I said I was pre-med, and later said I wasn't one of "those" pre-meds.)

 

[allantois]

I told people a similar thing and kept getting snubbed for it (even with teaching). A girl who I later found out was interested in me became visibly uncomfortable when I told her I was a bio major and asked me "errr, uhhh, what can you do with that?" Also, a plumber told me "at least I make more more than someone with a biology degree."

IDC anymore and now I tell people not at my shcool I'm "maybe going to grad or med school" and that's usually enough to avoid the same questions about specialty, where I want to go etc. 😉

(It still kind of bugs me when one person at my school cringed when I said I was pre-med, and later said I wasn't one of "those" pre-meds.)

I see now why my dating life is on the low 😀

 

[efle]

Jeez guys, not the thickest skins in the world around here. Getting asked about where you're looking to go for med school isn't supposed to make you feel judged, especially when asked by people who aren't premeds.

 

[ReggieNoble22]

Jeez guys, not the thickest skins in the world around here. Getting asked about where you're looking to go for med school isn't supposed to make you feel judged, especially when asked by people who aren't premeds.

Honestly...some of you are ridiculous. I think it's a pretty fair question when someone says, "Yea I got an interview" to reply with something like, "Oh that's great, where at?" seems like a pretty natural progression of conversation. The whole world isn't against you you know.

 

[Holmwood]

The sizing up never ends even when you're practicing!



Silly humans, lol.

 

[altblue]

Honestly...some of you are ridiculous. I think it's a pretty fair question when someone says, "Yea I got an interview" to reply with something like, "Oh that's great, where at?" seems like a pretty natural progression of conversation. The whole world isn't against you you know.

But unfortunately some people (and parents) are name-snobs and will verbally judge you for not having "prestigious" schools, as my HS vale. let me know when he went from Cornell UG to acceptances at low tiers

 

[efle]

But unfortunately some people (and parents) are name-snobs and will verbally judge you for not having "prestigious" schools, as my HS vale. let me know when he went from Cornell UG to acceptances at low tiers

That's funny. Senior year of high school I overheard a Yale legacy acceptee making fun of someone for only getting in to Cornell, "the worst Ivy". Some frickin people man.

 

[altblue]

That's funny. Senior year of high school I overheard a Yale legacy acceptee making fun of someone for only getting in to Cornell, "the worst Ivy". Some frickin people man.

It's like you only met Ringo

 

[G_Marker]

The general public doesn't really know how competitive medical school is. When I tell people how many schools I'm applying to and where I'm interviewing (after they ask), I sometimes make sure to inform them about how competitive it is to get into medical school. I find that the ~5% acceptance rate (+/-4%) is a good way to explain it to someone who doesn't know. People tend to be aware of their own college's acceptance rate, which is much, much higher, even for competitive universities. I also sometimes add that it's not like law school - prestige matters less when it comes to US medical schools. People don't tend to check where their physician went to medical school.

You can't blame people if they just don't know, so tell them.